Several of the top men's fastpitch softball teams to compete in Ashland A's Invitational
ASHLAND — The second annual Ashland A's Invitational is set to take place July 22-24 at Brookside Park and Brookside Park West.
Twelve national and international teams are entered for the men's fastpitch softball tournament with a four-game guarantee for each squad.
"I can't wait,” said Ashland A's player-coach Craig Scott, who is also the tournament director. “It's been nine months planning this thing. Outside of Kitchener (Ontario) and Bear Creek out of Melbourne, Ontario, Canada, we have virtually almost everybody [competing in the tournament].
"It's going to be a good one."
Originally, the Ashland A's weren't going to be part of the field, but one team had to drop out.
"Stuff came up,” Scott said. “One of the pitchers couldn't get into the country, and I was playing for the Ohio Bombers team (also in the tourney) because I helped them get some of their players for this year, and I couldn't find another team to take the 12th spot, so I got a bunch of my buddies together from all over the United States and Canada.
“I've got a pitcher from Venezuela to come in and, hopefully, keep us in some games and maybe win a couple."
Along with the Ashland A's and Ohio Bombers, other teams competing in the tournament are the AWP Lumberjacks of Illinois, Fischers Fastpitch of Pennsylvania, Omma Tigers of Texas, Gremlins of New York, Circle Tap of Wisconsin, Explorers of Michigan, Hill United of Canada, JB of California, AH Reapers of Wisconsin and AJ Sting of Indiana.
The Gremlins won last year's inaugural tourney, posting a 10-2 championship game win over the Kegal Black Knights of North Dakota.
"I think the last time I looked we'll have players in Ashland from 13 different countries and 27 states," Scott said. "Right now, the Gremlins are No. 2 and Hill United is No. 3 in the [International Softball Conference] rankings, but in all honesty on any given day there are about five teams that can take it all the way.
"The one I think is the most intriguing and the best team to watch will be the AWP Lumberjacks. They've got guys from Canada, guys from Argentina, Venezuela, Czech Republic [and] New Zealand, and they're really good."
The Ashland A's open up the tournament against the AWP Lumberjacks at 7 p.m. Friday. They’ll be followed by the Gremlins taking on the Ohio Bombers at 9 p.m. Both games will be played at Brookside Park.
Also on Friday, the AHI Reapers will play Hill United at 9 p.m. at Brookside West.
Play continues at both parks on Saturday.
The money-bracket games will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday at Brookside Park and Brookside West, with the championship game scheduled for 2 p.m. at Brookside Park.
Consolation bracket games will be played Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., followed by the championship game at noon, all at Brookside West No. 2.
The three-day event is free and open to the public. Sponsoring the tourney are the South Street Grille, Ohio Fire and the Wagon Wheel, who will be running special deals for the tournament.
"The biggest contributions to this tournament helping get everything going are MVD Sports and my sister and brother-in-law, Melissa and Brian Culler," Scott said. "For a person who doesn't play softball, she's done a ton.
"One guy said, 'We don't play any weak teams,' and I told him, ‘That's because you're the weak team.’” And I've got teams that want to come next year, so it may be up to 16 teams.”
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland A's Invitational to feature a loaded field of teams
