ORIGINAL STORYÂ by Darryl Smart
The Hill United Chiefs started the same way they left off last season - at the top.
After capping a brilliant first season of senior fastball with a second-place finish at the 2012 International Softball Congress World Championships in August, the Chiefs kicked off the 2013 season by capturing their second-consecutive Amateur Athletic Union Men's International Fastpitch Tournament at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Florida on the weekend, beating the New York Gremlins 2-0.
In the final, Adam Folkard threw a one-hit shutout to earn the win and the Outstanding Pitcher Award.
Juan Potolicchio took the loss, allowing only five hits.
Chiefs catcher Craig Crawford was named the tournament's most valuable player.
To get to the final, the Chiefs beat the Niagara Fury 15-1 , then blanked Laneros 2-0 in the semifinal.
The tournament kicked off Thursday, with the Chiefs disposing of the Gigantes de Venezuela 7-0.
On Friday afternoon they edged Maccabi USA, from Philidelphia 5-4 and WM Imports, from Orlando 6-1.
With pool play finished, the Chiefs started Saturday with a 3-0 win over the Oklahoma Bears, and a 9-1 thrashing of the Elmira Expos.
darryl.smart@sunmedia.ca or twitter.com/darrylsmart1
