Explorers vs. ACes matchup highlights this weekend's Bartos-Isenhart tourney

June 15, 2013

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Game 1:  Explorers 5 Port Huron/Ashland 4 in 8 Innings

Putnam winning pitcher.  Losing P Zach Lach

Horning with GW RBI in bottom 8th

Game 2 in Midland.

Aces defeat Owen Sound Jrs. WP - K Crawford. LP - Roote.

Game 3 in Midland.

Mariners 11, Westerville 1. WP - Tyler Kelly. LP - Jetmar.


Explorers 3
Owen Sounds Jr Selects 5
8 Innings

WP Roote
LP Putnam


Playoff Schedule for Bartos/Isenhart

10 am
explorers v capitals 1
Mariners v ACes 3

Noon
Exp/cap win v prt/ash 3
Mar/ac win v OS 1

 

Playoff Bracket for Bartos/Isenhart Memorial Tournament & 2013 ISC qualifier pic.twitter.com/Ka5Hg9Bbbf

 

2:30pm Sunday

Capitals beat explorers 8-7 in 8 Innings

Mariners beat ACes 2-1

Caps play port Huron

Mariners play Owen sound jrs

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ORIGINAL STORY

By Joel Barnhart For the Daily News                                                     Midland Daily News                                         
                Posted: Friday, June 14, 2013 10:00 am

This weekend, both the Midland Explorers and the Emerson ACes will kick off their 2013 men’s fastpitch softball seasons at the Bartos-Isenhart Memorial Tournament at Emerson Park on Saturday and Sunday.

ACes co-manager Gregg Sauve said that his team is eager to get its year started, and he hopes the young Aces can keep their emotions under control and perform to their abilities.

“We are pretty excited, (and) if we can keep our emotions in check, we’ve got a chance to hang in there,” Sauve said.

Sauve mentioned that his young team has a lot of players who are new to fastpitch, and this tournament will mark their first exposure to a heightened level of the game.

“A lot of our guys are playing in local leagues and dominating those right now, so they are ready to take things to another level and challenge themselves,” he said. “We’re a young ball club ... (and) we’re fast and athletic with a lot of desire. All of our players want to get better (at fastpitch) and are anxious to take the field this weekend.”

The marquee matchup at the Bartos-Isenhart tournament will be the first-ever meeting between the Emerson ACes and the Midland Explorers on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Currie Stadium.

“That’s a big one, because you have two top quality teams playing each other at the top time of the night,” Sauve said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a good turnout and people will come out, and we’ll show Midland some top quality ball clubs.”

Explorers’ manager Del Benson did not comment on the ACes, simply because he’s never seen them play. Benson said he expects plenty to be excited about nevertheless.

“I’ve never been at a (softball) contest where I didn’t have butterflies (in my stomach),” Benson said. “It’s a big part of competing and knowing what’s at stake. When the butterflies go away, that’s when you know it’s time to hang ‘em up.”

Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, both teams are hoping for an exciting kickoff to their summer.

“It’ll be our first time playing together, and we’re hoping to do things right, compete, and get a few games under our belt,” Benson said.

ACes’ co-manager Dave O’Keefe added that he expects a great weekend and a really fun season.

“(Fastpitch) has been a huge part of our lives, and we are excited to have so many accomplished, young college players,” he noted. “(Sauve and I) think that we’ve sunk the hook into them, and they have a lot of enthusiasm, (which) is going to be fun to manage.”

One contest during the tournament that is sure to be fun for everyone — from players to coaches to spectators — will be the 4 p.m. game Saturday that will see the Explorers take on the Special Olympics team.

This year marks the sixth time the two teams have played one another during the Explorers’ annual June tournament.

“The Special Olympics is a great organization, and we saw it as a chance for our team to give (them) a chance to play against some different players in the (Currie) Stadium. (Both teams) have a common bond that we love playing ball with our friends. It’s great to be able to bring these two groups together for an afternoon,” said Explorers’ player Kyle Beane.

It was Beane who first approached the Special Olympics’ softball teams about the friendly competition six years ago.

“When I first had this idea, I thought this is something we should’ve done a long time ago. It’s something that (Lefty Bartos and Lee Isenhart) used to do years ago, and we just reignited that with the current coach of the Special Olympics team,” he said.

The Special Olympics’ team will consist of players from two groups of local players: the 18-and-up Slammers, and the 21-and-up Dragons.

Dragons’ manager Kathy Peariso said that it is a great time for everyone involved each year.

While the Dragons usually play just a few games throughout the season, the June matchup with the Explorers is a consistent highlight for all of the participants.

“They are all excited,” Peariso said of her team. “It’s something they talk about all year long: ‘When are we playing the Explorers?’ They all love playing, being included with the Explorers and all the special attention. The Explorers have really helped us a lot. Besides the game, they help us out with (providing) uniforms and equipment.”

In addition to the June contest, the Explorers will also participate in a Special Olympics game as part of the IFC World Tournament in Quad Cities, Iowa in August.

“For that one, I get players all over the IFC spectrum to take part,” Beane said. “Guys really like being part of that one. They have gravitated toward it, and it gets bigger every year.”

Lady Explorers 23U team takes second at first tourney of the summer