CT at Aurora, IL

July 17, 2007

July 13-15
Aurora, IL


CT had another one of it's classic roller coaster weekends going 4-2
(23-11 overall) and dropping the championship game. This team looks so
flawless at times and at others it's tough to watch. I am quite
confident, however, that everything will be clicking in the upcoming
weeks. A big thanks to Brian Crouch and retired(or is he) CT
centerfielder Jess Ellestad for filling in for the missing DeLarwelle,
Schucker, and Jorgensen

Game 1
9PM Friday
#8Circle Tap 8 #19Dolan & Murphy(Aurora, IL) 1 6innings
DM 1 6 0 4
CT 8 11 0 9
The Tappers took advantage of 4 first inning walks and a wild pitch and
passed ball to take a 2-0 lead. In the 4th Chad Ferguson led off with a
base hit and later scored on a Tom Crouch sac fly to make it 3-0. Dolan
made it a 3-1 game in the 6th as Dave Perkins led off with a base hit
moved to 2nd on a wild pitch, stole 3rd and scored on a Mike Armitage base
hit. CT took full control in the bottom half as Jamie Knudson, Chad
Ferguson, Kyle Magnusson, Tom Crouch, Frankie Perez, Kyle VanAbel and
Bryan Hansen each singled in the inning and tallied 5 runs.
Magnusson 2x4, Ferguson 2x3
WP:Collin McKenzie(9-7) 6K 0BB
LP:Jonas Mach 8K 6BB

Game 2
11AM Saturday
#8Circle Tap 11 #23Plangger's Furniture(Benton Harbor, MI) 1 5innings
PF 1 5 0 4
CT 11 11 0 5
Circle Tap got things going in the bottom of the 1st as Kyle Magnusson led
off with a base hit, Tom Crouch reached on a fielder's choice, Frankie
Perez singled, Kyle VanAbel drew a walk, Bryan Hansen picked up a 2RBI
base hit and VanAbel scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Plangger's
made it a 3-1 game in the 3rd on a base hit by Ryne Reder and scored on a
Doc Brown base hit. CT tacked on two more in the bottom of the 3rd as
Perez drew a one out walk, with two out Hansen tripled him in and scored
on a Jess Ellestad base hit. CT score 6 times in the 4th as Kyle
Magnusson singled, Kevin Reichardt walked, Tom Crouch picked up a 2RBI
double, then with two out Kyle VanAbel hit a two run shot, Hansen walked
and Ellestad followed with a two run blast.
Magnusson 2x4, Hansen 2x2 3B 3RBI, Ellestad 2x2 HR 3RBI
WP:Matt Bramwell(10-2) 4IP 4H 4K 0BB 1R
Kyle Magnusson 1IP 1H 0K 1BB 0R
LP:Rick Plangger 0K 6BB

Game 3
1PM Saturday
#8Circle Tap 3 #25Thomson Merchants(Thomson, IL 5
TM 5 5 2 3
CT 3 6 2 9
There wasn't much that went right for the Tappers in this one. We left 9
guys on base and allowed 4 unearned runs. It's tough to win ball games
like that. Thomson got on the board in the 1st, with two out Steve Manson
singled and Casey eden reached on an error, both scored on a Bruce Bielema
double. CT made it a 2-1 game in the 2nd as Bryan Hansen walked, Jess
Ellestad reached on a fielder's choice, with two out Chad Ferguson walked
and Kyle Magnusson picked up an RBI base hit. In the top of the 4th
Thomson took a 3-1 lead on a Bielema lead off solo shot. CT came back in
the bottom half as Jamie Knudson reached on an error, Ferguson sacrificed
his at bat but reached on an error, with two out Tom Crouch picked up a
2RBI base hit to even the score at 3. In the top of the 5th starting
pitcher Matt Bramwell retired the 1st two batters and the third reached on
an error. After a pitching change the first batter, Steve Manson lauched
a two run shot to take the lead and the game5-3.
Magnusson 2x4, Crouch 2x4
WP:Steve Manson 4IP 3R 1ER 4H 2K 4BB
SV:Roberto Bahler 3IP 0R 0ER 2H 3K 0BB
LP:Matt Bramwell(10-3) 4.2IP 4R 1ER 4H 5K 1BB
Collin McKenzie 2.1IP 1R 1ER 1H 5K 1BB 1HB

With a 2-1 run record we tied 3 ways in the pool but earned top spot due
to runs allowed.

QuarterFinals
10AM Sunday
#8Circle Tap 6 Lumberkings(Bakersfield, CA) 2
LK 2 4 1 5
CT 6 8 0 7
The Lumberkings came in 4th seed from the other bracket losing all 3 of
their games by 1 run. This was a scoreless game until the bottom of the
4th when Frankie Perez lead off with a solo shot. Matt Bramwell followed
with a base hit and Kyle VanAbel followed with an RBI double, Kyle
Magnusson would later pick up an 2RBI double to make it 4-0. CT stretched
the lead to 6-0 in the 5th as Perez reached on a two base error and scored
on a Bramwell base hit. Bryan Hansen would later pick up an RBI base hit.
The Lumberkings made a run in the 7th with one out as Jodie Schnaar
walked, Troy Parker and Jason Hoch each singled and Dan Harbison picked up
a 2RBI base hit.
Bramwell 2x3
WP:Collin McKenzie(10-7) 8K 4BB
LP:Darren Strang 4IP 5H 4R 2K 3BB
Mike Egerden 2IP 3H 2R 1K 1BB

Semi-Finals
#8Circle Tap 6 #16Quad City Sox(Davenport, IA) 1
QC 1 4 1 3
CT 6 8 0 3
The Tappers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd on a solo blast from
Chad Ferguson. The Sox evened the score on the top of the 4th as Bill
Kranz and Nick Needham singled, Kranz scored on a passed ball. CT
responded in the bottom half as Frankie Perez lead off with a base hit,
with two out Bryan Hansen singled, Brian Crouch walked, Ferguson picked up
a 2RBI base hit and Magnusson followed with an RBI base hit to make it
5-1. CT added one in the 5th on a solo shot by Matt Bramwell.
Magnusson 2x3, Ferguson 2x3 HR 3RBI, Bramwell HR
WP:Collin McKenzie(11-7) 9K 1BB
LP:Al Rebling 6K 1BB

Finals
#8Circle Tap 3 #11TownLine(Green Bay, WI) 5
CT 3 4 2 6
TL 5 10 0 3
TownLine struck in the bottom of the 1st as Aaron Neemiah lead off with a
base hit, Stacey McLean reached on a fielder's choice getting Neemiah out
at 2nd, with two out Wayne Laulu picked up an RBI base hit. CT answered
in the top of the 2nd as Kyle VanAbel drew a two out walk and then Bryan
Hansen hit a two run shot followed by a Brian Crouch solo shot. TownLine
made it a 3-2 game in the bottom half as Jon Zipperer lead off with a base
hit followed by a Nick Lamphere base hit and with one out Eric Smith
picked up an RBI base hit. TownLine got 3 more in the top of the 3rd as
McLean lead off with a double followed by a Nick Shailes infield hit then
Laulu hit a ball to short and was thrown away allowing both runners to
score and Laulu all the way to 3rd, he would score on a Gustavo Guerinieri
sac fly.
Magnusson 2x4 2B, Hansen HR, B.Crouch HR
WP:James Darby 4IP 3R 2H 3K 3BB
SV:Betto Guerinieri 3IP 0R 2H 3K 2BB
LP:Matt Bramwell(10-4) 3K 0BB

Circle Tap has the upcoming weekend off but will next see action at the
NAFA(North American Fastpitch Association) World Series/Farm Tournament in
Middleton, WI on July 27. CT plays at 7PM vs the winner of Plangger's and
Dolan&Murphy.

Zakk
CT Fastpitch
zakkflash@greenbaynet.com