CORE Wins Unprecedented 4th Consecutive Championship!

CORE Wins Unprecedented 4th Consecutive Championship!

On September 28th, CORE’s softball team pulled off the improbable by winning its fourth consecutive championship in Branson’s church softball league!

Our team overcame adversity all year, compiling a record of 7 – 5 during the regular season despite suffering injuries at key positions throughout the 2023 campaign.

When slugger Adam Guss went down with a knee injury during the semifinal game, the whole season hanged in the balance.  Rather than folding, our team rose to the occasion.

We won our semifinal game, and then we jumped out to an early lead in the championship match over the #1 seed.  The opposition tried to mount a comeback, but two things put an end to their shrinking hopes of victory.  In the 5th inning, Cade Ulery for CORE smacked a grand slam home run.  Then our defense got busy. 

“Our defense came to play,” said pitcher Bracy Sams, who also manages the team.  In fact, CORE did not allow a single run for the rest of the game.  In one really exciting play, catcher Nick Brooks blocked home plate to prevent a runner from scoring.  And Bracy, who himself has battled bruised ribs for weeks, pitched two strike outs as part of the defensive effort.  Our infield also turned multiple double plays.

We added more runs late in the game, winning 13 – 3.  To celebrate, the team went out together at midnight for breakfast.  

Assistant coach Gary Osborn well summed up CORE’s 2023 season, saying, “We saved the best for last” – as he ate his grand slam breakfast.

Front Row (L to R): Jackie Hankins, Alex Saebens, Cody Renzelman, Bracy Sams, Nick Brooks, Adam “Big League” Guss, Jeana Knous

Back Row (L to R): Terrence Miller, Jeremy Hampton, Rollen Summers, Jeremy Mikel, Nick Larose, Cade Ulery, David Marti, Charlie Miller