The Wetzel Chronicle is putting on a slowpitch softball tournament to raise money for the Wetzel County Relay For Life, coming up June 12-14.

You can make a difference by putting a team together and signing up. The cost is $150 a team.

This tournament is like no other: a 15-person team bats all 15 players each inning. But, you can buy an extra batter for $5 each inning. There is a 1:15 time limit per game, with each team allowing 10 of the 15 team members to play the field.

Each batter goes to the plate with a 3-2 count. Substitution is unlimited. Pinch running also is permitted, while at bat or after a player gets on base. No pitches higher than 15′ in the air.

The event, dubbed “Let’s Strike Out Cancer,” encourages teams to go out and get a sponsor to contribute for every strike out, run, or hit that a team achieves. This is a fun tournament and rules will be applied to keep the game fun for everyone.

Concessions will be available for purchase, but there is no charge for watching the event. However, donations will be gratefully accepted.

Please call me to enter: 304-455-5267. I challenge all businesses to step up and donate a dollar for every strike out that occurs in the tournament and a dollar for every run scored.

I also challenge every Relay For Life Team to participate in the tournament, no matter what county or state they are from. I also challenge clubs and organizations to get involved and support this event, either by entering a team in it or by donating money for every strike out and for every run that is scored.

The tournament is in Pool Play format. Registration deadline is June 5 at 6:30 p.m. Only the first 12 teams to pay their registration fee will be accepted.

The team with the most wins in each division moves on to play for first place and one wild card team of the umpires’ choosing. Awards will be given out to the first place team; to the player who hits the most home runs; the pitcher that strikes out the most batters; and to the MVP of the tournament.

If you would like to play, but don’t have a team, there will be a place and a team for you to play on for an entry fee of $10 a participant.

A home run derby is also on tap along with a pickup game of all the teams, males vs. the females, with many, many bizarre rules in affect.

I got involved a few years ago when the Relay event started at Magnolia. I was asked to go down and take pictures, and after learning how many Wetzel County residents had cancer, I thought that I should get involved in some way.

Now I’m a chairperson and a team captain. My grandmother, dad, and many of my church family had or died from cancer and I thought it was about time that I should get involved. I truly believe that you can make a difference. If it’s just participating in the Relay, putting a team in the softball tournament, bike race, or the many, many fund raisers going on all over the county. I would like to challenge every person, young or old, to get involved in some way.”

Please contact me at the Wetzel Chronicle at 304-455-3300 to put a team in. But, remember, it’s a fun tournament, to raise lots of money for a good cause, to Strike Out Cancer. If you don’t want to have fun and watch others have fun too, don’t enter!!