Pate Bonding Regains Invitational Crown

            For the third time in four years Pate Bonding, Inc. of West St. Paul claimed the championship of the Rice Lake Aquafest Invitational Tournament.  Champions in 2002 and 2003, PBI failed in their attempt at a three-peat last year, but posted five straight wins in this year’s tourney to return to the winner’s circle.

            PBI opened tournament play with a 6-4 triumph over J & D Tube Benders of Wausau, following that with a 7-3 win over Village Inn of Hudson.  An 11-2 thrashing of the Rice Lake Orangemen and a 7-2 win over ABS-Villard of St. Paul in the winner’s bracket final advanced the eventual champions to the title round, where the West St. Paul team prevailed, 7-0.

            Villard posted a 3-0 win over LX of La Crosse in their opening game, then rung up 7-3 and 5-4 victories, the latter being an eight inning affair over Leinenkugel’s of Chippewa Falls and New Image Salon of Monfort before dropping the winner’s bracket final contest to PBI, 7-2.  A rematch with New Image was all Villard, as the St. Paul club cruised to a 7-2 win and earned the championship game rematch with PBI.  

            New Image finished third and Evansville Bowl fourth. 

            Two local teams competed in the 16-team event, with the Orangemen posting a 2-2 record and McCain Foods going 0-3.

            The Orangemen opened tournament action by edging Bloomer Bud Light 2-1 in nine innings.  Larry Cushman, who scattered six hits was the winning pitcher.  Tim Hall led the Rice Lake team at bat, with a double and single in four trips.  He also scored the winning run in the top of the 9^t7th.   

Cushman allowed just three hits as the Orange downed Evansville Bowl 4-1.  Cody Candler opened the game with a home run and Dave Marchio followed two batters later with a two run shot.  Marchio connected for another four bagger in the 3rd. 

Marchio’s solo home run was the only highlight in an 11-2 loss to eventual champion PBI.  Cushman took the pitching loss. 

The Orangemen were eliminated in a rematch with Evansville as the winners plated two unearned runs in the bottom of the first and made them hold up in a 2-0 Orangemen loss.  Cushman was the losing pitcher though allowing just five hits.  Marchio was two for three to pace Orangemen hitters.

McCain’s fell victim to the New Image juggernaut in a 14-2 opening round loss, despite a home run by McCain’s Randy Crotteau.  Dean Sawyer, who needed relief help from Dan Thill, was the losing pitcher.

Thill was the losing pitcher in the next two McCain’s confrontations, 4-1 to Duluth Fastpitch and 2-1 to LX of La Crosse.  Mitch Hanson had a double in the LX game.

            Selected to the all-tournament team were infielders Roman Foore of PBI, Zach Goring of Villard, Dave Marchio of the Rice Lake Orangemen, Scott McLeod of Duluth Fastpitch, and Harvey Knudson of New Image. Outfielders named were Kevin Bahn of Villard, Charlie Rambo of PBI, Keith Sarbacker of Evansville Bowl, and Keith Kuklinski of Duluth Fastpitch.  The all-tourney utility player award went to Jeff Schoeberl of Villard.  The catchers selected were Brad Shepherd of PBI and Steve Hovell of Wilber Lime, and the pitching staff consisted of Bryan Lathrop of Evansville Bowl, Jeramie Holman of New Image, and Wayne Petrie of PBI.

            Foore was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.