Freight finish 2-2 at round robin

Posted: Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 - 11:10:56 am CDT
By Chris Stalter, Sports Editor

Vandalia's men's fastpitch softball team split its four games in Decatur over the weekend against some of the state's best.

Guaranteed Air Freight fell in its first contest to Bloomington Stix, 10-2, then rebounded to finish the day with a 10-7 win against Cerro Gordo and a 9-1 win against Nokomis.

On Sunday, the Freight finished with an 8-7 loss to Springfield Brandt's.

In the round robin tournament, Rich Well had a phenomenal four-game stretch for the Freight, going 10-for-13, with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs.

In the opener, Bloomington broke open a 2-1 game by scoring eight runs in the third inning.

In the loss, Well was 3-for-3, with two doubles and an RBI. Mark Burnam added a solo homer.

In the second game on Saturday, the Freight topped Cerro Gordo, scoring in the first five innings and six of seven innings overall.

Burnam had a single and two RBIs. Brian Buscher had two hits. Jeremy Moore had two hits, including a solo homer. Well had a double and home run, driving in three runs. Bryan Witzell added a hit and an RBI.

Alan Meinhart earned the win, striking out seven in a complete-game performance. He walked two and scattered eight hits.

The Freight finished the opening day of action on a high note, defeating Nokomis by eight runs.

The Freight erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the third inning. Well drove in two of those runs with a single.

The Freight exploded for six runs in the fourth inning, with Bob Nagel capping off the scoring barrage with a two-run homer.

Well was 3-for-4, with three RBIs. Nagel finished 2-for-4, with a homer and two RBIs. Kevin Cook added two hits.

Nick Casey earned the win, allowing only three hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked four.

The Freight played its finale in the round robin on Sunday morning, falling to part-time teammate Brad Sturdy, who struck out nine in seven innings for Springfield.

The Freight scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie, 7-7, but Brandt's was able to score on a two-out single to end the game.

Casey took the loss, striking out four in 6 2/3 innings.

Mike Simmons was 2-for-4, with two doubles and two RBIs. Well had two hits, including a seventh-inning homer. Joe Kelly was 3-for-4, with a single, double and triple and an RBI. Burnam and Casey each had a single and an RBI. Jarrett added two hits.

Wednesday at Radom

The Freight fell in a pair of games at Radom against Lee's Sports.

In the first game, Radom prevailed, 10-7, in a five-inning contest.

The Freight scored in the first inning on an RBI single by Well and a two-run double by Kelly.

In the second inning, the Freight scored on a two-run triple by Kevin Cook.

Radom broke a 6-6 tie by scoring four runs in the third inning.

For the game, Buscher had two hits. Kelly had two hits - a single and double - and two RBIs. Cook had a triple and two RBIs. Casey, Well and Jeremy Curll had a single each.

Radom won the second game, 12-3.

Greg Bellaver drove in two runs for the Freight in the third inning. Casey added a solo homer in the fifth.

Bellaver and Well had two hits apiece. Cook and Kelly each hit a single, and Casey homered.

Next

The Freight (13-6) will compete in the prestigious Kelso Classic this weekend in Kelso, Mo.

The tournament includes teams from Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee and New Zealand.

The Freight play at 10 a.m. on Saturday against the winner between Radom and Cerro Gordo. The loser plays right away at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner playing at 9 p.m.

The 14-team tournament continues on Sunday. The Freight won the tournament in 2003.

Next weekend, the Freight will return to Decatur to compete against some of the best teams in the country in the Decatur Shootout. They will play in pool play at 6 p.m. on June 17, and 10 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on June 18.