Chris Hunt’s Two Homers Power Offense, While 22 year old Gesvutti Tosses 1 Hitter
Team Rainey of Southern California defeated the Kegel Black Knights of Fargo, North Dakota, Saturday afternoon at Peter Hallman Ballyard in Kitchener Ontario Canada, 6-0. Veteran catcher Todd Garcia got Team Rainey on the board in the first inning with a two-run homer, while Chris Hunt drove in three runs with two towering home runs over the right-field fence, providing all the offense that Team Rainey would need.
Twenty-two year-old Argentine pitching sensation, Sebastian Gervasutti (“C-Bass” to his teammates) narrowly missed a no-hitter, surrendering but one ground ball single grounder and striking out 12. The win over the Kegel Black Knights was the second in a row by a Team Rainey over the much higher ranked squad from Fargo North Dakota, the earlier win the coming during the Boys of Summer tournament in July of this year. Team Rainey shortstop Rod Rainey suffered a bad bruise to his bicep after being hit by a pitch during the opening-round game, but is expected to be in the starting lineup tonight against the hometown Canadian team. (will be posting a link to the photo of that hit by pitch captured by fast pitch West photographer Maddy Flanagan)
Team Rainey will advance to a second round winner’s bracket game on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Eastern time against the host Hallman Twins from Kitchener Ontario Canada. The game will be the Saturday night feature game and is expected to draw large crowds of local fans rooting for the hometown Hallman Twins. The game will be televised via streaming video, on ISC TV. Login to the official ISCfastpitch.com Sunday website for the link to video streaming.
The ISC has been conducting tests during the past two world tournaments for the streaming video, televising a single championship game both years. This year, the program was expanded dramatically to include 20 games on streaming video. Southern California’s David Blackburn heads up the program for the ISC and has received rave reviews from members of the viewing audience thus far. The quality of the video stream is equivalent to that offered by major sports such as Major league baseball.