The State Softball Tournament will return to Owensboro for the first time since 2007 when teams will hit the fields at Jack C. Fisher Park Sept. 6-8.
Teams qualified to compete in the bracketed State Tournament via Regional Tournaments in Paducah (Aug. 3), Georgetown (Aug. 9-10) and Louisville (Aug. 9-10). Thirty-six teams will take part in the State Tournament, competing in nine divisions. Teams that did not qualify for the State Tournament had the option of competing in the Team Skills Competition, where each athlete is scored for the completion of skills including hitting, baserunning and throwing and catching. Several teams are expected to take part in that competition.
This will be the first time that the Team Skills Competition has ever been held in Owensboro. The competition was developed after the Tournament moved to Bowling Green in 2008.
Games will get underway on four fields at 6 pm (CT) on Friday night. Games will continue starting at 9 am on Saturday with the last games of the day starting at 2 pm. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with games at 9, 10:15 and 11:30 am. The Team Skills Competition will take place on Saturday starting at 9 am.
Jack C. Fischer Park has been completely redone since our last trip to Owensboro in 2007. It now features four fully artificial turf fields, central and individual field PA systems and an improved concession area.
“One of the things we strive for, especially with our state championships, is to give our athletes the opportunity to compete at top quality venues and in communities that we know will support them,” President and CEO Trish Mazzoni said when the move was announced last October. “This move provides both. The park is absolutely tremendous and ensures that we can play in almost any weather situation. This is one of if not THE best facility in Kentucky.”
Softball is the second most popular team sport in the Special Olympics Kentucky program with more than 900 athletes competing on 65 teams statewide this season.
The State Softball Tournament and Team Skills Competition is sponsored by Host Sponsors The Owensboro Department of Parks and Recreation and Visit Owensboro; Gold Sponsor Owensboro Health; Silver Sponsor Owensboro Christian Church; Supporting Sponsors Civitan Region Six, Clark Distributing, the Knights of Columbus, Southwire and Wendell Foster; and Special Olympics Kentucky Year-Round Partners Jersey Mike’s, Texas Roadhouse and Toyota Motor Corporation.
For information about the State Softball Tournament or the Special Olympics Kentucky softball program, or to find out how you can get involved, contact Holly Vincent at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].