ISC Tournament features many events off the field

August 8th, 2010

From the Midland Daily News:
By John Kennett jkennett (at) mdn.net

The 64th International Softball Congress World Tournament promises to be much more than just a fastpitch tournament.

The Midland host committee and the ISC have put together a full lineup of events for the tournament that runs from Aug. 13-21 at Emerson Park and Redcoats Softball Complex.

Youth Clinic featuring Gillis, Candrea

Aug. 14 features a Youth Clinic from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with Mike Candrea and pitcher Doug Gillis. As a softball coach, Candrea has earned eight NCAA championships at the University of Arizona and has led the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal and a silver medal.

Gillis, a former Midland Explorer who will pitch for Mickey’s Sleds of Midland in the ISC Tournament, is a six-time member of the USA National Team and owner of the Doug Gillis Softball Academy in Wixom.

Admission to the clinic will be included in either a participant’s daily or tournament pass. No additional fee is necessary. All passes allow youth admission to all of Saturday’s games, the clinic, and the opening ceremonies, which will take place at 6 p.m. at Currie Stadium.

Darren Zack being inducted into Hall of Fame

On Sunday, Aug. 15, former Explorer Darren Zack will be inducted into the ISC Hall of Fame along with John Becker, Alan Rohrback, Joe Avila, the Sonnentag family, Mark Sorenson, and Dennis Johnson.

The ceremony takes place during a breakfast from 8-11 a.m. at the Great Hall at Valley Plaza. Tickets are $20.

Zack is the only player to have been selected ISC Outstanding Player four times, and has been a member of four ISC championship teams.

ISC/Special Olympics game

The third annual ISC/Special Olympics exhibition softball game, between ISC players and the Midland Special Olympics All-Stars, will take place on Wednesday Aug. 18, at Emerson Park Field No. 2.

Introduction of the Midland Special Olympics All-Stars, coached by Kathy Peariso, will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Currie Stadium. The All-Stars and the ISC players will then march together over to Emerson No. 2 for the game.

Ticket information

Tickets for all events can be purchased at Sports Junction locations in Midland (152 Ashman Circle) or Saginaw (5605 State Street), or online at www.Midland2010ISC.com. Fans may also purchase tickets by mailing a check to Midland Explorers Boosters Club, P.O. Box 1311, Midland, MI. 48640.

An adult tournament pass is $40 and a daily pass is $8. A single evening pass will be $6. For youth (11-18), the cost will be $15 for a tournament pass, $5 for a daily pass and $3 for an evening pass. Admission is free for children 10 and under. Parking is free during the entire tournament.

Live video and audio broadcasts

The ISC is offering live broadcasts of selected tournament games. The broadcast schedule kicks off with the two-time defending champion Kitchener Rivershark Twins at 4 p.m. on Aug. 14. This game will be free of charge to viewers at iscfastpitch.com.

The ISC is offering an All Access pass, which will provide fans with access to at least 24 live video broadcasts along with archived broadcasts for any games they may have missed. The cost for the pass is $49.95 before Aug. 9 and $59.95 thereafter. Details via the ISC website.

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Midland gears up for ISC Softball World Tournament

August 8th, 2010


MLive.com Blog

Geoff Mott | The Saginaw News

MIDLAND — Fastpitch softball enthusiasts from around the globe will be watching the 63rd annual International Softball Congress World Tournament when play starts Friday at Midland’s Emerson Park.

“We began audio streaming games over the Internet in 2001 and added video streaming in 2005,” ISC Executive Director Ken Hackmeister said.

“We’ve had an outstanding response to it, particularly overseas. We take e-mails from viewers and listeners and it’s amazing to see how they come from the different corners of the world. New Zealand, Argentina, Europe, Australia … they are from everywhere.

“Midland will get a tremendous amount of exposure worldwide.”

Hotels in Midland are full and spilling over into the Great Lakes Bay Region to accommodate 48 teams from all over North America. Midland is just the second Michigan city to host the ISC tournament — the first was Saginaw in 1981.

The tournament, a double-elimination format that includes the ISC II tournament for teams quickly eliminated, wraps up with championship games on Aug. 21. The inaugural Legends Tournament and ISC 19-under World Tournament also will take place in Midland.

“Midland is the perfect place to host a tournament like this,” said Kyle Beane, co-host of the tournament committee who’ll play in his 16th ISC World Tournament. “I know the Explorers will do well in front of the hometown crowd.

“There’s always been good support here. The actual number has dwindled as the sport has fallen out of the amateur sporting eye, but we sold 300 tournament passes before it started. Compared to other hosts, that’s a good number. Other tournaments haven’t sold a third of that.”

Action will be aplenty in Midland all week, including times when six softball games will be going at the same time. Two separate free clinics are available to boys up to 18 years old, a Special Olympics and ISC exhibition game takes place Wednesday night and fans can meet stars from yesteryear at the ISC Hall of Fame breakfast Sunday.

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Kitchener wins ASA Men’s Major

August 7th, 2010

UPDATE – Kitchener Rivershark Twins dominated the Jarvis/Broken Bow Travelers 11-2 to win the ASA Major Sunday morning.

Cap tip to the Belleville Softball Staff in South Bend Indiana, for great game by game reporting at their website for ASA Men’s Major Tournament.

The Belleville Softball Complex, South Bend, Indiana is proud to host the ASA Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship Finals Tournament, August 5-8, 2010.

Click here for winner’s bracket.

Click here for loser’s bracket.

Click here for game summaries.

Click here for official website.

Click for the full report at Al’s Fastball.

ISC # 2 ranked Kitchener Rivershark Twins beat ISC # 1 ranked Broken Bow Travelers in the winner’s bracket final. Broken Bow prevailed over the Minnesota Angels, who finished 5-2 in the tournament. Minnesota got good pitching performances from Juan Potliccio, Mitch Hardy and Kevin Kammueler, and appear to be a team on the rise as it heads towards Midland next week for the ISC World Tournament. Among the wins in South Bend for Minnesota, # 13 in the rankings was a win over the # 4 ranked New York Gremlins.

Another team that appears to be peaking at the right time is #25 ranked Marshall Lightning. The Lightning finished fourth in the tournament, falling in the loser’s bracket semi-final to the #13 ranked Minnesota Angels by a 1-0 score. The Lightning advanced to that game with the tournament’s biggest upset, a 2-0 win over in-state-rival, #6 Midland Michigan Explorers.

Here is how the top 10 fared at South Bend:

Rank Team
1 Jarvis, ON (Broken Bow) Travelers (3-2)
beat # 6 Midland 9-0
beat #4 NY Gremlins 3-2
lost to # 2 Rivershark Twins 2-4 in winner’s bracket final
beat # 13 Minnesota, 12-6 in loser’s bracket final
lost to # 2 Rivershark Twins 2-11 in championship game

2 Kitchener, ON Rivershark Twins (5-0)
beat #1 The Bar of Appleton 7-0
beat #12 Dolan & Murphy 7-0
beat #25 Marshall Lightning, MI 9-0
beat #1 Travelers 4-2;
beat # 1 Travelers 11-2

3 Chicago/NY Dominicana
Did not play (Jeremy Manley pitched for his former team, Pueblo)

4 Clifton Park, NY Gremlins (2-2)
beat # 21 Pueblo 2-0
beat #10 Decatur Pride 4-0
lost to #1 Travelers 2-3
lost to #13 Minnesota Angels 3-0

5 Salinas, CA Athletics – Did not play

6 Midland, MI Explorers (3-3)
beat unranked Duncan Outlaws IA, 9-0
lost to # 1 Travelers 0-9
lost to # 7 The Bar of Appleton 4-7
beat #10 Decatur 1-0
beat #21 Pueblo 1-0
lost to #25 Marshall Lightning, MI 0-2

7 Appleton, WI Bar of Appleton (1-2)
lost to # 2 Rivershark Twins
beat #6 Midland 7-4
lost to # 8 Albaugh 2-0

8 Elkhart, IA Albaugh Inc. (2-2)
lost to #13 Minnesota Angels 0-1
beat unranked Anderson Lawmen 8-1
beat # 7 The Bar of Appleton 2-0
lost to #13 Minnesota Angels 7-6

9 Saskatoon, SK Diamondbacks
Did not play

10 Decatur, IL Pride (2-2)
beat # 26 Ashland Stock Pack 1-0
lost to # 4 Gremlins 0-4
beat n/r Anderson 9-2
lost to # 6 Midland 1-0

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Midland Explorers head to ASA Major quarterfinals

August 7th, 2010

From the Midland Daily News

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Midland Explorers made it to today’s single-elimination quarterfinals in the ASA Men’s Major Fastpitch National Championship, despite going 1-2 on Friday.

The Explorers, who won their opener on Thursday, lost their first game Friday 9-0 to top-seeded Broken Bow/Jarvis Travelers in five innings, then lost to The Bar of Appleton 7-4 later in the day before edging the Decatur Pride 1-0 to end the day.

The Explorers managed only three hits in the loss to Broken Bow/Jarvis.

In the Explorers’ second game, Appleton opened up a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but the Explorers fought back with a run in each of the next two innings to get to within 4-2. Craig Crawford capped the comeback with a two-run double in the fifth inning to tie it at 4-4. But Appleton answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead for good.

In the victory over Decatur, Frank Cox pitched all seven innings for the Explorers, giving up only one hit and one walk and striking out 11.

The hit and the walk came in the top of the first inning, as the Pride got runners to the corners with two outs. But Cox got the next batter to ground out, ending the threat.

The only other Pride baserunner came on an error in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the inning, the Explorers got the lone run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Steve Roberts with Steve Horning on third.

The Explorers (2-2) face the Pueblo Bandits (2-2) today at noon in the quarterfinal round.

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Japan travels long-distance to play in NAFA World Series

August 7th, 2010


(click banner for original news story at OttoinFocus)


Written by Bob Otto on August 6th, 2010

The Waseda University men’s fastpitch softball team from Tokyo, Japan, will be playing in the NAFA World Series 23-Under Division, Aug. 13-15, in Des Moines, Iowa. Waseda won the 2005 AA Division, and is looking to win another championship in its four World Series appearances.


Courtesy Photo

By BOB OTTO
NAFA Reporter / Photographer
botto3 (at) verizon.net

“For our team, this is a real privilege to play a team that cares to travel that far to play ball.” – Rich Markham, manager Westerville Capitals

TOKYO, JAPAN – Stadium Lanes of Duluth, Minnesota will travel 314 miles to Des Moines, Iowa to play softball. That’s a short drive compared with Waseda University’s travel plans.

The Tokyo, Japan University fastpitch softball team will fly 6,313 miles to Chicago, Illinois, then board a bus for another 307-mile jaunt to Des Moines – site of the 2010 North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) World Series.

All for the love of playing fastpitch softball. And for the opportunity to once again lay claim to a World Series championship. Waseda will play in the 12-team, Age 23-Under Division (Aug. 13-15) that features top young men’s teams from Canada and the U.S.

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Canada’s Jay Sim passes away

August 7th, 2010

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix

One of world’s best softball catchers

Had strong arm. Named to Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame

By CORY WOLFE, Postmedia News; Saskatoon StarPhoenix August 7, 2010

Once regarded as the world’s best softball catcher, Jay Sim died unexpectedly on Tuesday.

Sim suffered a heart attack while walking with his wife, Barb, at a lake north of Saskatoon. He was 52.

“It’s shocking,” said pitching legend Gene McWillie, who hurled thousands of pitches into Sim’s mitt. “That’s one of the last things I would have expected, to see him pass away this early. It’s a shame. We’ll miss him.

“Saskatoon will miss him.”

Born and raised in the city, Sim became a key contributor to the national program. He was a member of the last Canadian team to win the softball world championship with a dramatic comeback victory in 1992.

“He was a guy who came out of nowhere and became probably the best catcher in the world,” said local softball organizer Keith McLean. “He caught the best pitching staff in the world probably better than anybody ever could.

“When you’re catching guys like (Mike) Piechnik and McWillie and (Rob) Guenter in their prime, it becomes a matter of being a general and running the game. That was one of his big strengths.”

Sim also owned a deceptively quick release. Opponents who thought they’d found a weakness in Sim’s game soon learned otherwise, said Mc-Lean.

“He had a unique way of throwing the ball to second. As soon as teams saw that, they thought they would steal. But after one attempt, they never tried again. He had a gun to second base.”

Sim’s achievements earned him a spot in the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame in November 1992, just eight months after he retired from softball. The previous spring, he helped Canada win the world championship in the Philippines.

“Winning the world championship was the dream of any fast-pitch softball player,” Sim said at the time. “And the way we won it, it was probably the most exciting game I’ve ever played in.”

Down 3-0 to New Zealand in the fifth inning, Canada tied the game with a three-run homer by Jody Hennigar. Mark Smith’s two-out, two-run double lifted Canada to victory in extra innings. Canada has not claimed the title since.

Sim also earned gold for Canada at the 1987 Pan-American Games, the 1989 Challenge Cup in Saskatoon, the 1990 Pan American qualifier and the 1991 Pan American Games.

“I felt really confident with him behind the plate,” said McWillie. “I had no worries at all when Jay was back there. I enjoyed it and I knew that I could depend on him to do the job.”

The two rarely spoke on the diamond or in the dugout, added McWillie. They didn’t have to.

“We were just on the same page. I very seldom shook him off as far as signals -and I’m a pretty independent guy. But he had a good feel for me and what I liked to throw. I was really comfortable with Jay.”

Off the field, Sim was always jovial and a committed family man, said McWillie.

“I didn’t hear him say bad things about other people or anything like that. He was very honourable. I was shocked and saddened to hear of his passing.”

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Ballparkradio at Stratford, Ontario

August 6th, 2010

Ballparkradio is live now (12 pm EDT, 9am west coast time), from Stratford Ontario Canada with the final three games of the Canadian youth championships, which started on Sunday August 1.

Kyle Smith and Blair Setford will bring you the play-by-play at the teams vie to be in the 2pm EDT (11am PDT) championship game today.

Drop them an email during the game – live (at) ballparkradio.com

Click the logo to listen live.

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Canadian Midget Championships on Ballparkradio on “Finals Friday” at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm EDT from Stratford

August 5th, 2010

Ballparkradio’s Kyle Smith and Blair Setford will broadcast live today, from the Canadian Midget Boys Championships, Friday, August 6, 2010 @ 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 4:00 EDT (9am, 11am and 2pm on the west coast)

Friday is the final day of the tournament, so you don’t want to miss it !

The tournament is also streaming video via a live webcam on Ustream, and archiving games already played (the tournament started Sunday). Click here for links to the webcams, at two different diamonds, and note the archives of past games.

Be sure to check out the great website put together for the organizing committee for this tournament.

(Click logo below)


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Canadian Midget Championships – Thurs Night on Ballparkradio at 6 and 8 pm EDT from Stratford

August 5th, 2010

Kyle Smith/Ballparkradio will broadcast live tonight, from the Canadian Midget Boys Championships, Thursday, August 5, 2010 @ 6:00 pm and 8:00 EDT (3pm and 5pm on the west coast)

The tournament is also streaming video via a live webcam on Ustream, and archiving games already played (the tournament started Sunday). Click here for links to the webcams, at two different diamonds, and note the archives of past games.

Be sure to check out the great website put together for the organizing committee for this tournament.

(Click logo below)


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Canadian Midget Championships – Wed Night on Ballparkradio at 7 and 9 pm EDT from Stratford

August 4th, 2010

Kyle Smith/Ballparkradio will broadcast live tonight, from the Canadian Midget Boys Championships, Wednesday, Aug 8, 2010 @ 7:00 pm and 9:00 EDT (4pm and 6pm on the west coast)

Kyle has been on a roll the past month, broadcasting from the Legends Fastball Classic, the Tavistock Tournament and the Erie PA tournament, all major events with Top 10 teams. Two days after the final out in Erie, he’s over in Stratford Ontario for the Canadian Midget (Youth) Championships, where he will be broadcasting all week, leading up to Friday’s championship game. One broadcast last night, two more tonight and more to follow.

The tournament is also streaming video via a live webcam on Ustream, and archiving games already played (the tournament started Sunday). Click here for links to the webcams, at two different diamonds, and note the archives of past games.

Be sure to check out the great website put together for the organizing committee for this tournament.

(Click logo below)


Posted in Broadcasts, Canada, Tournaments, Youth | No Comments »

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