Fall ball is back and America’s Finest City Softball League (AFCSL) is taking over Poway once again. The short season kicked off this weekend with 23 teams. Play is divided into two divisions, the coed Open Division and the Women’s Division, which are further divided into competitive and recreation divisions depending upon the skill level of the teams.

“Since its inception six years ago, starting with a minimal amount of teams in Coronado, we have seen our fall league grow to 23 teams this year,” Jim Costello, the AFCSL commissioner said. “What started out as a relaxed off-season has become just as competitive as our Spring League. With this growth and level of competition, our 20th Annual Autumn Classic in October should be well represented by San Diego teams.”

Fall Ball runs through the middle of November, taking a break for the Autumn Classic, San Diego’s annual softball tournament that draws teams from across the nation. This year’s tournament will be held Oct. 11 and 12, over the Columbus Day weekend.

In opening day action Moby Dick’s Trojans and the Viejas Fire quickly established their dominance in the Open Competitive Division. The Trojans started out the season against the Live.com Bandits, who are moving up from the recreational division. They didn’t get any breaks being the new kid on the block in the Competitive Division, having to face one of the division’s top teams, the Trojans, who beat them, 24-0. The Trojans then faced the Bourbon Street Gators, who held them to seven runs, but couldn’t get their bats going to break through the Trojan defenses and ended up losing the game, 7-1.

The Viejas Fire comes into their first fall season ready to face the competition, with several new players. This weekend they picked up a pair of wins, starting with a 7-6 victory over Hamburger Mary’s and then a 19-11 win over the J & B Tornados.

In the Open Rec Division the Bourbon Street Brewers and the Moby Dick’s Magnums were the only teams to escape the weekend undefeated. The Brewers had a couple of high scoring games, defeating the GLT Alano Club, 15-5, before having a close call with Bacchus House by a score of 17-16. The Magnums had a little easier time with Bacchus House beating them, 11-6, and shutting out Red Envelope, 7-0.

On the Women’s side, in the Women’s B Division Moby Dick’s Bottoms Up and Aberration were the two teams to make it through the first weekend unscathed. Aberration started their season off with a close call against the Ono Sushi Sliders. The Sliders managed to post 15 runs but it just wasn’t enough, as they fell to Aberration, 16-15. In their second game of the day, Aberration beat up on the women of Powerhouse Gym, winning the game, 11-4. Bottom’s Up had a much easier time with the Sliders in their season opener, beating them, 17-3. In their second game Bottom’s Up faced Hairspray, who they beat by a score of 11-7.

Last, but certainly not least, in the Women’s C Division Six Degrees is the lone leader. After a 13-12 close call with Clean Sweep, Six went on to defeat the Bourbon Street Women, 12-1.

Fall Ball continues every weekend at the Poway Sportsplex with games getting underway at 8:00 a.m. and continuing through the afternoon. Admission to the park is $2.50 and includes a free drink from the snack bar. For directions to the fields and a complete schedule of games visit the Gay and Lesbian Times online at www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to the AFCSL website.