Southwestern York will remain in Region 4 legion baseball tournament

FROM PENNLIVE

The Southwestern York Legion baseball team will keep its spot in the upcoming Region 4 tournament.

Southwestern York's first-round game against Annville has been moved from 9:30 a.m. on Saturday to 4 p.m. at a secondary ballpark location to be determined Friday, it was announced late Thursday night.

Several players on the team lost a close friend and classmate, 18-year old Josh Hertz, in a car accident last weekend. The funeral was slated for Saturday morning at the same time as Southwestern's first-round Region 4 tournament game at Wenger Field in Fredericksburg, created a burden of conflict on grieving young athletes to have to choose between the game or attending the funeral of their friend.

At Thursday night's pre-tournament meeting in Fredericksburg, the Legion baseball community rallied around the Southwestern York program and head coach Mike Resetar. The coaches worked through the evening to find a solution that would allow Resetar's players to both attend the service and be able to play later in the day, thereby not forfeiting their slot in the 8-team field.

The rest of the bracket will be unaffected.

"There was an unbelievable sense of sympathy and empathy in that room," Resetar said. "I felt camaraderie. Everyone -- from the coaches to the directors -- were unanimous in that something needed to be done for these young men.

My players and their families will be extremely grateful. We greatly appreciate this gesture, from the Southwestern York baseball program."

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2011/07/post_79.html