If there was any doubt as to whether the Cliff's Meat Market softball team came prepared to play for the Carrboro recreation and parks co-rec championship Tuesday night, that doubt vanished on the first pitch of the night. Cliff's leadoff batter Aaron Kelly sent the ball soaring high over the right-centerfield fence at Hank Anderson Park, striking a resounding chord for a team propelled by purpose.

Needing two wins against a talented and deep Chapel Hill Air team, Cliff's found its back to the wall coming into the tournament's final evening. But the players had been in that position before.

"We had to win two games to win the championship last fall too," said captain and catcher Leigh Poe.

Down in both games Tuesday, Cliff's came from behind in each outing to earn victory by a margin of 24-12 in the first game and 13-12 in the second to claim the title.

Chapel Hill Air captain Tim Costner found no fault in his own team's efforts, but commended the newly crowned champions' play.

"We finished in a three-way tie to end the regular season and made it to the finals, so we can't complain," Costner said. "They just played better than we did tonight."

Cliff's victory was somewhat tempered by the absence of Steve Barnes, the longtime coach and captain to many of the Cliff's players who died of a heart attack earlier this year. The team dedicated the season to him.

"I'd been playing for Steve since I was 13 years old, and I'm 36 now," said Kevin Horton, Cliff's hard-hitting shortstop. "He used to coach our church team."

Poe, who said she also had played for Barnes since she was 13, said he was present in the minds of many of the players.

Finishing the regular season 10-2 alongside Chapel Hill Air and Chapel Hill Realty Group, Cliff's arrived on Tuesday night with one tournament loss, that coming to the same Chapel Hill Air squad, by an 18-14 score the previous week.

While Chapel Hill Air went through the tourney undefeated heading into the final night, Cliff's had to play its way back to the final round, surviving with a narrow 13-12 win over top-seeded Chapel Hill Realty Group the previous Friday.

In the early game of Tuesday's double-header, Cliff's struck first with Kelly's homer and one additional run in the first. Cliff's maintained a slim 3-2 lead until Chapel Hill Air struck back with six runs on eight hits in the bottom of the third inning, including a triple by Matthew Wright, to go ahead 8-3.

Cliff's then went on a tear, scoring four runs in the fifth inning, 11 in the sixth, and six in the final frame. Keyed by home runs by pitcher David Idzi and Kevin Horton, the lead was more than enough to outlast a four-run rally by Chapel Hill Air in the last two innings, and Cliff's Meat Market captured the first game, 24-12.

Sparking the offense was a five-hit effort by Ronnie Clark. Amber Wells smacked four singles, and Poe also chipped in four hits and a sacrifice fly. Entering the game in the fourth inning, Dennis Brasington helped spark the offensive frenzy with three hits over the last three innings.

"They just hit the ball better than we did," Costner said. "We sort of had a lapse in the first game."

The victory by Cliff's in the first game forced a championship-deciding second contest. Once again, Cliff's struck first, with five runs in the bottom of the first inning, including Horton's second home run of the evening.

Chapel Hill Air came alive for eight runs in the top of the second, but Cliff's stormed back for five more to recapture its lead. The teams would each score a pair of runs over the ensuing two innings, leaving Cliff's just one run up down the stretch.

Stifling defensive play by Kevin Horton at shortstop and a clutch catch by Tracy Tant in the bottom of the seventh sealed the victory.

"Tracy made the catch in the last inning, and that was big," Horton said. "All of our girls did an excellent job hitting tonight."

Clutching the trophy just after the game, Poe said it was an emotional culmination to the season.

"I have chills," Poe said. "I really wanted to win it for (Steve), and that's what we did."

She and the rest of Cliff's Meat Market said the trophy belongs with one who couldn't be present to accept it.

"I played against Steve Barnes for at least 10 years, and then I played with him for at least six," pitcher David Idzi said. "To be able to do this for him means a lot. I put a post out on Facebook this morning that said, 'We're playing for the championship if anyone wants to come, and Steve, I hope you're watching.' "