From 
Editor’s note: The following story appears in the June 2007 issue of The Inside Pitch, written by Bill Plummer. For the complete issue, available online in PDF format, click link below to the jump.
Lose to Japan 2-0 in final
Prague, CZ — There is light at the end of the tunnel for the USA Men’s National Team, which finished second in the first ISF World Cup here June 16-25. Despite losing to Japan in the championship game, 2-0, the USA National Team compiled an overall 8-3 record and left USA Head Coach Pete Turner optimistic about the team’s future. “I believe we accomplished a great deal on this trip,”Turner said.”We took a young team with six new layers and each of those players made an impact. Although we did not meet our objective (finishing first), we did beat every team in the tournament and proved that our selection process is working.”
Turner, who was named USA National Team coach in 2001, was also pleased with what the players did off he field as well as between the white lines. “Overall, I was pleased with the professional manner in which the players came together and how they conducted themselves on and off the field. As we move forward, we will need to shore-up our defense. Therefore, we have planned three much needed practices in Oklahoma City to fix what needs to be fixed. Once we get to know each others range, strengths and weaknesses we will accomplish our goals.” The USA, and two of the teams that competed in Prague, Venezuela and Japan, plus Argentina will compete in the KFC American Challenge Series at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, July 12-16.
The USA Men’s Team won its first seven games in a row in the round robin before losing to Venezuela, 6-5, in its last game of the round robin. Against Venezuela, the USA fell behind early 6-1 before almost winning the game with a late rally. Even when it got behind in four games, and winning two, the USA fought back with determination and desire as they prepare for the ISF World Championship in 2009. The USA batted .328 as a team, hitting 20 homers.
The USA’s Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wisc.), who alternated between first base and designated hitter, was named the World Cup’s MVP and teammate Frank DeGroat led the event in homers (five). DeLarwelle batted .454 (15-for-33), hit four homers. and drove in a team high 11 ruffs. The top hiter was HirakaYokoyama of Japan (14-for-25, .560) with Kunihiko Iida of Japan (2-0) the top pitcher, allowing one earned run in 14 innings. Travis Price of the USA was 4-1.
Final standings:
Japan
USA
Venezuela
DeMo EHS (Netherlands)
Czech Republic
Santa Isabel Zaragoza (Spain)
Denmark, Prague Stars
Halcones Tenerife (Spain).
Former USA National Team pitcher Doug Gillis played for fourth place finisher DeMo EHS of the Netherlands and compiled a 2-2 record in 19 1/3 innings.
June INSIDE PITCH
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The June2007 issue of THE INSIDE PITCH is now online. You can access it by using the link provided below.
http://www.asasoftball.com/about/insidepitch.asp
If you have any questions or comments, please contact me. Also, if you have any news items/pictures for the July issue, get them to me by July 30 Thanks very much.
Bill PlummerIII
Hall of Fame Manager,
Editor,INSIDE PITCH
National Softball Hall of Fame
(405) 425-3433
e-mail: bplummer@softball.org
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