It started out as a small, eight-team fundraising tournament at
Live Oak High, and grew into a huge, 32-team event named for the
late mother of a former Acorn player.
It started out as a small, eight-team fundraising tournament at Live Oak High, and grew into a huge, 32-team event named for the late mother of a former Acorn player.
Today, the 13th annual Annie Lynch Memorial Circle of Champions Tournament gets under-way at Twin Creeks and continues through Saturday, March 20.
Live Oak plays its tourney opener today at 6 p.m. against Wilcox.
Tourney play begins with pool play on Friday and Saturday, which includes 32 teams playing three games in eight pools of four teams. The top team in each pool advances to championship round play next Saturday.
The tourney raises several thousand dollars each year for the Live Oak softball program, which contributes $500 every year to the American Cancer Society in memory of Annie Lynch, the mother of former Acorn softball player Jessica Lynch.
Live Oak coach Barry McDonnell said Lynch, who died from cancer, kept attending Live Oak softball throughout her illness and served as an inspiration to the players.
“She had such a huge influence on the team,” McDonnell said. “You would never have guessed she had cancer. She really helped the girls put things in perspective.”
In addition, Rick Lynch of Peninsula Building Materials is a key sponsor of the event.
