ISC II QUALIFIER IN ALLENTOWN, PA
Friday, July 4, 2008
I am posting this from a friends home in Palmer, PA. The final berth from the Eastern USA region was up for grabs in the Allentown Patriots July 4th Classic Tournament. Their were seven (7) teams entered. Five (5) of the teams have made it their goal to play in the ISC ToC in Appleton, WI.. Three of the teams (NY KNIGHTS, LEBANON TNT & KEATING FITNESS) have already qualified. The tournament was set up as a double elimination tournament with a three game guarantee.
The game at 10:30 AM Friday (July 4) between Hoffman Rise and PA Power was for the berth to the 2008 ISC II ToC in Appleton. There was a big storm Thursday evening and the first game of the Tournament on Thursday evening was postponed. In the first game Friday morning, Lebanon TNT of Lebanon, PA beat ADCO Tool Shed of NY 3-0. In about
the 7th inning of that game it started drizzling.
The game between Hoffman Rise and PA Power started in a steady drizzle. The starting pitchers were Ryan Cummings for the Rise and Ryan Rutt for PA Power. Both teams went scoreless in the first inning. In the top of the second inning, Andy Sabo had a RBI single to drive in Johnny Hurst to give the Rise a 1-0 lead. In the top of the third inning Matt Daly walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single by Stevie Moore. Cummings pitched out of jams in both the second and third innings to keep the score at 2-0.
In the top of the fifth for the Rise, Matt Daly singled, Brian Miller walked and then Stevie Moore hit a three run homerun to dead center field to make the score 5-0. Cummings shut down PA Power in the 4th and 5th innings . In the top of the 6th inning the skies opened up and the field was hit with a deluge. With the weather forecast calling for off and on rain for the remainder of the weekend and after some discussion with representatives of the two teams it was decided that if this game can
not be continued, it will be considered a legal game and Hoffman Rise will be awarded the berth to the 2008 ISC II ToC that was available through this tournament. At this time it appears somewhat unlikely that the tournament will be able to continue.
Bill Howell
ISC Eastern USA VP