And now there are three.

After two rounds of competition three teams remain in the chase for the Buffalo District American Legion baseball playoff championship including Niagara Orleans, Orchard Park and Jurek Post.

Next up for the trio will be a round robin competition on Saturday at Kenmore West. The N-O will face Orchard Park at 1 p.m. and Jurek at 4 p.m. The day will begin with Orchard Park taking on Jurek at 10 a.m.

The two teams with the best record after the round robin competition will advance to the championship round on Sunday.

The N-O, which brings a 13-4 overall record into Saturday’s competition, defeated Orchard Park 10-2 and lost to Jurek 5-1 during the regular season. The N-O also downed Orchard Park 10-3 in the opening round of the recent state qualifier tournament.

The N-O advanced to Saturday’s round robin competition by defeating Eden 17-0 and Lancaster 7-2 in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – AJ Seefeldt awaits the ball to try and tag out Christian Pagano at second base during the Niagara Orleans American Legion team’s playoff win over Lancaster this evening at Vets Park.

A big first inning scoring burst provided the spark for the second game in a row as Niagara Orleans downed Lancaster 7-2 in the second round of the Buffalo District American Legion playoffs this evening at Vets Park.

The N-O took the lead for good by scoring four quick runs in the first inning capped off by a two-run triple by AJ Seefeldt. A sacrifice fly by Vinny Mauro and an RBI single by Jackson Strong plated the first two runs of the uprising which was ignited by a leadoff single by Brian Fry.

Fry also doubled to lead off the second inning and came around to score on a double steal play to make it 5-0.

Lancaster scored solo runs in both the fourth and fifth innings on sacrifice flies to cut the deficit to 5-2 but would get no closer.

The N-O got those runs back by scoring once in the fifth on an RBI single by Liam McMurray and once in the sixth on an error.

Lancaster got the bases loaded in the second inning but N-O starting pitcher Ben Eodice got out of the jam with a clutch inning ending strikeout.

Again the the fourth inning the N-O got out of a bases loaded jam as reliever Kyle Finn got the third out on an infield grounder out.

Improving to 13-4 overall, the N-O will next compete in a round robin competition on Saturday involving the three remaining playoff  teams.

In the opening round on Monday the N-O used a huge eight run first inning to key a 17-0 win over Eden.

Vinny Mauro tags out Lancaster’s Matthew Sell at third base.

The AnJo 12U baseball team recently enjoyed a very successful week of competition at the Cooperstown Dreams Park going 8-1 overall.

The AnJo squad went 7-0 in pool play action defeating teams from five different states.

During that run the AnJo team defeated the Seattle Select Black (Washington) 14-2, Kado Warriors (Hawaii) 8-7, Mendon Storm (New York) 16-3, North Country Mavericks (California) 23-7, Orinda Wolverines (California) 11-4, Katda Thunder (California) 18-3 and Extreme (Illinois) 9-5.

The Anjo squad then went 1-1 in playoff action defeating the Foster City Vipers (California) 8-0 before dropping a 7-2 decision to the Burlingam Panthers (California).

In individual and team skills competitions, Graham Schultz finished first in the “Golden Arm Contest,” Brayden Seitz finished second in the Road Runner Contest, and the team finished ninth in the “Around the Horn” contest.

Plans are now already underway for the 2022 season.

Tryouts for the 2022 12u AnJo Bombers will be held Friday August 13th and Friday August 20th at 6 p.m. at the AnJo Baseball Complex, 102 Davison Road, Lockport. Players must not turn 13 prior to May 1, 2022 to be eligible. For more information contact Tom Brigham (716-870-2425 or brigham@yahoo.com).

Banes and Jr. Wilson 1, which finished 1-2  during the Medina Women’s Softball League ‘A’ Division regular season, scored playoff wins Monday evening to advance to Saturday’s winners bracket final.

Banes nipped White Birch 10-9 and Jr. Wilson I downed Bent Opera 11-6.

Banes and Jr.Wilson 1 will meet in the winners bracket final at 10 a.m. Saturday at Jr. Wilson.The championship game is slated for 1:15 p.m. with a second game if necessary at 2:30 p.m.

Banes nipped Jr. Wilson 1 10-8 in 8 innings a week ago to close out the regular season.

Banes 10, White Birch 9

Banes built up a 7-3 lead after four innings ignited by a big five run opening frame on singles by Connie Heschke, Sue Seefeldt, Jen Masse, Amy Allis, Lindsay Chatt and a double by Jamie Chatt.

However, White Birch battled back to take a 9-7 lead by erupting for six runs in the top of the sixth inning on hits by Maddy Foster, Liz Bailey, Jena Riemer, Becka Hoffee, Aubrey Lewis, Anna Lewis, Kenzi Muck and Mallory Albone.

Banes though answered with two runs in the home half of the inning on hits by Jen Masse, Robin Blaun, Rileigh McCabe, Amy Allis and Lindsay Chatt to knot the contest at 9-9.

Banes held White Birch scoreless in the top of the seventh and then tallied one in the home half of the frame to claim a narrow 10-9 win. Singles by Morgan Allis and Grace Masse set up the threat and a single by Heschke drove in the game winner.

Jr. Wilson 1 11, Bent Opera 6

Jr Wilson scored three quick runs in the bottom of the first on singles by Jacyln Guzdek, Sara Flansburg and Justine Daniels.

Adding to their lead, Jr. Wilson’s scored three more in the second on two walks and singles from Guzdek and Jodi Zacher.

Bents answered back with three runs in the top of the third with singles from Melissa Prince and Amy Jessmer.

However, Jr. Wilson pulled away with a big third inning. Michelle Crandall led off with a double followed by singles from Connie Hornquist, Jessica Rosenbeck and Penny Roath. Jodi Zacher drove in a run doubling to left field to lock up the win.

Cathy Schmidt added a 2-run triple for Bents to threaten, but Bents could not score any more.

Zacher, Flansburg, Crandall all  finished with 2 hits.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Thomas Russo delivers a pitch for the Niagara Orleans Legion squad during this evening’s playoff win over Eden at Vets Park.

Exploding for eight runs in the first inning, No. 3 seed Niagara Orleans went on to romp past No. 10 Eden 17-0 in a Buffalo District American Legion playoff opener this evening at Vets Park.

A two-run triple by Josh Milleville, a two-run double by Brian Fry and an RBI triple by David Belsito highlighted the decsive first inning uprising which was ignited by a leadoff single by Fry. Millville had a total of three hits.

AJ Seefeldt tacked on an RBI single in the second inning before the N-O erupted for six more runs in the third inning on a three-run homer by Zach Brydges, a two-run homer by Vinny Mauro and a solo shot by Fry who had a total of three hits on the evening.

Mauro, who had a total of four hits, also banged out a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Thomas Russo pitched the first three innings for the N-O allowing 1 hit and striking out 6. Liam McMurray hurled the final two frames giving up no hits and striking out three.

Improving to 12-4 overall, the N-O will next host a second round playoff game at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Vets Park.

The Niagara Orleans American Legion baseball squad, which is seeded No. 3, will open District 8 playoff competition by hosting No. 10 Eden at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Vets Park.

The N-O, which downed Eden 10-0 during the regular season, brings a 9-2 league (11-4 overall) record into the playoffs.

The N-O lineup includes pitcher Chris Goyette, shortstop Brian Fry and outfielder AJ Seefeldt from Medina and pitcher Thomas Russo from Roy-Hart.

With a win the N-O would host a second round contest on Wednesday.

The Medina Women’s Softball League playoffs will get underway Monday evening with two rounds of games in the ‘A’ Division and one in the ‘B’ Division.

The playoffs are a double elimination competition.

The ‘A’ Division action will begin at 6 p.m. with NYSCOPBA vs. White Birch at Jr. Wilson 1 and Medina VFW vs. Bent Opera at Jr. Wilson 2.

Then at 7:15 p.m. regular season champion Banes will face the NYSCOPBA /White Birch winner at Jr. Wilson 1 and Jr. Wilson 1 will take on the VFW/Bent Opera victor at Jr. Wilson 2.

The ‘A’ Division playoffs will conclude next Saturday at Jr. Wilson with the winners bracket final at 10 a.m. and the championship at 1:15 p.m.. A second title round game will be held if necessary at 2:30 p.m.

The ‘B’ Division playoffs will begin at 6 p.m. Monday with Genesee Feeds vs. Just Us at Butts Park 2 and Hojacks vs. Jr. Wilson 2 at Butts 1.

The ‘B’ playoffs will conclude next Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. with Mera Hair vs. the Genesee Feeds/Just Us winner at Butts 2 and 2 Short Kennels vs. the Hojacks/Jr. Wilson 2 victor at Butts 3.

The winners bracket final is scheduled for 10 a.m. and the championship at 2:30 p.m.. A second title round game will be held at 4 p.m. if necessary. All games will be at Butts Park.

The final regular season standings were as follows:

‘A’ Division – Banes 9-0, Jr. Wilson 1 8-1, White Birch 7-2, Bent Opera 7-2, NYSCOPBA 5-4, Medina VFW 4-4-1.

‘B’ Division –  Mera Hair 4-5, 2 Short Kennals 3-6, Jr. Wilson 2 2-7, Just Us 2-6-1, Genesee Feeds 1-8, Hojacks 1-8.

The Senior and Super Senior Club Championships were held this past Monday at Hickory Ridge Golf Resort.

The tournament is for those who are members of both the Hickory Ridge Golf Association and Hickory Ridge Golf Club. Members under the age of 65 were classified as seniors, over 65 as super seniors.

Winning the Senior Club Championship for men was Dave Cotter with an 87 gross.  Jeff Dobson was low net with 81.  Dona Hazen took women honors with a gross of 101 while Melissa Cotter was low net with 82.

The Super Senior Division had a repeat winner in Rich Wheeler with an 81 gross.  Craig Hazen had low net with 78.  Brenda Powers took low gross for the women in that division with an 89.  Marcia Zambito had low net with 73.

In league action the Mens’ Traveling League on Thursday saw some shuffling of the teams at the top.  Leading this past week is the team of Cotter and Knaak with 210 points.  Burgess and Eaton had a good week and moved up to the second spot with 202 points followed by Barry and Froman with 200.  Low gross was Guy Eaton with 37.  Eaton also shared low net with Gabe Nagy at 29.  Lots of birdies last week.  Wes Bedford, Pete Kaiser, Loyd Denniston, Ken Hinkson, Ray Daniels and Todd Draper all reported one.

The Tuesday Ladies Night Out League checked in with Deb Wood and Brenda Powers sharing low gross with a 44.  Powers took low net honors with a 33 followed closely by Faye McNeil with a 37.  Powers and Diane Hennekey both carded a birdie on number 11.  Ann Barton and Faye McNeil continue to lead the standings with 75.5 points.  Jan Palmer and Deb Wood are close behind with 74.5.  Patty Pfister and Barb Passarell are in third with 71.5

Signups continue through Wednesday, August 11 for the Hickory Ridge Golf Association 6-6-6 tournament to be held on Saturday, August 14..  This two-person team tournament is open to HRGA members and social members who have a league handicap.  The format will be 6 holes of best ball, 6 holes of alternate shot and 6 holes of scramble.  players can sign up as a two-person team or as a single and the association will try to pair them up.