(and 19 days to the first broadcast on Ballparkradio.com)
Archive for the ‘ISF’ Category
15 Days and Counting…
Thursday, June 5th, 2008Preparations Underway for ISF Jr. Worlds at Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada – June 20-29
Friday, May 9th, 2008
(click logo for official tournament website)
Preparations are underway for the ISF Jr. World Tournament, which is little more than a month away. Twelve countries will be sending teams to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada to battle for the gold, silver and bronze, in this once-every-four year competition. (This year’s tournament actually comes only three years after the 2005 ISF Jr. Worlds, due to a re-setting of the schedule this year only).
Click here for a PDF of the complete schedule of games.
(click photo for official tournament website)
From the official tourrnament website:
The ISF Junior Men’s Fast Pitch Championships will be held in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada from June 20 – 29, 2008.
Whitehorse has considerable experience hosting major softball events and has a vibrant softball community. Whitehorse has also hosted a number of major sporting events in the past, including the 2007 Canada Winter Games.
The ISF Junior Men’s Fast Pitch Championships is hosted by Softball Yukon.
12 Nations Vying for Softball Championship
* Canada
* United States
* Mexico
* Australia
* New Zealand
* Japan
* Argentina
* Venezuela
* Denmark
* Czech Republic
* Botswana
* South AfricaAbout Whitehorse:
Visit www.visitwhitehorse.com and www.travelyukon.com
ASA Announces 2008 USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team Roster
Thursday, January 31st, 2008Oklahoma City, Okla. — The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the U.S., announced today the 2008 USA Softball Junior Men’s National team roster that will compete in the 2008 World Championship.
“I think this is the best group we have ever put together for the Junior Men’s program,†said head coach Tim Lyon. “This team is as prepared as any team we have ever sent to the World Championship and now it’s up to them. We tell the athletes it’s how hard they work between now and June that will dictate whether they are on the medal stand.â€
The Red, White and Blue will compete at the International Softball Federation VIII Jr. Men’s World Championship, June 20-29 in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada. Team USA will be led by head coach Tim Lyon (South Jordan, Utah), and assistant coaches Gary Mullican (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Scott Standerfer (Charleston, Ill.). Team USA finished fifth in the 2005 World Championships, tying their best finish in World Championship history. In 1993, they posted a 4-8 record and placed fifth as well.
The 2008 USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team rosters includes:
Robbie Black (Salem, Utah)
Jeremy Cline (Pauma Valley, Calif.)
Nicholas Cole (Sacramento, Calif.)
Mitchell Elliott (Wexford, Pa.)
James Hartman (Hartford, S.D.)
Mike Hayes (Salem, Utah)
B.J. Hunhoff (Harrisburg, S.D.)
Tyson Lambourne (Spanish Fork, Utah)
Cedrick Lang (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Gentry Mitchell (Spanish Fork, Utah)
Chris Norris (Spanish Fork, Utah)
Robert Reder (Aurora, Ill.)
Nick Santos (Pueblo, Colo.)
Tony Viger (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Mitch Warne (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
J.T. Weststeyn (Ballwin, Mo.)
Kevin Williams (Lake Crystal, Minn.)
Approved Bats for ISC Competition
Friday, January 18th, 2008Because of the number of International teams competing in the ISC World Tournament the ISC will continue to use the certified bat list provided by the International Softball Federation (ISF). This list can be viewed on the ISF web site, http://www.internationalsoftball.com/. Click on Rules and Standards and then on certified bats.
The ISF have determined and published notice that August 31, 2008 will mark the end of the period during which bats that complied with the previous ISF Bat Performance Factor (BPF 1.20) shall be permitted to be used in ISF play and the new BBS (Batted Ball Speed) will be the only standard that is official. This test is similar to the test being used by the ASA. The one difference is in the speed of the ball. There is also a difference between the ISF and ASA in how bats get on their respective lists. The ASA does the testing of bats for their list. (http://www.asasoftball.com/about/certified_equipment.asp
The ISF requires manufacturers who wish to have their bat listed to supply test result that show that their bats meet the standards set.
The ASA has a banned bat list. The ISF has a certified bat list.
We mention this now so anyone considering a new bat purchase for the 2008 season may want to check their choice with the ASA and the ISF lists first to eliminate the possibility of a bat purchased for 2008 may be non-approved for 2009.
Softball Canada uses the ASA banned bat list.
As a related reminder, by book rule, any player found to be using an altered bat will be ejected from the game and the balance of the tournament.
Bruce Bierman
ISC Umpire-in-Chief
Scarborough Wolverines Capture Jr. Men’s Title
Monday, August 13th, 2007FINALS RECAP
Scarborough Wolverines capture Junior Men’s ch’ship
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE – The Scarborough Wolverines scored three times inthe top of the sixth inning and held off a hard charging Kelly’s Pub Canadians to capture the 2007 Causeway Bay Softball Canada
Junior men’s fast pitch championship here Sunday.
The Wolverines scored three after the Canadians scored two in
the bottom of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead.
NL missed an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the
sixth when Ken Gosse hit a fly ball, that was caught with one
out. Matt Hill on third stayed put and didn’t tag up.
Andrew Putham (2-3, run scored), Rob Bennett (1-3, run scored,
RBI), and Rob Clayton (2-3, runs cored) powered the offense.
Brad Ezekiel (2-3, run scored) Ryan Boland (1-2, runs cored)
and pinch hitter Shane O’Brien (1-1, rbi double) led NL.
“I faced these guys last year and they had my number,” Putham
said. “For this game, I just wanted to get ahead of them.”
Top player for the championship rond, Brandon Horn, 1-for-3 in
the contest, was happy with the game.
“I just wanted to get on base and allow my teammates to cash
me in,”I just tried to get the bat on the ball.
Scarborough coach Ryan Freedman was very excited with the result,
having lost twice earlier to the NL team.
“It was the closest final I have ever been in,” he said.
Sean Cleary suffered the loss, going the distance striking out
11.
In the semifinal Sunday morning, Matt Leahy threw six innings
of one hit ball, fanning eight and walking one batter and Cam
Haulk drove in two runs as the Scarborough Wolverines advanced
to the championship game with a 4-0 win over Elmira Advance Millwright.
The Wolverines win sets up a third meeting between Scarborough
and Kelly’s Pub Canadians of Newfoundland and Labrador, last
year’s champions. The other two meetings were wins, 7-3 and 6-3
by the NL squad. Saturday they beat Scarborough 6-3 in extra
innings to advance straight to the final.
Brandon Horn (1-3, run scored, RBI), Nick Dambrosio (2-3, RBI)
and Rob Bennett (1-3, run scored) led the attack.
Ben Tee (1-2) had Elmira’s lone hit
Andrew Putnam pitched an inning of no hit ball, striking out
two in relief. Dan Martin went six innings allowing four runs
on eight hits walking one and fanning three.
Elmira finishes third place, bronze medal, good considering they
were 3-3 mid week and looked to be in trouble.
Kelly’s Pub Canadians into Junior men’s final
Saturday, August 11th, 2007From 
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE – It took a full team effort, but the Newfoundland and Labrador Kelly’s Pub Canadians pulled it out advancing to the 2007 Causeway Bay Softball Canada Junior Men’s fast pitch championship final with a 6-4 extra inning win over the Scarborough Wolverines.
And it was thanks to energizer bunny, Justin Gill who just seems to keep going and going and leading by example. He appeared to roll his ankle in the game Saturday night, but put the pain he might be feeling aside and stayed in the game leading by example. Gill hit a sixth inning solo home run that rallied the defending champions to the victory. Trailing 3-1 and looking as if they may be on the verge of their first loss, Gill bombed a solo home run in the sixth inning.
However, catcher Stephen Strapp said it was a full team effort, something his teammates agreed with.. “It was a full team effort that have us rolling into Sunday,” Strapp said. “Everyone from 1-to-16 contributed to this win.” It came down to the eighth inning to determine a winner between these two evenly matched teams. With Strapp on second as a result of the International tie breaking rule, Mark Lewis batted hitting a hard single that scored Strapp. Then Ryan Boland (1-4) came to bat with pinch runner Matt Hill on first and Mark Lewis on second.. The all star second basemen then hit a first pitch triple, scoring Hill and Lewis and giving the Canadians a 6-4 lead “It was a great game to be involved in,” Boland said. “We were down and whatever the case was we never quit. Justin’s (Gill) home run picked us up and gave us life back.” As for what they will do Sunday in the final looking to repeat as champions, Boland said the team will just take it pitch-by-pitch. “We’ll see what happens but it’ll be a tough game for sure,” he added.
Lewis once again had the hot bat, driving in three runs with a 3-for-4 batting summary. Gill (2-4, two runs scored, RBI), Brad Ezekiel (1-3, run scored), Jon Kane (2-3) were also tops.
Scarborough was led by Brandon Horn (1-3, run scored, RBI triple), Chris Lewis (1-3, run scored) and Rob Clayton (1-3, run scored). Sean Cleary went the distance, striking out four, giving up four runs on five hits and walking one. Matt Leahy came on in relief, pitching two and two third innings giving up three runs on three hits and sitting down two. Andrew Putnam went five and one third inning allowing three runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three.The Canadians will now await the winner of the Scarborough-Elmira/Simcoe semifinal, Sunday morning at 11 a.m. The championship is set for 1:30 p.m.
USA Jr. Men’s Camp
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007USA Softball recently conducted two fastpitch camps, exclusively for young male players, in conjunction with the ASA Junior Olympic Boys National Championships in North Mankato, Minnesota.
The first camp involved 20 boys who are in the pool group of players born in 1989 or later that are age-eligible for selection to the USA squad that will compete at the ISF Junior Men’s World Championship next June in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada. All 20 of these boys were playing with various club teams in the 14-Under, 16-Under and 18-Under ASA national tournaments. USA Softball junior men’s national team head coach Tim Lyon, along with assistant coaches Scott Standerfer and Gary Mullican conducted the 3-hour camp at Caswell Park on Thursday afternoon, August 2.
Later that evening, 30 boys from five states participated in an open tryout camp for players born in 1989 or later. The junior men’s coaching staff gave instruction in hitting and fielding fundamentals as well as more individualized information for the positions of pitchers and catchers, outfielders, middle infielders and corner infielders. From this group of boys, the coaching staff was pleasantly surprised at the abilities of several players who are age-eligible for next years USA national team as well as the prospects for players born in 1993 or later who would be eligible for the next ISF event in 2012.
For further information about opportuniities to be a part of the junior men’s national team, contact USA Softball at www.usasoftball.org or head coach Tim Lyon at timlyon@earthlink.net.
Canadian Jr. Men’s Championships
Friday, August 3rd, 2007From the Guardian
“Covers Prince Edward Island Like the Dew”
Working hard for fun
Tournament director Paul Gallant says there are many small details that need to be covered when putting on an event like the Canadian junior men’s fastpitch championship, which begins this Sunday in Summerside
AMBER SHEA
Transcontinental MediaSUMMERSIDE — The first tournament Paul Gallant ever organized was the national junior men’s fastpitch softball championship in 1983.
“Twenty-four years later and here we are again,†said Gallant, the tournament director.
Sunday at 11 a.m., the Causeway Bay national junior men’s fastpitch championship begins in Summerside.
“It lasts eight days,†said Gallant. “We’re hoping to get about 20,000 people going through the park during the tournament.â€
There are nine teams entered in the tournament, including the host Summerside Source For Sports Twins.
There are no enteries from Manitoba, Alberta or British Columbia, but there is one each from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Saskatchewan. There are three teams representing Ontario.
Gallant said families travelling with ball players tend to make a vacation out of these tournaments.
“There will be a visitor information booth set up at the ball field for people who want to know things like where to go sailing.â€
Summerside was awarded the tournament late in 2005, beating out two other communities.
Since then, Gallant has been getting ready for the event.
“I could be on the phone with you for hours describing the minor details that go on behind the scenes in order to organize a ball tournament.â€
Organizing volunteers, making sure the ball field meets softball Canada standards, getting sponsors, setting up travel times and putting together opening and closing ceremonies are only some of the things he needs to do to prepare for the tournament.
Gallant is also talking with the teams every day to make sure they are informed about things like transportation schedules.
So far, everything is going smoothly, but Gallant said there are always minor issues they have to deal with when the tournament starts.
“I don’t drink . . . but I usually have a beer at the end of each tournament to celebrate that it’s over,†he said with a laugh.
“I do this because I love it.â€
The tournament website is
http://www.2007jrmensfastpitch.comNational junior men’s fastpitch championship at a glance
Dates – Sunday, Aug. 5-12.
Where – Queen Elizabeth Park in Summerside.
Teams – Summerside Source for Sports Twins (P.E.I.); Kelly’s Pub Canadians (N.L.); East Hants Henchmen (N.S.); Miramichi Vics (N.B.); St. Leonard d’Aston’s Express (Que.); Scarborough Wolverines (Ont. 1); Elmira Advance Millwright (Ont. 2); Simcoe Wildcats (Ont. 3); Saskatoon Jr. Diamondbacks (Sask.).
Opening Day Schedule – 11 a.m., Ont. 3 vs. Ont. 2; 2 p.m.,?Sask. vs. P.E.I.; 4 p.m., Que. vs. N.L.; 6 p.m., N.S. vs. Sask.; 8 p.m., Ont. 1 vs. N.B.
P.E.I.’s Games – Sunday, 2 p.m., vs. Sask.; Monday, 8 p.m., vs. Ont. 1; Tuesday, 12 p.m., vs. Ont. 3, 6 p.m., vs. N.L.; Wednesday, 12 p.m., vs. N.B., 8 p.m., vs. Que.; Thursday, 2 p.m., vs. Ont. 2, 6 p.m., vs. N.S.
Championship Game – Sunday, Aug. 12, at 1:30 p.m.
Don’t Forget – Team USA on ESPN2 on Sunday, July 22 – 10am PST
Friday, July 20th, 2007
on
Spoiler warning: Box score is linked after the jump. Don’t click it if you don’t want to know how the game comes out.
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)