Southern California ASA has announced that Phil Gutierrez has been named commissioner. Gutierrez, a Marine veteran, replaces D. Stephen Monson. Gutierrez states, “It is a huge honor to be appointed the commissioner for this very prominent association. It’s a challenge I look forward to.” Look for a complete story in the next issue of Softball West Magazine.

Jessica Jobes, a Redmond, Wash. Inventor has come up with the MittMate. “I could never find my glove,” laughed Jobes. Her solution…a colorful neoprene wrap that fits around one finger of a softball glove which helps players easily identify their gloves from the pile in the dugout.” It’s a fun and easy way to keep track of your glove. Look for the complete story in the next issue of Softball West Magazine.

The Greater San Joaquin ASA Hall of Fame will be holding its 2008 Induction Ceremony on Feb. 2, 2008 at the Memorial Hall in Micky’s Grove Park, Armstrong, Road in Lodi, California. For tickets or other information contact Matt Pfeifer, ASA Commissioner at 209-484-5036. Look for a list of award winners and a complete story in the next issue of Softball West Magazine

Softball players and fans will be excited to hear that they will be able to use the new Golden Eagle Park facility very soon. Stan Sherer, director of Sparks’ Parks and Recreations, was quoted in the Reno Gazette Journal as saying players should be able to use the complex in March. The park already has turf down on all the softball fields and buildings are partially constructed. The complex will include two youth softball/baseball fields, six adult softball fields and two baseball fields including other athletic sports fields. The park will also have three concession stands and large structure that will be a concession venue and hold offices. Golden Eagle Park is located south of Vista Blvd. in Sparks, NV.

(Click to view larger images)

Mizuno is launching the new bat line, “Frenzy” next month. The Frenzy is faster and will provide more consistency for the ideal batting average everyone wants. The Frenzy comes in fast pitch and slow pitch models featuring a thinner grip and four layers of carbon for durability. Look for Frenzy pictures and more details in the Feb/March issue.

International Softball Federation Director of Umpires, Merle Butler passed away January 6. A service was held in Oklahoma City and a January 26th memorial will be held in Los Gatos, CA. Butler was remembered for his many years of service to both ASA and ISF as well as his dedication and love for the sport of softball. Read the full article in the Feb/March issue.

Phil Gutierrez is replacing Stephen Monson as the Southern California ASA Commissioner. Monson is retiring, but Gutierrez has plenty of experience. Gutierrez is hopeful that he will continue to improve ASA softball. Read more about his goals in the next issue.

A new website, Back Softball has been created to help reinstate softball back into the Olympic Games after this year’s Games. The website is a part of an international campaign to promote the sport and prove its popularity. Read about it in the Feb/March issue of the magazine.

Kasey King is the new Triple Crown National softball director. His primary goal is to prove to softball participants that Triple Crown is “the best.” He also wants to increase the number of participants. Learn more about King in the next issue.

In the Feb/March issue, Softball West Magazine will be the first to inform readers of the newest and hottest bat manufacturer in the country. This awesome new company has created the most modern technology that will make irresistible bats. Check it out in the next issue.

If you can’t wait for another Big 12 Season, then look no further. It’s coming faster then you think, and SWM has the latest preview from a new writer who is in the center of it all. Mayble Watson lives in Oklahoma and has the latest news on which players are returning from all the hot schools. Read the article in the Feb/March issue.

Yes, the Oregon Beavers have already signed four new players for their 2009 season. The four talented players include Mary Brenner (Portland, OR), Paige Hall (Portland, OR), Nikki Chandler (Houston, TX) and Ashley Sanchez (Alameda, CA). Check out their softball resumes in the Feb/March issue.

A Walla Walla High School student signed with the University of Houston last fall. Kaela DeBroeck is excited to play for the Division I team. Read more about her letter of intent day in the Feb/March issue.

Xtreme Point Challenge (XPC) is returning for the 2008 season in the Pacific Northwest. The series will consist of three men's division, and director, Jeff Harbison, is excited for the new season. Find out what major companies will be sponsoring the series in the Feb/March issue.

It's almost time for the Spring Adult Softball League in Sparks, NV starting in April. Any adult 18 and older can participate at the Shadow Mountain and Golden Eagle Sports Complexes. Registration for returning teams begins January 28 through Febrary 17 and for all new teams, February 18 through March 2. Call (775) 353-7780 for more information.

Photos of the 2008 Sno Ball Tournament from South Lake Tahoe are now on www.GetHotShots.net.

If you’ve been looking for a quick and simple shade to set up for those weekend tournaments, look no further. Sports Shade can be set up in 30 seconds and attaches to SUV’s, fences and trees. Look in the Feb/March issue for a special discount.

USSSA held their On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! tournament on Jan. 19 in Tucson, AZ. Find out who won in this issue’s article by Greg Harris.

The Holiday Wrap-up tournament in Tucson, AZ on Jan. 5 was an exciting youth tournament between Arizona Heatwave Creed and Team Velocity. Find out who won in the story by Greg Harris.

The winner of the Southern Arizona Mizuno Classic in Tucson, AZ on Jan. 25 took home $500 worth of gear. Read more of Greg Harris’ story in the next issue.

Softball West Magazine will be giving away an awesome Junior Hack Attack Pitching machine to one lucky new subscriber. Look for contest details in the April issue of the magazine.

When old gloves wear-out, now there’s a way to rejuvenate them. Hot Glove Restore Pocket is a great product to fix up that old mitt. Check it out in the April issue of SWM.

For the first 2008 season Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, University of Nevada Reno’s Tyler Schafer and Katie Holverson were named hitter and pitcher of the week respectively. Schafer is a senior and led Nevada’s softball team to a 3-2 start while Holverson is a sophomore and has played in four games with a 1.56 earned-run average.

On March 25, the Portland Metro Softball Association is hosting the 2008 Manufacturers Meeting and Sports Expo at the Holiday Inn/Airport. The event will feature scorekeeping and hitting clinics as well as some of the top softball uniform and equipment managers.

The Long Haul Bombers kicked-off the 2008 season in San Bernadino, CA with their media day. Las Vegas' Denny Crine along with four others has joined the Bombers for this season's tour. Check out the April issue of SWM to find out more on the Bombers tour.

The Bound 4 Beijing tour made its second stop in Palm Springs, CA on Feb. 21-24 to compete against some of the top college teams in the country. Read about how they did in the next issue of SWM.

On Feb. 21-24, 24 of the top collegiate softball teams competed against each other and Team USA in the Palm Springs Classic. The tournament is important every year for colleges, but it doesn’t feature a winner. Find out why this tournament is so important in the April issue.

Arizona State is still holding on to the number one spot on the USA Today/NFCA poll as well as the ESPN college ranking poll. The Sun Devils have a 27-1 record. In the USA Today poll, Alabama follows Arizona State with a 20-2 record and UCLA comes in third. The ESPN poll ranks UCLA in second place and Alabama in third.

The African Softball Confederation is holding the next meeting April 18-20 in Zambia, Africa. The meeting will go over operation information as well as appoint officers and schedule events. The African Softball Confederation was created last fall at the International Softball Federation congress.

Softball West Magazine's annual equipment preview was photographed at the new Golden Eagle Park in Sparks, NV. The April issue of SWM has four pages of the latest gear.

The International Softball Federation just released the 2008 Olympic Games softball schedule. Team U.S.A. will play its first game on August 12 against Venezuela. Eight softball teams will compete in round-robin play for the first seven days. Playoff games will begin on August 20 with the final game on August 21. Also, the final 15-player U.S.A. roster will be announced on March 28.

With the international tie breaker rule in effect, Reed High School was able to move their runner from second to third on a sacrifice bunt, but they weren't able to push the run across in their half of the inning. In the bottom of the 8th, Logan High's runner advanced from second to third on a passed ball and they scored the winning run on a wild throw to first. See the complete story in the next issue of Softball West Magazine.

Local team, BFC proved their talent by competing in their first-ever wood bat tournament on March 15 in Sparks, NV. Coach, Ben Ross, said their team had a great time and they will definitely play in more. Read more about the wood bat tournament in the May issue of SWM.

New Balance has quite a few multi-purpose turf shoes out on the market; and they’re aggressive and lightweight. Find out which ones you should pick out in the May issue.

It’s time to say goodbye to slow pitch softball in Triple Crown sports. Triple Crown recently made the decision to eliminate slow pitch softball in 2009 because of advancements in the sport. Find out how Triple Crown will extend its appreciation to slow pitch players in the May issue of the magazine.

The 2008 Olympic Softball Team has just been announced and SWM has the latest on who’s playing and who’s not. It will come to a surprise for many on who’s not, but perhaps it’s because of recent, talented, graduates like Monica Abbott, Caitlin Lowe and Cat Osterman who are participating in Beijing. Read the entire list of the team and replacements in the May issue of SWM.

The Helping Hands Tournament held on March 29-30 in Sparks, NV is a wonderful tournament that benefits the March of Dimes. This year’s tournament was filled with a lot of aggressive play from King 888, FDI and American Truck & Trailer. Read more about game highlights in the May issue.

Locals from Reno and Sparks, NV are excited because of the opening of the new Golden Eagle Park sports complex. The complex opened on April 14 and cost $30 million. Read about how the city celebrated the opening day in the upcoming May issue.

The ASA Spring Shootout in Tucson, AZ was a successful event for youth tournament play, with 37 teams participating. Catch up on the aggressive play in the next issue of SWM.

The Pueblo Bandits, from Colorado, have come along way over the past twenty years. Without uniforms, or much of a budget for that matter, the Bandits started out like any brand new softball team. Now, the Bandits are much more experienced and mature. Read about their succession and accomplishments in the May issue.

Softball West Magazine publisher Tom Smedes has announced that the Softball West Challenge to be held June 21-22, 2008 will now be a 3 game guarantee. The extra fields at the new Golden Eagle Regional Park will allow them to have a bigger event and allow teams to play more games.

The brand new Golden Eagle Regional Park opened this month and it will become the home of both Softball West events this season. Read more about the park on page 7 of the May issue to see the Sparks Mayor throw out the first pitch and come visit us at the park this season!

International Softball Federation President, Don Porter visited Venezuela at the end of April for the Pan American Softball Confederation congress. Porter met with Minister of Sports for Venezuela, Victoria Mata and Vice President of the Olympic committee, Elida Parraga de Alvarez. They held discussions about developing softball in Venezuela schools and interest in hosting a new ISF Beach Softball World Cup in Venezuela.

A Golf Tournament will be held on May 17 in Prescott, AZ to benefit softball. This is the first time the event has ever been held, and all proceeds will support the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame. For more information, call (602) 438-2928.

The Dirtbags and team Demolition proved to be the best-of-the-best in the NSA Men’s Beat the Heat Tournament in Washington. The Dirtbags and Demolition stomped the competition. Find out what the championship scores were in the June issue.

The ASA Girl’s Sportsplex Invite in Walla Walla, Washington had skillful girls competing in April. These girls will be tough competition in future tournaments. Check out how all the teams did in the June issue of SWM.

Talented teams competed in the Xtreme Point Challenge recently in Walla Walla, Washington to earn a berth to the Western National Tournament in September. Read about the competitive play in the next issue.

The Oregon State Beavers has released its schedule for softball summer camps. They will hose five different camps in June and July. Check out the next issue of Softball West Magazine for more details.

The third annual ESA Spring Nationals took place on May 17 in Temecula, CA. The Wreckers won for the co-ed division but read abut the top two teams in the Men’s “E” and “D” divisions in the next issue of SWM.

Spanish Springs High School has an outstanding softball team; mostly thanks to its pitcher. Not only has she taken the team to two consecutive 4A State Championship wins, but much more. Find out who she is and where she’s going to play next year in the June issue of the magazine.

The University of Nevada, Reno had the best season ever this year. They won more games and even made it to the NCAA Regionals. We’ve highlighted some of their best games as well as detailed how they got there. Catch the next issue of SWM to find out more.

The 2009 Summer National Senior Games will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area August 1-15, 2009. To compete for the Gold next summer teams must qualify this year at the 2008 California State Senior Games in Riverside, Calif. Games will be played June 21-22, 2008 at the Riverside Softball Complex. For details visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org.

The International Softball Federation and Back Softball representative will be traveling to Athens this weekend to present a progress report of Back Softball. Some of the things to be presented will include the increase in the number of youth softball programs available in school programs, more opportunities for women athletes in the ISF council, and softball equipment being sent to 91 countries. For more information on the progress report visit: www.backsoftball.com.

Senior Softball USA invaded Northern Nevada this week. Photos from the 70+ AA division championship are on gethotshots.net.

Three teams from the west made it to the top in the 20th annual Mike Davis Memorial tournament in Concord, California on May 30-June 1. Find out which teams and where they’re from in the next issue of Softball West Magazine.

The Rock ‘N’ Reno Senior Softball Tournament concluded a few days ago, and the competition out there was fierce! Lots of teams came out for the Men’s 40-80 divisions as well as for the Women’s 40-70 divisions. Read the article in the July issue of SWM.

Canada will be the starting location for the International Softball Federation’s VIII Jr. Men’s World Championship tournaments on June 20. The Championship will be located in twelve countries with Canada being the first event. For coverage and results visit: www.worldsoftball2008.com. Also, ISF is hosting its seventh Senior World Cup in Salem, VA on June 20.

Play Ball USA, the non-profit organization dedicated to increasing youth participants in softball has had a name change to Batters Up USA. Read more in the next issue of SWM.

The Long Haul Bombers has already started power hitting in three events so far this season. They’ll compete in two more in the next couple of weeks. See how the rookies did in the July issue of the magazine.

Softball West Magazine and Sports Attack will be giving away a Junior Hack Attack Pitching Machine on Saturday, June 21 during the Softball West Challenge at the new Golden Eagle Park. To be entered in the raffle subscribe to Softball West Magazine. Enter online or on Saturday at the ballpark.

Click below to view your bracket for the Softball West Challenge Tournament this weekend at Golden Eagle Park.

Men's E: here

Men's D: here

Coed: here

The 25th Annual Softball West Challenge was held at the new Golden Eagle Regional Park on June 21-22. Winning the Men's D division was SCH/Sign-a-Rama/DSSbats with Taylor Made in second. Men's E winners were the Soplas with Frozen Rope taking second. Rug Bugs/Easton took top honors in Coed with TOTT the runner ups. Check out the photos on www.gethotshots.net. Complete story in the next issue of Softball West Magazine.

The winner of the Sofball West Magazine/Sports Attack subscription contest for a free Junior Hack Attack pitching machine was drawn at the Softball West Challenge Tournament in Sparks, Nevada. The winner was Robert Sauntman of Tucson, Arizona. See story next issue.

Two tournaments are held annually for 11 trucking companies on the west and east coast. This is a unique tournament because trucking company, Estes Express Lines, sponsors the entire event itself. Read more about this interesting tournament in the July issue of SWM.

Gather up all of your new and gently used softball equipment and donate it at the annual They Are Worthy softball tournament in San Francisco on July 12-13. All proceeds will benefit Sports for the World’s Children and will go to communities and schools for sports programs. For more information visit: www.swcfoundation.org.

Team USA Softball will be barnstormingthrough Portland on July 8 and Spokane on July 10, playing area All-Star teams. The Portland exhibition game will start at 7:00 pm at Erv Lind Stadium and the 9-inning Spokane event will start at 7:30 pm and be held at Franklin Park Sports Complex. Admission is charged at both events. For more info, go to www.portlandsoftball.com or www.spokanesportsevents.com.

The University of Nevada chose a new softball coach. Matt Meuchel was an assistant coach for the Wolfpack in 2002 and left to coach at Oklahoma State in 2006. Read the whole article in the next issue of the magazine.

From Maricopa, Arizona, Alicia Portillo just qualified to attend the Aquafina pitch, hit and run competition. She plays for the Casa Grande Heat fast pitch club. Read more about her story in the July issue of Softball West Magazine.

Humboldt State softball coaches were named the Division II coaching staff of the year after winning the NCAA Division II championship this season. Read more about the team in the August issue of the magazine.

After winning the Women’s College World Series, it’s no wonder Arizona State coaches were named the Division I coaching staff of the year. The Sun Devils finished the season with a 66-5 record. Read more in the next issue of SWM.

The most recent Bound for Beijing stop in Spokane, Washington on July 10 was a bust for the Spokane All-Stars. The All-Stars were defeated 31-0 and the Olympians said it was due to their intense week of double practices.

For those who didn’t know, the European Co-ed Slowpitch Championships recently finished on July 13. This was the sixth year of the tournament, which took place in England. Participants included Czech Republic, and Slovenia, with Great Britain defeating Ireland for the title.

The NSA girls World Series event is in Reno this year for the first time. The 16U B division just ended Friday afternoon with the Spokane, Washington Villains taking home the championship title. Catch more tournament information in the August issue of Softball West Magazine.

Nor Cal Elite won the 18-and-under division in the Summer Sizzler on July 19-20. Find out the results and game-play in the August issue. Photos are on Get Hotshots!

Four new members have been inducted the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame in Phoenix, AZ. Find out who they are in the next issue of the magazine.

Alicia Portillo from Phoenix, Arizona did well in the Aquafina Competition in New York last month. She even got to see the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. Read about her story in the upcoming August issue.

The 2009 Champions Cup in Irvine, California will be held next July. Sign-ups are taking place now and benefit local scholarship funds. Find out more in the next issue.

We all know how the Olympics ended for the girl's USA softball team. Find out what International Softball Federation President Don Porter has to say about it in the August issue of SWM.

ASA announced August 27 that U.S.A. Head Coach Mike Candrea has retired from the United States team. Read the whole Olympic story in the upcoming issue of Softball West Magazine.

The Smoke Tournament in Reno, Nevada on September 13-14 is offering berths to the WSL Miken West Coast Championship tournament in Sparks, Nevada on October 10-12.

The Hawks softball team from Tucson, Arizona played in its final game over the Labor Day weekend after 50 years of softball play. Read the history of the generations that made up this team in the fall issue of SWM.

Click below to view your bracket for the Smoke Tournament 2008 this weekend at Golden Eagle Park.

Men's E: PDF (High Quality) or JPG (Low Quality)

Men's E Loser's Bracket: PDF (High Quality) or JPG (Low Quality)

Men's D: PDF (High Quality) or JPG (Low Quality)

Coed Upper: PDF (High Quality) or JPG (Low Quality)

Coed Lower: PDF (High Quality) or JPG (Low Quality)

To view .pdf files, you will need to have adobe acrobat viewer installed. For more information you can visit adobe's website to read about or download it: http://www.adobe.com

Denny Crine from Las Vegas, won the Long Haul Bomber homerun championship tournament. Read the story in the fall issue of SWM.

Reno softball team, Revelation, wears biblical scriptures on their backs. Manager and player, Corey Morris hopes to bring glory to Jesus Christ and repay him for personally saving Morris' life. Read more about how Morris started Revelation in the next issue.

The annual Shannon Williams Memorial tournament took place at the end of September in Walla Walla Washington. Read the highlights in the next issue.

The International Softball Federation recently announced the new event of the youth Europe World Cup which will take place in August 2009. Read the article in the upcoming issue of Softball West.

Softball Kingdom, Inc. is a Florida company that specializes in streamlining softball games over the internet. They recently signed a contract with USSSA. Read more in the next issue.

The Women’s Sports Foundation announced today that US Olympic softball team member Jessica Mendoza was honored as Team Sportswoman of the Year at the 29th Annual Salute to Women in Sports. Look for a complete story in the Fall issue of SWM.

A new series of softball training articles will be featured in SWM. Peter Twist has over 20 years experience in North American training methodologies. The first article in the series will be in the next issue.

Two undefeated teams faced each other in the 12U division in the Fall Round-Up in Sparks, Nevada on October 5. Find out who they were and results in the upcoming issue of SWM.

Registration is still open for the 19th Annual Gilbert Days Softball Tournament to be held Nov. 22-23 at the new Big League Dreams in Gilbert, Arizona. Visit www.ci.gilbert.az.us/parks/softballTournament.cfm

Louisville Slugger introduces four new bats for fastpitch and slowpitch. See complete details in the Fall issue of Softball West.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 27th Annual Sno*Ball Softball Tournament to be held January 24-25, 2009. Contact the March of Dimes at 775-826-2166 for more information.

The Pacific Coast Softball Conference will grow to 12 schools beginning with the 2010 season. The PCSC will split into two divisions, the Coastal and Mountain with division winners meeting in a best-of-three championship series to determine the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berth. New schools California State University Bakersfield, Idaho State University, University of Northern Colorado, Seattle University, Utah Valley University and Weber State University will be joining charter members Loyola Marymount, Portland State, Sacramento State, Saint Mary's, San Diego and Santa Clara.

The ISF Umpire Manual is now available online. Sections include the 1 or 2 umpire system as well as the 3 or 4 umpire system. To view the pdf files visit www.internationalsoftball.com/english/umpiring/umpiring.asp.

The 2009 Greater San Joaquin ASA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on January 17th at the Jackson Hall, Lodi Grape Festival Grounds in Lodi, California. The event begins at 6:00 pm and tickets are $25 each. For tickets call Matt Pfeifer at 209-484-5036.

The Oregon State softball program is holding its annual winter camp on Jan. 17-18, 2009 in the Merritt Truax Indoor Center. Go to www.beaversoftballcamp.com and click on "Winter Camp Registration" for more information and registration.

Shelly Prochaska has been named assistant softball coach at Idaho State University. Prochaska was one of the top softball players in Oregon State University history. Read more about her in the Feb/March issue of Softball West Magazine.

Look for our April issue's conditioning story. Peter Twists article will focus on developing core strength and rotary power to increase hitting power and bat speed.

The new Mather Sports Center in Sacramento, CA made its debut in January as a state-of-the-art three field complex with field turf fields, beautiful lighting, huge dugouts and stadium seating. Read more in the Feb/Mar issue of Softball West Magazine.

The San Francisco Men's Fastpitch League spring season begins play on March 27, 2009. For information call the league office at 415-831-6317 or e-mail them at leagueoffice@sfsoftball.com

The field at Rancho San Rafael Park, Reno, NV has been resered for Saturday, March 21st with a 9:00am start to hold the Memorial Tournament Fundraiser/Benefit for Rich "Shrek" Mercer. The promoters have put alot of thought into this tournament on how Rich would have liked to have it played, knowing that he has touched alot of the softball ladies hearts, they would like them to be included as well. So all teams must have at least 2 gals playing or more if you wish. This will also be an equalizer tournament. The entry fee will be $225 and will be a double elimination. There will also be raffle prizes, T-shirts and much more. The deadline for entering will be Thursday, March 19th. Should you wish to enter, please email atenguys@yahoo.com. All proceeds will go to his family in order to pay for the costs associated with his untimely death. If you wish to make a contribution an account will be set up under the Richard H. Mercer Estate at Bank of America on Wednesday, March 11th.

The Northern Nevada softball community showed up on March 21, 2009 at the Rancho San Rafael Park at the Benefit and Celebration Memorial Tournament for popular player Richard “Shrek” Mercer. Mercer passed away unexpectedly on March 7th. Teams played in a double elimination tournament, had a home run derby and raffle to help raise money for his family.

The Northern California softball community will be selling raffle tickets for Ed Quijada. Winners will be announced at Lions Park on May 16th at 8:00 pm during the Hangtown Active 20-30 Club Men’s Wood Bat Tournament which is also being held as a fund raiser for the Quijada family. Ed played for the Ripstix team out of Redding, CA for years. Ed was involved in a serious automobile accident that has left him paralyzed for the time being. For information on the raffle or tournament contact Dallas Sweeney at 530-409-0974 or dal2030@sbcglobal.net.

Photos from the Skilsz Tournament and Home Run Derby held at the Golden Eagle Regional in Sparks, Nevada are now on gethotshots.net. Look for a complete story in the next of Softball West Magazine.

Katie Holverson was named WAC pitcher of the Year going 23-8 with a 1.61 ERA for the regular season. Six Nevada players made the 2009 All-WAC team. The Nevada team finished second in the WAC tournament and will play Cal Poly on May 15 in the NCAA Division 1 Softall Tournament.

The 26th Annual Softball West Magazine Challenge, June 20-21, has picked up another sponsor and increased the trophy and prize package. Along with the already top quality awards, Easton will be giving away bats. As part of Easton’s sponsorship of the Softball West Challenge, bats will be given to the MVP of each division as well as one bat for the first and second place teams in each division. Easton will also have a manufacturers representative with the Easton 2009 bat line on display.
The Softball West Challenge is also a WSL Qualifier for the WSL West Coast Championship to be held Oct. 8-11 at the Golden Eagle Regional Park in Sparks, Nevada. The top four teams in each division will earn berths.

Click this link to get a copy of the NCAA Division 1 Softball Super Regional Tournament bracket and follow your team to see if they make it to the final eight and a trip to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. The first championship game will be on June 1st. Look for complete results in the Summer issue of Softball West Magazine.

The University of Nevada softball team is hosting a pair of girls softball camps from June 15-18. The sessions are divided into 2nd through 8th grade and 9th through 12th grade. For information call 775-682-6923 or register online at www.extendedstudies.unr.edu.

The Huskies won their first ever title defeating Florida 3-2. Look for story and photos in the next issue of Softball West.

World Softball Day (June 13) has been themed as BackSoftball Day in support of the International Softball Federation's campaign to get softball reinstated back into the Olympic Games in 2016. A presentation to the IOC is scheduled for next week with a final decision to be made in October.

Click below to view your bracket for the 2009 Softball West Challenge Tournament this weekend at Golden Eagle Park.

Men's E: here

Men's D: here

Coed: here

FDI, Sore Pecker Softball Club and the Free Agents were the winners of the 26th Annual Softball West Challenge. Read about the event in the latest issue of Softball West Magazine on newsstands now.

In Lausanne, Switzerland, International Softball Federation President Don Porter has urged the International Olympic Committee to reinstate softball to the Olympic Programme to help meet Olympic challenges in the 21st century. Don Porter stated “A vote for softball is a vote for the Olympic values that the IOC promotes across the world”.
The BackSoftball team in Lausanne met with the IOC Executive Board to highlight the progress and development the sport has made in recent years and the opportunities it provides in under-developed and troubled areas of the world. A final decision on which sports will be added to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be made at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen in October this year.

Team USA defeated the Netherlands 7-2 in their first game of the 2009 KFC World Cup of Softball taking place at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, OK. Jennie Finch struck out 11 in a relief appearance. Team USA will face Italy in their second game on July 17, 2009.

The 8th World Games, the world’s second largest international sports tournament, which continue until July 26, will bring together almost 5,000 athletes from 105 countries. A four-day fastpitch softball competition features women’s teams from Canada, Chinese Taipei, Japan, (South) Korea, Russia, and Singapore.
ISF President Don Porter, who will go to Kaohsiung shortly, said, “This is an extremely busy time for softball and the World Games provides a further opportunity to promote the BackSoftball campaign for Olympic reinstatement.

Sixteen teams from six continents are bidding for world glory at the XII International Softball Federation Men’s World Championship, being played in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The best male players from Africa, North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania are playing in the ten-day event, which is expected to attract capacity crowds through to the final games on July 26.
The 2009 edition of the world’s peak men’s fast pitch softball competition, which is played once every four years, features teams from Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, USA, and Venezuela.
ISF President Don Porter said, “The Men’s World Championship is currently the pinnacle event on the men’s softball calendar, although we have offered the IOC the option of including a men’s tournament should they decide to allow us back onto the Olympic Programme in 2016.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — When’s slow pitch softball's version of the Dream Team—the USA Men's Slow Pitch National Team—is losing 16-8 going into the bottom of the fourth inning, some people might have wondered what was going on Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.,in the inaugural Border Battle, a game televised by ESPN.
Head Coach of USA Men's National Slow Pitch Team Steve Shortland (Overland, Kan.) was not one of them, however.
"But I was a little bit concerned," Shortland said after watching his team, comprised of the best players in the USA, rally from eight runs down to defeat Canada 30-23 in a game that took only one hour and 36 minutes.
Shortland figured his team needed to get in the "groove, relax and play" the game they are capable of. But that didn’t happen until the fourth inning. By that time Canada, which jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, continued to add to its margin and by the bottom of the fourth had built its margin to eight runs, 16-8.
Then the USA, which had used the big inning in winning three exhibition games, scored 17 runs on 17 hits in the bottom of the fourth to turn the game around and move into a comfortable 25-16 lead.
If Canada, which collected 27 hits to 37 for the USA, was to stay in contention it needed to come right back and score some runs in the top of the fifth. Canada went scoreless, however, against USA winning pitcher Andy Purcell (Naples, Fla.) and never recovered from the USA onslaught. Losson White (Omaha. Neb.) pitched the final two innings for the USA to earn a save.
In a big game, it pays to use your home runs wisely, considering each team was allowed only ten. That strategy paid off for the USA in the fourth inning with the USA having hit only two homers through the first three innings.
But in the fourth, the USA took seven balls out of the yard with Jason Kendrick’s (Naples, Fla.) three-run blast over right field tying the score at 16-all. Although the USA scored only once in the bottom half of the fifth after Canada went scoreless, the big inning proved to be the difference as the USA added four more runs in the sixth and didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the seventh as Canada scored three in the sixth and fourth in the seventh.
Losing pitcher Brian Higginbotham (Orleans, Ontario) went four-for-four and had three of his team’s eight homers, driving in six runs.

Check out the final results of the 2009 Boneyard Blast Tournament [here].

The South Salem/Sprague girl’s Little League have had their storage/concession stand broken into for the third time since March. The stand is located at the Leslie Middle School in Salem, Oregon. The latest attack resulted in the thieves stealing $1200 worth of softball equipment, along with the generator to power the stand and hundreds of dollars worth of candy and food. League co-vice president Steve Galyen said that the league is funded by donations and registrations fees and the latest attack has left them with a huge hole to dig out of, especially with the state tournament coming up. “I don’t think we will have time to replace everything that was taken,” said Galyen. If anyone would like to donate equipment, please contact Steve Galyen at 503-871-0453.

International Softball Federation President Don Porter is urging the International Olympic Committee to back softball’s campaign for Olympic reinstatement in 2016, reiterating the sport’s exemplary anti-doping record at the highest level. The tremendously successful Olympic softball competition at Fengtai Softball Field in Beijing last summer, which entertained more than 180,000 fans, recorded not a single positive doping test, maintaining softball’s perfect record over all four of the sport’s appearances in the Summer Games. More than 250 tests have been undertaken recently both in and out of competition with updated directives distributed to the ISF’s 127 member national softball federations. Softball’s clean record has been credited as one of many reasons why softball’s popularity continues to grow with huge increases in the number of young people across the world who are taking up the sport each year.

Washington Huskies softball player Danielle Lawrie has been named one of 10 finalists from around the world for the 2009 Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sportswoman of the Year award. Each year, the Women’s Sports Foundation recognizes an individual and team Sportswoman whose performances over a 12-month span has been above and beyond those of their peers. Criteria is based on new records and world championships won. Lawrie is nominated in the team category. Since the team category’s inception in 1993, four softball players have won the award, including the past two years, with Stanford’s Jessica Mendoza (2008) and Monica Abbott from Tennessee (2007). Previous winners include Lisa Fernandez (1994) from UCLA and Texas’ Cat Osterman (2003). To vote for Lawrie log on to: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Awards/Sportswoman-of-the-Year-Award/Vote.aspx?type=team
Award winners will be announced on October 13, 2009 and honored at the Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

The 2009 Little League Softball World Series runs August 13th – 19th at Alpenrose Stadium in Portland, Oregon. The Schedule of Events is below:

Tuesday, August 11th:
12:00pm: Team Arrival. The teams will arrive, have lunch, take their ESPN profile shots, team photos, and meet host families.

Wednesday, August 12th:
3:00pm: Opening Ceremony. This great tradition will begin with all 10 teams singing their National Anthem while holding that country’s flag. The Hillsboro Police Department will be in attendance for the anthem and the opening pitch will be thrown by Carl Cadonau, owner of Alpenrose Dairy and the Alpenrose Mascots Rose II, Alpen Jr., and Alpen III will be dancing to “YMCA”.

4:30pm: Shutt Sports Skills Challenge includes a pitcher, catcher, runner and batter from each team. The 30 World Series players compete in the skills challenge to win gloves, bats, and bags.

Wednesday, August 12th:
4:00pm: Baskin Robins Ice Cream Social. What better event at a famous dairy? Ice cream is served by the visiting umpires. This is a popular event each year and it offers the players a chance to meet one another, along with the umpires.

Thursday, August 13
2:00pm: Games begin and run through the Championship game on August 19th.

Saturday, August 15
12:00pm: Challenger softball game for kids with special needs. All 10 teams will be invited to be “buddies” and assist the Challenger kids with hitting, running, and throwing.
2:30pm: Player appreciation occurs in the 600 seat Opera House. Teams gather to receive gifts of jackets, t-shirts, and other goodies that have been donated.

3:30pm: Home Run Derby is open to anyone who would like to participate. The fundraiser is $10.00 for 10 pitches and there are prizes for 6 different categories: World Series players, kids 12 and under, females 18 and up, males 18 and up, females 13-17, and males 13-17.

8:00pm to 12:00pm: Adult Fun Night fundraiser with drinks, snacks, blackjack, games and dice games. Prizes are given out and entry is $20.00 for $100.00 worth of chips. This is a 21 and over event and is held at the Shilo Inn and Suites on Canyon Road in Beaverton.

Tuesday August 18th:
10:00am: All Star Game. Little League has a tradition of doing their “All Star” game in a unique way. The players off each team that have played the fewest defensive innings are invited to play in this special game. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the players to mix with other players and allow their teammates to cheer them on.

In Sendai City, Japan Jennie Finch was dominating as she led Team USA to the Gold Medal at the 2009 Japan Cup with solid pitching and stellar hitting. Defeating the Japanese 2-0 in front of 2,600 fans, the USA took home the hardware for the fifth time in the six-year history of the event.

In Maracay, Venezuela the USA Softball Pan American Qualifier team lost to Canada 3-1. The US team will face Argentina on August 8th in their quest to get to the championship. The US team only allowed five hits while playing Canada, but two of those hits were home runs.

Portland, OR. – The Little League Softball World Series begins on Thursday August 13th. The 2009 field features four international teams and six teams from the US. The 2009 Field:

International Teams:

Asia Pacific- Guam Little League from Hagatna, Guam
Europe/Middle East/ Africa- Lombardia Little League from Milano, Italy
Latin America- Soraida Juliana Little League Willemstad from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles.
Canada- Windsor South Canadians Little League from Windsor, Ontario

US Teams:

East- West Point Little League from Greensburg, Pennsylvania
West- Nunaka Valley Little League from Anchorage, Alaska
Southwest- Crawford Little League from Crawford, Texas
Southeast- Warner Robins American Little League from Warner Robins, Georgia
Central- Croswell Lexington Little League from Croswell, Michigan
District 4/Oregon- Beaverton area Little League from Beaverton, Oregon

Admission is free to all tournament games. The semi-finals on August 18th and finals on August 19th will be shown live on ESPN.

Berlin, (Germany); 13th August 2009: The president of the International Softball Federation, Don Porter, issued the following statement today following the decision by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board that did not include softball among the two sports that will be recommended to the IOC Session in October for a vote on sports to be added to the 2016 Olympic Games Programme:
“The ISF and wider softball family is certainly disappointed by today’s decision by the IOC Executive Board not to recommend softball for reinstatement onto the Olympic Games Programme in 2016.
“However, we respect the IOC’s decision and I tip my cap to golf and rugby for getting recommended and offer my sentiments to the other four sports that were not successful today.
“The ISF has worked tirelessly for more than four years since we were voted off the 2012 Olympic Programme and we have made tremendous advances in that time.
“Softball has more players, a long list of member federations, a more solid and appropriate organizational framework, and development programs that are producing phenomenal results on every continent.
“Our anti-doping record is second to none and our culture and aspirations blend perfectly with the values that the IOC seeks to promote.
“For softball, reinstatement to the Olympic Games would have been the catalyst for further sustainable global growth, demonstrating the power of the Games.
“Softball players continue to dream of Olympic gold, the ultimate prize in our sport, and we will carry on our campaign for Olympic reinstatement to prove to the IOC that our sport fits with Olympic values and ambitions and deserves a place on merit on the Games Programme.”

RENO, Nev. — Nevada Hall of Famer and former major leaguer Andy Dominique has joined the Wolf Pack softball program as a full-time assistant coach, second-year head coach Matt Meuchel announced today. Dominique will serve primarily as a hitting coach and will also work with the Wolf Pack’s catchers.

“We are excited to have Andy back with our program,” Meuchel said. “He is an exceptional teacher of the game and the players respond well to him. Andy has a tremendous love and loyalty for the University of Nevada and we are excited to have his passion for the game and for this university as part of our coaching staff.”

This is Dominique’s second tenure with the team as he served as the program’s volunteer assistant coach during the Pack’s record-breaking 2008 season.

“I’m excited to be back on campus with softball program and working with a tremendous group of student-athletes,” Dominique said. “Coach Meuchel has done a great job with this program and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Dominique played four years for the Pack baseball team from 1994 to 97. He was the 1997 Big West Conference Player of the Year and was twice selected to the All-Big West team. As a senior, he was named an All-American by Louisville Slugger, the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997 he played in the major leagues with Boston, Toronto and Seattle and he earned a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2004.

Dominique was enshrined in the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame last fall. He holds Nevada records with 62 career home runs and 30 home runs in a season (1997). In 1997 he drove in a school-record 96 runs and his 239 career RBI ranks second in school history.

In addition to serving as the team’s hitting coach, he will also be involved in scouting and various administrative duties.

The action begins in exactly 30 days (on October 10) in Sydney, Australia, with the venue used to host the 2000 Olympic softball competition at the center of the games. There will be quite an Olympic aura surrounding the softball competition at the World Masters Games this year as one of the entries will be a team that reunites the members of the 1996 Australian Olympic softball team, which represented that country in the sport’s debut in the Summer Games, which were held 13 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia. Softball will be the second largest sport in terms of participation at next month’s 7th World Masters Games, a multi-sport event that takes place every four years. In addition to the host nation, softball teams are coming from Austria, Botswana, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and USA. For more details visit www.2009worldmasters.com.

Thunder versus Envy in Sacramento photos are now posted on www.gethotshots.net

Click below to view your bracket for the Smoke Tournament this weekend at Golden Eagle Park.

Men's E: PDF

Men's E Loser's Bracket: PDF

Coed: PDF

Coed Loser's Bracket: PDF

Men's D: PDF

To view .pdf files, you will need to have adobe acrobat viewer installed. For more information you can visit adobe's website to read about or download it: http://www.adobe.com

The 27th Annual Smoke Softball Tournament was held at the Golden Eagle Regional Park in Sparks, NV over the Sept. 19-20th weekend. Three divisions were held with 56 teams participating. Top placing teams were: Coed 1st - Team Famous from Fairfield, CA; 2nd - Free Agents from Sparks, NV; 3rd - Early-N-Often from Vacaville, CA; 4th Just 2 Hit from San Lorenzo, CA. Men's D 1st - North State Chico from Chico, CA; 2nd - Mpact from Daly City, CA; 3rd - R.U.M. from Sacramento, CA; 4th Darkside from Reno, NV. Men's E 1st Don't Trip from Dixon, CA; 2nd - Northbound from Gilroy, CA; 3rd - APerfectgame.com from Nevada City, CA; 4th - Local from Napa, CA.

The City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registration for its inaugural Real Skilz Bat Manufacturers’ Challenge through Oct. 27. Registration is $250 per team, which includes sanction fees. The slow-pitch softball tournament will be held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at Arroyo Grande Sports Complex, 298 Arroyo Grande Blvd., and Russell Road Recreation Complex, 5901 E. Russell Rd.
Teams can register for one of four divisions: men’s open, men’s D, men’s E, and co-rec D. There will be unlimited home runs allowed in each division and all games are NSA officiated. Co-rec division play is Sunday only. In addition to the tournament, the event will feature a home run derby on the evening of Friday, Oct. 30, with the top two finishers receiving a manufacturer’s bat. The derby winner will advance to compete against bat manufacturers’ representatives in a final round face-off. Manufacturers include Miken and Mizuno, represented by Denny Crine and Johnny Bailey respectively. Awards packages will be presented for first, second and third place. For additional information or to register, call the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department Sports office at 702-267-5717, or visit the Sports office at Arroyo Grande Sports Complex.

Former ASA Hall of Fame Manager Bill Plummer III has started a new business called BPIII Productions, which will be based in Oklahoma City. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of people the past 30 plus years and I feel I can be of help to them with some phase of softball. If they need a newsletter for their association, a guest speaker for their Hall of Fame banquet or some softball research, we will be able to help,” said Plummer. Helping Plummer with his new venture is Larry Floyd, a former ASA staff member, who has a varied background in communications and journalism. “Larry will handle the design portion of the business and can also write when needed,” said Plummer, who also will be working for Anaconda Trump Softballs. Anyone interested in contacting Plummer can reach him at BPlummer1@cox.net or call him at (405) 208-1580 in Oklahoma City. His mailing address is BPIII Productions, 8513 Crestline Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73132.

Mizuno USA, Inc. has announced that the company has re-signed two-time Olympic Medalist and member of the National Professional Fastpitch’s Chicago Bandits, Jennie Finch, to a multi-year contract extension. Finch and Mizuno have partnered together since 2002, when she first joined the brand’s roster. “Re-signing Jennie Finch demonstrates Mizuno’s continued commitment to fastpitch softball and women’s athletics,” said Bob Puccini, President Mizuno USA, Inc., and Chairman, Mizuno Canada, Ltd. “Jennie is one of the elite athletes in the history of women’s fastpitch softball and continues to serve as an outstanding symbol for the character, dedication, and performance that both Mizuno and Jennie bring to the game. She is an excellent ambassador for female athletes all over the world.”
Finch was one of the premier players on the USA Women’s National Team which took home the Silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and the Gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Before that, Finch was a three-time, first team All-American, and two-time Honda Player of the Year while playing for the University of Arizona. She is one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of fastpitch softball, and currently holds the NCAA record for most consecutive wins with 60. “For almost a decade I have been proud to work with the Mizuno team on the Jennie Finch signature product line,” said Finch. “Mizuno has enabled me to fulfill my dream of developing the best products for the fastpitch player, and I am thrilled to continue my relationship with a company that has believed in me and my dreams.”
“Mizuno is proud to have Jennie Finch, the premier softball player in the world, to represent our brand and line of products,” said Dick Grapenthin, Vice President and General Manager for the Diamond Sports Division, Mizuno USA. “Jennie is a world class hitter and pitcher and a truly professional person. We are excited to have Jennie staying with the Mizuno team.”
Finch will continue to contribute her feedback in the research and development process. The current line-up of Mizuno fastpitch products includes several Finch™ series items including the Franchise Finch™ Series of fastpitch ball gloves, the Jennie Finch™ Signature Series fastpitch bat, the Finch™ Premier G2 batting gloves, Jennie Finch™ Low Rise Slider w/ Padding compression shorts, and 9-Spike™ Finch™ Mid and Low G4 Cleats.

RENO, NV. – The University of Nevada softball team has signed four outstanding high school athletes to National Letters of Intent. Second-year coach Matt Meuchel said “We are excited about the 2010 class, each of them individually as well as collectively. We have continued to be able to add athleticism to our roster with this group. Every player in this class has the ability to play multiple positions for us here at Nevada. Maybe the biggest statement about the athleticism of this class is the fact that the only pitcher we signed can play several other defensive positions and hit in the middle of our lineup. One of the other things that we love about this class is that each of the players will bring a blue-collar work ethic and pride themselves in outworking the competition.”
The signees are: Bailey Brewer, a pitcher/utility player from Sedro Woolley High School in Mt. Vernon, Wash.; Caylin Campbell, a second baseman from Westlake High School in Westlake Village, Calif.; Karley Hopkins, a second baseman/outfielder from Spanish Springs High School in Sparks, Nev.; and Wendy Tamayo, a catcher/utility player from Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista, Calif.
The Wolf Pack were 40-19 overall in 2009 and claimed a share of its second straight Western Athletic Conference title with a 15-5 league record. Nevada received an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament, where it competed at the Palo Alto (Calif.) regional. Nevada will open the 2010 season in February at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

Paper Trail/Ceanrite dominated the Nov. 7th Men’s E tournament held at Rancho Quakes Stadium in Southern California. They finished the six team tourney with a perfect 3-0 record, defeating second place finisher J.B.S. 18-3 in the championship game. Paper Trail crushed VIP 52-7 to advance to the final while J.B.S. squeaked by Can I Hit 21-18. Tanner Elliott and Paul Padovano were named all tourney for Paper Trail and Trevor Lindzy and Carlos Ortiz were honored by J.B.S.

Corvallis, Ore. – Hannah Bouska (Salem, Ore./McNary HS) and Isabelle Batayola (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) have both committed to play for the Oregon State softball team in 2011 announced head coach Kirk Walker.
“Both Hannah and Izzy are tremendous athletes that have dynamic and explosive skills,” Walker said. “It is always exciting to add great athletes from the Northwest that have Pac 10 level playing skills.” Hannah Bouska comes to Oregon State after being named a three-time All-Conference selection. She has consistently hit over .400 and posted an on-base percentage of over .500 at all levels of play that she’s competed in. She was named the 2008 Oregonlive.com Fans Player of the Year. Bouska has been a multi-sport athlete, competing in basketball, volleyball and running varsity cross country. And outside of athletics, she volunteers her time with the Keizer Giving Tree Program, Special Olympics, serving as a teacher’s assistant at a local grade school and putting on softball clinics. “Hannah has been playing at the Gold level for a while now and competed in the Gold Nationals as a junior,” Walker said. “We see Hannah’s explosive speed and dynamic style of play to be an exciting addition to our program. She brings great speed and surprising power and is a solid defensive player.”
Isabelle Batayola is coming off a junior season, where she served as team captain that culminated in All-King County Second Team honors at shortstop and being named Roosevelt High School’s Most Valuable Player. She received the same accolades as a sophomore and was named to the All-King County Honorable Mention squad as a freshman. In travel ball, Batayola was a member of the ASA 16A National Championship team, was a Colorado Fireworks Champion and Valley Invite Champion. She played for the NW Blaze for the 2009 season. In addition to her play on the field, Batayola also has been named to her school’s honor roll and is a member of the National Honor Society. “Izzy brings a ton of versatility and some very high level experience,” Walker said. “She played for the Beaverton Blaze 16U team that won the ASA National Championship this last summer. Being an integral part of a championship level team is a very special experience that helps a player set high level expectations personally as well as team wise.”

FRESNO, Ca. – Head Fresno State softball coach Margie Wright signed two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Chavonnia “Vonnie” Martin and Brooke Ortiz will attend Fresno State and play for Wright beginning in 2010.
Martin is an infielder from Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas. She is a three-year varsity letter winner and entering her senior season she is the team captain. She has helped lead her team to a 75-25 record in three years and back-to-back District Championships. Last year, PSHS posted an impressive 29-6 record. Martin broke the single-season home run record her sophomore year as she hit seven home runs and batted .393 with 40 RBI’s.
She is a three-time NFCA All-American scholar-athlete, a two-time first-time all-district honoree, the two-time PSHS Offensive MVP, a Dallas Morning News all-area second-team honoree, a NFCA all-region second-team honoree, was named to the TGCA all-state second-team and was selected by VYPE Magazine as one of the Top 20 Texas High School softball/baseball players. “Vonnie is one of those kids that not a lot of people noticed and she was a diamond in the rough,” Wright said. “My hope is that she will give us extra power offensively and hopefully be a person we can build our offensive around. I can’t wait for her to get her.”
Ortiz is a switch hitting shortstop from Lodi High School in Lodi, Calif. She made second-team infield her sophomore year and first-team her junior year. Her sophomore season, Ortiz hit .361 with a .454 on base percentage, leading the team in runs and hits as they posted a 20-10 record and made the Division I section playoffs. In 2009-09 her junior season, she hit .295 for LHS and scoring 19 runs while driving in another nine as her team went 22-8. Ortiz also played for the Runnin’ Rebels and the Lodi Extreme. With the Extreme, she was named the 16-U MVP at Babe Ruth as she hit .571. She has an overall GPA of 3.8 and is consistently on the honor roll. “Brooke is a very exciting athlete and I think she is really going to bring a new dimension to our team,” Wright added. “She is very versatile. I can use her anywhere and I think she will come through very well. There is a lot to be said about her excitement to come here and I think she will have a good career.”

December 5th was a busy day for NSA as they hosted Men’s E and Men’s D Unlimited Homerun Tournaments at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City, California.
In the Men’s E division Orange County’s MD-12 had a tough first game loss (33-13 in four inning) and were so discouraged they almost went home. Lucky for them they decided to stick around as they ended up taking the top spot and winning 12 Easton bats.
“We came back to make the playoffs as the 6th seed, and knocked off the 3rd seed handily in our first
playoff game to set up a rematch against the team that had beaten us so badly earlier in the day. In order to advance to the championship game, MD-12 rallied to put up nine huge runs in the bottom of the 7th, capped off by a walk-off homerun by Tourney MVP Scott (Mac) McDonald to win 35-34,” said MD-12’s Max Derseweh.
In the championship game against Team BTG, MD-12 never gave up and continued bringing run after run. To cap off the long day, in the bottom of the 7th inning MD-12's Scott McDonald pitched a 3-batter shutout inning to pull off the championship victory with a score of 41-35. Shawn Scobee and Stewart (Unit) Denningham each hit 10 homers for the day and the team hit 70 homers and scored 183 runs in 6 games.
With over 24 teams participating in this event, the day was a huge success. “Games were on time and teams were evenly matched due to the director's pre-tourney diligence and all aspects of the tournament were smooth. MD-12 would like to thank Armando Acosta, Victor Rivera, and Steven Baker for putting on such a great show.”
In the very competitive D Division, Cleanrite also took home an early holiday gift of 12 Easton bats for coming out on top of the 8 team tournament. “I will definitely have this on my teams tournament schedule for next December because I know it will definitely be the can't miss tournament for years to come,” said Cleanrite’s Jeremi Pulido.

The 2009 Arizona Softball Hall of Fame Class were honored at the Hall of Fame Banquet which was attended by 240 honorees and guests. The 2009 class included Annie Jackson Sierras, Rojelia Holguin, Betty Hamman, Gary Clifford and Tom Bowen in the players category and Mike Candrea and Lloyd Jenney in the contributor category. The 2000 and 2001 Arizona Storm Women’s Open Major Team was also inducted for winning back to back ASA National Championships. Nominations for the 2010 Softball Hall of Fame are now being accepted. To nominate a female player or contributor contact JoAnna Burton at 623-979-6823. To nominate a male player or contributor contact either Paul Rubin at 602-229-8433 or John White at 520-836-6096.

The nPLAY Foundation, a nationwide organization dedicated to helping reverse the rate of childhood obesity in the United States has announced that USA Softball superstar Jennie Finch has committed to help raise funds for the organization by teaming up with MyCelebritees—a one-of-a-kind company that partners with celebrities to support charities through the sales of unique apparel.
Finch has an ongoing partnership with nPLAY, and sees MyCelebritees as the ideal way to supplement the donations she already makes to the group. Finch designed a T-shirt based on her personal motto—“Dream and Believe”—that is now available to the public via www.mycelebritees.com. Twenty-five percent of all sales of the shirt will be donated to nPLAY to help support the organization’s mission.
“We are thrilled to know that Jennie has chosen our organization as the beneficiary for her partnership with MyCelebritees,” said Michael Maccia, Founder of nPLAY. “Jennie has been wonderful about her support of our group for some time, and this is yet another effort on her behalf to help make a difference in the lives of America’s youth. It is truly amazing to know that she is committed to helping inspire, motivate and give back to our organization.”
“This cause is a very important one, and I am honored to help the nPLAY foundation achieve its goals,” said Finch. “I strongly encourage everyone to support this wonderful group by visiting mycelebritees.com and picking up a ‘Dream and Believe’ shirt for themselves or a loved one.”

PALM SPRINGS, CA – Amidst the worst rain, mudslides, rock falls and economy in recent Southern California memory, the sun shone on the Toys for Tots USSSA softball tournament in Palm Springs.
The tournament got underway on Friday night December 11. Director Jerry Ramsay was confident, yet somewhat apprehensive, about whether the 108+ teams would get to complete the games on Sunday.
The sun shone, however, on the 25th annual Toys for Tots Tournament and even though rain fell during the day on Friday and in the middle of the night on Saturday, the fields were groomed and dry by the games’ start at 6 p.m. on Friday night and then again on Sunday morning at 8 a.m.
Ramsay extends a huge thank you to the maintenance crews of Big League Dreams in Cathedral City and to the maintenance crews of the cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert for making sure that the fields were perfect. “Also thank you to 1st SGT. O’Toole and a special thank you to SGT. Malendoski for her great coordinating of the marine detail that collected the toys.”
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬SANTA CAME…
And, then there was Santa. From the team of NW Combat/CJ Financial/Elite, a veteran player in the Toys for Tots Tournaments, Jessie Wozniak and Candy Campbell of CJ FINANCIAL became so overwhelmed that they went out and bought more than $7,000 in toys from the local Walmart to donate to the Marines for this year’s tournament. Jessie and Candy come all the way from Detroit, Michigan each year to play. This year, his donation of toys helped to set the record of “Most Toys Donated” in Toys’ history. The toys are given to kids who are at risk, and who might not otherwise have a Santa in their lives at Christmas. Thanks, Jessie and Candy.
“This was the 10th year in a row that we have had more than 100 teams play at the Toys for Tots Tournament in Palm Springs ,” said Ramsay, the Tournament Director. “We were very pleased that the games went off without a hitch, and we are thankful for such strong support from the teams and players.”
Tournament winners were:
Open Division - 1st – Sunnyvale/Fine Design; 2nd – Famouns/Hartzell/Easton
Mixed Division – 1st – Class Acts Auto Body; 2nd – FTB
C Division – 1st – Kongs; 2nd – No Ego
E Division – 1st – Paper Trail; 2nd – Kuz We Can

Nevada senior pitcher Katie Holverson, the 2009 WAC Pitcher of the Year, has been named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2010 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. Holverson is 61-31 with a 2.23 ERA in her career at Nevada. Last year, she went 28-11 with a 1.70 earned-run average in leading the Wolf Pack to its second straight WAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. The 2010 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 35 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I Conferences. The list includes 27 seniors, 17 juniors and six sophomores. The list will be cut to 10 on May 12 and the final three finalists will be announced on May 26. The winner of the 2010 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2010 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.COM/USA Softball Division I preseason polls have been released and NCAA defending national and Pac-10 champion Washington has been ranked No. 1 in both polls. The Huskies, coming off their first-ever national championship in 2009, enter the 2010 campaign as the No. 1 preseason pick for the first time in school history. Washington returns 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and Women’s College World Series Most Offensive Player Danielle Lawrie in 2010. Other key offensive players also returning to help the Huskies defend its national title, include All-American junior shortstop Jenn Salling, junior infielder Morgan Stuart, sophomore infielder Niki Williams and sophomore outfielder Kimi Pohlman. The Huskies begin defense of their title on February 11 against Auburn in Tempe, Ariz. In the NFCA poll, which is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each Conference, tabbed Washington as the unanimous No. 1. ARIZONA STATE came in at No. 5, ARIZONA at No. 6, UCLA at No. 8, and rounding out the top 10 was STANFORD at No. 10. The sixth Pac-10 squad is CALIFORNIA, which was picked at No. 12.
In the USA Softball Collegiate top 25 poll, Washington nabbed No. 1 with 17 first-place votes. Arizona was tabbed No. 4, UCLA No. 6, followed by Arizona State at No. 7. California came in at No. 11, followed by Bay Area-rival Stanford at No. 12. Also receiving votes in the poll was OREGON.
Arizona State is coming off its fourth-consecutive NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance IN 2009. The Sun Devils return a strong squad highlighted by sophomore pitcher Hillary Bach who tallied 31 wins in 2009, ranking third all-time in the ASU single-season records. The Sun Devils begin their
season on February 11 with a doubleheader against Mississippi and San Jose State in Tempe, Ariz.
The Arizona Wildcats are coming off their 21st appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 22 years. They return a strong team in 2010, with junior outfielder Brittany Lastrapes leading the way. Lastrapes was Arizona’s only first team NFCA All-American in 2009, batting .481 with only 14 strikeouts. The Wildcats begin their 2010 campaign on February 12 with a doubleheader against Western Michigan and Purdue in Tempe, Ariz.
UCLA is coming off a 45-11 campaign in 2009 reaching the NCAA Super Regional title game. The squad is led by senior pitcher Megan Langenfeld who was 17-2 last season. UCLA begin its season on February 12 vs. Georgia in Clermont, Fla.



The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
1 Washington
2 Alabama
3 Florida
4 Michigan
5 Arizona St.
6 Arizona
7 Georgia
8 UCLA
9 Missouri
10 Stanford
11 Oklahoma
12 California
13 Georgia Tech
14 Ohio St.
15 Northwestern
16 Tennessee
17 Baylor
18 LSU
19 North Carolina
20 Massachusetts

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
1. Washington
2. Alabama
3. Michigan
4. Arizona
5. Florida
6. UCLA
7. Arizona State
8. Georgia
9. Missouri
10. Oklahoma
11. California
12. Stanford
13. LSU
14. Georgia Tech
15. Baylor
16. Ohio State
17. Northwestern
18. Tennessee
19. Florida State
20. DePaul
21. Louisville
22. North Carolina
23. ULL
24. Fresno State
25. UMass

Carson City, Nevada - Western Nevada College’s softball team finished with a 1-5 record ending a difficult weekend in Henderson, Nevada on a positive note. The Wildcats lost their first five straight games including their season opener against the defending 2009 NJCAA Division I national champions, Yavapai College of Arizona. WNC fell to Yavapai, 12-2, Arizona Western College, 7-1, Central Arizona College, 7-4, South Mountain College, 8-1 and Pima Community College, 9-1, before earning a 12-0 shutout of Gateway College. First-year Wildcats Coach Leah Wentworth said her team performed well despite the losses. “There were a lot of positives,” as WNC scored in every game, and three Wildcats players batted .500 or above for the weekend against “really good competition,” she said. “These are year-round teams that have been practicing outside” while the Wildcats have been working indoors and waiting for the snow to melt on Edmonds Park Field A in Carson City, where they will play home games this year. The second year team includes eight freshmen and seven sophomores. Wentworth said her team made significant progress to build on before heading into Scenic West Conference play in a few weeks. “There were things we needed to work on, defensively, and we were putting the ball in play,” she said. “I feel good about where we started and where we are going.” The Wildcats next head to St. George, Utah for doubleheaders against Salt Lake Community College (Feb. 10-11) and Colorado Northwestern Community College (Feb. 12-13).

Sophomore Mary Claire Brenner hit three home runs in a game to break the previous school record of two home runs in a single game. Brenner was a perfect 3-for-3 at the pate against Southern Utah as Oregon State won 11-0 in five innings during play at the Kajikawa Classic.

The Huskies went 5-0 at the Husky Softball Classic, extending their winning streak to 17, the fourth-longest streak in school history. Pitcher Danielle Lawrie was perfect in the first game with a 3-0 shutout over Miami, Ohio and earned two wins on the weekend. She almost had back-to-back perfect games, retiring the first 19 hitters against Portland State finishing the game with 13 strikouts, no walks and a two-hit shutout win, her ninth win of the year. Lawrie had retired an unbelievable 41-consecutive bat¬ters dating back to the final inning of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational on March 7 and now has three perfect games and six no-hitters in her career, both school records. Over the weekend she also passed the 1,500-strikeout mark for her career.

Arizona senior shortstop K’Lee Arredondo was named Pac-10 Player of the Week and freshman teammate Kenzie Fowler was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week for March 8-14, 2010. Arredondo, a native of Tempe, Ariz., batted .600 with nine hits for nine RBI in five wins during the Arizona’s Wildcat Invitational over the weekend. The senior hit her first two home runs of the season, with a 1.000 slugging percent¬age, while also drawing four walks. In a win over North¬ern Colorado, Arredondo went 3-for-3, knocking in three runs, drawing a walk and scoring twice. Against Illinois-Chicago, Arredondo also went 3-for-3, adding one home run and three putouts defensively. She upped her season batting average from .333 to .389 on the weekend, helping Arizona maintain a winning streak that now stands at 15 games.
Fowler pitched four shutout games in a 6-0 week for the Wildcats. The Tucson, Ariz. native struck out a combined 33 batters, while only allowing nine hits and three walks to the opposition. She held opponents to a .118 batting average, while her offense backed her up with 39 runs. Against Creighton, Fowler had her best game of the week¬end, striking out 17 batters, one short of her career high and allowing only one hit in an Arizona win. She capped off her stellar weekend with a five-strikeout, one-hit win over Minnesota. Overall Fowler’s record sits at 15-0 on the season. For her outstanding weekend, Fowler was named the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week.

The Oregon State softball team (10-11) will begin their Spring Break at the San Diego Classic II followed by completing the suspended game from Sunday, March 7th at Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday evening. The Beavers face the Long Beach State 49ers (10-12) and the UMass Minutewomen (11-4) first on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, the team takes on the UIC Flames (6-13) and the San Diego Toreros (5-13) at 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. Oregon State wraps up the tournament against the San Diego State Aztecs (15-8) on Monday evening at 6:00 p.m.

Fresno State’s Andrea Ortega and Mackenzie Oakes have been named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for March 8-14. This is the first-ever honor for both.
Ortega, a sophomore outfielder from Scottsdale, Ariz., hit .478 with a .696 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage over seven games last week. She was 11-for-23 with two doubles, a home run and nine RBI. During the five games of the Bayer CropScience Tournament, she hit a team-high .500 with nine hits and eight RBI. She had at least two hits in each of the last four games. She had one walk, no strikeouts and no errors as the ‘Dogs went 4-1 at the tournament. She was the leading overall hitter for the tournament and was named to the all-tournament team.
Oakes, a sophomore from Bakersfield, Calif., went 2-0 in 17.2 innings. For the week, she allowed just 10 hits, five runs and three walks and struck out 13 batters. She was named MVP of the Bayer CropScience Tournament after throwing the first perfect game of her career in a 3-0 win over Georgetown. It was the first perfect game by a Bulldog pitcher since March 25, 2005. It was the second no-hitter of the season for Oakes.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Senior Katie Holverson tossed her first career no-hitter as the Nevada softball team blanked Colorado State 1-0 on March 19th at the Capital Classic. This was just the fourth no-hitter in the Nevada softball program history and the first seven inning no-hitter since the softball program was brought back in 2003. Holverson struck out six batters while walking two and she faced one batter over the minimum. Nevada got the only run of the game in the sixth inning as Noelle Micka led off with a single and moved to second on Danielle Patrick’s sacrifice bunt. Sam Bias then laced a single into center and Micka beat the throw at the plate to give Nevada the 1-0 lead. Holverson was sharp throughout the game and she benefitted from some strong defense, especially by Bias and second baseman Kortnee Wiley, in the victory.

WALNUT CREEK, CA. – Washington sophomore outfielder/designated player Taylor Smith was named Pac-10 Softball Player of the Week and Stanford freshman pitcher Teagan Gerhart was named Pac-10 Softball Pitcher of the Week for March 15-21.
Smith had two outstanding games over the March 13-1 weekend for the No. 1 ranked Huskies going 5-for-5 in two games, with four of her five hits home runs. She drove in a total of 13 runs in two games, hitting two grand slams and a pair of two-run shots. In an 8-0 win over Utah she went three-for-three with five RBI and a pair of two-run shots. On Sunday, Smith topped her Saturday performance, hitting two grand slams to give her eight RBI in the game, tying the Washington single-game record originally set in 1993. She also became the first Husky in school history to hit two grand slams in a single game. For the weekend she slugged 1.889 and finished with a .556 average (five-for-nine).
Gerhart was on fire for the Cardinal over the March 13-14 weekend, throwing three-straight no-hitters, beginning with her first career perfect game in an 8-0 win over Santa Clara on Friday. The Norco, Calif. native threw a career-high 13 strikeouts, including eight in a row to finish off the perfect game. On Saturday, in a 7-0 win over Princeton, she struck out eight batters for the complete game shutout and was just one team error short of a second perfect game. She also earned her first career hit, an RBI double. Gerhart finished off Saturday with an 8-0 win over Saint Mary’s, throwing six strikeouts in five innings of work. She also went 2-3 from the plate against the Gaels, including her first career home run. On Sunday Gerhart finished up a stellar Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic with a win over Cal Poly and earned her first career save against Saint Mary’s. For the weekend Gerhart tossed 26.0 scoreless innings, with 34 strikeouts an allowed just one walk and three hits to finish with a 0.00 ERA.

Caracas, Venezuela will be the host for the International Softball Federation’s XII Women’s World Championship ten-day competition from June 23 to July 2, which will consist of national teams from 16 different countries. Team USA comes in as the defending world champions, having defeated Japan in the gold medal game of the last event which took place four years ago in Beijing, China. Just two years later Japan would avenge the 2006 loss by capturing the Olympic softball gold medal with a 3-1 victory over the Americans. The two teams are in separate pools for this year’s world championship, however, so the opportunity to go head-to-head won’t come until a possible playoff matchup.
“Without question we are certainly in store for some exciting competition at the women’s world championship,” ISF President Don Porter said. “The fans and media will witness some terrific play by elite-level athletes over those ten days in Caracas.
The 16 teams that will compete are: Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, and Venezuela.

In their 1,000 game in school history, the Tennessee Lady Vol’s picked up a 6-5 win over the 11th-ranked LSU team. It was the 40th victory of the 2010 season for the Lady Vol’s as they split the double header on Saturday, May 7th and rebounded with a win on Sunday. Tennessee has secured the No. 5 seeding for the upcoming SEC Tournament at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Ark., over May 13-15. The Lady Vols will battle No. 4 seed Georgia in opening round action.

Saint Mary’s took advantage of Portland State miscues to sweep a doubleheader Saturday afternoon May 15th at Cottrell Field to claim the 2010 Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship Series, two games to one. The Portland State Vikings won game one of the best of three series with a 1-0 victory on May 14. Portland was hoping to claim their second straight PCSC title but it was not to be as the Gaels won game two 3-0 and game three 7-4.Sophomore shortstop Rebecca Sabatini Sabatini was named the PCSC Championship Series Outstanding Player, going 4-for-8 with doubles, three walks and four runs scored. Sophomore Britany Linton was named Outstanding Pitcher, going 1-1, with one save, and a 1.26 ERA in 16 2/3 innings.Saint Mary's will receive the PCSC's automatic NCAA bid

2010 begins a new chapter as the conference expands 2010. The PCSC will unveil a new divisional structure, conference schedule and conference championship series in 2010. The 12 schools will be split into two, six-team divisions. The six California-based schools – Cal State Bakersfield, Loyola Marymount, Sacramento State, Saint Mary’s, San Diego and Santa Clara – form the Coastal Division. Idaho State, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Seattle, Utah Valley and Weber State will compete in the Mountain Division. Each school will play a 20-game conference school, facing each of their division rivals in a four-game series over the course of five weekends. The winners of the two divisions will meet May 15-16 for a best-of-three series. The winner of the Coastal Division will host the PCSC Championship Series in 2010 and the host institution will alternate between the Coastal and Mountain Divisions on a yearly basis.

Softball prides itself on being a sport for boys, girls, men, and women from youth to seniors and in countries around the world. There is fastpitch, slowpitch, modified pitch, arena (indoor), wheelchair and beach softball. On June 11th, the 9th Senior Softball World Cup gets underway in Salem, Virginia. The annual slow pitch event includes men’s and women’s participants ranging from the 35-and-over division up to a 70-and-over category. Last year in Australia softball was the second biggest sport on the program of the World Masters Games in terms of participants (approximately 2,600). Softball (slow pitch) will be a part of another multi-sport event in August, as part of the 11th World Firefighters Games, taking place in Daegu, Korea.

Click the link below to view the 2010 NCAA Women’s Softball Bracket and keep track of your favorite team!

http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/2010/ncaa_bracket_DI_softball.html.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Kentucky Fried Chicken, the title sponsor for the upcoming 2010 KFC World Cup of Softball recently launched a softball themed Kids Meal box featuring USA Softball players Monica Abbott, Jennie Finch and Jessica Mendoza. The box is now available at participating KFC restaurants across the United States.
A part of the KFC Keep Fit Challenge initiative, the boxes feature advice on how to play smart and stay healthy from the Olympic medal winners, who will star in the World Cup, July 22-26. The boxes also feature softball themed games including a word search and a maze.
If you purchase a Kids Meal this summer, take a picture of the softball themed box and upload it to the ASA/USA Softball Facebook page for a chance to win a USA Softball poster pack featuring Abbott, Finch and Mendoza autographed posters. One entry per-person. One winner will be drawn at random by ASA/USA Softball in May, June and July.

On June 2nd, join Jennie Finch and the San Francisco Giants for Girl's Softball Night 2010! The special event ticket package includes a limited-edition Jennie Finch bobblehead, a pregame Q&A session with Jennie Finch in Scoreboard Plaza and a seat in the girl's softball section of the ballpark. Each group who brings in 25 or more people will receive one (1) autographed bobblehead signed by Jenne Finch. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Jennie Finch's n'PLAY Foundation, whose mission is to financially support physical education and activity programs in low income areas with the highest rates of childhood obesity. Go to www.sfgiants.com for tickets and more information.

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA (USA) -- A milestone is being reached in the International Softball Federation’s development program that provides equipment for playing softball around the world. Approximately 60 “starter kits” are packed for shipment from the world headquarters complex and once they go out, the ISF will have reached the $3 million (in US Dollars) plateau in terms of the value of softball equipment sent out since the program began in 2002.
The ISF is also very near to another significant milestone as one of the upcoming recipients (San Marino) is a first-timer, bringing the total number of countries that will have received equipment to 98.
“We have been very fortunate over the better part of the last decade to have been able to provide so much equipment to nearly 100 countries around the world,” said ISF President Don Porter. “A tremendous thank you is due to the many manufacturers that have helped make this possible.”
Among those who currently provide the ISF with new equipment are Combat Softball, DeMarini, Easton, Hillerich & Bradsby (Louisville Slugger), Miken, Mizuno, Rawlings, and Worth.
“Along the way we also had a number of colleges/universities and club teams that helped out with donations of used equipment,” the ISF president added. “As a result of this continued demand, we would very much welcome them coming back onboard so that boys, girls, men, and women in other countries can have the same opportunity to participate in our sport.”
Besides San Marino, five other countries will be recipients of what is currently packed at the ISF warehouse. That quintet includes Austria, Botswana, Papua New Guinea, Peru and Slovenia. There are still many other countries waiting for equipment.
One “starter kit” contains over $1,200 (in US Dollars) worth of softball equipment including: bats, balls, fielder’s gloves, batting helmets, catching gear, an equipment bag and instructional videos.
Anyone interested in donating equipment can contact ISF Development Coordinator Lori Nolan for more information at lnolan@ISFsoftball.org.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Amateur Softball Association of America and USA Softball awarded the 9th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award to Washington’s Danielle Lawrie. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
The three finalists were UCLA’s Megan Langenfeld, Washington’s Danielle Lawrie and Georgia Tech’s Jen Yee. The winner was named on June 1st during the Opening Ceremonies of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK.
The 2009 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Lawrie became only the second student-athlete in the history of the award to win the award. The senior from Langley, British Colombia is a First Team All-Pacific Region, First Team All-Pac-10 and Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year. This season she was a Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week a record eight times, she earned USA Softball Player of the Week three times (a single-season record) and she was the NFCA National Player of the Week twice. Lawrie is 38-1 on the season with a 0.94 ERA, 446 strikeouts and just 34 walks in 269.1 innings. On the offensive side of the game Lawrie led the Huskies in home runs (15), RBI (57) and slugging percentage (.627), all of which are career highs. Holds a nation-best 22 shutouts to break her own single-season school record. Lawrie is 19-2 against ranked teams this year with 234 Ks in 143.1 innings. She has thrown three perfect games on the season.
Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif.) was named Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year, First-Team NFCA All-West Region and First-Team All-Pac-10. She led the Bruins with a .500 batting average, 49 runs batted in, a 1.037 slugging percentage, 38 walks and a .650 on base percentage. She is also tied for first with 16 home runs and second with 40 runs scored. In the circle, Langenfeld is 10-1 with three saves, a 1.29 earned run average and 56 strikeouts in 87 innings. The senior was named Pac-10 and USA Softball National Player of the Week on April 27 after recording four homers and eight RBI in a three-game sweep at Stanford. Langenfeld has 18 multiple-hit games and 14 multiple-RBI contests on the season. Jen Yee (North Delta, British Colombia) makes her first appearance in the Top 3 after being named the 2010 ACC Player of the Year. The senior from Georgia Tech was a First-Team NFCA All-Southeast Region and First-Team All-ACC. She reached base safely at least once in all 62 games this season and leads the nation in batting average (.568), slugging percentage (1.270), on-base percentage (.732), runs scored (93) and walks (88). She is also tied for the lead nationally with 29 home runs. Yee struck out just six times all season and was 21-for-22 in stolen base attempts, good for fourth in the ACC. Her 84 hits and 63 RBI led the league while her 15 doubles ranked third. She was a two-time Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week and five-time ACC Player of the Week. Yee was intentionally walked 31 times this year which is an NCAA single-season record.
Lawrie, Langenfeld, Yee and Mississippi State’s senior catcher Chelsea Bramlett have all been named as finalists for the Honda Sports Award for Softball which will be awarded on June 4th. The winner will become a candidate for the Honda-Broderick Cup, awarded to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

RENO, Nev. – Only a handful of spots remain in the Wolf Pack Softball Elite Camp and the General Camp is also approaching capacity, head coach Matt Meuchel said today.
There is no official deadline for registration but the camps will be closed at 72 participants for each. Meuchel said only a few spots remain for the Elite Camp and that the General Camp is beginning to near capacity. The camps both run June 21-24 and are held at Hixson Park, the home of the Wolf Pack.
The Elite Camp is for girls entering grades 9 through 12 and the camp will focus primarily on improving each participant’s skills in individual and team situations. A large portion of the camp will include live game situations. It runs in the mornings from 8 until noon.
The General Camp is for girls entering grades 3 through 8 and offers young players the opportunity to learn, practice and improve overall softball skills. Various competitions and games will be held during the camp. Each camper will receive one-on-one time with the coaching staff. It runs in the afternoon from 1 until 4:30 p.m.
The camp is conducted by Meuchel and his Wolf Pack coaching staff, including pitching coach Melanie Meuchel and hitting coach Andy Dominique. Current and former Wolf Pack players assist with the camp and coaches from colleges around the country will also be part of the instructional staff. All campers will receive a T-shirt as part of the registration fee, which is $160 for Elite campers and $140 for General campers.
For more information, please call the university’s Extended Studies department at (775) 784-4062 or visit www.extendedstudies.unr.edu to register online.

The Long Haul Bombers Stadium Power Tour made their third stop on May 29 in Denver, CO at Coors Field, the home of the Denver Rockies. This stop marked the third stop for Team Miken and the debut of Team DeMarini and TPS.
The lineup was split evenly between veteran and rookie Long Haul Bombers. Team
Miken was lead by Denny Crine and his new hitting partner Jeremy “Izy” Isenhower.
New manufacturer DeMarini consisted of veteran Geno Buck and rookie Chris
Larsen. And finally, Team TPS brought veteran JD Genter and newcomer Brett
McCollum. Each hitter was given up to 18 pitches to hit as many homeruns out of 15
swings as possible. Each home run was worth one point with the 15th swing, also
known as the “money ball,” worth two points.
The final score was Team Miken 12 points total, Team DeMarini 20 points total, and
Team TPS 17 points. The next stop for the Long Haul Bombers is at the Minnesota
Twins’ new home Target Field in Minneapolis.
The Bombers will be competing at nine more stadiums for their 2010 regular
season. After that, the top‐six homerun hitters will advance to the Stadium Power
Tour Finals. Fans can follow the Long Haul Bombers on TV’s Softball 360 or online at
www.softball360.com.

Click below to view your bracket for the 2010 Softball West Challenge Tournament this weekend at Golden Eagle Park.

Men's E: here

Coed: here

Both the Men's and Coed divisions went to if games where the undefeated teams were double-dipped for the 2010 Softball West Challenge Tournament title. Dongs & Thongs defeated the Free Agents in an extra-inning if game for the Coed trophy while the Dirt Bags defeated the Bad Guys twice for the Men's title.

The Inaugural Paul Sonner Memorial tourney will be held July 30-August 1 at Rancho San Rafael and Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada. Divisions are: Men's Upper, Men's E, Men's 40 and Over and Coed. All dvisions are 5 homers and equalizer. Entry is $275 with a portion of the proceeds going to a scholarship for a local high school athlete in Paul's name. There will be a great BBQ and live DJ along with tons of raffel prizes. Call Josh at 775-560-4409 or e-mail greenest23@yahoo.com for more info and to enter.

CARACAS, VENEZUELA -- Team USA successfully defended their International Softball Federation women’s world championship title, shutting out the Olympic champion Japan team by a dominating 7-0 score. Canada won the bronze medal.

CARSON CITY - The Western Nevada College women’s softball team will hold an open tryout on Wednesday, July 21, 5-7 p.m., at the Carson High School softball field, 1111 N. Saliman Rd. Participants are asked to enter the ball field from the school ‘s north parking lot.
Players need to bring their own bat, glove, helmet and cleats. They will participate in drills that include hitting, catching, base-running and sliding.
Eligible student athletes include high school graduates, GED holders, and new, current or former college students. There is no player age limit in the National Junior College Athletic Association, as long as a student-athlete has two years of eligibility to play college softball. Players who are under age 18 must have a parent sign a release that is available ahead of time from the WNC Intercollegiate Athletics office on the Carson City campus (445-3344).
WNC student athletes are required to enroll full-time in at least 12 academic credits each semester, and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
They are also eligible for athletics scholarships that may become available.
The Wildcats compete in the Scenic West Athletic Conference, an NJCAA Division I conference that includes colleges in Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Colorado. They are coached by Leah Wentworth and Andrea Lazzari.

Incline Village, NV – Ten teams participated in the 2010 Western Shootout which was held on July 17th. Finishing in third place was ATG from Reno. Second place went to I.B.E.W out of Alameda, CA and the champs for the third consecutive year was the Olympic Club (open) from San Francisco CA. Incline Parks and Recreation will be changing the western shootout tournament date for 2011 to the first week in August.

HENDERSON, Nev. – Registration for the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department’s adult softball leagues will be accepted Aug. 2-Sept. 17. Registration is $450 per team and must be made in person at the sports office, located at Arroyo Grande Sports Complex, 298 Arroyo Grande Blvd., from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays or from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Fall season play begins the week of Oct. 4th and all divisions play a 7-week season consisting of 14 games, which are held at Arroyo Grande Sports Complex, Anthem Hills Park and Russell Road Recreation Complex. All leagues are sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sports Association. For additional information, visit cityofhenderson.com or call 702-267-5717.

Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch announced on July 20th that she will retire from the sport that made her famous. She stated she will play one more week with the U.S. team and retire from the sport next month when the National Pro Fastpitch season is over. International Softball Federation President Don Porter commented, “I’m sorry to see Jennie leave the sport after a great career and her contributions to the development and recognition of the sport,” the ISF president said. “She has been a great ambassador and the dedication she has displayed tells me that while she no longer will be on the playing field, Jennie will surely continue to stay involved with the game in other capacities. “She is a great role model for not only up-and-coming softballers, but women in sports.”

USA Softball Pitcher and 2009 Gold Medalist Stacey Nelson walks to the mound without even a glint of fear in her eyes despite the fact that at the plate, eagerly awaiting her pitch is a man that tours the country blasting home runs out of major league stadiums.

The man at the plate is 4-time ASA batting champ and 15-ASA All World Team Member Brett Helmer and on deck is 2008 ASA offensive MVP and 2009/2010 Team USA Member Brian Wegman and catching behind the plate is Nelson’s teammate Ashley Holcombe.

On July 24th in an ultimate battle of speed versus strength, Easton will pit Nelson and Holcombe against Helmer and Wegman and the results may not be what you would expect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKY-rxIRyM

Seattle, WA – The Long Haul Bombers Stadium Power Tour took things north to Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners. July 25th marked the sixth stop on the Stadium Power Tour with TPS, Easton and DeMarini all represented.
The event began as usual; each hitter was given 15 swings, with the final pitch, or “money ball,” worth two homeruns. Easton’s Brian Wegman was first and he certainly made a good impression on the Mariners’ fans as he blasted nine homeruns into the stands, including the money ball, giving him 10 points total. Next up was TPS’ JD Genter who posted five homeruns and stepped off the plate with a slightly defeated look. “I’m going to have to put up some big numbers to make the finals in New York, and that’s what I’ve got my eye on,” reflected Genter.
Geno Buck hit third and for DeMarini, putting up a solid nine homeruns, plus the money ball for a double digit score of 10 points. When asked his secret he explained, “I’m a lot more comfortable this year and I think it’s showing. I don’t have the nerves going, and I’m able to settle in.”
Easton’s Brett Helmer hit fourth and took the lead, hitting a whopping 11 homeruns plus the money ball for a total of 12 points. Helmer also had the longest ball of the day, reaching the distant upper deck of right field. “I’m in the business of making friends, and when you put on a good show, you make friends. I don’t think I could have hit that ball a foot farther than I did,” recalled Helmer.
Hitting fifth for TPS was Brett McCollum who blasted a solid seven softballs into the stands. Rounding out the days challenge was Seattle’s hometown boy, Team DeMarini’s Chris Larsen. He hit eight homeruns plus the money balled for a total of nine points and seemed unfazed at the large number of family, friends and fans who came to see him. When asked if he was nervous having an audience Larsen replied, “No way! I love having them here. This was a blast. But I wish I could push past nine points. I keep getting that many at every event!”
The Long Haul Bombers did so well at Safeco Field that the Mariners staff requested an additional show, with each hitter given three pitches to try and launch a softball completely out of the stadium. Many of the hitters came close, but none was able to conquer Safeco. When all the numbers were tallied, Team Easton came out on top with 22 points total, followed by Team DeMarini with 19 points total and Team TPS with 12 points total.
The Bombers have six more stadiums to visit to complete their 2010 regular season. After that the top six homerun hitters advance to the Stadium Power Tour Finals in New York. The Bombers are also competing for the “Manufacturer’s Cup” title, which is awarded to the team with the most homeruns at the end of the regular season.