The eighth Holly Colwell Save 2nd Base Wiffle Ball Tournament took place on Aug. 2 at Hayes Playground/Bustleton Bengals fields, with proceeds going to cancer patients.
Holly Colwell, a tournament supporter, died of metastatic breast cancer at age 33, a week after the 2019 tournament.
Proceeds from previous tournaments benefited Home Runs for Holly, with funding earmarked for breast cancer patients.
This year, proceeds will benefit those with any form of cancer.
“I think Holly would have wanted that,” said Chris Tarducci, a breast cancer survivor who organizes the event with her son, Nick, and husband, Vince.
Members of Holly’s family were in attendance, along with City Councilman Brian O’Neill.
The councilman said a city grant covers tournament expenses, allowing all money raised to go directly to cancer patients.
The tournament featured 25 teams, seven in the Rec Division and 18 in the Competitive Division.
Each game was three innings.
We Da Breast Music won the Rec Division.
Love for Laura won the Competitive Division with a 1-0 victory over Breast to Ever Do It in the championship game.
The game ended with a walk-off home run by Paul Smith.
Other team members were pitcher Brett Werner, Chris West, Matt Kelble, Tim Tuckerman, Cameron Gontek, Bryce Werner and Julian Brennan-Melo.
Love for Laura earned a tailgate party package for 20 at Paddy Whacks Irish Sports Pub, and the team donated the $500 cash prize back to Home Runs for Holly.
The team is named in memory of Laura Lynch, the aunt of Brett and Bryce Werner, who died of metastatic breast cancer.
The day also featured a food truck operated by three-time cancer survivor Jeanne Guido, T-shirt sales, basket raffles, a card game, cornhole, 3-point basketball shooting for sports jerseys and seashells collected by Tarducci grandchildren in Maine.
Umpires donated their time throughout the day. ••
