Team Flagler qualifies for national tournament

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

Team Flagler won the Senior Softball-USA Southeast qualifier tournament, earning a berth in the 2012 Tournament of Champions — and the players did it in comeback fashion.

The third time was the charm for Team Flagler, a competitive senior softball team from Flagler County.

Team Flagler won the 2011 Senior Softball-USA Southeastern Championships, a three-day tournament in Aiken, S.C., in the men’s 55/60+ AAA division, for players older than 55 years.

Team Flagler traveled north June 17 to June 19, to compete in the tournament. It was only the third organized tournament for the team since its inception in February.

The team lost the first three games of the tournament in the qualifying rounds, which forced them to be the lowest-seeded team in the field.

Then, the tournament moved to a double-elimination format.

Team Flagler went on to win three games in a row.

In the quarterfinals, Team Flagler — the No. 4 seed — upset top-seeded Georgia/Alabama Masters in the quarterfinals, 15-9. Because the opposing team was older, Team Flagler had to spot the team five runs.

In the semifinals, Team Flagler defeated Sideline Grille, from Georgia, 18-17, and earned a berth in the championship game. Because it was double elimination, the opposing team would have to beat Team Flagler twice.

In the first game, Team Flagler lost to Reality Check, from North Carolina, 10-9. However, in the final game, Team Flagler dominated, trouncing Reality Check 24-4.

Jim Ganci, the manager of Team Flagler, said the team’s bats were on fire in the games following the three-game skid in the qualifying rounds.

“It was unreal,” Ganci said, pointing out that the team had a .750 batting average for the tournament.

In fact, one player, Bill Coonfield, went 20-for-25 during the tournament — an .800 clip.

Five Team Flagler players were named to the All-Tournament team.

With the victory, Team Flagler qualified for the 2012 Tournament of Champions, which will take place Feb. 8 to Feb. 12, 2012, in Polk County. The Tournament of Champions is invitation-only, and Ganci said that despite only playing together competitively since February, the team has great chemistry.

“There’s no arguing, no bickering (among the team),” Ganci said. “If anything, we pick on each other.”

The team practices three days a week, including batting, infield and outfield practices. Most of the tournaments Team Flagler competes in are three-day tournaments, and Ganci said it’s a great way for the team to hang out and play softball.

Team Flagler came from the Flagler Senior Softball League, which has been in existence for almost 18 years.

Ganci said he and fellow player Coonfield sat down one day and thought Flagler County has plenty of talent to form a team. The team comprises players who live and work in Flagler County.

“We don’t recruit players from anywhere else,” Ganci said. “This is just local talent.”