Jarvis Travelers outfielder Nick Shailes is congratulated by his teammates at home base after hitting a home run Saturday evening during the sixth inning of the 2010 ISC World Tournament final at Currie Stadium.Photo by SEAN PROCTOR | for the Daily News
The Jarvis (Ont.) Travelers turned to little-used pitcher Andrew Phibbs to prevent Kitchener from a historical win in the International Softball Congress World Tournament championship game Saturday night at Currie Stadium.
With star pitcher Adam Folkard on the shelf with an injured shoulder, Phibbs led the Travelers to a 4-1 victory over the Riversharks before 1,500 fans.
“To be honest, I haven’t thrown all week and we needed a pitcher,” said Phibbs. “I came in and did the job. It’s an unbelievable dream and makes me feel good because you are a part of it.”
Kitchener was attempting to become the first ISC team in 50 years to win three consecutive titles.
“It was a bad time to come out a little bit flat,” said Riversharks’ manager Kelly McGiffen. “However, at the same time we tip our hats to (Jarvis). They worked hard all day long and certainly earned the championship.”
Travelers manager Steve Kooser was pleased to see his team battle out of the losers’ bracket to win three games on Saturday and eventually the championship in the winner-take-all final.
“I’m very, very proud of these guys,” he said. “This is the first year that most of these guys have won this thing. I’ve been fortunate that this is my fourth one. (Andrew) Phibbs came on and pitched great the final two games.”
Jarvis drew first blood as it scored two runs in the top of the third. Rob O’Brien led off with a double to the fence in right-center and came home on a ground single to left by Tim Macumber, who went to second on the throw to the plate. MaCumber scored on Freddy Terkelson’s single to right for a 2-0 Jarvis lead.
“That was very, very important,” said Kooser of the initial lead. “We were really pleased with the lead because without Adam (Folkard) we thought there would be more pressure on the (pitching staff).”
Kitchener responded to score one in the bottom of the third as consecutive singles by Darrell Joy, Blake Miller and Ryan Wolfe netted a run. With one out, and the bases loaded, Kooser lifted starter Trevor Ethier in favor of Phibbs, who got the next two Riversharks to end the threat.
“We’ve had bases loaded a few times and not had people come through,” said Riversharks’ manager Kelly McGiffen. “We had a few chances. But, some days you just come up short.”
Jarvis put two more on the board in the sixth with two outs as Nick Shailes and Brad Rona crushed back-to-back homers to right-center, putting the Travelers up 4-1.
“You get those opportunities like that and I was lucky to connect and it went over the fence,” said Rona. “Winning this title is the pinnacle of my softball career.”
It was a difficult decision for McGiffen whether to relieve Scott when he got in trouble during the third.
“We were going pitch by pitch at that point,” said McGiffen. “At that point it was a 2-1 game and he had two outs. He got a little too much of the plate to Nick Shailes. He battled hard all week for us especially when Todd Martin couldn’t go for us. So, we decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Scott took the loss as he went the first six innings while striking out three, allowing six hits, one walk and four earned runs. Grant Patterson pitched the final inning for Kitchener as he set the side down in order while striking out two.
Phibbs went 4 2/3 innings while striking out two and allowing three hits. Ethier went the first 2 1/3 innings and gave up three hits, one earned run, two walks and striking out four.
Earlier in the day, Jarvis needed extra innings, in two games, for the right to meet Kitchener in the final. The Travelers scored twice in the top of the eighth to defeat Chicago/New York 6-4 and advance to the losers’ bracket final where they defeated the New York Gremlins 5-4.
Ian Ferhrman’s three-run homer in the top of the 11th propelled Jarvis into the championship game as Phibbs went the final 2 2/3 innings as he earned the win as he allowed two hits, two earned runs and striking out five.
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