Cambridge Division 1

Welcome to the all new MBSL 2023 edition! There have been a few changes since our last full normal season. Still a few kinks to work out, but we'll be humming along in no time.

The contact list has been updated with the information I have at hand. For those with a single contact, please provide a co-captain or alternate contact. Please provide cell phone numbers as well in case game-time contact is needed.

Fields are still being worked out. For May, we have Ahern (Monday) and Hoyt (Wednesday). In June, we will have Ahern both on Monday and Wednesday. Additionally, there will be some Friday games this season as we try and split the burden. I'll do my best to make sure there is an even distribution!

Get your docs in!
Invoices are due by mid-May.
Rosters must be uploaded using the upload tool. (Organization & Registration page –> Registration –> Team Rosters)
Send signed waivers to Rahim (RMerchant@beamtx.com).
Documents and payment must be received before you can play any games.

Contact Rahim Merchant (RMerchant@beamtx.com) with any corrections or updates

Rahim Merchant
RMerchant@beamtx.com
cell: 203-687-6860

REMINDER: The TOP 5 TEAMS make the playoffs!! Playoff seeding for teams with the same record within the top 5: winner of the head-to-head will get the higher seed (if that game was not played, seeding will be decided by a coin toss). In cases of uneven number of games played, teams will be seeded by win%. A tie counts as a half win.

The winning captain should email Rahim Merchant the score the business day following each game. Results will be posted and standings updated as games are played and reported.

The primary goal of scheduling is to have each team play every other team at least once with an even distribution of days and fields, home and away. These regular season games are scheduled through July. There are limited opportunities to reschedule rainouts - these will be decided later in the season and will be scheduled to equalize the number of games played. Preference will be given to games in which the field was closed.

All games start at 6:00 unless captains agree to an earlier start

TO BE UPDATED - Pending Additional Fields

Please print a copy of each permit and keep in your equipment bag.

Directions:
Ahern (Kendall Sq)
Glacken (Fresh Pond)
Harrington (Lexington)
Hoyt (Cambridgeport)
tufts_park_field_2_directions.pdf

Permits: THESE are the 2019 permits!! Download and carry a copy with you in case of field use disputes.

permit_glacken_long2019.pdf
permit_ahern_2019.pdf
permit_harrington_2019.pdf
permit_hoyt_2019.pdf
permit_tufts_park_medfor_1107_2019.pdf

• Check the Lexington Department of Recreation's cancellations at https://www.lexingtonma.gov/recreation-community-programs/news/field-updates to determine if a game at Harrington field in Lexington will be cancelled due to rain. Also, please email Ed McBride IMMEDIATELY should one of your Lexington games get rained-out (The league will receive field credits, but Ed needs to email the Lexington Recreation Department the day of the cancelled game in order to redeem).

• Decisions on whether to play potentially rained-out games at Ahern, Hoyt, and Glacken fields should be made by the team captains.

- Review RULES and ask if anything is not clear. RULES can be downloaded from the MBSL RULES page.
- Download captains pre-game checklist and carry it with you if you are not familiar with the fields.
- Download the 2019 field permits and keep them with your equipment to fend off squatters.
- Check your team bats for legality

To make sure all coaches and players are aware of which bats are approved or banned, please reference the information below. EACH TEAM is responsible for ensuring the bats they use are allowed - if a team needs help, they can reach out to the division coordinators. Below is a summary - check the rules page for authority.

• Only official softball bats may be used. Baseball bats are never permitted. If you are unsure as to the eligibility of a bat, please refer to the list of approved and excluded bats listed by USA Softball at https://www.teamusa.org/usasoftball/certified-equipment. Under approved bats, select “Display all” –> Go. Select “single-walled aluminum”.
• Each captain should carry a print-out of this list to each game with their team’s bats highlighted. This list includes bat models as well as actual pictures of the bats.
• Due to safety and potential injury issues Double walled, Triple walled and Composite bats have been banned from the league (even if these bats are listed as approved on the USA Softball bat list).
• Only USA Softball approved Single walled aluminum, alloy, or metal bats are allowed.
• Approved Single walled metal bats may have a different material handle - it is the barrel that must be metal. Each team will be required to check on their own bats (Google) and make sure they are USA Softball approved and NOT double walled, triple walled or composite.
• It may be difficult to determine if a bat is legal for use at the field of play, therefore we expect the cooperation of all league captains

For further info and guidance on bats, please refer to the league rules linked above.

2023 - Triumvirate
2022 - Sanofi-Genzyme
2021 - Combined Cambridge Division
2020 - No Season - Covid
2019 - Genzyme
2018 - Genzyme
2017 - Genzyme
2016 - Genzyme (Final 4)
2015 - Genzyme (Runner up)
2014 - Amgen (Final 4)
2013 - Amgen (1st Round)
2012 - Amgen (Final 4)
2011 - Pfizer (Runner up)
2010 - Pfizer (Final 4)
2009 - Wyeth (League Champs)
2008 - Wyeth (1st Round)
2007 - Wyeth (1st Round)
2006 - Wyeth
2005 - Wyeth
2004 - Amgen (Runner up)
2003 - Amgen
2002 - Alkermes (Runner up)
2001 - Alkermes (League Champs)
2000 - Kinetix

League championship features the winner of each of the 8 divisions in a single elimination tournament. Parenthetical indicates how far our Cambridge I team made it. Runner up: lost in the championship game; Final Four: lost in the semis.

SUMMARY
In what would prove to be a preview of the division championship game, Genzyme and Triumvirate, each having already earned a 1st round bye, faced off in the last week of the regular season with the winner getting the #1 seed. Once again, it was Genzyme. On the flip side, Broad and Amgen began an early off-season. In a rarity, the playoffs concluded with no upsets!

ROUND 1 PLAYOFFS
- Playoffs began with #6 Genocea facing #3 Abt. In a game with plenty of scoring, Abt moved on with a 23-17 win. #5 FMI couldn't get the offense going and #4 Sanofi notched a 13-3 win to advance to the semi-finals.

ROUND 2 PLAYOFFS
- #1 Genzyme continued their winning ways with a 23-10 win over #4 Sanofi at Hoyt on 8/21. #2 Triumvirate proved a juggernaut, rolling over #3 Abt 25-2, setting up an epic matchup between division newcomer Triumvirate and perennial powerhouse Genzyme

ROUND 3 - DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
- After a rainout at Hoyt, the championship game was played on a somewhat squishy Tufts Park field on 8/29. For the 5th year in a row, Genzyme earned the title and advanced to the state tournament with a hard fought 10-8 victory over Triumvirate.

This section is a place where the league commissioners post notes and important forms for the divisional coordinators.

payment_request_form.doc - To request payment for fields, landscaping, or other league-related expenses, please complete the above form. Send the completed form to Jane Kepros.