december2007

Aussie Softball Men taking on world champions New Zealand Black Sox and Japan in the ActewAGL Pacific International Series.

December 5, 2007

Canberra, AU

Aussie Softball Men taking on world champions New Zealand Black Sox and Japan in the ActewAGL Pacific International Series. 

Canberra is currently playing host to the third annual Pacific International Men's Series,featuring two Australian teams, the NZ Black Sox and Japan.

30 members of the Australian Men's Squad are competing in the ActewAGL Pacific International Men's Series as Australia are fielding two teams taking on the current world champions, the NZ Black Sox, and Japan, at the Hawker International Softball Centre in Canberra, starting yesterday to Saturday, 8 December, 2007.

The Pacific Series was initiated to provide an international men’s softball event for countries in the Pacific region on an annual basis in the lead-up to the 2009 ISF Men’s World Championship. This will be the third edition of the series, and the first on Australian soil, after NZ hosted the inaugural event in 2005 and Japan hosted last year's event.

The NZ Black Sox will be looking to defend their Pacific Series title, after winning the previous two series. Japan, also highly regarded in men's fast pitch, will provide strong competition, after reaching the final of the event last year, before going down to NZ 5-2.
Australia, however, will have the home ground advantage, and will look to make the most of this by fielding two teams in the series, with 30 players in the current squad to be split across two teams, Australia Green and Australia Gold. Both teams will be doing their best to ensure it is an all-Australian final. The series will also provide an opportunity for squad members to impress selectors looking ahead to the World Championship in 2009, to be played in Canada.

Canberra boasts the following eight players in the two Australian teams:
Jeff Goolagong, Mike Harrow (current Aussie Steelers Captain), Andrew Kirkpatrick (recently awarded Australian Player of the Year and ACTAS Male Sports person of the year), Michael Tanner, Josh Jones, Nick Norton, Tim Crome and Brad Riley (Adam Folkard withdrew due to injury)

The draw for the 2007 Pacific International Men’s Series is as follows:

Wednesday, 5 December
12.30pm   NZ v Japan
2.30pm   Australia Green v Australia Gold
4.30pm   Australia Green v Japan
6.30pm   Opening Ceremony
7.30pm   Australia Gold v NZ

Thursday, 6 December
1.30pm   NZ v Australia Green
3.30pm   NZ v Australia Gold
5.30pm   Japan v Australia Gold
7.30pm   Japan v Australia Green

Friday, 7 December
1.30pm   Australia Gold v Japan
3.30pm   Australia Green v NZ
5.30pm   Japan v NZ
7.30pm   Australia Green v Australia Gold
 
 
 
Saturday, 8 December
10.00am   Second v Third
2.30pm   First v winner (2nd v 3rd)

Awards will be presented at the conclusion of the grand final, with an Overall MVP, Best Batter and Best Pitcher to be presented, along with an MVP award for one player in each team.


Team lists for the series are as follows:

Australia Green:
Tyron Bartorillo (Qld), James Darby (NSW), David Edwards (Vic), Adam Folkard (ACT), Nathan Gill (Vic), Jeff Goolagong (ACT), Mike Harrow (ACT), Nathan Jones (WA), Kris Kiefel (Vic), Andrew Kirkpatrick (ACT), Adam Rindfleish (NSW), Nick Shailes (NSW), Travis Southam (NSW), Michael Tanner (ACT), Zenon Winters (Qld).
Team Officials: Paul Maisey (Coach), Gary Butler (Coach), Lindy Rattigan (Statistician).

Australia Gold:
Aaron Cockman (WA), Tim Crome (ACT), Neal Delpero (WA), Terry Downes (Qld), Michael Gibson (WA), Andrew Havercroft (WA), Jon Hudson (NSW), Adam Humble (WA), Josh Jones (ACT), David Metekingi (Qld), David Newsome (NSW), Nick Norton (ACT), Andrew Thurtell (NSW), Luke Van de Griendt (Qld), Jayson White (NSW).
Team Officials: Bryan Edwards (Coach), John Neilsen (Coach), Helen Edwards (Statistician).

Officials overseeing both Australian teams are as follows:
Bob Harrow (Head Coach), Loran Algar (Battery Coach), Mike Titheradge (Team Manager), Barry Blanchard (IT/Video Analysis), Bernie Simai (Physiotherapist), Yoni Salomon (Physiotherapist), Pat Turnock (Massage Therapist).


NZ Black Sox:
Jeremy Manley, Mike Gaiger, Tane Richardson, Heinie Shannon, Pat Shannon, Steve Ratu, Jarrod Martin (captain), Travis Wilson, Brad Rona, Gareth Cook, Rhys Casley, Jonathon Munden, Stacey McLean, Thomas Makea, Donny Hale, Bernie Hale, Gus Leger.
Team Officials: Eddie Kohlhase (Head Coach), Dave Workman (Coach), Scott Cottier (Trainer), Rob Cashman (Physiotherapist), Helen Townsend (Video Analyst), Keith Dare (Statistician), Wayne Small (Manager).

Japan:
Kunihiko Iida, Tatsuya Hamaguchi, Yukinori Nakashima, Hayami Takahashi, Shun Morimizato, Hiroshi Ishimura, Yohei Ono, Koichiro Mizoguchi, Koichiro Tanaka, Takayuki Sakai, Takuto Tsutsumi, Yu Nishimori, Ryuji Hazeyama, Kensaku Nishio, Hiroku Yokoyama, Shuhei Suzuki, Hiroshi Kamei.
Team Officials: Takuo Hirose (Head Coach), Shinichi Nagayoshi (Coach), Yoshihiro Tange (Coach), Hiroshi Arai (Manager), Takashi Maruyama (Trainer), Keisuke Daimon (Tour Guide).

Contacts for further information;
 
Bob Harrow    0413 276 180    Geoff Tutt 0414 230 130  
 
 
Jon Wells
Executive Officer
Softball ACT
Tel: 02 6278 3000    Mobile 0408 844 875
 
Shane Cantelmi  |  Athletes & Events Administrator
Softball Australia 
|  21 Burwood Road  |  Hawthorn  | Vic 3122
t: 03 9818 6144  |  f: 03 9819 6199

For more information visit
www.softball.org.au
 
Australia - World's Number One Softball Nation
Open Women (Aussie Spirit) - World number three (2006 World C/ship bronze, 2004 Olympic silver, 1996 & 2000 Olympic bronze)
Open Men (Aussie Steelers) - World number three (2004 World C/ship bronze)
Under 19 Women (Aussie Pride) - World number three (2007 World C/ship bronze)
Under 19 Men (Aussie Colts) - World number one (1997, 2001 & 2005 World C/ship gold)
 
 
 
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