WPCNR PRESS BOX. Special to WPCNR by Kirsten Zimmerman. July 6, 2004: With two outs and a full count, NY/NJ Juggernaut (18-10) catcher Courtney Scott nailed a grand-slam over the centerfield fence to pull out the 4-0, 11-inning victory over the Texas Thunder (15-10), before 500 fans at Montclair State University Softball Stadium. The victory kept The Juggernaut within 1 game of the Akron Racers who swept a doubleheader from the California Sunbirds.

Rightfielder Gina Oaks began the rally by reaching base on a throwing error by Thunder second baseman Lindsay Gardner. After a sacrifice bunt by leftfielder Lauren Bauer, shortstop Lyndsey Klein singled to right to move Oaks to third. A walk to first baseman Kellie Wilkerson would load the bases for Courtney Scott’s walk-off homerun. Wilkerson, Klein and Bauer all had two hits on the night. Klein and Wilkerson each had a run scored as well.

 Until Courtney Scott’s homerun, Juggernaut starter Amanda Scott and Texas ace Peaches James traded scoreless innings through 11 innings. Amanda Scott pitched 11innings, giving up no runs on six hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts. James pitched 10.2 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Scott currently leads the league in both wins (8) and ERA (0.60).

 Texas threatened the Nauts’ shutout in the eighth inning when they had bases loaded with one out. However, Klein and Courtney Scott turned a groundball to short by Marissa Young into an inning ending double play.

National Pro Fastpitch Standings  July 6, 2004

WPCNR BOOSTER BULLETIN. From Traci Boggi of The Westchester County Office of Tourism. July 2, 2004:  A meeting, conference or convention can bring in hundreds of business visitors at a time into Westchester County, visitors who spend money on hotel rooms, meals, and leisure activities.  In a continuous effort to bring meetings into the area, the Westchester County Office of Tourism recently attended the 25^th Annual ESSAE (Empire State Society of Association Executives) trade show.

The Westchester County Office of Tourism recently attended the ESSAE (Empire State Society of Association Executives) trade show with sales representatives from several hotels.  The fun 70’s theme of the exhibit, “Groovin’, the Westchester Way”, grabbed the attention of the 300 association meeting planners who attended the show.  Pictured, left to right: Vincent Waters, Rye Town Hilton; Natalee Daley, Crowne Plaza of White Plains; Thomas Walsh, Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown; Kim Boggi, Westchester County Office of Tourism; and Richard Minotta, Renaissance Westchester in White Plains.  Photo, Courtesy, WCOT.

This year, the ESSAE Trade Show was held on June 22^nd at the Saratoga Convention Center in Saratoga. The ESSAE trade show is an annual marketplace attended by approximately 300 meeting planners and executives from associations from across New York State.  Destinations from counties and cities throughout New York and surrounding states are represented through exhibit booth space. 

The theme of the ESSAE show was a Silver Celebration in honor of its 25^th anniversary.  Westchester County‘s attention-getting exhibit harkened back to the year 1979, utilizing the theme “Groovin’, the Westchester Way.” The booth re-created a seventies disco with hanging beads, disco lights and other related props.  Westchester County representatives went above and beyond with costumes — Village People, the popular disco music group, as well as a couple of go-go girls from the earlier decade. 

“This tradeshow is not only a great opportunity to network with association meeting planners in a more social environment,” said Kim Boggi, Deputy Director of the Westchester County Office of Tourism, “but it’s also an excellent opportunity to partner with Westchester‘s hotels.”  Hotel partners included Natalee Daley, Crowne Plaza White Plains; Richard Minotta, Renaissance Westchester in White Plains; Thomas Walsh, Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown; and Vincent Waters, Rye Town Hilton. 

Participation in the show is an annual cooperative marketing project, and registration fees and expenses are split among the five entities.  This year, Westchester County took a sponsorship role in the trade show, with cooperation from American Airlines.