Tommy D's wins sixth annual Dowd Softball Tournament

Monroe - Tommy D’s was crowned the 2007 Tommy Dowd Memorial Tournament Champs with a 21-15 slugfest win over D.O.N. Distributors. In the first game of the finals, the D.O.N.’s hit six home runs to defeat D’s 14-6. In the final game, Tommy D’s bats woke and they jumped out to an early 17-2 lead but the boys from Rockland, on the power of MVP Pat Gorman, Russ Cohen and Mike Clohessey, pounded out more home runs to close the gap to 19-15. Dave Krawczyk hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh and pitcher Tom Gilbert held D.O.N.’s off the board to secure the win. John Lawson had four hits, Krawczyk added 4 RBIs and Scott Morrison homered and knocked in three runs. Tom Lucardi and Howie Landesberg also hit home runs. Scott Arena and John Davidson chipped in three RBIs apiece to lead the 21-hit attack. To get to the finals, the D.O.N.’s had to defeat Superior Shine, Fort Apache and Kratos Analytical (who had earlier knocked D.O.N.’s in to the losers bracket 8-7). D.O.N.’s Mike Clohessy had one of the longest home runs ever hit at Smith Clove Park as he launched a bomb that went over the trees in right field. Kratos pitcher Todd Breen was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher for the tournament and Scott Morrison of Tommy D’s was awarded the Best Defensive Player. Kratos was given the Team Sportsmanship Award. In first round games, Birchwood Caterers, behind the pitching of Neil Hoyt and the hitting of Pete Pisacano, Jim Hogancamp and Richie Robinson defeated the Captains Table 12-9. In the second game, Kratos Analytical defeated Superior Shine 13-5 by the 8-run rule in the fifth inning. D.O.N. Distributors held on for a 10-9 win over Wallace and Berry. Reynolds Oil, behind three home runs from John Pinka defeated FG Galassi. In the nightcap on Thursday night, Fort Apache beat Cafe Ala Mode 15-3. On Friday night, Lakes Road Glass upended defending champs, The Afterdeck, 10-8. Tommy D’s, behind the two-hit pitching of Tommy Gilbert, defeated Crystal Car Wash 7-1. All County beat Nebrasky Plumbing 16-5. In second round action, Tom Lucardi homered and Tommy D’s scored seven runs in the fourth inning to defeat All County Mechanical 13-5. Kratos Analytical defeated Birchwood Caterers, Fort Apache defeated Lakes Road Glass in extra innings and D.O.N. got past Reynolds Oil. In losers bracket games, Superior Shine eliminated the Captains Table, Wallace and Berry got past FG Galassi, The Afterdeck beat Café Ala Mode and Crystal Car Wash ran past Nebrasky Plumbing. In the next round of the losers bracket, Superior advanced over All County Mechanical, Lakes Road Glass knocked out Wallace and Berry, Reynolds Oil upset The Afterdeck and Crystal Car Wash eliminated Birchwood Caterers. In the next round, Superior Shine eliminated a very game Lakes Road Glass and Crystal Car Wash beat Reynolds Oil. The next games saw D.O.N. eliminate Superior and Fort Apache beat Crystal before D.O.N.’s knocked out Fort Apache and Kratos. The winners bracket had Kratos knock D.O.N.’s into the losers bracket and Tommy D’s defeat Fort Apache. In the winners bracket final, Tommy D’s defeated Kratos behind a home run and four RBIs from Scott Morrison and two RBIs apiece from John Davidson, Dave Krawczyk, John Lawson and Chris Fico. The Tommy Dowd Memorial Foundation would like to thank Kevin Gray, Pete Lunaro, Shannon Gleeson, Kevin Maher, John Murray and members of the Monroe Senior Softball League for all their help during the tournament. A special thanks to Barbara O’Connor, Linda Smith and Tracey Gray for contributing to and helping with the concessions. In addition, we would like to thank all our Major Sponsors for their generous contributions to this year’s event: Clayton & Delaney’s, Brazen Head Pub, Dana Distributors, Hecht and Company, PC, Best Mechanical, Nebrasky Plumbing & Heating, Meadow Enterprises, Local Union #580, Prestige Graphic Services Group, The Captains Table, JB McMinnions, The Gray Family, Harriman Square Deli, Mario’s Restaurant, Boar’s Head Provisions, Smokey D’s, Northeast Planning, Birchwood Caterers, Yale Exterminating, D.O.N. Distributors, DC Auto Glass, MW School District, Monroe Beer & Soda, Fran’s Hallmark, The Higgins Family, Viking Realty, Construction Creations, Bourbon Street and Graphics Systems Group. The tournament is named for Tommy Dowd of Monroe, who died in the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Originally set up as a scholarship fund for deserving student athletes graduating from high school in the Monroe-Woodbury area, the The Tommy Dowd Memorial Foundation was expanded to include other causes that embody Dowd’s spirit of dedication to living life fully. The foundation has awarded $15,000 in scholarships the last three years. For further information, contact Greg O’Connor at 917-335-1835 or oc7757@frontiernet.net.