The Warsaw Stag Boys of Warsaw Illinois started off the season by finishing 1-3 in the Franny's Invite/Southern IL NAFA Qualifier. The Stag Boys are building a team to compete at the ISC II level. This weekend was a good test of where they are at and where they need to get to.

Opening against the Cerro Gordo Broncos, 2007 IL ASA Class A runner up and 4th place in the ASA A Nationals, and their Ace Brent Stevenson, the Stag Boys hung close for 4 innings behind the strong pitching of Steve Meyer. However, they could only muster one hit against the crafty Kiwi and the strong Cerro Gordo team, led by Larry Moffett, exploded for 6 runs in the 4th and 1 in the 5th to end the contest after 5. Stu Froman had the lone hit for Warsaw.

The next game vs. Springfield Franny's pitted two old rivals against each other and it was a nail biter. With the bases loaded and only 1 out in the bottom of the 7th, Warsaw could not get the tying run home and lost a heartbreaker 4-3. Dave Little got the win for Springfield and Rob Harrison took the loss for Warsaw.

Stag sat out a game before taking on the Villa Grove Hurricanes in the first round of bracket play. Jim Short took the mound for Warsaw and pitched a nice game giving up only one run while Warsaw backed him up with 11 runs on offense against a Villa Grove squad playing their third game in a row without a rest due to the revamped schedule caused by several inches of rain the night before.

Immediately following the victory, Short continued on the mound against a powerful Belleville Stallions squad. Warsaw drew first blood by scoring in the top of the 1st, but the Stallions countered with 4 in the bottom and added 4 more in their half of the 2nd. Meyer returned to the mound but couldn't hold the Belleville nine allowing 4 more in the 3rd. Utility man and secret weapon Brad Althide came on to try his luck and also gave up 4 runs as the Stallions took the victory 16-1 against the weary Warsaw crew. Short took the loss and Godar was the winning Pitcher for Belleville.

The Stag Boys next outing will be in the Central Illinois Budweiser Classic tournament in Virginia, IL on June 13-14th. They then travel to Walcott Iowa for the ISC Area Qualifier on June 20-27th.

Results from the Illinios forum posting by Dale Myers of Springfield:

The Franny's Invite/Southern IL NAFA Qualifier

Saturday afternoon the 9 teams played in three 3-team pools for round robin play to seed into the single elim bracket with first round play also completed Saturday night.

Radom won Pool A with a record of 2-0, Brandt's was 1-1, and the Villa Grove Hurricane went 0-2.

Cerro Gordo won Pool B with a record of 2-0, Franny's was 1-1, and Warsaw went 0-2.

In Pool C, all three teams went 1-1. Based on fewest runs allowed Belleville won the pool, Pete's Blues finished 2nd, and the Villa Grove Log Cabin was 3rd.

Single-elim bracket play also began Saturday night:
Warsaw 11, Villa Grove Hurricane 3
Belleville Stallions 16, Warsaw 1
Brandt's 7, Franny's 3
Pete's Blues 7, Radom 0
Cerro Gordo 5, Villa Grove Log Cabin 2 (10 innings)

Sunday Bracket play:
Brandt's 7, Belleville Stallions 6
Cerro Gordo 6, Pete's Blues 1
Third Place Game---Belleville Stallions 8, Pete's Blues 3
Championship-------Cerro Gordo defeated Brandt's in 11 innnings

Most Valuable Pitcher Brent Stevenson
Most Valuable Player Larry Moffett

 

 

jclarke@mchsi.com