2026 TOURNAMENT

What a day.  Our tournament came and went.  Weather forecast for the weekend was Hot n Humid.  And that it was.  Day started off with a little word from myself.  We went through the rules we were going to play under and also a couple of East Boston guys we lost way to early.  Mike Shea was a member of our group and played 3 of the 4 years.  Sat out last year due to a injury.   Mike was a member everyone got along with.  One of those guys no one really had any bad words to say about.  This year our tournament was dedicated to him and wish he could have been here to enjoy.  Mike will be dearly missed by all of us.  Also, the older guys that started halfball league.  East Boston Halfball.  Joe LoConte was one of the old timers that started their league up.  I was lucky enough to be given the chance to carry what himself and buddies started.  In honor one of our team had a nice dedication on the back of their shirts.  

Action started Saturday at 9am.  After some round robin games we broke for lunch and then got started with the double elimination portion.  The two teams that lasted the day undefeated were Red and White.  Red team lead by Dante Screnci n Billy Dellorusso and  White Mark Shea and Geoff Harris.  The winners bracket game to see who would get the first spot in the championship was Sunday at 10.  Both teams were battling.  Dante was dealing as he has been all year and Geoff Harris for white was equally dominant.  Billy Dellorusso would hit a solo hr to put Red up and Dante would make that hold up.  Billy had a great tournament hitting and also on the mound.  Over in the losers bracket you had 4 teams battling to try and take the long road into the finals.  Yellow team lead by the Forbes brothers would eliminate pink to advance.  On the other side Light PInk was playing Royal Blue.  This game was one of the best of weekend.  After 6 innings and 4 extra innings we finally had a winner.  In our game extras are a little tough.  First two are regular played innings.  After that we go to most total bases.  Finally in the top of the 10, Bob Manganello would single and starter Sandro Grutti would close it in the bottom of that inning for a 1-0 win for white.  That set up a match of Light Pink vs Yellow.  This game was tough.  Both teams feeling the heat.  Yellow would load the bases with no outs but only push across 1 run in the inning.  Pink had a couple innings with runners on but could not get anyone in.  Bottom of the 5 Anthony Carino would hit a solo shot for yellow against his father to give Yellow the 2-0 lead and in the 6 Johnny Forbes would close it out for the win sending light pink home.  

CHAMPIONSHIP

Yellow vs Red

In order for yellow to take crown they would have to defeat the red team twice.  The games pitching matchup had Johnny Forbes (yellow) vs Billy Dellorusso (red).  This game did not disappoint.  0's were being thrown up by both sides.  FInally in the bottom of the 5, our youngest participant Treyson Scarpa would hit a double to put a runner in scoring position.  That lead to the most feared hitter in our league Billy Dellorusso, smacking his own double to bring in the only run in the game and with it the Tourney Championship to red.  Team Red also had alot of others helping with it.  Treyson wasnt the only Scarpa as his dad Steven, uncle Mike and Anthony helped lead the way.  Dante Screnci has quickly become one of our best pitchers in league.  Also helping their teams efforts were newcomers Danny Tauro, John Klimarchuk.  Last but not least Steve Bossi.   Great job guys and congratulations.