Saskatoon, SK - Unrelated health problem leads to life-saving surgery for local pitcher
Saskatoon’s Jeff Farion of the Bridge City Sharks men’s softball team at Bob Van Impe Stadium. Don RIce / Saskatoon StarPhoenix
ORIGINAL STORY by Don Rice, Saskatoon Star Phoenix
An unexpected visit to a hospital overseas identified a previously undiagnosed problem that probably saved the life of a longtime Saskatoon softball player.
Pitcher Jeff Farion was playing ball in New Zealand last year in May when a pain in his chest led him to see a doctor. The problem he went in for checked out fine, but while there, an echocardiogram found a serious issue that would require open heart surgery — an enlarged aortic root.
Saskatoon’s Jeff Farion of the Bridge City Sharks men’s softball team at Bob Van Impe Stadium. Don RIce / Saskatoon StarPhoenix
“When I got back to Saskatoon I rushed out and got surgery in Edmonton,†said the 36-year-old Farion. “They fixed it back to 100 per cent. I never knew I had it before. It’s scary, but I’m recovered and I’m back playing ball.â€
Farion was playing for the Bridge City Sharks at the senior A men’s provincial championships this weekend, one of five provincial championships being played in Saskatoon. Farion’s Sharks failed to advance to the playoff round.
The southpaw pitcher works as an industrial mechanic for the City of Saskatoon. He started playing T-ball at the age of five, and began pitching when he was 14. The health scare, and recovery, led to a real rarity — a ball season without Farion on the field. He returned to action at a tournament last October.
“The surgeon gave me the OK to do everything I want — except sky dive,†Farion noted with a smile.
That shouldn’t be a problem, as Farion appears to prefer having both feet in the vicinity of the ground, or pitcher’s mound, whenever possible.
Farion will head to nationals with the Sharks and he is also playing for the Bloomington Stix from Illinois on weekends. The surgery cost Farion a spot on Team Canada’s 40-man roster, but the lefty is hopeful he will play his way back onto the team.
Provincial results
The Bulyea Rustlers’ Scott Lieph pitches during the softball championships against the Saskatoon Angels on July 17, 2016. Michelle Berg / Saskatoon StarPhoenix
After only scoring two runs in their first two games, the Bulyea Rustlers averaged six runs per game the rest of the way and shutout the Delisle Diamond Dogs 5-0 to win their first ever senior A men’s provincial championship. Dean Holoein and Mike Jordan homered for the Rustlers in the final while Scott Lieph pitched all but one of their seven games. Mike Lawton had two game-winning home runs in the tournament for Delisle.
The Saskatoon Junior Diamondbacks had no problem wrapping up their U21 A men’s provincial championship defeating the Conquest Junior Coyotes in three straight games in their best-of-five series. Saskatoon outscored Conquest 32-3 overall.
The Moose Jaw Giants survived a back-and-forth best-of-five series with the Saskatoon AGI Masters to win the master men’s championship. The Giants took it in four games but their Game 3 win on Saturday was a 9-8 eight inning barnburner.
Saskatoon Synergy defeated the Carnduff Southeast Steelers in a senior B women’s semifinal. Carnduff repaid the favour knocking off the Synergy 10-1 in the championship game. Second baseman Karmen Twordik was 3-for-4 with two runs in the final.
Rylee Denomy’s third inning triple helped the UK Royals to a 5-4 U21 B women’s provincial championship over the Earl Grey Heat. The Saskatoon Lady Diamondbacks were hard luck 1-0 losers in two straight games, that could have put them into the championship.
