Freight three-peat at Altamont Tourney

Posted: Tuesday, Jul 05, 2005 - 01:38:03 pm CDT
By Chris Stalter, Sports Editor

For the third straight year, Vandalia's men's fastpitch softball claimed the championship at the Altamont Fourth of July Tournament.

Guaranteed Air Freight outscored opponents 37-5 in a 5-0 run to the tournament title. The Freight have won four of the past five titles at the tournament.

After winning twice on the opening weekend of competition, the Freight returned to action on Friday against the Belleville Wolfpack, winning, 5-3.

The Freight secured its spot in the championship round by winning the final game between unbeaten teams Saturday evening, topping Altamont Home Center, 9-0.

Altamont Home Center traversed the losers' bracket to earn another shot at the Freight. The Freight completed its undefeated run to the title, with a 9-2 victory.

Freight pitcher Alan Meinhart earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors for the second straight year. Meinhart posted victories in the Freight's first four tournament games, allowing one earned run in 22 innings.

For the tournament, Meinhart struck out 41, walked 10 and allowed 14 hits. He threw two shutouts.

Altamont's Chris Guse earned Most Valuable Player honors. Altamont Home Center also won the Spud Klitzing Sportsmanship Award.

Friday vs. Wolfpack

The Freight began its second weekend of play by defeating the Belleville Wolfpack on Friday, 5-3.

The Wolfpack took a quick lead with a run in the top of the first, but the Freight were able to counter with three runs in the bottom of the frame on a three-run homer by Rich Well.

The Wolfpack came back to tie, 3-3, by scoring a run in the third and another run in the fifth.

The Freight broke the tie in the sixth with two runs. Jeremy Moore doubled and scored on an RBI single by Well. Brian Buscher scored the second run on a double steal.

The Wolfpack put runners on second and third with no outs in the seventh inning, but Meinhart ended the threat with three straight strikeouts.

Saturday vs. Altamont Home Center

In the winners' bracket championship game on Saturday evening, the Freight put four runs on the scoreboard in the second inning and never looked back, shutting out Altamont, 9-0, in five innings.

Pinch-runner J.D. Arnold scored the first run on a wild pitch. Joe Kelly made it 2-0, scoring on an infield single by Mike Simmons.

Moore capped off the inning's scoring with a two-run homer to center field.

The Freight added two runs with two outs on wild pitches in the third inning.

Altamont loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third inning, but Meinhart escaped the jam unscathed.

Well hit a two-out RBI double in the fourth to give the Freight a 7-0 lead.

With the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Kevin Cook doubled in two runs to increase the Freight's lead to 9-0. Cook finished the game 3-for-3, with two doubles and four RBIs.

Meinhart struck out six and allowed only one hit and one walk in four innings of work. Marty Cloe finished, striking out two in one inning.

Sunday vs. Altamont Home Center

The Freight and Altamont had a rematch in the championship round. To win the double-elimination tournament, Altamont needed to beat the Freight twice.

The Freight scored first, when Mark Burnam singled, advanced to second on a single by Bob Nagel and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on another wild pitch.

Altamont scored twice in the bottom of the first inning, and held that 2-1 lead until the fourth inning when the Freight scored two runs on a two-out, two-run single by Burnam with the bases loaded.

The Freight opened up a seven-run lead with a six-run outburst in the fifth inning. Jeff Jarrett had an RBI single. Kevin Cook cleared the bases on an inside-the-park grand slam on a line drive that got past the left fielder.

Cloe earned the victory, striking out five in four innings. He surrendered only three hits and no walks. Neither of the runs he allowed were earned.

Brad Sturdy pitched a perfect fifth inning, striking out two.

Nine different players accounted for the Freight's 11 hits.

Next

The Freight will compete in the Nokomis Homecoming Tournament this weekend. The tournament runs from Friday-Sunday.

The Freight are scheduled to play Springfield Brandt's at 10 a.m. on Saturday and the Indiana Jaybirds at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. They conclude pool play at 10 a.m. on Sunday against Belleville Wolfpack.

The elimination tournament will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, with the title game scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

The Freight host the John Heather Memorial Tournament on July 22-24.