BONUTTI LOOKS FOR A CLASSIC REPEAT

KELSO -- Area fast-pitch softball fans once again figure to be in for a real treat when the 13th annual Kelso Klassic is held here Friday through Sunday.

The 16-team tournament, featuring some of the Midwest's top squads, is sponsored by the Kelso Kwik Stop and the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

Bonutti Orthopaedics of Strasburg, Ill., is the defending champion. The squad won the 1996 title in thrilling fashion by beating Midwest GMC 1-0 in the championship game.

Bonutti has appeared in the championship game in each of the last six years, winning three times. The team was 65-21 last year, finishing second in the Illinois Class AA Tournament and competing in the ASA National Tournament.

The pitching staff for Bonutti is headed by hard-throwing Alan Meinhart and Mike Rappe, who is 14-1 in Kelso Klassic competition. Offensively, Brian Pesko, Randy Milleville and Bob Schlechte lead the way.

Midwest GMC of St. Louis, last year's runner-up, returns to battle for the championship. The team got a big boost when it retained the pitching services of Steve Mitchell from Bonutti. Mitchell is the second winningest pitcher in Klassic history, going 17-7.

GMC, 53-18 last year, should see its run production increased with the addition of local product Paul Lynch in the lineup.

The third-place finisher last year was Bud Light, one of three host teams from Kelso. The squad, 33-20 last season, is led by veteran pitcher Steve Schott.

Fourth place in 1996 went to the New Haven Cubs, who finished with a 44-22 record.

The Pinckneyville (Ill.) Celtics, back for their 13th consecutive appearance, have won the tournament three times. They were 41-22 a year ago.

Serving as the other co-hosts area Kohlfeld Distributing of Kelso and the Kelso Travelers.

Rounding out the tourney field are the Topeka (Kan.) Drive Train; H.L.F. Express from Springfield; Guaranteed Air Freight from Vandalia, Ill.; Hank's Excavating from Belleville, Ill; Memphis (Tenn.) Pomen; the Memphis (Tenn.) Dawgs; the Action Amusement Falcons from Mt. Vernon, Ill.; Ray's Auto Body from Elkville, Ill.; and Carbondale (Ill.) NAPA.

Action starts Friday with four first-round games. At 8 p.m., Kelso Bud Light will play Carbondale NAPA and Kohlfeld Distributing will take on Hank's Excavating. At 9:30, it's the New Haven Cubs against the Kelso Travelers and Bonutti Orthopaedics vs. the Memphis Dawgs.

Play resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. with the Pinckneyville Celtics facing H.L.F. Express and Midwest GMC taking on Elkville. Then at 10:30, the first round concludes with Memphis Pomen playing Action Amusement and Topeka Drive Train battling Vandalia Guaranteed Air Freight.

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 the winner's bracket final at noon and the championship round at 3 p.m.