submitted by Gary Funck
Bright neon yellow was the color of choice in Hoosick Falls on the weekend of June 29 to July 1 when the Town of Hoosick Youth Baseball/Softball League held its Second Annual All-Star Softball Tournament. A total of 13 teams from three different states came to Hoosick Falls and put their young talent on display.
[private]In the 10U tournament the home town team stayed in the winner’s bracket as Cambridge, Bennington, Dalton, East Greenbush and Wilton battled it out for a chance to play Hoosick Falls in the championship game. Bennington was sent to the loser’s bracket in the very first round by Hoosick Falls and then played all day Saturday and Sunday morning to make it all the way back to the championship game. Revenge was certainly on Bennington’s mind, but the sun/heat factor coupled with the multitude of games played eventually caught up with them. Hoosick Fall’s defense shutdown the Bennington batters, and Hoosick Falls took home the First Place trophy with a 4-0 win.
The 12U pool of teams had seven teams fighting for the elusive championship trophy. Tournament pool play ended early Sunday afternoon with Cambridge, Bennington and Mechanicville heading home while Salem, Southern VT Bat Brats, Greenwich and Hoosick Falls moved into a single elimination playoff round. Greenwich knocked out the home town team while the Bat Brats got a little revenge on an earlier pool play loss and sent Salem home.
The 12U championship game had one of the largest and loudest crowds that Hoosick Falls has seen for a youth softball game in many years and these fans were not be disappointed. Both teams had already played five games over the hot exhausting weekend, but fatigue was not an option for either of them and the intensity level on the field was sky high.
The Bat Brats jumped out to an early lead, but Greenwich kept the score close. The game turned into a hard fought, see-saw battle with the teams exchanging leads late in the game. Greenwich took a one run lead going into the final inning, but the Bat Brats dug deep one more time. They were able to get the tying run on second base with the go-ahead run on first, but Greenwich was able to slam the door shut on the Bat Brats and take home the championship trophy with an 8-7 victory. It was a fan-tastic game to end a truly great season of Hoosick Falls youth softball.
Town of Hoosick Youth Baseball/Softball League board would like to extend a word of thanks to all the youth baseball and softball supporters, volunteers and fans who made this season a huge success. They would also like to thank their softball all-star tournament sponsors – Hoosick Tire, Carmody East Auto Center, Hoosick True Value, Countryside Woodcraft, Subway, WCW Inc., and the Village Chocolate Shoppe.
[/private]