The tournament began Thursday night in the 12U division when the Dunkirk All-Stars lost a hard-fought game to the Lake Shore Storm 14-5 in what by most accounts was the first girls softball game conducted under the lights on the Ed Wisniewski “Field of Dreams” diamond at the Dunkirk Little League complex.

Throughout the weekend the local girls battled through tough competition behind the pitching of Eliza Bautista and Edalee Aniszewski, the defensive prowess of Gracie Grann, Maria Dolce and Aubrey Glowniak and the hitting of Gracie Kozlowski, Chloe Sutton and Genesis Vasquez.

In the 16U bracket, the host Chadwick Bay Softball 16U team got its weekend started with a bang with a 7-6 victory Friday night over the Girard (Pennsylvania) Firecrackers at the stadium in front of a crowd of hundreds. Kassi Donisi got the complete game win on the mound, while Emma Ahlstrom and Makayla Kelly had two hits; and Isabella Buckley drove in the winning run in the last inning with a sacrifice fly to left field.

On the weekend, the hosts went 1-1-1 in pool play, losing to Mel Ott and tying the tournament’s No. 3 overall seed CNY Explosion 9-9 to earn a spot in the championship bracket. In that final game, Rihanna Benner got the decision on the mound in relief and Addison Paluch hit a key three-run home run. This tie set up a Sunday afternoon game up with the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Smash it Sports from Rochester where the hosts jumped out to an early lead on consecutive hits by Ahlstrom, Buckley and a home run by Benner, but ultimately fell 9-6 in a back-and-forth affair. Maddie Blair was the tough-luck loser , giving the hosts a solid start in the circle.

Lou Gehrig Lasers put up the No. 1 after claiming the 12U division.

On Sunday, the Lou Gehrig Lasers defeated the Lake Shore Eclipse by one run to win the 12U championship on the Wisniewski Diamond, while on the Joe Karnes Memorial Field in the 14U division the Wellsville Diamond Dawgs used dominant pitching to beat the Wheatfield Nitro 6-0 to claim the title. At the stadium in the 16U division, it was an all-Rochester championship contest as two teams from the Smash it Sports Academy battled it out with the Smash it Sports Gagne being crowned the champion.

“What can you say the weather was perfect, the park looked great, and the feedback was tremendous,” tournament organizer Kory Ahlstrom said. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of people helped behind scenes, from the umpires, many of whom worked in excess of 10 games apiece, not for the money but for the girls; to the parents in the stand; to the boys of the community who formed a work crew to line and rake the fields all weekend; to the city staff who were out before the sun came up each day making sure the trash was tended to and lawns mowed. It truly was a win for Dunkirk regardless of who won on the field.”

Mayor Wilfred Rosas offered his praise as well.

“To drive around Dunkirk this weekend and see the beaches full, lines at shops and restaurants and every parking lot in Wright Park FULL was incredible,” he said. “I know I personally will be waiting for the third annual event next summer. Thank you to all who made it happen.”

The Wellsville Diamond Dawgs pose with the championship poster after winning the 14U division of the Chadwick Bay Softball Bash.

Members of the North Tonawanda Diamond Jaxx enjoy Wright Park beach between games.