The Western region is well represented in the latest rankings released by the ISC today, with five of the Top 25 teams:

Ranking/Team

5 – California A’s
13 – Bakersfield Silverhawks
18 – Portland
21 – Rude Pac
22 – Pueblo
29 – Macabbi USA

The California A’s (5) held onto the number 5 spot, on the strength of going unbeaten in two big tournaments in the month of June, the Best of the West and California Classic. The A’s have dominated the competition, and are clearly the top team in California. The A’s will get their first look at top 10 ranked teams in a few weeks, when they travel to Wisconsin July 10-11 for the Boys of Summer tournament. Among the field of teams there will be five top 20 teams, including:

7. Albaugh Inc of Elkhart, IA
8. Bar of Appleton (winner of the Decatur Shootout)
12. Dolan & Murphy of Aurora, IL
14. Kegal Black Knights of Fargo, ND
16. St. Paul, MN Minnesota Angels

While the A’s will no doubt benefit from seeing pitchers they have not yet faced, and some tough competition, they will be the team with a target on their back, as the top-ranked team in the tournament, with any losses putting their number 5 ranking at risk. Regardless, the tournament will give the team a chance to size up some of the competition they’re likely to face in Midland Michigan in August at the ISC World Tournament, and test their mettle against the rigors of travel across the country. This weekend will see the number 1-2-3-4-6 ranked teams squaring off at the Legends tournament in Ontario, Canada, with the number 5 California A’s conspicuous by their absence:

1. Kitchener Rivershark Twins
2. Jarvis Travelers
3. New York Gremlins
4. Chicago New York
5. –
6. Midland Explorers

Bakersfield (13) and Portland (18) both a struggled a bit at the California Classic last weekend, missing the six team championship bracket, winding up in the consolation bracket. The ranking committee appeared to take that into account, with Bakersfield falling from number 11 to number 13, while Portland dropped from number 15 to number 18. Still, both teams managed to hold higher spots than Rude Pac — which beat both. Bakersfield was runner-up to the #5 California A’s at Best of the West earlier this month. Despite the setbacks at the California Classic, both teams are respected for front line pitching staffs with ISC World Tournament experience, including Sebastian Gervasutti (Bakersfield) and Bricklen Anderson (Portland).

A-1 Rude Pac (21) moved up in the rankings from number 26 to number 21, on the strength of their runner-up finish at the California Classic, which included wins over then-ranked number 11 and 15, Bakersfield and Portland. Nova Scotia pitcher, young 22 year old Cory Avery and the improvement of Gerald Pyle has elevated the play of this squad. The Pac took third place at the Best of the West tournament earlier this month, and gave the number five-ranked California A’s one of their better games in that tournament, falling 2-0, before the A’s beat Bakersfield in the final. Coupled with their third place finish at Best of the West, this is a team on the rise, and one that the ranking committee will no doubt keep an eye on.

The Pueblo Bandits (22) of Colorado dropped from number 16 to number 22, perhaps more a product of their inactivity than anything else. Pueblo qualified for the ISC World tournament in 2010 by winning their own tournament, though no other ranked teams participated, and Pueblo ran away from the field, with 10-0 wins in both the semi final and final. However, Pueblo has more ISC World Tournament experience than any other team in the term of, having qualified in 15 of the last 16 years. The loss of New Zealand ace Jeremy Manley this year is likely in the minds of the ranking committee. With the drop to number 21, Pueblo falls out of the “Sweet Sixteen” spots earning a first round bye at the ISC World Tournament.

Macabbi USA (29) held onto the number 29 spot, with a another solid performance last weekend, following its third-place finish at Best of the West earlier this month.

The Cal State Builders (NR/formerly #34) fell out of the rankings this time around, after being ranked number 34 in the June 8 rankings earlier this month. The drop in rankings is most likely a result of similarly ranked teams getting an opportunity to play each other and move up, while the Builders faced higher ranked teams ( such as those above) in tournament play thus far. The Builders did reach the championship bracket at the California Classic. Their high point in that one was a 4-4 tie with the current number 13 Bakersfield Silverhawks, showing they can stay with the best, but fell to an unranked local San Diego team in the playoff round, and will have to look to knock off a ranked opponent to climb back into the rankings.

Editor’s note: The top 16 spots in the ISC rankings are very valuable, as they carry with it, a first round bye in the ISC World Tournament, and improve a team’s chances of advancing into the final days of the tournament. At present, two California teams would fall into that category, the # 5 A’s, # 13 Bakersfield, with #18 Portland, # 21 Rude Pac and # 22 Pueblo battling to get off the bubble and into the “Sweet Sixteen”. The problem for those teams will be that they are not likely to face any or many of the teams above them before the final set of rankings next month.

Rude Pac has arguably made the best case for belonging in the Sweet Sixteen so far:

-tied and beat # 5 California A’s at the Silverhawks tournament in May;
-tied then-#11Bakersfield at the Silverhawks tournament in May;
-beat then #11 Bakersfield at the California Classic;
-beat then #15 Portland at the California Classic.
-finished 2nd in the Silverhawks tournament, ahead of higher ranked teams.
-finished 3rd at the Best of the West, losing to the # 5 ranked team, 2-0 in the semis
-finished 2nd at California Classic, beating a #11 and #15 ranked teams

Teams on the bubble
(Top 16 get first round byes in ISC WT)

13 Bakersfield, CA Silverhawks
14 Fargo, ND Kegel Black Knights
15 Owen Sound, ON Selects
16 St. Paul, MN Minnesota Angels
————————————-
17 Alvinston, ON Indians
18 Portland, OR Columbia River Rockers
19 Elmira, ON Expos
20 Niagara, ON Snappers
21 Sun Valley, CA A-1 Rude Pac
22 Pueblo, CO Bandits

2010 June 24 ISC Rankings
Rank Team
1 Kitchener, ON Rivershark Twins
2 Jarvis, ON Travelers
3 Chicago/NY Dominicana
4 Clifton Park, NY Gremlins
5 Salinas, CA Athletics
6 Midland, MI Explorers
7 Elkhart, IA Albaugh Inc.
8 Saskatoon, SK Diamondbacks
9 Appleton, WI Bar of Appleton
10 Decatur, IL Pride
11 Port Elgin, ON Blue Devils
12 Aurora, IL Dolan & Murphy Shamrocks
13 Bakersfield, CA Silverhawks
14 Fargo, ND Kegel Black Knights
15 Owen Sound, ON Selects
16 St. Paul, MN Minnesota Angels
———————————-
17 Alvinston, ON Indians
18 Portland, OR Columbia River Rockers
19 Elmira, ON Expos
20 Niagara, ON Snappers
21 Sun Valley, CA A-1 Rude Pac
22 Pueblo, CO Bandits
23 Kitchener-Waterloo, ON Cubs
24 Cobourg, ON Force
25 Marshall, MI Lightning
26 Ashland, OH Stock Pack
27 Quyon, QC Flyers
28 Donnacona, QC Blue Sox
29 USA Maccabi
30 Toronto, ON Gators