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ITD narrowly loses in title game of first-ever state tourney

A band of die-hard ITD employees learned Saturday (May 10) what many outlaws already knew – it’s tough to beat the law.

After sweeping their first three games in the inaugural State Employee Softball Tournament, the ITD "Road Warriors" ran out of steam in the finale, loosing to the Idaho Department of Correction. ITD jumped to an early lead in the championship game but was victimized by a late rally and watched visions of the first-ever trophy fade away.

Michelle Rowland of Human Resource Services began putting ITD’s team together shortly after the tournament was announced as part of Public Employee Appreciation Week activities.

She sustained an injury during the team’s rigorous preseason schedule that included two practices and two scrimmages. Reymundo Rodriguez, manager of Commercial Vehicle Services, served as the team’s player/coach.

ITD opened the double-elimination tournament with a narrow, one-run win over the Idaho State Police, then summarily dispatched of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and the Idaho Tax Commission to reach the title game against a physically intimidating team from the Department of Correction.

The tournament at Willow Lane Athletic Complex in Boise was considered so successful a 32-team sequel is being planned for late September. A number of state agencies wanted to participate in the spring tournament but missed the 16-team cutoff.

Rowland and Rodriguez already are working on a team chant for this fall: R-E-V-E-N-G-E.

ITD’s team consisted of 12 players and three substitutes, all of whom contributed to ITD’s 3-1 tournament record. They were:

Greg Christensen
Ruth Martin
James Palmer
Pat Carr
Rod Becker
Dana Bailey
Reymundo Rodriguez
Janet Anderson
Jim Csencstis
Trina Posluszny
Mike Pape
Joyce Smithers

Substitutes
Renee Becker
Richard Holloran
Chelsea Fehringer