From our friend Blair Setford, on last night’s games between the U19 Australian team and the GHFL All Stars, which were broadcast on Ballparkradio.com

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[Niagara Falls, Ontario]

Aussie Colts take two from GHFL All-Stars as Speed Kills

Speed kills and the Aussie Colts used their team speed to slay two all-star teams from the Golden Horseshoe Fastball League in a doubleheader last night in Niagara Falls.

Armed with a string of left-handed slap hitters who run like gazelles, the Australian Junior Men’s National Team will be very difficult to defend against at the ISF Junior Men’s World Championship in PEI starting June 24.

The Aussies jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game one as Adam Raptis slapped a double, stole third and scored as James Brooks reached on an error.

The GHFL roared back, scoring four in the home half of the first, highlighted by a Mike Bateman home run off Aussie starter Brooks. Matt Lyons opened with a double to the fence followed by a solid single by Tim Coe. Scott Young cashed them both with another double to the fence and came around to score on Bateman’s opposite field shot.

In the top of the second inning, the Aussies strung together a triple by Andrew Ratten and five infield singles from Josh Jones, Damien Nairn, Raptis, Brooks and Nick Green, pounding the ball into a hard infield and beating out a series of bunts and high hoppers, scoring five runs to take a 6-4 lead.

The GHFL closed the gap to 6-5 as Mike Welton scored on another double off the fence, this one by Mark Hall off reliever Ryan Van Coeverden. A solo home run by Travis Southam restored the two-run lead for the Colts as Adam Folkard came in to shut the door, striking out the side in the final two innings.

Starting pitcher Scott Wagar took the loss, giving up seven hits and five earned runs in three innings of work while striking out six. Dan Deumo tossed three innings of relief, striking out four while giving up the Southam home run and a single to Aussie game MVP Adam Raptis.

Bateman was named the MVP for the GHFL.

Van Coeverden was the winner in relief of Brooks, with Folkard getting the save.

Folkard started on the mound in game two much the way he finished in game, throwing hard gas and mixing in a world-class change-up, string out four in the first two innings with a hit batter the only blemish on his record. The GHFL managed only a bunt single by Trevor Moses in the fifth as the offenses from both teams were handcuffed by the pitchers.

Garon Clough had the first of two singles in the second inning, reached second on a passed ball and stole third before coming home on a double by Van Coeverden. Clough scored again in the fourth, stealing second and third after a one-out single and then coming in on a passed ball.

Chad Reed worked the first two innings and took the loss, despite striking out five and giving up only the two hits and the lone run. Duane Singer threw two innings of relief, allowing four hits and one run. Rick Hames pitched a clean fifth for the GHFL.

Folkard took the win with relief from both Brooks and Van Coeverden. Game MVPs were Clough for the Aussies and Reed for the GHFL. (more…)

The following story appeared in today’s Niagara Falls Review newspaper, complete with photo. Click here to see the story and photo at the newspapers website.

Australian under-19 fastball team beats local all-stars 7-5 in exhibition game

By DAN DAKIN
Sports – Tuesday, June 14, 2005 @ 02:00

NIAGARA FALLS – Call him the stroik-out king.

An all-star team of men’s fastball players from across the Golden Horseshoe took on the Australian under-19 national team Monday night at Ker Park. In the end, it was Aussie hurler Adam Folkard who did in the home team.

Folkard, considered one of the top prospects in Australia, pitched the final two innings and struck out six of the seven batters he faced as the visitors beat the Golden Horseshoe Fastball League All-stars 7-5 in front of a few hundred spectators at Ker Park.

The 18-year-old Folkard was hired to play for a highly ranked fastball team in the U.S. last year and he’ll do the same this summer. However, he said he’s not aiming to break into Major League Baseball soon.

“I want to win a gold medal with the Australian under-19 team (at the World Championships this month) and then I want to win a gold medal with the men’s team and, hopefully, beat the world champions New Zealand,” Folkard said.

Niagara Falls all-star Rob Greatrix, who normally suits up for the Niagara Falls Fury men’s fastball team, said he wasn’t surprised by how well the Aussie team played.

“For Australia, fastball is one of their big sports and even though they’re under-19, it would be like Canada sending its under-19 hockey team somewhere,” Greatrix said.

From the moment the Aussies pulled into Ker Park, it was clear this was not your run-of-the-mill beer-league team.

Though they arrived a few minutes late after playing tourists earlier in the day, the green and yellow-clad club went through a detailed warmup led by one of two full-time trainers who travel with them.

The team arrived in Canada Friday, playing seven games in a tournament, where they won the consolation title. The tourney kicked off a busy schedule of more than 20 games in 10 days.

They played two games Monday night against the Golden Horseshoe all-stars and they continue their tour today with another doubleheader in Milverton.

They’ll continue playing two games every night the rest of the week.

This tour is in preparation for the International Softball Federation Junior Men’s World Championships in Summerside, P.E.I., June 24 to July 3.

Australia is considered among the favorites, along with Japan and New Zealand.

For the most part, Australia’s offence was the result of infield bunts and short hits, which coach Lindsey Carroll said is a reflection of his country’s smaller diamonds.

“The outfields are a lot bigger here than we’re used to. So, it changes the nature of the game,” he said.

The younger players also used speed to their advantage, rolling up plenty of stolen bases and repeatedly outrunning throws to first base on bunts.

The Niagara team didn’t have as much speed, but they used the long-ball to fuel its offence. The all-star team’s effort was highlighted by a two-run homer in the first inning by Mike Bateman, of Niagara Falls.

Niagara led 4-1 after the first inning before Australia rallied with five runs in the second to take a 6-4 lead.

The home team closed the gap to 6-5 in the bottom of the fourth, but a home run by Australia’s Travis Southam made it 7-5 in the fifth.

“This team was probably the toughest team we’ve played so far on the tour,” said Folkard, who will play for the No. 6 world ranked team in Fargo, N.D., this summer.

“I played in the States last year and it was great. I learned a lot.”

The all-star team put up a good fight against the Aussies, but Greatrix said Monday’s game was also about having a good time.

“It’s a competitive league and we don’t play too many games for fun,” he said. “But it’s fun to play with guys you normally play against.”