The Salem 13U girls came out of the losers’ bracket to win the Roanoke Area Youth Softball Association(RAYSA) tournament last week. The Glenvar 10U team made the championship game but lost to Botetourt in the final.
Salem’s 13U team opened with two wins at the Moyer Complex, defeating Vinton, 13-0, and Clifton Forge, 11-9. Salem then lost to South County in the winners’ bracket final, 6-4, but bounced back to beat North Roanoke at Moyer, 15-6, to stay alive.
The 13U championship was held at Darrell Shell Park in Roanoke County and Salem needed to beat undefeated South County twice in the double-elimination tournament. Salem won the first game, 7-4, to force an “if game,” and the Salem girls edged South County in that one, 7-6, to win the championship.
Glenvar’s 10U team lost their first game of the tournament, 7-3 to Vinton. Relegated to the losers’ bracket, the Glenvar girls ripped off four straight wins over two South County teams, Vinton, and Salem, downing the Salem girls 10-9 in the losers’ bracket final to eliminate the Salemites. Undefeated Botetourt then beat Glenvar in the final at Darrell Shell Park, 12-2.
This week the boys take center stage with the Roanoke Area Youth Baseball Association(RAYBA) tournament at the Botetourt Sports Complex. Action began Monday for 10U and 12U teams. In the 10U tournament Salem lost their opener to Vinton, 6-4, but bounced back to beat North Roanoke at 8 pm, 10-5. Glenvar opened with a 17-2 win over North Roanoke. In the 12U tournament Salem lost to North Roanoke and Glenvar lost to Franklin County.
Both tournaments are double elimination. The 10U championship is scheduled for Wednesday at the Botetourt Sports Complex and the 12U final is Thursday. Look for results in next week’s Salem Times-Register sports section.
