By Sheila Phibbs
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND/NEW HAMBURG — Two weeks after winning their first tournament of the season, the Haldimand Heat U20 Fastball Team placed fourth at the Ontario Amateur Softball Association (OASA) Eliminations Tournament in New Hamburg to earn a spot in the U20 Canadian Fastball Championships this August in Napanee.
Play began on July 8 with 13 teams from across Ontario vying for the opportunity to represent Ontario at the national tournament. Haldimand opened with a win over Rostock and then started Saturday against eastern Ontario rivals from Napanee. After seven competitive innings, the Heat lost by a narrow margin of 1-0. The team bounced back in the afternoon, with back-to-back wins against Oshawa and Dundalk.
The evening game against Wilmot proved to be a thriller as Haldimand built up a lead that Wilmot cut in half late in the game. The Heat rallied with additional runs to ensure the win and clinch their place in the top four.
Sunday morning brought another nail biter that required extra innings as Haldimand met up with Rostock once again. After a tremendous effort on both sides, Haldimand was edged out by Rostock to remain in fourth place, having secured their berth in the Canadian Championships.
While most of the Heat players competed at the Bantam Canadians in Saskatchewan in 2019, the veteran members – Alex Heeg, Brendan Judson, Spencer Martin, and Travis Phibbs – are especially excited to represent Ontario in the Haldimand Heat jersey for the first time in their final year of U20 eligibility.
Judson has been playing ball for 15 years, first in Dunnville, then Fisherville and Jarvis. He says, “It’s nice to finally go to the Canadians after trying for five years. It’s good to go with guys you know and have either played with or against growing up.”
Phibbs participated in the 2018 Bantam nationals as an invited player with Napanee, but he says, “I’ve always wanted to go to Canadians with my home team.”
As this team of local athletes prepares for the national tournament with Erie Men’s League games and practices, they will also be busy fundraising to help offset tournament costs.
The Heat is seeking support from the community to help offset the many costs involved in such an event. Donations and sponsorship will assist with many expenses, including uniforms, equipment, meals, accommodations, and tournament fees.
All donors will be recognized for their contributions.
The Haldimand Heat welcomes the support and cheers of the community and looks forward to representing Haldimand and the province at the Canadian Championships.
