WILBER LIME WINS 2000 RICE LAKE INVITATIONAL

    It took two championship games to do it, but the Wilber Lime of Galesville made their return to the Rice Lake Invitational Men's Fastpitch Tournament a successful one indeed, posting a record of 5 wins against a lone setback to claim the championship of the 16-team year 2000 event.

The forces of 79 year old Hall of Fame manager John Salsman rebounded from a 2-0 losss to the Star Prarie Knights in the first championship encounter to prevail over the same opponent 5-1 in the game for all the marbles.

Star Prairie had advanced through the loser's bracket to earn the shot at the title, defeating 1999 NAFA 'AA' State Champion Evansville Bowl 10-3 in the loser's bracket final.  That loss left Evansville as the third place finisher in this year's meet.  PBI of West St. Paul placed fourth.

Wilber Lime opened tournament play with a 6-5 come from behind victory over D.C. Financial Services of St. Paul, and followed that with a 9-2 win over the Emo Bulldogs of Fort Frances, Ontario.  A 2-1 win over PBI propelled the Limers to the winner's bracket final where they disposed of Star Prairie 8-1.

The Knight's began the tournament with a 4-1 triumph over Dan's Bar of Arcadia and followed that with a 9-8 win over Cunningham's Sports of West St. Paul and a 10-3 victory over Bud Light of Bloomer before falling to the eventual champs in the previously mentioned winner's bracket final.

Host team Brecka's Orangemen of Rice Lake posted a record of 2-2, fashioning wins over the Eau Claire Merchants 11-2 and Dan's Bar 4-1 between an opening round loss to Trail's End of Scandia and an eliminating setback to Evansville, 5-4.

Named to the 2000 All-Tournament team pitchers Rod Knudson of Wilber Lime, Rick Larson of the Star Prairie Knights, and Jeramie Holman of New Image Salon: catchers Jerry Ball of PBI and Jim Perrizo of Cunningham's Sports; infielders Dave Huss of The Bar, Dan Stuhr and Larry Stuhr of Wilber Lime, Joe Benash of Evansville Bowl, and Todd Hayden of Star Prarie; and outfielders Brian Schwab of Bud Light, Paul Arntsen of PBI, Matt White of Evansville Bowl, and Darren Nelson of Star Prairie.  The designated hitter was Nook Blank of Wilber Lime while named in a utility role was Dave Yaeger, pitcher-infielder from Evansville Bowl, the tournament's leading hitter with an average of .619.

First baseman Dan Stuhr of champion Wilber Lime was honored as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

 

Team Record
Wilber Lime, Galesville WI 5-1
Star Prairie Knights, Star Prairie WI 5-2
Evansville Bowl, Evansville WI 5-2
PBI, West Saint Paul MN 3-2
The Bar, Appleton WI 4-2
Bud Light, Bloomer WI 2-2
Cunningham's Sports, West Saint Paul MN 2-2
D.C. Financial Services, Saint Paul MN 2-3
New Image Salon, Montfort WI 2-2
Brecka's Orangemen, Rice Lake WI 2-2
Trail's End, Scandia MN 1-2
Emo Bulldogs, Fort Frances ONT 1-2
Fargo Outlaws, Fargo ND 1-2
Wotacheck Oil, Tisch Mills WI 0-3
Eau Claire Merchants, Eau Claire WI 0-3
Dan's Bar, Arcadia WI 0-3
 

Game Results

Game Winner   Loser  
1 Trail's End 3 Brecka's Orangemen 0
2 Bud Light 3 Eau Claire Merchants 0
3 Star Prairie Knights 4 Dan's Bar 1
4 Cunningham's Sports 2 The Bar 0
5 PBI 2 Fargo Outlaws 1
6 Evansville Bowl 9 Wotacheck Oil 1
7 Wilber Lime 6 D.C. Financial 5
8 Emo Bulldogs 2 New Image Salon 1
9 Brecka's Orangemen 11 Eau Claire Merchants 2
10 The Bar 6 Dan's Bar 3
11 Fargo Outlaws 6 Wotacheck Oil 5
12(9 inns) New Image Salon 7 D.C. Financial 6
13(8 inns) Bud Light 4 Trail's End 3
14 Star Prarie Knights 9 Cunningham's Sports 8
15 PBI 9 Evansville Bowl 7
16 Wilber Lim 9 Emo Bulldogs 2
17 Brecka's Orangemen 4 Dan's Bar 1
18 The Bar 9 Eau Claire Merchants 6
19(8 inns) D.C. Financial 5 Fargo Outlaws 3
20 New Image Salon 13 Wotacheck Oil 3
21 Evansville Bowl 5 Brecka's Orangemen 4
22 The Bar 8 Emo Bulldogs 7
23 D.C. Financial 5 Trail's End 0
24 Cunningham's Sports 3 New Image Salon 2
25 Star Prairie Knights 10 Bud Light 3
26 Wilber Lime 2 PBI 1
27 Evansville Bowl 8 D.C. Financial 2
28 The Bar 5 Cunningham Sports 3
29 Evansville Bowl 3 Bud Light 2
30 PBI 7 The Bar 6
31 Evansville Bowl 6 PBI 3
32 Wilber Lime 8 Star Prairie Knights 1
33 Star Prairie Knights 10 Evansville Bowl 3
34 Star Prairie Knights 2 Wilber Lime 0
35 Wilber Lime 5 Star Prairie Knights 1