Archive for the ‘ISC-II’ Category

Maddy’s Photos – Final Galleries from 2009 ISC II ToC

Monday, September 7th, 2009


Click here for Maddy’s Photos Gallery, “Opening Ceremonies”


Click here for Maddy’s Photos Gallery, “Around the Ballpark”.

From Maddy’s Photos Blog:

“It is in a bittersweet mood that I finished the task of reviewing and uploading all the photos for the 2009 ISC II – Tournament of Champions. Bittwersweet because it signifies the end of the fastpitch season for me. No more standing in the field and sharing it with the very talented athletes who play this great game called fastpitch. No more smelling the sweet smell of grass as I stand too close to the foul line to get just the right shot. No more chattering with the managers and players as they return to their positions on the field. But all is not lost, as this will all repeat itself next year. Until then I hope you join me in re-visiting, through my photos, the wonderful tournament called the ISC II.

I have uploaded two more galleries: the first gallery is of the photos taken during the Opening Ceremonies (2009 ISC II – Opening Ceremonies) and the second gallery has photos taken around the ballpark of the fans, players and staff (2009 ISC II – Around the Ballpark). My thanks to everyone who each year make this tournament an unforgettable experience for me. From Blair Setford who each year gives me access so I can photograph this great tournament. To the game controllers who always happily accept the task of babysitting my equipment and keep me in stitches with their stories and jokes. To the players whose athletic prowess challenge me each and every game as I try to capture with photographs what they do so easily and with such talent. And last but not least, the umpires, for who I feel a close kinship; sort of brothers in arms you might say, sharing the field game after game but never playing in it. ”

-Maddy


(Photo of Maddy, not by Maddy)

Differences between ISC and ISC II

Friday, September 4th, 2009

cbcsports.ca producer Lance Winn, who does play by play for Ballpark Radio, tackles the thorny question of the differences between ISC and ISC II. Click this link to watch this thought-provoking piece.

ToC coverage on cbcsports.ca

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Ballpark Radio’s Lance Winn, producer at cbcsports.ca, files this report on the 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions. Click the image below to play the video.

Maddy’s Photos from 2009 ISC II ToC are up!

Monday, August 31st, 2009

From the Maddysphotos Blog:

ISC II ToC Photos Posted

After a long weekend of post-production work, I finished the “action” photos of the Tournament of Champions tournament. They are posted under the “ISC II – Action” gallery. I still have photos from the Opening Ceremonies to post and some photos I took around the ballpark. Hopefully I will have those up this week. Enjoy!

Click here to view photos.


(Photo of Maddy, not by Maddy)

ISC Changes for 2010

Monday, August 31st, 2009

The following is a summary of changes approved by the ISC Board of Directors at the annual meeting in Quad Cities and take effect for the 2010 season.

PRAWN Rule – The PRAWN rule is changed for the following limits, categories and duration.

Year PRAWN Team limit PRAWN Pitcher Team Limit Duration of PRAWN Status

2010 6 per team 1 3-years
2011 5 per team 1 3 years
2012 & 4 per team 1 3-years
beyond

The exceptions or “grandfather” features in the current PRAWN rule will remain intact.
For the 2010 season, the PRAWN list will include those players named as All-World in 2009, 2008 and 2007. The 2010 list will be available, released and posted by mid-September.

Hall of Fame – A new provision has been added for “last minute inductees.” It is designed for an otherwise qualified individual with a terminal condition, to be voted in for immediate induction. It waives regular nominating rules and lead time. The action requires a recommendation from the Hall of Fame Committee and must be approved by the ISC Executive Committee.

The purpose of this change is to properly recognize a qualified individual who likely has a short time to live and the propriety for Hall of Fame status while still living. Candidates must meet the requirements of the category in which they are nominated for induction. Inductions made under this rule will not alter any of the current limitations on the various Hall of Fame categories.

Penalty for late entry fees – Any World Tournament or ISC II ToC team entry fees not received by July 20 will be assessed a $50 late fee.
Mercy Rule Changed – The ISC abandoned its 7-run mercy rule and adopted the ASA rule which is 15-run lead after 3 innings, 12-run lead after 4 innings or 7-run lead after 5 innings.

Entry Info Letters – Once a team has qualified for the World Tournament or ISC II ToC entry, the manager is sent an information letter giving him/her all information they need for entry. In the past these letters have been mailed via snail mail rather than email. Beginning in 2010, these letters will be sent to the team manager (or designated team rep) by email with copies to the Regional Commissioners, Vice President and Tournament Host.

Officer Elections – The following individuals were elected to various offices for a 2-year term:
Executive Committee Chairman – Larry Fisher (Ohio)
President – Dean Oscar (Wisconsin)
Secretary – Robert Gray (Alabama)
Treasurer – Charlie Smith (Texas)
Canada West Vice President – Todd McCabe (Alberta)
Canada East Vice President – Blair Setford (Ontario)
US West Vice President – Chris Santos (Colorado)
US Central Vice President – Wayne Fisher (Iowa)
US East Vice President – Bill Howell (Maryland)
ISC II Vice President – Jim Williamson (Washington)
Developmental Vice President – Tom Stasik (Michigan)

Ken
August 31, 2009

2009 ISC II Individual Award Winners

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

2009 ISC II All-Tournament Team

Infield
Derrick Zechman, Pennsylvania Power
Steve Savard, Donnacona Blue Sox
Jean-Daniel Doucet, Donnacona Blue Sox
Nick Armitaige, Quyon COMBAT Flyers
Jay Schnarr, Bridgeport Braves

Outfield
Derrick Martin, Pennsylvania Power
Aaron Whitney, Port Elgin Blue Devils
Jordie Gagnon, Bulyea Rustlers
Drew Minton, Decatur Pride

Catcher
Grant Baechler, K-W Cubs
Ross Herold, Bridgeport Braves

Pitcher
Scott Smith, Port Elgin Blue Devils
Francis Leclair, Donnacona Blue Sox
Ty McKinney, Ashland Stock Pack

Designated Player
Rick Minton, Decatur Pride

Most RBIs
Aaron Whitney, Port Elgin Blue Devils 13

Top Hitter
Jordie Gagnon, Bulyea Rustlers .615

Most Outstanding Pitcher
Scott Smith 6-0, 50 strikeouts in 43 innings

MVP
Aaron Whitney, Port Elgin Blue Devils

Maddy’s ISC II ToC Photos This Week !

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

From Maddysphotos.com:

“Thanks to the many people who have inquired about photos taken at the 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions. I just returned to California today, Monday, August 24, 2009 and have begun the “post tournament production work” on the huge batch of photos taken at the tournament and expect to have them up for viewing and purchase this week.

Thank you to those of you who have emailed me and to those who I ran into at the tournament for your kind words on my photography. I hope this batch will live up to the compliments.

Stay tuned for the photos, they are coming right up !”

Port Elgin bedevils (Blue Devils) K-W Cubs in all-Ontario ISC II final

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Click logo above to read the story online.

Posted Online: Aug. 22, 2009, 11:59 pm

By Terry Duckett, tduckett@qconline.com

Winning International Softball Congress championships is something that has become a bit of a habit for Canadian pitching ace Scott Smith.

He led the Port Elgin Blue Devils to a 6-0 victory over the Kitchener-Waterloo Cubs in an all-Ontario championship game Saturday evening in the ISCII Tournament of Champions. Smith followed up a three-hit, seven-strikeout gem in the semifinals with a five-hit shutout and nine Ks as the Blue Devils broke open the game in the middle innings at Rock Island’s Alan Campbell Complex.

The victory gives Smith his third such title in the past seven seasons, having won titles in 2003 and ’04 with the Harriston club. After blanking Quebec’s Donnacona Blue Sox 2-0 in Saturday’s semis, he had to fight through some tight spots against K-W, which got runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings but could never break through.

“I just had to bear down. I knew the guys behind me are great defensively,” said a grinning Smith. “I was just going on adrenaline (in the title game), that’s about it. I’ve got a lot of confidence in our guys. This is my third title, and it feels great; I’m getting used to this.”

Port Elgin struck first against K-W hurler Brian Lathrop in the top of the second inning when Brian Maas drew a leadoff walk and scored on Greg Thede’s double. That score stood until the fifth when the Blue Devils broke loose for four runs and knocked Lathrop out of the game — the key blows being RBI singles from Darryl McKinnon and AaronWhitney and Mike Reiley’s two-run single.

McKinnon led Port Elgin with a 3-for-4 outing at the plate, with Matt Turcotte adding two hits, a sum matched by the Cubs’ Brad Thomson.

“Our guys have been doing it all week. It’s been unbelievable,” said Smith, who struck out the side in the last of the fifth after his teammates’ offensive uprising. “That was great. I felt re-energized after that.”


Photo: Gary Krambeck
Kitchener-Waterloo Cubs base runner Brad Thomson slides into second base while taking Port Elgin Blue Devils second baseman Ryan Dudgeon off his feet as he throws to first on a double play in the 4th inning of their championship game.

Port Elgin Blue Devils Win 2009 ISC II T of C

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

The Port Elgin Blue Devils beat the Kitchener-Waterloo Cubs in the ISC II Tournament of Champions finale Saturday night at the Campbell Complex at Rock Island, Illinois to claim the 2009 title.

Pitcher Scott Smith went the distance for the win, finishing 6-0 in the tournament and was named the Most Valuable Pitcher. Teammate Aaron Whitney was selected as the Most Valuable Player, with 13 RBI, just three short of the record set by Jay Herr in 2007, and one of the 14 posted by last year’s MVP Marcus Tan.

The championship game was a rematch of sorts, between the Blue Devils and the (then-Elmira) Cubs. The Blue Devils took second that year, falling to the Cubs, but in 2009, it was Port Elgin who grabbed the championship trophy. After two years of USA based champions (2007 TNT from PA, and 2008 Lumberkings from CA), the Gord Newman Memorial trophy returns to Canada, where it spent the winter following the 2006 championship of the Tavistock ON squad.

Final Four Order of Finish:

1. Port Elgin Blue Devils, ON
2. KW Cubs, ON
T3. Ashland Stock Pack, OH
T3. Donnacona Blue Sox, Quebec

Click here for more details on the tournament, including the list of individual awards.

Portland now 2-0 at ISC II

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

The Portland River Rockers won their second game against no defeats, a 6-4 win over a tough Bulyea Rustler team from Saskatoon, Canada.

Scott Nokes had three hits from the leadoff spot, while Josh Agnew had two, as John Bishop picked up the win with relief help from Lee Cose and Mark Bennett.

The River Rockers joined Rude Pac with perfect 2-0 records thus far in pool play, as the tournament heads towards the playoff round and Championship Saturday.


Click here for box score and play-by-play.