Appco’s/Duke’s maintains its championship reign in Classic

It was not a surprise that the championship in the Women’s ASA Charity Classic came down to Appco’s Sports World/Duke’s Tavern and Casey’s.

That’s been four years.

Nor was it a shocker that Appco’s/Duke’s came out on top with a 13-3 triumph in the final at Father Nall Field Sunday afternoon.

The title was the fourth straight for the perennial Suburban Women’s slow-pitch heavyweight.

This tournament, though, was about more than winning another championship. The ladies from Appcoa’s/Duke’s were playing for a cause.

“Our motto for the weekend was heart,” longtime Appco’s/Duke’s outfielder Dawn McGrath said. “We were playing for baby Bridget, a cousin of one of our players, Dani Fagan. Baby Bridget is 1 year old and battling brain cancer.”

Leave it to the ladies to get to the heart of the matter. Playing softball is great, but raising funds to fight cancer is the reason they come out every year.

As for on the field, Appco’s/Duke’s had to go through Casey’s twice to extend its reign as tournament champions. Appco’s/Duke’s had to pull out an 8-7 victory in the winner’s bracket final to get to the championship round.

Fagan (RBI), Marissa Seifried, Jeanne Ewing and Jamie Mingis led the way with three hits each, while Vicky Pecunia picked up the win.

Casey’s bounced back with a 12-7 triumph over Christopher’s Footprints in the loser’s bracket final to earn its fourth straight trip to the championship round. Kristine Sambucco and Stephanie Watson paced the offense with three hits, while Sally Spiller was the winning pitch. This day, though belonged to Appco’s/Duke’s. Penncrest grad Brigid Shehan led the assault in the final with three hits and four RBIs to earn the Connie Pellegrino Brown MVP award.

“We were playing for baby Bridget and also a very dear friend of mine passed away from brain cancer so this award touched me in a very special way,” Shehan said.

Shehan wasn’t the only player to have a big day for Appco’s/Duke’s. Brooke Berger finished with three hits and three RBIs. McGrath added three hits and one RBI, as did Allie White. Pecunia, of course, was the winning pitcher. the finals matchup for the last