Erick Ochoa: A Powerhouse at the Plate

Brian Eradus • May 6, 2025

It’s hard to ignore the impact of a player like Erick Ochoa when he steps onto the diamond. At 31 years old, the 1st baseman for the NY Gremlins—soon to wear the Gremlins jersey again in 2025—has already built an impressive legacy in men’s fastpitch. After all, he was crowned with the most RBIs at the 2024 ISC World Tournament in Surrey, and shows no signs of slowing down.


Growing Up with the Game

Born in Yuma, Arizona, Erick discovered fastpitch softball in 2011 through his family’s team. “My family was always around the sport,” he recalls. “They were the ones who got me into it, and my brother became my biggest mentor.” Even though he was drawn to baseball in his free time, fastpitch quickly claimed his heart—thanks to the camaraderie, the swift pace, and the thrill of competition.

But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Erick laughs when asked about the biggest challenge he faced in his early days: “Hitting the rise ball! That pitch can humble even the best hitters. Learning to time it and get on top of it was huge for me.”


Rituals, Family, and the Path to Success

If there’s one detail that stands out about Erick’s pre-game ritual, it’s his tradition of crossing himself multiple times. “Persígnate,” he jokes, letting everyone know he takes his faith—and his routine—seriously. “It keeps me focused,” he says, grinning. “And maybe a little superstitious, too.”

Outside of softball, you’ll often find Erick at home, enjoying time with family or honing his skills on the baseball field. That balance, he believes, keeps him mentally fresh and physically sharp. “I go to the gym regularly and try to hit three days a week. The extra reps really help when I step into the batter’s box against top-level pitchers.”


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Bear Creak Sports and Entertainment Awarded World Tournament

By Blair Setford • July 30, 2025
The ISC is excited to announce the 2027 World Tournament is awarded to Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment! Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment’s new two-diamond complex, the JDT First Energy Veterans Memorial Fields on Chippewa-of-the-Thames First Nation, in southwest Ontario will be the main facility with additional games being played in Glencoe at Southwest Middlesex Recreation Complex. “We are really looking forward to visiting Bear Creek’s new venue to play our 2027 ISC World Tournament,” says ISC President Chris Santos. “We’ve always enjoyed going to new locations to showcase our great game of men’s fastpitch softball.” “Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment has a brand new ball park that they’ve built and they’re excited to show off this great facility to the softball world and to welcome all of the teams and the fans,” said Gregg Leather, manager of the Bear Creek Gremlins, on behalf of Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to building on the success that the Bear Creek organization is developing and everyone is really committed to making this a huge success,” continued Leather. “With the players who will be living and staying in the area for the summer, we’ll have the opportunity to do clinics and play in leagues and help the game to grow. There’s already a lot of great ideas.” It’s expected that there will be 36 teams competing for the ISC World Championship and the ISC II Championship with another 12-16 teams playing in the ISC 50+ Legends division. Teams and fans will be able to book accommodations in London, St. Thomas or Strathroy. For fans in the fastpitch hotbed of Ontario, it will be back-to-back ISC World Tournaments in their backyard. The 2026 ISC World Tournament will be played from August 8-15 in Kitchener. For more information on the ISC, please visit www.iscfastpitch.com. You can follow Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Six Nominated for ISC Hall of Fame

By Blair Setford • July 29, 2025
The International Softball Congress is pleased to announce the three players, one administrator, one manager and one sponsor that have been nominated for induction into the ISC Hall of Fame at the 2026 ISC World Tournament in Kitchener, ON. Congratulations to Canadian players Jeff Ellsworth and Ian Fehrman, Argentine pitcher Lucas Mata, manager Jeff Borror, former ISC President Dean Oscar and long-time Gremlins sponsor Bruce Tanski in the Bob Welby Memorial Award category. Jeff Ellsworth, Albany, PEI, combined the gifts of speed, power, batting average and elite fielding over a 17-year career. He was selected to six All-World teams, twice to the first All-World team and four times to the second All-World team. Jeff was the Cleo Goyette MVP of the 2014 ISC World Tournament, winning one of his five ISC championships. Ian Fehrman, Townsend, ON, made every team that he played on better. In a game blessed with premier athletes at shortstop, Ian was a rock in the middle of the infield. Every one of his six All-World selections was to the first team – a huge accomplishment considering the quality of shortstops in the game. Lucas Mata, La Pampa, Argentina, was a trailblazer, among the first of the Argentine players to play in the ISC, paving the way for the multitudes to follow. Lucas was named to six ISC All-World teams, four to the first team and twice to the second team. He pitched his teams to five straight ISC championship games between 2003 and 2007 and was the Leroy Zimmerman Most Outstanding Pitcher in 2012. Dean Oscar, Reedsburg, WI, was the longest-tenured ISC President in the history of the organization, serving from 2007 and 2022. His clear thinking and calm demeanor helped him to lead the organization toward being leaner and more efficient. Dean always led the ISC to ensure that the organization was focused on meeting the best interests of players, sponsors and administrators. He can always be found at the ballpark on summer weekends enjoying the best game in the world. Jeff Borror, Shoreline, WA, had a storied softball career as player and coach, and was an outstanding leader on the diamond his whole career. He took over the managerial duties of the powerful Seattle franchise in 1989 when sponsorship changed to Seafirst Bank. In just two years under Jeff’s leadership, Seafirst won the 1990 ISC World Championship. Jeff managed the team until 1996 and the team was a perennial top contender in the powerful Norwest ISC Travel League and at the World Tournament during his tenure. Bruce Tanski, Clifton Park, NY, was the long-time sponsor of the Gremlins organization from 2007 – 2024, resulting in a tremendous run of success with three ISC World Championships in 2018, 2019 and 2023, five second-place finishes and a record-breaking 14 consecutive Final-Four finishes. A softball sponsor since 1970, Bruce also co-sponsored the Heflin Gremlins, Broken Bow Gremlins and Chicago-NY Gremlins. The 2025 ISC Hall of Fame Breakfast and Induction Ceremony will be held August 9, 2026 on the opening Sunday of the 2026 ISC World Tournament in Kitchener, ON.