Golden Corral / EASTON 2005
Mike Newcomb Benefit
Chester, VA
USSSA

 3rd Place 

Golden Corral / EASTON traveled to Chester , VA to play in the Mike Newcomb Benefit Tournament on April 23-24.  This was such a good cause, the team never considered missing this one.  This was a well-run tournament.  With bracket play and a double-elimination format, everyone was guaranteed four games. 

Golden Corral/Easton opened up the bracket play Saturday against a good group of guys playing as a pick-up team called Mike's Just Hit.  GC proved too strong and rolled to a 22-7 run-rule final.  Next up was Cooke’s Lawn Care/Pari who came out hitting it hard.  Neither team could get too far ahead of the other until GC opened it up a bit in the fourth inning.  With a 10-run lead, runners on base, and nobody out, the game was called due to time limit.  GC wins 32-22.  This win gave Golden Corral / EASTON first place in their bracket, and based on run differential, the 2^nd seed in the double-elimination.  The first round game found GC vs. The Kingsmen, who came out smoking it, despite being a lower seed.  Seedings made no difference at this point.  GC had to give all they had to battle back from a big deficit and hold on for a 24-23 victory.  Next up, The Corral met Dinwiddie Eagles, a tough team from the Richmond area.  This game was pretty close early on, but GC pulled away and ended it on a walk-off HR to win it, 21-11 in five innings.  A ten rule slaughter-rule is just not enough.  But, this put GC into the undefeated game against a very strong (…and much improved in ’05) Awful Arthur’s / WORTH team.  Both teams were pounding the ball relentlessly, but GC got the upper hand and looked to leave AA on the field, but it would not happen that way.  Uncharacteristic GC miscues on defense combined with an experienced AA team spelled trouble.  Arthur’s took full advantage of the opportunities and came roaring back into the game.  GC’s answer to AA’s big inning was thwarted when 3 would-be extra-base hit line drives cleared the fence for all 3 outs in the 6^th inning.  Awful Arthur’s ended the hard-fought game with the winner in the bottom of the seventh to win it 38-37.  Next up, GC again met Dinwiddie, who had been hot most of the afternoon.  They continued to hit it well, and they used their HRs more judiciously than did GC to take control in the late innings.  GC’s comeback attempt fell short, as Dinwiddie won the second meeting 27-20.  

Golden Corral / EASTON is proud and honored to have been a part of such a good cause this weekend.  Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making it possible.