Wyoma is City Series softball champ after tense weekend

The Wyoma Red Sox are the City Series softball champions ? but this year, it was accompanied with some drama off the field.Wyoma won the title by forfeit after the runner-up team, the East Lynn Angels, did not show up to the field at a game scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday. This occurred one day after East Lynn had to forfeit Friday’s game against Wyoma after an injury left the Angels with only eight players, which District 16 softball director Mike Pickering said is prohibited in the rulebook.Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, East Lynn also found itself shorthanded when it played Wyoma, and Pickering allowed the teams to play in a move that he described as “against my better judgment,” adding, “I accept full responsibility.” East Lynn won that game.Asked how a team plays with eight players, Pickering said that it uses two outfielders and the full complement of infielders. He added that a team of eight players is permitted by ASA rules but not by Little League rules.”I broke the rule Tuesday night,” he said, adding that afterward, he let it be known that he ” could not and would not” permit it to be done again.On Friday, the problems began when, Pickering said, “a girl slid into home plate and hurt her ankle.”After a consultation with the district administrator, Pickering said he approached East Lynn manager Tom Adams and told him, “I’m sorry, but the game’s over,” adding that another game between East Lynn and Wyoma would be played on Saturday at 11 a.m.”He said, ‘I’m going to do my best to get the team here,'” Pickering said. “He never showed up, and his team never showed up. I tried to call him repeatedly. I sent a text message. I haven’t heard from him with the exception of an email later in the day. I haven’t talked (to him) since.”Adams declined comment to an Item staff member.The girls in the City Series range from 9 to 12 years old. Pickering oversees the entire tournament, and said Wyoma has won it 8 of 11 times since 2000. He praised Wyoma, but also called the championship game this year “a legitimate opportunity for someone other than Wyoma.””The gentleman from East Lynn is a great coach,” he said. “His daughter is an amazing pitcher. She’s going to go far with her talent. It’s an unfortunate thing that happened this weekend.”Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].