Sports

Press release:

The 40th Annual Genesee ARC Golf, Tennis & Bocce Tournament at Stafford Country Club held this past Monday was dedicated in memory of Ralph Houseknecht, a longtime tournament supporter, disability advocate and friend of ARC who passed away earlier this year.

Prior to the start of golf, ARC Executive Director Donna Saskowski said “Ralph spent much of his life helping Genesee ARC and the people we serve, most notably as the first local businessman to offer community employment opportunities to individuals with intellectual disabilities, when he ran Pepsi of Batavia.”

She encouraged the 120 golfers including five Houseknecht children and three grandsons to play in Ralph’s honor and enjoy the game as he did.

In golf play, coming out on top was Zach Fuller who shot a 72, followed by Mark State with 77, and a tie for third with Paul Barton and Tom Burgess, both shooting 79. Low gross honors for women went to Francesca Fuller with an 88.

In the low net category, Jim Gibson came in with a 65 followed by Chuck Graney, 66, and Bill Wassink, 67. Katie Houseknecht Berger had a low net score of 67 for women.

In the blind bogey competition, Alan Saskowski and John Ottaviano matched the blind bogey number drawn of 72.

There were several contests on the course including the longest drive on 7, Jesse Luxon and closest-to-the-line on 15, Al Leaton. In the closest-to-the-pin contests, Mike Davison won a golf bag, courtesy of C.H. Wright on 8 (3’9”); Bruce Partridge, Donnie Miller and Mark Houseknecht won cash prizes on 12 and Katie Houseknecht Berger won a Schwinn bicycle, donated by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle in the top prize on 14.

The hole-in-one contest on 8 was sponsored by Castilone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Unfortunately, no one shot an ace to drive away with a 2016 Jeep Wrangler Sport.

In bocce, the first-place team was Yvonne Branton, Jane Scott, Kathy Zeliff and Chris Fix.

Top score in tennis went to Steve Clemm. First-place team honors went to Phil McNulty and Marjorie Fulmer and second-place team went to Hollis Upson and Jim Fulmer.

Gold sponsors of the event were Turnbull Heating & Air-Conditioning, The Bonadio Group, Graham Corporation, MTE Turf Equipment Solutions/Tom & Lynn Houseknecht, Crickler Vending and Relph Benefit Advisors. Silver sponsors were: The Daily News, Oakfield Family Medical Care, Alpina Foods, Erie and Niagara Insurance Association, In Memory of Ralph Houseknecht, Tompkins Bank of Castile, Castilone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Tops Friendly Markets, Bessey Tools, Parkview Health Services, Genesee Valley PennySaver, Rochester Regional Health/United Memorial Medical Center, One Group and The Insurance Center.

Also supporting the event were 16 golf sponsors, four tennis sponsors, eight bocce sponsors and six Friend of ARC Tournament sponsors. Door Prizes, silent and Chinese auction items were donated by dozens of area businesses. The 2016 cart sponsors were Manning Napier, Orcon Industries and Philadelphia Insurance.

A total of 120 golfers, 12 tennis players and 32 bocce players participated in the annual event that raises money to benefit programs and service for people with disabilities served by Genesee ARC. The winner of the $1,000 cash drawing was Ron Brueckner with ticket number 11966. The ticket seller was Deb Hinze of Batavia. The ARC/Lullo Memorial tournament is named in memory of Danny Lullo. Mr. Lullo was a local businessman who came up with the idea to hold a tournament to benefit Genesee ARC programs and services for people with disabilities in our community.

The Genesee ARC/Lullo Memorial Tournament is the longest-running charity event held at the local private club.

A youth basketball player with a head injury is reported in the gymnasium at Pembroke High School. He was unconscious, but is now alert. He is collared and boarded. Mercy Flight is on ground standby for now. Mercy medics are on scene. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are called and will be establishing a landing zone.

UPDATE 6:46 p.m.: Mercy Flight is headed to the scene with a 5-minute ETA.

UPDATE 6:51 p.m.: The head-injury victim is a 13-year-old male. Another victim, a person with a knee injury who collided with the other patient, may need ambulance transport. Mercy Flight is to land on the grass at the northwest corner of school property.

UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: The knee-injury patient will have his leg splinted and be transported to a hospital via private vehicle.

From left, Bill Sheron, Genesee County undersheriff; Matt Landers, STOP-DWI coordinator; Jocelyn Sikorski, STOP-DWI board chair; and John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle.

(Submitted photo and press release.)

Come on down to the Batavia Muckdogs game and enjoy a safe summer night with us! STOP-DWI Night at the Ballpark is happening on Friday, July 15, gates opening at 6 p.m. The Batavia Muckdogs will play the Aberdeen Ironbirds.

NYS STOP-DWI, Genesee County STOP-DWI and the Genesee County Youth Bureau are sponsoring this evening. There are giveaways for the first 500 who enter the gate, and several interactive booths for families and children to visit including: Sheriff’s K-9 Officer, City Police, Le Roy Police, Probation and the STOP-DWI display.

A grand prize giveaway, a youth bike, sponsored by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, will be on display and a winning ticket drawn that evening. So join us for a great night at the ballpark and the Friday night fireworks!

Le Roy beat the Batavia 12u All-Stars 5-4 in seven innings Tuesday evening.

On a night when the Batavia Muckdogs fell to 4-14 in a 5-1 loss to Brooklyn, at least there were fireworks after the game.

There was also the professional debut of the New York Mets' #1 draft pick, Justin Dunn, who brought his own kind of heat, striking out two in the ninth of a jittery eighth frame.

In the eighth, the Muckdogs managed two hits off of Dunn, matching the total number of hits they got over seven innings against starter Merandy Gonzalez (2-0, 2.21 ERA).

Muckdogs starter Reilly Hovis took the loss, giving up four runs and seven hits over four innings to fall to 1-2 with a 5.60 ERA. Relievers Chevis Hoover and Parker Bugg held things down over the final five innings, giving up a run and two hits.

For the Muckdogs, Isaiah White had two hits.

The Muckdogs face Brooklyn again tonight at Dwyer. Game time is 7:05. 

Top photo: Dunn delivering his first professional pitch.

Batavia second baseman Rony Cabrera gets ready to apply the tag on Gene Cone's steal attempt in the sixth inning.

In the second, Samuel Castro attempted to bunt for a base hit, but seemed to wait for the umpire to call his bunt foul before running toward first. He was thrown out at first.

Dale Burdick steals second in the second. Burdick is the nephew of Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Reilly Hovis pitching.

Aaron Knapp gets a stolen base, his second of the season.

Justin Dunn

The annual July 4 Kiwanis 5K was held this morning, starting and finishing at Centennial Park.

Today is PIcnic in the Park and tonight the Muckdog's play Brooklyn at Dwyer Stadium, game time 7:05, followed by fireworks.

New York Mets fans in the area might be interested to know that Justin Dunn, this year's #1 draft pick by the Mets, and 19th overall, could make his professional debut tomorrow against the Batavia Muckdogs at Dwyer Stadium.

It's July 4th and there will be post-game fireworks, so expect a sellout anyway.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Dunn was born in Freeport and attended Boston College before being drafted.

Photo courtesy Mike Janes/Four Seams Images.

Are you ready to play some golf? If you have not signed up, you still can for the ninth Annual Chapin's Charity Golf Tournament Saturday Aug. 13th, at Terry Hills Golf Course, 5122 Clinton Street Road in Batavia.  This year’s beneficiary is the Disabled Veterans Local Chapter 166 of Batavia.  Our goal is to raise $12,000, everyone will walk away with prizes, said tournament chair Norm Hubbard.

The four-person shotgun scramble starts at 1 p.m., registration is at 11 a.m., including lunch and chances to win a set of clubs, also a chair from Max Pies Furniture store and much more!  

Skins and Mulligans are available at registration along with a putting contest before the tournament starts. The $70 ticket price includes lunch, dinner, 18 holes of golf with a cart, a sleeve of balls, gift bag, an American flag and chances to win many prizes.  

Chapin's encourages ladies' teams to participate and there will be prizes for everyone.

Pictured above is Norm Hubbard, tournament chair, with Doug Titus and members from the Disabled Veterans Chapter 166. Girl Scout Lily Gaylord along with leaders Lorelei Roll, Troop 42003, Laura Ranalli, Troop 42001 and GSWNY membership manager Jenni Malcomb.

To register your team, sponsor or donate go to: www.chapincharitygolf.com

Pictured above is 12-year-old Lily Gaylord from Girl Scout, Troop 42003, preparing gift bags. Lily is also pictured with her grandpa, Paul Gaylord, Disabled Veterans Chapter 166 commander holding the United States' flag. 

Pictured above, Pablo Garcia watching two West Virginia runs being scored.

A quiet start but energetic night coming into tonight’s second game versus West Virginia Black Bears, but the Batavia Muckdogs ended a three-game winning streak losing at Dwyer Stadium 9-4.

After the first few innings being tied, in the bottom of the sixth, Isaiah White stirs the field on a forced out grounder advancing Rony Cabrera to third who scored on Aaron Knapp’s single next at bat taking the game lead by one. Pablo Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to left which brought White in to score leading the Muckdogs after six innings 3-1.

Top of the 7^th Muckdogs Justin Langley comes in, West Virginia unloaded on Batavia, scoring six runs runs by, George, Krause, Baur, Craig, Pabst for the Black Bears. Ty Provencher replaced Justin Langley, Provencher  escaped the inning allowing two runs by Leffler and Owen which brought West Virgina’s lead 9-3.

No change until the bottom of the ninth with two outs Batavia’s Jhonny Santos homers on a fly ball to left field to eventually end the night with Batavia losing 9-4, tying the series 1-1.

Muckdogs will play tonight ending the three-game home stances against West Virginia game time 7:05.

The Pavilion U-10 baseball team had its best post-season finish in a decade, coming in second in a tournament held in Perry.

Pictured are: Christopher Doody. Mason Gilkes, Cole Harding, Grayson Harding, Landon Stoddard, Case Cummings, Zach Tillotson, Cameron Beck, Noah Hudson, Tyler True, Evan Kingdon, Ryan Williams, and coaches, Brandon Gilkes and Jason Tillotson, and head coach Tim Kingdon.  Coach Michelle Forti was unavailable for the photo.

Photo and information submitted by Ed Doody.

Photo and story submitted by Drew Muehlig.

A four-run fourth inning was the difference as Elba downed Chili 8-4 Saturday to win the youth major league baseball championship.

The Lancers were leading 4-2 heading into the fourth, but the insurance runs in that big inning proved to be the difference. Zach Howard led off the inning with a single, scoring on Randy McIntire’s double on the very next pitch. Jake Engle added an infield single and then Nate Esten connected on a two-out single to score McIntire, putting runners on the corners. Brendan Thompson then sent a hard grounder through shortstop that took a tremendous bounce over the approaching fielder. Thompson took advantage, stretching the hit into a triple to score two runs putting the Lancers up 8-2.

Chili would score two runs in the top half of the sixth but their comeback fell short.

Elba’s CJ Gottler struck out nine in earning the win on the mound while Howard fired seven strikeouts to collect the save. Gottler and Zach Marsceill had huge run-scoring singles to keep Elba in the game early. Anthony Zambito also singled for the Lancers, who finish the year at 15-1. 

Photo: Front row -- CJ Gottler, Anthony Zambito, Zach Howard; second row, Frank Warriner, Jake Engle, Randy McIntire; third row, Tyler Kauffman, Brendan Thompson, Gage Chamberlain, Arron Wyder, Nate Esten, Caden Muehlig, Zach Marsceill; back row, coaches Drew Muehlig, Brian Engle and Vern Howard.

Athletes Edge Summer Baseball Camp will be held July 11-14 for children ages 5 to 12 at the Batavia Little League Complex near Dwyer Stadium. The address of the complex is 299 Bank St.

This camp will be assisted by Batavia High School Varsity Baseball players.

Cost is $90 per camper. Registration deadline is July 7. Each camper will receive a camp T-shirt.

Age groups are:

• Group 1: 5- and 6-year-olds
• Group 2: 7- to 9-year-olds
• Group 3: 10- to 12-year-olds

Times are 9 a.m. to noon every day.

Mail payment with a piece of paper containing the player's name, age, address, and phone number, along with T-shirt size to:

Athletes Edge Summer Baseball Camp

8487 Violet Lane

Batavia NY 14020

Contact is Ben Buchholz via email  athletesedgebatavia@gmail.com

or call his mobile phone at (716) 982-8259.

Press release:

Attention all golfers! The Batavia Blue Devils Football program will hold its 4th Annual Golf Tournament on Saturday, July 23rd, at the Batavia Country Club. Alumni are encouraged, but anyone who likes to golf can get a foursome!

The cost is $80 per golfer and it includes 18 holes of golf, cart, lunch, dinner, beverages, goodie bag and T-shirt.

Tournament registration time is between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

Those interested can send their team members' names, T-shirt sizes, and money to:

Blue Devils Touchdown Club
306 South Jackson St.
Batavia, NY 14020

Checks made payable to: Blue Devils Touchdown Club.

You just be 21+ to play. Registration deadline is July 8th.

Any further questions you can call or text 585-409-5557.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming’s second annual “Taste @ the Track” will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 26^th on the inner track at Batavia Downs Gaming and Racetrack. This outdoor food festival highlights local restaurants, breweries and wineries in Western New York.

“We had great success before the rains came last year,” said Ryan Hasenauer, director of Marketing of Batavia Downs Gaming. “We had over 200 people in just two hours with everyone knowing rain was in the forecast. With beautiful weather expected on Sunday we’re looking forward to putting on our event again to showcase local eateries, wineries and breweries.”

Area restaurants include: 34 Rush, Big Pauly’s Pizza, Center Street Smokehouse, Indian Falls Log Cabin, 58 Main Smokin’ BBQ (of Brockport), Yancey’s Fancy Cheese, Batavia’s Original, Schwab Farm Market, and NY Chips will all have food. For those 21+, beer and wine while sampling will be offered, courtesy of Heron Hill Winery, Southern Wine, Casa Larga, Black Button Distillery and CH Wright. (Note: Most wineries accept cash only.)

Kids' activities include a bounce house (all day), face painting, cartoon/caricature drawings, balloon art and other family friendly activities. There will also be sno-cones, Jason the Juggler (11 to 1), Pringles the Clown (12 to 2), and Mr. Scribbles (2 to 4).

Admission and parking are free. There will also be live music throughout the afternoon from the Coupe De Villes (11 to 2) and Up2Somethin’ (2 to 5).

For more information go to: facebook.com/tasteatthetrack

Photo and article submitted by Drew Muehlig.

The Elba Lancers used an explosive four-run fifth inning to surge past Sweden Clarkson 5-2 in youth major league baseball playoff semifinal action Thursday night.

Elba’s Zach Howard led off the inning with a single up the middle. He subsequently stole second base and made his way to third on an errant throw. Howard then raced home on a passed ball, sliding across the plate safely to tie the score at 2-2, firing up the Lancers' bench in the process.

Caden Muehlig followed moments later with a one-out triple to deep right-center field. He would score the go-ahead run on the next pitch as Randy McIntire doubled him in for his second RBI of the game. Nate Esten and Gage Chamberlain also notched RBI doubles as the inning continued. When all was said and done, Elba had a 5-2 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning.

Howard took it from there, sandwiching a foul pop catch between two strikeouts to end the game. He finished with six strikeouts in relief to pick up the win. Starter CJ Gottler kept the Lancers in it, striking out seven, giving up two unearned runs, as Elba struggled early in the field.

McIntire led Elba offensively with two hits and two stolen bases. Brendan Thompson added a single for the Lancers (14-1). Elba will host the league championship Saturday against a team yet to be determined.

Sweden Clarkson finishes the year 13-2.