Clearwater Hosts 2008 IBC World Seriesby Sandi Fahy
Members of the St. Pete Hurricanes pose for a photo Saturday morning following their win over the Orland Park Sparks in the 2008 IBC Baseball World Series. The team was runnerup in the 13-under division after losing to North Texas in the championship game later that day. Ira Berman is head coach of the Hurricanes. Al Brockway and Joel Berman are assistant coaches. CLEARWATER - Young baseball players from all over the country and Puerto Rico have converged on Clearwater in recent weeks to compete in the 2008 IBC Baseball World Series. Texas, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Georgia, New York, Ohio and South Carolina are among the states represented at the tournament. Texas has five teams here. Three teams from Puerto Rico are participating. Six of the teams taking part are from the Chicago area. Off the field activities have included visits to Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach and Busch Gardens in Tampa. Two Tampa Bay teams faced each other in the second game of the day on July 26. At 9 a.m., the St. Pete Hurricanes took the field at the Eddie C. Moore Complex to play the Orland Park Sparks. The Canes won the game, 9-0, and went on to play the Tampa Armour at 11 a.m. St. Pete prevailed, 4-3, in that game, also, but ended up runnerup in the 13-under division after losing to North Texas, 9-4, in the championship game, which was scheduled at 2 p.m. that day. The first of the 18-under games got under way on Sunday. Brooklyn USA, Jay Rays, Newsome Baseball and Texas Prospects are only a few of the many teams who have been competing this week. The championship game for that division is slated for noon on Friday, August 1, at the Carpenter Complex, which is adjacent to Bright House Networks Field. Results from last week's play are as follows: (12-under) Sidewinders, first place; Xplosion Baseball, second place; and Tampa Terrors, third place; (14-under) Cincinnati Spikes, first place; Cyclones Baseball, second place; and Gulf Coast Surge, third place; (16-under) Outlaws, first place; Bullets Baseball, second place; and Cyclones Baseball, third place.
Mary Ringer, left, and Jo Ann De Angelo handle registrations at the IBC tournament.
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