Shortstop and tournament Most Valuable Player Derrick Battle of 3rd Marine Logistics Group makes a throw to first base against Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop and tournament Most Valuable Player Derrick Battle of 3rd Marine Logistics Group makes a throw to first base against Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Second baseman Francisco Poo of 3rd Marine Logistics erases Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler runner Jesse Segura and makes the relay throw to first base during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Batsman Anthony Hawkins of Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler gazes at his bases-loaded, no-out popup in the seventh inning against 3rd Marine Logistics Group during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop and tournament Most Valuable Player Derrick Battle of 3rd Marine Logistics Group snags a ground ball against Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler shortstop Thomas Meinhart applies the tag to 3rd Marine Logistics Group baserunner Daniel Polk during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Polk was ruled safe on the play. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler right fielder Carl Holden comes up to catch a 3rd Marine Logistics Group fly ball during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler shortstop Thomas Meinhart attempts an off-balance throw against 3rd Marine Logistics Group during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop and tournament Most Valuable Player Derrick Battle of 3rd Marine Logistics Group dives for a Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler ground ball during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop and tournament Most Valuable Player Derrick Battle of 3rd Marine Logistics Group lines a base hit against Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler during Friday's championship-bracket final game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. 3rd MLG won 7-6 in nine innings, then beat Base again 11-9 in Friday' evening's championship game, winning the title for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop Taylor Smith of 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force fields a 1st Marine Aircraft Wing ground ball during Friday's knockout-bracket semifinal game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Division ousted Wing 12-5, only to be eliminated in the knockout-bracket final game 5-4 by Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop Taylor Smith of 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force fields a 1st Marine Aircraft Wing line drive during Friday's knockout-bracket semifinal game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Division ousted Wing 12-5, only to be eliminated in the knockout-bracket final game 5-4 by Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Third baseman Ken Altizer of 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force can't find the handle on a 1st Marine Aircraft Wing ground ball during Friday's knockout-bracket semifinal game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Division ousted Wing 12-5, only to be eliminated in the knockout-bracket final game 5-4 by Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop Henry Kelinski of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing can't find the handle on a 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force ground ball during Friday's knockout-bracket semifinal game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Division ousted Wing 12-5, only to be eliminated in the knockout-bracket final game 5-4 by Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Shortstop Justin Barnes of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing backhands a 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force ground ball during Friday's knockout-bracket semifinal game in the double-elimination playoffs in the 2011 Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament at Field 1, Gunners Fitness & Sports Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa. Division ousted Wing 12-5, only to be eliminated in the knockout-bracket final game 5-4 by Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
This story has been corrected
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Francisco Poo could not have picked a better time to get hot at the plate.
He batted 4-for-4 with two triples and two RBIs and Roger Davidson added three hits and drove in three runs as 3rd Marine Logistics Group repeated its Marine Corps Far East Regional Softball Tournament title, beating Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler 11-9 in Friday’s championship game.
Poo, who battled knee problems all week, had been 7-for-32 at the plate with two triples and two RBIs going into the title game. “He’s a veteran,” coach Robert Bamm said. “When he was slumping, his leadership with the rookies on the field was key. It kept us going as a team.”
“It’s amazing,” said Poo, a staff sergeant from Yuma, Ariz., stationed at Camp Foster. “When the team expects so much from you as a player and veteran, as frustrating as it is to not pull your weight, the team gave me the inspiration to come through. And this is the result, champions once again.”
Third MLG, which dethroned 1st Marine Aircraft Wing 8-1 in last year’s final, entered this week’s double-elimination playoff as the No. 4 seed, and had lost its last two pool-play games.
But after winning its first-round game 10-3 over Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, 3rd MLG upset top-seeded Wing 22-11 on Thursday, then reached the final by outlasting Base 7-6 in nine innings.
Third MLG never trailed in the championship, scoring the first five runs in the opening three innings. Base, behind Tommy Meinhart’s two-run inside-the-park home run, rallied for nine runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to cut the gap to one run.
Poo, a member of the All-Marine team a year ago, led off the bottom of the sixth with his second triple of the game and scored on Michael Rubio’s sacrifice fly.
3rd MLG’s Battle leads All-Marine camp picks
Shortstop Derrick Battle of 3rd MLG, who batted 17-for-34 with three home runs, four doubles and 10 RBIs in nine games, headlines six players selected to attend the All-Marine men’s softball tryout camp Aug. 27-Sept. 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.
Battle is a first-time selection, joining teammate Tommy Macias, who went to camp last year but didn’t make the team.Joining them are Anthony Hawkins and 2010 selection R.J. Robertson of Base; Robert Swierbitowicz of 3rd Marine Division/III Marine Expeditionary Force; and Henry Kelcinski of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.Players who make the All-Marine team will play in the All-Armed Forces tournament Sept. 17-23 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The All-Armed Forces team then plays in the Amateur Softball Association’s national championship tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at ASA headquarters in Oklahoma City.
CorrectionsEarlier versions of this article incorrectly stated that Francisco Poo was invited to this year's All-Marine tryout camp. He was actually a member of last year's All-Marine team and is an alternate to attend this year's tryouts. Henry Kelcinski's selection was omitted from earlier versions.
