By Pat Payton
Sports Editor
TAVISTOCK – Here this weekend, July 11-12, four teams will be taking part in an Invitational men’s fastball tournament. They include: the New Zealand’s national team, Jarvis, St. Thomas, and a combined squad made up of Kitchener Rivershark Twins and Sebringville Sting players.
All the action starts Saturday morning. Playoff games are on Sunday, with the final slated for 2 p.m.
For New Zealand, it’s a tune-up for the ISF world fastball championship in Saskatoon, July 17-26.
Before they also head to Western Canada, the Australian national men’s team, meanwhile, completes a busy schedule of exhibition games this week at Arand Field (arena) in Milverton.
Tonight (Thursday, July 9), Australia plays Millbank Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. On Friday, July 10, Australia plays Elmira Expos in a doubleheader at 7 and 9 p.m. On Saturday, July 11, another twinbill features Australia against Port Elgin Blue Devils at 2 and 4 p.m.
On Sunday, July 12, there is a Milverton Softball Reunion celebration game at 2 p.m.
• Kitchener Rivershark Twins won their first Monkton championship this past weekend in the sixth annual World Fastball Invitational tournament.
Twins, featuring local players such as Jody Eidt, Derek Shackleton, Don Scott and Dave Bailey, went undefeated in the four-day, eight-team tourney. One of the teams in Monkton was the New Zealand national men’s team.
Kitchener defeated the Midwest Stampede, from Iowa, 5-0 in Sunday’s championship final.
St. Marys native Dale Levy, a member of the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors Black Sox, won the popular Easton home run derby for the second year in a row.
One of the umpires was Paul Baier. It was the fourth World Fastball Invitational for the Stratford umpire, whose credentials include three Canadian championships, one Canada Summer Games, two ISC worlds and several provincial championships.
Last October, Baier earned his Level 5 designation status from Softball Canada, the second-highest level an umpire can attain. The only level left is ISF accreditation, and he’ll be going for that next year. It entitles an umpire to do International Softball Federation (ISF) worlds and Olympics.
Editor’s note: Stratford is a beautiful small town about a half hour from Monkton, which housed many of the Monkton guests, on the road from Monkton to Kitchener. It resembles a small English village, and hosts an annual Shakespeare Festival each year. Watch for Maddy’s photos from the Monkton weekend due out soon.