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Softball game raises money for family of player killed in Lawrence County crash
With each swing of the bat, and each base reached, these girls are showing their love not as a teammate, but as a competitor of Emma Bogacki who lost her life too soon in a fatal crash on July 20th.
With each swing of the bat, and each base reached, these girls are showing their love not as a teammate, but as a competitor of Emma Bogacki who lost her life too soon in a fatal crash on July 20th.
Her dad who was driving and her brother both died in the crash.
Emma's ten-year-old sister was in critical condition, so Sunday's games are for Emma.
"Emma was an amazing person. She has the sweetest heart ever. I played with her, and we were and we are here to play for her," Leah Figueroa said.
Members of the Canfield girls' softball team wanted to play in this tournament held at Ambridge Middle School in Beaver County P-A., but all who wanted to play couldn't.
According to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA rules, only six or fewer could play or they would not be eligible to play softball this season.
The wife of the coach who manages the team filed an appeal for a variance with OSHA but that agency rejected the waiver.
Undeterred there was a scramble to gather girls from other teams in a very short amount of time to form Team Emma.
"Easy because everyone knew her and loved her well, but because it was all very last minute because we were not able to have so many players playing, Austintown, South Range, Canfield all the areas we needed with girls from had to jump to," Jen Heid said.
Sixty-one teams competed in today's tournament.
Money raised from fees and raffles will go to Emma's family.
The softball game has taught these teens lessons on and off the field, that deep friendships can be forged between teammates or competitors whose smiles and personalities bring rays of sunshine into lives.
"She always carried energy. She was there for you. She hyped you up when you were feeling down, she never was upset, she never showed her feelings. But yes she had the sweetest heart," Leah Figueroa said.
The goal is to raise $10,000 from this event.