October2013

Jaxx’d up for ISC championship

October 4, 2013

Kitchener, ON

 

ORIGINAL STORY by Adam Jackson - Kitchener Post Staff

Photo courtesy Diamond Jaxx

The Diamond Jaxx won the Kitchener Fastball League title earlier this week, which qualifies the team for the Internation Softball Congress in 2014 in Kitchener. Back row, left to right: Kevin Clugston, Mark Simmons, Rob Wigood, Ryan Ferber, Doug Hoffman, Will Peirce, Jason Farrelly, Warren Williams, Matt Gregory. Front row, left to right: Chad MacQueen, Carl Kavanagh, Jamie Crickmore, Rob MacDonald, Pat Graham, Bryan Reeve.

 

Jaxx’d up for ISC championship

By Adam Jackson

Kitchener Post staff

 

The morning after the Diamond Jaxx’s big win, a few stomachs were queasy and a few heads were hurting.

But hey, they deserved it.

The Diamond Jaxx took the Kitchener Fastball League (KFL)championship on Monday evening, winning a best-of-five series against Bell Cartage in front of 150 fans.

The Jaxx took the series 3-2.

With they win, they also earned a berth into the International Softball Congress (ISC) 2014 World tournament right in their own backyard.

The morning after the Diamond Jaxx’s big win, a few stomachs were queasy and a few heads were hurting.

But hey, they deserved it.

The Diamond Jaxx took the Kitchener Fastball League (KFL)championship on Monday evening, winning a best-of-five series against Bell Cartage in front of 150 fans.

The Jaxx took the series 3-2.

With they win, they also earned a berth into the International Softball Congress (ISC) 2014 World tournament right in their own backyard.

The Diamond Jaxx will join the Hallman Twins as the second host team of the tournament.

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” said Bryan Reeve, a centre fielder for the team and president of the KFL. “It’s an honour to be the second host team.”

The Diamond Jaxx finished the season with a 14-3-2 record, giving them first place in the black division.

The Diamond Jaxx’s Chad MacQueen finished atop the home run leaders, with eight in 25 games played.

But the story with this team, unlike many other teams in the KFL, lies in its ability to stick together.

Entering the league six season ago, the Diamond Jaxx have been able to keep the same core group of players, while adding one or two each year.

“Everything came together this year,” said Reeve.

Back in 2007, the team was formed from a group of midget players with nowhere to play, as well as a group of players coming off a folded team from the Golden Horseshoe league.

“We just don’t make many changes. We have a really good team . . . we’re consistent, we play with good pitching, good defence and good hitting,” said Reeve.

The team is led by pitching workhorses Doug Hoffman and Kevin Clugston, who share the windmill responsibility equally.

The ISC, the top international mens’ softball tournament in the world, was held in Kitchener in 2002 and back-to-back in 2006 and 2007. The tournament takes place at the Peter Hallman Ballyard and Budd Park.

ajackson@kitchenerpost.ca

 

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