Story by Eli Ruiz
MONGAUP VALLEY — August 6, 2013 — Six teams with names like Marlins, Ronnie's, Hufcut, Cervezeros, Fitness Factory and DeGroodt came from throughout the Hudson Valley and as far as Pennsylvania to participate in the 32nd annual Edward M. Collins Memorial Softball Tournament Saturday and Sunday.
As it turned out, it would be a very familiar team leaving Collins Field with the championship trophy in-hand: DeGroodt.
Having won the last three Collins’ tourneys, the team from Monroe is well known in local softball circles and handily won their matchup with second-seeded Hufcut 8-0 in the championship final.
Down 3-0 in the fourth, Hufcut had their best opportunity to put runs on the board evaporate. With one out, and after a Billy Shultz walk by DeGroodt pitcher Steve Platt, Frank Theodore came up to bat and lined a single to left, moving Schultz to third. Platt – who otherwise pitched phenomenally with his unorthodox sidearm/underhand release – then walked mid-fielder Rob Staropoli, loading the bases for Hufcut.
But Hufcut would come no closer to scoring. On a passed ball on a strike three, Shultz was tagged out at home trying to score. Meanwhile, batter Mike Welsh took first, but after protestations from the DeGroodt dugout and a meeting between umps, it was decided that according to league rules, Welsh could not take first on a third strike when there are two outs. In this case, it was ruled that when Shultz was out at home, there were then two outs.
So just like that Hufcut went from threatening with the bases loaded and one out to coming up empty.
Up 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, DeGroodt poured it on, scoring four more runs culminating in Johnny DeGroodt's triple to center to score DeGroodt's last two runs and ending the game early due to the eight- run rule.
"These guys were good," said winning pitcher Platt about Hufcut. "But we brought our A-game.”
All proceeds from the weekend tourney will benefit the Mongaup Valley/ Smallwood Fire Department.