Softball

Softball spirit

SCSO Tourney renamed in Benny Chesnick’s memory as Livingston Manor and Monticello emerge triumphant

By RICHARD A. ROSS and MARY FEUSNER

GRAHAMSVILLE and LIBERTY, NY - Playing softball for 41 years shows remarkable durability, but being involved in the game for 70 years is downright uncanny. That was the tenure of umpire Benny Chesnick, a Wayne County Softball Hall of Famer, who said before umpiring his last game on September 16, 2007, “I started playing baseball at age 10 and here I am 80 years old. That’s 70 years. Sometimes, I can’t believe it.” Chesnick’s umpiring career spanned 45 years.

Chesnick passed away last December and he will be greatly missed. At their meeting in February, the Sullivan County Softball Officials (SCSO) decided to dedicate their tournament in his name. This year, officials decided to hold two mini tournaments to allow more schools to participate. At Liberty, Sullivan West and Livingston Manor went at it in round-robin fashion. At Tri-Valley, it was Monticello, Eldred and Roscoe. Livingston Manor and Monticello emerged as tournament champions.

In Liberty, Marissa Diescher (4-1) tossed a pair of one-hitters as Livingston Manor topped Sullivan West, 11-1, and Liberty, 16-0 in five innings. In game one, Diescher was five for five with three RBI and three runs, Christine Babich had two RBI and Emily Casey had three runs and an RBI. Each went three for five. In game two, Angela Zayas was three for three, with three runs and two RBI and Casey was two for two with two runs and two RBI for Manor (4-1).

Lindsey Bauer went three for six, with four runs to lead Sullivan West to a 16-12 win over Liberty. Rebecca Scherer had a single, double and two runs for Liberty (0-7). Scherer had the lone hit against Livingston Manor.

At Tri-Valley, Samantha Cohn tossed a three-hitter and four-hitter as Monticello (5-2) beat Eldred, 8-1, and Tri-Valley, 10-0, in five innings. In the opener, Jamie Vandermeulen, with four RBI, and Alissa Hermedia with two RBI, each had three hits. Jessica Venditti doubled and tripled. In game two, Shannon Reese drove in three runs and Paige Schoonmaker had two hits and two RBI.

Eldred beat Roscoe 13-3. Sam Ferguson and Heather Ouellette had three runs each, with two hits, and Danielle Kulik and Kim Elvin each scored twice for Eldred (2-4). Alexis Pierce earned the win.

Tri-Valley beat Roscoe 9-8 when Ellen Williams, who went two for three, hit a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Sarah Thilberg was two for two with an RBI for Tri-Valley (1-5). Kelly Browne was three for four with three RBI for Roscoe (0-4).

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of photos by John Reggero of the Liberty venue games. Also look for a story and album of photos of Monticello versus Eldred earlier in the week.