2005 ASA Sixteen Inch Major National Tournament

2005 ASA 16" Major Runner-ups - Bucketheads

Photo By Jack Stout

over Hype in the second round of tournament play. On Saturday nigh Stover defeated the Snappers 11-5 to advance into Sunday's quarterfinal round of play in the winner's bracket. On Sunday afternoon it was the Iowa based Stover and Jelly going nose to nose as Jelly built an 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning. Stove reached down inside themselves and fond that something extra as they rallied to tie the game at four runs each. Jelly retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning before Stover answered with two more runs to take a one run lead which they made stand up winning 6-5 over Jelly. Now Stover and the Bucketheads were set to tangle with each other in a close and exciting game with the Iowa ball club coming out on top at the end of this game by a final score of 8-6. Stover trailed the Bucketheads by two runs 6-4 entering the sixth inning when they plated two runs and held serve in the field as the game went into extra innings as Stove scored two more runs in the top of the eighth inning before shutting down the Bucketheads in the bottom of the eighth inning to escape with an two run extra inning victory to put them into the undefeated game on Monday afternoon.
When the dust from the loser's bracket game finally started to settle back down on the field of play the Miller Forty-fives knew that they would be playing the Bucketheads in the 2005 ASA Men's Major Sixteen Inch National championship game. The Miller Forty-five being the two time defending national champions of the ASA Sixteen Inch Major National program knew what was expected of them and they went about doing their business in a smooth and workman's like manor as won the title game easily over the Bucketheads 5-1. The Miller Forty-fives score one run in the top of the first inning before adding two more runs in the top of the second inning to built an early 3-0 lead. In the fifth inning the push two more huge ruins across the pay station to build a 5-0 lead before giving up a lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning to the Bucketheads.
The Miller Forty-fives did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to defend their national title in this tournament.
The Bucketheads were led during this tournament by the play of Joe Schaudek and Angelo Alesia who were both named to the 2005 ASA Men's Sixteen Inch First Team All-American team for his play during this tournament. Vince Croston and Kyle Schaffer from the Bucketheads were both honored as 2nd Team All-American for their play during this national tournament.
The Bucketheads got to the 2005 ASA Men's Major Sixteen Inch national championship game by opening play with a first round bye before taking on and defeating Jynx 6-4 in the second round of tournament play on Saturday morning.
On Saturday night it was the Bucketheads and Flash going at one another with the Bucketheads trying to make a four run third inning hold up but Flash had other ideas as they scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings with the game tied at four runs each. Neither team scored in the eighth inning before both team plated one run each in the ninth inning to leave the game tied at five runs each entering the tenth inning. The Bucketheads struck for another run in the top of the tenth inning to take a 6-5 lead that they made hold up as they put three outs on the board before Flash could manage to score the tying run to win this exciting ten inning game 6-5 over Flash.
On Sunday afternoon in a quarterfinal round game of the winner's bracket it was the Bucketheads and March manufacturing playing each other with the Bucketheads winning 8-1 to put them into Sunday night semifinal round of this year's national tournament.
The Bucketheads lost to Stover in extra innings 8-6 to drop them into the loser's bracket where they needed to rebound as a team in order to challenge for this years national title.
The Bucketheads were trail Binge by three runs entering the top of the sixth inning when they rallied to tie the game at seven runs each. The game remained tied at the end of regulation so extra innings were played once again. This time it was the Bucketheads that took the lead by scoring twice in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-7 lead before shutting down Binge in the bottom of the eighth inning to win 9-7.
Now with only four team left in the national tournament the Bucketheads fond their bats as they came out smoking scoring in each of the first five inning as they sent Jelly home with fourth place after beating them 14-9 to move into the loser's bracket championship game and a rematch with Stover, they team that had put them into the loser's bracket the day before.

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