The Midland Junior Explorers’ men’s fastpitch softball team played its best ball when it counted the most, winning its final four games to capture the five-team International Softball Congress (ISC) Under-21 Tournament recently in Moline, Ill.
The tournament was held in conjunction with the ISC World Tournament.
In pool play, Midland lost 5-1 to the Wiarton (Ont.) Red Devils, lost 9-3 to the Alvinston (Ont.) Junior Indians, beat the Tavistock (Ont.) Merchants 10-5, and beat the Elmira (Ont.) 37’s 8-1.
In the single-elimination playoff round, the Junior Explorers atoned for both of their earlier losses. They beat Wiarton 9-4 and then defeated Alvinston 3-0 in the championship game on Saturday, Aug. 17.
Junior Explorers’ manager David Lach said he anticipated that his team would get stronger as the three-day tournament went along.
“I expected a little bit of gelling to occur throughout the week,” Lach said. “Unlike some of the Canadian teams that play year around, we organize for only a few weekends a year and this tournament. … By the end of the tournament, we were the best team.”
The Junior Explorers were formed in 2012 and are made up of players from Michigan, including three from Midland, along with two players from Minnesota.
The Junior Explorers’ Zack Lach, David Lach’s son, was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament after batting .438 with four runs batted in and going 1-1 as a pitcher.
The Junior Explorers’ Jerlin Rutt was named Top Pitcher of the tournament, going 2-0 with a 0.28 ERA and throwing a two-hit shutout in the championship game.
Midland High graduate Chase Porter, an outfielder, made the All-Tournament Team along with Lach and Rutt. Porter plays locally for Carey Allstate.
Other Midland players on the team are outfielder TJ Radosa and first baseman Trevor Hoon.
“It’s pretty neat to see the kids develop. That’s part of the thrill of doing a team like this,” David Lach said.
The Midland Junior Explorers tied for third at last year’s ISC Under-21 Tournament, and David Lach said they will compete again at next August’s tournament, which will be in Kitchener, Ont.
“It should be a very large tournament and a very competitive tournament,” he said.