MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Softball Canada

February 8, 2004

"Canada wins Silver at the Sr. Men's ISF World Softball Championships"

(Ottawa, ON) -   After placing fourth at the last Senior Men's ISF World
Championships in 2000 in South Africa, Canada returned to show the World
they are worthy of a medal.  Canada and defending world champions, New
Zealand, battled in the final game of the 2004 ISF World Championships and
Canada lost 9-5.

Canada and New Zealand battled the entire game scattering their runs across
the board.  New Zealand's bats knew how to connect as they got 3 key
homeruns that gave them the edge over Canada.  Canada did come out strong in
the top of the 1st inning scoring 3 runs.  Jody Eidt got on base on an
error, Bob Court walked and Rob Gray hit a double to score both Eidt and
Court.  Dean Holoien then stepped up to the plate and hit a double to score
Gray.  The black socks responded in the bottom of the 1st on a Patrick
Shannon 2-run homerun.  In the 2nd inning, Canada made a pitching change and
Nick Underhill came in.  In the 3rd, with two on base, Mark Sorenson hit a
3-run homerun that gave the Kiwis the lead 6-3.  In the 5th inning, Canada
scored another run when Jody Edit got a walk, followed by Bob Court who hit
a double and Rob Gray hit a single to score Eidt narrowing the margin 6-4.
NZ replied and scored two more runs on an error and a wild pitch. Canada
made another pitching change and brought in Dean Holoien  In the 6th inning
with no outs, Dion Nukunuku hit a homerun bringing the score 9-4.  Canada
responded back in the top of the 7th with a run but it just wasn't enough to
take the lead. Ryan Wolfe hit a double to centrefield and scored on a Rob
Gray double to leftfield.  Canada goes home with a silver medal and leaves
gold behind in New Zealand.

Canada's Gerald Muizelaar got the start for Canada and pitched 1 1/3
innings, gave up 3 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, no strikeouts.  Canada's losing
Pitcher was Nick Underhill who came in for Muizelaar in the bottom of the
2nd.  He threw 3 innings, gave up 5 runs on 5 hits, had 2 strikeouts and no
walks.  Dean Holoien finished the game and gave up 1 run on 1 hit, struck
out 2 New Zealand batters and had no walks.  The Winning Pitcher was New
Zealand's Jimmy Wana.

"We had a great tournament and given that it is our off season when some of
these teams are in-season, our results were positive," stated Head Coach
Mark Smith.  "We have a dynamic team filled with a great group of talented
men who worked hard all week to get to the final game," said Mark.  "We
wanted gold, but at least we are going home with a medal."


Innings1234567RHELOB
Canada30001005616
New Zealand123021091114


Batting Order/Line Up

Ryan Wolfe CF
Jody Edit 3rd
Bob Court 2nd
Rob Gray leftfield
Colin Abbott rightfield
Dean Holoien DP
Darren Box 1st
Sean O'Brien C
Chris Jones SS

Canada's lost to New Zealand earlier today sent them to the bronze medal
game against Australia.  Canada was victorious and won 7-0 to advance to
gold medal action against host New Zealand.   From 1968 to 1996, Canada
medalled in every Senior Men ISF World Championship, winning 3 Gold, 4
Silver and 1 bronze.  The ISF World Championships take place every four
years.


-30-

To check out the Canadian game reports from the Sr. Men's ISF World
Championships, please visit the Softball Canada website at www.softball.ca.
For more information, please contact: Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Marketing and
Communications Director at (613) 795-1996 (cel.) or lstapley@softball.ca.

*Aussi disponible en Francais.

Team Canada:
Colin Abbott               Portugal Cove, NL
Darren Box                 Edmonton, AB
Terry Challis                Whitby, ON
Craig Crawford           Kitchener, ON            (HT - Markham, ON)
Bob Court                   Duncan, BC
Jody Eidt                    Margate, New Jersey (HT-Mitchell, ON)
Rob Gray                    Toronto, ON
Dean Holoien              Moose Jaw, SK
Chris Jones                  Oshawa, ON
Gerald Muizelaar        Steinbach, MB            (HT - Shubenacadie, NS)
Sean O'Brien              Kitchener, ON            (HT - St. John's, NL)
Darrell Sandback        Victoria, BC
Kevin Schellenberg     Squamish, BC
Nick Underhill            Campbell River, BC
Sean Whitten              Calgary, AB (HT - Maddox Cove, NL)
Ryan Wolfe                 London, ON (HT-Melbourne, ON)
Darren Zack                Garden River, ON

Team Staff
Mark Smith                 Falmouth, NS (HT - Cambridge, NS)            Head
Coach
Ray Tilley                    Woodstock, ON
Assistant Coach
Kelly McGiffin           Penticton, BC
Assistant Coach
Doug Chase                Port Alberni, BC
Assistant Coach
Harvey Stevenson Sr. Victoria, BC
Team Leader
Bob Baird, Trainer      Burlington, ON
Trainer/Equipment Manager
Bruce Marshall            Ottawa, ON
Athletic Therapist

Lisette Johnson Stapley
Directrice du Marketing & Communications Director
Softball Canada
2197 Promenade Riverside Drive
Ottawa, ON  K1H 7X3
Tel. (613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
Fax/Telec. (613) 523-5761
lstapley@softball.ca *** www.softball.ca