The Lids Missouri Bulls 18u team ended the weekend on a high note as they finish 5-1 on a very hot weekend in St. Louis and win the championship.

The Bulls started out by beating the Springfield Statesmen 9-3 behind a strong pitching performance from Tigart.  He went five innings allowing two runs, one earned.   Adam Pennington came in to shut the door for the last two innings for the save.  Lockhert and Scott were the key offensive players with four hits and five RBI's between them.

In their second pool play game, the Bulls faced a tough Southern Illinois Bullets team.  This game was tight and saw the Bulls trailing 4-3 going into the sixth inning.  That's when the Bulls opened things up a bit.   They scored three in the sixth and four in the seventh to take a 10-4 lead.   Sammy Stearns pitched 4 2/3 allowing four runs on seven hits.  Brady Wright came in to shut the door the rest of the way to get the win. 

"I really wanted to beat these guys,"  Wright said after the game.  "I know a lot of these guys from high school and that made this win sweet!!"

The Bulls got multiple hits in their 13 hit attack from Kyle Campbell, Alex Heuring and Brady Wright.

Game three of the weekend saw the Bulls get in an early hole and never recover.  Three Bulls pitchers gave up eight runs on nine walks.  The Bulls pounded out 10 hits, three from Danny Lockhert but couldn't pull out the win.   They fell 8-5 to Eat Metro Illinois.  "That's what happens when you over look a team in baseball," said Bulls coach Todd Pennington.   "We have to be better prepared when we play every game."

The final pool play game was a must win for the Bulls if they wanted to advance to Sunday.  The Bulls jumped out to an early lead with four in the first and built a 10-2 lead as they held on to win 10-6.  Tyler Vaughn was the winning pitcher going five strong innings giving up two earned runs, striking out five and walking four.   The Bulls pounded out 12 hits, multiple hit guys were Lockhert, Grantham, Miller, Scott and Campbell.

The Bulls were one of four teams of the 21 team field to amke it to Sunday as they were seeded fourth and faced the #1  seeded St. Louis Gamers Grey for the second straight weekend.   The Bulls trailed 1-0 entering the top of the seventh.  They were down to their last strike when Alex Heuring came up with a bases loaded clutch single to plate two runs.  That would prove to be enough as the Bulls hung on to win 2-1 and advance to the finals.

Adam Grantham threw a gem to get the win.  He went six innings allowing one earned run on four hits, walking four and striking out four.   Sikeston ace Trey Tigart came in to pitch a perfect seventh and get his first save of the summer.

The championship game would be equally as exciting.  The Bulls sent their crafty left hander Adam Pennington to the hill to face a very talented Meramec Valley team.  Pennington went four strong innings for the Bulls but wouldn't figure in the decision.  He allowed one unearned run, allowing only three hits and striking out eight while walking no one.

Sammy Stearns would make his second appearance of the weekend and would get the win.  He pitched two innings allowing one earned run on three hits.  The Bulls would take the lead in the sixth and hold on for a 4-2 vistory and a tournament championship.  Kody Moore would make his first appearance of the summer and get the save. 

Offensively the Bulls pounded out double digit hits for the fourth time in the tournament.  They had 13 hits, the Anna-Jonesboro duo of Wright and Vaugh had three hits each.

 The 18u Bulls are back in action at the Mid America World Series July 5-8 in Bowiling Green Kentucky next weekend.