2010 Rex Marquardt Memorial Softball Tournament

Lightning batter Trevor Kelly connects with a pitch during the

Championship game of the Rex Marquardt Memorial Tournament.

Six mens fast-pitch softball teams rolled into Petoskey's Ed White Feild over the holiday weekend to participate in the 40th annual Rex Marquardt Memorial Tournament and when the dust had settled on Sunday afternoon it was the Midland/Frankenmuth area Lightning taking home this years championship trophy.

Sundays championship game wound up being a rematch of the previous evenings game between the Lightning and the Marshall areas Tiffany's.  Undefeated through the weekend the Staurday matchup was the only game in the tournament where an opponent managed to keep the Lightning from winning by virtue of a mercy rule as the Tiffany's pitching and defense held the 2009 Class 'A' National Champion Lightning to just three runs.

Tiffany's first baseman Brett Szagesh looks to the umpire for a call

 after scooping a throw from the dirt during the Championship game

 of the Rex Marquardt Memorial Tournament.

The Tiffany's team was unable to contain the Lighning in Sunday's championship contest though as the reigning national champs managed to close out the game in five innings with a 7-0 shutout, mercy rule win.  Lightning pitchers Sean and Tyler Kelly struck put 5 while giving up only one hit to the Tiffany's offense while Lightning batters Adam Saylor and Tyler Kelly led the offense with one home runs each.

Lightning pitcher Sean Kelly pitches during a Saturday

night game at the Rex Marquardt Memorial Tournament.

The Lightning's Sean Kelly also captured the tournaments top pitcher kudo's with 3 wins getting credit for 14 shutout innings giving up only three hits and registering 26 strikeouts.  Bill Kunkel, also of the Lightning came away with the tournaments top batting honors hitting .444 for the weekend.

SEE ALL OUR CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PHOTOS AT:
http://jopho.exposuremanager.com/g/2010_rex_marquardt_summer_invitational_championship_game

Home Town Fouth of July

Like thousands of small communities across the country Alanson, Michigan seizes the opportunity to come together and celebrate the nation’s official birthday every independance day.  Community residents enjoyed the annual parade, music, and bake sales, barbeques and back yard fireworks as they marked the passage of the annual Fourth of July holiday.  Couples, families, teens and yes, even the occassional village idiot, turned out to participate in the this years festivities that appeared to go off without a hitch.

Sunny warm weather brought out a large crowd just before noon as the long line of parade participants sturtted their stuff.  Led by area verterans and the local boy and girl scout troops, floats from area businesses, churches and other organizations made their way down M-68, U.S. 31 and village side streets.  A contingent of children on decorated bicycles along with volunteer firemen and people riding on floats tossed candy into the crowds while the owners of Fairbairn Hardware and their families handed out free ice cream cones to help spectators beat the heat.

To view our complete photo gallery from the Alanson 4th of July parade please click on the link below.

http://eaglefi.photoshelter.com/gallery/2010-4th-of-July-Parade/G0000kDJzbz3dwRo