Photographer: Calvin Field

The Maine Attraction - Yellow U14 ASA Softball Team with players from Windham, Westbrook, Gorham, Kennebunk, Yarmouth and Saco, collected their first win in the 3rd annual Eric Whitten Memorial Softball Tournament over the weekend of July 13th and 14th in South Portland Maine.

The Eric Whitten Memorial Tournament is played in memory of Eric Whitten, a sports enthusiast and loving father who coached his daughters' (Ahlya and Kiera) sports teams including ASA softball before succumbing to ALS (Lou Gerhig's Disease) on January 6th 2004. Each year the proceeds from the tournament are donated to an ALS related charity. This year's proceeds will be going to the Northern New England ALS Association in Concord New Hampshire.

The tournament started off with pool play on Saturday, with all teams entered playing three games. While the standings show an 0-3 record during pool play on Saturday, the true story is of a new team coming together and learning to play as a unit.

The Single Elimination tournament began on the morning of Sunday July 14th. The Maine Attraction team, led by pitcher Jen Field's (Windham) 6 innings, collected their first win 11-7 against the Wildcats-Manchester, NH at 8am.

Elizabeth Silvius (Windham) led the offense with a 4 hit game, scoring 3 runs and driving in 2 runs. Morgan Reutty (Yarmouth) added 3 hits, scored and drove in a run. Katelyn Benson (Westbrook) collected 2 runs, scored twice and drove in a run.

Jen Field (Windham), Nicole Nutter (Westbrook), Syd Butler (Gorham), Vanessa Bradbury (Westbrook) and Ciera Bellino (Westbrook) each added a hit.

At game's end the team posed for a picture (seen above) to memorialize their first win together. Afterwards the team presented Manager Ted Nutter with the autographed ball that Elizabeth Silvius is seen holding in the picture. Nutter organized the team.

The Maine Attraction's second game saw Jen Field take the mound again. This time the 9th seeded Maine Attraction was up against the #2 seeded Mystic from Manchester NH.

The Maine attraction took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning. Field retired the first 2 batters before their fortunes changed. The next batter drew a walk, followed by the next batter reaching first safely when short stop Vanessa Bradbury had trouble getting the ball out of her glove on a difficult play.

The Mystics turned up the pressure with some discipline at the plate. The next batter worked the count full before eventually walking. The following batter also worked the count full, enabling a run to score on wild pitch before eventually walking herself.

With the score now 3-2 in favor of the Maine Attraction and the bases loaded, the next batter lines the first pitch to right center field, driving in two runs to end the game.

Pitcher Jen Field was paid a tremendous compliment during the post game handshakes when the opposing coach stopped her to tell her she was the best pitcher they had faced.

Despite the disappointing, dramatic Mystic comeback that ended their tournament dreams, the girls were confident they played their best and walked away from the weekend with the pride of collecting their first win as a team.

Thank you to Gale Bertrand & David Field for contributing the information for this article. A special thank you to their son Calvin Field for providing the pictures.

Jen Field in mid-delivery

POOL PLAY