Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Greater Ottawa Fastball League

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Kars Aces Currently Atop Standings in GOFL.


(click logo for standings for the Greater Ottawa Fastball League)

More info: www.gofl.ca and www.fitzroyfastball.blogspot.com

The latest blog post below:

GOFL Week 5

This week in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League sees five games on the regular schedule plus a “mini” version of the GOFL Showcase. The Showcase this year will feature only 4 teams, as half the teams in the league are unable to attend, and the venue has been changed to Fitzroy Harbour. (Changes to the GOFL website still pending).

The Kars Aces have changed some home games to Mondays – and first up is a game tonight against the Quyon COMBAT Flyers at 8pm. The game (#71) will be played in North Gower.

Tuesday night in the Gower sees the Marlboroughs hosting the Barrhaven Broadway Blues at 7pm (#28).

At the Grove in Stittsville on Wednesday, the 56ers will host Carp I4C Victory (#31). The doubleheader in Manotick has North Gower facing Barrhaven at 7pm (#29) and the Ottawa Blitz hosting Kars at 9pm (#30).

Thursday night’s game (Blitz at Quyon) has been postponed until June 17 (#62).

The Showcase in Fitzroy Harbour will have games played as follows:

Stittsville at WC Electric on Friday night at 8:30pm (#34).
Kars vs Stittsville (flip for home) on Saturday at 9am (#84).
WC Electric at Kars at 11am (#73).
Blitz at North Gower at 1pm (#16).

Pueblo captures 7th Annual Santos Memorial Tournament, headed to ISC WT

Monday, May 31st, 2010

[Pueblo, Colorado] – Pueblo Bandits qualify for their 16th ISC WT.

Bandits cruise through the 7th Annual Joe Santos tournament behind the strong pitching of Paul Algar and Gerald Gomez and a balanced hitting attach led by Shawn Vanduall.

Semi-finals:
Rocky Mountain Rebels: 2
Superchief: 1
WP: Scott Lieph
LP: David Beets

Pueblo Bandits: 10
Colorado Rage: o
WP: Paul Algar
LP: Nate Jasa

Championship:
Pueblo Bandits: 10
Rocky Mountain Rebels: 0
WP: Paul Algar
LP: Johnny Mize
HR: Shawn Vanduvall

For complete recap of all scores, click here.

Pueblo captures 7th Annual Santos Memorial Tournament, headed to ISC WT

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Pueblo, Colorado

May 30, 2010

Pueblo Bandits qualify for their 16th ISC WT.

Bandits cruise through the 7th Annual Joe Santos tournament behind the strong pitching of Paul Algar and Gerald Gomez and a balanced hitting attach led by Shawn Vanduall.

Semi-finals:
Rocky Mountain Rebels: 2
Superchief: 1
WP: Scott Lieph
LP: David Beets

Pueblo Bandits: 10
Colorado Rage: o
WP: Paul Algar
LP: Nate Jasa

Championship:
Pueblo Bandits: 10
Rocky Mountain Rebels: 0
WP: Paul Algar
LP: Johnny Mize
HR: Shawn Vanduvall

Roy Halladay, Meet Mark Bennett

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies was not the only pitcher tossing a perfect game this weekend. Mark Bennett of Team Jones Portland matched that feat Sunday night at Grant’s Pass, Oregon, shutting down Tule Lake at the Boatnik Tournament, striking out 17.

Bennett and his Portland team will return to play on Monday at 11:15, as the remaining teams battle it out for the 2010 Boatnik crown.

The schedule for Monday below.

MONDAY, MAY 31, 2010

9:00am Monday B3 Roseville vs A2 Southern Oregon Bandits

Monday Semifinals
9:30 a.m. – Winners of quarterfinal games
Mock Ford v. Cal State Builder, in a game that will feature two pitchers that are normally teammates squaring off, Gerald Pyle and Cory Avery. The duo are teammates on Rude Pac, and also teamed up recently to pitch Santa Cecelia Mexico to the Mexicali Tournament title.

11:15 winner of 9pm, Team Jones Portland vs. Winner of the Monday 9 am game (Roseville or Southern Oregon Bandits)

Championship at 1pm

Boatnik NAFA Qualifying Tournament Scores from Grant’s Pass Oregon

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Editor’s note: We are bumping this post to the top as new scores come in and will continue to add scores throughout the weekend, so scroll below. (Newest scores at bottom of this post)

Cap tip to NAFA Executive Director Benjie Hedgecock for these scores:

Click here for Bracket

FRIDAY NIGHT, MAY 28, 2010

6pm
Mock Ford 11, Mock Mazda 1
WP-Bert Ford
LP-Tom Smith, Jake Lier (sp

8pm
Southern Oregon Bandits Grants Pass 30, Mock Mazda 3
WP-Marvus Durbin
LP-Mark Connelly

SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010
8am
Mach Ford 8, A&M Transport 1

WP-Cory Avery
LP-Greg Winters

9:30 AM
Brotherton Pipe 8, A&M Transport 1
WP-Kelly Richardson
LP-Jeff Ellis

11:15 am
Cal State Builders 12, Tule Lake 0
WP-Gerald Pyle
LP-Lance Bidewell

other information pending, we’ll be posting as it comes in.

Benjie adds:

We are inducting Paul Carleton into the NAFA Hall of Fame 4:45 pm today. I’ll take a picture of the plaque and email it to you . Mark Connolly (the guy who pitches with both hands) also made him a great gift I’ll send a pic of that as well

Perfect weather at riverside park in grants pass Oregon
Sent from my iPhone
Benjie

Additional games on tap:

1pm
Team Jones Portland 10, Roseville Eagles 1
WP-Mark Bennett; Bricklen Anderson 1 inning in relief).
LP-Craig Coulter, Mike Newley relieved

3pm
Tule Lake vs Mock Ford

4:45 pm
Roseville Eagles vs Butte Falls

6:30 pm
Cal State Builders 6, SO Bandits 5
WP-Darren Strang, JD Peterson in relief

In the best game of the tournament so far 630. Cal state (Darren strange with JD Peterson relief in the 7th…) pitching for Southern Oregon Bandits, Morgan Mapes took a 2-0 lead and was relieved by Mike Trotter in the 4th. Final score in a seesaw battle 6-5 Cal State Builders win.

8:15pm
Team Jones Portland 8, Brotherton Pipe 4

In a game that surpassed the 6:30 pm game in excitement and drama, Little Brotherton Pipe (and pitcher Kelly Richardson) went on top early 4-0 on USC bound Team Jones of Portland and Mark Bennett. In the third inning Portland brought in Bricklen Anderson, who held Brotherton scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Portland bats woke up in the fifth inning, for a 5-4, come-from-behind victory.

WP-Mark Bennett, Bricklen Anderson in relief
LP-Kelly Richardson

SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010

8:30 a.m.
Cal State Builders 9, Mock Ford 1
WP-JD Peterson
LP-Bert Ford, Josh Sargent in relief

10:15 a.m.
Brotherton Pipe 13, Roseville Eagles 8

12 Noon
Southern Oregon Bandits 13, Tule Lake Aces 0
WP-Brady Lowe
LP-Jim Carpenter

LAST POOL PLAY GAME:
1:45 p.m.
Team Jones 10, Butte Falls 0


SINGLE ELIMINATION PLAYOFF ROUND – SUNDAY MAY 30, 2010

Pool play has finished and the seeding is shown below.

3:30 B2 Brotherton vs A3 Mock Ford
Mock Ford 3, Brotherton Pipe 2
WP-Cory Avery
LP- Wynn Malinowski, Kelly Richardson in relief

The first Single Elimination game at 3:30 was 0-0 til the 6th inning when Mock Ford scored 3. Brotherton responded in the 6th with 2 and stranded 2 runners in the bottom of the 7th as Mock Ford and pitcher Corey Avery-70 mph knocked out Brotherton Pipe and pitchers Wynn Malinowski-60 mph and Kelly Richardson-65-mph.

5:15 B4 A & M Transport vs A5 Mock Mazda
A & M Transport 9, Mock Mazda 1
WP-Greg Winters
LP- Mock Mazda

7pm Cal State Builders v. A & M Transport
Cal State Builders 11, A & M Transport 1
WP-Darren Strange
LP-Jeff Ellis

Darren Strang (67 mph) and the cal state builders beat the Ellis family ( A & M Transport ) and pitcher Jeff Ellis ( 51 mph) 11-1 Cal State and pitcher Gerald Pyle will face Mock Ford and pitcher Corey Avery in the 9:30 am semifinal game Monday.

9pm B1 Team Jones vs A4 Tule Aces
Team Jones Portland 3, Tule Aces 0
WP-Mark Bennett
LP-

Tule Lake Aces Lance Bidwell held the Portland bats in check only giving up 3 runs with some stellar defense behind him as Tule turned 3 double plays in the game, but Mark Bennett was too much for the Aces and Portland won 3-0. Portland will face the winner of the Roseville vs Bandits game on Monday.


MONDAY, MAY 31, 2010

8 am Quarterfinal
Roseville 12, Southern Oregon Bandits 5
WP-Doug Coulter
LP-Marcus Durbin, with Mike Trotter and Morgan Mapes in relief.

Roseville’s Doug Coulter (54 mph) holds off the up and and coming Southern Oregon Bandits 12-5. Marcus Durbin(60 mph) started for the Bandits and was relieved by 72 year old Mike Trotter (61mph) and then Morgan Mapes (57-mph)

9:30am semi-final –
Cal State Builders 3, Mock Ford 0

Update:

In the first semifinal game, Cal State Builders and Gerald Pyle(72 mph) with 11 strikeouts and giving up just 2 hits beat Mock Ford 3-0 as Corey Avery(70 mph) struck out 9 and gave up just 3 hits. Pyle and Avery are teammates during the regular season, for Rude Pac, CA.

Mock Ford takes 3rd place and Cal State Builders play in the championship game waiting for the winner of Portland’s Team Jones(Mark Bennett threw a 17 strikeout perfect game last night) and Roseville Eagles(Mike Neely pitching).

Corey Avery was selected to the All Tournament team along with the Bandits Brady Howe and Brotherton’s Stacey Morgan.

Semi-Final (underway)
Portland’s Team Jones 12, Roseville Eagles 0

WP-Mark Bennett
LP-Mike Neely.

Rob Penticoff and Mario Pereira of the Roseville Eagles were selected to the all tournament team.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Portland Team Jones 11, Cal State Builders 0

WP-Bricklen Anderson
LP-JP Peterson
HR-Rob Gehrke (Portland)

The #14 raniked Portland’s Team Jones won the 2010 Boatnik Tournament over Dave Carlton’s #34 ranked Cal State Builders 11-0. Portland put 3 up in the top of the first on a three run homer by Rob Gehrke off JP Peterson of the Builders.

Bricklen Anderson, Portland’s Open Pitcher was approved by the Cal State Team to start in the championship game. Cal State Builder’s Mark Cain got to 3rd base and Dave DeMaio to 2nd base in the first inning but were left on base.

The rest of the game went about the same until Builders Darren Strang relieved in the 3rd and shut out Portland after that. The All Final Standings & Tournament Team is listed below.

Champions Team Jones, Portland, 6-0
2nd Cal State Builders, NorCal, 5-1
3rd Mock Ford, 3-2
3rd Roseville Eagled, NorCal, 2-3
5th SO Bandits, 2-2
5th Brotherton Pipe, 2-2
7th Tule Lake Aces, NorCal, 1-3
8th A & M Transport, 1-4
9th Mock Mazda, 0-4

All Tournament Team
MVP Josh Agnew, Portland
MVPitcher Mark Bennett, Portland
All Stars
Stacey Morgan, Brotherton
Corey Avery, Mock Ford
Ron Penticoff, Roseville
Mario Pererio, Roseville
Brady Howe, SO Bandits
Brian Ree, Portland
Kevin Rasmussen, Portland
Dave DeMaio, Builders
Ty Fogerty , Builders
JP Peterson , Builders
Chris Carleton, Mock Ford

We would like to thank the following people for helping to make this a great event. Jim Flanagan of Fastpitchwest.com for superb coverage and to Al Doran of Al’s Fastball for his coverage and to Justin Sutton , field prep, Scott and Susan Stout for announcing and scorekeeping all games and selling the souvenir tshirts.

Thanks also to our tournament Committee of Troy Terry, Ken Hix, Scott McGowan and Kelly Richardson. Thanks also to Dan Martin and the Grants Pass Active Club and Dick Olsen and the City of Grants Pass and to Ken and Dwayne for a great free tournament program for the fans and to Scotty McGowan for promoting the event.

Thanks to our Umpires who were incredible, Don Postle from Sacramento, Steve Pean from Medford. and Greg Fowler from Bend and the Concession Stand workers from Hidden Valley and North Valley, Illinois Valley and Grants Pass. Also thanks to NAFA, Delp’s Awards, Discovery Inn Motel and all the program advertisers. Special thanks to the thousands of local fans and family members for making this a true spectator event and thanks to all the players and coaches for making this a fun weekend for all without much drama. And finally, thanks, of course thanks to Bricklen Anderson for giving us a little of that also.

-Benjie Hedgecock


For our earlier post on the 2010 NAFA World Series, click here.

Ellis Family Reunion turns into a Fastpitch team at Boatnik

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Cap tip to Benjie Hedgecock for this story:

The A & M Transport Team from Glendale, Oregon is coached by Jeff Ellis an Oregon FP legend who convinced his family to hold their family reunion at Grants Pass this memorial day weekend. What the family didn’t know was that Jeff had entered them in the Boatnik Men’s Fastpitch Tournament. 9 family members named Ellis and a nephew who came from Butte Falls, Eagle Point, Milwaukie, Sacramento, Glendale and the roster includes a grandpa, son and grandson spanning 3 generations. The team was 0-3 in pool play but won their first game in the single elimination bracket over Mock Mazda in a game of two evenly matched teams. The team had the largest following I the tournament with over 40 family members attending most games.

Southern Oregon Bandits

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Another for your collection of team Facebook pages. Click logo above, then the “Join” button at the top to see more.

Great logo, eh?

Credit for this Facebook page goes to Dan Mecum:

The Bandits won their first game yesterday at the Boatnik tournament in Grant’s Pass, Oregon, then dropped a close one, losing to a strong Cal State Builders team, 6-5. They will return to play today at 12 noon vs. Tule Lake, looking to advance in the elimination round later today. Click here for Boatnick scores and more.


No clean uniforms here, but maybe that’s why they’re holding the hardware…

For love of the game

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Cap tip to Trevor Botting/Kitchener Fastball League for the link to this story at ESPN website, by Rick Reilly:


Marshall softball players Antanai Coleman, left, and Taylor Stigger try on catching gear with the help of Roncalli junior varsity coach Jeff Traylor

By Rick Reilly
ESPN.com
IndyStar.com

We live in a world where Peyton Manning walks off the Super Bowl field without shaking anybody’s hand. Where Tiger Woods leaves the Masters without a word of thanks to the fans or congratulations to the winner. Where NFL lineman Albert Haynesworth kicks a man’s helmetless head without a thought.

So if you think sportsmanship is toast, this next story is an all-you-can-eat buffet to a starving man.

It happened at a junior varsity girls’ softball game in Indianapolis this spring. After an inning and a half, Roncalli was womanhandling inner-city Marshall Community. Marshall pitchers had already walked nine Roncalli batters. The game could’ve been 50-0 with no problem.

Yes, a team that hadn’t lost a game in 2½ years, a team that was going to win in a landslide purposely offered to declare defeat. Why? Because Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better, not how to get humiliated.
It’s no wonder. This was the first softball game in Marshall history. A middle school trying to move up to include grades 6 through 12, Marshall showed up to the game with five balls, two bats, no helmets, no sliding pads, no cleats, 16 players who’d never played before, and a coach who’d never even seen a game.

One Marshall player asked, “Which one is first base?” Another: “How do I hold this bat?” They didn’t know where to stand in the batter’s box. Their coaches had to be shown where the first- and third-base coaching boxes were.

That’s when Roncalli did something crazy. It offered to forfeit.

Yes, a team that hadn’t lost a game in 2½ years, a team that was going to win in a landslide purposely offered to declare defeat. Why? Because Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better, not how to get humiliated.

“The Marshall players did NOT want to quit,” wrote Roncalli JV coach Jeff Traylor, in recalling the incident. “They were willing to lose 100 to 0 if it meant they finished their first game.” But the Marshall players finally decided if Roncalli was willing to forfeit for them, they should do it for themselves. They decided that maybe — this one time — losing was actually winning.

That’s about when the weirdest scene broke out all over the field: Roncalli kids teaching Marshall kids the right batting stance, throwing them soft-toss in the outfield, teaching them how to play catch. They showed them how to put on catching gear, how to pitch, and how to run the bases. Even the umps stuck around to watch.

“One at a time the Marshall girls would come in to hit off of the [Roncalli] pitchers,” Traylor recalled. “As they hit the ball their faces LIT UP! They were high fiving and hugging the girls from Roncalli, thanking them for teaching to them the game.”

This is the kind of thing that can backfire with teenagers — the rich kids taking pity on the inner-city kids kind of thing. Traylor was afraid of it, too.

“One wrong attitude, one babying approach from our players would shut down the Marshall team, who already were down,” wrote Traylor. “But our girls made me as proud as I have ever been. … [By the end], you could tell they were having a blast. The change from the beginning of the game to the end of the practice was amazing.”

Jeff Traylor/Roncalli High School
Roncalli High School’s girls’ softball team demonstrated true compassion to Marshall High.
Roncalli wasn’t done. Traylor asked all the parents of his players and anybody else he knew for more help for Marshall — used bats, gloves, helmets, money for cleats, gloves, sliders, socks and team shirts. They came up with $2,500 and worked with Marshall on the best way to help the program with that money. Roncalli also connected Marshall with former Bishop Chatard coach Kim Wright, who will advise the program.

“We probably got to some things 10 years quicker than we would have had without Roncalli,” says Marshall principal Michael Sullivan.

And that was just the appetizer. A rep from Reebok called Sullivan and said, “What do you need? We’ll get it for you.” A man who owns an indoor batting cage facility has offered free time in the winter. The Cincinnati Reds are donating good dirt for the new field Marshall will play on.

“This could’ve been a thing where our kids had too much pride,” says Sullivan. “You know, ‘I’m not going to listen to anybody.’ But our kids are really thirsty to learn.”

And they are. Marshall never won a game, but actually had leads in its last three games. In fact, it went so well, the players and their parents asked if they could extend the season, so they’re looking to play AAU summer softball.

Just a thought: Major League Baseball is pulling hamstrings trying to figure out how to bring baseball back to the inner city. Maybe it should put the Roncalli and Marshall girls in charge?

Anyway, it’s not an important story, just one that squirts apple juice right in your face. And who knows? Maybe someday, Marshall will be beating Roncalli in the final inning, realize how far it has come, and forfeit again, just as a thank you.

St. Clement’s Tournament

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Editor’s Note – Another of the Ontario early season tournaments goes in St. Clement’s with a good 16-team field that will help teams get ready for the ISC qualifiers.

From Al’s Fastball

Here is the schedule for the St. Clements Tournament May 28-30. Hosted by the Kitchener Outlaws .

Friday 6.50 pm Hallman Jr. Twins vs Kitchener Outlaws
Friday 8.30 pm Orangeville Kings vs Mitchell Mets
Friday 7.00 pm Mitchell Chiefs vs Wellington Sox
Friday 8.45 pm Alvinston Indians vs Linwood Jrs
Friday 7.00 pm Erb Elecctric vs K-W Cubs

Saturday 9.30 am Morpeth Magic vs Fisherville A’s
Saturday 9.30 am Port Elgin Blue Devils vs Georgian Bay Axemen
Saturday 9.30 am Oshawa Double B’s vs Napanee Express

Games follow on all three diamonds with A series Final set for 3.20 pm on Sunday


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2010 NAFA World Series Info

Friday, May 28th, 2010

From Benjie Hedgecock, Executive Director of NAFA:

The fastpitch season is in swing and we hope you are having a great one. This is a reminder email to start getting your guys together and get their vacation time from work so that you can do what we all love….play fastpitch.

The World Series Dates are listed below and all the key info is on our website and on our new world series website.

Please email me back which events you plan on attending this year so that we can start the planning process.

Have a great season and we look forward to seeing you on the ball field and especially in DesMoines where we will set the record for the largest event ever held.

We apologize if you received this email more than once but it was sent to many different email lists that you may have been listed on.

You can get all the important info on our newly finished website at www.Nafafastpitch.com

Registration Deadlines, Motel Info, Roster info, Start Times, Finish Times, Master Pitchers List will be updated on June 4th, World Series Registration Form, Roster Form, Invitational Tournament Updates.

Don’t Forget the Biggie July 2-3-4 Midwest NAFA Qualifier in Rockford, Illinois

Open World Series Middleton, Wisconsin(Madison) July 23-25
AA-Major World Series Des Moines, August 20-22
AA World Series Des Moines August 19-22
A-Major World Series Des Moines August 12-15
A World Series Des Moines, Iowa August 19-22
23-Under World Series featuring JAPAN’s Waseda University Des Moines Aug 13-15
18-Under World Series Des Moines, August 14-15
Open Modified Fastpitch World Series Cherokee, North Carolina Aug 27-29
Restricted Modified Fastpitch World Series Cherokee, North Carolina Aug 27-29
32 Team Labor Day Wood Bat World Series Rockford, Illinois Sept. 4-6
Masters East Sept. 10-12 Rockford, Illinois
Masters West Sept. 17-19 Carson City, Nevada
Las Vegas Masters East Meets West Challenge October 16-17

We look forward to seeing you all this summer and fall. This is going to be the best year ever.

Benjie Hedgecock
NAFA Executive Director
503-559-5398