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Jeff Ellsworth is shown in recent action with the Charlottetown Fawcetts.
Outfielder Jeff Ellsworth of St. Lawrence was selected Monday to the Canadian team for the Pan American Softball Championship in Parana, Argentina.
The tournament will be held from October 24 to November 1.
Ellsworth was captain of the Canadian squad that won gold at the 2012 Pan American championship in Colombia.
He had a key hit in Canada’s gold-medal victory.
Ellsworth, who is no stranger to international softball competition, was recently named the most valuable player at the International Softball Congress world championship tournament in Kitchener, Ont. He was a member of the winning Hill United Chiefs team.
The Islander also played for the host Charlottetown Fawcetts squad that won the bronze medal at the Canadian senior men’s championship.
The Pan American championship will serve as a qualifier for the 2015 International Softball Federation world championship in Saskatoon and for the 2015 Pan American Games in Ajax, Ont.
The final roster for this year’s Canadian team was determined based on performance at a men’s national team training camp in Ontario in May, the senior men’s nationals and other major competitions.
“We are extremely excited to be defending our Pan American Championship title with this group of seventeen players,†stated Mike Branchaud, Softball Canada manager of national teams and Canadian championships. “We have great pitching and hitting and tremendous depth. We look forward to competing in Parana, as well as the International Softball Federation men’s world championship and the Pan American Games in 2015.â€
The Canadian team last competed at the 2013 ISFÂ championship in Auckland, New Zealand, where they finished fifth.
Other players named to the 2014 team were: Bryan Abrey, Richmond, B.C.; Sean Cleary, Harbour Main, N.L.; Blair Ezekiel, Harbour Main, N.L.; Jason Hill, St. John’s, N.L.; Brandon Horn, Waterloo, Ont.; Mark Johnson, Glencoe, Ont.; Paul Koert, Brooklin, Ont.; Rowan Lam, Glencoe, Ont.; Joel Langford, Orleans, Ont.; Derek Mayson, North Vancouver, B.C.; Devon McCullough, Saskatoon, Sask.; Brennan Pokoyoway, Saskatoon, Sask.; Mathieu Roy, St. Gervais, Que.; Jason Sanford, Durham, N.S.; Andy Skelton, Scarborough, Ont.; Kris Walushka, Victoria, B.C.
Horn and Johnson both played for the Fawcetts at the nationals as wel.
The head coach is Don Bates of Saskatoon.
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