Foreign teams set for PONY fast pitch

The 18-year-old teams will play at Canfield Baseball Club’s McCune Park on Shields Road.

BOARDMAN — The Russians and Canadians are returning. This year, they’ll be joined by the Czech softball players when the PONY National fast-pitch tournaments for 16- and 18-year-old teams gets under way Saturday.

At mid-week, 136 teams had registered with PONY for the tournament that runs through August 1.

Tournament director Rob Durig said the tournaments are down about a dozen teams from the 2007 numbers.

Fourteen states will be represented, with Ohio leading the way with 24 teams. Pennsylvania is sending 23 squads and New York 20.

The team from Prague, Russia, which played here last year as 16-year-olds will participate with 55 other registered teams in the tournament for players ages 18-and-younger.

Durig said the Russians again will be housed by families in Lordstown.

“They’ve been e-mailing each other all year long,” Durig said of the Lordstown and Russian players. “They’re excited about seeing each other again.”

Eight 18-year-old teams are from the Mahoning Valley: Chain Reaction (Bristolville), Ohio Blast (Lisbon), Ohio Magic (Boardman), Ohio Naturals (Canfield), Ohio Stars (New Middletown), Thunder Elite (Vienna), Valley Extreme Blue (Cortland) and Valley Extreme Red (Newton Falls).

Eighty teams are registered for the 16-and-younger tournament, including a team from the Czech Republic and two from Montreal (Quebec Rebelles 91 and Quebec Rebelles 92).

Durig said the Czechs will be housed by Boardman families. Durig said the Czechs sent a team two years ago.

Seven area 16-year-old teams will participate: Chain Reaction (Warren), Chain Reaction Black (Warren), Ohio Aftershock (Poland), Ohio Magic (Boardman), Thunder Elite (Vienna), Valley Extreme Red (Warren) and Valley Sting (Youngstown).

Most teams are arriving today, with the managers meeting tonight from 7-8:30 at the Optimist Club at Candlelite Knolls in Bazetta.

Opening ceremonies will be Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon at Eastwood Field in Niles.

Pool play will begin Saturday afternoon. The 18-year-old teams will play at Canfield Baseball Club’s McCune Park on Shields Road.

The younger division will play at Candlelite Knolls, Boardman Community Baseball’s Fields of Dreams (McClurg Road), Liberty Township Baseball’s Liberty Township Park fields and Perkins Park in downtown Warren.

Durig’s Thunder Elite organization is running the tournament with Boardman Community Baseball. This is the first time that Candlelite Knolls has been used.

“It’s a very nice softball complex,” said During of the base of the Valley Extreme travel team.

Bracket Play begins Monday and the championship round will begin July 30. The championship games are set for July 31, with Aug. 1 set as a rain date.

Admission costs $8 each day and $5 for senior citizens, and $5 for anyone after 4 p.m. Children 7 and younger are admitted free. Weekly passes are available for $30.

For more information on the tournament and a complete list teams involved, visit mvpony.com.

“PONY has a new Web site and it’s much easier to track scores,” Durig said. “That certainly makes our jobs a little easier.”

During also expressed appreciation for the volunteers at this week’s PONY tournaments for 10- and 12-year-old teams.

“We’ve had a lot of rain, but all of our games have run on schedule,” Durig said. “That’s thanks to volunteers who have done a lot of hard work.”

williams@vindy.com