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june2009

43rd Annual Eau Claire Classic

June 25, 2009

Eau Claire, WI

Farm returns to Eau Claire Classic fastpitch softball tournament
By Ron Buckli
Leader-Telegram staff
In 11 of the past 12 seasons, Farm Tavern of Madison has placed in the top four in International Softball Congress World Tournaments.
No other team can make such a claim.
Farm is the one constant on the national scene, as it has been for the Eau Claire Classic fastpitch tournament.
It headlines the 43rd annual event this weekend and although Farm has won 15 Classics dating back to 1978, it does not come in as the defending champion.
Farm, ranked No. 3 in current ISC ratings, will get a chance to avenge last year's 7-4 title game loss to the Midwest Stampede of Bondurant, Iowa, in play that begins Friday night and climaxes with the championship game Sunday afternoon.
"We've picked up some new players who have been a little nervous with 'Farm' on the front of their jerseys," manager/owner Rod Peterson said. "But we're getting a little better every week."
Farm, which won last weekend's tournament in Fargo, N.D., has several veterans back - including Colin Abbott, Donny Hale, Jeff Goolagong and Rob Gray in particular - but features a new mound duo in veteran Steve Cox, who pitched for World Champion Kitchener, Ont., last year, and hard-throwing Darrell Tilly.
One of the newcomers is Tom Owens, whose three-run homer beat Farm in last year's title game.
Besides Owens, the Stampede - ranked No. 5 by the ISC - also are missing Jeremy Manley, who hurled that win. He has been replaced by Gerald Muizelaar, well-remembered for his great performance in pitching Broken Bow, Neb., to the World title here in 2001. Other pitchers are Sean Whitten and Tony Peeples.
Major returnees for Steve Kosser's team are Chris Bohlmann, Matt Palazzo and Stacy McLean.
Albaugh Inc., of Elkhart, Iowa, is currently ranked eighth. Veteran Karl Gollan heads the mound staff and the lineup includes Matt Owen, Ben Fjelland and Brian Lammers, who were with Midwest last year.
The five-team Division 1 field is rounded out by The Bar of Appleton, which shows Australian Andrew Blackshaw and Canadian Tyson Barkman on the hill, and The Bar of Green Bay, which has an all-Wisconsin lineup with the exception of Canadian pitcher Cory Avery.
In Division 2, John Salzman, who will be 89 in August, brings his Wilber Lime team back to defend its title - won 6-5 over Waverly, Minn., last year. Dan Wall hurled the win and Jeff Killian and Nate Berg lead the hitting attack. The Minnesota Angels of Waverly return along with ASB Villard of St. Paul in the three-team field.
All the teams will play together in pool play with the championship decided by single elimination on Sunday.
Schedule
At Gelein and Hobbs Fields, Carson Park
Friday
ABS-Villard vs. Wilber Lime, 6 p.m. at Gelein
Madison Farm vs. The Bar Green Bay, 8 p.m. at Gelein
Saturday
Midwest Stampede vs. The Bar Appleton, 10 a.m. at Gelein
Albaugh vs. Angels, 10 a.m. at Hobbs
Stampede vs. Villard, noon at Gelein
Farm vs. Angels, noon at Hobbs
Albaugh vs. Green Bay, 2 p.m. at Gelein
Appleton vs. Wilber Lime, 2 p.m. at Hobbs
Farm vs. Albaugh, 6 p.m. at Gelein
Stampede vs. Wilber Lime, 8 p.m. at Gelein
Sunday
Championship play begins at 9 a.m.
Championship games, 1 p.m.
 

The 43rd Annual Eau Claire Classic will take place June 26-28 at Carson Park.  Attached is the Pool Play schedule and Elimination Brackets for the Tournament.
 
Weekend passes will be available for $10.00 at the fields and at the Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Office.  For additional information contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 715-839-5032.
 
Stu Taylor
Tournament Director
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