Woodstock S-R story on Innerkip Eagles

[fastball]

Received: 6/4/06 7:06:06 PM 
From:  Darryl Smart <dsmart(at)bowesnet.com> 
  
Subject:  Woodstock S-R story on Innerkip Eagles  
  

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Eagles set to fly
By Cory Smith
Sports reporter
WOODSTOCK — If fastball is a game of timing, the Innerkip Bright
Cheese
House Eagles have impeccable instincts.
Each year on the first weekend of June, the Eagles find a way
to either
pile up the hits or allow a pile of runs.
Of course, the first weekend of June also happens to be the Legends
of
Fastball Classic.
Parallel? Yes.
Frustrating? Absolutely.
Despite playing on familiar fields in front of friends and family,
the
Eagles have struggled in their three years at the tournament,
which
kicks off tomorrow night at the Community Complex.
“It’s always different playing close to home,” Eagles’ coach
Jeff
Whetstone said Wednesday. “It’s a good calibre of teams, and
in order
for us to win and make the playoff round we have to play to our
potential. Like in previous years, our main goal is to play on
Sunday.”
Unlike previous years, however, the Eagles need to combine both
elements
of their game if they want to make a run this weekend.
If they get quality pitching from the likes of Jamie Simpson,
Jeremy de
Belleval, Dan Skillings and Steve Running, they’ll hang in against
some
of the top teams in Canada and the U.S. But they’ll also have
to get
some production from the bats of Mike Pullin, Pat Humphries and
Dave
Fowler.
Otherwise, improving on last year’s mark of 1-3, which Whetstone
called
“very disappointing,” will be tough to do.
“We need good pitching, good defence and timely hitting,” Whetstone
said, alluding to the word du jour. “We’ve never had everything
clicking
at the same time. When we pitch we don’t get the hits, and when
we hit
we don’t get the pitching.”
Whetstone figures his team will have to go at least 2-2 to have
a shot
at the playoffs, although a 3-1 record would likely assure them
a game
on Sunday.
Regardless, a strong finish would not only break the Eagles’
string of
disappointing performances, but it would improve their ranking
heading
into the world’s in Kitchener this summer.
“They higher you’re ranked, the weaker your opponent will be,”
the
skipper said.
All of which makes a quick start paramount when the Eagles open
the
tournament tomorrow night.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, their timing couldn’t be worse.
They’ll
face the Orillia Riversharks in their opener at 9 p.m., a squad
that has
eight former national team players and who Whetstone has pegged
as the
favourite.
“Our first game we’ll be hard-pressed to win,” he said. “We’ve
got to be
at the top of our game to beat them.
“A big win against one of these teams will pump us up and give
us some
confidence.”
So, too, will a better sense of timing.



--
Darryl Smart
Sports Editor,
Woodstock Sentinel-Review
16 Brock Street
Woodstock, Ontario
N4S 3B4
(519) 537-2341 ext. 258
From:  Darryl Smart <dsmart(at)bowesnet.com> 
 

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