Fall River dominates 2019 Cranberry Brawl

ROCHESTER — Old Rochester Youth Baseball team played well in the Cranberry Brawl tournament, with the 9-years-old and under team making it all the way to the championship game before losing to Fall River’s Maplewood League. 

The Maplewood league won both age divisions at the tournament on Sunday, July 14 at Gifford Park in Rochester.

Fall River’s 9-years-old and under team defeated the hosting Old Rochester team in the championship game with a score of 10-0. Fall River coach Jonathan Costa said that the win was a team effort, with each player doing their part on his team. He noted that the tournament had an atmosphere of closeness and respect.

Old Rochester’s coach Bryan Hale said that although his team lost in the final round, he was happy with the tournament overall. In the team’s first elimination game against Dartmouth they were able to come back from a 15-7 deficit going into the final inning, to win with a score of 17-16.

In the 11-years-old and under division Fall River’s Maplewood team defeated Falmouth via mercy rule with a score of 11-0 after four innings of play. With guidance from coach Ryan DoRego, the team played their way to victory with stolen bases, bunts, line drives, and a combined no-hitter from pitchers Kamdyn Rego and Alvin Gaston.

Each team played two non-elimination games prior to the single elimination tournament. Teams were then seeded based on their record and total runs allowed. Play began on Thursday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. at both Gifford Park, and the baseball field on Dexter’s Lane. Non-elimination games continued through Friday evening and Saturday Morning.

There were 12 teams signed up for the older age group, but one team from Rhode Island did not attend. Out of the 11 remaining teams, the lowest six seeded teams were pitted against each other on Saturday night. The winners were added to an eight team bracket on Sunday morning. In the younger age group, six teams competed in a single bracket on Sunday after being seeded based on their performance in non-elimination competition.

The last Cranberry Brawl took place in 2017, and has been played every few years on an irregular basis in the past. However Old Rochester Youth Baseball President Dave Nelson said that he wants to make the southeastern Massachusetts tournament an annual event in the future. 

Nelson said the tournament is beneficial to the players because they “get to see different skill levels, and the best that other towns have to offer.” 

Money earned at the concession stand during the four-day tournament will go directly to the Old Rochester Youth Baseball league for field maintenance and renovating the scorer’s booth on the main field at Gifford Park.