From the dugout comes word Parksville Royals’ pitcher Clayton Isherwood is back home from spring training with the Canadian Junior National Team.
Isherwood, or ‘Ish’ to his teammates, was named the 2010 BCPBL Rookie of the Year, and was one of six BCPBL players invited to spend 11 days in Florida with the Jr. Nats.
In his first game action, the six foot southpaw pitched two shutout innings against the Nexen Heroes, a professional team from South Korea. His outing included a strikeout of former MLB player Cory Aldridge.
According to Royals’ watcher Mike Parlow, Clayton’s toughest start was against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 4. The game was held as a fund-raiser for the Junior National team and Clayton threw two innings, giving up three runs to the MLB squad.
“The game against Toronto was his favourite part of the trip,” said Clayton’s dad Terry Woods. “John Macdonald and Aaron Hill spent the last five innings of the game in the JNT dugout telling stories to the guys. Earlier in the week he also got to meet Gary Sheffield. Sheffield lives in Tampa and is a friend of JNT pitching coach Chris Reitsma.”
Clayton is from Texada Island and is in his second year with the Sr. Royals program. In 2009 he played a year with the Jr. Royals following up on his all-star performance with the Bantam AAA North Island Blizzard in 2008.
The Royals have a history of sending players to play for Canada, and Clayton’s selection to the Junior National Team follows in the footsteps of current and former Royals’ Kevin Biro (SS), Paul Barton (RHP), Ethan Stewart (LHP), Carter Bell (SS) and Tyler Green (3B).
IN OTHER NEWS
Parksville Royals 2008 graduates Carter Bell and Ali Simpson opened their junior season of NCAA Div. 1 competition with impressive outings back on Feb. 19-20.
Simpson, a junior left hander from Campbell River, paced his Bethune-Cookman Wildcats to a 13-1 victory over Alabama A&M Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ball Park. Simpson was dominating in six innings of work striking out 14 while giving up only one walk and one hit.
“I don’t think we have ever had a performance like that pitching-wise in the history of this program,” Bethune-Cookman coach Mervl Melendez said after, “(and) I am ecstatic that he was able to come out in his first outing and do very well.”
Meanwhile 3B-SS Carter Bell from Courtenay led his Oregon State Beavers to a 2-1 start at Fresno State, winning two against Gonzaga 4-2 and 4-3, and losing 2-1 to the hosts. Bell went 4-for-10 at the plate on the weekend with 2 RBIs. Carter also contributed in the field with three put-outs and seven assists in the three games.
You can follow both Carter and Ali through the Royals website at www.parksvilleroyals.com.