CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The third time was the charm for 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as it claimed a long-awaited Marine Forces Pacific Regional Softball Tournament title in dramatic fashion.

Trailing 12-5 after five innings, Wing sent 17 batters to the plate and scored 13 runs in the sixth, then held on to down 3rd Marine Logistics Group 21-14 in Friday’s championship game at Foster Field Complex’s Field 1.

It was a sharp reversal from the heartbreak that Wing suffered in the regional final the past two years. Wing went unbeaten in double-elimination play in 2004 and 2005, only to lose to 3rd MLG two years ago and Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler last year in two-game finals.

“It’s a lot sweeter,” said Wing outfielder Carlos Cardoza, one of five veterans, including coach Larry Borum, who endured those earlier losses. “We were hungry for it this year.”

It was the second time in the playoffs that Wing rallied past 3rd MLG. Wing scored six unanswered runs for a come-from-behind 15-11 victory over MLG on Thursday that catapulted Wing into the championship.

“They hit the ball,” 3rd MLG coach John O’Brien said. “They’ve been hitting the ball all tournament. We kept them down for six innings and then they exploded.”

Borum said the team didn’t worry about falling behind. “We were thinking, ‘Just come back and hit the ball.’”

Josh Armstrong’s RBI single and tournament MVP T.C. Gray’s third-inning grand slam got Wing within 8-5. 3rd MLG responded with RBI singles by Dave Harris and Bari Williams in the fourth and Dave Harris’ two-run single in the fifth that produced a 12-5 lead.

William Lampton’s third double of the game drove in two runs and Armstrong singled in a run as Wing crept within 12-8 after five innings. Wing shut down 3rd MLG in the sixth, then came to bat on a mission.

“We kept our composure,” Cardoza said. “We’ve been there before. We just picked it up and kept getting base hits.”

Matt Frisvold homered twice and drove in four runs, Gray hit two solo shots and Cardoza a two-run homer. Borum and Daron Wilkinson each had RBI singles, Nick Zepeda added a two-run single and Nathan Paquette hit a sacrifice fly.

“We just kept thinking how much fun we were having and just kept hitting the ball,” Frisvold said.

“Everybody picked each other up,” Gray said.

Felipe and Harris tried to rally 3rd MLG with run-scoring hits in the seventh, but it was as close as they would get.

2006 Marine Forces Pacific Regional

At Field 1, Foster Field Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa

Double-elimination playoffs

Thursday

Iwakuni Air Station 7, U.S. Naval Hospital Camp Lester 0, forfeit

3rd Marine Logistics Group 11, Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler 9

1st Marine Aircraft Wing 12, Iwakuni Air Station 11

Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler 17, U.S. Naval Hospital Camp Lester 5, 6 inn., 12-run mercy rule; U.S. Naval Hospital Camp Lester eliminated

1st Marine Aircraft Wing 15, 3rd Marine Logistics Group 11

Friday

Iwakuni Air Station 18, Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler 12; Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler eliminated

3rd Marine Logistics Group 11, Iwakuni Air Station 4; Iwakuni Air Station eliminated

1st Marine Aircraft Wing 21, 3rd Marine Logistics Group 14; 3rd Marine Logistics Group eliminated

Awards

Most Valuable Player: T.C. Gray, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

All-Tournament Coach: Larry Borum, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

All-Marine tryout camp selectees: T.C. Gray, Matt Frisvold, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; Eduardo Santiesteban, Paul Yeater, 3rd Marine Logistics Group; Denver Edick, Iwakuni Air Station.

All-Tournament team: Keith Gilchrist, T.C. Gray, Carlos Cardoza, William Lampton, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; Rafael Felipe, Paul Yeater, Eduardo Santiesteban, 3rd Marine Logistics Group; Doc Arbini, Seth Roach, Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler; Denver Edick, Thomas Millsap, Iwakuni Air Station.

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