Carrying a roster replete with national team players, the South Hill Giants were understandably favoured to win the 2018 edition of the May Days International Men害羞草研究所檚 Fastpitch Tournament.
The Vancouver-based squad lived up to its billing, rolling through the eight-team event and securing the title Monday afternoon at Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 King害羞草研究所檚 Stadium with a lopsided victory over the Sooke Loggers in the championship game.
South Hill featured six players from Canada害羞草研究所檚 national men害羞草研究所檚 program, including pitcher and one each from the Australian (Nick Shales) and Argentinian (Juan Potolicchio) national teams.
The Westbank Cardinals and Portland-Columbia River Brewers tied for third place in three-day May long weekend tourney.
Each year, the event showcases the skills of some world-class talent as well as many of the top provincial and local players.
害羞草研究所淚 think pretty much everyone who was involved over the weekend loved it,害羞草研究所� said tournament organizer and Brewers害羞草研究所� pitcher Richard Haldane. 害羞草研究所淭he weather was ideal, we had tons of compliments, the fans enjoyed it害羞草研究所e have teams who already said they害羞草研究所檙e coming back next year.害羞草研究所�
All the games were also live-streamed, a feature of the weekend that Haldane said was well-received by fans and players alike.
In North America, fastball has lost some traction over the years with the numbers of active players continually slipping.
Internationally, however, the game is thriving in places like Australia and New Zealand, as well as in several countries in Central and South America.
Haldane, among many other fastball advocates, would like to see the game regain its appeal and popularity in both Canada and the U.S.
害羞草研究所淩ight now, there is a lack of young pitchers across the country and that害羞草研究所檚 been a challenge,害羞草研究所� said Haldane, a Vernon resident who is also a member of Great Britain害羞草研究所檚 national program. 害羞草研究所淭here were some younger players on the Sooke team, so that害羞草研究所檚 positive.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people (in Kelowna) didn害羞草研究所檛 even realize there was a fastball league in Kelowna, so that害羞草研究所檚 one of the things we害羞草研究所檙e faced with,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淗opefully the game can be built back up in North America to the level of other countries that are doing such a good job of promoting it.害羞草研究所�
Other teams competing at this year害羞草研究所檚 tournament were the host Kelowna All-Stars, Irma Tigers, Grand Prairie Pirates and Abbotsford Builders.
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