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From Al’s Fastball
USA shuts out Virgin Islands 7-0 at Pan Am Championships

HERMOSILLO, Mexico – The USA Men’s NationalSoftball team, backed with a no-hitter performance by Sonny Perkins (St. Michaels, Ariz.), shut out the Virgin Islands 3-0 to improve itsrecord to 3-2 at the 2006 Men’s Pan American Softball Championships. In his first appearance of the tournament, Perkins struck out 10 batters faced and issued only one walk.

The United States struck in the second inning with lead off batter LandyRodriquez (West Haverstraw, N.Y.) hitting a double to get it started. Louis Joglar(Fairview, N.J.) was hit by a pitch, reaching second ona ground out by Jim Pelacazo. A groundout by Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.plated Rodriguez for the first run of the game.

It was pretty much three up three down on both sides until the fifthinning when the red, white and blue increased its lead to 3-0. Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.was hit by a pitch to reach first, stole second and advanced to third on apassed ball. Miljavac scored when Frank DeGroat (RingwoodN.J.) reached on an error by Virgin Islandshortstop Jeremy Penn. Omar Moraga (Tucson, Ariz.) scored the third and final run of the game,scoring on a fielder’s choice by Chad Boom (Barnesville, Minn.),who reached on one of four walks of the game.

The Virgin Islands squad broke up theperfect game in the sixth inning when Juan Hatchett reached first on a walk.Two strikeouts by Perkins halted any scoring possibility and three outs in theseventh led the U.S.to its third win of the tournament.

For complete coverage of the 2006 Men’s Pan American SoftballChampionships including box scores, play-by-play and stats check out www.usasoftball.com

Holly Krivokapich
Assistant Director of Communications
ASA/USA Softball
405-425-3431
www.asasoftball.comwww.usasoftball.com

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From the USA Softball website

USA beats Cuba 2-1 at Pan American Championships
10/3/2006

Hermosillo, Mexico—The USA Softball Men’s National Team improved its record to 2-2 at the Pan American Softball Championships with a 2-1 win over Cuba in the nightcap on Monday. Paul Algar (Lexington, Ill.) was dominate in the circle allowing only one run on two hits while striking out nine in a complete game effort.

Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, NJ) put the Red, White and Blue in the lead in the top of the second inning with a solo home run to lead off the inning. Chad Boom (Barnesville, Minn.) followed with a single but was left stranded when the next three batters struck out.

With one out in the fourth inning DeGroat walked and looked to score on a double by Boom but was thrown out at home by a great throw from centerfield that halted the rally.

It was Boom once again that got the offense going for the U.S. in the top of the seventh inning when he led off with a single and moved to second when Landy Rodriguez (West Haverstraw, NY) was hit by a pitch. A double by Sonny Perkins (St. Michaels, Ariz.) added an insurance run as Boom scored to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead.

Cuba rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning as Roberto Echarte led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single by Juan Marti. With two runners on base and the lead cut to 2-1, Algar came up big by striking out Livan Zaedivan and getting Alexis Navarro to fly out to center to end the game.

Boom led the U.S. offense going 3-for-3 while DeGroat and Perkins collected the only other hits for the U.S.

For complete coverage of the 2006 Men’s Pan American Softball Championships including box scores, play-by-play and stats click here usasoftball.com

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From Al’s Fastball:

Mayson hits bomb; Canada blanks Mexico at Pan Am championships

HERMOSILLO, MEXICO – Derek Mayson is showing why he belongs with the 2006 Canadian softball team. Mayson hit a long bomb to help Canada to a 2-0 win over host Mexico here Tuesday night. The win improves their record to 3-2 with games vs ARGENTINA (2 PM ADT) and British Virgin Islands (11 pm adt) to come on Wednesday in Mexico. More details to come Wednesday morning.
Pat Healey
pathealey@eastlink.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2006

Canada Defeats Host Mexico at Pan Am Championships

(HERMOSILLO – Mexico) – A fun filled, party like atmosphere was present among the capacity crowd in the Hermosillo Softball Stadium as Team Canada improved its record to 3-2 tonight with a 2-0 victory over the host squad from Mexico at the Pan American Softball Championship.
(more…)

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From Al’s Fastball
USA loses 8-0 to Venezuela at Pan American Softball Championships

Hermosillo, Mexico—The USA Softball Men’s National Team opened with an 8-0 loss to Venezuela on opening day of the Men’s PanAmerican Softball Championships.

Venezuela’sJohn Garcia was spectacular in the circle allowing only one hit while strikingout five U.S.batters. Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.was the only U.S.player able to produce a hit in the game.

Venezuela took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the firstinning when third baseman Ivan Paez drove a pitch over the fence to scoreArturo Acacio who had walked to lead off the inning.

U.S. starterMichael White (Sioux City, Iowa) settled down and held the Venezuelanbats silent until the fifth inning. Elis Vgueto reached on a walk and moved tosecond on a singe by Acacio. Paez, who drove in the first two runs of the game,reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced Vgueto to third. With tworunners on Jenin Rodriguez came up big with a three run home run to give histeam a comfortable 5-0 advantage.

In the sixth Paul Algar (Lexinton, Ill.,)came on in relief of White but a walk and a passed ball but John Zambravo inscoring position. A single by Edwin Jinanes plated Zambravo for a 6-0 lead.

Miller collected a lead off single in the bottom of thesixth inning but Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.) grounded into a double playand Omar Moraga (Tucson, Ariz.) popped up to shortstop to end the inning.

The U.S.went to the bullpen again in the seventh inning and looked to Tony Peeples (San Miguel, Calif.) tohold down Venezuela’sscrappy offense.

Paez opened the inning with his second hit of the day andwent to second on an error. Rodriguez walked and advanced to second on an RBIsingle by Julio Jinares that scored Paez. Zambravo was then hit by a pitch thatloaded the bases for Jose Manuillo who grounded out to second but still managedto score Rodriguez.

In the seventh Garcia retired the U.S. in order to pick up the win.

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From Al’s Fastball

Canada Drops to 2-2 at Pan Am Championships
Canada Drops to 2-2 at Pan Am Championships (HERMOSILLO – Mexico) – Team Canada’s record dropped to 2-2 at the Pan American Softball Championships with a 2-1 loss to the undefeated Venezuela on Monday October 2nd in Hermosillo, Mexico. (more…)

(Looks like USAsoftball website has started to post updates, with this story on yesterday’s win over Canada)

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HERMOSILLO, Mexico – The USA Softball Men’s National Team opened play at the 2006 Pan American Softball Championships with a 4-3 win over Canada on Sunday. The two teams were not originally scheduled to play but after teams dropped out of the tournament the pools were rearranged and had the USA, the defending champion, playing Canada, the runner-up in the last championship.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.,) reached on a bunt single and moved to second on an error by Canada first baseman Derek Mayson. A wild pitch allowed Miljavac to move to third and a passed ball allowed him to score.

Canada tied the game in the top of the sixth inning when Tim Macumber hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field that scored Fehman who had led off the inning with a single. Kevin Schellenberg, who reached on a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, also tried to score on the sacrifice fly but was gunned down at the plate to end the inning.

A three run home run by Landy Rodriguez (West Haverstraw, NY) in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Red, White and Blue a 3-0 lead going into the seventh inning.

Canada battled back in the top of the seventh inning with three runs off USA starter Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.) but fell short when Miljavac made a game saving catch on a ball hit to right field and Paul Algar came in relief to strikeout Jeff Ellsworth who was pinch hitting.