Aurora Turner Club Wins USSSA Tavern State

AURORA: Aurora Turners (3-0) won the 2005 USSSA Tavern State Tournament held at the Turner Club in Aurora on July 23rd with four team participating. Alpha Bar (2-2) from Joliet finished in second place, E.C. Pages/The Barn (1-2) from Yorkville was third with Rocky's Pub (0-2) from Rockford finishing in fourth place.
The Aurora Turner ball club were led to this championship by the hitting of Kevin Crowe who was perfect (1.000) at the plate and was also named as the tournament 'Most Valuable Player'. Crowe was joined on the All-Tavern State Tournament team by his teammates; Mike Seppelfrick, Dan Arendt, Brian Pierce, Mike Smith and John Baker.
The Aurora Turner ball club opened play with a game against the defending state champion Rocky's Pub and put on an impressive showing winning 11-1 in five innings of play. Scott Anderson (P) led the attack going 3-3 with a HR as Arendt (LC) added a HR and Crowe © was 2-2.
In their second game it was Aurora Turners matched up with E.C. Pages/The Barn in game that Aurora Turners manager Dave Harmes felt was the pivotal game of the tournament for his ball club. Seppelfrick pitch a solid game keeping the Yorkville ball club off balance at the plate while Arendt led the attack going 2-3 with a huge HR with help from Crowe 2-2, as Tim Kuhns and Seppelfrick both added key hits for their team in this win.
The championship game was all Aurora Turner as they got up big on Alpha's bar early and never let up beating them 22-1 in three innings of play to claim their state title. Aurora Turner scoring three run in the first inning before adding nineteen more runs in the second inning to put this game out of reach, Baker led the attack going 3-3 with hitting help from Pierce 2-2, Arendt 3-3, Harmes 2-3, Brett Wing 2-3, Mark Johnson 3-3, Crowe 2-2, Shane Baumgartner 2-2, Seppelfrick 2-2 and Smith 2-2.
Alpha Bar made it to the title game by being led by the defensive glove work of the tournament 'Outstanding Defensive Player Award' winner Brandon Moore. Joining Moore on the 2005 USSSA All-Tavern State Tournament team were his teammates Scott Hodges, Rusty Ruettiger, and Adam Feeney. Alpha did things the hard way by losing their opener to E.C. Pages/The Barn 12-11. Alpha's Bar now played in the loser's bracket where they sent Rocky's Bar packing the cars for the trip back home after beating them 18-13 to advance.
A sweet revenge game was n tap next for the Alpha Bar ball club as they eliminated the team who put them into the loser's bracket by a final score of 16-6. This win earned Alpha's Bar a shot at unbeaten Aurora Turners in the championship game.
In the title game everything that could go wrong for a softball team did go wrong for Alpha's bar as Aurora Turners could not do anything wrong as they whipped up on their Joliet opponent beating them 22-1 in the deciding game to send Alpha bar home with the second place trophy.
Alpha's bar did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to finish in second place at this tournament.

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