RIVER EAGLE BUDWEISER SOFTBALL TEAM WINS STATE TITLE

The River Eagle Budweiser men's slow-pitch softball team captured the World Amateur Sports Association (WASA) Missouri State Championship held last weekend at the Shawnee Sports Complex in Cape Girardeau.

It marked the third consecutive state title won by Budweiser, which captured the WASA crown in 1998 and the NSA championship in 1997.

Budweiser began the state tourney with a 24-4 victory over another local squad, the Kohlfeld Silver Bullets.

In the second round, Budweiser trailed the St. Louis Pigeons 11-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning but rallied to tie the game and then won it 12-11 in the eighth.

Quarterfinal action saw Budweiser knock off the St. Louis Classics/Elmo's 8-5.

Then came the semifinals, where Budweiser won a wild 23-17 game from the St. Louis Loose Cannons.

Budweiser then romped past St. Louis Orange Crush in the finals 30-4. Budweiser scored 12 runs in the first inning and never looked back as ever player had at least one hit.

By going 5-0 in the state tournament, Budweiser improved its season record to 68-10. In addition to the state title, Budweiser won both halves of the Jackson Men's Softball League.