Al,
I am posting this from a friends home in Palmer, PA. The final
berth from the Eastern USA region was up for grabs in the Allentown
Patriots July 4th Classic Tournament. Their were seven (7) teams
entered. Five (5) of the teams have made it their goal to play in
the ISC ToC in Appleton, WI.. Three of the teams (NY KNIGHTS, LEBANON
TNT & KEATING FITNESS) have already qualified. The tournament was set
up as a double elimination tournament with a three game guarantee.
The game at 10:30 AM Friday (July 4) between Hoffman Rise and PA
Power was for the berth to the 2008 ISC II ToC in Appleton. There
was a big storm Thursday evening and the first game of the Tournament
on Thursday evening was postponed. In the first game Friday morning,
Lebanon TNT of Lebanon, PA beat ADCO Tool Shed of NY 3-0. In about
the 7th inning of that game it started drizzling.

The game between Hoffman Rise and PA Power started in a steady
drizzle. The starting pitchers were Ryan Cummings for the Rise and
Ryan Rutt for PA Power. Both teams went scoreless in the first
inning. In the top of the second inning, Andy Sabo had a RBI single
to drive in Johnny Hurst to give the Rise a 1-0 lead. In the top of
the third inning Matt Daly walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch
and scored on a RBI single by Stevie Moore. Cummings pitched out of
jams in both the second and third innings to keep the score at 2-0.
In the top of the fifth for the Rise, Matt Daly singled, Brian Miller
walked and then Stevie Moore hit a three run homerun to dead center
field to make the score 5-0. Cummings shut down PA Power in the 4th
and 5th innings .

In the top of the 6th inning the skies opened up and the field was
hit with a deluge. With the weather forecast calling for off and on
rain for the remainder of the weekend and after some discussion with
representatives of the two teams it was decided that if this game can
not be continued, it will be considered a legal game and Hoffman/
Rise will be awarded the berth to the 2008 ISC II ToC that was
available through this tournament. At this time it appears somewhat
unlikely that the tournament will be able to continue.



Bill Howell
ISC Eastern USA VP