2008 Farm/NAFA World Series Wrap-up
July 29, 2008
Middleton, WI
This is Executive Director Benjie Hedgecock with a wrap-up on the 2008 NAFA Open World Series sponsored by The Farm which was held the last weekend in July at the Bowling Green Softball Complex in Middleton (near Madison) Wisconsin.
Patsy’s (7-1 overall) played 4 games on Sunday to win the title over the Casa Trejo Bombers(4-1) in the final. Patsy’s entered the Championship game on a bottom of the seventh game-ending home run over the Midwest Stampede (2007 NAFA AAA World Champions) who took 3rd place with a 3-2 record.
Rounding out the top six teams, MinnDak Millers of (2005 NAFA Open World Champions) took 4th place with a 3-2 record. The Farm (2-2, 2007 NAFA Open Champions) and Circle Tap (2-2, 2006 NAFA Open Co-Champions) tied for 5th place.
The remainder of the field finished in the following order; Townline (2006 NAFA Open Co-Champions) tied for 7th place with IAC/Team Rainey both with 2-2 records. New Image (4-2, 2007 AA-Major Champions) tied for 9th with Herda & Sons (2-3, NAFA AA team). Two AA-Major teams playing up finished tied for 11th, Wilber Lime (NAFA 2004 AA Champion) and Kegel Black Knights (2007 AA-Major Runner-Up) both with 2-2 records. At 13th was Dolan & Murphy (1-2) and at 14th was Quad City Sox. Bar of Green Bay finished 15th at (1-2). Thomson Area Merchants, Bar of Appleton and Stoneyard all tied for 16th.
Just 9 of the 39 games played were settled by the run rule, and two of those were after the 5th inning. 22 of the remaining 30 games were within 1 to 3 run differences. There was not one ejection or one single incident between teams. A true testament to the players and umpires choosing to treat each other right. A big thank you to all the players, coaches and spectators for displaying great sportsmanship at this event. The All World Team is listed below as well as the umpires who officiated this event.
I would like to thank the tournament staff; Tournament Director and NAFA Vice- President Robert Hernandez from Southern California for being the on-site and overseeing the operation there from Friday morning until Sunday night. Thank you to Umpire-In-Chief Carley Parish from Eastern Canada for overseeing the officials and selecting the officials for this most prestigious of events. I have already had emails from coaches saying that it was one of the best officiated Open events of the year. Vice-President Loren Lathrop for selecting and overseeing the scorekeepers and handling the coin flips. Vice-President Mike Watson for managing the bracket board and game controlling. NAFA Statistician Tony Schaaf for providing Box scores, statistics and info for All World Tournament Selections.
A very special thanks to Terry Knight, Bowling Green Sports Complex Manager and his staff for providing field preparation prior to each game, for staffing the gate and providing concessions at the park and across the street at the bowling alley restaurant. Thanks to Al Doran and Jim Flanagan for posting website updates when we could get them to them.
2009 Plans with ISF World Championship date conflict
We will again host this event in 2009 at the same location on the last weekend in July which next year is July 25-26-27. With the ISF World Championships being held next year in Saskatoon, this will put some stress on many of the top teams that have players and most importantly pitchers from the Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and U.S. National Teams participating in the ISF World Tournament scheduled for July 17-26 next year. We will more than likely play later on Sunday next year to address teams having their pitchers and players fly in late from Saskatoon once their national team is eliminated from Saskatoon. We will address start times on Friday night (we still plan on starting Friday night at this time) or Saturday morning when each team has determined how many players they will have gone and when they can get them from Saskatoon to Middleton, WI.
Other upcoming important tournaments
2008 NAFA Wood Bat World Series in Denver, Colorado August 30-Sept 1. 23 teams have committed so far and it looks to be a great event. With wood bats, the pitchers effects are evened out and the batters can bunt with success. Email us at Nafafastpitch (at ) gmail.com to register.
2008 NAFA Masters 35-Over, 40-Over, 45-Over, 50-Over, 55-Over(East Only)
In all masters divisions you may have 3 players 3 years too young that are not pitchers. All other players must be turning that age in this calendar year.
West Masters Carson City, Nevada (outside Reno) Sept. 20-21
East Masters Rockford, Illinois (south of Madison, WI.) Sept. 12-14
Email us at Nafafastpitch ( at ) gmail.com to register.
2008 NAFA Open World Series All World Team
Most Valuable Player: David Bishop, Patsy’s
Most Valuable Pitcher: Adam Folkard, Patsy’s
All World Team
Gerald Muizelaar, Patsy’s
Lucas Mata, Bombers
Jeremy Manley, Stampede
Travis Price, Millers
Korrey Gareau, Farm
Colin Mckenzine, Circle Tap
Donny Hale, Farm
Kyle Magnusson, Circle Tap
Lucas Goring, Millers
Daniel Milne, Patsy’s
Matt Palazzo, Stampede
Rob Schneller, Patsy’s
Tom Owen, Stampede
Rob O’ Brien, Bombers
Darrell Sandback, Bombers
David Kimura, Bombers
Joe Morales, Bombers
Brent Holman, New Image
Kevin Kammueller, Herda & Sons
2008 NAFA Open Umpire Staff
Umpire-in-chief, Carley Parish, New Brunswick, Canada
Henry St. Clair, Florida-Wisconsin
Warren Collatt, Wisconsin
Dominic Germain, Québec, Canada
Gary Johnston, Minnesota
Mark McFarlane, New Zealand , ISF
Nicola McFarlane, New Zealand , ISF
Bob Neville, Wisconsin
DJ Postle, Wisconsin
Jason Smith, Wisconsin
Tom Uberroth, Wisconsin
Steve Vail, Wisconsin
Ken Vierling, Minnesota
Ed Vodvarka , Wisconsin
Benjie Hedgecock
NAFA Executive Director
nafafastpitch (at) gmail.com