Kitchener, ON - Gators back on top at world fastball tourney
ORIGINAL STORY by Waterloo Region Record Staff
Waterloo Region Record
The Toronto Gators entered the winner's circle at the International Softball Congress world tournament for the first time in 21 years this past weekend.
The Gators gave Canadian-based teams a ninth straight world senior men's title with their 6-3 win over the Hill United Chiefs from Six Nations, in the fastpitch title game at the event held in Moline, Ill.
Saturday marked the Toronto squad's first world championship since the Gators won the title in 1995, having previously won the event in 1993.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs — featuring pitcher Ryan French and coach Larry Lynch, both of Kitchener — failed in their bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive world title.
On Saturday, the telling blow came in the bottom of the seventh when Newfoundlander Shane Boland took an Adam Folkard offering over the centerfield fence for a three-run blast.
The Gators went with nine Canadians including Waterloo second baseman Brandon Horn and six New Zealanders in their international lineup.
Toronto finished second at the Peter Hallman Memorial Tournament held in St. Clements back in June as the Gators suffered a humbling 19-7 defeat to the Scarborough Force.
But Gators coach Terry Baytor, who rested the club's top two pitchers in that St. Clements' finale, said then there was still plenty of ball to be played this summer.
"We'll regroup," Baytor said after the loss in St. Clements. "Are we disappointed we lost? Yes. Is it a devastating loss? No."
The 72nd running of the ISC world tournament is set to return to Kitchener in 2018 for the fifth time in the past 16 years.
Next year’s ISC World Tournament will take place in Grand Rapids, Mich., before returning to Kitchener in 2018.
