august2013

Hill United Chiefs exhale following ISC win

August 21, 2013

Six Nations, ON

 

ORIGINAL ARTICLE By Jacob Robinson, The Londoner

Few people outside the team itself will ever know what was said during a Six Nations Hill United Chiefs closed door meeting in late July. Yet no one can argue with the results.

After being ousted by the New York Gremlins in an International Softball Congress (ISC) tournament in Erie - by a score of 8-1 - Chiefs players, coaches and personnel gathered to discuss the club's direction going into the ISC World Tournament.

"We knew what we had to do, we just needed to make sure everyone understood that and that we were there to play and try to win for each other and the whole organization," said Chiefs representative Bryan Porter.

"I think coming together and getting on the same page as a team and as players and friends was what we needed to get in the right state of mind."

That meeting certainly lit a fire under the Six Nations club. Not only would they win the American Softball Association title in South Bend, Indiana, the high-powered lineup fended off all challengers during this past week's ISC World Tournament in Moline, Illinois. Courtesy five straight Chiefs victories - one over both the Gremlins and three time defending champion Jarvis Hallman Twins - Hill United and New York met again for all the marbles Saturday night.

Chiefs hurler Adam Folkard - already with a perfect game to his name during the event - and Gremlins chucker Andrew Kirkpatrick took centre stage in the final. Neither offence was able to get a run across after seven, prompting not one but three extra innings. Finally, in the bottom of the 10th, Jeff Ellsworth brought in pinch runner Jamie Shields with a sac fly, giving Hill United its first world title in their second season of existence.

Having been on the other side of an extra innings final in 2012 vs. Jarvis made the title that much sweeter for Hill United.

"Absolutely - it was scary, mind you," joked Porter, "but it was one of the all-time finishes. A fantastic game, (we were) glad to just be a part of it but being on the other side of that, let me tell you it's a much better feeling coming out on top. Definitely it makes it feel that much more special taking the extra time to get there."

Chiefs Nick Shailes, Steve Mullaley, Mark Johnson and Ellsworth were named first team all stars - Shailes also took home tournament MVP. To no one's surprise, Folkard was given the Leroy Zimmerman Most Outstanding Pitcher award, thanks in large part to his tournament record streak of 18 and two thirds innings not allowing a run. Plagued by injury at the 10-day event for the past two years, Folkard had something to prove and it showed.

"100 per cent, he wanted this more than anything," said Johnson, a coach with the Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs and former Brantford Golden Eagle. "He worked super-hard, he threw a lot during the week. He kept himself in good shape."

It was the craziest performance I have ever seen."

Johnson said facing other top-ranked squads like New York and Jarvis during the week - something not always seen at the World Tournament - helped the Chiefs prepare for a gruelling final. The victory was especially sweet for Johnson, who had lost to Jarvis in the final three straight years leading up to 2013, and a pair of Chiefs veterans.

"To a man, these players have said this is the closest team they've played for. In terms of the players, the organization and sponsorship, we all do function as a big family and everybody is there for everybody on and off the field," Porter said. "One of my great memories was seeing (utility man) Ryan Thompson and (infielder) Dale Levy - who've been around the game a long time and played on a lot of good teams - get their first ring. That was something special that we could bring (a title) to them."

During the celebration, a large contingent of Chiefs fans at the park could exhale. So too could the many watching a free streaming of the game online.

"I know that we had a lot of people yelling at the screen when we were getting into the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth inning," Johnson laughed. "But it was an awesome experience.

"Winning with that group was awesome."

Since entering the elite fastball world in 2012, the Chiefs have become a model organization, and don't appear ready to drop that status anytime soon. Porter pointed out the team's sponsorship group is a major part of their success.

"They go the extra mile," he said.

"There's nobody better in the fastball world in terms of what they do and what they're willing to do for these players."

Jacob.robinson@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @LondonerJacob

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