Av Pro Wins ASA Southern C State

Twenty-seven Team Participated At Granite City On July 27-29

2007 Illinois ASA Men's Class C Southern State Champions Av Pro From Alton

GRANITE CITY: Av Pro from Alton is the 2007 Illinois ASA Men's Class C Southern State champions after they compiled a perfect 6-0 record to win the twenty-seven team double elimination tournament held at the Steel City Fields in Granite City on July 27th through the 29th. Heritage Builders (6-2) from Effingham took home second place with the Reagle Beagle Elks (4-2) from Jerseyville took home third place. Fourth place went to the Bomb Squad (5-2) from Meppen finished in fourth place with both Strotheide (3-2) from Granite City and Rakers Appraisal (4-2) from Carlyle finished in a tie for fifth place at this years Illinois ASA Men's Class C Southern State Tournament.
The champions Av Pro were led to the state title by the play of outfielder Rodney Green who batted .863 and was voted as the 2007 MVP of this tournament. Av Pro's pitcher Craig Marshall (6-0) was named as the MVP Pitcher of this years state tournament. Joining both Green and Marshall on the 2007 All-State tournament team were their Av Pro teammates Todd Cunningham (OF .750), Justin Baecht (OF .714), Larry Lewis (1B< .739) Mark Valenti (EH .696) and Brad Cunningham (C .600).
Av Pro opened play on Friday night with a first round match up against Shock & Awe winning big by a final score of 27-7 to advance into the second round of play in the winner's bracket.
On Saturday Av Pro continued to hit the ball as they piled up another twenty-seven runs in their second game of the state tournament winning 27-18 over Bad Company in the second round of tournament play. Bad Company had defeated Country Insurance 13-7 on Friday evening in the first round of play to advance into this second round game with Av Pro.
Later on Saturday evening Av Pro was still pounding the ball as they and Strotheide squared off in the third round of tournament action with Av Pro winning 26-14 to advance into Sunday morning's semifinal game of the winner's bracket. Strotheide made it to this third round contest against Av Pro by opening play on Friday night with a 12-11 win over the Bomb Squad in the first round of play before stopping Sno Questers 15-3 in the second round on Saturday morning.
In their semifinal game of the winner's bracket on Sunday morning Av Pro and Heritage Builders met up with one another as Av Pro remained hot with the bats pouring twenty runs across the pay station winning 20-8 over Heritage Builders to put Av Pro into the winner's bracket championship game on Sunday afternoon.
In the game that featured the last two remaining unbeaten team left in this years Illinois ASA Men's Class C Southern State tournament Av Pro and Reagle Beagle Elks met up with one another to decide which of them would be the only unbeaten team plus also assuring the winner of a spot in the championship game. Av Pro offense was held down in comparison to their first three games but they continued to shut doe their opponents with a smothering defense winning 13-9 over the Reagle Beagle Elks to win the winner's bracket. The Reagle Beagle Elks made it to the winner's bracket undefeated game by opening play with a first round 19-7 win over Rakers Appraisals on Friday night to start their tournament effort off on the right foot. In the second round of play on Saturday morning it was the Reagle Beagle's winning over CMC 14-13 to advance into the third round of Saturday evening when the Effingham ball club met and defeated G.C. Storm 12-5 sending the Reagle Beagle Elks into Sunday's Semifinal round of the winner's bracket. In the game that decided which team would represent the top half of the bracket in the winner's bracket finals the Reagle Beagle Elks met and defeated KJB's Printhaus 24-5 to send the Effingham squad into the winner's bracket undefeated game against Av Pro.
Now Av Pro had to sit and wait until the loser's bracket had been played out to its conclusion before know which team would survive to challenge them in the championship game and when all play had been compete Av Pro found a rematch with their semifinal game opponent Heritage Builders on tap for them in the title game.
The title game was everything a championship game should be, close with good timely hitting and some outstanding defensive plays to keep the game close but when all was said and done the score board read 15-13 in favor of Av Pro at the completion of this game making the ball club from Alton the 2007 Illinois Men's Class C Southern State champions.
Heritage Builders were led by the play of catcher Rob Snow and pitcher Mike Owens who were both named to the 2007 Illinois ASA Men's Class C All-State Tournament team for their outstanding play during this years state tournament.
Tournament runner up Heritage Builders made it to the 2007 Illinois ASA Men's Class C State championship game by winning on Friday night over Bud Light 14-13.

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