C.J.’s gunning for 12th stragith district softball title

CJ's Sports Bar begins its push for a 12th straight title Friday at the 49th annual 16-inch District 3 tournament at Tait Cummins Sports Complex.

In the summer months, many people make their way back onto ball diamonds for fun. For CJ's Sports Bar, these few months mean business.

'Our goal for this year is to win another district and state title,” Manager Greg Mara said. 'We really want to have a strong showing in Elgin (Ill. for nationals) this year.

'We always do really well at state, but when we head to nationals, we do not do so hot.”

CJ's Sports Bar, with the same core group it started with and some young bombers, is working toward a fifth straight state title, too.

'The wins at state get better and better each year,” Mara said. 'It is really nice for our team, and it means a lot for all of us.”

It has not always been winning for C.J.'s. It took the team many years of hard work to get to where it needed to be. One person Mara has to thank would be Connie Vasquez of CJ's Sports Bar.

In the 19 years the team has been together, Mara, Mike Sauser, Matt Usher and Cory Birkicht have seen C.J.'s advance in various stages - from an average slow-pitch team to state champions four years in a row.

The eight-team tournament begins Friday at 7 p.m. with a pair of games. CJ's Sports Bar begins its defense of the title at 8 against Star Bar.

The first of possibly two championship games is Saturday at 4 p.m.