QUAD CITIES, Iowa – Prince Edward Island ballplayers Mitch Hardy and Jeff Ellsworth were enjoying a day off here at the International Softball Congress world senior men’s fastball championship on Tuesday.
Hardy and Ellsworth, who both hail from Alberton, play for the Hill United Chiefs from Six Nations, Ont., in the 46-team world tournament. They won the nightcaps 10-0 over Marshall Great Lakes Mariners on Sunday, and 8-1 over Pete’s Blues from Illinois on Monday.
The Chiefs take a 2-0 (won-lost) record into Wednesday’s early-evening game against Denmark, Wisconsin. The winning team will advance to the bracket final on Thursday, with the loser dropping to the losers’ bracket of the double knockout championship.
Wins Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday would give either team the championship, Ellsworth acknowledged.
Ellsworth had a run and two runs batted in on a hit and a walk on Sunday. He drove in two runs on a pair of singles in their second tournament game.
Hardy has seen pitching duty in only the team’s opening game, shutting down the opposition in two innings of relief. He faced just six batters, walking one and striking out five. Adam Folkard started the game, giving up a walk and striking out six batters through three innings.
The Chiefs registered 11 hits in the game, which was cut short due to the mercy rule.
Monday, Folkard and Grant Patterson took care of the pitching. Folkard faced 15 batters through five innings, striking out 12 of them and walking two. Patterson allowed one run on three hits and four walks.
Six Nations scattered nine hits in the win.
Other Islander
The only other Islander in the tournament is Charlottetown’s Chris Craig, who played first base for the Halifax Pepperjacks. They bowed out with a 1-2 record.
Ellsworth said the Chiefs have a big game against the surprising Denmark team on Wednesday. He said Denmark executed the tournament’s biggest upset so far, downing the California A’s 2-1 on Monday.
“It’s been good ball so far; it’s been going good,” assessed Ellsworth, who also plays for Team Canada’s national senior men’s team.
Hardy left for the world tournament on Saturday, but Ellsworth, who coached the P.E.I. entry in the Softball Canada under-16 girls Canadian fastpitch championship in O’Leary, waited until Sunday morning to fly out.