MIDLAND – Jarvis (Ont.) Travelers’s back-to-back home runs in Saturday’s ISC World Tournament title game trumped the Kitchener (Ont.) Riversharks Twins attempt to become for the first team to win back-to-back-to-back titles in 50 years.

Jarvis used all three pitchers on its roster to endure the fatigue of rallying from the losers bracket on Saturday at Emerson Park’s Currie Stadium After winning 6-4 in eight innings over Chicago/New York City Dominica, Jarvis edged the New York Gremlins 5-4 in 10 innings. Jarvis led 2-1 through five innings, then got back-toback homers from Nick Shailes and Brad Rona to take control and earn the 4-1 win.

“This is the pinnacle for me,” Rona said. “We just connected and got some balls over the fence. And to beat a team like Kitchener is the highest point of my softball career.”

Andrew Phibbs got the win on the mound, taking over for starter Trevor Ethier in the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded and getting two outs to get Jarvis back in the dugout. Big righty Adam Folkard, who was named Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament, was unavailable in the title game with a sore shoulder. Shailes was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The loss was stinging for Kitchener, which destroyed the Gremlins 10-1 on Friday to cruise into the finals.

“It’s very tough because we came in expecting to win,” said Blair Ezekiel, who had two singles in the loss. “They got hot today and had all three pitchers rolling. I have to give them credit.
“It’s been a fabulous run for us.”

Ezekial enjoyed his route to Midland. He took the sponsor of the Riversharks Twins through Frankenmuth last week on their way up from Ontario.

The place was special for Ezekial, who developed his game with the Frankenmuth Driving School team from 2003-2005, along with Chicago/New York City Dominica’s Jason Hill and Steve Mullaley.

The team won ISC 19-under World and ISC 23-under World titles.
“That was the biggest stepping stone of my career,” said Ezekial, who was looking to help the Riversharks Twins become the first team to three-peat as ISC World champions in 50 years in Saturday’s late title game. “I wouldn’t have traded that experience here for anything in the world.

“I met some phenomenal friends here.”

It was a bit of a reunion for Ezekial and Hill and Mullaley, whose CHI/NYC team finished fourth in the tournament after losing a heart-breaking 5-4 decision in eight innings to the Jarvis (Ont.) Travelers Saturday.

And there to greet the three Newfoundland natives early in the week were Frankenmuth Driving School sponsor Tom Stasik and coach Mark Jarlock.

“We picked these guys up from Toronto and gave them an opportunity to see this level of ball,” Stasik said. “We wanted to get our guys to the top of the game and this was a chance to showcase them.”

The three players – known to their teammates as the “Goofy Newfies” – reminisced at the beer tent at Emerson Park with former Frankenmuth teammates Todd Moore and Tom Tyrban, who now play with the Midland Explorers.

“What great friends we met, friends for life,” Mullaley said. “I wouldn’t be where I am in this game if it wasn’t for my time spent here in the Saginaw Valley. We left friends in New Foundland, came here to Frankenmuth and were immediately accepted.

“The support we had was phenomenal.”
Mullaley, 26, brought life to the Frankenmuth team, entertaining teammates with his guitar. The Dominica center fielder dusted off his musical talents this week, singing a few tunes at the team hotel.

“It’s nice to catch up with everybody,” said the 25-year-old Hill said. “We’ve kept in contact with (Stasik and Jarlock). You remember all these guys and the atmosphere they created for us.

“This was where we started to make names for ourselves.”
Jarlock, who coached baseball at Frankenmuth High School at the time, enjoyed the dynamic the Newfoundland kids brought to his team.

“They learned a ton here and right when we saw them, the first thing they asked us was ‘When are we getting together,’” Jarlock said. “That was an exciting time. Now the future of this game is kind of cloudy with all the organized sports opportunities kids have today.
“But I’ll always remember those times.”

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 at 12:59 pm and is filed under General, ISC. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.