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Ruby Rutnik Softball Tournament Starts Friday

April 13, 2009 — Play ball! The 13th annual Ruby Rutnik Softball Tournament gets underway Friday and runs through Saturday at Winston Wells Ballfield in Cruz Bay.
"It's a lot of fun and for a great cause," organizer Janet Cook-Rutnik said.
The money raised through the tournament goes to fund the Ruby Rutnik Scholarship Fund. Since the tournament began, the fund has awarded $86,500 worth of scholarships to 23 students. The fund will give out four scholarships worth $2,500 each this year, Cook-Rutnik said.
Two scholarships go to St. John young women to help pay for their college educations. The third goes to a college-bound young woman from the winning team's school. The fourth goes to fund a one-year preschool or lower school scholarship at Ruby Rutnik's alma mater, the Gifft Hill School.
When she attended, the school was called Pine Peace School.
"Ruby was in the first class in 1978," Cook-Rutik said. The school only had four students at that time.
The Love City Pan Dragons also benefit through their sale of food and drinks during the tournament.
The tournament gets underway Friday with a ceremony at 7:40 p.m. at the ballfield.
Four teams will participate, representing St. John, St. Thomas, St. Croix and Tortola. Games are scheduled for 6 and 8 p.m. Friday, with Antilles School facing off against the St. John All Star team in the first game. St. Croix's Central High School will take on Tortola's Elmore Stoutt High School team in the second.
On Saturday, the St. John team plays Central at 10 a.m. Antilles will face off against the Tortola team at noon. At 2 p.m., it's St. John versus Tortola. Central will play Antilles at 4 p.m.
The event wraps up with the championship game at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Cook-Rutnik and Andy Rutnik started the event to honor their daughter, Antilles School softball pitcher Ruby Rutnik. She died in a car wreck in 1996 at age 21 in Washington, D.C.
Innings sponsorships are for sale at $100 each. Sponsors will be announced at the beginning of each inning. To sponsor an inning or donate to the scholarship fund make checks payable to RRSF Inc., Box 348, St. John, VI 00831.
For sponsorship applications and more information, call the Rutniks at 693-8069.
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