{"id":14408,"date":"2011-09-05T21:34:43","date_gmt":"2011-09-06T04:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/?p=14408"},"modified":"2011-09-10T06:20:41","modified_gmt":"2011-09-10T13:20:41","slug":"the-isc-world-tournament-will-always-be-in-our-memories-special-feature-from-softball-news-la","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/?p=14408","title":{"rendered":"“The ISC World Tournament will always be in our memories” (Special Feature from Softball News LA)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Click to visit the Softball News LA website.<\/figcaption><\/figure>A special feature from our friend Martin Jorge, of Softball News LA (Latin America)<\/em>
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The pride of Argentina, Nicholas Bittor, Juan Potolicchio and Fernando Petric Bittor, of the 2011 Minnesota Angels (click to enlarge)<\/figcaption><\/figure>“The ISC World Tournament will always be in our memories”<\/strong>
\n(Google Translation)<\/em><\/p>\n

Juan Potolicchio, Nicholas and Fernando Petric Bittor this 2011 will not forget easily. While still remaining a few months to the end of the year, and the Pan American Championships in Hermosillo on the horizon, these three players from Club Atletico Parana students have written glorious pages for softball Argentina in the last month.<\/p>\n

In late July, with Argentina, hung the gold medal in the V ALBA Games 2011, played in Maracay, Venezuela, beating the hosts by four games to three in a series to seven games. And in mid-August, with his team in the United States, Minnesota Angels, stroked the podium at the 2011 ISC World Tournament, falling 1-0 to Saskatoon Diamondbacks, to remain in fourth place teams tournament in the world . To put the icing on the cake, was named pitcher Potolicchio First Team All World Tournament, while the infield Bittor joined the Second Team All World.<\/p>\n

“Our team started the tournament ranked ninth in the standings and finished in the top four in a World Club Championship,” how much Nicolas Bittor, Angels second baseman, already installed at his home in Parana, Entre Rios. “Without a doubt this is a tournament that I will never forget.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Angels debuted at the 2011 ISC World Tournament on August 14, facing Hickson Reds. 8-0 victory for Minnesota and Juan Potolicchio, who pitched seven innings allowing only three hits, striking out 13 batters. Argentine colleagues and friends also did well: as “leadoff hitter”, Fernando Petric had two hits in four at-bats, drove in two runs and scoring once, for his part, Nicholas Bittor, fifth in the order, had three hits in four possibilities, two RBI and a run scored. First hurdle overcome for a team that began its participation in the tournament better.<\/p>\n

“From the beginning we were very good. Beyond that the season could not win any tournaments we played, we all ended up in a good position, “reflects Fernando Petric. “The team knew we were ninth, and we could get down a couple of places. I personally thought that finish in the top six would be a good season finale, as the teams we had on, until the fifth, were on our level and if we were facing could get to beat them. ”<\/p>\n

The second appointment was against Pennsylvania Power, a team that had been left out of the Angels ISC 2010, and which had already surpassed the ASA 2011, a week before the ISC. And again ended with victory for Minnesota, 3-1. Potolicchio second win under his belt, throwing seven innings with a run against, five hits and nine strikeouts. His counterpart, Sean Cleary, also launched perfectly, getting only two hits, three runs (only one earned) and striking out eight. Coincidentally was Bittor who hit the two hits that Cleary allowed his team. Pennsylvania Power and Sean Cleary will be part of this story again, but that will come later. At the moment, second victory in as many games for Minnesota, and before the defending champion and number one team ISC Ranking: Jarvis Travelers.<\/p>\n

“So far so normal and according to our expectations, hoping the next game would be against Travellers Jarvis,” said Potolicchio. “I’m honest, going into the plate pitcher in that game knew that if I am wrong with some batter was going to pay dearly. So I played well against the pressure, nerves, and the line up of them were against our little Angels Minnesota. ”<\/p>\n

And the best team in the world stood with the party (as he did each of the games played in the ISC 2011) with the result 4-1. First defeat for Minnesota, which forced the Argentine team to fall to the key losers and face elimination in every game. Moreover, the next day, Minnesota should face two games on the same day to stay alive in the ISCWT.<\/p>\n

“From there we went to the losers bracket and Juan grew game by game, I saw it as never before, all games were tight, and Juan kept very well” indicates “Pajarito” Petric.<\/p>\n

First turn Silverhawks Backersfield beat Minnesota 4-1. Potolicchio controlled the match with a superb performance: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R and 17 K. Fernando Petric provided with a racing team, while Bittor (and placed third in the batting order) worked with one hit in three innings, and two runs scored.<\/p>\n

“That same night we played against PA Power again for the pass to the quarterfinals. The whole team was very confident in that game, in theory, should be ours, “says the pitcher 29 years old. “But something gave me a bad feeling because we had several games over and assumed that at some point, the fatigue would hit me. At the end I think that’s what helped me stay focused as possible. ”<\/p>\n

And Potolicchio gave one of the best games of his life. The man from Hope pitched a no-hitter in 10 innings against Pennsylvania Power (rival which, remember, had expired days ago) to the victory of his team 1-0, in what was the best match the event. To put more spice to the game, the pitcher of Pennsylvania, Sean Cleary, was also dominant, since they do not allow a hit or runs in the first contested nine innings in a pitching duel seldom seen in sports history.<\/p>\n

Despite her flawless performance, at the close of the eighth inning Potolicchio was inches away from losing the game. John Rozich, the catcher of Pennsylvania, hit a long fly to left, which seemed to leave the park to leave Minnesota in the field and off the ISC World Tournament. The ball soared, sailed on the night of Moline to the astonishment of all present, and began to fall like a dagger in the aspirations of the Angels.<\/p>\n

However, left fielder Jeff Mataczynski change the course of history. Standing in the security zone, with its back against the fence, staring at the ball that fate had run, jumped back and fell over the fence caught the ball, robbing the home run, in a move that was taken Ballparkradio by cameras, which would be dubbed “The Catch” (The Catch). This move kept alive Potlicchio perfect game, and the aspirations of the Angels in the contest.<\/p>\n

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