St. Louis Honeybadgers win 36th Annual Kelso Klassic after rain delay affects championship game

KELSO, Mo. (KFVS) - The 36th Annual Kelso Klassic fastpitch softball tournament got through all but one game before weather put a damper on things.

After early morning games on Sunday completed to set up the championship between the St. Louis Honeybadgers and AWP Lumberjacks, heavy rainfall forced a delay. A tarp was rolled out on the field to protect the playing surface.

Several Lumberjacks players could not wait out the delay due to their departing flight schedule. As a result, the Lumberjacks forfeited, crowning the Honeybadgers as winners.

It is only the second time in the 36-year history of the Kelso Klassic that the championship game has been decided by forfeit. The other occurrence was in 2004 when Brandt’s Softball Club ceded the game to the Bloomington Stix.

As 2023 tournament champions by default, the Honeybadgers earn an automatic qualifier to the International Softball Congress World Tournament from August 12-19 in Denmark, Wis.

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