From Dennis Frye:
The Midwest Stampede in Thrilling fashion WON in the 8th inning, to rally and Capture the Prize against a Very Tough Townline team from Green Bay 8-7 on Sunday afternoon . They also met on Saturday night and went back and forth in a see-saw affair , coming out on top 8-5 ! The Fast-pitch action all weekend had to deal with Strong winds and Sprinkle’s but The Higher Power wanted Softball at it’s Finest to be on DISPLAY for ALL who were here to Experience the Atmosphere .
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Thousands of listeners tuned in for the 8th ISF World Jr. Men’s Championships at Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada on Ballparkradio.com. Listener logins showed more than 1000 listeners for each of Sunday’s medal games, and nearly 7000 total for the 12 broadcasts over four days. Listener “logins” do not reflect the grand total of listeners, as many families and neighbors gathered around one computer for the big event, as reflected in the hundreds of emails received by the broadcast crew of Kyle Smith and Jim Flanagan. Flanagan noted the listener totals for the final two games may have approached the several thousand fans in attendance at Whitehorse.
Ballparkradio broadcaster Kyle Smith had this to say:
“I can not even begin to wrap my head around the number of listeners who tuned in over the four days of broadcasting. This is absolutely tremendous for the game of fastpitch that was said to be in decline some years ago. This just goes to show that the game is alive and well. The thousands of fans in attendance at Whitehorse were joined by thousands more online. I want to thank each and every listener who tuned into www.ballparkradio.com. ”
Jim Flanagan added:
“Kyle and I were overwhelmed by the emails sent by listeners from all corners of the world. We received a ton of email from people in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and the USA, as well as Europe and other parts of the world. If the volume of emails are any indication, I think all of Newfoundland was listening and rooting for Mike Noftall and Shane Boland. We received one from a former ISF Junior player who had played in the tournament back in 2001, and was listening from Israel. One loyal listener in Argentina expanded the audience by opening a chat room and translating the play-by-play into Spanish for non-English speaking fans so they could follow along. Another fan who wasn’t home to listen convinced her sister to hold the phone up to the speaker so she could listen while driving home. A junior player who was in Whitehorse, but flew home Sunday, raced home from the airport to listen to the final game. A group of umpires and fans at the ongoing Monkton tournament tuned in. A number of fastpitch associations or teams wrote to say they were following players that they coached or knew.
I especially enjoyed reading those from gatherings of family and friends — in some cases, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends, all sitting around the computer to follow the action — and their favorite player and team live. My only regret is that everyone doesn’t get to read all of the emails right along with us. It was like sitting in the bleachers and carrying on conversations with everyone there — knowing that they might be halfway around the world, but feeling like they were sitting right there with us. To see — and feel — that kind of interest in the game — was an amazing experience for Kyle and I.”
To all of our friends north of the border, including those celebrating Canada’s silver medal at the 8th ISF Jr. World Championships last week, we wish you a Happy Canada Day.
Frequently referred to as “Canada’s birthday,” particularly in the popular press, the occasion marks the joining of the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867.
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The USA Jr. Men played tough against many of the top finishing teams in the tournament, losing a number of one-run ballgames. Their low point was the 12-2 loss to 9th place South Africa. The high points were the a 7-6 extra inning win over Mexico (which came at the end of a day that saw them lose a tough 7am game to New Zealand, 3-2, and and another to Argentina, 5-4) and a hard fought 1-0 loss in 8 innings to Team Canada in the final game of the round robin portion of the tournament. In that final game, USA Jr. Men’s pitcher BJ Hunhoff shut out the silver medalists through regulation, striking out 9 and surrending but 2 hits.
USA Jr. Men against the top finishers:
Austrailia, gold medalists: USA lost 9-0
Canada, silver medalists: USA lost 1-0 in 8 innings
Japan, bronze medalists, USA lost 4-2
New Zealand, 4th place: USA lost 3-2
Argentina, 5th place, USA lost, 5-4
Venezuela, 6th place, USA won, 12-4
Mexico, 7th place: USA won 7-6
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Press Release from ASA/USA Softball:
For Immediate Release: 6/28/08
USA Jr. Men finish 8th at World Championships with 5-6 overall record
WHITEHORSE, Yukon — The USA Softball Junior Men’s National team completed their final day of competition on Friday at th 2008 World Championships with a 9-4 victory over the Czech Republic in the afternoon before a heartbreaking 1-0 eight-inning loss to host Canada in the evening session.
With 5-6 overall record, the U.S. finished eighth in the standings as the top four team move on to Saturday’s semifinal action. The U.S. scored 61 runs to their opponents 48 during the week.
USA 9 Czech Republic 5
(Photo: James Hartman, from USA Softball website)
The U.S. exploded for nine runs on 12 hits on Friday afternoon with a 9-5 triumph over the Czech Republic (1-10). James Hartman (Hartford, S.D.) earned the win in the circle tossing seven innings allowing three earned runs, eight hits and recording five strikeouts.
Both teams were quiet in the first inning before a six-run inning boosted the U.S. for a comfortable lead. The Czech Republic mustered two runs in the top of the third inning, but the U.S. came right back with two runs as well for the 8-2 lead. Another two-run inning came from the Czech Republic in the fifth as they closed the gap to 8-4, but the U.S. prevailed with each team scoring in the sixth for the eventual 9-5 final.
(Photo: Tony Viger, from USA Softball website; photo of Nick Cole not available)
Leading the offense for the Red, White and Blue was Tony Viger (Sioux Falls, S.D.) who was 3-for-4 with two singles, a home run and two RBI. Right behind him was outfielder Nicholas Cole (Sacramento, Calif.) who was 2-for-2 with a single, a home run and a team-leading four RBI. JT Weststeyn (Baldwin, Mo.) was also 2-for-3 with two singles.
Canada 1 USA 0 (eight innings)
The featured match-up of the evening, it was a pitcher’s duel with goose eggs on the scoreboard until the top of the eighth inning when Canada scored one run to capture the 1-0 victory.
(Photo: BJ Hunhoff, from USA Softball website)
USA starting pitcher B.J. Hunhoff (Harrisburg, S.D.) pitched an incredible game against the hot-hitting Canadian bats. He tallied all eight innings facing 29 batters and allowed just three hits while also recording nine strikeouts.
Canadian pitcher Dustin Keshane no-hit the U.S. in the victory retiring 16 U.S. batters via the strikeout.
Final Standings through Round Robin Play
1 Australia 10-1
2 Japan 9-2
3 Canada 9-2
4 New Zealand 8-3
5 Argentina 6-5
6 Venezuela 6-5
7 Mexico 6-5
8 United States 5-6
9 South Africa 4-7
10 Denmark 2-9
11 Czech Republic 1-10
12 Botswana 0-11
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Australia rallied for two runs in the bottom half of the 8th inning, for a 2-1 victory over Canada to win the gold medal at the 8th ISF Jr. Men’s World Championships at Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, Sunday afternoon.
The game was tied at 0-0 through the regulation seven innings, with the game shifting to the international tie breaker. Canada, the visiting team, scored one run in the top half of the 8th inning, when Canada’s first baseman Cory Jones singled home Jessin Potskin for the game’s first run.
Australia’s Heath Wells singled with one out in the bottom of the 8th inning, putting runners at the corners for Australia. Wells stole second uncontested, putting runners at second and third. Canada’s pitcher Drew McCullough managed to get the second out on a tapper the mound. Australia pinch hitter Drew Faulkner then singled sharply up the middle, scoring both runners, with Wells coming home with the game — and gold medal winner.
Medals:
Gold – Australia
Silver – Canada
Bronze – Japan
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Japan wins bronze, Australia to play Canada for the gold.
Japan Gets Bronze Medal, Canada Advances to Gold Medal Game in Reverse of 2005
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Dylan Cunningham hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 7th inning to propel Canada to a 5-3 win over Japan, and advance to the gold medal game at 4pm against Australia.
Japan had tied the game with a home run with two outs in the top of the 7th, hit by Japan’s shortstop Tsuitsui.
From the official tournament website:
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Canada 2, New Zealand 1
Australia 4, Japan 1
Canada will face Japan at 1pm Sunday.
Winner of Canada-Japan will play Australia for the Gold medal at 4pm Sunday.
From the official tournament website:
Australia Awaits Final Opponent
News Release
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The top three seeds from the round robin remain in the hunt for the 2008 World Junior Fast Pitch Championship. Australia secured their chance to repeat as tournament champions when they booked their spot in the finals with a solid 4-1 victory over Japan.
Japan can still get another crack at Australia and the tournament championship with a victory over host nation Canada when the two teams meet at the Pepsi Softball Centre at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, 2008.
The third seeded Canadian club won a hard fought battle with New Zealand in Saturday’s other semi final. Canada needed some final inning heroics to emerge with a 2-1 win and the chance to compete for the world championship.
“The athletes have all put on such a great show and the fans have been just amazing,†said George Arcand, Chair of the 2008 World Junior Fast Pitch Championship. “Hopefully we’ll all be rewarded with some good weather for the final two games.â€
The winner of the Canada/Japan game will take on the defending champions from Australia at 4 p.m. in a game that will be followed immediately by the closing ceremonies.
Tickets for both Sunday games are available at the gate for $15 a piece.
Contact:
Media Relations
(867) 334-5203
softballmedia@outsidethecube.ca
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Live broadcasts of the Medal Rounds of the 8th ISF Junior Men’s World Championships begin at 3:00 pm. PDT, Saturday, June 28, 2008.
Kyle Smith and Jim Flanagan will be bringing you live audio from the medal rounds of the final two days of the tournament. The two-man crew has broadcast eight (8) games over the past two days, with four more to go, two Saturday and two on Sunday.
This tournament only comes along every four years, so you don’t want to miss it. To listen, just click the BALLPARKRADIO logo above, and then the “click to listen” button. Turn on your computer speakers, and you’ll feel like you’re right there in Whitehorse.
All Game Times are Pacific Daylight time (PDT) Adjust for your time zone.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
67 – P1 3:00pm I Third Place (Canada) vs. Fourth Place (New Zealand)
68 – P2 5:30pm I First Place (Australia) vs. Second Place (Japan)
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Game 69 – Playoff 3 – 1:00pm – Winner P1 vs. Loser P2
Game 70 – Playoff 4 – 4:00pm – Winner P2 vs. Winner P3