By Adam Smith, Midland Daily News
This weekend’s Amateur Softball Association National Championships in men’s and boys’ fastpitch at Emerson Park will have a very local feel.
Eighteen of the 25 teams in the six divisions competing from Thursday through Sunday are from Michigan, and the other seven teams are from other states in the Midwest.
“We do wish we had more teams coming in from out of state, but that being said, we want to make sure that we’re doing the best thing for the betterment of the game, and specifically the game in our area,” said David Lach, a Midland Explorers Booster Club tournament committee host member, who will help coach the 23-and-under Midland Explorers Blue team and also play for Up to Date Painting of Millington in the 40-and-over division.
“From that standpoint, we’re not discouraged by it,” Lach added of the fact that Michigan teams form the majority of the field this weekend. “Teams have multiple opportunities to play (around the country), and this is just one of them.”
Lach noted that the Explorers Booster Club also appealed to other teams from around the country, letting them know that their players could be placed on one of the participating teams’ rosters at nationals. And a number of players accepted that offer.
“We’ve got probably 12 to 15 (players) coming (from other states) that we helped place on local teams,” said Lach.
In addition, the 18U USA National Team has been practicing at Emerson all week, and its players will be dispersed among the six teams in the 18U division this weekend.
Admission is free to spectators for all of the approximately 50 games of the tournament. Games will be played at Currie Stadium and the other two fields at Emerson. Click here to continue reading at the Midland Daily News.