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Softball Australia
Aussie Colts Blitz
to Win 3rd Straight Junior Men’s World Softball
Championship
The Aussie Colts, Australia’s Under 19 Men’s Softball Team, have
won their third straight Junior Men’s World Softball Championship with
an outstanding performance that saw them remain undefeated throughout
the championship, which was played in Summerside on Prince Edward
Island in Canada, from 24 June to 3 July. The Aussie Colts won a hard
fought gold medal match 7-2 against Japan.
The Aussie Colts were the favourites for the championship after
victories in this event in 1997 in Canada and in 2001 in Sydney. The
Colts made a great start to the championship, winning all eight of
their preliminary matches to finish on top of the ladder and advance
to the semi finals. They proved too strong for Japan in the semi
final, winning 6-1 to book a place in the gold medal match.
Japan won through to the gold medal match with victory over Canada in
the preliminary final. The gold medal match was a closely fought
contest, with the Aussie Colts scoring the first two runs before Japan
struck back with the next two. With the match evenly poised in the
sixth innings at 2-2, Colts player Garon Clough was brought into the
game to bat with runners on first and second base. He responded to the
challenge in fine style, smashing a home run to score three runs for
the Colts and break the spirit of the Japanese players. The Colts went
on to win the final 7-2.
Every Colts player performed well at the championship, both in offense
and defense. The standout in the team was pitcher Adam Folkard, who
pitched 109 strikeouts in the nine matches he pitched in. The Colts
were a very strong batting team, hitting a total of 11 home runs
whilst keeping the opposition to just 11 runs in the 10 matches they
played.
The Aussie Colts team was as follows:
Players: James Brooks, Garon Clough, Ashton Edwards, Adam
Folkard, Nic Green, Jon Hudson, Josh Jones, Shaun Mason, Michael
Munro, Damien Nairn, Nick Norton, Adam Raptis, Andrew Ratten, Jamie
Sheehan, Travis Southam, Matt Torpey, Ryan Van Coevorden.
Officials: Lindsey Carroll (Head Coach), Laing Harrow (Assistant
Coach), Darrin Hebditch (Assistant Coach), John Neilson (Trainee
Coach), Maxine Cleary (Team Administrator/Statistician), Mary Magarey
(Team Physiotherapist), Leigh Evans (Umpire).
For more information go to
www.softball.org.au or contact
Softball Australia on (03) 9890 8200.
Ends
Shane Cantelmi
Athletes and Events Administrator
Softball Australia
Suite 4, 38-40 Prospect St
Box Hill VIC 3128
Phone: +61 3 9890 8200
Fax: +61 3 9890 8295
Email:
shane.cantelmi@softball.org.au
For all Softball Australia news and information go to:
www.softball.org.au
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