(click logo for official team website)
From 
Game 1 7:00 p.m. 27 July
Vancouver Grey Sox 7R 11H 2E
Richmond Linus Software Stealers 4R 6H 2E
Vancouver
Pitching
Rick Smith (WP) 4.1 IP 6H 4R 3ER 2BB 5K
Nick Underhill 1.2 IP 4K
Hitting
Derek Mayson 4X4 (2 singles, double, triple) 1 RBI
Richmond
Pitching
John Bishop (LP) 3IP 7H 5R 3ER 3BB 2K
Darren Strang 3IP 4H 2R 2ER 1BB 1K
Hitting
Glen Ormsby 2X2 (single, double)
Submitted by Jim Johnson
[Middleton, Wisconsin] – Play at the 2007 NAFA Open World Series began Friday evening at the Bowling Green Recreation Complex.
The following are the scores from Friday evening:
Midwest Stampede 1 Bloomington Stix 0
Plangger’s Furniture 5 Dolan & Murphy 4
Albaugh, Inc. 4 New Image 0
Thomson Area Merchants 3 Kegel Black Knights 0
MinnDak Millers 11 Midwest Stampede 2, 5 innings
Circle Tap 7 Plangger’s Furniture 0, 6 innings
Albaugh, Inc. 5 Townline 1
The Farm Tavern 3 Thomson Area Merchants 0
Box scores from Friday’s games will be posted Saturday morning on the tournament website at http://www.open.nafafastpitch.com. Games resume Saturday at 10am. We are attempting to work out connectivity issues at the ballpark and hope to provide updates throughout the rest of the weekend if things can be worked out.
Brett Bresnahan
breshz(at)minnesotafastpitch.com
http://www.open.nafafastpitch.com
http://www.nafafastpitch.com
Darren Zack, Mike Piechnik lead the way
Gordon McIntyre
The ProvinceThey’re wizards in the world of windmills and, while past their prime, still pack a punch.
Pitchers Darren Zack of Ontario and Victoria’s Mike Piechnik will go moundo-a-moundo at 8:30 Saturday morning in the Vancouver Challenge fastpitch tournament, which runs today through Sunday at South Memorial Park.
Hosted by the Vancouver Grey Sox and South Hill Sports, the tournament features the elite Horse Lake Thunder from Alberta (Zack’s team), Broken Bow Gremlins (No. 1-ranked by the International Softball Congress) of Clifton Park, N.Y., and the SoCal Bombers (No. 4) from Yucaipa, Calif.
The host Grey Sox are ranked No. 10 and Piechnik’s Portland Demarini No. 12.
The unranked Richmond Linus Software Stealers round out the field.
Zack, from Garden River, Ont., became a household name in the world of softball as a hot hurler with Vancouver Magicians in the old Norwest League from 1990 to 1992.
From the Magicians he went on to Toronto, then moved to Tampa Bay, and by then many people considered him the best pitcher in the history of the game.
Zack is third and Piechnik fourth on the all-time ISC world tournament list of most wins, behind Michael White and Peter Meredith.
Zack, with an ISC record of 46-14 (.767) and an earned run average of 0.96, has 797 strikeouts, or 12.72 per seven-inning game, in 438 innings pitched.
Piechnik, who has the most wins of any left-hander in ISC world tournament history, has 770 strikeouts (12.29 per game) in compiling an ISC record of 45-16 (.729) and an ERA of .94 in 438 innings pitched.
Zack has been named all-world seven times, has won four ISC world championships and was named the tournament’s top pitcher four times.
Zack also has one perfect game and one no-hitter to his credit.
Piechnik is a nine-time all-world player and has won one world championship.
The two will be the subjects of a tribute in a ceremony at 4:30 on Saturday.
Admission is $5 per day or $10 for a tournament pass; children under 12 are admitted free.
Vancouver/Richmond kicks off the tournament at 7 tonight. Sunday’s championship game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.
gordmcintyre@png.canwest.com
SCHEDULE FOR THE VANCOUVER CHALLENGE
ROUND ROBIN
Friday
Vancouver Grey Sox vs. Richmond Linus Software Stealers, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Portland Demarini vs. Horse Lake Thunder, 8:30 a.m.
So Cal Bombers vs. Portland Demarini, 10:30 a.m.
Richmond Linus Software Stealers vs. Broken Bow Gremlins, 12:30 p.m.
Broken Bow Gremlins vs. Vancouver Grey Sox, 2:30 p.m.
Horse Lake Thunder vs. So Cal Bombers, 4:30 p.m.
PLAYOFF ROUND
Playoffs start Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and continue with two games Sunday at 8 a.m., one at 10 a.m., a semifinal at noon and the title game at 2 p.m.
All games will be played at South Memorial Park, 5950 Prince Albert St., Vancouver (on East 41st Avenue between Knight and Fraser).
© The Vancouver Province 2007
Two of the greatest throwers in the history of Canadian men’s fastpitch will be in the circle this weekend as the Vancouver Grey Sox play host to the 2007 Vancouver Challenge at South Memorial Park.
Legends Darren Zack, a right hander out of Garden River, Ont., and Mike Piechnik, a left hander from Victoria, are both in their mid-40s now, but still remarkably effective at the elite level as their teams continue gearing up for next month’s International Softball Congress world tournament in Kitchener, Ont.
Zack will be pitching in Vancouver for the Horse Lake, Alta., Thunder, while Piechnik is on the staff of the Portland, Ore., Demarini.
The six-team Vancouver tournament will also feature the Broken Bow Gremlins of New York, currently ranked No. 1 in the ISC, the So Cal Bombers, who are No. 4, the Grey Sox and the Richmond Linus Software Stealers.
Broken Bow’s lineup includes two of the top international pitchers in the game: New Zealand national team ace Jeremy Manley and young Australian hurler, 6-6 lefty Andrew Kirkpatrick.
“We do feel we can compete with these teams,” said Grey Sox GM Conrad Margolis. “We split a three-game series — a win, a loss and and a tie — with So Cal earlier and we lost 1-0 to Broken Bow and Manley in a game that was scoreless into the seventh.”
Zack, who won ISC world titles with the Toronto Gators in 1993 and 1995, led Horse Lake to the annual all-native title in Prince George earlier this month, while Piechnik threw a perfect game against the Grey Sox last weekend in Portland as those two teams split a four-game series.
The opening game is tonight at 7 p.m. between Vancouver and Richmond. Start times for Saturday games run 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., with playoff games Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
The So Cal Bombers, ranked # 4 in the ISC World rankings, head to Vancouver this weekend to compete in the Vancouver Challenge.
The Bombers’ schedule of games:
Sat. July 28th – 10:30 am – So Cal Bombers (# 4) vs. Portland Demarini (# 12)
Sat. July 28th – 4:30 pm – Horse Lake Thunder (unranked) vs. So Cal Bombers (# 4) (Horse Lake Thunder is Darren Zack’s team)
Teams will be seeded into Sunday’s bracket according to their Saturday results. There are two pools of three teams each, with all teams advancing. The tournament uses a “double life” format, with the winner of each pool receiving a “double life” while second and third receive only one (eliminated after first loss).
(click logo for official team website)
[Vancouver, BC] – The Vancouver Grey Sox and South Hill Sports, co – hosts of the 6th Annual Vancouver Challenge tournament to be held July 27 – 29 at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, are pleased to announce the group of umpires selected to work our event.
Led by Bob Henning, Tournament UIC and Bill Watson, Tournament DUIC, and Michael Track, Tournament DUIC – the on field officials for the tournament come with a wide breadth of open level mens fastpitch experience. We are especially pleased that Ron Brinkman (Appleton, Wisconsin) is joining us for this year’s event and will be part of the crew umpiring throughout the weekend. Brinkman served as ISC UIC from 2002 – 2006, and has worked in 19 ISC World Tournaments. He also served as a umpire in the minors for Major League Baseball.
We are also pleased to have working this year’s event – Ron Gosselin from Vancouver Island, Jack Floyd from Washington State, Terry Richter from Alberta along with local BC umpires Don Martin, John Ribalkin, Tim Lederman and Al Strang.
As reported previously, the 2007 Vancouver Challenge Tournament will be held July 27 – 29. Admission is $5.00 per day or $10.00 for a tournament pass – children under 12 are admitted free. All games are to be played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, located at 5950 Prince Albert Street (41st Avenue East – between Knight and Fraser Streets). This year’s field of teams include the Broken Bow Gremlins – Clifton Park, New York (ISC # 1), So Cal Bombers – Yucaipa, CA (ISC #4), Vancouver, BC Grey Sox (ISC #10), Portland, OR Demarini (ISC #12), Richmond, BC Linus Software Stealers (ISC unranked) and the Horse Lake, AB Thunder (ISC unranked).
Action kicks off Friday July 27th with a single game at 7:00 pm PDT when the host Vancouver Grey Sox tangle with the Richmond, BC Linus Software Stealers. Action continues starting at 8:30 am on Saturday with the final game of the day set for 6:30 pm local time. The highlight of Saturday’s action will be a tribute ceremony set at 4:30 pm for Mike Piechnik and Darren Zack recognizing their numerous accomplishments and achievements in the sport. Sunday action begins at 8:00 am with the championship final game set for 2:00 pm.
The full tournament draw can be accessed on our website at www.vancouvergreysox.com
Larry Kancs
President
Vancouver Grey Sox
www.vancouvergreysox.com
Editor’s note: Full Schedule of games after the jump.
From the
(click Merced Sun Star logo for link to original newspaper story)
More than just a game
Merced College assistant baseball coach Nate Devine spent two months traveling with the U.S. softball team.
By James Burns
July 27, 2007Nate Devine pressed his face up against the cold bus window, and with eyes as big as softballs, peered out at a world he’s never known. He was nervous and a little scared, too, unsure of what lay in wait around the next corner. Softball never felt so serious and the police escort to Prague’s downtown ballpark wasn’t helping matters, either.
How would European fans welcome an American softball team? Would they hiss and boo?
Just to be sure, Devine shielded himself by tugging his cap down lowon his brow before trotting out onto the diamond.
Almost instantly, the stands erupted into a chorus of chants and cheers.
That’s odd, Devine thought, almost certain a local celebrity had just walked down the stadium steps behind him.
Then it hit him like a loose fastball — he was the celebrity.
And the police escort?
Merely a formality.
A capacity crowd of nearly 3,000 turned up in June to see Devine and the U.S. men’s softball team compete in the World Cup.
“And the (Czech) national team wasn’t even playing anymore,” the Merced College assistant baseball coach saidin a voice that suggested long-term awe.
“They were cheering for every good play, every big hit and every strikeout. Even trying to do the wave.
“It was like they didn’t even have a favorite team — they just loved the game.”
Devine and the Americans gave them quite a show, too, before eventually falling to Japan in the title game.
The Americans were given a similar response at the American Challenge Series in Oklahoma earlier this month.
The U.S. breezed to the inaugural title, avenging their loss to Japan in the championship game.
Devine was impressive in his first national team appearance on home soil, capping the title run with a walk-off single.
During Sunday’s tape-delayed telecast of a Series round-robin game, ESPN commentators described the 30-year-old Devine as the future of American softball.
“I would be lying if I told you I expected Nate to come through as big as he did,” U.S. coach Pete Turner said, “but I was well aware of his talent.
“I can’t speak enough about what Nate did for us. I think he definitely impressed our selection committee.”
Devine went 16 for 44 in two tournaments with 2 homers, 7 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
“It was sad to see it come to an end. I enjoyed being with the team and being able to see the world,” Devine said. “You get to see just how much the sport means to people.
“It’s been a crazy ride.”
It’s not over yet.
His club team beckons.
Devine will rejoin the Southern California Bombers this weekend in Canada for the Vancouver Challenge, one of North America’s largest and toughest draws.
The Bombers are ranked fourth in the world by the International Softball Congress.
The Challenge will serve as a final tuneup for August’s ISC World Tournament in Ontario, Canada.
Win or lose, it’s been a memorable run for the hard-hitting first baseman, who took up softball as a teenager “because my hometown didn’t offer summer baseball.”
His pocket-sized digital camera shows the wears of his jet-setting summer vacation.
The buttons are worn from use and the memory stick is filled with photos of people, teammates and rare buildings.
Memories frozen in time.
“I was the guy in Team USA gear with the camera, staring up at all the buildings with a huge smile on my face,” Devine said. “I must have taken like 400 pictures.
“If it weren’t for (the national team), I would have never had the chance to see Europe — to go to all these places.”
Prague, the jewel of the Czech Republic with its old-world customs and architecture, was second to none.
He had never seen anything like it before — not in Merced and certainly not in Sonora, where he was raised.
One moment, he was standing at the gates of Prague Castle, and the next, mingling with locals on the cobblestone streets of Wenceslas Square.
Devine signed autographs, played catch with local kids and even passed out equipment.
“Getting a chance to meet people from other countries and promote the sport, that was cool,” Devine said.
“And at the same time, with all the stuff going on in the world right now, it was nice to show that Americans weren’t bad people at all.”
Even off the field.
Softball fits baseball player like a glove
Former Chisox prospect now catcher in Saskatoon
Darren Zary, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, July 27, 2007It’s not like Craig Horswell wasn’t good at baseball.
He was a member of Canada’s national team. With a rifle for an arm, he was identified by the Chicago White Sox as a Major League prospect. Yet, Horswell made the switch to the other side, giving up baseball for softball in 1999.
“Baseball was dead in Prince George,” says Horswell, a native of B.C.
“I was contemplating an offer from the Seattle Mariners when I decided to stay with the national team. After the disappointment of that season, I decided I had had enough of baseball and finished my schooling at UBC (University of British Columbia).
“I really like fast pitch and I enjoy catching. Defence is definitely my strong suit.”
“There’s no better defensive catcher on the planet,” says Saskatoon’s Keith Mackintosh, a member of Canada’s national team. “He’s got an unreal arm. And he has the intangibles, too. He’s played in pressure situations. He calls a great game.
“Anybody I know who has played with him and thrown to him just loves throwing to him. He’s so smooth.”
While Horswell’s baseball days are behind him, he has fond memories.
“I went to a world championship and Olympic qualifier. I have played with and against many Major League players and was able to get through school because of the help of baseball.”
Now softball is on his mind. Horswell is a member of the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors — formerly the Aspen Black Sox. They play the Saskatoon Diamondbacks in a best-of-five provincial senior A men’s final today and Saturday at Gordie Howe Park. Both teams advance to nationals Aug. 26 to Sept. 2 in St. John’s, N.F.
“I can compare this squad to the Calgary team I played for that came third in the ISC world tournament,” says Horswell, a school teacher by profession. “If our throwers stay healthy and we put things together at the right time, we will go far in both the ISCs and nationals.”
The Aspen Interiors are the two-time defending provincial champs.
“This won’t be a friendly series as we are looking for some payback from early June when the Diamondbacks defeated us 2-1 to knock us out of the Ducks (Unlimited) tourney (at Melfort),” says Aspen Interiors manager Jason Kurylyk. “It was a good game. The (potential) tying run was thrown out at home plate to end the game. The loss is still in the back of our heads and we are hungry.
“We won’t be giving our provincial title up without one hell of a fight.”
EXTRA INNINGS: Aspens pitcher Trevor Ethier had his collar-bone broken last month by a line drive. “But the warrior Trevor is, (he) was back in the circle throwing 17 days after it happened,” said Kurylyk . . . Aspen OF/catcher Brad Bibby is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
From the DuQuoin Evening Call:
Elkville Wins SIFL Tournament
By Jeff Profitt/GateHouse News ServiceElkville Fastpitch claimed a pair of victories Wednesday, winning the Southern Illinois Fastpitch League (SIFL) End-of-season Tournament.
Now 31-10, Elkville defeated Kuhnert Builders of Elkville 13-5 in the semifinal game and then bested Scheller (Bauza Landscaping Dirt Bags) 5-1 to claim the championship.
Troy Downen was the winning pitcher in both contests, entering in relief of Don Malawy during the second inning of game one.
In that win over Kuhnert’s, Elkville scored five times in the third inning and sealed the victory by taking on seven more tallies in the fourth and fifth.
Shawn Hunter went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and three RBI for Elkville.
Drew Porter and Barry Maynor were each 2-for-3 with back-to-back solo home runs.
Tim Herring and Bryar Funk added RBI hits.
Downen allowed four hits in the final four innings.
Kuhnert’s had solo homers from Dax Piper and Jeremy Keith. Daniel Eisenhauer added a two-run shot.
Piper finished with two hits.
Keith was the losing hurler.
Against Scheller, Aaron Hunter’s third inning solo home run turned out to be the difference.
Only two of Elkville’s runs against Scheller hurler Bryant Hale were earned.
Hale and Downen both tossed six-hitters.
Brad Niedbalski’s solo blast accounted for the Scheller scoring. Mason Woodside went 3-for-4
Waylon Leonard knocked on a run for Elkville.
This weekend, Elkville and Scheller each begin play as the ASA Class B State Tournament opens in Altamont.
Scheller faces Mississippi Valley Merchants (Mendon) at 2:15 p.m. Saturday while Elkville drew a first round bye and doesn’t play until 10:45 Sunday morning.
Reprinted with permission from the:
LaLonde representing Cheboygan on USA Men’s Softball Team
By JOSHUA ADAMS
Sports EditorOKLAHOMA CITY – The USA Softball Men’s National Team suffered a heart breaking, 9-7, loss to Japan in the their opening game of the KFC American Challenge Series, but ended the tournament coming out of the losers bracket beating Argentina and then went after Japan for a 7-0 win and the title.
But in the midst of all that, the small town of Cheboygan was represented well as Adam LaLonde, a former Cheboyganite and son of former Chiefs softball coach Mike LaLonde, was one of those proud individuals to dawn the USA jersey.
From his humble beginnings as bat boy for his dad’s team, LaLonde has climbed his way to the top as one of the elite softball players representing the United States on the world field.
“I really grew up with it,†he explained. “My dad played it in the leagues in Cheboygan. I got to the age where I was no longer bat boy and got to play. We won a couple of state titles with names like Clayton McGovern, Stuart Hancock and Scott Hancock. Charley Watson and George Wheelock. Eventually with me the big part was my drive with baseball.â€
Growing up with the Little League and Cheboygan Area High School squads, LaLonde went on to play some college ball for the Central Michigan University team and even went overseas to play in Australia.
“In the summer, I would still come back to play a little fast pitch with my dad’s team,†he continued. “When I got back from Australia, I got involved in open fast pitch. I got hooked up with a team called the Midland Explorers. I got to play with them and within that year, I got seen by the USA scouts.â€
From there, destiny took a hold and LaLonde was granted an invitation to a try out for the USA team all in 2001.
“I tried out, made it and been on it ever since,†LaLonde said. “We won a gold medal in Guatemala and won a silver in the Dominican Republic, and finished fourth in New Zealand. The power houses in fast pitch teams right now are New Zealand, Canada, Australia and us.â€
So with that resume in mind, LaLonde’s background in the small-town realm has had a lot to with his success.
“The first time I threw the USA jersey is when it really hit me,†he said with a chuckle. “Just stepping into that atmosphere and getting in front about 5,000 people. That’s when you eat up the whole thing and that’s when the excitement comes in. I haven’t had butterflies in a long time, but I got them then. As an athlete, you have to block all of that. It is something that you never forget. It’s such a good feeling to know that you can showcase what you can do.â€
Now with his rookie years well behind him, LaLonde stepped into more of a leadership role this season as the team went over to the Czech Republic to play in the World Cup there. The team took home second place with silver medals.
“In my earlier years, that was where it was more of thing that I came from a small town,†he said. “But now I know I am one of the top players in the world and I just need to concentrate on what my job is and go from there.â€
In fact, one of the round robin games of the KFC American Challenge Series was aired on ESPN 2.
“Right now, fast pitch softball is a dying sport for men. So the ESPN thing was very cool,†LaLonde said. “I got a little interview and mentioned Cheboygan I was actually able to give back to (Cheboygan). I grew up with this in Cheboygan and I know, especially some of the older guys that are deep into this game, I know how proud they are of me. To be that guy to represent my town is very special and I don’t take that for granted. I don’t take my past for granted and where I played.
“Next year we are talking about us taking a trip to Japan,†he continued, “and that is the same time they are going to have more men’s games live. ESPN said ‘we would love you guys to play these time slots.’ So we will have to see. Maybe if we got some more time on the air, we could get some more teams in some of the areas to play.â€
LaLonde now goes back out to his regular team, the Sol Cal Bombers out in Palm Springs, California, to complete the season with the Vancouver Challenge this weekend, followed with the International Softball Congress World Championship in Toronto, Canada.
Editor’s note: The So Cal Bombers Adam LaLonde has been getting lots of ink of late from the newspapers in my home state of Michigan. LaLonde is one of the game’s top players and good ambassador for it as well. Of particular interest in the above article is the mention that the Team USA might be headed for Japan next year, and on ESPN again. The exposure would be a big plus for the game. In the meantime, you can catch Adam and his So Cal teammates this weekend in Vancouver, BC, at the Vancouver Challenge. We’ll be posting reports from that tournament as they come in. Last time the Bombers played in Canada, it was with former County Materials’ pitcher Lucas Mata, in Monkton, and readers will recall that the Bombers came away with the Championship trophy in that one, one of the strongest fields of teams this side of the World Tournament.