BBSOI wins 2024 Chicora League Championship
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League Playoffs
1st Round:
(2) All Stars Bar & Restaurant vs. (3) This Side of the River Hotel -- ALLST wins series 2-1.
(2) Down Range Supply vs. (3) Monroe Hotel -- DRS wins series 2-0.
2nd Round:
(1) County Line Tavern vs. (2) Down Range Supply -- CLT wins series 2-1.
(1) Brady's Bend Sons of Italy vs. (2) All Stars Bar & Restaurant -- BBSOI wins series 2-0.
Championship Round:
(1) Brady's Bend Sons of Italy vs. (1) County Line Tavern -- BBSOI wins series 3-0.
22-21 (9 innings), 17-10, 13-9.
Final Playoffs Leaders
Hits: 1. Noah Cyphert, CLT (14)
2. Jace Ebbit, BBSOI (13)
2B's: 1. Jace Ebbit, BBSOI (6)
2. Angel Alfredo, BBSOI (5)
3B's: 1. Caleb McNany (3)
2. Colter Cavalero, ALLST (2)
HR's: 1. Noah Cyphert, CLT (5)
T2. Taylor Sharer, ALLST (4)
T2. Tyler Markilinski, CLT (4)
T2. Brian Best, BBSOI (4)
Avg.: 1. Noah Cyphert, CLT (.737)
2. Caleb McNany, TSTOR (.727)
3. Jake Slater, ALLST (.667)
**min. 5 AB's
Browse more here: League Leaders
2024 Playoff HR's
Player | Team | HR |
Noah Cyphert | County Line Tavern | 5 |
Taylor Sharer | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 4 |
Tyler Markilinski | County Line Tavern | 4 |
Brian Best | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 4 |
Tyler Fries | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Jace Ebbit | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Jordan Rodgers | County Line Tavern | 3 |
Sluggo Smith | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Jeff Smolen | Down Range Supply | 2 |
Zach Moore | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 2 |
Donovan Thompson | Down Range Supply | 2 |
Cody Filges | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 1 |
Wyatt Everetts | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Nathan Kibbie | Down Range Supply | 1 |
Angel Alfredo | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 1 |
Shane Thompson | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Cody Deal | This Side of the River Hotel | 1 |
Brandon Hilderbrand | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Colter Cavalero | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Caleb Trombatt | Monroe Hotel | 1 |
Hayden Kretzer | Down Range Supply | 1 |
Josh Friel | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 1 |
Paul Cypher | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Christian Turner | This Side of the River Hotel | 1 |
DJ Kutch | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Zach Schreiber | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Final Regular Season Leaders
Hits: T1. Tony Kriley, CLT (48)
T1. Jeremy Frazier, DRS (48)
T1. Noah Cyphert, CLT (48)
4. Brian Best, BBSOI (43)
2B's: 1. Brian Best, BBSOI (21)
2. Chandler Turner, TSOTR (14)
T3. Wyatt Everetts, CLT (13)
T3. Zach Moore, ALLST (13)
3B's: 1. Taylor Sharer, ALLST (6)
T2. Brian Best, BBSOI (5)
T2. Tyler Pollack, TSOTR (5)
T2. Jeremy Frazier, DRS (5)
HR's: 1. Noah Cyphert, CLT (15)
2. Jeff Smolen, DRS (12)
T3. Taylor Sharer, ALLST (10)
T3. Nathan Kibbie, DRS (10)
Avg.: 1. Zach Moore, ALLST (.800)
2. John Vause, DRS (.750)
3. Chad Bachman, CLT (.667)
4. Jeremy Frazier, DRS (.658)
**min. 25 AB's
Browse more here: League Leaders
2024 Home Run Leaders
Updated 8/29/2024.
Player | Team | HR |
Noah Cyphert | County Line Tavern | 15 |
Jeff Smolen | Down Range Supply | 12 |
Taylor Sharer | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 10 |
Nathan Kibbie | Down Range Supply | 10 |
Jace Ebbit | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 7 |
Josh Friel | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 7 |
Jordan Rodgers | County Line Tavern | 9 |
Cody Deal | This Side of the River Hotel | 5 |
Tyler Markilinski | County Line Tavern | 5 |
Eric Dodd | This Side of the River Hotel | 5 |
Tyler Kepple | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 4 |
Chad Bachman | County Line Tavern | 4 |
Tanner Master | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 4 |
Brandon Hilderbrand | County Line Tavern | 4 |
Colter Cavalero | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 4 |
Jeremy Frazier | Down Range Supply | 3 |
Joe Friel | Monroe Hotel | 3 |
John Vause | Down Range Supply | 3 |
Caleb McNany | This Side of the River Hotel | 3 |
Tyler Fries | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Tyler Knass | Down Range Supply | 3 |
JJ Raab | Monroe Hotel | 3 |
Dillon Mayberry | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 3 |
DJ Kutch | County Line Tavern | 3 |
Kendrick Payno | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 3 |
Brian Best | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Sluggo Smith | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 3 |
Dane Petricelli | Monroe Hotel | 2 |
Christian Turner | This Side of the River Hotel | 2 |
Dillin Geibel | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 2 |
Cristos Klutinoty | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 2 |
Dalton Callihan | This Side of the River Hotel | 2 |
Mike Riley | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 2 |
Reese Barger | This Side of the River Hotel | 2 |
Tyler Friel | Monroe Hotel | 2 |
Zach Hunka | Down Range Supply | 2 |
Bobby Coyle | County Line Tavern | 2 |
Angel Alfredo | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 2 |
Cody Clark | County Line Tavern | 2 |
Zach Schreiber | County Line Tavern | 2 |
Eric Ithier | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 2 |
Caleb Trombatt | Monroe Hotel | 2 |
Addison Johns | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Austin Turner | This Side of the River Hotel | 1 |
Bud McDonald | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Evan Livermore | Monroe Hotel | 1 |
Hank Morgan | Down Range Supply | 1 |
Hayden Kretzer | Down Range Supply | 1 |
Hunter Moore | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 1 |
Chris Maxwell | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Jake Slater | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Jesse Savisky | Monroe Hotel | 1 |
Rhett Wahler | Monroe Hotel | 1 |
Jeb | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Tyler Pollack | This Side of the River Hotel | 1 |
Wyatt Everetts | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Aaron Voelker | Monroe Hotel | 1 |
Dan Filges | Brady's Bend Sons of Italy | 1 |
Zach Thompson | All Stars Bar & Restaurant | 1 |
Lloyd Sudetic | This Side of the River Hotel | 1 |
Tony Kriley | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Leo Navarro | County Line Tavern | 1 |
Donovan Thompson | Down Range Supply | 1 |
Butler Eagle Covers Chicora Softball League
Chicora area modified pitch softball league thriving as similar leagues fade away
CHICORA — The Chicora Area Softball League is celebrating a special birthday this season.
The modified pitch league — longest running of its kind in Western Pennsylvania — began its 50th campaign earlier this month. League games are played at the Saint Patrick’s Church field off Rattigan Road, just outside of Chicora.
“We’ve had a lot of dedicated people keeping this league going and continuing to play in it because they love it,” league treasurer Chris Bellis said. He’s held that position — and other league officer roles — for a number of years.
League president Kevin Anthony has held that role or that of vice president for 30 years. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as a child, his youth baseball career was cut short as a result. He switched over to softball and has been managing a Chicora team since 1990.
“I was diagnosed when I was 9 and couldn’t play too much baseball,” Anthony said. “I’ve been able to stay involved through this league. It’s fun. Chris and I are probably among the top three managers in terms of championships won.”
The Chicora league consists of six teams. It had as many as 10 teams in 1985-86, eight teams as recently as 2016. Each team plays 22 games — from early May through the end of July — followed by two best-of-three semifinal playoff series and a best-of-five championship series.
The league had as few as four teams in 1991.
“It almost folded a couple of times,” Bellis said. “Harley Flick was president of this league for a long time and did a great job holding it together. He found players, kept things running … I doubt this league is still here if not for him.”
Pitchers are not permitted to use a windmill motion when delivering the ball to the plate. They can rear back and pitch the ball as hard as they can underhanded. Bunting and stealing bases are permitted.
“It’s a lot like baseball in that sense, and we attract a lot of guys who are done playing baseball,” Bellis said. “It’s a way for them to continue playing competitive ball. It’s a faster-paced game than slow-pitch softball.”
Count current Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School baseball coach Josh “Sluggo” Smith among them. The age of players in the league range from teenagers to a couple of guys in their early 60s.
“I’ve been playing in that league since I was 16 and I’m 39 now,” Smith said. “A number of baseball players I’ve coached at Karns City wind up in the league, too, which makes it more fun.
“You play hard. Everyone is playing to win. It’s a way to keep those competitive juices flowing. But at the end of the day, we’re all friends. Hang out together, have a beer, head on home. It’s a great time.”
Yet so few of these leagues remain.
Chicora and Franklin are the only modified pitch leagues still in this region. Three leagues in Erie, leagues in Meadville, Warren, Fayette County and Saxonburg — have folded their tents in recent years.
“Some guys play in both our league and Franklin,” Anthony said. “People are willing to travel to play as much as they can.”
There just aren’t as much of them.
“We used to go play in state tournaments, and there’d be 48 teams there,” Smith said. “Now it’s more like 10 teams.”
Bellis said changes in the job market and more activities available to youths have taken time away from the adult softball player.
“Kids are active in so many things today and parents are committed to their kids,” Bellis said. “They don’t have enough free time to play softball anymore. Factory and mill workers used to get off work at 3 p.m., giving them plenty of time to go home, have dinner, change and get out to the ballfield.
“Now a lot of guys don’t get home from work until 6 p.m. or a little after. They don’t have time to get to the field. Some guys do golf leagues or summer basketball leagues instead.”
Anyone who still wants to play softball, the Chicora Area Softball League will take him.
“We can always find a team for newcomers,” Anthony said. “We’re hoping to add teams in the future. Our league is still going strong.”
Anyone interested in joining the league may call Anthony at 412-603-0985.