What’s In A Name? With Lopez, It’s Softball Tradition

Joe Lopez Sr. was tired following Monday night’s men’s D league slowpitch softball game at Quad Park in Post Falls.

The 53-year-old had just pitched his 12th game in three days for Lopez AWT.

AWT played seven straight games on Sunday, as the local team came through the back door to place second in the Quad’s 32-team Miller Genuine Draft Tournament.

AWT dumped previously undefeated LEAP International 15-8 to force the if-necessary championship game, won by LEAP 25-16.

Lopez and LEAP’s Bob Legasa were named the tournament’s most valuable players.

Following the finale, Lopez worked the graveyard shift at the Idaho Veneer Company.

“He’s in pretty good shape,” understated daughter, Patty, who, like her father, plays on three softball teams.

“Clutch hitting first of all and pitching,” merited the elder Lopez weekend MVP honors, explained outfielder Joe Lopez Jr. The 23-year-old has played eight years of softball with his father, not to mention recreation-league basketball and flag football.

“Softball is not easy to strike guys out in, and pitching is the key to everything,” Lopez Jr. added. “He’s got a variety of pitches. He makes our job in the outfield a lot easier.”

As does the entire AWT infield, whose average age is 36, compared to 21 for the outfield.

“Last year, there was a lot of inconsistency,” Lopez Jr. said of AWT. “We got sick and tired of coming in second. We were sick and tired of doing average.”

“We’re a little bit more competitive this year,” the elder Lopez said of a revamped AWT roster.

AWT, unbeaten in league, has fared well in local tournaments and hopes the success carries over to the ASA state men’s D tournament at Quad on Aug. 12-13.

“Our main goal is to take (state),” Lopez Jr. said. “We’ve got to play to our top capability and have no letdowns.”

The Lopez family established their softball reputation years ago.

“It’s competition and it’s the name,” Lopez Jr. added. “They’ve known my dad for a while and they respect him. He’s earned that right through all the years. He’s the cornerstone of our team. The older guys keep the younger guys in check.”

So does Patty, 26. She keeps the AWT scorebook, constantly reminding players of the batting order, what inning it is, as well as the score.

The youngest Lopez, 11-year-old Gabriel, is in his fourth year as AWT batboy.

Earlier this spring, Gabriel was on the roster of a Spokane junior high-aged baseball team coached by his brother.

Lopez Jr. can’t wait for Gabriel to turn 15 and join the AWT team, or better yet, a coed team involving all four Lopezes.

However, three years ago Patty decided to quit playing on her father and brother’s coed team. “It’s less stress,” Patty said with a smile.

The exception, however, is when her Koerner Furniture team meets Dexco, her father and brother’s team. “It came down to the last inning,” she said. “We lost by one run. My brother was the winning run.

“Am I nervous? Yes, extremely, because he’s my dad. Everything he’s learned, he’s showed me.”

Tournaments

Teams from Seattle, Moscow and Spokane are entered in the 14-team Red Dog men’s C slowpitch this weekend at Ramsey Park in Coeur d’Alene.

Bud Light is the sponsor of an 18-team coed tournament this weekend at Quad Park.

The Coors Light/Dudley Sports tournament will draw men’s B and C teams to Quad on June 24-25.

The T.W. Fisher coed invitational will be played at Ramsey June 24-25.