| September 2004
Well I have been sitting here like an expecting father, heaven forbid at my age. But, really, I have been waiting for the brackets to come out for this years “C” Nationals to see what kind of draw the teams have gotten. Many of you know, that can make or break team chances of winning the big show.
After finding the website I noticed that Energy Link plays a team from Springfield, Ill., Valley Lyons play a team from Fargo, ND, KHT Pumpers play a team from Omaha, NE and all play Wednesday night, while the Silverhawks play Thursday against a team from Grand Island, NE.The team that seems to have drawn the good spot would be the KHT Pumpers and the worst draw to Energy Link.
In first round games all teams won, with Energy Link winning 8-0, Valley Lyons winning 7-1, KHT Pumpers won 11 – 9 and the Silverhawks won 10-2. In the second games Energy Link beat Kenny’s/Worth from PA 5-2, Silverhawks beat Allentown Patriots from Allentown, PA. 8-7, both the Pumpers and Valley lost their next game. The Pumpers lost to GI Foot Clinic 3-7, while the Lyons lost to CBS Insurance from Kearny, NE 1-4. The Lyons then beat New Holland 6-4 and Post 715 9-2 before meeting the Pumpers in an elimination game for one of them. The Lyons won 10-2 sending the Pumpers home with a 1-2 record. The Silverhawks then lost their next game to Marysville 2-4 sending them to the loser’s bracket and a game against Cyclone Fast Pitch from Galena, OH, which they lost. Energy Link then played a team from Lincoln, NE called John’s Plumbing and they won that game 10-3. In the mean time the Lyons played a team called the Hurricanes from Tucson, AZ, which they lost to by the score of 4-8.
Energy Link then played Trexlertown Thunder from Trexlertown PA and won that game 9-1. Then played the Texasroadhouse Outlaws from Elkhart IN and beat them 8-7. Next in line was GI Foot Clinic from Grand Island, NE, which sent the Pumpers to the losers bracket. Energy Link won the game 6-5 before moving on to play the Roadrunners in the undefeated game. The Roadrunners were from Maryville, MO and they lost to Energy Link 4-2. Energy Link then sat back and waited for the loser’s bracket winner to come to them having to beat them twice. But it was not to be as the Roadrunners returned for a rematch and again were beaten by Energy Link 3-0. First place going to Energy Link, second place to the Roadrunners and third to the GI Foot Clinic.
Below is a game-by-game account of each team.
Energy Link Record 8-0 finished # 1
Fanny’s Ole Irish Pub from Springfield, Ill. 8-0
Kenny’s/Worth from Warminster, PA. 5-2
John’s Plumbing from Lincoln, NE. 10-3
Trexlertown Thunder from Trexlertown, PA. 9-1
Texas Roadhouse Outlaws from Elkhart, IN. 10-3
GI Foot Clinic from Grand Island, NE. 6-5
Roadrunners from Maryville, MO. 4-2
Roadrunners from Maryville, MO. 3-0
Silverhawks Record 2-2 finished # 17
Ruff’s Bar from Grand Island, NE. 10-2
Allentown Patriots from Allentown, PA. 8-7
Marysville VFW from Marysville, PA. 4-7
Cyclones Fastpitch Club from Portland, OR. 3-8
Valley Lyons Record 4-2 finished # 25
AM/Vets Grain Belt from Fargo, ND. 7-1
CBS Insurance from Kearney, NE. 1-4
New Holland from New Holland, PA. 6-4
Post 915 from Lebanon, PA. 9-2
KHT Pumpers from Visalia, CA. 10-2
Hurricanes from Tucson, AZ. 4-8
KHT Pumpers Record 1-2 Finished # 33
Omaha Blues from Omaha, NE. 11-9
GI Foot Clinic from Grand Island, NE. 3-7
Valley Lyons from Fresno, CA. 2-10
My congratulations go out to the Energy Link team for the way the represented the Central Valley Travel League in winning the 2004 “C” ASA National Tournament. Congratulations also go out to Jerry Nielson, Brian Teeters and Jeff Ansiel for making the All American first team with Mark Toliver and Mitch Miller making the All American second team.
I look forward to next year and all the challenges it will bring, as we all try to jockey ourselves into position for the Nationals.
I can only wonder how it will be without Iren Hodge leading the way, what type of committee will be formed to run the travel league, which teams will be back, which ones will fold and how Energy Link will do in the “B” division. OR will players drop back down and join other teams to fight for the berths. Only time will tell, so start planning now as the season is truly over for 2004. By the way if you get tired of doing nothing, there is always the game of slow pitch.
A SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO IREN HODGE FOR ALL THE DEDICATION AND SACRIFICES HE GAVE SO THAT WE COULD PLAY THE GAME OF FAST PITCH, THE GAME WE ALL MUST LOVE.
This should prove to people that our travel league is one of quality and that next year we will be a big force to recon with at the 2005 “C” Nationals in Stockton.
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