Hitmen Wins ISA Class D State

Twenty-four Teams Participate At Brickhouse Complex In Urbana

2006 I.S.A. Men's Class State Champions - Hitmen from East Peoria

URBANA: The Hitmen from East Peoria went a perfect 5-0 to win the twenty four team I.S.A. Men's Class D State Tournament played at the Brickhouse Complex in Urbana on July 29th & 30th. The champions earned a paid berth to play at the 2006 I.S.A. Men's Class D World Tournament to be held August 26th & 27th at Panama City Beach, Florida. New Life Construction (5-2) from East Peoria took home second place which also earned them a paid I.S.A. Men's Class D World Tournament Berth to Panama City Beach, FL. Third place went to Lakota Tribe (6-2) from Urbana with fourth place going to Frozen Ropes (4-2) from Rock Falls. Finishing in a tie for fifth place were Harold's Auto Upholstery (3-2) from Peoria and HRC (2-2) from Bartonville with both J. Denny Masonry / Slick Rick's (3-2) from Bloomington / Elwood and Players (3-2) from Canton finished in a tie for seventh place at this state tournament.
The champions, Hitmen were led by the play of their pitcher Jason Fasano who was named as the 'M.V.P.' of the 2006 ISA Men's Class D Illinois State Tournament. He was joined on the 2006 I.S.A. Men's All-State Tournament Team' by his Hitmen teammates Alex Brungart, Jason Cassidy, Tim Finney, Kevin Yates, Troy McKee and Hitmen team manager Jerry Manuel was named as the manger of the 2006 I.S.A. Men's Class D All-State' Tournament team.
The Hitmen had received a first round bye before taking on Chuck's Satellite from Newton and posting an 11-1 win onto the bracket board to advance in the winner's bracket. Chuck's Satellite had defeated Glass Door from Moline 11-10 in the first round to advance into this second round game against the Hitmen. The Hitmen continued to live up to their team name as they pounded out an impressive 21-7 win over J. Denny Masonry / Slick Rick's in the third round of tournament action on Saturday afternoon to advance into Saturday evening semifinal round of the winner's bracket. J. Denny Masonry / Slick Ricks had defeated Carter Printing from Carrollton 2-0 in the first round of play before stopping Players from Canton 7-3 in the second round to advance into their third round game against the Hitmen.
HRC and the Hitmen tangled with one another in a semifinal game of the winner's bracket on Saturday evening with the Hitmen getting the better of it by a single run winning 10-9 to put the Hitmen into the winner's bracket finals on Sunday morning. HRC made it to this semifinal game by receiving a first round bye before stopping Kelly Glass from Peoria 14-12 in the second round of play and than beating Harold's Auto Upholstery 12-7 in the third round to earn their way into the semifinal game of the winner's bracket against the Hitmen.
In the game that featured the last two remaining unbeaten teams it was the Hitmen going toe to toe with New Life Construction. In an interest game the Hitmen got the better of it winning 1309 to win the winner's bracket and with this win assuring the Hitmen of a spot in the 2006 I.S.A. Men's Class D State championship game.
Now the Hitmen need to sit and wait until the loser's bracket was played out to its conclusion before knowing which of the remaining teams would emerge as their opponent in the state championship game. After the last out had been recorded into the official score's book a rematch with New Life Construction awaited the Hitmen in the title game.

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