From the Jerusalem Post
By Micah Winston

Israel’s national team finished a disappointing seventh place in the 8th European Men’s Fastpitch Softball Championship in Beveren, Belgium last week.

Israel finished with a record of 2-5, beating Slovakia 7-3, earning a forfeit win over Great Britain, who did not show up, and losing to the Czech Republic 11-0, Netherlands 12-0, Denmark 8-1, Belgium 9-0 and Croatia 6-1.

Denmark finished in first place after the first round of play but lost to the Czech Republic 2-0 in the Grand Final. Netherlands finished third and hosts Belgium fourth.

Israel’s top hitter was Yigal Ben Israel who had four hits, batted .364 and stole two bases. Aviv Yaakov and Alberto Tacher each rapped three hits, including two doubles and Guy Bender also had three singles.

Mike Doktofsky led the team with three RBI’s, two on a big triple against Slovakia.

Israel’s defense was sloppy, making 20 errors in seven games and poor base running also hurt the team.

The blue and white pitching was not quite at the level of the top European teams, but Yarone Ben Israel and Aaron Levarko, an immigrant from New Zealand making his National team debut, pitched well and up-and-coming young fireballer Aaron Kurtz showed promise in his one start, allowing only five hits to first place Denmark in five innings.

The 23-year-old Kurtz, who walked eight in the game, has the potential to be a top pitcher in Europe, if he can iron out his control issues.

Israel’s top pitcher, Ami Baran, pitched in only one game due to injury.

From the Green-Bay Gazette:

Townline snaps Stix at Boys of Summer tourney

Press-Gazette

DENMARK — Townline of Green Bay shut out the Stix of Bloomington, Ill., 7-0 on Friday in the Boys of Summer fastpitch softball tournament at Circle Tap and Memorial Park.

Betto Guerrinieri earned the win, and James Darby preserved the shutout in relief.

Stacy McLean was 2-for-2 with three runs scored, and Nick Shailes was 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead Townline. Aaron Neemia was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Dolan & Murphy 3, Circle Tap 1

Juan Pottoluccio struck out 12 to outduel Circle Tap’s Matt Bramwell.

Circle Tap scored its run in the second inning on Kyle Van Abel’s home run. Bramwell pitched a three-hitter and struck out six against the Aurora, Ill.-based team.

Other games

The Demarini Merchants of Portland, Ore., beat the MinnDak Millers of Moorhead, Minn., 5-2, and the Midland, Mich., Explorers defeated the Quad City Sox 5-1.

Fast pitch softball tournament in Hampton this weekend

Fast pitch softball returns to Hampton Roads this weekend as the Virginia Classic tournament will take place starting Saturday at 9:30 am at Francis Asbury Elementary School in Hampton. Four teams will play a round-robin schedule on Saturday and the standings after those games will determine championship bracket scheduling on Sunday.

The host team is the Peninsula Merchants (10-5) who open the event taking on Suffolk-based GP Gwaltney at 9:30 a.m. Following that will be PA Power and Sketchers from Baltimore at 11:15.

World class pitcher Bill Hillhouse will throw for the host Merchants this weekend. This marks his first pitching appearance in Hampton as he threw for the Merchants in their last Mid Atlantic Fastpitch Travel League weekend going 2-2 with a save striking out 52 in 29 innings. He has pitched at the highest levels of men’s fast pitch softball since 1990 including stints on the national teams of the USA and Great Britain. Hillhouse has pitched or coached on six of the world’s seven continents.

PA Power has loads of national tournament experience as they won the 2005 Amateur Softball Association Class C Nationals and followed that with the 2006 National Softball Association National Championship. The Merchants have faced PA Power earlier this year in the Mid-Atlantic Fastpitch Travel League tournament and lost 7-1. Sketchers is a combination of two teams from Baltimore that will bring strong pitching to the tournament.

For more information on the tournament, please contact Media Director Jim Heath at 757-846-5369.

Virginia Classic
Francis Asbury Elementary
Hampton, Va.
Saturday’s Schedule
9:30 am: Game 1 – Peninsula Merchants vs. GP Gwaltney
11:15 am: Game 2 – Pa. Power vs. Sketchers
1:30 pm: Game 3 – GP Gwaltney vs. Sketchers
5:30 pm: Game 4 – GP Gwaltney vs. Pa. Power
7:15 pm: Game 5 – Peninsula Merchants vs. Pa. Power
9:00 pm: Game 6 – Peninsula Merchants vs. Sketchers
Teams seeded at conclusion of round robin
Sunday’s games
9:30 am: Game 7 – #4-seed vs #3-seed (loser eliminated)
11:15 am: Game 8 – Game 7 winner vs. # 2-seed
1:00 pm: Game 9 – Game 8 winner vs. #1-seed (championship)