Hanningtons wins Atlantic Coast softball title

The Hanningtons of Massachusetts Senior 70 Division softball team, sponsored by Canton attorney Glen Hannington and managed by Canton resident and Canton Citizen columnist Joe DeFelice, won the prestigious Atlantic Coast National Qualifier for the second year in a row at the spectacular four-field Potomack Lakes Sportsplex in Loudoun County, Virginia, during the week of May 14-19.

Hanningtons had to come from behind to win the tournament after opening 0-2, with close losses to Hamel of Virginia and the Carolina Cavaliers. Hanningtons then roared back to win the next four games, beating the New Jersey Jaguars 28-11, Back Office Associates of Cape Cod 38-12, Peachtree (PA) 15-12, and Monkey Joes (NJ) in the sixth and final game 15-14, when player/manager DeFelice belted a two-run, walk-off homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Hanningtons compiled a team batting average of .625 while averaging 20 runs per game on the way to the championship. Leading the team was MVP Bud Dodge, who batted .700 (14 for 20) with ten extra-base hits and three fence-clearing homeruns, including one that was estimated at over 340 feet. Dodge is one of the premier over-70 players in the United States. He was named to the all-tournament team, as was DeFelice (16 for 22 with a .727 batting average).

Hanningtons’ pitcher, Rene Vigneault, batted .700 while walking only two batters in the six games. Also named to the all-tournament team were Justin McGrath, who batted .688 with three homeruns, and Don Murphy, who batted .600 and played excellent defense at second base.

Other standout Hannington players in the tournament included Chet Richerson (.650), Tom Silvia (.636), Angie Scarcella (.604), Peter Keville (.600), Hap Webster (.591), Jimmy Leonard (.550), and Charlie Howe (.500).

Team sponsor Hannington received a specially designed Atlantic Coast championship trophy, while each player received a polo shirt and a championship ring from the Jostens Company of Minnesota.

Hanningtons has now earned a berth to the nation’s premier senior softball championship, the Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida, in February 2013, as well as the World Senior Softball Championship in Las Vegas in October.

Hanningtons will be the defending champions in the Tournament of Champions. All of the teams competing in that tournament will have already won a championship tournament in the past year.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=14447

Posted by Canton Citizen on Jun 13 2012. Filed under Beyond CHS, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.