Members of the 16U Chadwick Bay team are pictured between innings of a game at the stadium. Submitted photo

In what has become an annual migration of softball families to the area, this past weekend marked the fourth annual Chadwick Bay Softball Bash.

The event, which is widely accepted as the largest weekend of softball in Western New York, consisted of a record 80 teams and nearly 1,100 participants who converged on northern Chautauqua County to compete in 187 individual softball games spread over 15 ball fields from Silver Creek to Brocton.

Five separate divisions saw champions crowned Sunday, but no matter what diamond games were played on, good softball was played everywhere.

The tournament began Thursday night in Wright Park but kicked off in earnest Friday with 13 games and an emotional pregame ceremony honoring Dunkirk resident Marla Kelly and umpire Karen Waible, whom she had administered life-saving first aid to at a tournament in July in Grand Island.

On Sunday, teams competed for championships in five divisions: 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 16 and under and 18 and under.

In the 10U Division, Clarence-Tyx came back from an early deficit to beat Grand Island Vikings-Kramer.

In the 12U Division, Lg Lasers Welsch defeated Orchard Park Starz-Clader 4-3 in one of the best games of the tournament at any age group.

The 14U championship Heat Elite’s bats came alive late and capped off a dominant 6-0 tournament run to defeat Edge 8-3.

The 16U championship saw the USSSA Pride Mocha jump out to an early lead 5-0 but the Woodstock Nationals proceeded to roar back to take the title in the late innings.

The 18U Division saw Inferno-Rizzo go undefeated over the weekend and take the crown at Fredonia State University over the 2024 16U champion Lancaster-Depew Heat.

“What can you say? The weather was perfect, the park looked great, and the feedback was tremendous,” said Kory Ahlstrom, tournament organizer. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of people help 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 stands, to the boys of the community, including those of the DHS football team, who formed a work crew to line and rake the fields all weekend, to the city Parks and Recreation 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 the area regardless of who won on the field.”

Residents were sure to have noticed the swarms of visitors to the area over the weekend enjoying all the community has to offer.

“From what we have heard there was not a hotel room to be found and local shops and restaurants were buzzing with activity,” Ahlstrom added. “It was a banner weekend for the area.”