Softball fits baseball player like a glove
Former Chisox prospect now catcher in Saskatoon
Darren Zary, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, July 27, 2007It’s not like Craig Horswell wasn’t good at baseball.
He was a member of Canada’s national team. With a rifle for an arm, he was identified by the Chicago White Sox as a Major League prospect. Yet, Horswell made the switch to the other side, giving up baseball for softball in 1999.
“Baseball was dead in Prince George,” says Horswell, a native of B.C.
“I was contemplating an offer from the Seattle Mariners when I decided to stay with the national team. After the disappointment of that season, I decided I had had enough of baseball and finished my schooling at UBC (University of British Columbia).
“I really like fast pitch and I enjoy catching. Defence is definitely my strong suit.”
“There’s no better defensive catcher on the planet,” says Saskatoon’s Keith Mackintosh, a member of Canada’s national team. “He’s got an unreal arm. And he has the intangibles, too. He’s played in pressure situations. He calls a great game.
“Anybody I know who has played with him and thrown to him just loves throwing to him. He’s so smooth.”
While Horswell’s baseball days are behind him, he has fond memories.
“I went to a world championship and Olympic qualifier. I have played with and against many Major League players and was able to get through school because of the help of baseball.”
Now softball is on his mind. Horswell is a member of the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors — formerly the Aspen Black Sox. They play the Saskatoon Diamondbacks in a best-of-five provincial senior A men’s final today and Saturday at Gordie Howe Park. Both teams advance to nationals Aug. 26 to Sept. 2 in St. John’s, N.F.
“I can compare this squad to the Calgary team I played for that came third in the ISC world tournament,” says Horswell, a school teacher by profession. “If our throwers stay healthy and we put things together at the right time, we will go far in both the ISCs and nationals.”
The Aspen Interiors are the two-time defending provincial champs.
“This won’t be a friendly series as we are looking for some payback from early June when the Diamondbacks defeated us 2-1 to knock us out of the Ducks (Unlimited) tourney (at Melfort),” says Aspen Interiors manager Jason Kurylyk. “It was a good game. The (potential) tying run was thrown out at home plate to end the game. The loss is still in the back of our heads and we are hungry.
“We won’t be giving our provincial title up without one hell of a fight.”
EXTRA INNINGS: Aspens pitcher Trevor Ethier had his collar-bone broken last month by a line drive. “But the warrior Trevor is, (he) was back in the circle throwing 17 days after it happened,” said Kurylyk . . . Aspen OF/catcher Brad Bibby is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Archive for the ‘Players’ Category
Former Chisox prospect now catcher in Saskatoon
Friday, July 27th, 2007Ellsworth continues to carry hot bat
Monday, July 23rd, 2007From The Guardian, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
[ALLENTOWN, PA.] — Jeff Ellsworth of Alberton continued his recent torrid hitting, but it wasn’t enough as his Orillia Quaker Riversharks fell 4-3 to Patsy’s of New York in the final of the Bob Walsh/Tom Madl Memorial men’s fastpitch Sunday in Allentown, Pa.
Last year, Orillia lost in the final to the now-folded County Materials team. Last week, Riversharks defeated Patsy’s in the final of the World Series of Fastball championship in Orillia, Ont.
At Allentown, Ellsworth hit a home run, drove home three runners and scored five times as he hit 7-for-19 (.368) in six games.
Sunday in the final, Ellsworth was 0-for-2 with a walk after going 0-for-3 in the semifinal against the Broken Bow, N.Y., Gremlins.
In crossover action Sunday morning, the Sharks downed Keatings Fitness 7-2 and Ellsworth continued to play a vital role, hitting 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Friday, he went 2-for-4 in the opener with two runs scored and an RBI in a 6-0 win over Pennsylvania Power.
Saturday, he hit 2-for-3 with a run scored and a double as the Sharks blanked the St. Thomas Centennials 4-0.
Later that night against Patsy’s, Ellsworth went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the sixth inning that cut the score to 4-3, but that was all Orillia could muster.
Nate Devine in the News
Friday, July 20th, 2007
From the Union Democrat in Northern California:
Devine’s big bat helps U.S. fastpitch team finish strong
Published: July 20, 2007
By KEVIN SAULS
The Union Democrat
Former Sonora resident Nate Devine had himself a time playing with the U.S. Men’s National Fastpitch Team in two major international tournaments.
He hit two home runs and posted a .385 batting average while helping the U.S. finish second in the Men’s World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic, and smacked two more homers and hit .350 as the Americans won the KFC World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City.
Devine, 30, played football and baseball at Sonora High School, from which he graduated in 1995. He played baseball at Modesto Junior College, Merced College and the University of La Verne, and spent a year playing independent professional baseball with the Johnstown (Pa.) Johnnies of the Frontier League before focusing his diamond energies on high-level fastpitch.
He has twice been named an Amateur Softball Association (ASA) All-American and twice has helped A and B division teams finish second in ASA national tournaments. He made the U.S. team during a selection camp in Chula Vista in May.
His international experience, Devine said, was divine.
“It was awesome being in the Czech Republic,” he said. “They think you’re superstars. There were 2- to 4,000 fans at every game and they were doing the wave and chanting and cheering for every play. They were going nuts.”
The U.S. beat the Czechs and also knocked off hotshot teams from Venezuela and Japan before losing to the Japanese in the championship game.
“When we played the Czechs it was a pretty hostile environment,” Devine said, “but it wasn’t mean.”
The U.S. avenged itself against Japan in the title game of the Oklahoma tournament, which was played in conjunction with the Women’s World Cup. The U.S. won that one, too.
Women rule in fastpitch.
“They scheduled our games after the women’s games so we could have some of the leftover crowd,” Devine said.
He started all but one game in the two tournaments and played in all of them as a first baseman, center fielder, left fielder of designated hitter.
Devine’s day job is as a business instructor at Merced College, where he also coaches pitching and hitting for the Blue Devil baseball team.
He plans to stay on the international fastpitch scene until the 2009 World Cup in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and perhaps into 2010.
The U.S.-Japan game from Oklahoma City will be televised at 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2.
See also our earlier post about Nate’s Home Run at the 2007 World Cup in Prague, CZ, “A High, Towering Drive to Left…..”
Here’s Nate in the midst of a victory celebration at Red Rock, which his team, the So Cal Bombers won for the second year in a row. (in photo from left to right, is Jason Porto, Nate Devine (22) and Mike Butler) (click to enlarge)
Adam LaLonde in Michigan Newspaper
Friday, July 20th, 2007
Jenison softball player represents U.S.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
By Bob Becker
Press Sports Editor
GRAND RAPIDS — The centerpiece of Adam LaLonde’s softball summer is now in the record books, and if you can’t rate it an “A”, it most certainly is a “B-plus”.
Jenison’s LaLonde is the starting shortstop for the U.S. national fastpitch softball team.
Three weeks ago the team finished second in the World Cup tournament in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
America’s Challenge
Last week the squad won the America’s Challenge tournament in Oklahoma City.
The men’s America’s Challenge tournament was played at the same time as the women’s America’s Challenge.
The only difference was the women’s event was broadcast live nightly, including Monday night’s championship game against Japan.
The men get only one shot at national TV, and a tape-delayed preliminary game airing Sunday.
“The complex in Oklahoma City is at the Amateur Softball Association headquarters and museum,” LaLonde said. “It’s the same field where the NCAA finals are held. There are four fields, so we were playing pretty much when the women were.”
The finals
The American men beat Japan in the finals in Oklahoma City, reversing the finish from the World Cup in Prague.
In that game, Japan prevailed 2-0, with LaLonde getting the only hit for the U.S.
“We turned it around in Oklahoma City and we mercied them (7-0) in the finals,” he said. “It just all came together.”
The America’s Challenge playoff was the first, and didn’t include world powers New Zeeland, Canada or Australia. Argentina finished third in Oklahoma City.
“They are talking about having it again next year, with most of the big teams there,” LaLonde said. “And it looks like more of our games will be televised.
“Eventually the plan is to have the World Cup played in the United States.”
Taking notice of the men
Thanks to the success of our Olympic teams, and the competitive level of Division I softball that gets a great deal of television coverage, interest in fastpitch softball is growing.
But that’s mostly in the women’s game, where pitchers like Cat Osterman and Jennie Finch are well known, compared to men’s ace Terry Luster from Missouri.
“The men’s and women’s teams are together a lot, so we’ve gotten to know each other and friendships have formed,” LaLonde said. “I think the women’s team has amazing players.
“The real difference is that the game isn’t played in the country like it used to be, there aren’t as many great pitchers.
“Terry is our veteran, but we’re trying to bring along a couple of young guys and get it going again.”
New Zeeland a prime spot
The men’s team played for a full house in Oklahoma City, but to LaLonde, the place to be is New Zeeland.
“They really love the game down there,”‘ he said. “Their seasons are opposite ours, so some of their best players play what is their summer ball during our winter, then they come here for our summer.
“A couple of Americans do the same thing, but you have to be young and single. For a couple of years it would probably be a lot of fun.”
Japan has burst on the softball scene in both men’s and women’s events.
Japan’s pitching improving
“They’ve always been pretty good,” LaLonde said. “But their pitching has come along. They aren’t explosively fast, but they are very disciplined, working the corners. They don’t overpower you; they try to get you to chase their pitch. You have to be patient and wait for something good to hit.”
In the America’s Challenge championship game, LaLonde, who leads off, had a single and three walks.
“My job is to get on and get things going,” he said. “Worked pretty well in the finals.”
Send e-mail to the author: bbecker@grpress.com
Z & Piechnik to Be Honored at Vancouver Challenge
Friday, July 20th, 2007
(click logo for official team website)
Vancouver, BC
Two of Canada’s all-time greatest pitchers will be playing in the Vancouver Challenge, set for July 27-29, and they will be honoured in a special ceremony immediately prior to the 4:30 p.m. game between Horse Lake Alberta and So Cal Bombers on Saturday, July 28. Darren Zack first rose to prominence while starring for the Vancouver Magicians from 1990-92, and as we all know went on to rewrite the record books while playing for several eastern teams, including Toronto Gators and Tampa Bay Smokers. Mike Piechnik hails from Victoria BC and has thrown countless gems at South Memorial Park, where the event will take place, for such teams as Victoria Payless, Broken Bow, and more recently Portland DeMarini.
We look forward to paying tribute to these two phenomenal pitchers and outstanding ambassadors for the game.
Conrad Margolis
Vancouver Grey Sox
Editor’s note: I first saw Piechnik pitch at my first ISC World Tournament, in Kimberly in 1989, in an extra inning marathon against Peter Meredith. Piechnik was pitching for The Farm, while Peter Meredith was with Trans-Aire. A year late, our Vista Bombers were in Victoria, BC for the 1990 ISC World, Zack’s first with the Vancouver Magicians. If memory serves me, the Magicians finished 4th that year behind Zack. Nearly two decades later, they are both pitching at the highest level of the game. Remarkable.
News story on Orillia’s Stephen Mullaley
Monday, July 16th, 2007Via 
There’s nothing he’d rather do
Stephen Mullaley is in elite company when it comes to fastpitch
DARCY MACRAE
The Telegram, St. John’s NL
Nobody could ever accuse Stephen Mullaley of wasting his ability.
Mullaley is one of the top up-and-coming players in North American softball and he puts his skills to the test every chance he gets. He plays locally with Iceberg Rum of the St. John’s senior league and every weekend, he suits up with the Orillia (Ont.) RiverSharks of the International Softball Congress, arguably the top fastpitch league in the world.
Click link below for the complete story.
The Next Generation
Saturday, July 7th, 2007Editor’s note: The story below, about a team from my home state of Michigan struck a chord with me, reminding me of the team that I play for, the So Cal Hustlers, started by Bobby Cole. Take away the four veterans, of which I am one, and it’s made up of 20-something players, whose enthusiasm for the game shines brightly. Two of them, Matt and Casey have fathers on the team, Doug and Ken. I’ve played again Doug and Ken for years, finally getting to call them teammates after all these years. Along with our senior statesman “Papa Joe” Salcido, the four of us skew the median age, adding 200 years to the mix. But make no mistake, the Hustlers are a young team, whose excitement about the game of fastpitch is clearly evident. It is contagious. The game will be just fine with this next generation. It just needs people like Rob Collamer (see story below) and others like many of you to introduce them to the game…..
Men’s fastpitch making inroads with next generation
By Greg ChalfinMore than 25 years ago, Rob Collamer got his start in fastpitch softball on Gary Wilson’s Great Lakes Photo team.
“He started a team so his boys could play on it,” Collamer said. “I was friends with his boys.”
Now, Collamer’s doing the same for his son Dustin and some of his friends through the newly formed Jr. Metros/Gillies team.
“I played fastpitch my whole life in the area,” Collamer said. “It was kind of tough for me to break in, so I kind of thought I’d start it for them.”
Alongside 11 players between the ages of 19 and 21, Collamer acts as player-coach in hopes of attracting more younger players to fastpitch softball. The team hasn’t had much success yet — one win in 20 games — but they’re playing tough competition to improve.
Dustin Collamer-Rowe — a 2006 graduate of Bullock Creek — played on his dad’s team last year and helped him recruit some of his friends from Bullock Creek to the team.
“It was a cool idea,” Dustin said. “I didn’t know how many kids they were going to be able to get at first, but I was able to help him out.”
But most of the team’s players were standout football players for the Lancers, and Dustin said the transition hasn’t been easy.
“There’s no contact in softball, but I have fun,” Dustin said. “There’s a lot of cool guys that we play against.”
Six of the team’s players, including Dustin, will play at a 19-and-under tournament in Frankenmuth over the weekend before returning to play for the Jr. Metros next week.
Fastpitch softball in the area appeared to be declining in recent years in favor of modified softball, but the pendulum between the two styles may be swinging back toward fastpitch with teams like Jr. Metros surfacing. Collamer said he found some of his current players in local modified leagues, and he’s happy to provide young players the opportunity to play fastpitch.
“The biggest reason I did this was I’m not a big fan of slowpitch or modified,” Collamer said. “And when I’m done playing, I’d like to come down and watch some fastpitch.”
Newspaper Story on Chris Delarwelle, Boys of Summer
Friday, July 6th, 2007From
Nice feature story on Chris Delarwelle, at the Green Bay Gazette,The Gazette has been a standout in covering the game.
“A High Towering Drive to Left….”
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007
A week ago today, I traded emails with Nate Devine, of Team USA (and moderator of the most popular Fastpitchwest Forum section “The Rumor Mill”) and wished him luck at the World Cup. I told him that I wish I could be there to broadcast the games, writing:
“Sorry I can’t be there to call it, but it goes something like this: ‘A high towering drive to left…….’ You know the rest. “
I smiled as I read the report on the USA’s Game 3 tonight:
An exclamation point was added in the sixth inning after Devine led off with a monster home run that cleared the trees in left field that gave the U.S. a comfortable 4-1 advantage.
I guess anyone that’s seen him swing it saw that one coming. (including those who saw the game-tying blast in last year’s ISC World Tournament in Kitchener, Ontario) You know the Devine One is smiling tonight……
Before he left town, we hit Nate with “20 Questions”, give or take. Seems like a good night to roll out his responses:
Q. How old are you?
A. 30Q. When did you start playing fastpitch?
A. Age 14 in city leagues in Sonora, caQ. Who got you started?
A. My dad played and I always went to the games. When I got older I was on the sideline and when guys didn’t show up I got in.Q. Where do you reside?
A. Merced, CaQ. When did you first get involved with Team USA?
A. This yearQ. How did you first learn that you had made the team?
A. By emailQ. How did you feel about that?
A. It was awesome. I have wanted to play for my country since about 2002 when my baseball career had ended earlier that summer.Q. Who was the first person you told you had made the team?
A. I think Porto called me right after I got the email. Then I called my mom.Q. Who on TEAM USA do you admire most?
A. Adam LalondeQ. What ISC World teams have you played for in the past?
A. Team Rainey, So Cal BombersQ. What ASA Major teams have you played for in the past?
A. NoneQ. What ISC World teams will you play for in 2007?
A. So Cal BombersQ. What ASA Major team will you play for in 2007?
A. NoneQ. Have you competed in any tournaments for Team USA ?
A. NoQ. What was your best individual performance in fastpitch?
A. MVP and Offensive Player of the 2002 NAFA. Game tying homer in the bottom of the 7th last year at the ISC was cool too.Q. When do you leave to CZ?
A. June 15Q. Where are you flying from?
A. Fresno to JFK to PragueQ. Are you travelling with any of the other players?
A. NoQ. How long will you be gone for ?
A. 10 days I thinkQ. Have you ever been to Europe?
A. NeverQ. What do you imagine CZ is like?
A. Everyone I talk to says it’s a great place. I’m really excited. It seems really historic.Q. What do you hope to accomplish in CZ?
A. A Gold Medal
ISC/ASA Pitcher Development Status Release
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007One month into the joint ASA/ISC Pitcher Development program, we’re happy to report what appears to be an overwhelming success. On May 15th, USA Softball National Teams Director Ronnie Isham and ISC Executive Director Ken Hackmeister made the initial announcement on various softball related websites. Since that time, 26 individuals have signed up for the program. Those who have submitted applications range from age 6 to 28 and hail from all over the USA. Breakdowns of those who are now part of the program are as follows:
By Age:
Age 6-10: 2
Age 11-15: 6
Age 16-20: 9
Age 20-30: 9By State:
MO: 5
MI: 4
MN: 3
NM: 3
MD: 2
CA: 2
IA: 1
OH: 1
KS: 1
SD: 1
PA: 1
MS: 1
CT: 1
The ASA and ISC would like to thank all those that have applied thus far and want to extend this invitation to any other male under the age of 30 who is interested in developing as a pitcher. Students have the opportunity to work with USA Jr. Men’s National Team Pitching Coach Gary Mullican or former USA National Team pitcher Michael White. The program at this time is strictly a video analysis program. Applicants will be asked to submit a videotape every 30-60 days, depending on age and skill level. One of the two Instructors will then evaluate the video and make corrections/suggestions, which will be communicated back to the applicant. The Instructors will also supply the applicant with drills that will help to improve their overall mechanics. This program is open to players of all skill levels, from raw beginners to more advanced pitchers. There is no cost for the program other than normal postage cost to submit the video. Funding for the program is being provided jointly by the ASA and ISC. For more information, please contact the program administrator, Scott Standerfer, at Standerfer@mchsi.com.