Gospel Lighthouse defeats Immaculate Conception 13-7 to win Church Softball League

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — In order to perform a repeat three-peat — famously achieved by the dismantled Chicago Bulls dynasty — there has to be a discontinuation of title runs between the “peats”.

That stated, Gospel Lighthouse may have just secured the first leg of another trifecta with a 13-7 tournament championship game win over Immaculate Conception, Saturday at Westwood Park for the Church Softball League crown.

A perennial power(light)house, Gospel Lighthouse was several seasons removed from winning three-straight in the coed league.

Though Gospel Lighthouse looks to be the team to beat for years to come, Saturday’s finale represented an end of an era in the league.

For the past eight years, Dakotah Jones was the head commissioner of the league.

“But I’m stepping down after today,” Jones said while the final game was in progress. “It’s time for some new blood to take over.”

At the helm, Jones helped expand the league to 10 teams at its peak.

“We were back down to six teams this year,” Jones said, “but that may have been due to COVID … people not sure about playing softball this summer.”

Taking over will be Ben Miller, who is the captain of the Gospel Lighthouse team.

“Ben served as co-commissioner with me this year,” Jones said.

In addition to winning more championships in summers to come, Miller has ambitious plans for the league.

“It was hard to do this year, but we want to provide more concessions at our games,” Miller said. “We plan to hold some fundraisers to help re-do the restrooms (at Westwood Park), improve the dugouts and get new bleachers, which are getting old with the wood splintering.”

Miller also wants to attract more teams to the league.

“If your church doesn’t have a team, we can help you put one together,” Miller said.

Players and/or teams interested in playing in the Church Softball League may contact Miller on his facebook page — Benjamin Miller (Floyd County, Iowa) — or on the Church Softball League facebook page for which there is a link to on Miller’s page.

Not as cutthroat competitive as some other adult softball leagues, the Church Softball League has teammates pitching to each other, scoring limits per half inning, and no Lou Pinella-vs.-Carlton Fisk confrontations at home plate as runners attempting to score are sent back to third base if the defense can return the ball to a player with a foot on the pitching rubber before the said runner crosses the plate.