Port Huron, Mi

[FAD # 3]

Blue Water Classic !!!
Since The Last Thread Got Jacked Up. Figured I Would Start This One For Any Questions, Discussions, Info On This Great Tourny !!!

[softball73]

http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/p...806240311/1006

[UsualSuspect]

Is Rodney Degrote going with Sun Devils or Dodgers?

[BuC99NiNeS]

What teams are in michigan?
Who has been there before? Tell me about the tourney and the town.
Thanks

[superx]

Port Huron, MI usually puts 3 teams in it, Secory Flyers, the Rebels and Chico's. It's my home town I don't ever miss the tourney!

[FAD#22]

The Fort Apache Dodgers Are Looking For An Outfielder For The 4th Of July Weekend In Port Huron, Mi Anyone Interested Please Pm Me.

[FAD # 3]

There is going to be 7 teams in the tournament this year. Should be good competition.

[smoke it]

cant wait chicken

[FAD#22]

June 27, 2008


Sun Devils aim to impress at softball event

By RICK JAKACKI


This is the first in a seven-part series profiling the teams in the Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational, set for July 3-6 at Pine Grove Park. Today, we feature the New York/New Jersey Sun Devils.

In their first season, the New York/New Jersey Sun Devils have made a good impression upon their eastern rivals.

Now, they hope to do the same with the top modified softball teams from Michigan.

The Sun Devils are one of seven teams competing next weekend in the annual Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational at Pine Grove Park. It is their third tournament, having placed fourth in events in Connecticut and Staten Island.

The Sun Devils are in second place in the Metro Fastpitch League with an 8-3 record and are 14-7 overall.

“We’re definitely doing what we expected,” player/coach Anthony Wilmoth said of his team, which includes five former Fort Apache Dodgers as well as pickups from various eastern teams, many from the Dominican leagues. “We were a little upset we didn’t get it done (in the Staten Island Memorial Day Tournament) because we got the No. 1 seed and just didn’t execute.”

The Sun Devils went 4-2 in Staten Island, getting eliminated by Fort Apache, which it had beaten in round-robin play. In the Connecticut event, they beat Legends (Massachusetts), which won the 2007 Class A national championship.

Other impressive wins have come against league foes ADCO Toolshed (2006 Class C fastpitch champion) and L&P (2002 and 2003 Class A champion).

“The Sun Devils are a very, very good hitting team team and they have solid pitching,” Fort Apache player/coach Tony Casilla said. “They’re just a really, really good club.”
Wilmoth, who plays first base and pitches, said the Sun Devils are a line-drive hitting team with solid defense and pitching.

Speedy centerfielder Sammy Parrilla, who bats leadoff, is the catalyst — “he does a a great job of setting the table for us,” Wilmoth said. Other top hitters include outfielders Darwin “Cacu” Brito and Julio Bautista along with infielder Carlos Sanchez.

Pedro Sosa leads a deep but not overpowering pitching staff, which also consists of Sean Connelly and Brian Jamison. The Sun Devils picked up Legends’ Wiley Billings for the tournament.

“They’re going to keep you in games,” Wilmoth said of the pitchers, “and we’ll rely on our offense and defense to win games for us.”

Wilmoth, who along with a few of his teammates have played in the Blue Water Invitational, described the event as a “pre-national” and figures if the Sun Devils can excel here, they can do well at nationals, which are Labor Day weekend.

He said the tournament field is balanced, noting every team has a chance to win.
“(The keys are) playing fundamentally-sound defense and doing the little things — moving guys over, getting the bunt down when we need to, those kind of things,” he said. “And obviously (another key is) our pitchers throwing strikes and keeping the ball (low).”

[FAD#22]

June 27, 2008


Pitcher helps Dodgers become contenders

By RICK JAKACKI


This is the second in a seven-part series profiling the teams in the Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational, set for July 3-6 at Pine Grove Park. Today, we feature the Fort Apache (N.Y.) Dodgers.

Kurt Schieman knows softball fans in the Blue Water Area don’t associate a lot of success with the Fort Apache Dodgers. And for good reason.

The Dodgers are competing for the fifth time next week in the annual Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational at Pine Grove Park. They have yet to win an elimination-round game and three times have gone winless, including last season when they went 0-4.

This year, however, they are a team to be reckoned with, said Schieman, who is the tournament director.

“It’s unfortunate the Dodgers don’t have a different name because they’re really good,” he said.

The results back up Schieman’s claim as the Dodgers (18-12) have won the two major tournaments — in Connecticut and Staten Island, N.Y. — in which they’ve played. The biggest reason is pitcher Freddy Pena, who after joining the team late last season helped the Dodgers earn a fifth-place finish at the Class A nationals. There, he threw two no-hitters and was named to the All-America team.

“For our team, (Pena means) a lot,” player/coachTony Casilla said. “We feed off his pitching. He keeps us in games, and we’ll manage to score a run here and there and pull it out.”

Sun Devils player/coach Anthony Wilmoth called Pena a “true ace.”

“He’s extremely good,” Wilmoth said. “He’s got great stuff, a good fastball, a nice change with his curveball and a good riser — he has the complete package.”

Steve Laughman is the other pitcher. The Dodgers also hope to add Luis Cedeno, who was a tournament pickup in 2006 for Chico’s Hurricanes, as well as Rodney “Binky” DeGrote of national power L&P.

Swashbucklers player/coach Anthony Shaut, however, said DeGrote is coming with his team.

The Dodgers are led offensively by third baseman Ivan Jiminez, center fielder Keith Jiminez, designated hitter Steve Alonso and shortstop Eric Sanchez, who earned All-America honors at nationals last season.

Casilla said there is plenty of speed and contact hitters in the lineup, with Alonso the biggest power threat.

“Pena will definitely carry us,” Casilla said. “We just have to make plays for him and score enough runs. If we score three or four runs, we’re confident he’ll shut the other teams down.”

Casilla is cautiously optimistic, adding “we kind of have something to prove” after struggling in past Blue Water Invitationals.

He said the keys are getting solid pitching, good defense and timely hitting.

“We’re going to be competitive — people will be surprised,” Casilla said. “I’m not going to predict, but we like our chances.”

Contact Rick Jakacki at (810) 989-6266 or rjakacki@gannett.com.

[NYSoftball20]

Originally Posted by FAD#22

Other impressive wins have come against L&P (2002 and 2003 Class A champion).

”

No offense but that is not the same team with the exception of Pete and Ron

[FAD#22]

June 28, 2008


Swashbucklers look to run wild in tourney

By RICK JAKACKI
Times Herald


This is the third in a series profiling teams in the Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational, set for July 3-6 at Pine Grove Park. Today, we take a look at the Swashbucklers.

There's little doubt which of the teams in the Quay Street Brewery Blue Water Invitational will be the most fun to watch.

And, perhaps, the least fun to play.

The Swashbucklers (New York), who are making their first trip to the prestigious modified softball event, bring a group of players known for their speed, bunting and stealing bases.

Tournament director Kurt Schieman said he never has seen another team run quite like the Swashbucklers.

He gets no argument from Full Quiver & More Rebels catcher Brian Larsen, whose team played against the Swashbucklers a year ago in a tournament in New Jersey.

"You've just got to be on your toes every pitch," Larsen said, when asked about catching against them. "It doesn't matter what the count is or what the situation is, you've got to be ready because they

take bases every chance they get."

Anthony Shaut, the player/coach for the Swashbucklers, said his team probably has eight or nine players who would be leadoff hitters for other teams. So what they lack in power, they more than make up for with their legs.

"We're definitely probably the most annoying team (to play) out there," Shaut said, adding that ADCO Toolshed Coach Pete Quaranta has told him, "I hate playing against you guys."

The Swashbucklers' fastest player is leadoff hitter and sparkplug Steve Mullady, who plays third base. Other top hitters are first baseman Lou Kass, designated hitter Vin Kass, left fielder Mike Conigliaro and shortstop/pitcher Chris Bogach.

All can run and, like the rest of the lineup, all have the green light to steal when they get on base.

"Their running is their biggest weapon," Larsen said. "You've got to keep them off base -- that's the way you beat them."

Shaut, who plays center field and bats second, said his lineup features five lefthanded hitters, so he wouldn't be surprised to see a few home runs this weekend, since the right-field fence at Pine Grove Park is only about 250 feet from home plate.

Speed isn't the only strength of the Swashbucklers, who are solid defensively and on the mound, Shaut said.

Bogach is the team's ace, although the Swashbucklers also are bringing Rodney "Binky" DeGrote, who pitches for fast-pitch power Zubis. Shaut said a third pitcher might be added.

The Swashbucklers have had success, placing second in the Staten Island Memorial Day tournament and fourth in the Connecticut Invitational. They also have winning records in the modified and fastpitch leagues in which they compete.

"With the tournament the way it is with no Gremlins (who are a national power), we've got as good a shot as any team," Shaut said.

[superx]

Rebels dropped out of the tournament leaving only 6 teams.

[UsualSuspect]

When Lew Secory Jr. and Jim Ladensack began the Blue Water Invitational modified softball tournament in the mid-1990s, they wanted -- among other things -- area fans to see how good the country's top teams really are.


That first year, they brought in the defending major champion (CBS) and runner-up (Zorn Industries), and the tournament was a huge success.

Secory and Ladensack, who continued to recruit top-flight teams annually, passed the torch on to Kurt Schieman a few years ago. And he has carried on the proud tradition without missing a beat.

The job, however, is getting more and more difficult.

With many of the major softball powers switching to the fastpitch game, it leaves fewer teams from which to choose.

Schieman again did a banner job this season, drawing three New York-area teams (the Sun Devils, the Fort Apache Dodgers and the Swashbucklers) as well as three of Michigan's top teams (Mickey's Sleds, Secory Flyers and Chico's Hurricanes).

The prestigious event at Pine Grove Park gets under way Thursday night and concludes Sunday afternoon.

Fans should enjoy it while they can.

That's not to say this is the last year for the tournament -- because no one has said it is -- but the writing surely is on the wall that the end probably is near.

The reason: there just aren't as many teams playing the modified game, and only a few of those can afford to travel.

Take, for example, the annual Memorial Day tournament in Linden, N.J. (formerly in Staten Island). It usually draws anywhere from 20 to 30 teams, including one or two from Michigan. This year, it drew six (none from Michigan).

Last year, the Blue Water Invitational had nine teams, but ADCO Toolshed, Zubis, the Globe and the Gremlins dropped after going the way of fastpitch.

Luckily, Schieman put in a lot of long hours and was able to attract a couple of new out-of-state teams to keep the tournament from slipping.

Is the field as strong as last year? No. But area fans still will see the best the modified game has to offer, including dominant pitchers on almost every team.

Perhaps the best thing about this year's tournament is its balance -- each of the six teams has a legitimate shot of winning the title, whereas in the past, there was a clear-cut favorite or two.

So if you want to see some of the country's top modified teams play in one of the country's best venues, head over to Pine Grove Park and enjoy.

There might not be many opportunities left.

[UsualSuspect]

Maybe some of the other top teams should stop playing down in tournaments (like Chester) and start playing in these top tournaments - that goes for teams like Legends and Netspoke, who backed out of Michigan, and teams like Hartford who are good enough to compete at that level.