The Salem 10u All-Stars and the Glenvar 12u All-Stars both came from the losers’ bracket to win Roanoke Area Youth Baseball Association(RAYBA) tournaments at Green Hill Park last week. Both teams beat Vinton opponents on Saturday and Sunday to take the championship.
The 10u team beat Botetourt in their opener but lost to Vinton, 14-6, in the winners’ bracket final on Friday night. In the losers’ bracket the Salem team beat Glenvar, 8-5, at noon on Saturday then beat Vinton, 11-4, at 4 pm to force a Sunday championship game. Salem won that 9-5 to win the tournament.
In the 12u tournament Salem lost their first two games. The Salemites opened with a 9-6 loss to North Roanoke, then dropped a heartbreaker to Botetourt in extra innings as Botetourt scored a walk win with a two out, two strike single with a runner on third.
Glenvar opened the 12u tournament with a 9-8 loss to North Roanoke, sending them to the losers’ bracket. They would not lose again, as Glenvar beat Franklin County, Botetourt, North Roanoke and Vinton to force a Sunday afternoon championship game. The Glenvar boys came from behind in that one to win 11-9 and claim first place in the tournament.
There was also a 15u tournament with just three teams participating, and Franklin County won that on Sunday, defeating North Roanoke in the final.
to nail a Botetourt runner
a low throw.
James Bolling winds up and prepares to uncork a pitch.
