Eastern Ontario Fastball Blog

A blog dedicated to news about the Greater Ottawa Fastball League and other happenings in the world of fastball / fastpitch softball in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with occasional stories featuring Mrs Fitzroy Fastball, Fitzroy Fastball Junior and the Caveman. If you have info to send on, send me an email at fastball[at]fitzroyharbour.com. Follow @fitzroyfastball on Twitter.

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Sunday, September 28, 2008

GeeGees defeat Carleton

from Scott Searle

The Gee-Gees kicked off a big weekend at home with a pair of wins over cross-town rival Carleton on Friday night. The sleeping bats from the Garnet and Grey woke up in time to explode for 16 runs in two games to take a pair of wins on Support our Troop Night. For the 3rd year in a row, the Ravens and the Gee-Gees dedicated their Friday night home game to Canadian troops serving overseas.

Jillian Taylor took the ball and was stellar over 5 innings, throwing a 1-hit shutout. The Gees exploded for 3 runs in the first inning and never looked back. Triples from Laura Gallant and Radha Khosla and a perfectly executed squeeze play from Vanessa Homiak were the offensive highlights. The whole Gee-Gees team chipped in as Sarah Healy ripped an RBI double for her first hit in the OIWFA.

In the second half of the twin-bill, Emily Ernst threw very well, scattering 5 hits over 7 innings and allowing no earned runs. The Gee-Gees offence was back to its old tricks as Rachel Legaspi chipped in with a 3/3 performance, and Vanessa Homiak put the icing on the cake with a solo homerun in the 5th. Sarah Healy continued her strong evening with another double.

The team was at Pierre Rocque Park in Orleans on Saturday for a Free clinic for Minor Athletes from 10:00-12:00 and a pair of games against Brock University at 12:00 and 2:00.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

McNab team wins OASA Bantam Select Title

Congratulations to the McNab Mavericks Bantam Select team that won the OASA provincial title in Pickering in August.

Local Heroes win GCMFL Playoffs

from Eric Rosenquist

Local Heroes defeated Murray Refrigeration 11-3 on Wednesday night to claim the 2008 Glen Cairn Men's Fastball League championship.

Local Heroes got off to a fast start in game two of the league finals, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Murray's answered back in their half of the first, cashing in a lead-off double by Murray's starting pitcher Bruce Robinson to tie the game at 1.

In the top of the 3rd, Locals added three more runs to go up 4-1, but Murray's made it close by scoring a pair in the bottom of the 4th thanks to an inside-the-park homerun by Tyler Nystedt.

Local Heroes took control of the game in the top of the 5th, batting around their order and putting up 7 runs off reliever Scott Jessiman to take an 11-3 lead. Some good defence and timely strikeouts by pitcher Billy Gerber erased any further Murray's threats and kept the score at 11-3, giving Local Heroes the 2008 GCMFL championship.

Local Heroes swept each of their three series en route to the championship, capping off a near-perfect season that saw them go a combined 24-1 in league, tournament, and playoff games. In doing so, they became the first team in well over a decade to win the GCMFL "triple crown" as the top team in the regular season, tournament, and
playoffs.

Team Easton 7 Stittsville 4 in Game 2 of the GOFL finals

from Sam Oliver

Team Easton squared the best of 5 GOFL final at one game apiece with a 7 – 4 win over the Stittsville 56ers on Wednesday night. Dan Konkle (7IP, 4R, 4H, 5BB, 1HB, 14K) picked up the win for Easton. Darren Featherstone (2IP, 6R, 4H, 4BB, 2K) took the loss for the 56ers with relief from Dan Bradley (5IP, 1R, 2H, 4BB, 6K).

Easton came hard out of the gates scoring 5 times in the first inning. Chad Milne led off the game with a hard hit single to right field. Kevin Chevrier followed by legging out an infield single to give team Easton 2 men on with no one out. Featherstone responded by striking out the next Easton batter, but then walked Randy Peck to load the bases. Cory Morrison continued his hot hitting by lofting a home run (the grand salami) over the right field fence to clear the bases. A Dave Tubman walk and a Konkle single put runners on the corners. The next batter, Pat O’Connor hit a sharp ground ball to first which turned into a 3 – 6 double play. However, since the first half of the double play was made at first base, removing the force at second, Tubman was able to score from third, putting Easton up by 5 runs.

The bottom half of the first would see a game 56ers squad respond. Scott Parsons hit a one out single to left field. With Dan Jessiman batting Parsons would advance to second on a wild pitch. After getting himself in a 0 ball 2 strike hole, Jessiman fouled off a number of pitches, and eventually stroked a 2 run HR to deep right field. Ryan Bond followed this by drawing a walk, but he would be left stranded.

Team Easton extended their lead in the top of the second. Lukas Kamps drew a lead off walk and would eventually reach third on a couple of Featherstone wild pitches. With one out, Kevin Chevrier struck out but reached first when the pitch eluded the Stittsville catcher. Chevrier was caught trying to steal second, however Kamps was able to score from third on the play.

The bottom half of the inning would see the 56ers cut into the Easton lead again. Dan Bradley drew a one out walk and this was followed by back to back triples by Tyler Nystedt and John Craig to score two runs. Scott Parsons was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners but Konkle would escape without further damage by striking out the next two Stittsville batters. The score at the end of two innings: Easton 6; Stittsville 4.

Featherstone’s walk to Randy Peck would put an end to his pitching line on the night. With first inning hero Morrison to hit, Dan Bradley took over the pitching duties. Morrison pulled Bradley’s first pitch on the ground to first base, resulting in a 3 – 4 double play.

Easton would add a run to their lead in the top half of the 4th inning. Konkle walked to start the inning, but was erased at second base when O’Connor hit into a fielder’s choice. O’Connor stole second and reached third on a passed ball. He would score when Milne picked up his second single of the night making the score 7 – 4 in favor of Easton.

The 56ers couldn’t muster any attack until the 7th inning. Nystedt and Craig drew back to back walks to start the frame, bring the tying run to the plate three times. That’s as close as it would get though, as Konkle escaped the jam by way of two strike outs and an infield fly.

For Stittsville:
John Craig 1 for 3, 3B, BB, RBI
Scott Parsons 1 for 3, 1B, HB, R
Dan Jessiman 1 for 4, HR, R, (2)RBI
Dan Bradley 0 for 2, BB, R
Tyler Nystedt 1 for 2, 3B, BB, R, RBI

For Easton:
Chad Milne 2 for 4, (2)1B, R, RBI
Kevin Chevrier 1 for 3, 1B, BB, R
Randy Peck 0 for 0, (4)BB, R
Cory Morrison 1 for 4, HR, R, 4RBI
Dave Tubman 0 for 2, BB, R
Dan Konkle 1 for 2, 1B, BB
Pat O’Connor 1 for 3, 1B, SB, R, RBI
Lukas Kamps 0 for 2, BB, R

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Special Ottawa Senators Tickets offer

from Joe Allan

The Ottawa Senators are offering discounted hockey tickets for GOFL players, families and all "friends of fastball".

Visit the following website and enter the password.

www.capitaltickets.ca/promo
Password: SENGRPGOFL

The link is live and tickets to Oct/Nov games are available for sale at discounted prices.

North Fred sweeps Loughborough League finals

from Jeff Hannah

The Loughborough Fastball League playoff finals are over, North Fred Kings swept the Kingston Hyundai Cowboys 4-0 on Monday night.

Game 1

Cowboys 0
North Fred 3

WP Bryan Brooks
LP Ryan Sharpe

Game 2

North Fred 5
Cowboys 0

WP Bryan Brooks
LP Ryan Sharpe with relief from Chris Switzer

Game 3

Cowboys 3
North Fred 4

WP Bryan Brooks in relief of Jamie Thompson

Game 4

North Fred 5
Cowboys 1

WP Bryan Brooks
LP Ryan Sharpe
HR Ryan Wagar (NF), Scott Brooks (NF)

Details on Game 1 of GOFL finals

Stittsville 5 Team Easton 2
from Sam Oliver

The Stittsville 56ers jumped out to a 3 run lead in the top of the first and held on for the victory in game #1 of the best of 5 GOFL final. It was solid outing for Dan Bradley (7IP, 2R, 4H, 4BB, 11K) who pitched 5 scoreless innings before surrendering two runs in the 6th. Dan Konkle (7IP, 5R, 2H, 8BB, 1HB, 15K) gets tagged with the loss, and despite struggling with his control early, settled in to dominate later in the game.

The 56ers sent 9 men to the plate in the first inning and staked a 3 run lead. Scott Herriot walked to open the game, and, after stealing second, advanced to third on a wild pitch. John Craig followed with a walk to put runners on the corners. Dan Jessiman smacked a single up the middle scoring Herriot and putting runners at first and second with no one out. After the runners advanced a base each on a wild pitch, Ryan Bond hit a fly ball to centerfield deep enough to score Craig from third and move Dan Jessiman to third where he would eventually score on a wild pitch. Despite issuing three consecutive walks to load the bases, Konkle was able to escape the jam without further damage.

Stittsville added a run in the top half of the 2nd inning. Once again Herriot led things off with a walk. John Craig then hit a deep fly ball to left field which allowed Herriot to advance to second base. Dan Jessiman then flied to right-center field, allowing Herriot to tag and head for third. He would score on the play when the relay from right field was misplayed.

The 56ers scored their 5th and final run of the game in the top half of the 4th. Tyler Nystedt was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and found his way to third base after a couple of wild pitches. With one out, John Craig hit an infield single, to put runners on the corners. Nystedt was able to score when an errant pick off attempt of Craig at first base wasn’t able to be fielded cleanly.

The score remained 5 – 0 in favor of Stittsville until the bottom of the 6th inning. With one out, back to back singles by Todd Fraser and Randy Peck would set the table. The next Easton batter Cory Morrison lined a Bradley offering into the left-center field gap for a double, driving in both runs. Despite issuing a walk to Dave Tubman, Bradley was able to escape without further damage.

The 56ers tried to answer in the top half of the 7th. The first two batters reached base by way of a walk and an Easton error. Nothing would come of it though as Konkle struck out the next three batters in order to end the threat. Easton went three up three down in the bottom half of the inning to end the game, giving the 56ers a one game lead.

For Easton:
Todd Fraser 2 for 2, (2) 1B, BB, R
Randy Peck 1 for 3, 1B, R
Cory Morrison 1 for 2, 2B, BB, (2) RBI

For Stittsville:
Scott Herriot 0 for 2, (2)BB, SB, (2)R
John Craig 1 for 2, 1B, (2)BB, R
Dan Jessiman 1 for 4, 1B, R, RBI
Ryan Bond 0 for 1, BB, SF, RBI
Tyler Nystedt 0 for 2, HB, R

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Stittsville wins the first one, Game 2 Wednesday night

Stittsville won the first game of the GOFL finals over Team Easton by a score of 5-2.

Game 2 will be Wednesday September 24 at 8:30 at the Grove in Stittsville.

more to follow

Solid Weekend for Gee-Gees

from Scott Searle

A resurgent Gee-Gees women's fastball squad won 4 games on the weekend with sweeps of both Guelph University and the University of Toronto. This was a very impressive feat for a very young and inexperienced Gee-Gee squad and a complete turnaround from last year when the team was 0-4 against the same two opponents.

The Gee-Gees sent Jillian Taylor to the circle in the first game against Guelph and saw one of her finest performances in the Garnet and Grey. She tossed a 3 hit shutout over 7 innings but the Gees offence couldnʼt keep up and the game went in to extra innings. It would take 12 innings to decide a winner as the Gee-Gees took home a 4-3 victory over a very strong Gryphons team. Jillian was supported by some sparkling defence up the middle from Laura Gallant and Emily Ernst who turned two double plays.

In the second game of the day the Gees displayed their offensive prowess as they roared to a 6-2 victory over the same Gryphons. Laura Skiperis was a leader with 2 hits and 3 RBIʼs in her home park in Guelph and Vanessa Homiak continued a strong season with 3 hits of her own.

The Gee-Gees travelled to Toronto for a re-match of last years bronze medal game with the Varsity Blues. In what has become one of the more exciting games of the year, the Gee-Gees romped to a 6-0 victory behind a stellar performance from Jillian Taylor. The team jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first behind a double from Mallory Watson and never looked back.

Emily Ernst took the ball in the second game of the double-header and picked up her 2nd win of the weekend in a great performance. The team fell behind 2-0 after a strong U of T start but showed great resiliency in crawling back to score runs in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings to take a 3-2 win. A two-out game winning double in the bottom of the 7th from Mallory Watson was the difference maker.

The team comes back to Ottawa for their home-opener this weekend and will host their 3rd Annual Bridge to the Future Clinic on Saturday morning at Pierre Rocque Park in Orleans from 10-12 AM. The clinic is free for minor athletes of all ages. All athletes are encouraged to stay and watch the team take on Brock and McMaster University at 2 and 4 PM on Saturday and 12 and 2 on Sunday. All games are at Pierre Rocque Park in Orleans.

For more information contact Scott Searle at Scottsearle@rogers.com.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Local Heroes win game one of the finals in the Glen

from Eric Rosenquist

Local Heroes took a 1-0 lead in the best of 3 finals of the Glen Cairn
league with a 7-0 win over Murray Refrigeration.

Dan Rollin lead the way for Locals going 3 for 3 with 2 HR and 4 RBI.

Game 2 is Wednesday night starting at 7PM at AY Jackson in Kanata.

Ontario East Challenge Cup thanks

Thanks to everyone that helped make the tournament in Fitzroy Harbour successful. Some that I'd like to highlight are:

- To all the guys on WC Electric that pitched in, especially Bud Hanlon, not only a great pitcher but an outstanding barbecuer. I believe he surpassed his personal best by flipping approximately 300 burgs this weekend. Thanks as well to "Lizzo" Hanlon for her excellent help including selling 50/50 tickets.

- Thanks to our sponsors that helped us out, including the Fitzroy Harbour Community Association, Campbell Fuels, Ontario Power Generation, MP Gordon O'Connor, Bromley Farm Supply, Lorne Montgomery Equipment Rentals, the Harbour Store, Councillor Eli El-Chantiry, and of course Dale and Laurie Hanna of West Carleton Electric Ltd. I guess we could also call Battlefield Equipment a sponsor for donating the use of the plate compactor for the weekend ;)

- The volunteer bartenders came from the community, including Karen & Simon Taylor, Mark D'Arcy, Jodie Brenton and Peter Lorincz.

- The groundscrew was led by Jeff Campbell. Jeff is only 14 (but is already 6'2"), loves fastball and throws in his peewee league. I'm confident that Jeff's name will be on here in a story with him playing for WC Electric in the next couple of years.

- Sal Gara and his umpires were easy to get along with and were professional all weekend. Good job blue crew.

- Our fans showed up in good numbers, especially Friday night and all throughout the weekend. There seemed to be a good mix of of new faces that found out about the tournament in the newspaper or on the Internet, and old faces that come back every year. I had one old fella come up to me and say "Are there any more tournaments here this year?". Another guy was camping in the provincial park nearby and saw a sign at the store and "just had to come by because I love watching fastball."

- I think the title of funniest fan goes to Jimmy Anas. Jimmy played in the Gil Read tournament this summer with the "Mano-Trics" after 10+ years away from the game. Jim, a teacher at Arnprior District High School, took one of his student's projects and used the other side of the bristol board to make a sign that said "GO CAVY GO" which he proudly displayed Friday night, cheering on #16 of the Electric.

- Lorne Rice was our announcer/scorekeeper and was there from Friday at 7pm right until the last game.

- Every team represented in the beer garden, which is great. Of course the Quyon Flyers led the way, with a contingent right remaining right up to the end of the final. Thanks to Kenny Fleck for staying around and providing NFL updates to all fans.

- Every year people that you would never think of pitch in to help without us asking. At different times we were stuck for BBQers and people just grabbed a flipper and sold some burgers. Delmer Cavanagh (Mike's dad) did a shift. Mr. Featherstone (Darren's dad) helped us out! And when Teddy Metcalfe wandered over near the BBQ and someone asked him for a burger he just started cooking for us. Thanks guys!

- Our "gatekeepers" including Ryan Kyte and his mom Leigh Ann were a big help collected toonies and giving out programs.

- Last but definitely not least, Mrs. Fitzroy Fastball was a big help and extremely patient with me. It's kind of shocking that she has let me do this for seven years in a row actually. Anyway, every year after the tournament it's like a bad hangover and "I'll never do that again"....but every year I have. But this year I think is different, I think I'm done with hosting for a bit. (Maybe).

GOFL finals game 1 Tuesday night

Game one of the Greater Ottawa Fastball League finals will Tuesday September 23 at 8:30 at the Grove in Stittsville, as Team Easton hosts the 56ers.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Glen Cairn League final time changed

The start time for Monday night's game in the Glen Cairn League finals has been moved to a 8pm start.

Donnacona Blue Sox win Ontario East Challenge Cup

The Donnacona Blue Sox won the eight team Ontario East Challenge Cup on the weekend with a 4-0 record, led by their ace Francis Leclair. The smooth throwing Leclair, who "toes up" in Softball Canada style, fooled batters with his drop ball and excellent pitch placement, allowing only two runs over the four games and posting a no-hitter against Team Easton as well as two one-hitters along the way. Making things even more impressive is the fact the Donnacona had only nine players for the entire weekend.

Donnacona indicated that they will accept the ToC berth to Quad Cities in 2009.

Sunday results:

Wyevale Tribe 7 Fitzroy Harbour WC Electric 0 (5 innings)
WP: Jason Giffen
LP: Bud Hanlon with relief from Steve Cavanagh
HR: Mike Kelly, Dave Drinkill x 2 (Wyevale)
This game was started Saturday night, but when the lightning started and the monsoon rains came through in the fourth, the game was push forward and continued on Sunday morning.

Donnacona Blue Sox 1 Ottawa Team Easton 0
WP: Francis Leclair
LP: Jason Smith
HR: Jonathan Darveau (Donnacona)
Scoreless through five until Darveau hit a solo shot and that was the only run the Blue Sox need for the win. While Easton did have baserunners due to some errors and four walks, Leclair had a no-hitter in this game. Smith allowed only five hits, but the solo shot was the difference.

Wyevale Tribe 7 Quyon Flyers 6 (8 innings)
WP: Jason Giffen
LP: Drew Hathway
HR: Kevin Peterson, Trace Leonard (Wyevale)
HR: Matt Greer (Quyon)
Just what Quyon needed - another extra inning game, after four in the GOFL playoffs, plus one on Friday night. Down 4-3 in the top of the seventh, Matt Greer's two run shot put Quyon up by a run. However Wyevale answered back with a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI by Chris Bell to tie the game. Joran Graham drove in a run in the top of the eighth, but Matt Tjart's walk off 2-RBI double in the bottom of the first extra inning eliminated the Flyers.

Ottawa Team Easton 7 Wyevale Tribe 1
WP: Dan Konkle
LP: Jason Giffen with relief from Chris Bell
HR: Mike Kelly (Wyevale)
HR: Chad Milne, Dave Tubman (Easton)
This one was close until the sixth. With the score 2-1 Easton going in the top of the seventh, Easton sent 10 men to the plate and scored five to put the game well out of reach.

Donnaconna 9 Ottawa Team Easton 2 (6 innings)
WP: Francis Leclair
LP: Dan Konkle with relief from Jason Smith and Chad Hargrove
HR: Chad Milne (Easton)
HR: Jean Pierre Savard, Mathieu Lessard, Luc Thibault x 2 (Donnacona)
Leclair gave up his first runs of the tournament but two was not enough for Easton as Donnacona used the long ball four times en route to the six inning run rule shortened game.

Congratulations to Donnacona on winning the berth and to Francis Leclair for an excellent showing in the circle for the Blue Sox.

Some tournament thoughts to follow later

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Results from Ontario East Challenge Cup - Saturday

Stittsville 56ers 7 Wyevale Tribe 3
WP: Dan Bradley
LP: Jason Giffen, with relief from Mike Kelly
HR: Dave Drinkill (Wyevale)
HR: Dan Jessiman x 2, Scott Jessiman, Dan Bradley (Stittsville)

Donnacona Blue Sox 7 Kars Aces 0 (5 innings)
WP: Francis Leclair (14Ks, one hitter)
LP: Rob Cameron, with relief from Trevor Lahey

Quyon Flyers 7 Kars Aces 1
WP: Drew Hathway (16Ks)
LP: Trevor Lahey
HR: Matt Greer, Joe Allan (Quyon)

Wyevale Tribe 9 Blackburn Knights 5
WP: Mike Kelly with relief from Jason Giffen
LP: Jamie Blakely with relief from Derick Bulley
HR: Derick Bulley (Blackburn)
HR: Chris Bell, Matt Tjart, Kevin Peterson (Wyevale)

Ottawa Team Easton 6 Stittsville 56ers 5
WP: Dan Konkle in relief of Jason Smith, with relief from Jason Smith
LP: Darren Featherstone with relief from Dan Bradley

Donnacona Blue Sox 1 Fitzroy Harbour WC Electric 0
WP: Francis Leclair (10Ks, one hitter)
LP: Brad Porter in relief of Bud Hanlon (combined 4 hitter)
Triples by Mathieu Roy then Jean Pierre Savard scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Quyon Flyers 4 Stittsville 56ers 2
WP: Drew Hathway
LP: Dan Bradley
Flyers were down 2-0 but came back to win, avenging the GOFL playoff series loss from earlier in the week.

Results from Ontario East Challenge Cup - Friday night

Ottawa Team Easton 10 Blackburn Knights 2
WP: Dan Konkle
LP: Ryan Cox with relief from Derick Bulley
HR: Dave Tubman, Cory Morrison, Dan Konkle (Easton)

Team Easton began their defence of the Ontario East Challenge Cup title with a convincing 10-2 win over the Blackburn Men's Fastball League champs the Knights.

Dan Konkle had the win, striking out 11. Ryan Cox had the start for Blackburn and took the loss, with Derick Bulley seeing work in relief.

The game was five innings due to the run rule - Easton scored 3 in the first, 5 in the second and 2 in the fifth, with Dave Tubman, Cory Morrison and Dan Konkle hitting homers. Blackburn managed single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Fitzroy Harbour WC Electric 4 Quyon COMBAT Flyers 2 (8 innings)
WP: Brad Porter
LP: Joran Graham

The home team WC Electric won an exciting 4-2 game in eight innings over the Quyon Flyers in front of a good sized crowd, especially considering the chilly conditions.

Brad Porter went the distance, picking up 16 strikeouts along the way to the win. Joran Graham had 11 strikeouts in a losing cause for Quyon.

WC Electric jumped out a two run lead in the top of the third. With Trevor Barton on first, Cavanagh hit an opposite field line drive to right which eluded the diving right fielder. Cavanagh managed to score on the play putting the home side up 2-0.

Quyon got a run back in the third on a Joe McCleary RBI single scoring Shawn Laframboise, and added another run in the fourth on a Ben Younge RBI single to score Nick Armitage who had doubled with two out, making the score 2-2.

The game remained deadlocked after seven complete, so the teams went to the eighth using the international rule.

Jon Daley started at second for West Carleton to start the inning, and took third base on a wild pitch. After the next two batters popped out, Shawn Rebertz had a great at bat and hit a 3-2 pitch off field to score Daley. A subsequent double by Steve Johnson scored Rebertz and put the Electric up 4-2.

Quyon threatened in the bottom of the eighth. Matt Greer started at second base. Porter struck out the next two batters, but Drew Hathway hit a single to put runners on the corners. A walk to Joran Graham loaded the bases, but Porter was able to get out of the inning with a comebacker to the circle and seal the 4-2 win for Fitzroy.

Next up at 9am is Stittsville vs. Wyevale and Donnacona vs. Kars.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Found: one diesel plate compactor



A mysterious piece of compacting equipment has appeared at the Fitzroy Harbour Community Centre: one diesel plate compactor.

Location: pitching circle on diamond one.

To claim, email: itmusthavebeen@konks.com

"Respect my game" from Softball Ontario

from Softball Ontario

SOFTBALL ONTARIO LAUNCHES ACTIVE 2010 "RESPECT MY GAME" PROJECT TASK FORCE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

NORTH YORK, ONTARIO- Do you have a passion for the sport of softball? Are you a Player, Coach, Umpire, Scorekeeper or member of your local League Executive? Would you like to change our game for the better by helping to build mutual respect throughout all levels of our sport? Softball Ontario is looking for you! The Softball Ontario Umpires’ Program, with assistance from the Government of Ontario’s Active 2010 Program, would like to invite stakeholders in the game of softball at all levels and in all positions to join the “Respect My Game” Task Force.

The “Respect My Game” Task Force will work in conjunction with the Fast Pitch and Slo-Pitch Softball Ontario Umpires Committees to develop a new program aimed at creating abuse awareness and building mutual respect between all participants in the sport of softball. The Task Force, along with the Umpires Committees, will help to introduce policies to reduce abusive situations at all levels and in all components of the game. Focusing on increasing participation in leadership roles within our game, the Task Force will have a vital role in creating positive change within the sport of softball.

Successful volunteer applicants will have experience in one or more of the following areas:

Human Resources
Financial Management
Marketing & Promotions
Legal Issues & Risk Management
Volunteer Management
Statistical Analysis
Experience in Designing, Facilitating and/or Managing Training Clinics or Courses
Strong Organizational Skills
Excellent Communication Skills, both Verbal and Written
Hands-on Experience Working in a Volunteer Based Environment
Time Management Skills

The “Respect My Game” Task Force will commence shortly after the conclusion of the Selection Process. Please note that the Respect My Game Project must be completed by March 31, 2009. The Task Force will work with Project Manager Scott Williston of Chatham, ON, who will lead the development of the innovative new program. Expenses related to the “Respect My Game” Task Force will be administered under Softball Ontario’s current policies.

Those interested in joining the “Respect My Game” Task Force should send their resume and cover letter detailing their experience to Steph Sutton at ssutton@softballontario.ca or fax (416) 426-7368 by Friday, September 26, 2008.

Softball Ontario thanks all who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

For further information about the requirements of the “Respect My Game” Task Force, or to receive a detailed outline of the “Respect My Game” Project, contact Steph Sutton via email at ssutton@softballontario.ca or (416) 426-7368.

Softball and Cliff Neill were “King” in Stittsville

By JEFF MAGUIRE (reprinted with permission)
Appeared in The Stittsville/Richmond EMC

They are getting down to the crunch in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League (GOFL) with the second round of the playoffs underway this week.

Two teams from our coverage area, Stittsville 56ers and Carp 14C Victory, have advanced and are hoping for a shot at knocking perennial champion Ottawa Team Easton off their high horse. It won’t be easy!

Obviously I am pleased to see the 56ers, from my hometown of Stittsville, performing so well again this season. They finished a strong second in the nine-team league during the regular campaign, just five points behind powerhouse Team Easton. In their opening playoff round Stittsville easily disposed of Greely, winning the best-of-three two straight and by one-sided scores of 8-1 and 7-0 respectively.

Carp too has played well in 2008. They were a strong fifth during the season, finishing a single point behind Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric. The same two clubs met in the first round of the post season. It was Carp who triumphed, sweeping Fitzroy/WC by scores of 4-2 and 4-1 to move into the semi finals, which are best-of-five affairs.

Unfortunately the Carp “victory” was at the expense of my colleague and friend Brad Porter who, besides being an outstanding graphic designer for the EMC, is also a first-rate fastball pitcher for Fitzroy/WC (I’ll pick up the envelope next time I’m in Bradley).

Just before the GOFL playoffs began one of the best players in Stittsville softball history passed away. Clifton Craig ‘Cliff’ Neill was 82.

Cliff starred during three decades and was a local sports legend when I was growing up. In 1956 he led Stittsville to the Ontario championship. So, no mystery about where the current team nickname – 56ers – comes from!

During that long ago season Stittsville’s ace pitcher threw several no hitters, including a pair of rare perfect games (no hits, no walks, no runs). Hurling a perfect game is a dream for most pitchers. Cliff Neill, using his signature rise ball, did it twice in one championship campaign. He also earned two pitching victories in Stittsville’s memorable series win over Windsor and, for his efforts, was named to the all-Ontario senior men’s softball team. Much later he was the first softball player named to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame and is also included on the Goulbourn Sports Wall of Fame.

Further testament to his athletic excellence!

Before I go any farther let me explain quickly the difference between fastball and softball. The modern fastball is simply a slightly stream-lined version of the old softball that was used at the time Mr. Neill ruled the mound. There is little difference, only a minor size reduction that occurred over the years. Today the sport continues to be called fastball, softball or perhaps fast-pitch softball, depending on who you talk to.

A softball (or fastball) isn’t soft either. Especially if you happen to be hit by a pitch thrown underhand, from 46 feet (14 metres) by a ball traveling at speeds approaching 90 miles per hour! Trying to hit one of those pitches is akin to making contact with greased lightning.

I played and coached the game (although never in Stittsville) so I have some “painful” personal experience to draw on.

Softball excellence

The Ottawa Citizen wrote a very nice obituary about Cliff Neill. Accompanying the story was a photograph of him in his softball uniform. The first thing I noticed was that he wasn’t wearing a glove.

My father Howard is a huge baseball (and softball/fastball) fan. He also coached and managed Little League baseball, including a Stittsville team from yesteryear (the 1960s) that fell just short of a berth in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

When I was a kid growing up in Stittsville I watched a lot of men’s softball at Alexander Grove which remains one of the top venues for the sport in the province. The community was very small then – a few hundreds residents – and ‘The Grove’ was the best possible place to be on a warm summer evening in the 1950s and `60s.
As a Little League player myself I was used to using a glove. I remember asking my Dad why some pitchers – Cliff Neill among them – didn’t wear gloves when they played?
“It’s because they hardly ever have to field the ball,” my father answered.
How true! When you could pitch like Cliff Neill, not many people managed a hit off you.

He was one of a string of outstanding softball players who were part of past glory in Stittsville. Among them are Mr. Neill’s surviving teammates Ed Garland, who played third base and Pat Bullard. “Mr. Garland” as I knew him was, in his day job, a teacher at South Carleton High School in Richmond which I attended and, I’m pleased to say, graduated from!

Some of the other outstanding players from that era were Roy Bush and Eldon McEvoy. But the players I remember well are some of the men I knew the best. Friends of our family including the late Weldon ‘Weldy’ Parks and the late Garnet ‘Red’ Bradley.
Weldy was an outfielder and, in daring fashion, he too played without a glove which is a real departure for a fielder. I told you the Stittsville pitchers were good!
Men like Weldy and Red were as tough as nails actually. Just ask anyone who “ran into” Red on a hockey rink!

Red was an all-round athlete who could play any sport, any position and play well. So it was hockey in the winter and softball in the summer. It was as natural as breathing!

As I recall guys like that had hands on them like Sunday hams. They could grab a hit or thrown ball faster than most people could swat a mosquito.

Speaking of mosquitoes Alexander Grove, heavily shaded by pine trees and damp with humidity, was a magnet for the tiny, irritating insects. The township fathers in the bygone era I’m writing about this week had a solution though. They hired Don Parisien!

Don, who happens to be the father of my brother-in-law Allan, was a deadly man with a mosquito fogger let me tell you!

As we sat in the bleachers watching a ball game we would suddenly hear a steady mechanical hum that got louder and louder. It was Don at work with the chemical fogger, ridding the Grove of the blood sucking little vampires which bothered us no end – until Don had done his thing that is.

We would suddenly find ourselves enveloped in a blinding, choking fog, probably DDT. Just as suddenly, no more mosquitoes!

I’m not sure what was worse actually? But so far no one I know has grown a second head so perhaps DDT isn’t as bad for you as the fear mongers suggested? Regardless, ball fans at the Grove got a life-time dose in one evening.

Important place

As for Alexander Grove, it was unequivocally THE major gathering place in Stittsville in its hey day. It was the centre of everything as I recall, including the village’s Centennial celebrations on July 1, 1967. I particularly remember the beard growing contest and my Dad’s neatly trimmed goatee, contrasted against my Uncle Lloyd’s bushy, reddish beard.

Alexander Grove was one of the first lighted ball diamonds in the district, including Ottawa proper. In fact my father thinks it was either the Grove or a ball field on Booth Street in Ottawa that led the way with floodlights to allow night-time play.

I can recall spending many wonderful days and nights at Alexander Grove and it remains a constant in a community (try a city) which now stands in stark contrast to the tiny village I grew up in.

In closing this week I want to express sincere sympathy to Mr. Neill’s family, his four children (two daughters and two sons) his grandchildren and his surviving sister Eyleen.

Be assured that he is fondly remembered by so many of us from those wonderful years when softball was king in a small community, during a much gentler era. He and several of the others I have named were among the early heroes of many young boys.
Perhaps his story will help inspire the current 56ers, named after the championship team Cliff Neill starred for, to future fastball success in Stittsville? If his exploits don’t, nothing can!

Ontario East Challenge Cup starts tonight

The Ontario East Challenge Cup starts tonight in Fitzroy Harbour with Team Easton facing Blackburn Knights at 7pm followed by the Quyon Flyers and the host West Carleton Electric at 9pm.

Stittsville 56ers will face Wyevale Tribe at 9am on Saturday while Kars Aces will go up against the Donnacona Blue Sox at the same time on the second diamond.

Play continues all day Saturday, with the finals at 1pm on Sunday.

Admission is only $2 a day and there will a beer garden onsite, as well as the licensed hall. The canteen will also be open and we'll be flipping the famous "Fitzroy Beef Farmers burgers" at the BBQ.

Hope to see lots of familiar faces out to watch.

Duguay Sports wins the Trend-Arlington league

Ottawa, ON - Another successful season is in the books for Trend-Arlington Men's Fastball League. The third and deciding game went Wednesday 17 September at Trend-Arlingtong field where Duguay Sports and Lone Star Texas Grill rematched in game three for the second year in a row.

Pierre Boivin (1-1) started for Duguay, a seemingly odd choice since Steve "Slim" Dumouchel struck out 11 of 22 batters just two nights before. He centred the experienced infield of Rick Casey (3B), Eric Leveille (SS), Dumouchel (2B) and John Spero (1B).

Art Henry (3-1) started his sixth game of the playoffs throwing to Super Dave Simmonds. Super looked to redeem himself after a challenging game two, a reflection uncharacteristic of his teams defense that led them to a 15-5 regular season record.

Duguay led off the game maxing out a 5 running inning. Unlike game two, Lone Star threatened but a great catch by Jim Yeldon off Maverick in right field held a dangerous rally to two runs. The slugfest first inning was an indication of things to come since the hitters batted 28 for 63 (.444) against the two pitchers in game three.

Bruce Thibeadeau led off with a single and Craig Casey doubled. Then the gates opened up as a sac fly, two walks and three errors preceded Rick Casey's 2-run single that capped a second five-run inning. Duguay led 10-2 early on. The Boivins shut down any reply from Lone Star and the normally boisterous west-side bench went silent.

Lone Star got two more in the fourth inning, but Leveille's rangey stab stranded two as 1B John Spero held onto the toss, putting Simmonds out by a hair. A comeback was conceivable until Leveille poked a 3-run dinger in the top of seven, and then scooped a wormburner, stepped on second and tossed out O'Sullivan at first and snuffed the life out of the hopes.

Congratulations to Duguay Sports in repeating as Playoff Champions, a core that as essentially three-peated (the first was under the Soulard Multi-service banner). Lone Star finished the successful season 21-8 and will set the party standard at this year's 2008 TAMFL Awards Banquet. Tickets are available for $15 now by calling 613-829-1516 or emailing wfenwick at FHLSim.com.

The 2008 TAMFL Awards Dinner and Banquet is set for 6:00pm, 25 October at Lone Star Log Farm (http://www.lonestartexasgrill.com/catering/log_farm.htm). Tickets are available from Wynn Fenwick 613-829-1516 or wfenwick@fhlsim.com

Linescore
Duguay Sports 5.0.5.0.1.0.4 15R 13H 3E
Lone Star Texas Grill 2.0.0.2.0.0.2 6R 15H 5E

WP: P Boivin (2-1) and B Boivin
LP: A Henry (3-3) and D Simmonds

HR: DS – E Levielle
2B: DS – C Casey; LSTG - C O’Sullivan
RBI: DS – E Levielle 4, R Casey 2, P Boivin, J Istead, S Dumouchel; LSTG – C O’Sullivan 2, A Ivol, G Graham, I Wilson
E: DS – Yeldon, Istead, Spero; LSTG – Kingsbury 2, Simmonds, Ivol, Cousineau

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Flyers on front page AGAIN

Wilbur McLean, editor of The Equity, once again gives fastball front page treatment this week!

Thanks for the great coverage all year Wilbur - I know you are an avid blog reader.

Stittsville wins 5-4 in nine innings to advance to GOFL finals

full details to follow

The Stittsville 56ers defeated the Quyon COMBAT Flyers by a score of 5-4 in nine innings at the Grove on Wednesday night. Dan Bradley had the complete game win for Stittsville, while Drew Hathway threw all nine innings for Quyon.

With the win, the 56ers take the semi-final series 3 games to 2 and move on to the Greater Ottawa Fastball League finals against Ottawa Team Easton.

Quyon started the scoring with a two run homer from Joe McCleary in the first inning to put the Flyers up 2-0.

The score remained this way until the bottom of the fifth when Dan Bradley helped his own cause with a three run "no doubter" homer to put the home team up by one run.

Quyon answered back in the top of the seventh and took a 4-3 lead on RBI singles by Joe McCleary and Joran Graham.

Stittsville tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a Darren Featherstone RBI.

After a clean eighth for both sides, Stittsville won the game in the bottom of the ninth. Adam Maheu pinch ran at second for the international tie-breaker rule. After a strike out, Maheu advanced to third on a ground out. With two out, a Dan Jessiman ground ball was misplayed, allowing Maheu to score and clinch the series.

The Easton / Stittsville final will start some time next week - dates and times to be posted when available.

A good crowd was on hand for this game. A bleacher full of Quyon fans made the trip and at least five other GOFL teams, many with Pepsis in hand, were represented in the stands.

Knights win Blackburn league

The Blackburn Knights, regular season champions of the Blackburn Men's Fastball League, won the BMFL playoffs on Tuesday night, sweeping their best of three series against the Guzzlers. The Knights won by scores of 2-0 and 5-0, with Jamie Blakely getting both pitching wins.

The Knights will represent the BMFL at the ISC tournament in Fitzroy Harbour this weekend.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Glen Cairn League Men's Fastball League finals now set

from Eric Rosequist

The 2008 GCMFL finals will see Local Heroes face Murray Refrigeration in a three game series starting on Monday September 22nd. Game #2 is scheduled for Wednesday September 24th with the third game on the 29th if necessary.

Locals and Murrays were the top two teams in the regular season, both in terms of the standings and statistically. Local Heroes was the only team in the league to crack the century mark in runs scored over the 14 game schedule with an even 100; Murrays were second with 86 runs scored. They were also the two best defensive teams in the league with Locals giving up only 29 runs and Murrays 68.

The season series was split, with Murrays handing Locals their only defeat of the season in a 4-3 decision on June 9th. The rematch on August 5th turned out to be a disappointment with Murrays having to forfeit the game due to lack of players. The teams also met in the tournament championship which saw Local Heroes come from behind for a 5-3 win.

All of the games are scheduled to start at 7PM at the A.Y. Jackson diamond on Abbeyhill Road in Kanata.

Trend Arlington Finals going to game 3

from Wynn Fenwick

Ottawa, ON – Hallowe’en might be six weeks away, but Lone Star Texas Grill is already being haunted by giant empty leather gloves. Game Two of the best-of-three Trend-Arlington Men’s Fastball League championship final series went Monday evening at Trend-Arlington Park. Duguay Sports faced elimination having lost game one 6-2.

Looking to clinch the league championship, Lone Star Texas Grill threw Art Henry for the second time in as many games. Uncharacteristically, they did not support their hurler with much defense. Duguay cleanup hitter Eric Leveille drove home Bruce Thibodeau and Craig Casey in the first. Steve Dumouchel crushed a double the other way on the warning track just beyond Super Dave Stokes’ reach to bring home the 4th and 5th runs, helping his own cause. After he entered the circle for to throw in the top of the second inning, Duguay never looked back.

Dumouchel struck out half the men he faced, as his catcher Benoit Boivin scored two runs. Leveille was two-for-two with three RBI, a stolen base and was flawless at shortstop. Other notables included second baseman Craig Casey (two runs scored) and outfielder Bruce Thibeadeau (two-for-three with an RBI).

Casey O’Sullivan gave the Lone Star crowd something to cheer about in an otherwise forgettable game, supplying two-thirds of Lone Star’s seventh-inning offense. He was two-for-two with two RBI. Henry went the distance with batterymate “Super” Dave Simmonds, giving up only one earned run in a losing cause, striking out six and walking two.

A 9-3 Duguay final forces a game three, Wednesday 17 September at 7:30pm in Trend-Arlington Park, Ottawa, where the 31st Championship trophy will immediately be presented following the game.

Linescore

Lone Star Texas Grill 0.0.0.0.0.0.3 3R 3H 9E
Duguay Sports 5.0.0.1.2.2.x 9R 8H 2E

WP: Steve Dumouchel (2-1) and Boivin
LP: Art Henry (3-2) and Simmonds

2B: DS – Dumouchel
RBI: DS - Levielle 3, P Boivin 2, Dumouchel 2, Thibeadeau ; LSTG –O’Sullivan 2, Stokes
SB: DS – Levielle
E: LSTG – Simmonds 2, Ivol 2, Graham 2, O’Sullivan 2, Cousineau 1; DS – Yeldon, P Boivin

LOB : DS – 9; LSTG – 9

Monday, September 15, 2008

Game 5 set for Wednesday in Stittsville

The deciding Game 5 in the Stittsville / Quyon semi-final series will be played on Wednesday night at 8pm at the Grove in Stittsville.

Should be a great game to a very close series. The winner will move on the Greater Ottawa Fastball League best of five final series against Ottawa Team Easton.

Team Easton swept Carp I4C Victory in the semi-finals and are looking for their sixth straight league title.

Fitzroy Harbour Men's Fastball League

The Fitzroy Harbour Men's Fastball League is a recreational league played one night a week in Fitzroy. The league has four teams, with players aged 16 to 60.

This year's champs are Mitch Taylor's Red Team which defeated Adam Murphy's Gold Team 2 games to none in the final.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Cowboys vs Kings in Loughborough Fastball League finals

from Jeff Hannah

Kingston Hyundai Cowboys (3) vs North Fred Kings (1)

Kingston Cowboys beat Napanee Juniors in the Semis
North Fred beat Sunbury in the Semis

Cowboys and North Fred played each other twice during the regular season and they each won once.

Here is the Finals schedule for the next two weeks (games 1-5). The series is best 4/7.

Monday Sept 15 in North Fred
Tuesday Sept 16 in Inverary
Thursday Sept 18 in North Fred

Monday Sept 22 in Inverary
Thursday Sept 25 in North Fred

All games will start at 8:00pm.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Wyevale Tribe to participate in the ISC tourney in Fitzroy

The Wyevale Tribe of the Simcoe Rural Fastball League will be making the trip to Fitzroy Harbour to play in the ISC II Home League tournament, taking the place of the Enterprise team of the Loughborough League which withdrew.

Thanks to Michael Kelly of the Tribe for bringing his team to the Harbour for the tourney.

Easton sweeps I4C - now with details

from Cory Morrison

Easton tops Carp 5-1 on a humid and foggy night at the grove to make it to the GOFL finals. Dan Konkle got the win for Easton while Neil Cooke suffered the loss. The game was scoreless through the first 3 innings as Cooke and Konkle engaged in a piching duel.

Carp opened the scoring in the 4th a Tim Power led off with a solo shot to right field. Kevin Mcguire followed that up with a double but Konkle was able to settle down and get out of the inning without any futher damage.

Easton tied the score in their half of the 4th as Cory Morrison led off with a single then advanced to 2nd on a pass ball. Dave Tubman then singled to score Morrison. Easton would take the lead for good in the 5th as Kyle Olson singled then Chad Milne hit a one hopper to 3rd. The throw to second to get Olson sailed wide and both runners were safe. After a pass ball put runners at 2nd and 3rd Kevin Chevrier hit a chopper over the mound that eluded Cooke and both runners scored. Randy Peck doubled to the gap in left-center to score Chevrier and put the home side up 4-1.

Dan Konkle homered in the 6th to cap the scoring at 5-1.

Pitching Lines
W-Dan Konkle 7IP 1ER 3H 1BB 13K's
L- Neil Cooke 6IP 5ER 7H 1BB 8K's

Batters

Easton
Randy Peck 2/3 2B Rbi
Dan Konkle 1/3 HR Rbi
Kevin Chevrier 1/2 BB 2Rbi

Carp
Tim Power 1/2 HR BB Rbi
Kevin Mcguire 2/3 2B

Friday, September 12, 2008

Quyon wins in 10 innings - it going to Game 5 (now with full deets)

from Shawn Laframboise

Flyers stay alive with 10 inning victory over 56'ers
Final score 3-2 for Quyon

On a cool night at the Quyon ball park, the Flyers and 56'ers hooked up in another classic pitcher's duel. Quyon handed the ball over the Drew "Crook" Hathway, while Stittsville countered with their ace Dan Bradley.

The 56'ers got things going right off the start in the first inning. John Craig led off the game with a double to left field. After getting the next two batters to pop up, Hathway surrendered back-to-back walks to both Dan Jessiman and Sam Oliver with two out to load the bases. Quyon would get out of the early jam however, with Dan Bradley popping up to second base.

In the bottom half of the first, Joe McCleary mustered up a two-out single. He was then retired at second base on a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Hathway would settle in nicely, retiring the next three batters by way of a fly ball, ground out, and strike out. In the bottom of the second, Quyon threatened with Hathway leading off with a base hit. After retiring the next batter on strikes, Bradley gave up a walk to Nick "Pipes" Armitage. Both runners would advance 60 feet on a passed ball to put two in scoring position. Bradley would get out of the jam however, striking out the next two batters.

Stittsville would threaten again in the fourth. Sam Oliver started things off with a lead-off walk. After inducing a pop-up to first base, Hathway surrendered a hard hit single down the first baseline to Ben Gigliotti, advancing Oliver to third. With runners on the corners and only one out, the steal was on next pitch. McCleary threw the ball down to second base, and a brief run-down ensued. Playing heads-up ball, second baseman Luke Young waited until precisely the right time to go home with it, and they were able to get Oliver at the plate for the second out of the inning. Hathway would retire the next batter on strikes.

The 56'ers finally broke the deadlock in the fifth inning. Lead-off hitter John Craig kept his hot day at the plate going with a towering solo-shot to left field to give the visitors a 1-0 edge. The next batter walked, to bring Ryan Bond to the plate. Bond laid down a bunt to advance the runner to second, and was called safe on an unusual play at first. With the corners in on the bunt, and Young covering first, the throw from Armitage was cutoff before the bag by first baseman Joran Graham as he applied the tag to Bond. The Quyon 1st base coach, Kenny "Big Papi" Fleck erupted from the dugout to get in the face of the ruling umpire. After a brief conversation, the two umps consulted each other, the call was overturned, and the crowd went wild.

Quyon answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. Flyers lead-off hitter, Matt Greer, launched a solo-blast of his own to start the inning and get the home team on the board, 1-1.

Craig continued his hot streak in the top half of the seventh, leading off with a base hit. With one-out, Bond smoked a hard ground ball that looked to be destined for the hole in between short and third, however Armitage made an unbelievable diving stop and proceeded to gun him out at first. Jessiman and Oliver drew back-to-back walks for the second time of the night to load the bases, however Hathway was able to retire Bradley on strikes.

Both the eighth and ninth innings went scoreless as the tension mounted.

In the top of the tenth, Bond started on secondbase for the 56'ers. Hathway would retire Jessiman on strikes for the first out. This brought Oliver to the plate and he came up with the clutch RBI single to give his squad the lead. The Flyers would hold them to the single run, as Hathway continued his stellar outing, striking out the next to batters.

In the bottom half of the tenth, Shawn Laframboise started on second for the Flyers. McCleary started the inning off with a clutch double over the head of the leftfielder to even up the contest, 2-2. After Graham battled to draw a walk, Bradley was able to get Hathway on strikes for the first out. This brought Stephen McCord to the plate. After watching a ball go by, Toad took the second pitch of the count right back to the pitcher's mound. Bradley was only able to get a piece as it deflected off his glove to third base. By the time Craig picked it up and went home, McCleary was able to cross, sealing the victory for Quyon.

Pitching Lines

W - Drew Hathway - 10IP, 2ER, 6H, 7BB, 12K's
L - Dan Bradley - 10IP, 3ER, 8H, 5BB, 2HBP, 13K's

Quyon Hitting

Matt Greer 1/3, HR, BB, HBP
Joe McCleary 2/5, 2B, 1B, RBI, run scored
Steve McCord 1/5, 1B, RBI
Drew Hathway 2/5, 1B (2)
Shawn Laframboise 1/5, 1B, run scored
Ben Younge - 1/3, 1B, HBP
Joran Graham - 0/2, 3BB

Stittsville Hitting

John Craig 3/5, HR, 2B, 1B
Sam Oliver 1/2, 1B, RBI, 3BB
Ben Gigliotti 1/4, 1B, BB
Dan Bradley 1/5, 1B
Ryan Bond 0/4, BB, run scored
Dan Jessiman 0/3, 2BB

Word is that a good crowd was on hand for this one - so good that the Flyers Beer Garden ran out of beer in the ninth and an emergency beer run was required.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Game 3 of Easton / I4C now set

Looks like Game 3 of the Easton / I4C semi-final series will be played on Friday night September 12 at 7:30 at the Grove in Stittsville. Easton leads the series 2-0.

Stittsville takes Game 3 over Quyon 12-4, with details

from Sam Oliver

Stittsville 12 Quyon 4

A game that was a lot closer than the score would indicate was ultimately decided by the long ball. A Scott Herriot 2 run homer in the 4th put the 56ers ahead and an Adam Maheu grand slam sealed the victory for Stittsville. Dan Bradley had the complete game victory for the 56ers. Matt Greer is tagged with loss and Joran Graham pitched in relief.

Bradley struck out the side in the top half of the first and Stittsville jumped out to an early lead in the bottom half of the inning. Herriot walked to lead off the game and stole second. Greer was able to strike out the next two 56er batters but Herriot was able to advance to third on a wild pitch. Dan Jessiman stroked a clutch two out single to score Herriot and give the 56ers a 1 run lead.

The second inning was clean for both teams.

The third inning would see the teams combine for 7 runs. Shawn Lafromboise smacked a one out single to ignite the Quyon attack and was able to take second when the ball was misplayed by the Stittsville right fielder. Greer collected the RBI on a single of his own, and he advanced to second on the throw to the plate. After Luke Younge drew a walk, Dennis McCleary singled to score Greer, putting runners at first and second with one out with Joe McCleary batting. The runners advanced one base each on a wild pitch then Big Joe flared one to right that just caught the line cashing both runners giving the Flyers a 4 – 1 lead. McCleary was stranded at second base as Bradley was able to strike out the next to Quyon batters.

In the bottom half of the inning John Craig drew a two out walk which was followed by a Ryan Bond walk. A scary incident that saw Dan Jessiman get hit in the eye by the pitch loaded the bases. Quyon looked to be out of the inning when Scott Jessiman lofted a fly ball to left field, unfortunately for the Flyers, the ball was misplayed allowing all three runs to score, tying the game at 4. (Note: despite some pretty bad swelling and leaving the game, Dan Jessiman would be OK).

The top half of the fourth would once again see Bradley strike out the side and Stittsville would take the lead for good in the bottom half. Sam Oliver drew a one out walk setting the table for a Herriot two run blast to put the 56ers up 6 – 4.

Greer led off the 5th inning with a single, however a Luke Younge bunt attempt was popped up and Greer was doubled off at first to kill the Flyer momentum.

Bond walked to lead off the bottom half of the 5th for the 56ers. This would be the end of Greer’s night. He was relieved by Joran Graham. Graham walked the first batter he faced, but settled in after that to get the next three batters in order.

For the third time in the game, the top half of the 6th would see the Flyers go three up three down, all by way of the K.

Graham had control problems in the bottom half of the 6th. Oliver and Bradley drew back to back walks to start the 56er half of the inning. Herriot was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Graham rebounded to get the next two Stittsville batters, but then Darren Ladouceur took his second free pass of the night plating Oliver. Scott Jessiman also walked to push Bradley home. Adam Maheu then iced the win hitting a long fly over the left field fence, a grand slam, putting the 56ers up by 8 and ending the game.

For Stittsville:
Dan Bradley 6IP, 4R, 4ER, 5H, 1BB, 13K

Scott Herriot 2 for 2, 1B, HR, BB, HBP, SB, 3R, 2RBI
John Craig 0 for 3, BB, R
Ryan Bond 1 for 3, 1B, BB, R
Dan Jessiman 1 for 1, 1B, HBP, R, RBI
Darren Ladouceur 0 for 0, 2BB, R
Scott Jessiman 0 for 3, BB, R, RBI
Adam Maheu 1 for 4, HR, R, 4RBI
Sam Oliver 0 for 1, 2BB, 2R
Dan Bradley 0 for 2, BB, R

For Quyon:
Matt Greer 4IP, 6R, 3ER, 3H, 4BB, 5K, 1HB
Joran Graham 1 2/3IP, 6R, 6ER, 1H, 5BB, 3K, 1HB

Luke Younge 0 for 2, BB, R
Dennis McCleary 1 for 3, 1B, R, RBI
Joe McCleary 1 for 3, 2B, 2RBI
Shawn Lafromboise 1 for 2, 1B, R
Matt Greer 2 for 2, 1B(2), R, RBI

Game 4 is scheduled for tonight in Quyon at 7:30pm.

Trend Arlington League Finals have begun

from Wynn Fenwick

Ottawa, ON -- Game One of the Trend Arlington Men's Fastball League Championship final went tonight at the Bellman Drive field tonight at 7:30pm. The best of three final is a rematch of last year's championship series pitting Duguay Sports against Lone Star Texas Grill.

Duguay started off the first inning well when Bruce Thibodeau and Craig Casey scored on Benoit Boivin's 2-run single. Lone Star Texas Grill replied with four consecutive hits in the bottom of the first, scoring three powered by "Drifter" Greg Graham. Graham was two for two with a homer, a triple and four RBI. "Super" Dave Simmonds backstopped Art Henry as the pitcher scattered six hits over seven innings, striking out four without a walk. Pierre Boivin took the loss giving up five earned runs and nine hits in six innings as son Benoit Boivin caught him for the night. The hot corners supplied the stars tonight, with Duguay's Rick Casey made 5 putouts without an error including a tough short-hopper to start a 5-4-3 double play in the second. Despite an error, Graham made that back with two backhanded stabs for outs that Lone Star had no business getting.

Game Two goes Monday September 15 at 7:30 at 50 Bellman Drive off Greenbank near West Hunt Club Road in Ottawa, Ontario.

Linescore

Duguay Sports 2.0.0.0.0.0.0 2R 6H 2E
Lone Star Texas Grill 3.0.2.0.0.1.x 5R 9H 2E

WP: A Henry (3-1) and D Simmonds
LP: P Boivin (1-1) and B Boivin

2B: LSTG - A Ivol, G Graham; DS - B Boivin
3B: LSTG - R Cousineau, D Simmonds
HR: LSTG - G Graham

RBI: LSTG - G Graham 4, D Simmonds, C Kingsbury; DS - B Boivin 2
SB: R Cousineau 2; DS - C Casey

E: LSTG - A Ivol, G Graham; DS - S Dumochel 2

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Welcome back, Teddy

Word is that Ted Metcalfe is back in action, officiating in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League playoffs.

Great to have you back on the diamond Teddy where you belong. I know the Umpires' Association is happy to have another official available to work as well.

Enterprise withdraws from ISC tourney in Fitzroy Harbour

Enterprise has withdrawn from the ISC II tournament in Fitzroy Harbour on Sept 19-21.

Hopefully another team from the Loughborough Fastball League will attend.

Stay tuned.

Micksburg Senior Twins win UOVMFL playoffs

The Micksburg Senior Twins finished last in the regular season of the UOVMFL, but the word is that they won the playoffs, beating out the Mickburg Junior Twins in the finals three games straight.

Micksburg Sr's won game 3 by a score of 1-0 in ten innings.

Easton / I4C Series

Contrary to what was posted earlier, the date for Game #3 in the Easton / I4C series is "under negotiation". Date / time will be posted once finalized.

Official ISC Home League tournament news release

from Blair Setford

The 2008 Ontario Challenge Cup East Qualifier will be held in Fitzroy Harbour September 19-21. The park is located at the Fitzroy Harbour Community Centre, 100 Clifford Campbell Street (613-623-5241). Fitzroy Harbour is about 60 km west of downtown Ottawa.

Eight teams representing leagues in eastern Ontario and western Quebec will compete for a guaranteed berth in the 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions to be held in Quad Cities, IL-IA.

Friday 7pm Gm 1 Ottawa Team Easton vs Blackburn Knights
Friday 9pm Gm 3 Quyon COMBAT Flyers vs Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric
Saturday 9am Gm 2 Stittsville 56ers vs Wyevale Tribe
Saturday 9am Gm 4 Kars Aces vs Donnacona Blue Sox
Saturday 11am Gm 5 Loser G1 vs Loser G2
Saturday 11am Gm 6 Loser G3 vs Loser G4
Saturday 1pm Gm 7 Winner G1 vs Winner G2
Saturday 3pm Gm 8 Winner G3 vs Winner G4
Saturday 5pm Gm 10 Loser G7 vs Winner G6
Saturday 7pm Gm 9 Loser G8 vs Winner G5
Saturday 9pm Gm 11 Winner G7 vs Winner G7
Sunday 9am Gm 12 Winner G9 vs Winner G9
Sunday 11am Gm 13 Winner G12 vs Loser G11
Sunday 1pm FINAL
Sunday 3pm "IF" Game

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

GOFL schedule changes

The "hi-tech" slow pitch tournament in Stittsville is playing havoc with the GOFL playoffs.

Game 3 of the Quyon / Stittsville series on Wednesday will be pushed back to a 9:30 start (wear your woolies).

Game 3 of the Carp / Easton series will move to next Tuesday at 8:30.

Easton takes Game 2 of semis - updated with details

from Cory Morrison

Easton took a 2-0 lead in their best of 5 GOFL semi-final series with a 3-1 victory over Carp last night at the Carp Fairgrounds.

The game was scoreless until the 3rd when with two out Chad Milne stroked a line shot over the fence in right field to put easton up 1-0. Carp threatened in their half of the 3rd when with 1 out Eric Colvin reached on an error then stole second base. After Brooks Pazuik flied out Kyle Gourgon singled sharply to left field but a strong throw by Lukas Kamps kept Colvin at 3rd base. Gourgon proceeded to steal second however Dan Konkle was able to strike out Tim Power to end the inning

Easton added to their lead in the 4th as Todd Fraser led off with a walk. With Randy Peck at bat Fraser attempted to steal second but the throw sailed into centerfield allowing Fraser to take 3rd. Peck then hit a high fly to shallow right that Trevor Wood made a sliding stab at but couldn't come up with allowing Fraser to score.

Easton added another in the 5th when Lukas Kamps reached 3rd on an error to the Carp centerfielder then scored on a fielders choice off the bat of Chad Milne.

Up 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th Carp pinch hitter Al Read led off with a double to the gap in left-center. With 1 out Read took 3rd on a pass ball then scored on a sac fly off the bat of Eric Colvin. Konkle was then able to get Pazuik to ground out to end the game.

Pitching Lines
W - Konkle 7IP 1ER 5H 2BB 12K's
L - Cooke 7IP 2ER 3H 2BB 6K's

Easton Batters
Chad Milne 1/3 HR 2Rbi
Randy Peck 1/3 1B Rbi
Cory Morrison 1/3 1B

Carp Batters
Trevor Wood 3/3 (3)1B
Al Read 1/1 2B run scored
Kyle Gourgon 1/3 1B 2SB

Canada Games gets rid of Men's Softball

with info from Mike Branchaud

Despite the best efforts of Softball Canada, appeals and legal challenges, the arbitrator's decision is now final for 2009 and 2013 and men's softball is out of the Canada Games. This was a tournament for males 19 and under.

Disappointing I'm sure for the young male fastball players across the country.

However, Softball Canada has put together a Invitational International Tournament for boys 19 and under (Midget) to be played just before the Canada Games in PEI next July. There are currently 10 Provinces/Territories, a New Zealand Team and a team from Utah in the USA. They hope to get 2 more International Teams for a field of 14.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Knights vs. Guzzlers in Blackburn league finals

Knights vs. Guzzlers in the finals of the Blackburn league. Schedule posted here.

Glen Cairn League playoff update

from Eric Rosenquist

The semi-finals of the Glen Cairn Men's Fastball League kick off this week. All of the first round playoff series wrapped up in 2 games: Local Heroes defeated Medaglia Auto Imports, Murray Refrigeration eliminated Air1One Mechanical, Amsted bested ASAP Print Management, and Kanata Sports Club knocked off 4 Season Pool & Spa.

In the semi-finals, top seed Local Heroes takes on fifth seed Kanata Sports Club. Local Heroes took both regular season games against KSC, winning 9-3 on May 20th and 10-0 on July 15th. The series gets underway with game #1 on Monday at 6:30 PM and game #2 on Wednesday at 8:30 PM.

The other semi sees second seed Murray Refrigeration facing third seed Amsted. Murray's won both regular season games by scores of 11-7 on May 21st and 11-5 on July 15th. The first two games of the Murray's / Amsted series are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

All games are at the A.Y. Jackson ball diamond on Abbeyhill Rd. in Kanata.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

UOVMFL Finals - Micksburg Seniors up 2 - 0

Micksburg Senior Twins took a 2 games to none lead over the Micksburg Junior Twins with a 6-1 win on Wednesday night.

Corey Costello had the pitching victory to go along with a 2 run homer. Joran Graham took the loss for Micksburg.

Game 3 was to be played Friday night. Details to follow.

GOFL upcoming playoff games

Easton - I4C series

Game 2 Easton at Carp, Monday September 8 at 9PM
Game 3 Carp at Easton in Stittsville, Thursday September 11 at 9PM

Stittsville - Quyon series

Game 3 Quyon at Stittsville, Wednesday September 10 at 8:30PM
Game 4 Stittsville at Quyon, Thursday September 11 at 7:30PM

Friday, September 05, 2008

Easton prevails 2-1 in game one - with details

from Cory Morrison

Easton pulled out a 2-1 victory last night at the Grove in Stittsville to open their best of 5 semi-final. Dan Konkle got the win on the mound for Easton while Neil Cooke suffered the loss.

The game was scoreless through the first 3 innings as both teams were having trouble cashing base runners.

Carp opened the scoring in the top of the 4th with two outs as Trevor Wood singled to center and was plated by an Eric Rosenquist double to the gap in right center.
Easton answered back in their half of the 5th as Dave Tubman led off with a single then Chad Milne was HBP to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Kevin Chevrier then hit one back to the mound which Cooke fielded and tried to get the runner at 3rd but nobody was covering the bag loading the bases for Easton. Next batter Todd Fraser hit into a fielder's choice erasing Milne at 3rd but scoring Dave Tubman in the process to tie the game. After a wild pitch put runners on 2nd and 3rd Randy Peck grounded out to second base scoring Chevrier and putting Easton up 2-1. Cooke was able to get Cory Morrison to ground out to 2nd base and end the inning.

Carp threatened in the 7th as Shawn Simzer led off with a single but was picked off at 1st on a failed Rosenquist bunt attempt. With two out Cooke singled and the next two Carp batters walked to load the bases. Konkle was able to get Kevin McGuire to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Pitching Lines
W - Dan Konkle 7IP 1ER 7H 2BB 13 K's
L - Neil Cooke 6IP 2ER 5H 1HBP 9K's

Easton Batters
Cory Morrison 2/3 3B
Dave Tubman 2/3 Run Scored
Pat O'Connor 1/2 Sac

Carp Batters
Eric Rosenquist 2/3 2B Rbi
Neil Cooke 2/3
Trevor Wood 1/3 Run Scored

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Quyon ties series with 3-2 victory - with details

from Shawn Laframboise

Quyon Takes Game 2 in Another Close One

Stittsville took the boat over to Quyon Thursday night to do battle in game 2 of their semi-final series. Stittsville handed the ball to Dan Bradley for the second straight night, while Quyon switched things up countering with Matt Greer.

Stittsville got the bulk of their offense in the first inning. Ryan Bond led things off with a walk. Greer appeared to settle in nicely, striking out the next two batters looking. Bond advanced to second on a wild pitch, and proceeded to score on a Scott Parsons RBI single up the middle, to give the 56ers a 1-0 lead. Parsons advanced to second on the throw home. Scott Jessiman followed that up with a single of his own, plating Parsons, however was thrown out on the attempt to reach second base.

In the bottom half of the inning, already trailing 2-0, lead-off hitter Luke "Marty" Young started things up with a single to right field. Dennis McCleary grounded into a fielder's choice, bringing older brother Joe to the plate. J-Mac hit a chopper to the second baseman and faster brother Dennis managed to beat out the throw at second. After a Drew Hathway walk to load the bases, Bradley got the next batter to hit into the fielder's choice to get out of the jam.

The score would remain 2-0 for a while, with Stittsville stranding two runners on base in each of the next three innings. Bradley on the other hand, retired 10 out of the next 11 batters he faced.

With Hathway on in relief of Greer in the third inning, he would get out of a jam and settle in nicely. After walking two in the 4th, he would retire seven 56ers in a row to give way for the Quyon sticks in the bottom half of the sixth inning.

In the sixth, the Flyers' bats came alive. Hathway broke out of a slump with a one-out double off the centerfield fence. Steve McCord followed that up with a double of his own, trading places with Hathway. Down one run with only one out, Nick Armitage continued his hot streak at the plate, stroking a two-run homer over the left field fence to give the home team the lead for the first time of night.

In the top half of the seventh, Stittsville threatened again. After getting the lead-off batter to ground out, Hathway gave up a single to John Craig. Dan Jessiman followed that up with a walk to put 2 on and only 1 out. Scott Parsons came to the plate next and hit a high fly ball to deep right field, however McCleary was able to camp out underneath it and make the grab. After Craig tagged up and made it to third, Scott Jessiman drew a walk to load the bases with two out. Hathway was able to buckle down and strike out the next batter to preserve the victory.


Pitching Lines

Matt Greer - 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 6 BB, 4 K's
W - Drew Hathway - 4 2/3 IP, 1 H, 4 BB, 9 K's

L - Dan Bradley - 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 10 K's

Quyon Hitting

Nick Armitage - 1/3, HR, 2 RBI
Steve McCord - 2/3, 2B, 1B, RBI, run scored
Drew Hathway - 1/2, 2B, BB, run scored
Matt Greer - 1/3, 2B

Stittsville Hitting

Scott Jessiman - 1/2, RBI, 1B, 2 BB
Scott Parsons - 1/4, RBI, 2B, run scored
Ryan Bond - 0/1, 3BB, run scored
Darren Ladouceur - 1/2, 1B

A quick note on bats

While the ISC bat rule is changed effective Aug 31, 2008 and the GOFL uses the ISC bat rule, all bats that were deemed legal this season will continue to be legal for the remainder of the playoffs.

GOFL playoffs tonight

Two tilts on the schedule for GOFL semi-finals tonight.

Game 2 in the 56ers / Flyers series will see Stittsville travel to Quyon for a 7:30 start. (Note: last ride on the boat tonight is 10pm so drink up quickly)

Game 1 in the I4C / Easton series will be in Sttittsville at 9pm. Note the proper time and location. I knew eventually I'd get it right.

Herriott hits walk off homer, Stittsville wins game 1

from Sam Oliver

Stittsville 7 Quyon 5 (8 innings)

The Stittsville 56ers took game #1 of their GOFL semi-final vs the Quyon Flyers in Dramatic fashion. Scott Herriot hit a walk off 3 run homerun in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the 56ers a one game lead in the best of 5 series. Dan Bradley pitched the complete game win for Stittsville while Drew Hathaway was the hard luck loser in this tightly contested ball game.

The top of the first saw Bradley strike out the side to open the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Herriot hit a triple to lead off only to be left stranded as Hathaway struck out two and induced a ground ball to end the threat.

Quyon opened the scoring in their half of the second. Matt Greer drew a one out walk to start things. Back to back to back singles by Steve McCord, Dennis McCleary and Nick Armitage would give the Flyers a two run lead. Stittsville threatened in the bottom half of the inning when Sam Oliver walked to start things and a Scott Parsons single put runners on the corners with no one out. Once again Hathaway was able to pitch out of the jam without allowing a run.

The top half of the third saw Quyon add to their lead. Joe McCleary hit a one out single to start things. He would plate on a towering, two out homerun off the bat of Matt Greer to put the Flyers up 4 – 0.

That’s the way things would stay until the bottom half of the 5th. Stittsville right fielder Adam Maheu started a rally with a lead off single. Herriot followed with a single of his own, and John Craig hit into a fielders choice putting runners on first and second with one out. Dan Jessiman hit a single to score Herriot and Darren Featherstone was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Oliver drew his second walk of the night to push the second 56er run across. Scott Parsons hit a ground ball to the Quyon shortstop who tried to turn the double play. Unfortunately for the Flyers, Parsons was able to beat the play at first allowing two 56ers to score, tying the game at 4.

The Flyers threatened in the top half of the 7th. Ben Young singled to start things. After Luke Younge grounded into a fielders choice and a Flyer strike out, Joe McCleary hit his second single of the game to put runners at the corners with two out. Bradley was able to get the next Quyon Batter to ground out to end the threat.

The 56ers had a chance to end it in the bottom half of the 7th. John Craig led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Unfortunately for the 56ers, Hathaway came up with 3 key strikeouts to send the game into extra innings.

With the international tie break rule in effect, the Flyers played text book ball to take the lead. Hathaway was placed on second base to start the inning, and was sacrificed to third by first Quyon batter, Matt Greer. Dennis McCleary hit a ground ball that seemed destined for right field but second baseman Darren McCartney made a tremendous diving play to make the out at first, but it was enough to score the run.

The bottom of the 8th would see Parsons placed at second to start the 56er half of the inning. The next Stittsville batter failed to advance the runner to third when he popped up a bunt attempt to the Quyon third baseman. Hathaway struck out the next 56er to put the Flyers within one out of victory. However after a lengthy battle at full count, Maheu was able to draw a walk, putting runners on first and second and bringing Stittsville lead off batter Herriot to the plate. Herriot took a first pitch ball, but swung wildly through a high second pitch from Hathaway. The next pitched was fouled out of play, followed by a ball, and then a sharply hit foul ball to the left side. With the count 2 and 2, Hathaway offered a change up that Herriot lofted over the left field fence to end the game in dramatic fashion.

The pitching lines on the night:
L - Drew Hathaway 8IP, 7ER, 9H, 3BB, 2HB, 12K
W – Dan Bradley 8IP, 5ER, 8H, 1BB, 13K

For Quyon:
Joe McCleary 2 for 4, 1B(2), R
Matt Greer 1 for 2, HR, BB, SAC, 2R, 2RBI
Steve McCord 2 for 4, 1B(2), R, RBI
Dennis McCleary 2 for 4, 1B(2), RBI
Nick Armitage 1 for 3, 1B, RBI
Drew Hathaway 0 for 4, R

For Stittsville:
Scott Herriot 3 for 5, 3B, 1B, HR, 2R, 3RBI
Scott Parsons 2 for 4, 1B(2), R, 2RBI
Darren Featherstone 1 for 2, 1B, HBP(2), R
John Craig 1 for 4, 1B, R
Dan Jessiman 1 for 4, 1B, R, RBI
Adam Maheu 1 for 3, 1B, BB, R
Sam Oliver 0 for 2, BB(2), RBI

Game 2 is Thursday night in Quyon at 7:30PM.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Bracket for Fitzroy tournament

If you want the bracket format schedule of the Fitzroy Harbour ISC Tournament, check out the FHC blog. He's a bit more technically inclined over there and has it up here.

GOFL Semi Final game schedule - UPDATED

Some dates for GOFL semi-finals series (best of five).

Team Easton (1st) vs. Carp I4C Victory (5th)

Game 1: Carp vs Easton at Stittsville, Thursday September 4, 8:30PM
Note corrected location of Game 1

Stittsville 56ers (2nd) vs. Quyon COMBAT Flyers (3rd)

Game 1: Quyon at Stittsville, Wednesday September 3, 8:30PM
Game 2: Stittsville at Quyon, Thursday September 4, 7:30PM

UOVMFL finals

From Shawn Laframboise

Micksburg Sr's won the first game 3-2 over the Micksburg Juniors. Corey Costello threw for the Sr's, Joran Graham threw for the Jr's. Game two of the best-of-five is set to go tonight (Wednesday). Game three will be Friday night.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Memories of Elkland - 2008 edition

Here it is again, "Memories of Elkland", the 2008 edition.

- Beautiful weather the entire weekend. Couldn't have asked for better. A bit disappointing that there were only 14 teams. But, to quote Billy Sherman from Elkland: "There are two things we can't control - the number of teams that sign up and the weather. 1 out of 2 ain't bad". The local Elkland Softball Association team members were very visible out preparing the field before every game.

- Lots of fans out the games and they really seem to enjoy themselves. With $4 chicken, and $1.50 beer ($2 if you insist on the 'classy stuff' and I don't) you can't go wrong when you think about it. The locals are very friendly bunch - not the most sophisticated folks, but very nice.

- WC Electric tried a new idea this year and we camped out at the diamond. I'm not what you would call a camper, but given the weather it was a perfect idea, close to everything and cheap too as the camping rates are very reasonable (i.e. free). We had a 16' x 20' military tent as our "base camp" and it worked well. We actually ordered pizza and gave the guy the address of "Elkland Ball Diamonds, Big Green Army Tent" and it showed up no problem.

- The Moose Lodge was again a popular venue. Some Electric players made it there for three nights, some of us two, and other just one night, but we all made it there at least once to experience the high class atmosphere (translation: smoke you could cut with a knife), the cutting edge music (translation: pretty much my cassette collection from high school in the late 80s in rotation) and the excellent beverage selection (translation: pitchers of a 26er of rye and coke for $25). Some other teams including I4C Victory and Greenbush Generals were represented at the Moose, but their antics and the names of the perpetrators will be withheld.

- I was fortunate enough to receive a tour of the "press box" and private club house at the park. Couches, stocked fridge, TVs, memorabilia - great spot.

- Our bat boy returned for another year. Last year a local kid asked if we would take him on as bat boy and so we did. This year he showed up again and was back helping us out and filling us in with local news and views. It's very interesting to get the life perspective of a 15 year old rural Pennsylvannian. He told us about his unemployed 21 year old brother, who between him and his girlfriend have five kids (not all together), with twins on the way (presumably together). Let's just say we encouraged him to stay in school.

- I can say with pride that West Carleton Electric has great sponsors. Dale and Laurie Hanna and Jim and Barb Wilson came down in their trailers and camped out at the park with us all weekend, bought us beer, fed us muffins, offered us life advice around the campfire. The financial help they give is greatly appreciated and helps make ball affordable for the lads. Having an "owner" that cares so much makes us all want to play better for him. Great people and great fans.

- Speaking of sponsors, I had a chat with the Yeungling team sponsor. Apparently this guy loves fastball, is a pitcher with 30 years experience and his father-in-law owns the Yeungling Brewery. (Try it, it's good stuff, or at least I think so...others differ.) Now that's a good sponsor: a ball loving brewery owner that can throw in a pinch. I asked him if he tried Labatt 50 before and invited him to the army tent to sample a duty free can of the good stuff but he never made it over.

- One of the best crowds of the tournament was the Sunday night finale between Greenbush Generals and ESA Thunderbellys (host team). Large number of very vocal fans on hand for this one. Thunderbellys got up early, sending 15 batters to the plate in the first inning and scoring nine. Crowd was going wild, especially when a certain Greenbush veteran was ejected from the game late in the inning. Quite the spectacle!

- Last year we were beat out early and many of the guys with families returned on Sunday. This year was a bit different. I don't think I was the only one with a cell phone conversation like this:
ME: "Hey I've got good news and bad news!"
MRS. FITZROY FASTBALL: "What do you mean?"
ME: "Good news is we're playing great. Bad news is I won't be home until Monday."
{PROLONGED SILENCE}
MRS. FITZROY FASTBALL: "You're sure Monday? You're not forgetting I'm a teacher, right? And you realize your son starts Grade 1 on Tuesday?"
ME: "Oh don't worry, I'll be home Monday for sure" {TRYING NOT TO THINK WHAT I WILL DO IF BY SOME MIRACLE WE MAKE THE FINALS AT 4PM ON MONDAY}

- While a lot of humourous incidents happened over the Friday to Monday period that we were there, including a "man-siere" made out of a softball cover and a helmetless ride on a back of a Harley doing a catwalk in downtown Elkland, the funniest thing in my opinion happened around the bonfire on Saturday night. A couple of kids come over to check out our fire and they seemed interested that our firepoking stick was a defective COMBAT softball bat, courtesy of the only person from Shawville that wasn't at the Fair this past weekend. These kids sit down, they're probably about 8 and 10, and we find out they are cousins camping nearby. We quiz them with questions about where are they from (Jersey Shore), do they play ball (yes, little league), do they play hockey ("we don't care much for hockey where we're from"). One kid comes back with a question of his own for our shortstop: "Hey, why do you talk like a leprechaun?" Man, we laughed at that one. I guess the combination of Valley accent and #16's unique vocal timbre prompted the question.

- Anyway, all that to say, if you haven't been, you should go. It's worth the trip and you really should see this place at least once.

Labels: ,

WC Electric finish fifth in Elkland

West Carleton Electric competed at the 56th annual Labour Day Fastball Tournament in Elkland, Pennsylvannia, finishing tied for fifth amongst the 14 teams attending.

The Electric started at noon on Saturday, defeating the Jersey Shore (PA) Generals by a score of 3-1. Brad Porter had the win with five innings of shutout ball, while Bud Hanlon had the save working two innings in relief. WC Electric had a bit of trouble scoring runs but three were enough to start out on the winner side of the bracket.

Next up was a game against the Hoffman Rise of Perkasie, PA who had received a bye. The Rise, a 2008 Tournament of Champions team, won 10-4 in a game much closer than the scoreboard indicated. Brad Porter took the loss and Bud Hanlon saw some work in relief. Six of the Rise runs came in one inning to put the game out of reach. Mike Smith had the win for the Rise. Michael Cavanagh had a homerun for West Carleton.

Moving the loser's side of the bracket of the double knockout tournament, meant a Sunday morning game against First Kings of Appleton, PA. West Carleton Electric won this one 4-1, powered by a great game from Bud Hanlon who threw very well for the complete game victory.

This win set up a rematch on Sunday afternoon against Jersey Shore and the Electric again won, this time a 6-0 shutout in which Brad Porter dominated the opponents, allowing only two hits. Michael Cavanagh had another home run in this game. Jersey Shore had a guy named Harry on the slab, affectionately known as "Hair Ball" to his teammates. A scary incident in the game saw a bad hop at second base hit Trevor Barton in the right eye, resulting in a big shiner for #15.

This win meant that for the second year in a row, West Carleton Electric would meet up with I4C Victory in Elkland. Again, for the second year in a row, I4C was victorious, this time winning 6-4 and eliminating WCE. Bud Hanlon had the start and threw well over four innings and Brad Porter took the loss in relief. I4C had New Zealander Darren Rea on the slab for the weekend and had the complete game win. Victory staked out a 6-0 lead over six and a half but WC mounted a comeback in the final frame, scoring four and having the tying run at the plate, but were unable to finish. Kevin McGuire, Kyle Gourgon and pick ups John Dry and Bruce Hackett had key hits for I4C. Shawn Rebertz, Jason Armstrong and lone pick up Joe McCleary had important hits for WC Electric. Trevor Barton showed no ill effects of his black eye as he made a beautiful diving stab and throw to first that elicited a nice round of applause from the sizable crowd that attended the Monday morning game.

I4C went on to finish fourth, losing to Knoxville/Ontario in their next game. Knoxville/Ontario is comprised of players from the Kingston area and from around Knoxville, PA, hence the interesting K/O name and logo.

West Carleton Electric tied with the local Ekland ESA Thunderbellys for fifth.

Shaggy Dog, a tournament team from Erie, PA with Jeremy Manley and Tom Berube throwing won the tournament.

ISC administrative news

from Al's Fastball

ISC Changes for 2009
Saturday, August 30, 2008
For immediate release and posting

Summary of ISC Changes for 2009

At the recent ISC Board of Directors meeting in Kimberly, the following changes were approved for implementation in 2009. They appear below in no particular order of importance.

1. ISC II Player Reclassification Request Deadline - Appeals to have current World Tournament players reclassified for ISC II eligibility, must be submitted no later than June 1. See new process for requesting reclassification below.

2. Reclassification and Appeal Form Created - A new form and process for reclassifications and appeals has been created and is now displayed on the ISC Web Site www.iscfastpitch.com Click on Rules & Forms link in the left margin of front page.

A. The initial team request or appeal must be sent to the Regional Vice President. Decision to be made within 5-business days.

B. Player reclassification requests from teams, denied at the Regional level, may be appealed to the ISC II Reclassification Committee jrwilliamson@foodfacility.com and blairjs@rogers.com and a decision will be made within 5-business days.

C. Player reclassification requests denied by the ISC II Reclassification Committee and all other appeals denied at the Regional level, may be appealed to the ISC Executive Committee by submitting the appeal form and a non-refundable $100 credit card fee and sending it to the ISC Executive Director. Decision to be made within 5-business days.

D. Appeal decisions made by the ISC Executive Committee are final.

3. PRAWN Age Factor - If a non-PRAWN player makes an ISC All-World team in or after the calendar year of his 45th birthday, that player will be considered a PRAWN for only one year. PRAWN players who have made or make an ISC All-World team in the calendar year of their 41st through 44th birthday may request to be excluded from the PRAWN list in the calendar year of their 46th birthday by providing proof of age to the ISC Executive Director by May 1.

The changed PRAWN rules are shown on the ISC Web Site (Rules & Forms) and the 2009 PRAWN list is also on the web site.

4. ISC II Move-up Berths - Beginning with 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions, the top two finishing teams will be provided automatic berths in the following year's ISC World Tournament (2010), and will not be eligible for ISC II qualifiers or the Tournament of Champions in that following year.

5. Mexico and Caribbean Return to US Regions - For 2009 ISC play, residents of Mexico and Caribbean countries will be attached to US Regions as they were in the 2007 season. Mexico is divided between US West and US Central while all Caribbean countries become part of US East. The revised Regional Definitions will appear on the ISC Web Site and in the 2009 ISC World Championship Guide.

6. South American Player Rep - Due to the number of South American players, now participating in ISC and ISC II play, a South American Player Rep will be named to serve on the ISC Player Rep Committee.

7. Out of Region Form Discontinued - The Out of Region - Player Letter of Intent Form will be eliminated beginning in 2009. The new process involves having the Out of Region player, send an email commitment to the ISC Executive Director no later than May 1. The team manager is to be copied on the email. On or before May 1, the team manager completes the Out of Region Team Recap Form and mails it to the ISC Executive Director with the appropriate fee. The Team Recap form will be displayed on the ISC Web Site (Rules & Forms link).

Sample email commitment from player is simply: "I intend to play the 2009 ISC season with (team name)". Most player email addresses contain the players name so few if any problems are expected with this new, simplified process.


Ken Hackmeister
Executive Director
iscken@comcast.net
http://www.iscfastpitch.com

Men's fastball and the Canada Games

Apparently there is a move afoot to remove Men's Fastball from the Canada Games.

Fitzroyfastball readers, click here to sign the petition to encourage the organizers to keep men's softball as part of the program.

forwarded on by Wynn Fenwick:

2009 Canada Summer Games Selection

Women's Softball is in the 2009 Canada Summer Games but the bad news is that Men's softball is in grave danger of not being in the 2009 Games.

The list of selected sports originally published did not include men's softball. Softball Canada noted what we felt was an error in the selection process and appealed. The error had to do with how the federal government scoring was administered. We felt that, as per the selection criteria, men's and women's softball should have received equal scores. The Canada Games Council's position was that scoring was to be separated by gender. This was a critical difference because Sport Canada policy does not recognize men's softball, as it is a non-Olympic version of a sport that has an Olympic designation. That resulted in a score of "0" for men's softball from Sport Canada. Treating the genders equally as per the accepted criteria would have, in our opinion, put men's softball in the Games.

The appeal went to an independent review officer who ultimately ruled that Softball Canada's interpretation was correct. He struck down the decision to exclude men's softball and offered the Canada Games Council 3 options:

1) To correct the errors in the current selection process - we believe this would have put men's softball in the 2009 Games.

2) To put all sports in the 2005 Games on the 2009 program - this would have put men's softball in the 2009 Games.

3) To throw out the whole process and start again. This would allow the Canada Games Council to potentially separate the men's and women's scoring - likely resulting in men's softball exclusion.

Unfortunately the Canada Games Council has chosen option #3. We had presented the case that option #3 was like throwing out the results of a game, after it was played by the accepted rules. Further, that re-doing the process, would likely lead to a pre-determined outcome, as the essential scoring results are basically already known.

Softball Canada will be closely monitoring the new selection process. It will likely, however, be a significant challenge to have men's softball selected under the anticipated revised rules.

Sign the petition if you think Men's Softball should remain in the Canada Games.

Tourneys up north

Not in the ISC home league tournament and looking for a fastball tourney in Northern Ontario? Check these out.

Wikwemmikong Fall Fair Fastball Tournament
Wikwemmikong , Manitoulin Island , Ontario
September 19-21 , 2008
Entry fee : $375 /team 3 Games Guaranteed

Parry Island Open Fastball Tournament
September 19-21, 2008
Entry fee is $400 per team

For more info contact Roger Legendre er_legendre [at] sympatico.ca

New Fastball Blog

Be sure to visit the new fastball website at http://www.fastballhotcorner.ca/ .

Coincidentally, Tyler Cox is no longer running www.tylercox.ca.

What the hell am I talking about? Read here.