Salem once again served as the unofficial launch point for the DAMSL season, hosting its annual One Pitch Tournament on the Saturday before Opening Day. The event has developed a reputation for foreshadowing the summer ahead: the last two One Pitch champions—New Hope Cambridge 1 in 2024 and Karmel 1 in 2025—both went on to win the D1 championship later that year. If that pattern holds, Karmel 1 is in a familiar and favorable position.

Karmel repeated as One Pitch champions, winning an electric 26–25 walk‑off thriller over New Hope Cambridge 1 in a rematch of last year’s D1 title game. In the bottom of the seventh, Karmel pushed across the decisive run to secure their second straight One Pitch crown and set the tone for another strong campaign.

Just a few miles away, another preseason storyline unfolded over at Sandquist. A last‑minute round‑robin event came together for teams not participating in the Salem tournament and was jokingly dubbed the Preseason NIT.

What began as a simple opportunity to get reps turned into a lively, competitive afternoon. Almost every game was close, but in the end New Hope Cambridge 2 edged out Grace Gospel for the inaugural Preseason NIT title on a tiebreaker.

One thing is clear: the Saturday before the DAMSL opener is the perfect window for teams to shake off the rust and enjoy some fellowship in the process. If your team is interested in joining a preseason tournament next year, reach out to any board member and we’ll connect you with the right group.