AGAWAM, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - A paperwork mistake, not a loss on the field, could keep one local softball team out of the Western Mass Championship.

The Agawam Brownies are 11 and five this season and are playing their next game Monday night.

In a note to parents last week, Agawam High School’s athletic director said a clerical error could have impacted the team’s chances at a Western Mass tournament berth.

Families were told that the issue was a missing “final destination game” entry on the official MIAA commitment form. The entry would have indicated a Western Mass Championship game.

Without that state level entry, the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference (PVIAC) initially ruled that Agawam did not meet their requirements.

The deadline to correct the mistake was April 3.

According to a letter sent to the district, Agawam appealed to the PVIAC and the appeal was accepted with a compromise.

Agawam can compete through the semifinal round of the Western Mass tournament, but if they win that game, they will forfeit their place in the final to the opponent they just beat.

“Please know that this is in no way a reflection of our players’ and coaches’ hard work, dedication, or performance on the field,” said Athletic Director Karen Gomez. “It is heartbreaking that a procedural mistake is preventing them from competing in the title.”

In the meantime, the Brownies remain fully eligible for the Division 2 State Tournament, but to the team, that isn’t quite enough.

Students and families have launched an online petition calling for their eligibility to be reinstated, arguing that the mistake was purely administrative and shouldn’t override what the team accomplished on the field.

You can click here to sign.

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