A KLASSIC: FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL TO CONVERGE ON KELSO

If it's June, that can only mean one thing regarding area fast-pitch softball -- it's once again time for the Kelso Klassic.

The 15th annual tournament will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Kelso City Park. The 16-team event, sponsored by the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau and the Kelso Kwik stop, figures to once again be competitive and balanced.

The Bonutti Softball Club of Strasburg, Ill., is the defending champion and has won four of the last six titles. The team has also appeared in three other championship games.

Returning virtually the same roster, Bonutti -- 51-16 last year -- boasts four outstanding pitchers in Alan Meinhart, T.J. Dobson, Mike Rappe and Terry Pruemer. The offense is also strong, with Randy Milleville the Klassic's all-time leader in home runs with six.

No doubt the pre-tourney favorite has to be Meierhoffer Fast Pitch from Savannah. The team is the defending national champions who in 1998 became the first Missouri squad to ever win a Major National tournament. Meierhoffer also became only the second team in history to shut out all its opponents in the national tourney.

Meierhoffer has a pitching staff known throughout the fast-pitch world. Heading up the mound corps is Doug Middleton, the ASA most valuable pitcher in 1998. He is one of the world's best. Greg Newton, a member of the 1998 New Zealand National Team, is also one of the best hurlers around.

The Savannah team also has two first-team All-Americans from 1998 in third baseman Ross Dey and shortstop Kerry Shaw. The squad's catcher is area native Ray Reinagel, who participated in the 1995 Olympic Festival and was the 1997 Klassic MVP while playing for Kohlfeld Distributing.

University Chrysler of the Columbia/Boonville area is also a strong contender. The team, which includes several players from Kelso, is together for the first time.

University Chrysler's ace pitcher is Terry Luster, who single-handedly won the Klassic in 1997 while hurling for Kohlfeld and was named the tournament MVP. Backing him up is Kelso's Jeff Schott. Also on the mound staff is Doug Gardner, the Klassic MVP in 1996.

Another solid contender is first-year participant Bob Ridings of Taylorville, Ill., which went 38-19 last year.

K.C.'s of Teutopolis, Ill., is another new entry. The team was second in Illinois Class A in 1996 and participated in the national tournament in 1997.

Mueth's Tavern from Smithton, Ill., is another threat to make some noise.

Memphis (Tenn.) Pomen, 30-15 last year, brings a veteran team to Kelso and has proven to be tough in the past.

B&H Drilling of Hermann returns for another run at the title. The team went 38-25 in 1998.

The Montclaire Bowl Outlaws from Edwardsville, Ill., returns after a strong showing in last year's Klassic. The team went 46-18 in 1998.

Kohlfeld Distributing from Kelso will serve as the tournament host and could also be a factor. The squad won the 1997 Klassic title.

Kohlfeld has four capable hurlers in Mike Essner, Tom Jansen, Bobby Ressel and Ron LeGrand. The offense looks to Keith Ressel, Bruce Scheeter, Brian Drew and Justin Dunning.

Ray's Auto Body of Elkville, Ill., is another team that could make some noise. The squad went 30-13 last year, won the Illinois Class B state title and later placed fourth in the Midwest Regional.

The Pinckneyville (Ill.) Celtics are the only team to have been in every Kelso Klassic. The Celts have won the title three times and finished second twice, although they don't appear to be as strong as in recent years.

The Action Amusement Falcons of Random, Ill., went 22-8 last year and appears capable. Among the team's pitchers are Kelso native Ron Ressel.

Carbondale (Ill.) NAPA finished third in last year's Illinois Class B state tournament.

Rounding out the field are two new teams: Budweiser of Herrin, Ill., and the Stallions of Belleville, Ill.

Action in the double-elimination event starts Friday night with four first-round games. The tourney openers, at 8 p.m., pit Kohlfeld Distributing against Elkville and Bonutti vs. Carbondale NAPA. At 9:30, it's Mueth's Tavern vs. Memphis Pomen and B&H Drilling against the Pinckneyville Celtics.

Play resumes Saturday at 8:30 a.m. when Montclaire Bowl meets Action Amusement and Taylorville Bob Ridings faces the Belleville Stallions. The first round concludes at 10 a.m. when University Chrysler plays Tuetopolis K.C.'s and Savannah Meierhoffer faces Herrin Budweiser.

Action continues all day Saturday on two fields, with the winner's bracket semifinals at 7:30 and 9 p.m.

Sunday's schedule begins at 9 a.m. with loser's bracket games. The winner's bracket final is at noon and the championship round begins at 3 p.m.