Matt Barnes and Javier Fierro Garner Top Honors at Grant’s Pass
The Cal State Builders captured the 2009 Boatnik Tournament title on Monday at Grants Pass, Oregon. Four members of the squad earned all tournament honors, in addition to both MVP awards:
MVP
Javier Fierro
MV Pitcher
Matt Barnes
All tournament team:
Gerald Pyle
Dan Winnick
Jason Gluckman
Dean Waltier
Congratulations to the Builders for their great weekend performance.
Best of the West – May 30-31
This is the first in a series of team profiles for teams competing in this year’s Best of the West tournament.
Thanks to manager Ken Schwartz for this information:
Maccabi USA is a National Sporting Club under the umbrella of the Maccabi World Union, an International Sports Federation. Team USA for “Best of the West” will be coached by Ken Schwartz and asst. coach Barry Schoenbrun. The team has played in National and International Fastpitch competitions since 1984.
We began the year at the AAU International Tournament this January in Orlando, Fla with the goal of competing and winning the Gold Medal at the 18th World Maccabiah Games this July in Israel and finishing on top at the ISC ll Tournament in Quad Cities, IA.
Thus far we have played in a number of the SCIFL weekends and the MAFTL (Mid Atlantic Fastpitch Travel League). We chose to play “Best of the West” tournament this year because of its’ great history and opportunity to compete for a berth at the ISC II.
Best of the West 2009 Roster
(Pitchers in bold)
Player #
1. Paul Rubin 2
2. Larry Silfen 22
3. Larry Lorin 21
4. Dan Cosgrove 6
5. Andrew Kirsh 3
6. Jason Gluckman 11
7. Ronny Hecht 17
8. Josh Persell 22
9. Mark Weinstock 24
10. Dave Blackburn 7
11. Michael Feldman 25
12. Brett Reisner 99
13. David Waco 3
14. Corey Angel 5
15. Mike April 33
16. Bobby Rockwood 31
17. Barry Schoenbrun 11
18. Kenny Schwartz 12
The Best of the West tournament will be hosting its largest field of teams ever, fifteen, at Santa Barbara, California this weekend, May 30-31, 2009. The tournament is the longest running Men’s Open level tournament in California, now in its 19th year. Tournament Director David Blackburn will again be heading things up, with a big assist from Clyde Bennett.
List of Teams, Schedule of Games and Maps After the jump. (more…)
2009 Boatnik Champions – Cal State Builders, California
(click photo to enlarge)
California Squad Unbeaten in Oregon Tournament
Cal State Builders – 7
Brotherton, Oregon – 0
WP-Gerald Pyle
LP-n/a
HR-Javier Fierro (CSB), Dean Waltier (CSB), and Dave Carlton (CSB)
The Cal State Builders captured the 2009 Boatnik Tournament title at Grants Pass, Oregon on Monday after, capping their unbeaten run a 7-0 shutout win over Brotherton, Oregon. Gerald Pyle was the winning pitchers, tossing a one-hitter, while Javier Fierro, Dean Waltier and Dave Carlton all homered for the champs. Chris Paiva was 3-for-3 in the final, with 2 RBI.
Champion’s Roster:
(not in order shown in photo)
Cal State Builders
Matt Barnes P
Gerald Pyle P
Ron Rupp IF/P
Javier Fierro ss
Chris Paiva inf
Jason Gluckman C
Dan Winnick OF
Dean Waltier UTL
Ricky Moore UTL
John Abbott INF
Jeff Reich OF
Dave Carlton INF
Photo courtesy of Gerald Pyle.
A tip of the cap to the big man, Gerald Pyle for his coverage of the tournament all weekend long, and for the photos posted here.
Cal State Builders – 11
Portland CR Rockers – 0
5 innings
WP-Matt Barnes (2 hitter)
LP-Mark Bennett
HR-Javier Fierro (CSB)
2B-Dean Waltier (CSB). Waltier had 3 RBI in the game.
Championship Game, 1:30 p.m. PDT
Brotherton Oregon vs. Cal State Builders
Photo:Cal State/Portland CR Rockers semi-final, courtesy of Gerald Pyle:
(click to enlarge)
From the official tournament website:
(Photo from the tournament’s Facebook page: Darren Zack)
First Pitch Scheduled for July 3rd
The 2009 Canada Fastpitch Tournament is slated for July 3rd-5th as Canada Day falls on a Wednesday and we chose to host the event the weekend after the holiday. The 2008 tournament was considered a success as there were a dozen teams participating including teams that travelled from Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia to compete for the $5,000 first place prize money. The Regina Hawks downed the Prince George Black Sox in the final game in a thriller, but what fans noticed the most was the measurable improvement in the skill level from previous years.
The original tournament was called “July First” and was started by Charlie Ghostkeeper over 40 years ago. Last year the Regina Hawks beat the PG Black Sox and both teams have indicated that they will be back. The 2009 edition of the long running tournament will include Treaty, Midget and Bantam Divisions allowing more teams to participate at a comparable level at the Northern Fastpitch Capital of Canada.
This website will be maintained to allow all tournament participants, volunteers and fans stay up-to-date. This website will also be the portal for game broadcasts of all evening games and the medal games on Sunday afternoon. Leading up to the tournament, look for weekly updates on this website.
Also from the Facebook site: (referring to Darren Zack)
We’re lucky to have him out West again and we should all get out and watch him any chance that we may get to see the BEST pitcher of all time! He will be playing for the Horse Lake Thunder this year and the team will be attending the Senior “A” Canadians, Native Canadians and the ISC Championships
The Cal State Builders won their fourth game without a loss last night, and advanced in the playoffs in today’s final day of play at the Boatnik Tournament at Grants Pass, Oregon. Portland also won last night, running their record to 3-1.
The Cal State Builders will face Portland in one semi-final today at 11am PDT, while Brotherton and the Bandits will match up in the other semi-final. (not the Pueblo Bandits for those wondering)
Update at 12:15pm PDT: Builders up 6-0 in the 3rd. Dean Waltier another rbi. Builders went up 3-0 in the 1st on waltier 2 run double. Mark Bennett pitching for Portland vs. Matt Barnes for the builders. Winner faces Brotherton in the final.
The Cal State Buildings are continuing their winning ways, the latest a 7-0 win over Mock Ford, with Matt Barnes and Gerald Pyle combining for a no-hitter (their second of the tournament). Dean Waltier hit a 3 run homer to power the offense.
Playoffs start at 9pm tonight. (Sunday)
We’ll update as information becomes available.
(Honeymoon Beach in the Virgin Islands, on St. John, looking across the water at St. Thomas)
A big tip of the cap to pitcher Dave Drotzmann for taking the time to send in the scores and photos (below) from the Virgin Islands on his Blackberry, enabling the rest of us to enjoy things vicariously.
Virgin Island All Stars – 13
British Virgin Islands – 5
(5 innings)
Team USA – 3
British Virgin Islands – 0
WP-McKinney
LP-Elroy Hennley
It was 1-0 USA until the 5th when BVI’s Hennley was replaced by Nevil Smith after Team USA scored two more runs.
Team Canada – 4
Virgin Island Eagles – 1
WP-Grant Patterson
LP-Dave Drotzmann
Patterson went 5 innings, left ahead, 4-1, relieved by Holoien in the sixth.
Team USA – 8
Dominicana – 0
(pitchers n/a)
In the night cap:
Team Canada – 2
Team USA – 0
WP-Mayson (Ethier relieve)
LP-Paul Koert
Team Canada scored two runs in the first inning and made them stand up for the win in the marquee matchup of the tournament.
Scores and cell phone photos courtesy of Dave Drotzman.
(Young Marcus Tan of Team USA faces Team Canada veteran hurler Dean Holoiein in the tournament finale)
(Team USA’s Marcus Tan (l) and Adam Londe (r) discover the real stars of the Virgin Islands Tournament, as teammate Nate Devine adjusts snorkel in the background).
Team Canada 10
Dominicana 0
WP-Grant Patterson
LP-Adolfo Nieves
Of note: Nieves threw modified slingshot – and hard). Canada mercied Dominicana 10-0 in 4 innings.
Team USA 7
Virgin Island Eagles – 4
WP-Terry Luster (McKinney in 6th)
LP-Dave Drotzmann
Luster went 5 innings and left the game with a 7-1 lead. Ty Mc Kinney started the 6th and gave up 3 to make it 7-4. That was the final.
In the nightcap:
Team Canada 9
Virgin Island All Stars 2
WP-Trevor Ethier
LP-Warren Brooks
Scores and cell phone photos courtesy of Dave Drotzman.
(Emile Griffith Park, where games were played, just across the street from the ocean)
(Emile Griffith Park, where games were played)
The Cal State Builders are off to a good start at the Boatnik, winning their first two games.
In the first game against Tule Lake, Matt Barnes and Gerald Pyle combined for a perfect game, 8-0 win.
In the second, the California squad topped Brotherton Pipeline, 11-5, with Gerald Pyle picking up the win in relief of Ron Rupp.
I guess those two did survive the 10 hour drive to the tournament after all 😉