Hallman Rivershark Twins win Canadian Fastball Title
September 7, 2009
St. Thomas, ON
This Week in Fastball....
The Kitchener Rivershark Twins win the Canadian Championship
The weather was wonderful all week long in St. Thomas, great crowds at
the park, good food and refreshments in the tents, high values in the 50
- 50s, with secondary prizes to Ti Cat football games, and GPS systems
from the local Chrysler dealer. All the usual assortment of good
friends, fastball fans, and the music of the wandering accordion player
playing ball park chants and "Take me out to the ball game....." made
the 2009 Canadian Men's Fastball Championship a good time for most and
a great memory for the Kitchener Hallman Rivershark Twins.
Kitchener Hallman Rivershark Twins won the 2009 Canadian Men's Fastpitch
Championships in St. Thomas on Sunday afternoon with a 3 - 2 extra
inning nail biter in St. Thomas.
The Twins were 5 and 2 in pool play, with loses to Vancouver 2 - 0 in
the opener, and to Nova Scotia's Brookfield Elks 4 - 3 in the closer.
Between those two games they put together a string of wins, over the
rest of the field, 6 - 1 over Jarvis, 6 - 0 over Charlottetown, 9 - 2
over Glace Bay, (NS), 3 - 0 over St. John's (NL/L) and 4 - 0 over St.
Thomas.
Jarvis took the R Twins to the 9th inning in the Friday nite double
header, but lost 2 - 1 to the Kitchener club.
St Thomas lost the semi final to Jarvis, setting up Sunday afternoon's
championship match.
Jarvis Gambler first baseman, Tim McCumber lead off the 2nd inning for
Jarvis with a long home run just to the right of the beer tent. Top of
the 3rd, Gambler centre fielder Jeff Ellsworth got a base hit, followed
by a Ian Ferhman walk. Ellsworth scored on Rob O'Brien run double.
Gamblers up 2 - 0 after 3 innings.
In the fourth Kitchener got their offense rolling. Blair Ezekiel, (1st
base), led off the 4th with a base hit, followed by a Steve Mullaley
(DP), single. Right fielder Dale Levy moved everyone 60 feet closer to
home but was out at first.
Jarvis Gambler coach Ferhman decided that it was time to replace Paul
Koert with Andrew Phibbs.
Daryl Joy scored Ezekiel but was out at first and Sean O'Brien's double
scored Mullaley.
Two runs on 4 hits, and 2 left on base, game tied at 2 after 4 innings.
Don Scott rolled through 7 innings for the Twins, accumulating 6 strike
outs and allowed only two runs on five hits, and 2 walks, those wisely
given up to the Gambler's Ian Ferhman.
Todd Martin headed to the rubber to begin the 8th inning. Two out and
Martin allowed a walk to designated player Rob O'Brien. Rob got to
second on a passed ball. Tim McCumber, with the long homer in the second
was at bat with "44" in scoring position at 2nd on a passed ball.
McCumber grounded to 3rd and Kitchener dodged a very large caliber bullet
Bottom of the 8th...with one out, Mullaley tripled. Facing Dale Levy,
and Daryl Joy the Gamblers elected to walk both hitters. Bases loaded,
8th inning, and the Gamblers were looking at the bottom of the R Twins
batting order.
The bottom of the Kitchener batting order consists of Sean O'Brien, and
Craig Crawford. Both great catchers, both great batters. Phibbs struck
out O'Brien and Crawford grounded to first. 6 up, 1 hit, 2 walks, and 3
left on base...score still tied after 8 at 2...
Ninth inning, Todd Martin runs through three Gamblers, strike out to
Jason Hill, Ryan Thompson ground ball to 3rd, two away, and Brandon Horn
flies out to left.
Top of the 9th, top of the order, Ryan Wolfe on first with a base hit,
steals second, his second of the day.
Dean Holoein had come in to hit for Rino Dambrosio, in the 7th with
Wolfe at 2nd and the game within reach. Dean grounded out and Rino was
re entered defensively. Now Dambrosio was at bat, again with Wolfe in
scoring position. He strikes out.
In the 5th Jody Eidt had to come out of the game after a collision at
2nd base with Ian Ferhman. He was replaced by Evan Boyd. Now Eidt,
reentered in the 7th to hit, is at bat again, and Wolfe is still at
second. Long fly ball to Ellsworth in centre and 2 out in the bottom of
the 9th.
Blair Ezekiel, on base in the 1st, error, on base in the 4th, a single,
on base in the 5th, fielders choice, comes to bat in the 9th and rips a
line drive through second base and Ryan Wolfe, arm raised in victory
crosses the plate with the Canadian men's fastball championship in his fist.
Dennis
--
Dennis Dosman
Dosman Printing
519-888-0304
fax 888-9352
30 Avondale South
Waterloo, ON N2L 2B8
