(Click logo for official SCIFL website)
The SCIFL will be in beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara this weekend for more league play. Click logo above to get directions to the ballpark at official site.
Click here for the schedule at the official SCIFL website.
Update from Mark Bennett in Santa Barbara: Air back to normal after the fires last weekend.
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July 4, 2008
By Paul Johnson Special to the Beacon News
It’s been quite a whirlwind for recent Marmion graduate Robert Reder in the world of fastpitch softball.
His grandfather, Bob, and father, Robin, are a part of the long-time tradition of the sport in Aurora. And after an appearance with Team USA at the International Softball Federation Junior Men’s World Fast Pitch Championship, Robert has joined that tradition as well.
Reder caught every other game for Team USA — which finished 5-6 at the tournament — which was held at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada, from June 20-29.
Two years ago, Robert Reder was discovered subbing for his father’s team and suddenly found himself playing for the 19U national team.
“I was surprised I made the team,” Reder said. “Usually there is a national tournament that the kids play in, and I never went to one. I just filled in for a team and someone there knew (national team coach Tim Lyon) and told him about me. It was really cool.”
Twelve countries were represented at the tournament, which was won by Australia. For Reder, it was the first time that he had ever left the country and had the chance to interact with so many people from such diverse backgrounds, one of the highlights of the trip.
“I hung out with a lot of kids from New Zealand and Argentina,” Reder said. “Argentina had a couple of translators with them. It was kind of funny. The New Zealanders have that cool accent, and they were all big boys. It was fun off the field getting to know everyone. They’re just teenagers like us.”
Prior to heading up to the Yukon Territory, the team played some games in Utah to prepare for the world championships. From Salt Lake City, the team flew 2½ hours to Vancouver and had a layover before flying another 2½ hours to Whitehorse.
“The travel was kind of frustrating,” Reder said. “It took a whole day to get up there. The airport in Whitehorse is a lot smaller than Chicago. That was weird. And I didn’t expect it to be that much colder up there. It was about 60 the whole time.”
Reder will still play softball “here and there, whenever I can” the rest of the summer. He has not closed the door on his baseball career either. He is headed to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the fall and will try to walk on to the baseball team.
But softball is suddenly on Reder’s radar for years to come.
“I still like baseball,” Reder said. “I don’t really have a preference. After college, hopefully I get to play baseball, but after that, I’m sure I’ll be coming back and playing for my dad’s team (Dolan & Murphy). It’s a family thing.”
Pete’s Fourth, Elkville Fifth at Altamont
By Jeff Profitt/GateHouse News Service
Monday, July 7, 2008Two Southern Illinois-based teams returned home from the 33rd Annual Altamont Fourth of July Fastpitch Tournament with solid finishes this past Saturday.
Still Illinois’ longest running in-season tourney, the event was won by Cerro Gordo. Vandalia’s Guaranteed Air Freight and defending champion Wessel’s Coors Light of Teutopolis completed the top three.
Pete’s Blues from Swansea finished fourth, winning twice on Saturday to reach the trophy round. Elkville Fastpitch tied for fifth after finishing second in last year’s tourney.
After edging tournament host Altamont Home Center 4-2, Pete’s eliminated Elkville Fastpitch 8-1 in five innings.
The lone Elkville run cme in the third when Troy Downen singled and eventually scored on a misplay.
Pete’s banged out nine hits against Downen and Les Wood-two coming from Daniel Alstat of Elkville. Alstat blasted a solo home run and also doubled.
Elkville had five hits against Barry Dalmasso, all singles.
Justin Jackson, Nathan Hunter, Aaron Hunter, Downen and Shawn Hunter all hit safely.
The next action for Elkville will be Wednesday at the Teutopolis Budweiser Classic against Altamont Tri-Power.
Pete’s Blues advanced to play Vandalia, losing 8-1.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
BC Pizza hit three home runs during a five-run bottom-of-the-seventh inning Tuesday en route to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over BASES in a Petoskey Men’s Fast Pitch Softball League game at Bayfront Park’s Ed White Field.
Keith Young, Scott Cischke and Nick McIntosh each homered for BC, which trailed, 5-1, entering its final at-bat. Tim Pennell and Kory Ciesielski each doubled in the inning as well.
McIntosh, Cischke and Pennell finished with two hits apiece. Winning pitcher Doyle Dustin struck out four, walked one and allowed nine hits.
Aaron Wiers doubled, tripled, homered and drove in three runs to lead BASES. Brian Loper also homered and Chris Loper added two hits. Losing pitcher Jim Potter allowed 10 hits, walked one and struck out five.
Tom Longcore had four hits including a triple and a home run and finished with five RBI as Bay Street Orthopaedics outslugged All State Insurance, 19-14, in Tuesday’s second game.
Dan Kulman singled and doubled, Dave Woods homered, and Dan Wilcox and Wade Leist had two hits apiece to lead Bay Street. Weist and Woods drove in three runs apiece, while Don Richards, Mark Thompson and Stan Neff added two RBI each.
Neff started and picked up the victory. He allowed four runs on two hits, while walking three and striking out two over 3 2-3 innings. Woods and Dave Siegrist each pitched in relief.
The teams combined for 23 hits.
Losing pitcher Bud Ormsbee struck out two and walked five.
Aaron Simon doubled, tripled and homered to lead All State, Ty Averil homered, Josh Bush doubled, and Mike Holmes and Ryan Kalbleish added two hits apiece. Kalbleish and Holmes finished with three RBI each.
Northwest Airlines has joined the parade of carriers that will charge for checked baggage.
The airline, which has hubs in Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, announced the $15 charge today. It takes effect for any tickets purchased starting Thursday, July 10, and applies to travel that begins Aug. 28 and thereafter.
Northwest also will begin charging for frequent-flier tickets: $25 for domestic tickets, $50 for trans-Atlantic and $100 for trans-Pacific flights. The airline also plans to cut 2,500 jobs.
Northwest joins American and United airlines and US Airways in imposing the fee.
Northwest President Doug Steenland, in a media statement, cited energy costs as the reason for the fee, calling the fuel issue “unprecedented.â€
The airline also will increase its ticket change fee from $100 to $150.
Editor’s note: $25-50-100 for frequent flier tickets? Uh, thank you for your loyalty, that will be $25-50-100 for the privilege. Audacity, thy name is Northwest Airlines. If you’re buying a ticket on Northwest to Kimberly, note that the change goes into effect tomorrow. Be sure to check the date of purchase on your tickets — they can’t charge you retroactively, though United Airlines tried on my last flight. Flyers beware.
An unpaid advertisement for an airline that DOESN’T charge by the bag:
25 Home Runs on the Weekend for the Abbotsford Swingfest
Swingwest…BC Champs!
Abbotsford Swingwest’s weekend in Chilliwack both started and ended with a bang…Brad Avery hit a lead off HR to start the tournament on Friday Nite and Josh Wiens hit a walk off HR to capture the Provincial Championship on Sunday afternoon.
HR’s were certainly a big part of the weekend for Swingwest as they hit 25 as a team:
J. Wiens (5) H. Wiens (5) Avery (3) Wellington (3) Riesinger (3) Hawk (3) Holt (1) Folster (1) Josephson (1)
Swingwest had a potent batting line-up all wknd, which consistently produced both timely hits and runs. Josh Wiens was a stand out as he swung a hot bat all wknd and was named top batter of the tournament. The defense was strong all wknd as well, especially from guys like Eric Riesinger and Ben Josephson in the infield along with some sensational catches from Ryan Hawk in the outfield.
Swingwest also enjoyed exceptional pitching from Rob Johnson who pitched 10 strong innings in the semi final leading the way in a dramatic extra innings victory, he also got the win in the gold metal game and received the top pitcher award.
Scores:
Game 1: SW 11 – DC Arrows 0 (5 innings)
WP: Harv (B. Mac) LP: Vaughn (Snowman)
Game 2: SW 16 – Kelowna 10 (7 innings)
WP: R. Johnson (B. Mac) LP: Kunz (Sutherland, Blanliel)
Game 3: SW 5 – Slammers 0 (7 innings)
WP: Harv LP: Beck (Webster)
Game 4: SW 6 – Kamloops 3 (10 innings)
WP: R. Johnson LP: Haldane
Final 1: SW 12 – Giants 17 (7 innings)
WP: Wollard (Bish started) LP: Harv (B. Mac)
Final 2: SW 16 – Giants 0 (3 innings)
WP: R. Johnson LP: Wollard
This was the ultimate finish to a successful season for the Abby club, after finishing 2nd in Kelowna and 1st in Kamloops this year in other Sr. B tourney’s. They will now look at possibly competing at the ISC II’s next season in Wisconsin.
Chilliwack and the Vancouver Grey Sox did an outstanding job of hosting not only the Sr Mens Provincials this wknd, but the Sr Womens Provincials as well.
From:
Posted: 7/7/2008
USA Men’s National Team Concludes 3 Nations Challenge with loss to Japan
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — The USA Men’s National Team closed the 3 Nations Challenge in Saskatoon, SK on Sunday afternoon with a 9-3 loss to Japan. Team USA played well holding a lead for the first four innings of the game. The game was played in cool rainy conditions and included two rain delays of over one hour. Team USA finished the tournament at 0-5.
“Even though our won loss record does not show it, this was a highly successful trip for the team,†said USA head coach Pete Turner. “We brought a developmental team to Canada with a lot of young hitters and pitchers. We were competitive with the Japanese and Canadian teams that will be participating in next years World Championships.”
The U.S. opened the game with three runs in the first on walks to Chase Turner Stockton, Calif.) and Kyle Magnusson (Salt Lake City, Utah), and then a three-run line drive off the scoreboard by Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.).
Starting pitcher Travis Price (Corona, Calif.) held the Japanese through the first three innings giving up only a solo home run in the bottom of the third. The Japanese tied the game in the fourth on two singles and a walk combined with a throwing error by the Americans.
Price gave up two more runs in the fifth before giving way to relief pitcher Cody Thomson (Herriman, Utah). Team USA had great scoring chances in the third and sixth inning, but a lack of timely hitting and great defense by the Japanese held the Americans scoreless. Magnusson led the Americans again going 2-for-2 and ended the tournament hitting .510. Catcher DeGroat Jr. also went 2-for-3 with all three USA RBI.
The Americans will conduct a try out camp this fall for the 2009 National Team that will compete in next years ISF Men’s World Championships to be held in Saskatoon, SK..
Team Canada won the 3 Nations Challenge with a 1-0 win over Japan on Sunday evening.
United States 300 000 0 3 5 4
Japan 001 224x 9 10 0
Winning Pitcher – Kazutaka Muros
Losing Pitcher – Travis Price
Posted: 7/6/2008
USA Men continue to struggle at 3 Nations Challenge
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — The USA Softball Men’s National team will conclude play today in the 3 Nations Challenge after the Americans finished pool play at 0-4. The U.S. will battle Japan for its third time in as many days looking to muster its first win of thetournament. The game will begin at 1 p.m. MST with the winner moving on to play Canada at 3:30 p.m. MST for the championship title.
The Japanese finished 3-1 while Canada finished at 3-1 and earned the No. 1 seed with a Saturday evening 9-2 win over Japan.
See below for recaps from Friday and Saturday.
Saturday, July 5 – Japan 13 USA 6
Team USA closed the pool play portion of the 3 Nations Challenge, with a loss to Japan on Saturday night, 13-6 in five innings. Team USA pitching struggled with the powerful Japanese bats giving up four home runs. The Japanese have hit seven home runs in twelve innings against Team USA in this tournament. The U.S. grabbed its first lead of the tournament in the top of the first when Kyle Magnusson (Salt Lake City, Utah) hit a solo home run.
The lead moved to 2-0 in the top of the second when Eddie Ketelhut (Canton, Mich.) got on base on a Japanese error, and stole second base. He then scored on a Bryan Hansen (Denmark, Wis.) single.
The Japanese responded with nine runs in the bottom of the inning off American starter Paul Algar (Lexington, Ill.) and reliever Sean Kelly (Homer, Mich.). Algar went one and a third inning giving up eight runs (five earned) while walking four. Kelly relieved going one and two thirds of an inning giving up four earned runs. Travis Price (Corona, Calif.) closed out the game going one and a third inning allowing one run.
Magnusson led the American hitters going 2-for-3. Chase Turner (Stockton, Calif.) went 1-for-3 and Steve Pinocchio (Merced, Calif.) went 1-for-1 hitting a pinch hit grand slam in a four-run fourth inning for the Americans. Takuto Tsutsui hit two home runs for the Japanese, while Youhei Ono went 1-2 with a grand slam in the second inning.
USA 110 40 6 6 0
Japan 090 31 13 10 3
Winning Pitcher: Kunihiko Iida Losing Pitcher: Paul Algar
Friday, July 4 – Canada 9 USA 5
The USA Men’s National Team continued to struggle to find a break in a tough luck loss to Canada on Independence Day in Saskatoon, SK. The Canadians beat the Americans 9-5 before 1,231 fans at Bob Van Impe Stadium. The Americans continued to hit well, out hitting the Canadians nine to five, but left five runners stranded while playing the Canadians close through five innings.
Starter Gerald Pyle (Simi Valley, Calif.) went four and one third innings giving up three hits andtwo earned runs. Cody Thomson (Herriman, Utah) relieved for Team USA going an inning and two thirds. Canada’s Trevior Either was the winning pitcher throwing four innings and was relieved by Frank Cox.
The Canadians opened up a three-run lead in the first, scoring three runs, two of which were unearned. The Americans began their scoring in the third inning with three runs, all with two outs. A Nate Devine (Merced, Calif.) double scored Chase Turner (Stockton, Calif.) for Team USA’s first run, and then Devine scored when Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.) hit a long home run to right field. The Americans scored a single run in the sixth when Kyle Magnusson (Salt Lake City, Utah) led off the inning with a single and then scored on a Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) double. Nate Devine (Merced, Calif.) closed out the American scoring in the seventh with a towering home run estimated at over 370 feet that drew a loud ovation from the Canadian crowd.
USA 003 001 1 5 9 2
Canada 310 032 x 9 5 1
Winning Pitcher: Trevior Either Losing Pitcher: Gerald Pyle
Al Doran has all the coverage of this past weekend’s Tri-Nation Challenge in Saskatoon:
Full details on the Three Nations Challenge at Alsfastball
Some individual pieces on Al’s News Page as well.
From the The StarPhoenix:
Dustin Munroe
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Canada’s Craig Crawford is out on second, with Japan’s Yu Nishimori gunning for a double play in the 3 Nations Challenge on Friday at Bob Van Impe Stadium. Photo Credit: –SP Photo by Richard Marjan
Before the music is cued for Keith Mackintosh, he is looking forward to one more dance.
Mackintosh is competing in the 3 Nations Challenge tournament this weekend at Bob Van Impe Stadium, what he calls the dress rehearsal for the International Softball Federation world men’s championship next summer in Saskatoon.
For the first time in his 13-year career with the Canadian team, Mackintosh got to play with the national team in Melfort, where he was born and raised. The Canadians had an exhibition doubleheader against the U.S. there on Wednesday, winning twice.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to be introduced in your hometown as part of a national team,” said Mackintosh. “I’m nearing the end of my career, so it’s pretty special for me to experience those moments.
“I played all my minor ball in Melfort, we had a good core of players who lived and breathed the game. Our team, coming from a community of 5000 people, won the bantam western championships, bantam national championships and the junior national championships before we all moved on.”
Canada defeated the U.S. 4-2 in the opening game of the Challenge on Thursday. In the late game Japan defeated the U.S. 8-3. Canada played Japan and the U.S. on Friday. Action continues today, with Japan playing Canada at 6:30 p.m. and Japan against the United States at 8:30 p.m. Playoffs are on Sunday.
Mackintosh lives in Saskatoon with his wife, Kim, and sons Riley, 10, and Matthew, 4, and plays club ball with the Aspen Interiors Black Sox.
“They’ve all been involved in the game, Kim played when she was younger,” said Mackintosh. “They’ve all been really supportive of me travelling around.
“I’ve made a deal with my wife and kids that if I don’t make the ’09 team that will play here, I’m retiring this year. I’m not ready to retire this year, but if the Canadian championships (in Saskatoon in late August this year) is my last tournament, then I’ll be good with that.
“This year will be my 19th senior men’s nationals. It would be nice to make the ’09 national team, finish up 20 years (of senior national play), and call it a career.”
He is one of 20 players vying for spots on the 2009 national team.
Mackintosh’s playing career may be in the twilight, but he looks forward to getting a new generation excited about the sport.
“Both of my kids will be playing and I’ll give them the same kind of support my parents did for me,” he said. “There will also be a few more weekends at the lake in the summer.”
Mackintosh’s favourite softball moment is winning gold at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. You get the feeling playing in the 2009 world championship in front of the home crowd would be even sweeter.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008