Kingston Axemen add key players

May 27, 2016

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ORIGINAL STORY by Doug Graham, Kingston Whig Standard

 

The Kingston Axemen not only did a good job on the fastball diamond last year, their off-season was decent, too.

The Axemen, in their initial run at top-level tournament play with the end goal of going to the International Softball Congress world championship, were successful in their inaugural season. The Axemen finished as the runner-up on the consolation side at the ISC championship.

It seems, too, the good showing carried some weight.

In the off-season head coach Brad MacDonald’s team had players come to it looking to be on the roster this season.

The result, MacDonald feels, is that the Axemen are stronger across the board.

“We feel like we made a lot of good improvements. Of course, you have to get on the field and prove it,” MacDonald said.

“But we feel like on paper we definitely made some good strides.”

The Axemen have several players who played for the Napanee Express over the years.

The coaching staff — Brad MacDonald and brothers Kevin MacDonald and manager Daryl MacDonald — have a good background with the Express as well.

“I think our local group coming from the Napanee Express era [has] a good reputation,” Brad MacDonald said.

“I think players in the loop respect that and know we try to do things the right way.”

The proof is in the way players Adam Alexander, Matt Greer, Travis Gibson and Dylan Cunningham all came on board over the winter.

“All the players contacted us. We have a good reputation and guys want to come to us,” MacDonald said.

Alexander, who is from Cargill, Ont., played for Napanee when the national junior championship was held a few years ago. He played for the Kitchener Hallman Twins last year and is on the Team Canada 40-man roster for 2016.

“He’s a solid top of the order batter, bats from the left side and is fast. He’s a great addition to the team, a quality player for sure,” MacDonald said.

Greer, who can play several positions, also was on the 40-man Team Canada roster.

“He can play anywhere and is a great hitter. Again another great addition for us,” said MacDonald

With Napanee’s Jordan MacDonald back on the pitching staff, along with top thrower Mitch Hardy of Alberton, P.E.I., the Axemen added a top arm in Joran Graham from Micksburg.

Graham’s no stranger to Napanee having played bantam and junior fastball for the Express.

“From a pitching standpoint, having Joran Graham we’re going to have more consistency on the mound,” MacDonald said, adding that with three arms in a tournament it will prevent the overuse of Hardy.

“Because he is certainly at his best when he’s fresh,” MacDonald said.

Dan Burnham of Cobourg is back as catcher and Napanee’s Dave Pratt also catches.

The infield has some versatile players in Mark Lewis, Jamie Thompson, Jeff Sergott and the addition of Alexander, Greer and Cunningham.

Jamie Purdon, Brad Pender, Nathan Moffat, Adam Stroud and Gibson are in the outfield.

“We certainly feel like our offence has improved quite a bit just from a pure batting standpoint. Our lineup is quite a bit stronger,” MacDonald said.

Defensively there are options because of the versatility of newcomers Alexander and Greer.

“We have guys that are able to move around more. You don’t always get all the guys going to a tournament so we’re going to be a lot more comfortable not having to put guys in positions they don’t play a lot,” MacDonald said.

The Axemen get their tournament-only schedule underway in Ekland, Pa., on Saturday.

After that there will June tournaments in Cobourg and Innerkip, Ont., and July tournaments in Tavistock and Ottawa.

A return invitation to the world tournament in Moline, Ill., Aug. 12-20, has already been accepted.

The ISC qualifier is June 17-19 in Innerkip. The Axemen will play in it even though the team has a spot in the world tournament.

MacDonald reasons that it’s good for the Axemen to go there for the competition. Plus a good tournament result would secure travel expenses for the ISC in August.