CLEARFIELD — Five teams will be out to unseat the defending champion Bedford Over-the-Hillbillies in the 22nd annual Clearfield “Past-Your-Prime” Modified Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament at the Bucky Strunk Memorial Field this weekend.
A new-but-old wrinkle returns to the wood bat tourney for players 40-and-older with two pools of round-robin games Saturday setting the stage for the single-elimination action Sunday.
The speed-up rules remain the same, a 1-1 count when batters step into the box and a 10-run Mercy Rule after 4½ innings.
Bob Boob’s Garage and Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar, the only two teams in the field that have yet to hoist the championship trophy, will meet in the 9:30 opener Saturday morning.
They are joined in Group A by Potter’s Bricklayers, still sending out some of the players who dominated early on and hauled six title trophies back to Philipsburg in the first eight years and added a seventh in 2007.
Potter’s will take on Boob’s at 12:30 p.m. and Siegel’s/Buster’s against Potter’s at 3:30 in the other Group 1 games.
The Bedford Over-the-Hillbillies, who have been forging a dynasty with three consecutive championship runs and four in the last five years, will begin Group B play against Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub at 11 a.m. and follow up against the Meatheads at 2 p.m.
Denny’s and the Meatheads will meet in the day’s finale at 5.
Action will be halted briefly at 1:45 for a presentation honoring longtime volunteer umpire and contributor Dr. Gregg “Keg” Rich, who passed away in May.
Sunday’s schedule begins with quarterfinal games at 9 and 10:30 a.m. that will pit the runners-up in one group against the third-place finishers in the other group.
The group winners will receive byes into the semifinals set for noon and 1:30 p.m.
The championship game is slated for three o’clock.
Like the Hillbillies, the Meatheads are four-time champions. They were Clearfield’s chief challengers for Potter’s through 2005.
Denny’s shared the 2008 crown with Aqua Specialists of Mechanicsburg before claiming titles in 2010 and 2012.
Aqua Specialists reigned in 2009.
Buster’s and Legend’s Sports Bar & Grill have carried the gold hardware back to Clearfield’s East End one time apiece.
Because of the generosity of many Clearfield area businesses, organizations and individuals, food and beverages will be available at the concession stand.
Most proceeds, including those from other fund-raisers to be conducted during the tourney, will go to the “Tots for Tots” program that is a project of the Clearfield-based Sgt. William L. Dixon Detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps League.
Saturday, Aug. 13
First Round
Game 1 – (Group A) Bob Boob’s Garage vs. Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – (Group B) Bedford Over-the-Hillbillies vs. Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, 11 a.m.
Game 3 – (Group A) Bob Boob’s Garage vs. Potter’s Bricklayers, 12:30 p.m.
Game 4 – (Group B) Bedford Over-the-Hillbillies vs. Meatheads, 2 p.m.
Game 5 – (Group A) Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar vs. Potter’s Bricklayers, 3:30 p.m.
Game 6 – (Group B) Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub vs. Meatheads, 5 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 14
Quarterfinals
Game 7 – Group B Second Place vs. Group A Third Place, 9 a.m.
Game 8 – Group A Second Place vs. Group B Third Place, 10:30 a.m.
Semifinals
Game 9 – Group A Winner vs. Game 7 Winner, noon
Game 10 – Group B Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 1:30 p.m.
Championship
Game 11 – Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 3 p.m.
