June2014

World champs from New Zealand in Stouffville for doubleheader

June 13, 2014

Stouffville, ON

World champs from New Zealand in Stouffville for doubleheader

ORIGINAL STORY  by Michael Hayakawa

The Sox are coming to play some ball at Stouffville’s Memorial Park diamond Tuesday.

Not the Boston Red Sox or Chicago White Sox.

Rather, the New Zealand Black Sox.

Winners of six International Softball Federation World Championships, including the most recent in 2013, the Black Sox will make Stouffville their first stop for an exhibition tour they are embarking on for the next month and a half.

Facing the Black Sox in a doubleheader dubbed as the Stouffville Invitational to start at 7 p.m. will be a formidable opponent in the Scarborough Force, a team that finished fifth in last year’s ISC championships and is in the process of tuning up for this year’s event. They went undefeated to claim top prize in a tournament in Cobourg last weekend.

Among those playing for the Force is Andy Skelton, a Stouffville resident and Team Canada member.

A pitcher with the Force and Team Canada, Skelton is no stranger to playing the Black Sox as he noted during his time with the national team, they played them on several occasions.

Along with Skelton, several current and past Team Canada members will be on the Force roster.

Current players include former Stouffville resident Paul Koert, Don Scott, Rowan Lamb and Ben Wideman.

Grant Patterson was a pitcher with Team Canada.

Also on the Force roster is Stouffville resident Andrew Scott.

Fielding a roster of around 20 players, the Black Sox have several who were on last year’s team that won the ISF crown including: Nathan Nukunuku, Brad Rona, Tyson Bartorillo, Ben Enoka, Wayne Laulu and Donny Hale.

Skelton noted Hale’s stay in Canada will be prolonged as he will play for the Force at this year’s ISC championships.

“There will definitely be some high-calibre ball to be played,” Skelton said.

In arranging for the exhibition doubleheader to be played at Memorial Park, Skelton said it was in the works for a while and just confirmed about one month ago once town permits were procured.

Skelton added the event will be utilized as a fundraiser for the Whitchurch-Stouffville Softball Association, who will sell concessions during the contest and see some of its young players handling announcing duties.

Prior to the start of the contest, Skelton said the Black Sox will perform their pre-game ritual Haka.

 

 
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