Sports

Submitted by Scott Gayton:

Oakfield-Alabama defeats the Batavia Yankees to win the Junior/Senior Championship Title. The final score was 4-3. Front row from left: Coach Joel D'Alba, Jordan D'Alba, Andrew McIntyre, Tristian Korzelius, Cole Phelps, Cameron Dayka. Back row: Coach Scott Gayton, Zach Gayton, Allen Chatt, Danny Dinsmore, Austin Fisher, Chris Nanni, Hunter Spiotta, Josiah Yantz, Manager Bruce Chatt.

Press release:

It is with great sadness that for the first time in 45 years we must cancel the 2012 Batavia Youth Football Season. We simply do not have enough players to keep the league active at this time. We are canceling this year and are hopeful that next year Batavia Youth Football will once again be a part of the youth football activities in the area.

We apologize to those football players, cheerleaders and families that were planning another season with Batavia Youth Football. We would also like to thank the entire Genesee County area and the thousands of kids for their support of Batavia Youth Football.

Refunds will be sent ASAP and any questions can be directed to byfinc@gmail.com.

And they're off ... for the 66th season, there is live harness racing at Batavia Downs.

More than 3,000 racing fans turned out for opening night and they witnessed Shawn Gray, who captured Buffalo's 2012 driving title, notch three wins.

Two other of the nation's top drivers, Dan Noble and Jim Morrill Jr., were also featured on the night.

On Saturday the Tonawanda Valley Youth Ladies Fastpitch Softball League (TVYLFSL) hosted a Junior Division small ball softball tournament to benefit Crossroads House.

Four teams of 10-12-year-old girls participated, representing Batavia, Le Roy and Byron-Bergen.

Participants and their families were asked to bring donations from the Crossroad House wish list.

http://www.crossroadshouse.com/

"Crossroads House is a comfort care home for those who have a terminal illness and have been medically determined to be in the last three months of life. Crossroads House is an alternative to a hospital or nursing home when care can no longer be provided in the patient's own home."

Le Roy 2 coached by Micky Hyde won the tournament. Tied in points going into the last game with Le Roy 1, Hyde's team scored a run in the last inning to pull off the win.

More pictures from the games can be found here.

More than 1,000 people -- when organizers considered 700 fans a good turn out -- showed up at the tractor pull at the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Saturday evening.

Competitors brought their machines -- small, medium and mighty -- to compete in various classes of competition, from stock, street-legal trucks and modified law tractors up to souped-up full-sized tractors.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here. To purchase prints of these photos (or previous fair photos) click here.

Press Release:

A bigger signature race, a new first race post time and Sunday afternoon racing in August are just some of the changes in store when racing returns for the 66th season on Monday (July 23) at Batavia Downs Casino. The pacers and trotters will meet at America’s oldest lighted harness track for 72 exciting race dates.

The Robert J. Kane Memorial Invitational Pace, the track's signature event, will now offer a $50,000 purse. This year’s Kane Memorial is slated for October 6. Last year, Aracache Hanover with Trevor Henry in the bike, lowered the Downs all-age record when he paced to victory in 1:51.1. Aracache Hanover is locally owned by William Switala and James Martin.

Racing fans will need to arrive 15 minutes earlier with first race post for all evening racing programs now slated for 6:25 p.m. Racing gates open at 5 p.m. with the exception of August 11 and September 15, when racing gates open for Old Fashioned night at 4:30 p.m.

A total of six matinees will be offered, including all four Sundays in August. The other two afternoon race cards are Labor Day and Columbus Day. Post time for all matinees remains at 1:15 p.m. with racing gates opening at 12 p.m.

Racing will be conducted on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday night basis for the first two weeks of the annual Summer-Fall meet with Sundays replacing Mondays in August. Twelve races will be carded nightly except on Saturdays when the Genesee County racetrack will host 13-race programs.

A complete racing calendar is available for download at www.batavia-downs.com.

Changes were made to the wagering menu, with the major change being the minimum on trifecta wagering has been lowered to 50 cents. However a $1 wager is required. One dollar daily double wagering is also being offered.

Superfecta wagering is now offered on all races with the exception of races one and seven. The Pick-4 has been moved to the third race and the late-late double moves to the last two races nightly. The popular Pick-6, which paid $10,000 to one lucky ticket holder last season, begins on race seven.

North America’s leading dash winning harness racing driver in 2011, Dan Noble, will make his Batavia Downs debut on opening night. Noble led all drivers last year with 773 wins. He currently sits fourth this year with 320 wins.

Shawn Gray, currently the leading driver at Buffalo Raceway, will also be racing at Batavia Downs for the first time. The Maine native shipped to Buffalo in January and has notched 185 wins so far this season there.

Jim Morrill Jr., who recently won the $445,594 Yonkers Trot with Archangel, makes a special appearance on Monday night. Morrill established records for most wins and earnings in a single season at the Downs in 2006.

Again this season all racing programs will contain $2 free play coupons that can be redeemed at Players Club. The cost to purchase a program remains at $2, however on opening night and on July 28, the first New York Sire Stakes event of the season, racing programs will be free.

Player’s Club members dining in the track's historic clubhouse will receive $5 in Casino free play with the purchase of a buffet. On Sunday afternoon, the cost of the lunch buffet minus the free play coupon is just $3.95.

The entire racing season will be broadcast via live streaming video at www.batavia-downs.com. Race replays are available at the same web address.

The 2012 season features a variety of promotions, including two old fashioned nights, the biggest free handicapping contest ever and the annual family fun day at the races featuring the hilarious wiener dog races.

U.S. Attorney for Western New York Bill Hochul was in Batavia tonight to throw out the first pitch at the Muckdogs game.

Freelance photographer John Spaulding submitted these photos from the tractor pull in Alexander last night.

If you missed the roar, dust and black smoke, there's plenty of opportunity for more tonight with tractor pulls resuming at 7 p.m. The track is behind the fireman's rec hall off Route 98 on the south side of town.

The annual kiddie parade is at noon and the fireman's parade is at 4 p.m.

The band Red Creek performs at 9 p.m. The grand prize drawing is at 10 p.m.

More pictures after the jump (click on the headline):

Batavia Little League played a championship game at MacArthur Park on Wednesday. When I left, Batavia was ahead 7-1 or 8-1, but I've not yet received final results from anybody. Evan so, here are photos from yesterday's game.

UPDATE: Batavia won 9-4 and now advances to a sectionals round, which is hosted in Batavia this weekend. Teams in the tournament besides Batavia: Penfield, Auburn, Fredonia, Portville and Orchard Park.

Two games into his professional career, Alex Mejia came through for the Muckdogs in a big way Saturday night, giving local fans an idea why the Cardinals selected the Pac-12 Player of the Year in the fourth round of June's amateur draft.

Mejia put the Muckdogs on the board in the third inning against the Lowell Spinners with an RBI double. It was Mejia first professional hit (top photo).

The former El Camino Real High School (Sylmar, Calif.) All-City shortstop also flashed some leather that proved solid defensively.

Mejia helped lead the Arizona Wildcats to a College World Series championship and signed with the Cardinals just a week ago at the end of his junior year in college to help his family out financially. He received a $250,000 bonus.

The newest Muckdog comes from a strong baseball family (his father was an All-American at Pepperdine, his sisters play college softball and his cousin is with the Washington National's AAA farm team). 

The 21-year-old Californian put up impressive numbers at Arizona, hitting .357 in 2012 and .335 in 2011.

ESPN featured Mejia in a recent article, and the shortstop received some high praise.

"His passion to succeed, his intangibles, his knowledge of the game ... Alex has it all," Lopez said. "I wouldn't trade him for anyone."

There are some analysts who believe Mejia is the best shortstop in all of college baseball. The reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year -- and Defensive Player of the Year -- is hitting .361 and boasts a fielding percentage of .959.

But Mejia wasn't the only player to contribute to the Muckdog's 3-0 win over Lowell in front of 667 loyal Muckdog fans.

David Washington, a fourth-year pro from San Diego, who is showing signs of putting it all together this year and is hitting .322, drove in two key runs in the fourth inning with a two-out double.

Tyler Melling picked up his first in four starts this season, tossing six shutout frames, scatting seven hits and striking out five Lowell batters. Mellin's ERA dropped to 2.05.

Last season's starting shortstop is now the Muckdog's closer, and Yunier Castillo picked up his third save on the year. After eight appearances, Castillo's ERA is 0.80 and he's fanned 12 in 10 innings.

First-round pick Patrick Wisdom continued his solid rookie season with two hits and some impressive defense at third base.

Also collecting a hit was catcher Jesus Montero, who is the top offensive player for the Muckdogs so far this season.

Montero is hitting .407 with three home runs and 12 RBI. His OPS is 1.072.

The fifth-year pro is the brother of Seattle Mariner's catcher Jesus R. Montero (the Seattle catcher is known as Jesus Rafael Montero as opposed to the Muckdog's Jesus Montero). The elder Montero was traded to Seattle by the Yankees, where he was considered one of the top catching prospects in the major leagues.

If you're unable to view the slide show, click here.

Mercy medics are responding to Dwyer Stadium in the City of Batavia where a female behind the third-base line was reportedly struck in the head by a baseball bat. There's a Muckdogs game in progress.

UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: The woman is 50 and was struck by a flying bat from 30 feet away. She is said to have head and hand injuries and is arriving at UMMC.

The 2,266 people who packed into Dwyer Stadium on July 4 were treated to more than just fireworks. They got to see the kind of nail-biter game that makes baseball America's pastime.

Down 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, the hometown heros strung together a single, double and single, to plate two runs and walk off with a victory.

The winning run scored on a close play at the plate (see above, and the slide show for more pictures of the score) when Anthony Melchionda scored on a single by Jacob Wilson.

It was the first lead the Muckdogs enjoyed all night.

The low-scoring game meant that nine innings passed quickly.

Muckdogs management entertained fans with a game of musical chairs before the sun faded enough to allow the fireworks show to begin.

If you can't view the slide show of photos, click here.

Over the past five days, 400 boys from throughout the GLOW region were in Elba to do something that doesn't happen much in June -- practice football.

But that's not all the camp was about. The players also were given talks on a few life lessons, such as integrity, good grades and time management.

The camp is jointly sponsored by the NFL and the National Guard and organized by local coaches.

"The NFL and National Guard have gone off chart (on funding the camp)," said Dan Geiger, now an assistant coach with Elba/Byron-Bergen. "No other professional sports program is that willing to put out this kind of money to really go after what they claim is their goal. You know, they talk about character, well they put their money where their mouth is and provide a camp like this."

The players don't need to spend a cent on the camp and the sponsors provide jerseys and workbooks that serve as a time-management tool (mainly, it's a calendar) along with advice on everything from homework tips to exam advice, an NCAA eligibility guide plus action shots of NFL players.

"There’s a lot of great football going on here, a lot of great football learning, but on top of that, there’s a lot of every night the kids learn about character and integrity," Geiger said.

At 400 participants, the local camp is almost certainly the best attended in New York and perhaps the United States.

The week began Sunday night with a some guest speakers, both motivational and inspirational, and players said they found the talks meaningful.

"I personally like the guest speakers," said Nate Jonathan, a senior defensive end from Alexander. "I think it’s cool – a little motivational stuff."

Alton Rupp, a junior fullback and outside linebacker from Alexander, said one inspirational speaker was especially touching.

"Recently my mom passed away," Rupp said. "It kind of helped me because yesterday we talked a little about faith. I believe that my mom is still with me, so it kind of helps out a little bit. I’m doing this right now to help get better for the season and just help make my faith for the season a little bit better."

Austin Schroeder, a senior from Oakfield-Alabama, focused most on the football aspect of the camp.

"It's awesome how many kids are here and it’s set up really cool," Schroeder said. "I get to practice fundamentals of the line that I need to and it's nice to be able to hit before the season."

Asked how much he loved football, Schroeder said, "It's the only sport I play, so that sums it up, I guess."

The camp is one of about 180 throughout the nation and Elba/Byron-Bergen Head Coach Mike Cintorino said teams participating this year came not only from his school, but Batavia, Alexander, Alabama-Oakfield, Holley, Brockport, Albion and Barker/Roy-Hart (Gasport).

Area college football coaches Rocco Salomone, of Buffalo State, and Buddy Sims, of St. John Fisher, also helped out with the camp, Cintorino said.

"It gives them a chance to come out and talk to the kids and tell them what they’re looking for, not just as an athlete but also for students," Cintorino said. "(They tell them) the fact that you’ve got to be a good kid and have to do well in the academics to get into the school."

Geiger said the camp, which he started promoting a few years when was coaching the Batavia Blue Devils, is so popular because so many coaches in the area support and believe in the lessons it aims to teach the boys.

Cintorino said he hopes it's those life lessons that have the most impact on the players.

"We talk about how there’s more to football than just the game," Cintorino said. "There’s a lot of life lessons to be learned -- teamwork, trust, relationships, integrity, honesty, character -- all of those things, so I hope that first and foremost they get to take that way from it."

Press release:

Batavia Downs officials have announced the names of the five students selected by their high schools to participate in the 2012 college scholarship race.

They are: Lindsay Hilburger -- Notre Dame of Batavia; Sonia Nevinger -- Alexander; Jessica Levins -- Batavia; Jamie Marshall -- Elba; and Leanne King -- Pembroke.

The race will be held on Sept. 15, between the fifth and sixth live harness races at Batavia Downs. Approximate post time for the scholarship race is 7:45 p.m.

A total of $7,500 in college scholarship funds will be given to each high school student in the dash for cash. The race will be conducted at one mile -- two laps around Batavia Downs' historic half-mile oval.

“We're thrilled to provide additional scholarship funds to area high school students,” said Todd Haight, general manager of Batavia Downs. “This coincides with the contributions made daily by Batavia Downs Casino to the New York state lottery for education.”

All students are required to practice at least five times during the month of August with the driver/trainer they will be teamed up with. This exposes the student to the full equine experience associated with the racing industry.

Scholarship breakdowns are as follows: $3,000 to the winner; $2,000 for second; $1,200 for third; $800 for fourth; and $500 for fifth. Scholarships are not equine specific and can be used for any higher education.

The event is a partnership of Batavia Downs Casino, Buffalo Raceway, Harness Horse Breeders of New York and the Western New York Harness Horsemen's Association.

The 66th season at America’s oldest lighted harness track gets under way on July 23 with a new post time of 6:25 p.m.

Former Batavia High School basketball player Jerry Smith is bringing blacktop basketball back to Williams Park with a 3-on-3 tournament June 30.

Williams said it's been a few years since the park hosted such tournaments, but he remembers them from his youth and thinks area players should get the same opportunity.

As many as 35 teams, or more, are expected to participate, coming from not just Batavia, Elba and Le Roy, but also Buffalo, Lockport, Perry, Medina and other towns in the region.

"It's some of the best competition around," Smith said.

The cost is $50 per team and teams can consist of as many as five players.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and play begins at 9 a.m.

For more information, call Smith at (585) 993- 3342 or email him at honeybun11x@yahoo.com

Proceeds will benefit Franchise Basketball of Rochester, an Amateur Athletic Union team and help send the team to Las Vegas in July for a tournament. Local team members include Jalen Smith, Tommy Prospero, Justin Washington and Jered Thornton.

Photo: Jalen Smith, Justice Fagan and Josh Johnson.

Press release:

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation, owner of Batavia Downs Casino, has today announced a strategic partnership of services with Saratoga Casino and Raceway and ebet Technologies, LLC. Subject to approval of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, these two prominent New York State racing entities will be partnering in the launch of the new advance deposit internet wagering platform, www.BataviaBets.com.

“We felt very strongly that we should partner with a proven organization within New York State such as Saratoga,” said Michael Kane, CEO of Western OTB/ Batavia Downs. “This will work towards the betterment of wagering for our customers and be a great example on how we can work together within New York State to strengthen the horse-racing industry.”

Kane also added that support was acquired for SaratogaBets because of the platform’s proven success.

Western OTB’s unprecedented alliance with Saratoga Casino and Raceway is part of an effort amongst New York State racing entities to work together to create cost-effective revenue opportunities in today’s highly competitive pari-mutuel environment.

“We have experienced great success with www.SaratogaBets.com, our advance deposit wagering platform,” said Jamie Hartman, COO and executive vice president of Saratoga Casino and Raceway. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with eBet and Batavia Downs to institute this exciting wagering option in Western New York and to further promote increased support and interest in New York racing.”

BataviaBets is a free service allowing customers who sign up for an account to wager on pari-mutuel events via the internet in addition to wagering via the telephone. Focused on servicing local residents and guests who support Batavia Downs and the Western Regional OTB network, this convenient option gives access to customers who would like to place a wager, watch the races, or check results.

“We are excited to work with an organization like Batavia Downs to extend their brand while maintaining access and control of their customer base,” said Mark Gregory, chairman of eBet. "We’re focused on delivering new channels and incremental revenues for regional racetracks like Batavia.”

Mondays are usually low attendance nights at Dwyer Stadium, and only 1,055 fans turned out last night for the Batavia Muckdogs season opener.

The Muckdogs lost to Auburn 6-5, but it was exciting baseball and at least two of the current crop of MLB hopefuls showed some flashes of why they'll be fun to watch in 2012.

David Washington, a first baseman from San Diego, is in his fourth professional season. The 6' 6", 200-pound former basketball dunking champion demonstrated some athleticism on the first play of the game with a backwards dive to grab a flare in foul territory (top photo). Washington also slammed a pitch over the right field wall in the power play in the eighth inning. The left-hander had three hits and also recorded the longest out of the game with a fly ball to the warning track in dead center field.

Patrick Wisdom is a first-round draft pick whom scouts say can become a rare commodity: a power-hitting third baseman. He tends to swing amiss too much, but he does have power and projects, with experience, as a good fielding third baseman. Monday he showed some range, quickness and a strong arm. He didn't get a hit, but was hit by a pitch and drew a walk, scoring both times he reached base.

Monday's pitcher, Ben Freeman, gave up three runs on six hits over six and a third innings. Adam Bileckyj took the loss, giving up two hits and two runs (one earned).

Catcher Jesus Montero had three hits but was lifted in the eighth inning after being hit by a pitch that glanced off his helmet and hit his forehead. 

The Muckdogs are home again Wednesday against Auburn and there will be fireworks at the park Friday when the Muckdogs take on the Jamestown Jammers. Both games are at 7:05 p.m.