This week in Fastball June 7th 2011
Results from the Niagara Snappers
Owen Sound Verge Selects beat Aurora Stock Pak of Ohio 9 - 0 in the Championship game Sunday afternoon at Ker Park in Niagara Falls. Ryan Thonpson had a homer, a triple and a double, according to the Owen Sound Sun Times article on Tuesday...
In pool play the Selects beat the Lake Simcoe Lightning 7 - 0, the Elmira Expos 2 - 1 and the KW Cubs 5 - 3,
In the A bracket semi finals Owen Sound beat Elmira 3 - 1 in a great game, Andy Skelton got the win, Dan Martin the loss, Ben Wideman was the MVP. The other A semi; Ashland Stock Pak beat Alvinston Indians 6 - 0..Sean Kelly WP and MVP, Shaun Winship took the loss for the Indians.
Quyon Combat Flyers beat the Lake Simcoe Lightning 6 - 1 in the B championships. Drew Hathaway (former Waterloo Twin Jr.) picked up the win, Greg Garrity the loss for Lake Simcoe.
The KW Cubs won the C championships with a win in a home run derby marathon over the Port Elgin Blue Devils 11 - 7 There were 11 homers in this game...Remember when it used to be a hit, a bunt and a RBI and then 15 Ks for the win.....Scott Wagar got the win...Rob Fawcett of the BlueDevils the loss...Andy Baechler was game MVP...
The Cubs beat Aurora Shoeless Joes 3 -2 in the C semi...Wagar again with the win over Don Scott...and Andy Baechler MVP,
Cubs had wins of 9 - 1 over Hill United, Ryan French the WP, and two losses in pool play, 5 - 3 to Owen Sound, and 4 - 3 to Quyon Combat,
Elmira opened the tournament with a 9 - 3 win over the Niagara Fury, Casey Halstead over Tom Berube, lost to the Selects, 2 -1 Matt Leahy WP, and beat Hill United behind Casey Halstead 4 - 2.
Port Elgin opened with a mercy loss, Bill Hillhouse got the win for Niagara Snappers, 11- 3,
bounced back with a win over Aurora 6 - 5 ...Rob Fawcett WP, Todd Martin LP, and Rob Fawcett picked up another win 8 - 2 over Cree Nation.
Notes:
Napanee junior pitcher Josh Lockridge threw a no hitter against Aurora beating Paul Koert 2 - 1....(I don't know how that Aurora run scored. It could have been a walk, a stolen base, with a throwing error, anyone got an idea of how this run scored?)
Lee Jacques of the Selects said that come Sunday, it is great to have a strong young selection of pitchers. Makes a differance between first and second place money....Bill Simpson will be giving away hair cuts this week in Owen Sound!!!!
ISC VP Blair Setford was in uniform for Stock Pak, and Marg Ryan mentioned that Blair saved an out with a great stretch at first....A reminder from the physio team.. get those stretches in before a game. Those "splits" can hurt.
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Hillside Waterloo this weekend starting on Saturday morning.
Bruce Young has a nice lineup of Midget teams coming to Hillside for the weekend.
This is a two division tournament...and the teams are from Cambridge, (nice to see Cambridge again), Stratford, Oshawa, Fullerton, Jarvis, Elmira, Owen Sound, Sydenham, and two from Wiarton...
Finals on Sunday
Waterloo Chippers are providing food and beverage support at the diamond. Support their efforts. The Chippers always have been great supporters of minor sports particularly local fastball.
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Following the Waterloo Midget Invitational, there is a great ball tournament near St Thomas in Springfield....Father's Day weekend..
Alvinston Indians, Toronto Gators, Quyon Flyers, (B winners in Niagara Falls last weekend), Sweaburg (formerly Ingersoll) Crush, and Cree Nation are entered. KW and South Perth entries include the KW Cubs (C winners in Niagara), the strong scrappy Elmira Expos, ( lost a tough game to the Owen Sound Selects in Niagara), Kitchener Selects, Kitchener Outlaws, Hickson Reds and another strong club, Shakespeare Falcons.. a great Woodstock tournament, winners of the A final over Springfield...Games open Friday nite in Springfield and continue to Sunday....
Beyond the usual great ball, this tournament will be an on field clinic for a Softball Canada level 5 umpires clinic. Umpires from across Canada and the USA will be carded for international tournaments and championships at this tournament. Local Blue Crew members include Paul Baier, Peter Kluszczynski, and Tim Whitelaw are amoung the 16 seeking this very difficult designation. The off field test requires a passing grade of 90%, and the on field mechanics, technique and execution are just as difficult to achieve.
Fastball fans rarely pay much attention to the third team on the field. Springfield fans should be entertained at this tournament.
So, all you fastball wives and children out there, do dad a real favour on Father's Day and treat him to a lovely drive over to Springfield and take in a softball game or two....that is what he really wants....not another tie or silly t shirt....let's go to a ball game.....