Softball: Israeli women take fourth place at Euros

Israelis continue steady improvement as women's program develops.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Israeli Women's fastpitch softball team took a surprising fourth place out of 10 teams in the European B Pool Championships. The top two teams in the pool, Spain and France, moved up to the A Pool for the next tournament. The Israeli team, which finished in eighth and seventh place in the previous two tournaments, continued its steady improvement in the development of the women's program. The team features three players with USA college experience: pitchers Shyella Mayk (Quinnipiac College) and Maiya Chard-Yaron (Columbia) and shortstop Jennifer Jacoby (Rutgers). Israel finished the round robin with a record of 4-1 in second place behind France but then lost three heartbreakers in the playoff rounds. Memorial game next week A softball game will be held next month in memory of former player Dave Lelchook of Kibbutz Saar who was killed by a Katyusha rocket on the pathway just outside his home on August 3, 2006. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Dave played catcher for the Shomrat Cubs of the Israel Softball Association men's fastpitch league. He also played on the Israel national team at the Maccabiah Games in 1989. Players from around the league, including some of Lelchook's former team mates, will be participating in the game to be played at Kibbutz Shomrat on August 2 at 11 a.m.