Sunday June 3 – Championship Bracket

9:00 AM Field #1
4th Place So Cal Tribes 6,
5th Place Romie’s Angels 4
WP-Sonny Perkins
LP-BJ Hunhoff
HR-Danny Villa (3 run HR); Rick Abina (RA);
Other: (SCT) – Chris Alvarez, 3B with RBI; Art Lopez scored the game winning run on a wild pitch; (RA) – Rick Abina, 2-3 with 3 RBI; Josh Hunhoff, 3B with RBI;
So Cal Tribes advance to play the # 1 seed, Innovative Communications of Utah

9:00 AM Field #2
6th Place Young Bucks 4,
3rd Place Tri County 3
WP-Anthony Martinez
LP-Ron Mizener
HR-Jason Reynolds (YB); Eric Smalling (YB)
Other: (YB)- Kevin Castillo, 2-3 with RBI; (TC)-Benny Limosnero, 2B and 3B with RBI; Mick Ventura RBI single; Eddie Martin 2-3 with RBI;
Young Bucks advance to play the #2 seed, Panteras

10:45 AM Field #1
1st Place Innovative Communications, UT
Vs (winner of 4th Vs 5th,) the 4th seeded So Cal Tribes
Sonny Perkins pitching in his 5th game of the weekend in this one

10:45 AM Field #2
2nd Place Panteras
Vs (winner of 6th Vs 3rd) the 6th seeded Young Bucks

12:30 PM
Championship Game

(Mouse over top of screen for speed control, bottom for thumbnails)

Created with Paul’s flickrSLiDR.

Click here to see individual, larger pics.

Click here for Google Map aerial view of the field on Man-O-War Cay, Bahamas

Some readers have asked where Man-O-War Cay (pronounced “key”) is located. Here is a close-up map of the region. Man-O-War Cay is part of the Abacos Islands, located an hour’s plane flight from Florida, at approximately the same latitude as Ft. Lauderdale. (about the middle of the map above, on the right hand side) The town is in just about the middle of the crescent shaped island facing west, while the field that you’ve seen in photos is on the east side) From town, the field is 5-10 minutes by golf-cart, so you get an idea of how cozy it is. A great set-up for men’s fastpitch.

The international airport is Marsh Harbor (MHH) on the larger island in this photo, Great Abaco. Flights arrive daily into MHH from Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Miami. Visitors can reach Man-O-War by regularly run ferries, or private boat, in about 15-20 minutes. (Be sure to ask Mssrs. Sleep and Scheller about the fun of private boating :-))

Man-O-War is about 5 miles east of Marsh Harbor, and is about 2.5 miles long from tip-to-tip. There are two grocery stores on Man-O-War, one owned and operated by Pirates’ skipper Haziel McDonald. There are also a number of boat building operations in the main harbor/marina, something that Man-O-War is famous for. Transportation on Man-O-War is almost exclusively by golf cart, with the roads around town resembling double-wide sidewalks — large enough for two-way “traffic”.

Click here for an earlier slideshow of a few pics around town.

(Mouse over top of screen for speed control, bottom for thumbnails)

Created with Paul’s flickrSLiDR.

Just a bit of the pre-tournament scenery around Man-O-War Cay, in the Bahamas, home of the Texaco Pirates, third place finisher at this year’s AAU Tournament. Man-O-War Cay is located about an hour off the coast of Florida by plane, and 15 minute boat ride by boat. The town has a New England feel to it, mixed with the warmer weather and water, with a reputation for building the finest boats in the Bahamas or anywhere else.

The young fellow you see riding his bike in the slide show above, and smiling at Lola’s Bakery is Aaron, who lives a couple of doors down from the ballpark. We met him yesterday, and he showed us around town, first by leading our golf cart on his bike — then, after getting permission from his mother, along with us in our golf cart (Everyone on the island (Cay) gets around by golf cart. The roads are well paved around town, a bit bumpier as you get out of town, but easy driving nonetheless.

The opening shot is of the ubiquitous “conch” shell, taken from the beach just below the field. (you can see the field in the background). The Bahamas punch is maddy’s, the hammock mine.

First game is tonight at 7pm. We’ll be broadcasting on Saturday, watch here for more details.

Ed.note: Writer Jeff Profitt is a member of the Fastpitchwest Forum.

From the Du Quoin Evening Call

Elkville, Kelso Split Fastpitch Opener

By Jeff Profitt/American News Service
Elkville pitcher Les Wood struck out eight batters in a one-hitter Sunday. Jeff Profitt photo.

Les Wood carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning Sunday afternoon, eventually settling for a one-hitter as Elkville Fastpitch defeated Kelso, Mo. 3-1 in the season opening game for both squads.

The Southeast Missouri squad held on to win game two, 6-5.

Elkville gave Wood plenty of cushion in the third inning, touching Kelso ace Tommy Jansen for all three of its runs.

Waylon Leonard and Lance Bedar singled with Leonard scoring on Drew Porter’s RBI double. Barry Maynor then chased Bedar and Leonard to the plate with a two-run single.

Elkville had nine hits in the victory with Leonard going 2-for-3.

Shawn Hunter and Greg Winchester also hit safely.

Wood struck out eight and walked four.

Kelso made an early two-run edge stand up in game two, holding back a late rally by the host team.

Ahead 6-1 in the fifth, Kelso surrendered two runs on RBI hits from Porter and Maynor.

The lead sliced to 6-5 in the sixth following a pair of Kelso errors. Elkville, however, could get no closer.

Mike Goldman and Troy Downen handled the pitching duties.

At the plate, Maynor and Porter each had two hits. Trent Tuthill tripled. (more…)