The Wellington Sox fastball team travelled to Midland, Michigan Aug. 13 to 21 to take part in the International Softball Congress World Tournament. There were 46 teams participating in the event.
Wellington had to play ten games to win the title.
In the championship game against Wyevale Tribe, of Ontario, Todd Uhrig started on the mound for the Sox and pitched five inning, allowing two runs on six hits. He gave way to Nic Goetz, who pitched the final two and allowed one run on three hits. Jason Dawdy made the final two outs at first base for the Wellington Sox to win the title.
In the semi-final game the Sox started off with a bang scoring four runs in the first inning against Quyon Flyers, of Quebec en route to a 6-1 win. They added two more in the fifth.
Uhrig was the winning pitcher and also hit a homer and drove in four more runs. Jeff Detta went two for four with a run batted in. Curtis Cornelius drove in the other run, while Jason Dawdy and Trevor Seip each had a hit.
The Sox started the tournament on Aug. 14 against Maccabi, Pennsylvania and came away with a 4-2 victory.
Nic Goetz started the game and Uhrig was the winner in relief.
Jeremy Creeden went two for four and Scott MacDougall was two for three.
Next up was Albaugh Inc. of Indiana, and Wellington lost that one 5-3. Uhrig took the loss. Seip had a three run homer.
Wellington got back on the winning track against the Kitchener Outlaws with a 6-5 win. Goetz again started, and Uhrig was the winner in relief. Dawdy went two for four with four RBIs, and Scott Walls was two for four and drove in a run. Uhrig had one hit and two RBIs.
Pete’s Blues, of Illinois beat the Sox 4-1.
Dawdy took the loss. Aaron Small, Jeremy Creeden, and Uhrig each had hits.
The Sox then met Up to Date Painting, of Missouri, and prevailed 1-0. Goetz was the winner on a two hit shutout, with ten strikeouts.
Walls was one for two and hit the game winning home run bottom of the sixth inning.
Other hits were by Creeden, Uhrig, Fisk and Cornelius.
Wellington then lost its third game 5-3 to the Alvinston Indians, of Ontario.
Uhrig took the loss. Aaron Small had two hits and drove in four runs. Creeden and Dawdy, each had two hits, and Walls had one and drove in a run. That loss set the Sox into the ISC II championship part of the tournament.
They then beat the Waterdown Hammer, of Ontario, 2-1 in ten innings.
Starting pitcher Dawdy threw four strong innings allowing no runs on four hits. Goetz came in pitched the next four innings, allowing one run on hits. With the game tied 1-1, Uhrig came in and held the Hammer to two hits the rest of the way.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Detta, the first batter of the inning, ended the game with a solo shot over the center field fence.
Uhrig was the winning pitcher. Seip went three for four, and Small, Fisk and Walls each had hits.
Wellington again eked out a 1-0 win over Marshall Lightning, of Missouri
Uhrig pitched a three hit shutout while striking out a dozen.
In the first inning, Detta reached base with a single, Uhrig walked, and Dawdy hit a single to drive home Detta for the only run of the game.
The Wellington Sox finished the tournament with seven wins and three losses.
Several Sox players were named to the all world tournament team
– outfield, Creeden;
– infield, Dawdy; and
-pitcher, Todd Uhrig, who was also named the outstanding pitcher and tournament MVP.
The championship was also special for several Wellington Sox players.
This was the third time that the following players have won this championship: head coach Rick Fisk, Ryan Fisk, Walls, Small, Seip and Creeden.
