2014 NEWS ARCHIVE

SELECT A SEASON

Selects Rally For 8-2 Win

Selects vs. Thunder

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

The Selects put up seven runs over the final two frames Tuesday night, erasing a 2-1 deficit to beat the Thunder 8-2 and improve to 8-3 on the year.

Both pitchers - Jeff Ferguson for the Thunder and Scott Clark for the Selects - flirted with disaster in the early innings, but made timely pitches to limit the damage. Clark left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings, though a Scott Kersey bloop single cashed Dan Wakeford to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead. After a Tim Coverdale single, Mike Welton hit-by-pitch, and Mike Tyler single had the Selects poised to answer with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the second, Ferguson notched a strikeout and induced two harmless grounders to end the threat.

The Thunder extended their lead in the third when Curtis Hurlbut reached on an error, moved to second on a sac bunt by Brad Picard, and came in to count on a Josh Crosby single. The Selects would answer in the bottom half. Mike Brown started things with a bunt single and stole second, moving to third on a Tom Allan single. The duo then executed the double steal to near-perfection, but Brown was called out at the plate, necessitating a two-out RBI single from Coverdale to salvage a run. The score would remain 2-1 entering the fifth.

After Hurlbut stroked a leadoff triple to the fence in right, Clark induced a shallow fly to left and notched a timely strikeout. Dan Wakeford then hit a flare to shallow centre that seemed to spell trouble, but Brown ended the inning with a diving grab. As the Selects came to the plate, momentum had clearly shifted. Brown hit a leadoff double and scored on a pinch-hit double from Kevin Ryrie. Brett Pfeifer then knocked him in and scored on a RBI single from Mike Welton, who eventually came in to score on a passed ball. The Selects added three more in the sixth, keyed by a two-run triple off the bat of Pfeifer, for the 8-2 win.

Clark notched his third win of the season, and second straight complete game, settling in to allow just two base runners over the final three frames.

MVP: Mike Brown, CF

Errors End Selects' Streak

Selects vs. Smoke

Thursday, July 3, 2025

The Selects looked very much like a team that hadn't played in three weeks on Thursday night, allowing a string of errors to end a five-game win streak that dated back to the end of May. They never trailed entering the bottom of the seventh, before the Smoke scored three runs without registering a hit to win 7-6.

The Selects jumped ahead in the top of the first when Kevin Ryrie and Scott Clark came in to count on RBI singles from Tim Coverdale and Shayne Riepert. The Smoke then took advantage of two errors in the third to tie things up, and the score remained knotted at two until the fifth.

In the top of that frame, Mike Brown stroked a leadoff single and moved to third on a two-out single from Darren Strickland. With runners at the corners, the Selects put Strickland in motion and he showed savvy beyond his 18 years, getting caught in a rundown long enough for Brown to score from third. The Smoke quickly tied it back up as Rob Wood drew a leadoff walk and capitalized on errors to score without a hit in the inning.

The Selects looked to take control in the top of the sixth as singles from Aaron McCaw, Brad Cleasby, Ryrie, Clark, and Coverdale led to three runs and a 6-3 advantage. The Smoke got one back in the bottom half to make it 6-4 and, after a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, set up their comeback victory - four batters, a walk, two costly errors, and three runs.

MVP: Shayne Riepert, P/SS

Selects Unleash Hit Parade

Selects vs. Kings

Thursday, June 12, 2025

The Selects' offense was not to be denied Thursday night, putting together a 19-hit performance to extend the team's win streak to five with a 14-4 win over the Kings.

The Selects never trailed, but the lopsided outcome was still very much in doubt after four innings, with the boys in green leading 5-3. They then sent 20 batters to the plate over the next two frames, scoring nine runs on 12 hits. Scott Clark, meanwhile, kept the Kings batters at bay to log his first complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run on seven hits while striking out six.

The offense was led by Kevin Ryrie (5-5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs, SB), Shayne Riepert (3-4, HR, 3 runs, 2 RBI), Chad Fink (3-3, 3 runs), Clark (3-5, 2B, 4 RBI), and Mike Tyler (2-4, 2B, 2 runs, RBI).

MVP: Kevin Ryrie, C

Selects Win Fourth In A Row

Selects vs. Predators

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

The Selects rode timely hitting and a strong pitching performance from Shayne Riepert to their fourth consecutive win Tuesday night, defeating the Predators 4-1.

The Selects struck early, as Brad Cleasby drew a one-out walk in the top of the first, advanced to second on a Riepert single, and came in to score when the Predators' shortstop couldn't handle a hard-hit Tim Coverdale grounder. In his next at bat, Coverdale once again delivered, this time with a two-out single to cash Kevin Ryrie - who had singled and stole second - and give the boys in green a 2-0 advantage.

After cruising through the first three innings, Riepert ran into some trouble with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Two walks and two infield singles cut the lead to 2-1 with the bases still loaded, but Riepert escaped the jam with an inning-ending double play.

The score remained unchanged until the top of the seventh. After Scott Clark singled and Tom Allan reached on an error, Mike Welton flied out to deep centre, allowing both runners to tag and advance. Mike Brown then ripped the next pitch up the middle to score both Clark and Allan, and Riepert retired the side in order in the bottom half to secure the 4-1 victory. It was Riepert's third win in as many starts, as he allowed just one run on four hits, while striking out eight.

MVP: Shayne Riepert, P

Selects Take Third Straight

Selects vs. Bulldogs

Thursday, June 5, 2025

The Selects rallied for a five-run second en route to their third consecutive win Thursday night, beating the Bulldogs 9-4 and improving to 5-2 on the season.

After a scoreless first, the Selects drew first blood with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second. Scott Clark walked, Aaron McCaw singled, and Brad Cleasby walked to load the bases, before Kevin Ryrie delivered a two-run single. Shayne Riepert then ripped a three-run homer over the fence in left-centre to stake his squad to a 5-0 advantage. They pushed it to 6-0 in the third when Tim Coverdale singled home Mike Tyler. Meanwhile, Riepert cruised through the first three frames, striking out eight.

The Bulldogs cut the lead in half with three runs in the top of the fourth, but the Selects answered with two more in their half, courtesy of singles from Ryrie and Mike Brown, who were chased home by deep flies from Tyler and Mike Welton. The teams then traded runs in the sixth for the eventual 9-4 final.

Riepert went the distance for his second win of the season, surrendering six hits while striking out 12. Ryrie (4-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 runs) and McCaw (2-3, run) led the offense, which has now tallied 30 runs over its last three games.

MVP: Kevin Ryrie, C

Selects Drop Mustangs

Selects vs. Mustangs

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

The Selects scored in each of the first four frames Wednesday night en route to a 10-4 win in their first-ever meeting with the Mustangs. After notching one run each in the first two innings, they put together four runs a piece in the third and fourth, highlighted by Brett Pfeifer's first home run of the season.

Meanwhile, Chad Fink cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two hits as the Selects built a 10-0 advantage. The Mustangs showed some moxie, cutting the lead to 10-4 with back-to-back two-run innings in the fifth and sixth, but could get no closer. Fink went the distance and struck out 10 to notch his second victory of the year.

Offensively, Mike Brown (3-3, RBI, run), Shayne Riepert (2-2, BB, 3 RBI, 3 runs), Mike Welton (2-3, BB, RBI, 2 runs), and Pfeifer (2-3, HBP, HR, RBI, 2 runs) all posted multi-hit games.

MVP: Brett Pfeifer, C

Offense Awakens in 11-5 Win

Selects vs. 37s

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

The Selects scored early and often en route to an 11-5 win Wednesday night, taking their first ever meeting with the 37s, one of two teams new to the KFL in 2014.

The 37s grabbed an early lead when Ben Wideman drew a two-out walk in the top of the first and Kyle Hanley tripled him home - but it would prove short-lived. After singles from Kevin Ryrie and Mike Brown in the inning's home half, Chad Fink hit a towering three-run blast over the centrefield fence to give the Selects a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish. Fink then went to work on the mound, as the boys in green pushed their lead to 11-3 before the 37s scored a couple more late.

Fink (2-3, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBIs), Brown (2-3, BB, SB, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Darren Strickland (2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs), Tom Allan (2-4, 2 runs), and Tim Coverdale (2-4, run) all notched multi-hit games in the win, while Fink scattered six hits, three runs, and seven strikeouts over five innings to pick up his first victory of the season.

MVP: Chad Fink, P

Selects Struggle In 8-1 Loss

Selects vs. Diamond Jaxx

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

It was a tale of two teams playing decidedly differently Tuesday night, as the Diamond Jaxx thumped the Selects 8-1.

The Jaxx capitalized on three Selects errors and came up with timely hit after timely hit, racking up eight runs through the first three innings - only three of them earned - off Selects' starter Scott Clark. Meanwhile, Jaxx pitchers Kevin Clugston and Jeff Wise managed to strand seven Selects through the first three frames, with Brad Cleasby scoring the team's lone run after walking and coming in to count on a Mike Brown grounder to short.

From there, Wise and Shayne Riepert, on in relief for their respective clubs, kept the scoresheet clean. Riepert's performance was one of the few bright spots for the Selects, as he worked two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.

MVP: Mike Brown, CF

Selects Edge Razorbacks

Selects vs. Razorbacks

Monday, May 12, 2026

The Selects jumped out to an early lead and survived a late rally Monday night, securing their second win of the season, 7-6 over the Razorbacks.

Mike Tyler opened the scoring with a solo shot to start a second-inning Selects rally. Reed Laughlin followed with an RBI single in his first plate appearance of the year, scoring Brett Pfeifer, and a Kevin Ryrie single chased home Jamie Hickling and Laughlin for a 4-0 lead. The Selects added another run in the third before the Razorbacks put up two unearned runs to make it 5-2 after four.

But the Razorbacks weren't finished. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, they capitalized on some suspect Selects defense and notched three unanswered runs to tie the game at five before Scott Clark, on in relief of Chad Fink, got a key strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

With momentum firmly on the Razorbacks side, the Selects showed some fight in the top of the seventh, as Tyler and Mike Welton both singled and scored on a double from Pfeifer to give the boys in green a 7-5 advantage. In the bottom half, Clark retired the first two batters before Andrew Mathies singled and Dean Clement doubled him home to make it 7-6. Fink then re-entered the game and ended it with a strikeout. In his first start of 2014, he allowed just one hit and two unearned runs, while striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings.

MVP: Chad Fink, P

Kolb Leads Jays Past Selects

Selects vs. Jays

Wednesday, May 7, 2026

The Selects suffered their first loss of the year on a cold and rainy Wednesday night, falling 7-2 to the Jays, though neither team could scrape together a run in the early going.

The Jays had runners at first and second with nobody out in the top of the first, but Scott Clark, making his first start of the year, recorded a strikeout and induced a double-play to end the threat. In the bottom half, the Selects loaded the bases before Marc Geddes got an inning-ending grounder to second. Both pitchers continued to cruise into the fourth inning, with Geddes racking up the strikeouts while Clark let his defense join in on the fun, highlighted by a spectacular sliding catch in centre from Selects newcomer Tom Allan.

The Selects broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth when Clark singled and Darren Strickland knocked him home for his fourth RBI in just two games. Unfortunately, it would not last long. With two on and two out in the top of the fifth, Jeff Kolb hit a rocket over the left field fence to give his team a 3-1 advantage. The Selects cut it to 3-2 in the bottom half, but Kolb punctuated a four-run sixth with another three-run blast, giving the Jays the 7-2 win.

Despite the loss, Clark threw well, allowing just three hits over 4 2/3 innings while striking out five. Kevin Ryrie went 3-3 with a run scored to lead the Selects' offense.

MVP: Kevin Ryrie, 3B

Selects Weather The Thunder

Selects vs. Thunder

Tuesday, May 6, 2026

The Selects won their season opener for the sixth straight year, riding a solid team effort to a 5-3 win over the Thunder Tuesday night. Coming off a stellar debut season with the team, Shayne Riepert got the start for the Selects and held the Thunder offense in check early.

The Selects opened the scoring in the top of the second. With one out, newcomer Brett Pfeifer reached on a hard hit ball to third and Scott Clark drew a free pass. Following a Brad Cleasby fielder's choice, rookie Darren Strickland notched his first RBI as a Select with a hard single up the middle. The Thunder would strike back in the third, courtesy of a reached on error, two walks, and a single, but the game remained knotted at one thanks to a nice catch in left by Mike Tyler and Scott Clark knocking down a tough blooper to save a run.

Tyler then started things off with a bang in the top of the fourth, smashing a triple to the fence to start a Selects rally. After a walk and an RBI grounder, Strickland came up big once again, plating two more runs with a double to left-centre. Singles from Riepert, Tyler, and Pfeifer in the fifth extended the lead to 5-1.

After scattering two hits and seven strikeouts over four innings, Riepert handed the ball off to Chad Fink. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Fink walked two and surrendered a two-run double to cut the lead to 5-3. However, true to form, he settled in and retired four of the last five batters to pick up the save.

MVP: Mike Tyler, LF

Selects Get Younger For 2014

Monday, May 5, 2026

This offseason saw more shake-ups to the Selects' roster than any year in recent memory, and the 2014 team promises to be one of the youngest Selects squads in years.

After a solid comeback season in 2013, founding Select Glen Hall has decided to hang his cleats up and hone his golf game. His veteran presence will be sorely missed. The Selects are also sad to say goodbye to third baseman Jamie Ridley, who led the team in virtually every major offensive category in 2013, but moved to Alberta over the winter. Meanwhile, infielder Brent Furtney is taking a year off for family reasons and both Dan Clark and Mike Boshart are anticipating significantly reduced availability due to career changes.

To fill the void, the Selects recruited four promising youngsters, all of whom will make their league debuts this season. To provide backstop support for Kevin Ryrie, the team has added part-time catchers Brett Pfeifer and Darren Strickland. Pfeifer also plays for the Mitchell Mets (South Perth) and Sebringville Sting (Huron County), and should infuse some added offensive pop. Strickland plays for the New Dundee Jrs. and, at just 18, becomes the youngest Select.

In addition, the boys in green picked up Tom Allan, a versatile defender previously from the Ottawa area, and Aaron McCaw, who concluded a decorated junior career with the Wiarton Nationals in 2013. Lastly, Mike Tyler enters his first full season with the squad, having hit a sparkling 0.444 after joining the team midway through 2013.

Along with a returning core that includes pitchers Scott Clark, Chad Fink, and Shayne Riepert, the newcomers will look to help the Selects earn their ninth consecutive playoff berth. It won't be an easy road. The Kitchener Fastball League's Black Division boasts the defending champs (Diamond Jaxx), 2013 regular season champs (Jays), and 2013 'B' Champs (Razorbacks), as well as the Moonshiners, Thunder, and 37s, a hungry young team in their first KFL season.

All in all, the Selects' 16th season in the KFL is shaping up to be a good one. Check out the team's upcoming schedule or catch them in Woodstock May 17-19. The Selects have also indicated their intent to participate in the 43rd Annual Men's Invitational in Brussels, ON, from July 25 to 27. For all the latest news and updates, follow @selectsfastball on Twitter and check back regularly.