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Q-C Sox claim 9th straight ISC qualifier

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By Christopher Maloney | Friday, July 04, 2008 |

WALCOTT, Iowa— After six years away from men’s fastpitch softball, Rusty Parkhurst felt the urge to get back on the diamond. After calling around to various successful teams, he decided to join Davenport’s Quad-City Sox.

With the 1-2 pitching combo of Parkhurst and Sox veteran Al Rebeling, Quad-City mowed through its competition at this weekend’s 54th Annual International Softball Congress Iowa Qualifier Tournament held in Walcott, Iowa.

Their 5-0 championship victory over Keg and Cask Liquor of Galena, Ill., on Saturday made it nine straight years that the Sox have claimed the ISC qualifier title.

Next up is the ISC World Fastpitch Tournament in Kimberly, Wis., from Aug. 10 to Aug. 16.

In 2009, Moline’s Green Valley Sports Complex will host not only the ISC World Fastpitch Tournament but also the ISC 2 Tournament of Champions.

Parkhurst, the tournament’s Most Valuable Pitcher, said this weekend was the first time all season he felt he had his pitching skills back, after his six-year hiatus, to pitch at a high level successfully. Parkhurst finished the tourney with a 3-0 record, 0.00 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 17 innings. He limited Keg & Cask to two singles in the title clincher.

“After working on it all season, everything now feels right and I am able to pitch without straining anything,” he said. “It helps a lot having another strong pitcher on this team in Rebeling. Our team did a really good job this weekend on the hitting side as well. We now have a few weeks until the World Tournament so we will need to pick up some games somewhere to stay fresh.”

Last year, the Quad-City Sox finished 13th in the World Tournament.

Another key to the Sox’s 2008 domination of their tournament opponents was the bat of center fielder Aaron Saugeling of Dubuque, Iowa. He won the Most Valuable Player award, leading the Sox’s hitting attack with two triples and two home runs over the course of the Sox’s five tourney games.

He hit a triple and home run in the tourney clincher Saturday.

Sox first baseman Billy Kranz also hit a triple in the 5-0 blanking of Keg and Cask, while Sox shortstop Henry Schelb hit a home run.

“I’m usually a line-drive hitter and just try to put the bat on the ball,” Saugeling said. “That is why I bat second in the lineup, to get guys over. I knew when I joined this team last year that this team is all about tradition, and our ninth straight tournament title continues that. I am glad I could be a part of this year’s success. I think we have a good chance of doing better than 13th this year.”

In the semifinals, Keg and Cask rallied with five runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the A’s 5-4.

Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or sports@qctimes.com