2nd Brigade, Strike wins Week of the Eagles Softball Tournament

Written by Sgt. Jon Heinrich
1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

Fort Campbell, KY – Rain and lightning may have canceled all the softball games Monday, but it did little to dampen the spirits of the players.

Competitors showed up to muddy fields Tuesday morning ready to play in the Week of the Eagles 2012 Softball Tournament at North Sports complex here.

Thirteen teams representing the various brigades, division, medical, chemical and military police played strongly, but in the end 2nd Brigade Combat Team came out the winner of the tournament against 4th Brigade Combat Team.

“Just like Season One and Season Two of the Post Championship, we won it, so we knew it was coming in to being the target, so we ok,” said Sgt. 1st Class Armando Prescott, platoon sergeant with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division.

Since the games were rained out Monday, the teams had to play two days worth of games on Tuesday, all the way through to the semifinals.

The final game was held Wednesday morning with both teams ready to go.

Prescott said that getting prepared for the tournament was a little difficult, but they were still able to get it together.

“With a lot of field problems and all that, everybody’s going to the field and going to the ranges,” said Prescott. “It was kind of hard but still, everybody dedicated themselves to come out to practice and to come out and play softball.”

“It’s a big game,” said 1st Sgt. Frederick Jones, first sergeant for Company C, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th BCT. “To represent the Currahee Nation and to represent the division. Esprit de Corps, we’ve been looking very forward to it.”

“I thought for them it wasn’t tough,” said Prescott. “I thought it would have been some other team than them. We came out hot so it really was just another regular game for us.”

Both teams put a lot of effort into the game, but 2nd BCT finished strongly, winning the game 16-5.

“It’s not upsetting. It’s to the point that we feel we did well,” said Jones. “We’re not upset about it. Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose. It’s unfortunate that we were on the other end, but hey it happens.”

After the championship game the commanders and the command sergeants major throughout the division played a game against each other.

“It’s always good to have a little competition and get commanders and command sergeants major playing a friendly game on a softball field,” said Maj. Gen. James C. McConville, commanding general of the 101st Abn. Div.

“It was some great camaraderie going back and forth between the commanders and command sergeants major, and I thought everyone had a great time and everyone won today,” said McConville.

The score was close throughout most of the game, with the commanders pulling through in the last inning to win 11-10.

“If the sergeants major won, the 101st Airborne Division won; if the commanders won, the 101st Airborne Division won,” said McConville. “So it was a great day for all.”

After the game, McConville presented a “Losers Toilet Seat” trophy to Command Sgt. Maj. Alonzo Smith, the division command sergeant major.

McConville finished by presenting second place medals to the Currahee team and first place medals to the Strike team.