As the summer sun beat down on the Athens Sportsplex Thursday evening, bringing in temperatures of nearly 90 degrees, the Athens Fire Department and the Athens Police Department gathered together for their inaugural Battle of the Badges softball game.

The first responders were unyielding in their efforts to play through the tormenting heat, showcasing the physical and mental fortitude it takes to protect and serve the Athens community.

“This is a good time for the families to come out and watch the two departments compete against one other,” James Hand, the Athens fire chief, said. “We are going to try and make it an annual event, and maybe draw more of a crowd each year.”

The crowd was filled with the families, friends and coworkers from each department. As the competitive fire picked up in the first game between the two teams in the softball diamond, so too did the chirping from the dozens in attendance.

Jokes that came from the stands closest to the police dugout were particularly sharp, as humorous backhanded remarks were thrown at the players and umpires alike.

“We’ve got some off-duty police officers and firefighters going back and forth, but it’s all in good fun,” Hand said. “We have a tight knit relationship with the police. We are on so many calls togethers, and we have to rely on them as they rely on us.”

Athens police chief Anthony Pressnell reciprocated those sentiments when he talked to The News Courier during the games.

“We work together every day in serious situations, so this is a good opportunity for us to have some fun together,” Pressnell said. “Hopefully we will win, but it’s not looking too good, right now.”

The rules for the day’s events were simple, a best-of-three series with games lasting 60 minutes in total.

The Athens Police Department looked good in the early part of game one, running up the scoreboard in the first inning to take a 7-0 lead.

When the Athens Fire Department came up to bat they quickly took over the game, extinguishing any hope the people in blue had built up.

“We see these guys everyday, so you can tell how much this means to them,” Pressnell jokingly said of the fire department’s effort. “We’ve got a big crowd and they have a big crowd, but they have every engine they’ve got out, so it’s clear they have this side of town covered.”

During the first game, as the Athens Fire Department was well in the lead, the off-duty firefighters watching from the stands received an emergency call and rushed to their engines.

Even without the large fire engines in the background of the softball field, the Athens police department could not pull off a miraculous comeback and lost game one 23-10.

The fire department continued their hot streak from the first game into game two, winning the first ever Battle of the Badges series with the help of a 20-9 victory.

“At the end of the day, these are our friends,” Pressnell said. “We have support within each department and we are just looking to continue to build on it.”