Army Strong out muscles 965th AACS in doubleheader Published June 29, 2011 By Brandice J. O'Brien Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Before the doubleheader even began, the odds were stacked against the 965th AACS. Fifteen minutes before the first intramural slow-pitch softball game, only a few stragglers in street clothes stood near the dugout. More players slowly trickled in, but it was a far cry from the showing for their opponents, Army Strong, which had a full team fielding balls and fans in the bleachers. The moment could have foreshadowed what was to come. In 102-degree heat with a light breeze and the sun glaring down, the two teams met at 5:30 p.m., June 27 at Championship Field. Army Strong, full of energy and dressed in matching silver and black jerseys, showed the 965th AACS their best. They won both games by the run rule -- 17-3 in the first game and, 14-0 in the second. The 965th jumped out to an early lead in the first game, going up 1-0 after the top half of the first inning. Their lead was shortlived, however. In the bottom of the first with Army at the plate, the team scored four runs including a three-run inside-the-park homerun by Thomas Cheek. Going into the second inning, Army led 4-1. The 965th didn't fare any better in the second inning than the first and struck out. Army picked up another four runs. With Army leading 8-1 going into the third, the 965th tried to get their bats going. They did get two runners home to close the gap a little. Army struck out in the bottom of the third. At 8-3 Army, the 965th took to the bat again in the fourth, but their luck had run out; they struck out. Knowing the game could potentially end right here, Army took advantage of the bottom of the fourth inning. They scored nine runs, including Ray Mason's two-run inside-the-park homerun. When the game was called, Army won 17-3. The start of the second game seemed promising for the 965th when the game was still scoreless going into the second inning. That soon changed. At the top of the second, Army scored a run. The 965th struck out. Going into the top of the third inning, the 965th still had the potential to catch up; after all, the Army only led 1-0. But, it didn't last. Army scored four runs in the third inning. The 965th now had to score at least five runs and didn't make a single one. At the top of the fourth inning, Army led 5-0 and was up to bat. They scored nine runs, including another in-park homerun by Cheek. He brought himself and two others around the bases. With a score of 14-0, the umpire told the 965th they needed five runs to stay in the game. At the bottom of the fourth inning, the team struck out and Army won the game 14-0.