Kadena softball team avenges loss, rallies past Kubasaki

OKINAWA, Japan-Coach Jesse Costa called it a bit of "unfinished business" after her Kadena Panthers last weekend captured the DODDS-Japan girls softball tournament title. They wanted to avenge a 10-7 loss April 15 to the only DODDS team that's beaten them this season, Okinawa rival Kubasaki. On Friday, they got their chance. Mary Schweers got the victory with two innings of relief and drove in two runs. The Panthers scored eight unanswered runs to rally from a 9-3 deficit for an 11-9 victory at Chibana. "They're a bunch of scrappers," Costa said after Kadena's third victory in four games over the Dragons. "They know when they need to wrap their heads around the ball and get it done. It ain't over until it's over. I'm very proud of them." Costa hopes the victory will give six-time defending champion Kadena momentum headed into this week's Okinawa Activities Council best-of-three championship series. "It won't be complete until the island championship," Costa said, calling Kubasaki "worthy adversaries. It will be a good match."