Richie Moczkowski turns a double play off the pitchers (Angel Oliver) glove. Smedes photo.

SPARKS, NV – An overcast and extremely windy day brought the area’s best “D” division teams to an “if” game finale in the Helping Hands tournament on April 1st.

For four years teams have united to play a weekend of ball games for the charity event Helping Hands, formerly known as the Easter Seals tournament. The tournament contributes to a variety of non-profit organizations. According to Nevada State ASA Commissioner, Tony Pehle, in years past, Helping Hands has donated towards juvenile diabetes and to the March of Dimes in 2006. This year marks the second time the charity event will donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This year’s tournament had 16 teams competing, including, one “C” team, nine “D” teams, and six “E” teams. “These are our best teams here,” commented tournament director Doug Foremaster on the “D” division teams. BFC from Sparks, NV and Taylormade from Gardnerville, NV proved to dominate the tournament.

In the top of the first inning of the first championship game, Taylormade scored an amazing seven runs which put them in the lead the entire game. Undefeated BFC was within five runs at the bottom of the seventh inning, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough after three outs ending the inning, forcing them to partake in an “if” game.

Taylormade’s first base coach, Ron Johns said before the “if” game that they need to, “keep our focus. There’ a lot of good competition, but this is just a game, and we’re out here to have fun.”

The hellacious wind storm must have gotten the best of BFC because Taylormade won the “if” game by a score of 18-14. BFC came out strong in the beginning of the “if” game leading 8-4 in the third inning. But in the last two frames, they just couldn’t stay on top, with Taylormade scoring 10 runs to BFC’s two.

Turbulence from Minden, NV came in third place and ATG from Reno took fourth.

All tourneys for Taylormade were Chad Eaton, Bruce Jacobsen, Todd Glanzmann and Matt Trenton with MVP going to Jason Lewis. BFC all tourneys were Billy Doyle, Billy Fraska and Bradd Noddkester, with Angel Oliver as Defensive MVP.