Jerry's Kids / Joe's Dugout Wins USSSA Class E

Twelve Teams, One Day Event, In St Charles On July 9th

Jerry's Kid's/Joe's Dugout Champions At USSSA Class E In St Charles

ST CHARLES: Jerry's Kids/Joe's Dugout from Elwood traveled to St Charles to play at the East Side Sports Complex and went home as the undefeated champions of the USSSA men's Class E National Qualifying tournament held on July 9th with a field of twelve teams that participated in this tournament. The champions have now won two USSSA Men's Class Qualifying tournament so far this season so they passed the berth to play at the 2005 Great Lakes Men's Class E National tournament in Waterloo, Iowa over Labor Day Weekend down to tournament runner-up The Beavers (5-2) from Glen Ellen. Off Constantly (3-2) from Henry finished in third place, Northwest Pallet/Logo King/Boombah (2-2) from Crystal Lake took home fourth place with both Evil Sports (2-2) from Joliet and Capers Bar & Grill (2-2) from Plainfield tying for fifth place at this tournament.
Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout received a first round bye before taking on and defeating the Ambro Dukes in a close game 4-3 in extra innings in the second round of tournament play. A double by Frank Dragisic scored Jason Adams for the win. Scott Santerelli (P), Jeremy Poch (RC), Jason Adams (LF), Thad Kreitz (3B), and Frank Dragisic (LC) all had two hits each in this win by Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout. The Ambro Dukes had won their first round game 12-11 over the Beavers in order to advance into this game.
In the third round (the semifinals of the winner's bracket) of tournament play Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout was matched up with Capers Bar & Grill. Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout jumped out to a quick lead by scoring three first inning runs and they used their defense from this point on holding Capers Bar & Grill to just two runs in this game as they won 5-2. Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout was lead at the plate by John Hopkins (SS) 3-4, Kreitz 2-4, Dragisic 2-2 with 2 RBI, Adam Hutten (1B) with 2 hits and Ryan Losocco (RF) with two hits to pace the attack I this win. Caper's Bar& Grill had won their first two contest of this tournament by defeating Kingswood 18-7 in the first round and than stopping Evil Sports 16-0 in the second round to advance into this third round contest with Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout.
Now only two unbeaten teams remained as Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout took the field with Off Constantly occupying the opposite dugout. Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout came out smoking in this game scoring seven first inning runs to take the lead that they held wire to wire winning 14-10 to assure them of a spot in the championship game against whichever team that wins the loser's bracket to challenge them in the finals. Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout offensive attack in this game was led by Adams with 2 hits and 3 RBI. His teammates Kreitz chipped in with 3 hits and 2 RBI, Dragisic added 2 hits with 2 RBI, Steve Tubman (C) had 2 hits and 2 RBI with Hopkins, Losocco, Hutten, and Mike Gunter all adding two hits to the winning cause.
In the championship game Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout square off with The Beavers who struck first scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout answered with eight runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead. The Elwood based ball club just pulled away from this point on winning 16-2 in five innings to wrap up the championship.
Hopkins led the attack for Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout with a 4 hit, 3 RBI game. Other top hitters for the champions in this game were Adams with 3 hits, Kreitz with 2 hits, Hutten with 2 hits, Losocco with 2 hits and 3 RBI, Gunter with 2 hits, Tubman added 2 hits and 2 RBI, and Mike Miles (AH) also added 2 hits.
Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout manager Scott Santerelli took the time to say, "Give credit to The Beavers, a great team and a classy team, for battling back through the heat and Melissa Caine, of the St. Charles Park District, and the umpires for running a great tournament with a lot of good teams and great games plus the teams were all very classy! "
For the tournament Jerry's Kids/Joe Dugout was lead in hitting by John Hopkins .667, with 3 RBI, Thad Kreitz .692 with 4 RBI, Frank Dragisic .600 with 7 RBI, Jason Adams .571 with 5 RBI, Steve Tubman .500 with 4 RBI and Adam Hutten .636 with 6 RBI.
The Beavers did things the hard way in ninety degree heat they lost their opening game and had to battle back through the entire loser's bracket in order to reach the finals. The Beaver dropped that opening game to Ambro Dukes 12-11 to send them down into the loser's bracket. It was here that The Beavers regrouped quickly and defeated Ebbeys/Rezin Sports Medical Center from Morris 9-6 to record their first win of the day.
Next up for The Beavers was a match-up with Kro-Hop from St Charles with The Beavers winning 12-3 as the ball club was starting to gain some momentum.
Capers Bar & Grill was excused from the tournament next at the hands of the Beavers in a close game with The Beavers coming out on top by a single run 7-6. Next up was a contest with Northwest Pallet/Logo King/Boombah with the Beavers winning another one run ball game by the final score of 3-2.
This win put The Beaver into the loser's bracket championship game where the winner of this next game would warn the chance to play unbeaten Jerry's Kids/Joe's Dugout in the championship game. The Beavers kept focused on the job at hand as they beat Off Constantly by a final score or 14-4.
Playing in their seventh game of the day in ninety degrees plus temperatures The Beavers gamely took a quick lead on Jerry's Kids/Joe's Dugout in the top of the first inning before the unbeaten champions to be hit them with a hay-maker in the bottom of that first inning that took the last of the wind out of The Beavers Sails as they could not recover and went down to a 16-2 defeat to finish in second place at this tournament.
The Beaver did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quote son how they were able to battle their way to second place at this tournament.

(L) 2nd Place The Beavers & (R) 3rd Place Off Constantly