Recap of Opening Day at the ASA Men’sMajor Fast Pitch National Championship
August 3, 2007
South Bend, IN
Recap of Opening Day at the ASA Men’sMajor Fast Pitch National Championship
South Bend, Ind.---The 2007 Men’s Major Fast Pitch NationalChampionship is underway in South Bend Ind., at the Belleville SoftballComplex as 17 teams compete for the title of “Best of the Best”.This marks the third time that this event has been hosted at the BellevilleSoftball Complex.
Game one between Dolan & Murphy of Aurora, Ill.and the Midland Explorers of Midland, Mich., proved to be the most excitinggame of the day. Explorers Craig Crawford hit a walk-off home run in the bottomof the seventh inning to give Midland a 4-3 win. Doug Sleep was the winningpitcher while Juan Potolicchi suffered the loss for Dolan & Murphy.
Florida Fastpitch of Jacksonville, Fla., had no trouble dismantlingPlangger Furniture of Benton Harbor Mich., in game two. FloridaFastpitch scored 10 runs off 10 hits in 4 ½ innings of work. Terry Luster gotthe victory in the circle allowing just four hits in the 10-0 win. RickPlangger was tagged with the loss.
In one of the most anticipated match-ups of the day, the Broken BowGremlins of Clifton Park, N.Y., sent the Farm Tavern of Madison, Wis., to the losers’bracket with a 4-2 win. Jarred Martin led the way for the Gremlins with a3-for-3 performance that included two singles, a home run and two RBI. AndrewKirkpatrick held the Farm to just three hits to earn the win, while RobSchweyer took the loss.
Henry Schelb led the Quad City Sox of Davenport, Iowa, to a 5-3 winover HBC Rice Creek Lightning of Homer, Mich.in game four. Schelb had a single, a home run and three RBI to pace the Soxoffense. Al Rebling collected the victory in the circle while Sean Kelly wastagged with the loss.
Patsy’s of New York Citycruised past the Duncan Outlaws of Elkhart, Ind., 9-1, in just five innings tostay in the winners’ bracket. Catcher Frank DeGroat was the offensivestar for Patsy’s driving in six runs on a double and a home run. DeGroatis only the sixth player in ASA history to drive in six runs in a single game.Gerald Muizelaar held the Outlaws to just three hits in five innings of work tosecure the win. Allen Hodge suffered the loss for the Outlaws.
Kim Hansen was spectacular in the circle for the Midwest Stampede ofDes Moines, Iowa, fanning 12 to lead his squad to a 3-0 win over theBloomington Stix of Bloomington, Ill. Chris Anderson provided the run supportfor the Stampede by driving in three runs off two singles. Max Montero took theloss for the Stix.
The Midland Explorers, playing their second game of the day,didn’t fair as well in the nightcap and fell into the losers’bracket after being shut out, 3-0, by the Quaker Riversharks of Ambler, Pa. JeffEllsworth plated two runs in the victory with a single and a double. Frank Coxtook the win for the Riversharks while Grant Petterson was tagged with theloss.
The final two games of the night ended early due to the ASA run-rule.MinnDak Millers of Fargo, ND, slammed the Ashland Mets of Ashland, Ohio, 12-2,in five innings to move on in the winners’ bracket. Zach Goring led theMillers at the plate with a single, a home run and three RBI. Ward Gosseallowed just two runs off three hits to pick up with win. Ryan French was thelosing pitcher.
Circle Tap of Denmark, Wis., thedefending ASA National Champion, swept past the Thomson Area Merchants ofThomson, Ill.8-0, in five innings. USA National Team member, Chris DeLarwelle provided theoffensive highlight of the game with a solo home run. Matt Bramwell wasdominating in the circle allowing just three hits while striking out 12 in fiveinning of work. Roberto Bahler collected the loss for the Merchants.
