Sports

Andy Helwig, who will be the voice of the Batavia Muckdogs on WBTA this season, holds up the new road and home jerseys for the 2018 Batavia Muckdogs.

The season is just around the corner, with players reporting in about a week. The first home game is June 18 at 7:05 p.m.

Today, Terry Hills hosted the annual Jim Kelly Golf Celebrity Classic, a fundraiser created by the Buffalo Bills great to help support several children's' charities in Western New York.

Above Dean Cain, who played for the Buffalo Bills for a short time before launching an acting career that has included a role as Superman, talks with his golf partners for the tournament.

Dean Cain on the tee.

Willie Hutch Jones with fans. Jones played for the San Diego Clippers in the early 80s. He's originally from Buffalo and for the past 30 years has been director of the Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Programs in Buffalo. The program's mission: "... to provide every child, at no cost, equal opportunities to engage in the highest quality program and to offer character building activities through academics, sports, and the arts."

Thurman Thomas

Thurman Thomas with his golf partners.

Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboys receiver, signs a Buffalo Bills cap for Luke Gutman.

LPGA professional golfer Cindy Miller.

Danielle Rotondo with actor Dennis Haskins.

Local golfers T.J. Woodward, Ray Tortorice, Tim Woodword, and Matt Meyer, with former Bills player Ed Rutkowski (center).

Danielle Rotondo with ESPN's broadcasting legend Chris Berman.

Chris Berman.

When Terry Hills Golf Course built the 14th hold more than 30 years ago, the green, on one of the course's signature holes, was mostly surrounded by water. To provide a bridge to the green, two telephone polls were placed across the water.

In the three decades that passed, the weather did its work on the wood, so last summer the bridge was removed.

This year a new bridge was installed, and with Jim Kelly on hand to cut the ribbon, it was officially opened.

Top photo: Mary Brown, Casey Brown, Danielle Rotondo, Jessica Ecock-Rotondo, Ellen Simkulet and Nick Rotondo.

Below, two photos provided by Terry Hills. First, Tom Brown walking across the telephone polls when first placed over the water. Second, Casey Brown walking across the first beam placed for the new bridge.

EIghth-grader Cody Harloff was the first to cross the finish line in a 1K fun run at Centennial Park this morning held to promote the Batavia High School Cross-country Team.

The run was promoted to Batavia Middle School students.

Below, Coach Rich Boyce explains to the rules of the race to the runners.

First-place awards were given to the winners at each grade level participating.

Press release:

Girls Varsity Tennis and Softball Coach Jim Fazio will be hosting instructional camps this summer for basketball, tennis, and softball.

The Softball Camp will be open to girls ages 9-16 on July 9-11, from 9 a.m. to noon, with rain dates on the 12th and 13th, at the Batavia High School Varsity softball field. Cost is $50; multiple children from the same family pay $40 each.

The Tennis Camp will run July 16-18, from 1 to 4 p.m. with rain dates on the 19th and 20th at the Batavia High School tennis courts for boys and girls entering grades 3-9. Cost is $50; multiple children from the same family pay $40 each.

The Basketball Camp will run Aug. 13-17 at John Kennedy School from 9 a.m. to noon for boys and girls entering grades 3-8. Cost is $65; multiple children from the same family pay $55 each.

All camps will focus on the fundamentals of each sport, sportsmanship, safety, and fair play. Drills and contests will be held daily.

Each participant will receive a free T-shirt.

For more information, and to get applications and the required waivers, please contact Coach Fazio at 585-356-0901 or at jfazio@gvboces.org

The sixth annual Batavia Football Golf Outing will be held on Saturday, July 21, at Batavia Country Club. It is located at 7909 Batavia Byron Road, Batavia.

Cost is $90 per golfer / $360 per foursome.

There's a shotgun start format starting at 8 a.m.; registration is 7:15-7:45 a.m.

Price includes:

• Batavia Blue Devils football goodie bag
• 18 holes of golf with cart
• Beverages
• Hot dog/beverage at the turn
• Dinner
• Raffles to follow

Questions? Contact Brennan Briggs at 409-5557.

If you would like to sponsor a hole or make a donation for the raffle, please contact Brennan Briggs.

Payment and registration is due by July 13. Please provide names of players and preferred T-shirt size.

Make checks payable to: Blue Devils Touchdown Club.

Mail to:

Brennan Briggs

8 Woodland Drive

Batavia, NY 14020

Le Roy's Haley Scripp two-run RBI scored Smith and Trader, which gave the Knights their only lead of the game in the second inning yesterday afternoon on Anderson field at Batavia High School.

Calmum's Grace Walker (pictured above) solo home run in the third inning tied the game to ignite the Red Raiders. Makenzie Wilson and Andrea Coyle both scored in the fourth to extend the lead 4-2.   

Walker missed another home run following the next at bat to score two players and lead 6-2 after four. Haley Scripp got an RBI in the seventh to score Fenstermaker. Red Raiders win 6-3.

Senior Hannah Rubinrott tossed a four-hitter, including five strikeouts, and kept the Oatkan Knights out of scoring position in four innings.

Caledonia-Mumford will play Section VI Chautauqua Lake in the Far West Regionals in Fillmore tomorrow at 4 p.m.

To view or purchase game photos click here.

Press release:

The Batavia Muckdogs today announced an agreement with WBTA to bring Muckdogs baseball back to the radio waves. Home games will air on 1490 WBTA after a one-year hiatus. Road games will be broadcast online, as well as the TuneIn Radio App. 

“We have received a lot of feedback from fans wanting the games back on WBTA, are very excited to be able to deliver that to them.” Muckdogs General Manager Dave Chase said Thursday. 

WBTA President and General Manager Dan Fischer added: “We are extremely excited for professional baseball to be back on our air, and to continue the tradition of Muckdogs baseball on WBTA.” 

The new “Voice of the Muckdogs,” Andy Helwig, will be on the call for all 76 Muckdogs games this season. Helwig comes to the Muckdogs from Canisius College, where he broadcasts volleyball, soccer, lacrosse and basketball on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN App.

The University at Buffalo Bulls are loading up on Batavia track stars with the signing yesterday of Kiaya Franklin to the Division I school.

Last month, Anthony "Butchie" Ray signed with UB.

Franklin has been a member of the varsity track team since eighth grade. She holds school records in the 200 meter, the 60 meter, the 300 meter, the 400-meter indoor, the 400-meter outdoor, the 4x4 relay indoor.

She won her first state medal in 2015 and won three more in 2016 and three more in 2017.

She's been first team Monroe County All-League each of the past four years and won the Section V Devin Snyder 2016 Outdoor Female Award.

She has 16 sectional title patches, including five for the indoor team, three for the outdoor team, and eight individual patches.

Photo by Frank Capuano.

Photos and info submitted by Le Roy Principal Tim McArdle.

Over the past four days, the Le Roy Oatkan Knights have won three Section V team championships in boys track & field, tennis, and softball, and nine individual titles in track & field.

Saturday at Avon High School the boys' track & field team ran away with the Section V Class CC Championship, scoring 111 points and winning by 45 points. This is the 11th Track and Field Title since 2007 for the program. 

Tuesday night at Naples Elementary School the tennis team defended their Section V Championship by dominating Wellsville 5-0. The Knights are undefeated on the season at 13-0. The win is the third title in tennis in school history. 

Tuesday night at Bloomfield Elementary School the softball team won its seventh straight game upsetting #1 Gananda en route to the Section V Class C1 Championship, 5-3. The team knocked off the third, second, and first seeds to win their second title in three years. The Knights have now won four softball sectional titles in school history. 

"A huge thank you to our Le Roy fire and police departments for welcoming home our Champions," Le Roy Principal Tim McArdle said. "We can’t thank them enough for always bringing out the entire fleet for our Oatkan Knights."

The 2017-2018 school year has brought home six Section V championships (volleyball, winter cheerleading, boys winter track & field, spring boys track & field, tennis, and softball) which is the most team championships won in a sports year in school history. The Oatkan Knights also brought home 13 individual titles (winter track & field, wrestling, and spring track & field) this school year. 

A disappointed Batavia bench overlooks the final moments ending their season and chance of a sectional crown, losing to class A2 rivals Pittsford Sutherland 12-3 at SUNY Brockport yesterday afternoon. This is the second time the Knights have beat the lady Devils in back-to-back seasons.

After the first inning game tied 1-1, Sutherland took the lead in the bottom of the third 4-1, which left Batavia craving for some runs early on.

Top of the fourth inning, Batavia looking to tie the game, in scoring position with bases loaded and only one out. Sutherland sophomore pitcher Grace Fanset came up big getting the next two outs.

Pitcher Fancet (pictured below) hit a three-run home run with other teammates scoring. Score after four innings: 11-1 Sutherland. Lady Devils scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning, then stranded the bases loaded. Batavia left 12 runners on base for the game.

Final 12-3. First year Head Coach James Fazio commented after the game:

"The Batavia High School Softball Team just finished their season falling to Pittsford Sutherland in the Class A2 Sectional Finals. Batavia began their season down in Myrtle Beach (S.C.) and played a very difficult schedule to get ready for sectional play.

"Batavia started off their season at 3-5, but then won eight out of their next 10 games and were playing their best softball of the season heading into sectionals. Batavia won the Pembroke tournament recently and was named Co-champions of Monroe County Division 4 with a 7-1 record with their only loss coming to HFL, who then they would beat in the first round of sectionals.

"Batavia then defeated #1 seed SOTA in the semifinals before losing to Sutherland. The team graduates seniors Kaitlin Ange, Alaina Bowman, Bri Janes, and Taylor Stefaniak and those players will be greatly missed. The team has a number of returning players and players up from Junior Varsity that will form a very competitive team next season."

Click here for more game photos.

Class A2 tournament all stars from Batavia and Pittsford Sutherland

The Batavia Stingers won the inaugural Lions Club softball tournament at Lions Park yesterday.

The team is coached by Stan Kaus, Matt Landers, and Chuck Richmond.

Submitted photo.

Press release:

On Monday, June 4th, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Batavia Muckdogs will be hosting a job fair at Dwyer Stadium.

Those who are looking to work in concessions, maintenance/janitors, grounds crew, box office/ticket takers, press box, promotions, in-game entertainment, the mascot, or bat boys for the duration of the 2018 season can arrive at the visitor’s clubhouse at 4 p.m. for check-in.

Attendees are encouraged to dress business casual. The Muckdogs look to fill the positions right away, with the necessary training beginning the weekend of June 15th.

About the Muckdogs

Recognized as the birthplace of the New York-Penn League and one of its founding franchises, 2018 marks the 79th season of professional baseball in Batavia. Operated by Batavia Muckdogs Inc., the Muckdogs are the Class A Short Season Affiliate of the Miami Marlins and the only professional sports franchise in Genesee County.

Batavia Girls Fastpitch Softball and the Batavia Lions Club hosted an inaugural four-team softball tournament today at Lions Park.

The Batavia Stingers fielded two teams to play against teams from Perry and Lyndonville.  Pictured is a game between Perry and Lyndonville.

Promoter Richard Mitchell, of Ground Force Fights, is promising an exciting night of mixed martial arts fights June 23 at Batavia Downs.

"It's going to be fun," Mitchell said at a press conference at Batavia Downs this afternoon. "Be prepared to be excited the whole night and to be on your feet. It's going to be going to be 20 plus exciting fights."

Local fighters on the card for that night include Matt Norstrand, Le Roy, Quentin Marozzi, Caledonia, Tim Shelby Le Roy, Brandon Sarkis, Pavilion, Kenny Hale, Jake Hixenbaugh, and Grady Wall, all from Bergen, and Steven Kleckler, Batavia.

Though the card isn't limited to just local fighters.

"We also have fighters come from all over the world, actually," Mitchell said. "We have about six different states represented and we have a team coming from India to fight on the card."

With the marketing power of Batavia Downs behind the fights, Mitchell said he expects the fighters participating will grapple in front of twice as many fans that the three previous Ground Force-promoted events.

Batavia Downs hosting an MMA event is just giving the venue's patrons what they want, said Henry Wojtaszek (speaking in the top photo), president and CEO of Western OTB.

"We have a lot of the UFC fights here (on TV) and it's a place where people come locally to watch the sport," Wojtaszek said. "We were introduced to Richard and we're very impressed with his organization and his ability to put this card together and so we're very happy to partner with him.

"We've watched the growth of MMA here in New York State and it's very, very popular and we're giving the people what they want to see here at Batavia Downs."

One of the local fighters, Norstrand, who stands at 4-1, will be defending his division's title and he's grateful for the chance to do it in front of a big crowd.

"I've got a long history of trying to fight in New York and with them finally lifting the laws against it, it has helped me out immensely," Norstrand said. "I've got a bunch of fights within the last year and a half and Rich has been a great help and good in lining up fights and good fights for me.

"I'm happy to be here part of a new event for him and a new place to do it. All of my fans are definitely excited to be here."

Marozzi is going to try and grab the title at the 135 pound weight class. He plans on this being his last amateur fight before turning pro.

"I've been training really hard for the last eight months, really focused on being undefeated in this weight class of 135-140, so I really look forward to going back to my class of 135 to show people that first, I've been training, and second, to get this pro going," Marozzi said.

"This is supposed to be my last fight before I go pro, so I'm really trying to bring the heat and show the skills my coaches have put into me."

(For yesterday's press release on the June 23 MMA event at Batavia Downs, including ticket prices, click here.)

Richard Mitchell

Matt Norstrand

At far left is Quentin Marozzi.

Avon came into Dwyer Stadium on Thursday and crushed Pembroke's dreams of advancing to the championship game for the Class Class C1 Section V championship.

Avon scored 13 runs and held Pembroke to one.

Also on Thursday, Bolivar beat Notre Dame 4-0 in the Class D1 semifinal.

In the Class A2 semifinal, Batavia dominated Aquinas for a convincing 10-5 win to advance to the championship game at 1 p.m., Saturday, against Wayne in Colburn.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Batavia Girls Fastpitch Softball (BGFS) organization is holding its debut Lions Club Memorial Day Softball Tournament this Saturday, May 26^th, over the Memorial Day Weekend.

The Batavia Lions Club has generously agreed to partner with BGFS in sponsoring what is hoped to be the first of a long-running annual fastpitch softball tournament.

The inaugural tournament will be comprised of four 12-and-under teams from Batavia, Perry and Lyndonville.

The day’s events are listed below:

• Batavia Stingers Black vs. Lyndonville – John Kennedy School – 9 a.m.
• Batavia Stingers Yellow vs. Perry – Lions Park – 9 a.m.
• Skills competition – individual hitting contest and team throwing accuracy contest – Lions Park – 11:15 a.m.
• Consolation game (losing teams from morning games) – Lions Park -- 12:15 p.m.
• Championship game (winning teams from morning games) – Lions Park – 2:30 p.m.

There will be a concession stand open throughout the day serving hot and cold drinks, hot dogs, pizza and snacks.

Come on out and watch these young ladies compete while enjoying a snack or lunch at the ball field.