Ulster's Summer Softball League

Information

In 2008 Softball Ulster held the first Ulster Summer Softball League. This competition is an introduction to softball and is open to everyone over the age of 18. Over the course of six weeks we  cover both basic skill training and live games. The event will be held again in 2009.

2008 information:

The layout of the evenings is:

Agenda

May 26th: Basic Training and Team Selection
June 2nd: Basic Training
June 9th: Round 1
June 16th: Round 2
June 23rd: Round 3 & Semi-Finals
June 30th: Finals
July 2nd 19:00 Errigal Inn meeting for people who want to continue Softball

Game plan:

Players should arrive by 18.30 on the game nights ready to play. Remember to wear a t-shirt in the colour of your team as assigned below. Game rules can be downloaded here.

League Table

W - win, L - lose, D - draw, RA - runs against, RF - runs for.

Teams

Grey are the team captains/coaches.

4th Game night:

Lets Play Ball!

Monday saw the last of the six week long Ulster Summer Softball League that had turned Henry Jones Playing Fields in Castlereagh into a Ball Park. The sixty plus players who made up five teams were introduced to this new sport that only hit Belfast last year. The league consisted of two training nights followed by four game nights, ending last Monday with a semi-final between the Intelliden Thundercats and the Sweetcorns and the final. Whilst the Blue Sox Rox trained, these two teams battled for the only other place in the final. It was the Sweetcorns however who streaked ahead in the early innings leaving the Thundercats dazzled in the outfield. Whilst the spectators enjoyed their Coca-Colas donated by their Lambeg bottlers, the Blue Sox Rox and the Sweetcorns took the field. It was a thrilling match and unlike many football finals this was anyone's game to the last. At the top of the last with a 7-6 lead to the Blue Sox and them up to bat for the last time, they got two runs in putting themselves in a healthy 9-6 lead. In the bottom of the last, captain Terry Rostbotham got the rally hats going and was out to take back the game. The Sweetcorns got 2 runs in bringing the score to 9-8. With two outs and one run in it the tension could have been cut with a knife, but it was not to be, the Blue Sox Rox held it together and showed their team spirit. Led by their Captain Maarten Blanken they got the last out bringing them to victory as the Umpire Chris Patterson shouted 'that's a ball game folks'.
Congratulations to the most valued/improved players on each team; Ruth Livingston (Blue Sox Rox), David Mallon (Intelliden Thundercats), David Gray (White Diamonds), Jose Santos (Black Bullets) and Diane Kennedy (Sweetcorns).
From this introductory league other teams have started to form making softball a more prominent sport within Northern Ireland. If you want to keep up to date with softball activities or join/start a team within Ulster then contact chair@softballulster.com.

3rd Game night:

Damian Christian from the Sweet Corns stepped up to the Mound and pitched his balls with pinpoint precision to White Diamond batters, but he still had to look into the distance as the balls were blasted far into the outfield by David McGough, Luisa Reynolds and Myles Meaney. The game ended closely with the Diamond Whites holding the lead to 6:5. True grit won through in the second meeting of these two teams when the Sweet Corns with true stamina and a saccharine taste for success turned their evening around and made it through to the Semi-Finals with an 8:4 win over the Diamond Whites. In the first of the Semi-Finals played last night in Henry James Memorial Park, Blue Sox Rox captained by Maarten Blanken screamed through their final innings to get a 13:8 victory over the Black Bullets. All that remains now is to wait for the second semi-final between the Sweet Corns and Thundercats Red to see who can take on the Blue Sox Rox to win the Summer Softball League 2008. One result which rang out clearly last night was the announcement that Mr Terry Rostbotham asked for Ms Heather Porters hand in marriage; and with an engaging charm, she said yes. The league is organised by Softball Ulster with the help of local team the Belfast Brawlers and their sponsors Schrader Electronics Ltd.

2nd Game night:

Another night of games and it proves that the team selection is extremely tight. All teams still have the change of winning this years Ulster Summer Softball Tournament.

The evening air was tense last night in Henry James Memorial Park as the second night of the summer softball league began. The evening was a make or break one if The Sweet Corns and Diamond Whites were to have any chance at the top prize. And true to form these teams stepped up to the challenge. With Diane Kennedy pitching, the Sweet Corns blazed in with 10 runs over 6 against the Black Bullets. While for the Diamond Whites, Jorick Vink and and David McGough made superior plays to get runners out on first base winning their first match 9:3 against the Thundercats. The top of the league table is now split between Blue Sox Rox, Black Bullets and Thundercats Red. If you don't want to miss out on the fun checkout www.softballulster.com. This league is organised by Softball Ulster with the help of local team the Belfast Brawlers and their sponsors Schrader Electronics Ltd.

1st Game night:

Lets Play Ball!

The Summer Softball League began in full earnest on Monday night as five new softball teams played out the first matches of this series. Teams from all over Belfast battled for first blood as the Sweet Corns, Diamond Whites, Black Bullets, Thundercats Red, and Blue Sox Rox took to the field and pitched for their lives! The Black Bullets and Blue Sox Rox won a match each, but it was Thundercats Red who ran away with the first weeks points, winning both their matches. With the Sweet Corns and Diamond Whites yet to score any match points the pressure is on next week for team captains Chris Patterson and Terry Rostbotham!

2nd Training night:

5 Newly formed teams trained this evening getting to grips with infield, outfield, batting and pitching. They are now prepared for the next couple of game nights where we will be introducing the following teams:

• The Sweet Corns
• Blue Sox Rox
• Black Bullets
• Thundercats
• Diamond Whites

1st Training night:

Lets Play Ball!
On Monday evening, local walkers in Henry Jones Playing Fields witnessed a sight never seen before in Northern Ireland. Over 60 adults with softball gloves at the ready began their first training for the Summer Softball League. This mixed gender league was organised by Softball Ulster with the help of the local team Belfast Brawlers and their sponsor Schrader Electronics Ltd., to promote this American bat and ball sport (similar to baseball but more fun) in Belfast. Gear was kindly provided by Softball Ireland. Over the next five weeks, six teams will go head to head in games putting their newly learnt Softball skills to the test. If you don't want to miss out on the fun come join us and watch this space!!!

Cost

Cost: £20 per person or £240 for a team of 12. This includes insurance, use of equipment and coaching. Registration closes 20th May 2008.

So if you want to enjoy the summer evenings with a fun group outdoors in the sun register with softball Ulster by sending an e-mail to chair@softballulster.com.  Come and support the new teams and see what it is all about!

Download the info flyer here.