By Eric McCarthy, Journal Pioneer
The Kensington resident and former Alberton recreation director, who now manages the Cavendish Farms Montague Wellness Centre, hit six home runs and had a .650 batting average in helping his team, Chicago-New York, to the tournament championship.
The team, made up of players from Canada, New Zealand, Dominican Republic and one American, posted an 8-0 (won-lost) record.
Ellsworth shared MVP honours with teammate Mark Johnson. Three of Ellsworth’s teammates shared top-pitcher honours.
“It’s a great team to play for and when you’re comfortable and happy to play with a group of guys it seems to bring out the best in your abilities,”
Ellsworth said in describing his individual results.
It was his first tournament since suffering a groin injury in last summer’s Canadian senior men’s fast pitch championship in Charlottetown.
“The injury seems fine,” he pronounced. “I had a few stolen bases in the tourney, and had to track a few balls down and the groin felt fine.”
Dedicated tournament Chicago-New York dedicated its tournament play to team founder and inspirational leader Tom Macavoy, who was gravely ill last weekend.
Their toughest test, Ellsworth said, came in their game against the Minnesota Angels. The Angels’ team included Ellsworth’s friend and fellow Islander Mitchell Hardy as one of the pitchers. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh with two out, Ellsworth hit a two-run homer for a win that gave Chicago-New York first in its division.
The first-place finish in division play sent Chicago-New York to Championship Sunday, where Ellsworth homered once in the quarter-finals, twice in the semifinals and once more in the championship game.
The tournament, which had 40 teams participating, kicks off another busy year of ball for Ellsworth. He’s a member of Softball Canada’s senior men’s team, and is preparing for the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISC) world championship. He will also be playing in nine weekend tournaments with the Jarvis (Ont.) Travelers, who will be eager to defend their 2010 International Softball Congress (ISC) world championship.
wbureau (at) journalpioneer.com