Island Firefighters Cruise to Their Sixth Guns 'n Hoses Victory, 16-8
By Eric Fish

Following the game, police and firemen pose at home plate. The fire department defeated the police department, 16-8.

The Mackinac Island Fire Department posted back-toback five-run innings to take early command of the sixth annual Guns and Hoses benefit baseball game Sunday, August 12, at Great Turtle Park. Riding hot early offense, the Hoses cruised on to their sixth consecutive victory in the game, this year by a score of 16-8.

Looking to avenge a 9-5 loss from 2006 and a 14-13 heartbreaker from 2005, the police department was hoping to ride the bats, youth, and energy of the summer police officers and traffic safety officers. But the Hoses roughed up the starting pitching of the Guns, taking a 5-0 lead after the first inning, and doubling it to 10-0 after their at-bat in the second.

"Surprisingly, our bats came out of the nest there pretty fast and pretty furiously," Hoses starting pitcher Jason St. Onge said.

The police department crawled back into the game in the bottom of the second after Mr. St. Onge issued a series of walks to Guns' batters. Officer Jim Myers helped the rally with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 10-5.

The sixth annual Guns and Hoses softball game between the police and fire departments raised $1,300 for the Mark Gallagher Scholarship Fund at the Mackinac Island Community Foundation.

"My pitching was absolutely horrible but, thankfully, as usual, I've got 10 firemen behind me backing me up," Mr. St. Onge said. "They came in and made the save for us."

The Guns weren't able to hold the Hoses in the third inning. Jason St. Onge made up for his walks by hitting a leadoff double en route to three more scored runs for the fire department, who took a 13-5 lead. Unable to respond for their at-bat, the police went scoreless, holding the score at 13-5 after three innings.

The Hoses posted another run in the fourth inning, but the police department answered the call with two runs of their own, making the score 14-7. The two teams played to a scoreless fifth inning before the fire department hit a two-run homerun in the sixth inning to give the Hoses more breathing room with a 16-7 lead. Unable to respond, the police department was retired on three straight batters.

Hoses pitcher Jason St. Onge begins his windup Sunday, August 12, at Great Turtle Park.

With hopes of a miracle rally, the Guns took to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and final inning of play, but were only able to muster one run batted in. The final score stood at 16-8 and, staying fit to tradition, the two squads shook hands afterwards on a good game.

"It's always a good time," Mr. St. Onge said.

The win is the fifth in a row for the fire department and ends the friendly talk of competition leading up to the game. Mr. St. Onge said that there was even a little bit of trash talking between the departments leading up to the contest.

"There was a little bit," he said. "I sustained some last night and I just took it. I didn't say anything because I was kind of scared going into this year, they were practicing."

Other festivities throughout the evening included raffles, a 50/50 drawing, a cookout, and a golf chipping contest. All proceeds from the event went to benefit the Mark Gallagher Scholarship Fund to support Mackinac Island Public School graduates studying criminal justice. The fund's namesake died of cancer while studying law enforcement. The event raised about $1,300 for the fund, which is endowed with the Mackinac Island Community Foundation.