Top seeded Innovative Communications team from Utah capped a perfect weekend with a 13-5 win over second seed Panteras of Southern California, running their record to 5-0 on the weekend, and claiming the 2007 Best of the West title in Santa Barbara, CA. The win by Innovative Communications marked the second year in a row the champion has come from Utah, with last year’s title being captured by the High Desert Dawgs.
Steve Black was the winning pitcher in the title game, with the Panteras Ron Rupp suffering the loss. The Utah squad mounted a well balanced offensive attack to score 13 runs, aided by a number of defensive miscues by the Panteras.
Innovative’s Jason Littledike was 3-5 in the championship game, while teammate Ryan Briggs was 3-3. Jason Littledyke of Innovative Communications, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, winning an Easton CNT Stealth bat, while the championship game starter Steve Black won Outstanding Pitcher honors. Each member of the championship team won a Locker bag embroidered with “2007 Best of the West Champions”, gear generously donated by AIS/ Sportsrobe.
The Best of the West is the longest running open tournament in California, 17 years and counting. It has been headed up for most of them by the ISC’s streaming media maven, David Blackburn. Blackburn will be in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, in that role for the 7th consecutive year. After five years of extensive live audio broadcasts, the 2006 ISC World Tournament marked the first year of extensive video broadcasts, on “ISC-TV”. More information for this year’s broadcasts will be posted in August at the official ISC website, http://www.iscfastpitch.com.
Watch for Maddy’s Monday Night Photos from the tournament !