1/24/2014
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today that Border Battle VI will be held July 26 at the Peter Hallman Ballyard in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. A series of exhibition games between the USA Men’s Slow Pitch National Team, the USA Future’s Slow Pitch National Team and two Canadian teams will also be held July 24-26 in Kitchener. Members from Team USA and Team Canada will also take part in a homerun derby. This marks the first time that Canada will host the event as the ASA Hall of Fame (HOF) Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. Has played host since its inception in 2009.
“What a great opportunity for Men’s Slow Pitch National Team Program to travel to Canada and participate in Border Battle VI and for the first time in the history of the Slow Pitch National Team program it will occur on foreign soil,” said ASA/USA Softball Executive Director Craig Cress. “We know that Softball Canada and the City of Kitchener will do a tremendous job of hosting this event and we look forward to continuing this great rivalry and competing in Border Battle VI.”
Created in conjunction with the inaugural Border Battle slow pitch competition against Canada in 2009, the Men’s Slow Pitch National Team program is now in its sixth run. With a 25-10 victory last year in Oklahoma City, Team USA extended its lead to 4-1 in the Border Battle series. The Americans won Border Battle I 30-23 but Canada evened the series in 2010 with a 30-29 win. The USA men rebounded in 2011 with a dominating 25-3 performance and won 32-21 in 2012.
The USA Future’s Team is now in its third season after being established in 2012 to compete in the inaugural Slow Pitch Showdown against the Men’s Slow Pitch National Team. The Future’s claimed the first Slow Pitch Showdown in dramatic fashion when they defeated Team USA 38-37. Team USA responded strong in last year’s matchup, needing only five innings to defeat the Futures 32-16.
“I’m excited that the Border Battle will continue and am humbled to be selected again as the Head Coach for Team USA,” said Men’s Slow Pitch National Team Head Coach Steve Shortland. “I have no doubt that Softball Canada and their representatives will be gracious hosts. Although it will feel a bit different to play away from home, it won’t detract from the honor of wearing a Team USA uniform. Nothing in sports matches the pride and emotion associated with representing your country on the field of play, no matter where the venue is. I look forward to a competitive event in what’s sure to be a great experience for everyone involved.”
The final roster for the USA Men’s teams will be announced in March on USASoftball.com/. For more information on Border Battle VI, please visit SoftballCanada’s website at http://www.softball.ca/.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles including the last seven consecutive as well as claimed six World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.