Editor’s note: Here is a story that ran in a local Chicago newspaper, including a quote from the skipper for the California Lumberkings, David Weldin. The Lumberkings are back in Chicago for the second year in a row. Play begins this weekend. The Lumberkings play at 9, 11 and 5, Chicago time against Quad City Sox, Bloomington Stix and Townline.
Reprinted with permission From Aurora’s
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Aurora’s Competiton Stiff
July 13, 2007
By John Sahly Staff Writer
John Sudges of the Dolan and Murphy fastpitch softball team said his team seems to step up its level of play for the bigger and better teams.
Considering the level of competition at the AFSA Classic at Stuart Sports Complex this weekend, Dolan and Murphy will need to in order to put up a good showing.
With over half the field ranked in the top 25 in the country, the tournament (which starts today at 7 p.m. with Dolan and Murphy taking on Thomson Merchants) will serve as a good opportunity for teams to measure up against possible postseason opponents.
“We’ve been playing good ball,” Sudges said. “We’re kind of on a roll. Our pitching has been solid and we’re hitting the ball pretty well.”
This eight-team tournament begins with pool play today, and bracket play will start Saturday night. The tournament will serve as an International Softball Congress World Tournament qualifying event. The top finishing team will earn a berth regardless of region.
“It’s comparable to the tournaments we play during the year,” Sudges said. “All of these weekend tournaments really get us geared up for the national and world tournaments at the end of the season.”
Although managers from various teams in the tournament said this weekend’s event won’t be the biggest or best they’ll play in, it’s an important step toward the ISC World Tournament’s competition level.
However, some teams will be missing a few players this weekend because of duties with the U.S. softball men’s national team competing in the first annual American Challenge Series in Oklahoma City.
Craig Watermolen, manager of the Green Bay Townline team, said his team will be missing a handful of players, but given their 35-14 record, it might not affect Townline that much.
“With that tournament in Oklahoma City a lot of teams will be missing a player or two, so everyone has a chance to win this weekend,” Watermolen said. “We’ve been hitting the crap out of the ball all season, but our pitching needs to get better.”
In addition to the seven ISC-ranked teams, the Lumberkings of Bakersfield, Calif., are making the trip to Aurora for the tournament. The Lumberkings are an ISC II team, and have played against a few of the teams in this tournament before.
Manager Dave Weldin said although the Lumberkings usually lose to the upper echelon ISC teams, his No. 2-ranked team usually keeps the game close. Bakersfield will also be missing two players, its No. 3 and No. 5 hitters to Oklahoma City this weekend.
“This is only our second year playing ISC II and we’re relatively inexperienced,” Weldin said. “We’re primarily a pitching and defense team and even though we’re getting beat against these top ISC teams, we’re not getting blown out. The competition should be real good.”
jsahly@scn1.com
Tough competition
The AFSA Classic Tournament will feature many of the country’s top teams. Here are their rankings according to the International Softball Congress (Rankings as of June 21):
No. 8 Circle Tap, Denmark, WI
No. 11 Townline, Green Bay, WI
No. 16 Quad City Sox, Davenport, IA
No. 18 Stix, Bloomington, IL
No. 19 Dolan & Murphy, Aurora
No. 24 Plangger’s Furniture, Benton Harbor, MI
No. 25 Merchants, Thomson, IL
ISC II No. 2 California Lumberkings
