Lily Plays First Baseball Game

Last night we experienced the wonderful chaos that is little league T-Ball. No player really played in a position, as they were just scattered around the infield (very few balls were hit past the infield). Both teams batted around twice, and every player ran the bases with the last batter for each team hitting a 'home run' to clear the bases.

Lily did great getting two solid hits. Unfortunately, nothing was hit to her in the field so she wasn't able to show off her strong throwing arm. I may have 'over did it' a bit, as Lily is the only T-Baller sporting batting gloves. Glad I laid off the spikes and face paint. She kept us laughing by sitting on first base and doing some dances in the field. The important thing is that she had a fun time and it gave us all a chance to enjoy the weather and the sport. Trevor also had a good time watching his sister play and was so good. No uniforms yet, but we're hoping to have them by Thursdays game.

Sault Little League Releases 2007 Schedule

This week the Sault Area Little League released it's listing of teams and schedules. Lily will be playing T-Ball for Team 4 coached by Nick Jannetta. The teams have yet to receive uniforms, so we're not sure what colors she'll be sporting when she takes the field. All games will be played at Bunker Field in Sault Ste. Marie with games on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Here is the schedule as follows:

5/29@6:30 5/31@5:30 6/5@6:30 6/7@5:30 6/12@6:30

6/14@5:30 6/19@6:30 6/21@5:30 6/26@6:30 6/28@5:30

7/3@6:30 7/10@5:30 7/12@6:30 7/17@5:30 7/19@6:30

7/24@5:30 7/26@6:30

'Player To Be Named Later'

I am happy to announce my beautiful wife Lisa is pregnant once again, and we are very excited. Lily (5) and Trevor (4) are also looking forward to the new addition to our team. At this point, we're just fighting over names and determining if we want to know the gender ahead of time. As long as he/her is happy and healthy is all we really are concerned with, though.

Sault Little League In Full Swing

The Sault Ste. Marie area Little League baseball is in full swing, with practices starting outside this week. Previously, the players have been practicing inside the Norris Center working on the basics of throwing and hitting. The kids are having a little more fun outside though, where they can run around a little more. This does make it a little more challenging for the coaches to maintain some order during these clinics. Pictured up top is Lily taking some cuts off the tee. She'll be playing T-Ball with other five and six year olds. The T-Ball league will be separated into four teams, which will be picked this week. Games will start in approximately two weeks, after the coaches have some time with their own team. Lily is having a lot of fun, and enjoys the clinics and being outside. She's a south-paw, but can hit from both sides of the plate.

Lakers Graduate Six, Recieve LOI's From Three

If times flies while your having fun, then the last four years must be a blur to the six Lakers who graduated today at the Taffy Abel Arena. Forwards Dominic Osman, Trent Campbell, Jeff Rainville, and Derek Smith, defenseman Barnabus Birkeland, and goaltender Jeff Jakaits were a crucial part to taking a last place program, and leading it to the first CCHA final-four appearance since 1996.
Out of the six seniors, the Lakers will most likely miss Jakaitis most of all. Jeff is a four time team MVP, holds multiple goaltending records, and was voted LSSU's Outstanding Male Athlete in 2006-07. His junior year he was first team All-CCHA and won the Perlini Points player of the game award. Jeff, a Business Administration major, will be waiting until the end of the summer to decide on his hockey future.
Rainville, Campbell, and Birkeland all have plans to pursue their hockey careers in France. Campbell and Rainville majored in Business Administration and Business respectively, while Birkeland majored in Economics. Campbell led the Lakers in scoring his junior year, and Birkeland served as team captain during the successful 2006-07 season.
Dominic Osman led the Lakers in goal scoring his freshman year, but a back injury in his sophomore season hampered his remaining hockey career. Dominic is a Fire Science major and played in the ECHL for the Reading Royals upon the conclusion of the '06-07 season, but has recently been released.
Smith is a Criminal Justice major and has yet to make any plans for hockey life after college. LSSU has one the best CJ departments in the country, so his odds of attaining a job is this field remain high.

To ease the pain of the departing seniors, LSSU recieved three Letters Of Intent this week. Forwards Rick Schofield and Chad Nehring along with defenseman Dillin Stonehouse will all don the anchor next season.
Schofield is a Pickering, Ontario native, and played for the hometown Panthers of the OPJHL. The 6-1, 195 pound sniper led Pickering in scoring last season with 36g-34a for 70pts. He's a former teammate of current Laker John Scrymgeour.
Nehring spent last season with the Yorktown Terriers of the SJHL, leading his team and playoff scoring with 12-11-24 totals-good for second best in the league as well. In regular season play he scored 85 points on 38 goals and 47 assists. At 5-11, 195, the coaching staff looks at him as a solid two-way player.
Stonehouse was second in the SJHL among scoring defenseman with 12-36-48 numbers. The Melfort Mustangs d-man should help ease the loss of Derek A. Smith to the pros, and be a physical force at 6-0, 180. He's a product of Elkhorn, Manitoba.

The Lakers also have a verbal commitment from defenseman Matt Cowie and need to sign a goalie to back up sophomore Pat Inglis. Here's the official release by the Lakers:

http://lssulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/050507aaa.html