Click here to view the Thomson Area Merchants, Thomson Illinois team website. The site includes a few photos from last year’s ISC II Tournament of Champions, including this beautiful blue sky shot of the Merchants playing at Budd Park.
The team played in its first ISC II Tournament of Champions last year, and are headed to the ISC World Tournament this year as the # 25 ranked team. In last year’s ISC II Tournament of Champions, pitcher Jonas Mach from the Czech Republic broke the tournament strikeout record, only to be eclipsed later in the tournament by Micksburg’s Cory Costello, after the Merchants were eliminated from the tournament. Costello will be back at the ISC II tournament this year with the # 1 ranked Niagara Snappers.
The Thomson Area Merchants had their best tournament of the year at the AFSA Classic in Illinois recently, where they knocked off # 8 ranked Circle Tap.
Thomson at AFSA Classic
Thomson, Illinois
The Thomson Merchants had their best weekend to date in the 2007
season at the recently completed AFSA Classic in Aurora. A lot
of hard work and perseverance over recent weeks appears to be
finally showing through in the teams improved defense and hitting
performances. Against 4 fellow Kitchener bound ISC teams the
Merchants completed a 2-2 record, included a victory over Circle
Tap, a major milestone for our team.
Game 1
Dolan and Murphy vs Thomson Merchants
DM 0 1 0 3 0 0 2 6 7 0
TM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
Thomson
Steve Manson – 7ip, 6er, 3bb, 6k – LP
Scott Glazier – 1 for 3
Casey Eden – 1 for 3
Mike House – 1 for 3
Rory Miller – 1 for 3
Q Cody – 1 for 3
Dolan & Murphy
Juan Potoluccio – 7ip, 0er, 0bb, 11k – WP
After a positive start to the game where we had our chances with
runners on base the Merchants could simply not capitalize on
any opportunities to score our base runners. Some Dolan power
hitting at crucial times took the game away from the Merchants
and Dolan’s Potoluccio effectively shut down our hitters when
any oppurtunities threatened.
Game 2
Planngers vs Thomson Merchants
PL 2 0 2 0 2 2 8 12 2
TM 4 4 2 0 0 5 15 11 1
Thomson
Roberto Bahler – 5ip, 6er, 0bb, 7k – WP
Steve Manson – 1ip, 1er, 0bb, 0k
Tony Cody – 1 for 2, 2rbi, HR
Scott Glazier – 1 for 2
Steve Manson – 1 for 3, 1rbi, HR
Casey Eden – 1 for 4, 1rbi
Bruce Bielema – 2 for 4, 4rbi
Mike House – 1 for 2, 1rbi
Rory Miller – 2 for 4, 1rbi
Kevin Anderson – 1 for 4, 2rbi
Q Cody – 1 for 3
Planngers
Rick Plannger – 5.33ip, 11er, 7bb, 3 k – LP
Excellent team hitting and some timely long balls allowed Thomson
to fight off a persistent Planngers challenge in our first game
on Saturday. Whilst never giving up the lead Planngers did continue
to peg back runs after we would score them and so the game never
felt 100% safe to the very end. 8 Thomson hitters registered
hits, and Bruce Bielema collected 4 rbi, a hint of the power
explosion he was going to have later in the day. Roberto Bahler
was strong on the mound for Thomson before being replaced by
Steve Manson for the save.
Game 3
Thomson Merchants vs Circle Tap
TM 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 5 6 5
CT 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 6 1
Thomson
Steve Manson – 4ip, 1er, 4b, 3k – WP
Roberto Bahler – 3ip, 0er, 0bb, 3k
Scott Glazier – 1 for 3
Steve Manson – 2 for 3, 2rbi, HR
Bruce Bielema – 2 for 3, 2rbi, HR
Rory Miller – 1 for 2
Circle Tap
Matt Bramwell – 4.66ip, 2er, 1bb, 5k
Colin McKenzier – 2.33ip, 1er, 1bb, 5k
The Merchants finally managed to put together a 7 innings display
of team softball to knock off a ” Top 10 ” ranked team for the
first time this season. Steve Manson got the ball rolling for
THomson with a single in the 1st and was moved over to 3 on a
errored hit by Casey Eden. Manson and Eden them both scampered
home on a double to Bruce Bielema. Not content with only 2 RBI
Bielema added a timely Home Run in the 4th to extend the Merchants
lead to 3-1. Then our all too famous fielding errors threatened
to break the Thomson charge in the 4th when 3 straight fielding
errors on routine plays helped contribute to 2 runs driven in
off the bat of Circle Taps Tom Crouch. However the Merchants
showed some character by immediately striking back in the 5th
with a hugh two run home run from Steve Manson off the first
pitch thrown by Circle Tap reliever Colin McKenzie. Roberto Bahler
then shut down Circle Tap for the remaining 3 innings to secure
the win for Thomson. Thomson center fielder Q Cody also managed
to make an amazing home run saving grab on a well hit ball in
the 3rd innings, which helped to shut down any Circle Tap charge.
After finishing in a 3 way tie for first in our pool with a 2-1
record we ended up with the 3rd seed due to run differential.
This meant we ended up playing close neighbors Quad City Sox
in the evenings quarter final battle.
Game 4
Thomson Merchants vs Quad City Sox
TM 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 7 2
QC 0 0 4 0 0 0 – 4 5 0
Thomson
Roberto Bahler – 2.33ip, 2er, 1bb, 0k – LP
Steve Manson – 3.67ip, 1er, 1bb, 3k
Tony Cody – 1 for 2
Casey Eden – 1 for 3
Bruce Bielema – 1 for 2, 1rbi, HR
Rory Miller – 2 for 3
Q Cody – 2 for 3, 2rbi
Quad City
Jeff Farion – 7ip, 3er, 2bb, 10k
After taking the lead in the 2nd on another Bruce Bielema HR
Thomson was unable to maintain our composure from earlier in
the day as we eventually ran out losers to the Sox 4-3. Despite
out hitting the Sox the elusive game tying run proved out of
our reach in the 7th after loading up the bases, but a lot of
heart was shown to stay in the game to the very last pitch.
The next action for the Merchants is in the Thomson round robin
next week vs Dolan and Murphy, Blackhawk and Hustle Hogs. All
Thomson action can be viewed at www. thomsonfastpitch.com
Scott Glazier
s.glazier(at)mchsi.com