The Lumberkings, of Bakersfield California, and A-1/Taylor Farms of Castro Valley, California followed their second round playoff victories Friday, with third round wins, advancing from the Elite Eight to the Final Four and will square off against each other in the semi-finals of the 2007 ISC II Tournament of Champions in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, with the game carried live on Ballparkradio.com at 9am EST/6am PST, with announcers Jim Flanagan and Joe Todd.
The all California match-up in the semi-finals guarantees an American finalist in the event, long dominated by Ontario Canada area teams. Last year’s finals featured two Ontario teams, and three of the final four hailed from Ontario, while the entire final four was from Ontario. Not since the first year of the tournament in 2002 has an American team been able to crack the final four, when Michigan finished as a runner-up. This year, three of the four teams in the final four come from the USA, with South Lebanon Pennsylvania earning a slot. The three USA teams will have to contend with the # 1 ranked Niagara Snappers, who remain unbeaten in the tournament, and made the biggest signing of the off season, adding pitcher Cory Costello, who broke and set the tournament strikeout record last year with 102 strikeouts, including a 20 strikeout no hitter and a 21 strikeout perfect game. South Lebonan TNT Pennsylvania boasts a hard throwing right hander Jeremy Tracy who three times in this year’s tournament has taken no-hitters into the 6th inning.
In the other semi-final, South Lebanon TNT of Pennsylvania will take on the # 1 ranked Niagara Snappers of Ontario, Canada, which will also be broadcast live on ballparkradio.com with announcers Blair Setford and Kyle Smith.
The winners will meet up in the title game at 11am EST/8am PST, in a game which will be broadcast live not only on audio, but, for the first time ever, on streaming video. The video broadcast will blend the live video of Rogers Cable TV in Canada with the live audio of Ballparkradio, with Jim Flanagan, Blair Setford, and Kyle Smith expected on the telecast.
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Saturday’s broadcasts of the semi-finals and championship game will culminate a 5 day, 27 broadcast week for the eight-man crew at Ballparkradio, now in its fourth year of ISC II T of C coverage.
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