June2013

Int'l softball tourney coming to Saskatoon

June 21, 2013

Saskatoon, SK

 

ORIGINAL STORY


The first-ever Under-21 Men's International Softball Championships is coming  to Saskatoon next month.

Provincial teams from across Canada, as well as an Argentine national team  and the New Zealand International Softball Academy are all coming to town July 9  to 14.

"We're going to feature some of the top under-21 softball players in the  world," tournament vice-chair Mark Loehndorf said at a press conference on  Wednesday.

Fifteen members of Canada's 2012 under-19 world championship squad will  appear for their various provincial teams. The Argentine roster features four  under-19 world-championship-winning players, including top-rated pitcher Huemul  Mata Carabajal.

"I've been all across the country to nationals (and) westerns, and this is  probably the biggest tournament I've ever been a part of," Team Saskatchewan  pitcher Alex Fehr said.

Landing a tournament of this calibre is a boon to the Saskatoon softball  community, which boasts 50 to 55 men's and women's teams at the top level of  competition year after year.

"We're using this event, this international event, to showcase the best  program," tournament chair and longtime Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association  president Bryan Kosteroski said. "Saskatchewan is a (softball) hotbed. So  naturally we're going to bring an international event to Saskatchewan."

The selection process for Team Saskatchewan started a year ago. It featured a  25-player roster that practised at the soccer centre throughout the winter. The  team was trimmed to 15 players in May, and includes seven Saskatoon Poly Plus  Junior Diamondbacks and four Saskatoon Junior Bullets from the SASA. Prince  Albert's Aiden Patrick pitched for the under-19 national team.

"I think our team's going to be very exciting to watch - very fast, a lot of  power, great pitching, but our speed is going to be (outstanding)," Saskatchewan  assistant coach Brooks Penrod said.

Team New Zealand will arrive early for the tournament, and has exhibition  games booked in Del-isle versus the Senior Diamond Dogs, in Prince Albert  against Team Saskatchewan and in War-man against the hometown Gems from July  2-4.

The main tournament will be at Bob Van Impe Stadium and Gordie Howe Park.

 

OUR SPONSORS

TRENDING NOW
@alsfastball
FRIENDS OF AL'S FASTBALL
AU Sable AFP Fastpitch Fastpitch West International Softball Congress Men’s Fastpitch SA North American Fastpitch Association Ontario Amateur Softball Association

Ontario Masters Fastball sports betting site betway Shooters Fastpitch League Softball Canada Softball New Zealand WBSC