The last time they faced Argentina’s junior national men’s fastball team, Ryan Shields and Jake Doyle were left shaking their heads.
That was just over a week ago, when Shields and Doyle were playing for Team B.C. at the under-21 international championship in Saskatoon. The Argentians won the game 14-3.
On Thursday (first pitch is at 6:45 p.m. at Steveston Park), the two young Richmond players will have the chance at some redemption when they suit up for the Stealers during an exhibition game against the Argentinians. The game will be the first of a doubleheader, with the Richmond Mariners facing Argentina at 8:30 p.m.
“They’re really fast and quick, which I’m sure has something to do with their success,” says Shields. “And considering how small they are, they can also smash the ball. They’re obviously well-grounded in the fundamentals and their coaching is really strict. I’m looking forward to playing them again because I think we have better chance of competing against them (with the Stealers being mostly adults).”
Doyle is also anxious to play the Argentinians again.
“I’m one of the younger players on the team and having the opportunity to play in the under-21s was a good learning experience,” he says. “And playing up with the Stealers has been great too, because I get to see a lot of good pitching.”
Doyle says the calibre of softball at the under-21s was as good as he’s seen, with the pitching, hitting and fielding all at an elite level.
For Argentina, Thursday’s games are part of a 20-day North American tour that includes games in the U.S. and will further serve as a prelude to the 2014 Junior Men’s World Fastpitch Championship next summer in Whitehorse.