Crested Butte Ball Bash tourney returns

Grip it and rip it!

After a one-year hiatus, the Crested Butte Ball Bash softball tournament returns for the ninth year on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8.
The tournament gives the local contingent of slow pitch teams an opportunity to match up against teams from throughout the state.
This year marks the return of the Home Run Derby as well.
Crested Butte recreation program coordinator and Ball Bash diva Lauren Alkire has been working diligently to get the tournament in order and has the Colorado Lottery and Crested Butte Mountain Resort signed on as keynote sponsors.
The 2008 Ball Bash had seven teams with a squad from Alamosa taking the title. This year, Alkire hopes to get more teams to fill the two days with non-stop action.
“Eight would be awesome, 12 would be fantabulous,” says Alkire.
Games will be played on the new Tommy V Field and Gothic Field.
The Home Run Derby is slated for Saturday evening at Tommy V Field. There will be men’s and women’s divisions. While the men must fly the chain link fence for a home run to count, the women must send one in the air past the coed line.
Granted, Tommy V Field is big, but Alkire has a treat for the contestants she discovered while rummaging in the storage closet at town hall.
“I found some long distance balls downstairs,” says Alkire.
Registration for the Home Run Derby will be held on Saturday during the Ball Bash at Tommy V Field and will be capped at 30 men and 15 women. It costs $15 and is open to everyone whether you are participating in the Ball Bash or not. Hitters must provide the pitchers and rules concerning the derby are still being hashed out.
Teams that register for the tournament by Friday, July 30 get a discount. Otherwise, the final deadline to enter the Ball Bash is Wednesday, August 4 at 5 p.m. and costs $200. All entries get “sweet goody bags” says Alkire.
Proceeds from the tournament will go to benefit the youth athletics Crested Butte Parks and Recreation scholarship fund.
Concessions will be provided at the fields during the tournament and all proceeds from concession sales will go to the Tommy Ruben Villanueva Sports and Recreation Fund.
Register online at townofcrestedbutte.com or swing by the Crested Butte Parks and Recreation office. For more information or questions contact Lauren at 349-7197.