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What a difference a year makes. This time last year, the Roswell Invaders were celebrating a League Championship, but today the 2012 Invaders are saying good bye and heading home after a third place finish. But, in the eyes of Roswell Invaders fans this year’s team was just as much champions as last year’s.From the opening night, we knew we had a team with determination and grit. Down one run, bottom of the ninth inning, tying run on second, 2outs, 2balls, 2strikes, Patrick Penyo hit a walk off home run. At that point the fans knew they were in for a special season. Manager Simon Walters joked about never having an easy win, but confessed that the guys never believed they were out of a game no matter what the score.The season was filled with ups and downs, but also full of great moments and memories. Moments like Jacob Almarez’s diving catch in left field to rob an Alpine Cowboy of an RBI and end the inning, Liam Zenge-O’Brien pitching a one hit shutout, or Andrew Hancsak hitting a home run on the first pitch that he saw as a professional. We got to watch Wes Kartch become one of the best third basemen in the league, and returning leaders like Reed Brown, Josh Cakebread, Brycen Bell, and Brian Ramirez lead the team by example both on and off the field.The season may not have ended the way we dreamed, but the players did nothing to disappoint the fans. They quickly became “our boys of summer” and part of our families. As they head home, we watch them leave with heavy hearts, send our best wishes for the future, and hope that they will be back as part of the 2013 Roswell Invaders. Until next season, we will talk about what could have been and dream about the 2013 season and bringing back to Roswell the Pecos League Championship.
Bob Bailey is a contributing author to PecosLeague.com and RoswellInvaders.com
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