Third in a series of ten team profiles for the 2011 Best of the West Tournament, to be played June 4-5, 2011 at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, California. Click here for schedule of games for the 2011 tournament.
The Bakersfield Silverhawks of Bakersfield, California are one of ten teams competing in this year’s 2011 Best of the West (BOTW) tournament. They’ll be competing in Pool A against the California A’s, Liberty Fastpitch, Those Guys and J&B Painting.
The Silverhawks were founded in 1997. The 2011 squad has bee rebuilt from last year with only six players remaining from the teams of the past couple of years. Last year’s team finished second at the ASA A Nationals.
This year’s team boasts a stable of international talent, with players hailing from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, as well USA players.
Andrew Putnam returns to the squad, bolstered by fellow Canadians Rob Schweyer and Jeremy Tracy Putnam for an all-Canadian pitching staff.
Tracy was the Most Valuable pitcher at the 2007 ISC II Tournament of Champions, while Schweyer brings a wealth of experience to the staff, having been among the top pitchers at the ISC World Tournament for a number of years. Schweyer pitched for the 2007 ISC World Tournament champion Farm Tavern, and last year, earned First Team All World honors as the top designated hitter in the tournament. Schweyer and Tracy are two of the games best hitting pitchers. Tracy is now a member of the Canadian national development team, vying for a spot on the National team to play in New Zealand in 2013.
The top hitters for the 2011 Silverhawks include Glenn Ormsby, Jeremy Tracy, Rob Schweyer, Zenon Winters, Scott Newitt and Adam Lalonde. Winters played for the 2009 World Champion Aussie Steelers, while LaLonde has starred for the USA National team
The Bakersfield team is also solid behind the plate, with Vancouver’s Kris Waverick returning after missing the 2010 season with an injury suffered in a collision, while Las Vegas resident Dan Harbison gained experience catching in the bullpen for the Los Angeles Dodger’s former AAA squad, the Las Vegas 51’s, handling the likes of Eric Gagne.
Four of the players on this year’s squad are on the ISC restricted player list: Glenn Ormsby, Jeremy Tracy, Rob Schweyer and Adam LaLonde. (The ISC “PRAWN” (restricted player) list consists of players earning All World honors at the ISC World Tournament over the past five years, and limits the number any ISC team may carry on their roster. )
(The team’s Best of the West Roster will be without Glenn Ormsby, Adam Lalonde, Zenon Winters and Jerome Haretuku.)
For the 2011 season, the team has its sights set on qualifying for the ISC World Tournament, to be held in Moline, Illnois in August.
Roster for the 2011 Bakersfield Silverhawks
PITCHERS
Schweyer Rob 22 P/DH X Battle Creek, MI
Tracy Jeremy 42 P/OF X Waterville, NB
Putnam Andrew 11 P Toronto, ONCATCHER
Waverick Kris 24 C X Vancouver, BC
Harbison Dan 25 C Las Vegas, NVINF
Winters Zenon INF Queensland, AUS
Ormsby Glenn INF Prince George, BC
Parker Troy 34 INF Brea, CA
Flores Carlos 2 INF Bakersfield, CA
McGehee Chris 8 INF Bakersfield, CAOF
Haretuku Jerome OF Auckland, NZ
Newitt Scott 7 OF Vancouver, BC
Pruitt Jason 1 OF Visalia, CAUTIL
LaLonde Adam UTIL Ashland, KYField manager
McCormick Bob 52 Bakersfield, CATeams in the 2011 Best of the West Tournament
(Click links for other team profiles)Pool A
California A’s
Liberty Fastpitch
Those Guys
Bakersfield Silverhawks
J&B PaintingPool B
Cal-State Builders
Pala Braves
Maccabi USA
Italian Athletic Club
CR A1 Rockies
botwtp2011
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