Those weren’t softball-sized hailstones raining down on Ker Park over the weekend. With a brisk wind seemingly blowing out at each diamond, 127 home runs were hit during the ninth annual Niagara Snappers Shootout.
Not that hitters were complaining.
“You can’t go by the scores,” Niagara Fury second baseman Rob Greatrix said after his team went 1-3. “The wind was blowing out all weekend. It was unprecedented the home runs that were hit. You don’t see this in fastpitch.”
Two of Greatrix’s seven hits over the weekend cleared an outfield fence at one of the park’s three diamonds. Fury catcher Jason Surdyke also went deep twice, while centre-fielder Phil John collected several hits over four games.
The Fury lost to eventual ‘B’ champion Scarborough in the ‘B’ semifinal.
“We played well,” Greatrix said. “We were probably the only team that was a league team. Most are tournament teams.
“We realize we’re a little overmatched in a tournament like this.”
The Fury’s highlight came in an 11-10 win over the KW Cubs in its second game. Kitchener finished fifth in last year’s world tournament.
“Coming in here we didn’t expect much, and to knock off a team that finished tied for fifth is not inconsequential,” Greatrix said. “It’s a pretty big win.”
The Niagara Snappers lost 10-5 to Lake Simcoe in the ‘A’ semifinal. The game — and the remainder of the tournament — was rained out in the seventh inning.
“It went well. We’re looking good,” Snappers manager Perry Bartley said. “This weekend was a little odd with the home runs and the short porch.”
Hitters are still ahead of pitchers at this point in the season, Bartley said, but he was still amazed by the number of homers.
“That’s stunning. I don’t think we’ve had a tournament where we’ve had 50 home runs.”
The loss to Lake Simcoe was the Snappers’ first of the season. Niagara is 3-0 in league play and went 6-0 at a tournament in Woodstock last month, capped by a win over Lake Simcoe in the final. The Snappers opened their ninth annual tourney with round-robin wins over Elmira (8-4), Owen Sound Jrs. (3-2) and Alvinston (9-8) before eliminating Port Elgin in the quarter-final.
“We’re looking better than I even thought,” Bartley said.
Veteran Trevor Falk, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, and St. Catharines native Adam Dearborn each helped carry the offensive load. No. 8 hitter Brian Crawford hit two home runs and “was hitting the ball good all weekend,” Bartley said.
Pitchers Ian Wallwork and Andrew Phibbs continued to look sharp, despite the wind-aided scores.
The Snappers also did well off the field for its largest fundraiser of the season.
“We’re pleased for sure,” Bartley said. “We would have liked to have done better (in the semifinal), but you can’t win them all.”
Sun Media....Niagara Falls
Here is some of the scores for KW area teams...Elmira Expos opened up against the host Snappers...and lost 8 - 4 Andrew Phipps got the win..Dan Martin tagged with the loss..4 Homers...2 each...
Expos mercied Alvinston Indians over 5 innings...10 - 0...Casey Halstead the win.
Expos got a second win, this time over the Owen Sound Jr Selects... 8 - 1 Dan Martin WP, Jeff Lyon LP..Elmira picked up 4 Homers...in this one..
That record put the Expos in the 4th seed...and they met Port Huron (Mich). Casey picked up his 2nd win, 7 - 1 in 5 innings..Marty Humphries 2 HRs,
In the "A" semi...Hill United rolled out the offence...12 - 6 over Elmira. Brad Ezekiel 2 for 4, homer...Jeff Ellsworth 1 for 2, homer, Jason Hill homer, Mark Johnston 2 for 2, both homers, Ryan Thompson homer...winning pitcher for Hill United, Jason Hill.
For the Expos, Casey Halsted went 2 2/3 for the loss...Dan Martin went 2 1/3...for the Expos..Elmira knocked a few over the fence as well...Dan Martin, Travis Martin and Travis Freeman all reached beyond the fence..
The KW Cubs also opened with a loss, 7 - 2 to the Lightning. Greg Garrity led the Lake Simcoe Lightning with a 4 hit, 12 strike out effort and led the offence going 2 for 3 at the plate including 2 RBIs and a homer..John Zeigler 3 RBIs and a homer.
Scott Wagar LP for the Cubs...Dan Mitchell had the Cubs homer...
Saturday morning...and a football game ...Niagara Fury 11 - KW Cubs 10...Wayne Belise for the Fury, 10 hits and 10 runs allowed... Scott Wagar started and went 2 innings..allowing 7 runs on 6 hits..relieved by Ryan French ..5 innings..4 runs on 5 hits...6 homers in this one....for the Fury... Rob Greatrix, Phil John and Casey Toews, for the Cubs, Dan Mitchell, Andy Baechler and Brad Thomson...
Cubs got on track against the Wiarton Nationals...with a 6 - 3 win...offence for the Cubs came from Brad Thomson, 2 RBIs, Scott Wagar 2 for 3, Bob Gillow 2 for3, and Adam Hiller an RBI...
Scott Wagar got the win on 6 hits, 9 ks, Andy Jackson LP for the Nationals..9 hits, 9 Ks. Brent Thompson 2 RBIs and Joel Twigger an RBI..
That put the Cubs in A....8th seed...and up against Mike Joseph and Hill United. Ryan French for the Cubs..
Count the home runs....and this is with Mike Joseph and Ryan French on the rubber.
United...Brad Ezekiel - 2, Jeff Ellesworth, Jason Hill, Steve Mullaley, MarkArsenault, Mark Johnson, Calvin Miller
Cubs.. Adam Hiller -2, Grant Baechler, Bob Gillow, Brandon Park, Brad Thomson, ...
Lake Simcoe Lightning opened with the above 7 - 2 win over the Cubs..then 17 - 8 over Wiarton, Andrew Putman (WP) 5 innings..9 HRs in that one..including Zack Caison's contribution of 2 HRs and 7 RBIs for the Wiarton team..
Then 16 - 9 over the Niagara Fury...another 5 inning win for Andrew Putman..6 HRs this time. Lake Simcoe..Brandon Horn, John Kemp, Greg Garrity, John Zeigler, Steve Gilles,
Fury...Joe MacMaster...
Lake Simcoe seeded 2nd...met the Owen Sound Jrs and got a 12 - 6 win...Greg Garrity the winner, Michael Legace Roote LP for the Selects..
and into the semi final for the Lightning against the Niagara Snappers...and a 10 - 5 win Garrity again picking up the win...allowing 3 hits and 5 runs..
Ian Wallwork (LP) went 4 2/3 allowing 8 hits and 7 runs..and Andrew Phibbs went 2 1/3 allowing 4 hits and 2 runs...
The Ligthning to the final against Hill United...
Hill United opened with a 8 - 0 win over Port Huron, Steve Mullaley had 3 homers and 5 RBIs...Jason Hill 3 RBIs
Hill United 9 - 8 over the Scarboro Force...then 9 - 0 over Port Elgin Blue Devils..
In the championship round they won both games as noted earlier..against the Cubs and the Expos..to meet the Lightning....and more rain, and the decision to split the championship...
Some other scores....not listed above..
Owen Sound Selects 9 Alvinston 3,
NF Snappers 3 - Owen Sound 2...finally a fastball score that looks reasonable..
Niagara Snappers 4 Port Elgin 2
Niagara Snappers 9 - Alvinston 8
Wiarton 12 - Niagara Fury 1
Wiarton 10 - Alvinston 0
Port Elgin Blue Devils 6 - Scarborough Force 5
Port Huron 6 - Port Elgin 1.. the battle of the Lake Huron "Ports"
Port Huron 9 - Scarborough Force 8
Scarborough 23 - Fury 0 in 3 innings..
and Scarborough 14 - Wiarton 1
What a weekend...what a lot of scoring...
Congrats to the Snappers for getting this one in....that is a real accompishment...
ON TO MITCHELL
The Mitchell Mets open up their tournament on Friday nite...
7PM
Kitchener Outlaws vs Mitchell Royals
Met Masters vs Walton Brewers
Owen Sound Selects vs Wellington Sox
9pm
Rannoch Rebels, vs Fullerton
St Mary's Jrs vs Jarvis Rock
Mitchell Mets vs Owen Sound Selects
Saturday
9:30 am
Sweaburg Crush vs Puslinch Kodiaks
Glanworth Jrs, vs Stratfordville
10am
Mitchell Mets vs Wiarton Jrs
11;15
Mets Masters vs Jarvis Rock
Walton Brewers vs St Mary's Jrs
11.45
Puslinch vs Outlaws
1pm
Wellington vs Wiarton Jrs
plus 11 more games at the 3 diamonds at Mitchell..
leading to Championship Sunday...starting at 10 am...then noon, 2 and the A final at 4 pm...
WATERLOO MIDGET (Under 18) INVITATIONAL At Hillside park in Waterloo...Marsland Drive
Bruce Young has an 8 teamer going this weekend in the Under 18 (Midget) bracket
Local ball fans are encouraged to come out and see some good young ball players..Hillside park is on Marsland Drive, just behind the new Police Building at Weber and Columbia..
There are two KW midget clubs in this one...the Kolts coached by Gary Baker and the Black Sox with Justin Clarfield leading them..
Here is the line-up
9am
KW Kolts vs Fisherville
Caledonia vs Paris
11am
New Hamburg vs Owen Sound
Cobourg vs KW Black Sox
1pm
KW Kolts vs Paris
Fullerton vs Caledonia
3pm
New Hamburg vs KW Black Sox
Owen Sound vs Cobourg
5pm
Fisherville vs Paris
KW Kolts vs Caledonia
7pm
Owen Sound vs KW Black Sox
Cobourg vs New Hamburg
Admission is free, the weather is looking good, for local ball fans this is it this weekend...
See you at the ball yard...
SOUTH PERTH GAME(S) of the week
Saw a couple of good ones this week..
On Tuesday night Brendon Horn gave a short stop clinic but his Breslau Badgers came up sort to the Wellington Sox.. Todd Uhrig picked up the win..Michael Legace-Roote the loss.
and in St Clements, the Outlaws beat the Sebringville Sting 4 - 1 ...Kevin Bukley the win...Don STebbings the loss..Don Scott threw the 6th and 7th innings for the Sting...
KFL on Rogers TV
Really am enjoying the Game of the Week on Rogers channel 20 every Thursday nite at 8...I am listening to the Jaxx and Kings as I type this....
LEGENDS
The schedule for the Legends will be posted soon...keep your eye on Al's Fastball for that..
The Legends will open up on Thursday the 21st at Peter Hallman Ball Yard in Kitchener..with 5 games on Thursday evening, , 5 on Friday evening and a full day on 3 diamonds Saturday...plus Championship Sunday...
The New Zealand Black Sox will be in 3 games in the area prior to competing in the Legends of Fastall.
On Monday June 18th New Zealand plays the Alvinston Indians and the St Thomas and District League Selects in Alvinston.
On Tuesday the 19th, they are in Oshwegen and on the 20th in Moorefield to play the Argentina National team
That will give both New Zealand and the Argentina team a great warm up for the Legends of Fastball that will open up with both of those teams at Peter Hallman Ball Yard in Kitchener. New Zealand vs the KW Cubs at 7pm on Diam 1 and Argentina up against St Thomas at 9 pm also on diam 1...
See you at the Hillside Park (U18) Midget tourney this weekend...
Dennis
