- April 29, 2024
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Top left rear: Bill Coonfield, Bill Brennock, Rick Albert, Jim Jividen, Tom Knott, Mike Reinhart, Jim Zgorzelski, Joe Mastropetro, and Bill Collum. Front left: Bill Martin, Dave Stoverink, John Martellucci, Steve Bolter, and John Jones. Courtesy photo
Team Flagler from the senior softball league added one more championship to its resume this past weekend, when it won the won the Senior Softball USA 60AAA last 2016 qualifier, earning a berth in the Senior Softball USA Tournament of Champions World Championship to be held in February in 2017.
The weekend began with games against two Florida-based 65AAA teams, both of whom would be granted five runs and an extra fielder due to the age bracket difference. Team Flagler’s first game was against a well know foe, Oasis 65s out of St Augustine, whose roster also contains many players who play in the Bunnell softball league. Oasis was able to keep the game close early until Flagler pulled away with 10 runs in the late innings, winning 20-10.
Team Flagler followed this with a game against Steve Levin’s Old School, based in West Palm. Team Flagler won 13-11. Key players were John Martellucci with two hits and three RBIs, and Bolter with three hits and three RBIs, and Stoverink with three hits.
The final game on Saturday, which began the double-elimination bracket, pitted Team Flagler against its first 60AAA challenge, Pompano Crush out of Coral Springs. In this game Team Flagler trailed by three runs after sixth inning but scored six runs in the top of the last inning and held off Pompano in the bottom of the seventh to win 13-11.
The championship game was a rematch between Team Flagler and Acousti, who won the single loss bracket. This game began with Team Flagler jumping out to the lead with a five-run first inning. From that point on, Flagler’s defense continued to dominate the game, holding Acousti to one run in the first five innings. Team Flagler won 9-3.
The defense of Team Flagler only 29 runs and making only three errors over five games.
Co-MVP honors for the tournament were awarded to pitcher Jim Zgorzelski (5 complete games and a BA of .647) and Steve Bolter (BA of .765 and 10 RBI). Dave Stoverink (BA of .765 and nine RBIs), Thomas Knott (BA of .625 and 18 PO) and Rick Albert (BA of .533 with a 3-for-3 in the Championship game) were named to the All-Tournament team.
