Fifth 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.
Liberty Fastpitch is 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, J & B Printing, Those Guys and the Bakersfield Silverhawks.
Liberty Building & Maintenance Sponsorship began in 2010. The organization dates back to 2006. In 2010, Liberty Fastpitch was the SCIFL champion for Santa Fe Springs I and Santa Fe Springs IV.
Liberty’s top Pitcher is the ageless Ed Patterson (#21), who was voted the Most Valuable Pitcher by his teammates in 2010.
Among the team’s top hitters are Joe Janicke (#24), who is fast becoming one of So Cal’s best sluggers. Joe earned All World honors in 2009 at the NAFA “A” World Series. In 2010, Joe hit .386, with 7 HR, 41 Runs and 52 RBI.
Another top hitter for Liberty is Dave Demaio (#42). In 2010, Dave hit a blistering .446 with 6 HR, 11 R, and 25 RBI. Liberty had another .400 hitter in Jeremy Rooney (#26), notching an average of .421, with 1 HR, 41 R and 18 RBI.Editor’s note: Though he wouldn’t say it about himself, Liberty’s David Carrillo is another of the team’s top players, a true 5 tool player. Opposing pitchers pitch to David carefully, and his own pitching staff love the way he can run down balls in the gap.
Liberty competes as one of the top teams in the SCIFL and relishes the opportunity to step up and play some of the top ISC teams at the 2011 Best of the West.
The team’s goal is to compete in the NAFA “A” division World Series in Rockford, IL.
Roster for the 2011 Liberty Painting
PITCHERS
Darrin McCall P/1B 2
Doug Rooney P 31
Ed Patterson P 21
Randy Clay P 81CATCHER
Keith Herbster C 33
Dave Waco C/DH 4OF
David Carrillo OF 19
Jason Pruitt OF 9
Dave Hess OF 13
Jason Pruitt OF 9
Joe Janicke OF/3B 24INF
Angel Saucedo 1B/3B 18
Dave Demaio 1B/OF 42
Dave Hess OF 13
Jeremy Rooney 2B 26
Lou Enriquez C/1B/DH 1DL
Fred Hanker C/3B/DH 10
(Fred is out with an injury, but will be working the online BOTW scoreboard and doing color commentary on the Ballparkradio broadcasts)UTIL
TJ Dudley Util 7STAFF
Tom Dudley Head Coach 14
Rudy Montanez Asst. CoachEditor’s additional note: Liberty Fastpitch has one of the best team websites around, thanks to webmaster Steve Reid. The site is definitely worth a visit.
A bit more about the team, from the team’s website:
Liberty Building Maintenance & Services, Inc. (LBM&S) remains the primary sponsor of LIBERTY FASTPITCH. The contributions of Coach Tom Dudley, owner of LBM&S, and former Short-Stop Mike Thomas, Vice President of LBM&S, are instrumental in providing the means for the team to travel and compete in major National Tournaments. It is a primary objective of LIBERTY FASTPITCH to represent our sponsor with sportsmanship and class.
In 2010, LIBERTY boasted an impressive season record of 34W-10L. The LIBERTY post-season stalled when a slow start resulted in an early exit at the North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) World Series. LIBERTY placed 17th in a field of 50+ teams.
LIBERTY will compete its regular season in the Southern California Independent Fastpitch League (SCIFL). Please see the 2011 Season Schedule for Tournament Dates. LIBERTY will participate in the NAFA-A World Series to be held in Rockford, IL on August 18-21, 2011.
LIBERTY has made some key acquisitions and looks to make another strong run in 2011.
Team History:
2006 – Record: 29-12
ASA C: Southern California Alliance – District 14 Champions
ASA C National Tournament: 13th Place (43 Participating Teams)2007 – Record: 29-16
NAFA A SCIFL Champions
ASA C National Tournament: 25th Place (31 Participating Teams)2008 – Record: 27-20
NAFA A World Series: 13th Place (52 Participating Teams)
ASA C National Tournament: 33rd Place (50 Participating Teams)2009 – Record: 37-22-1
NAFA A World Series: 3rd Place (67 Participating Teams)2010 – Record: 34-10
NAFA A World Series: 17th Place (50+ Participating Teams)Team Overview:
PITCHING:
Ed Patterson (2010 Season: 13W-2L, 1.92 ERA, 87.66 IP, 60 K) delivered a solid 2010 season and established a new team record with a 1.92 ERA. Ed exudes calm confidence and a quiet intensity with every trip to the circle. He has excellent movement and is difficult to beat when he attacks the strike zone. Patterson was voted Most Valuable Pitcher in 2010.Darrin McCall (LIBERTY Career: 33W-18L, 3.68 ERA, 306.34 IP, 148 K) set the team record for wins (17) and strikeouts (72) in 2009. He is also the LIBERTY career leader in strikeouts with 148. Darrin is a fiery competitor that wants the ball in big situations.
Doug Rooney (LIBERTY Career: 18W-9L, 4.61 ERA, 141.34 IP, 31 K) is the staff veteran known for his precision. Doug is pinpoint with his control and is effective at luring hitters into off-balance swings. He is a team leader and his poise under pressure is contagious.
LIBERTY welcomes Randy Clay (New Acquisition – Stats Pending) to the stable for the 2011 season. Randy challenges hitters and throws strikes. He will be relied upon in both starting and relief roles.
CATCHING:
Lou Enriquez (LIBERTY Career: .279-BA, 64-H, 2-HR, 47-R, 43-RBI) is the team captain and among the smarter players in the league. Lou’s versatility allows him to play multiple positions well. Enriquez won LIBERTY’s most prestigious award, The Leadership Award, in 2010.Dave Waco (LIBERTY Career: .341-BA, 56-H, 4-HR, 42-R, 45-RBI) is a powerful bat in the heart of the LIBERTY line-up. He consistently delivers quality at-bats and hits for outstanding power.
Keith Herbster (2010 Season: .250-BA, 1-H, 2-R) joined LIBERTY for the 2010 NAFA World Series. Keith is one of the most respected catchers in Southern California and was a key member of the 2007 NAFA A-Major WS Champions Rude-Pac.
Fred Hanker (New Acquisition – Stats Pending) is regarded as one of the better hitters in Southern California. He joins the LIBERTY squad from the Long Beach Blacksox and will provide additional power to the line-up.
INFIELD:
Joe Janicke (LIBERTY Career: .400-BA, 112-H, 13-HR, 94-R, 108-RBI) won the 2010 MVP award for LIBERTY. Joe is a 5-tool player able to hit for average, hit for power, great glove, great arm, and fast speed. Janicke is the most versatile player on the team, able to excel at just about any defensive position.
Jeremy Rooney (2010 Season: .421-BA, 45-H, 1-HR, 41-R, 18-RBI) will play a key role in the middle infield. Jeremy has outstanding range and agility on the defensive side of the ball. He is a tenacious competitor and is at the heart of many LIBERTY rallies. Jeremy was voted the 2010 Gold Glove Award winner by teammates.
Dave Demaio (2010 Season: .446-BA, 25-H, 6-HR,11-R, 25-RBI) made an immediate impact with LIBERTY in 2010. He is one of the strongest guys in the league and is among the top RBI producers. Dave is an intimidating guy to face when runners are in scoring position.
Angel Saucedo (2010 Season: .221-BA, 19-H, 10-R, 11-RBI) provides excellent defense from either corner of the infield. He is well-known is California softball circles for being a great teammate and competitive player. With a year under his belt, Angel will be relied upon for significant contributions on the field and at the plate in 2011.
OUTFIELD:
David Carrillo (LIBERTY Career: .468-BA, 288-H, 54-HR, 281-R, 273-RBI) will serve his 6th season patrolling CF. Teammates voted Carrillo the 2010 Silver Slugger Award recipient.
Dave Hess (LIBERTY Career: .312-BA, 88-H, 3-HR, 100-R, 27-RBI) has been an outstanding table-setter for LIBERTY. He is a team-first ball player looking for any way to get on base. Dave is among the better outfielders in the league and provides great balance to LIBERTY line-up.
TJ Dudley (LIBERTY Career: .188-BA, 3-H, 7-R) is the 2010 Most Improved Player winner. He is relied upon for his speed and has been developing as a slap hitter. TJ will continue to get more opportunities to contribute in 2011.
Jason Pruitt (New Acquisition – Stats Pending) is a rare combination of speed and power. He has a sweet swing from the left side of the plate and is variable threat at the plate. Depending on the situation, he can be a table-setter or drive in runs. He is another 5-tool player that excels in all aspects of the game.
COACHING:
Head Coach
Tom Dudley is a great softball mind and is gifted at connecting with his players. Having been a talented ball player himself, Tom is well respected by the team. He is a player’s coach that keeps the atmosphere relaxed, which encourages his teams to have fun between the lines and enjoy the game. Tom demands 100% effort from the team and is willing to accept any outcome as long as a player is doing his best.Assistant Coach
Rudy Montanez Jr. joins LIBERTY as an Assistant Coach in 2011. Rudy is smart when it comes to in-game strategy and getting the most out of players. Rudy won the NAFA A-Major World Series in 2007.WEBSITE:
Steve Reid, the LIBERTY Webmaster, is responsible for the LIBERTY FASTPITCH website (www.libertyfastpitch.com) and all of the excellent photographs. Steve dedicates his personal time to keep the webpage up-to-date. He can often be seen at the field taking action photos of the team. His efforts make the webpage possible and LIBERTY is extremely appreciative of his dedication.Teams 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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