Byron Bank/Costa's/Bunger's Wins D/E In Byron

Twelve Teams Participate In One Day USSSA Equalizer Tournament

BYRON: The Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's (4-1) from Byron won the 'if necessary' game 15-6 to win the twelve team, USSSA Men's Class D/E State and National Qualifying equalizer tournament played at the Byron Sports Complex in Byron on July 28th. The champions who had previously won both paid state and national berth s converted these paid berths into sponsor travel money and passed the unpaid berths down to the next highest finishing team that needed the berth. Leisure Time (5-2) from Sterling finished in second place, Milk Jugs (4-2) from Tinley Park took home third place with C & C Plumbing (3-2) from Rochelle finished in fourth place.
The champions opened play with a first round bye before taking on and defeating Ogle County Physical Therapy from Byron 16-5 to advance into the semifinal of the winner's bracket. Ogle County Physical Therapy had beaten Alliance Car Rental from New Brighton, Minnesota 16-5 to advance into this second round contest with Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's.
Playing now on Saturday afternoon Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's met and defeated C & C Plumbing in a close game 14-11 to move into the winner's bracket finals. C & C Plumbing made it to this semifinal game of the winner's bracket by opening play with first round 6-5 victory over Meridian Small Town Swingers from Winnebago. In the second round of tournament action it was C & C Plumbing over Players Only / J Bears / Cost Cutters from Rockford 8-7 to move them into the semifinal and a game against Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's.
Later on Saturday afternoon Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's and Leisure Time tangled in the first of three meeting this day with the Byron area based Byron Bank / Costa's / Bungers winning the first encounter 11-7 to become the only unbeaten team left in this tournament. Now Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's needed to sit as they waited out the completion of the loser's bracket before knowing which team would survive to be their opponent in the championship game. When that last out had been recorded onto the official scorer's book a rematch from the winner's bracket undefeated game awaited Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's in the title contest.
This time Leisure Time got the better of Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's winning 15-14 to force the need to play the 'if necessary ' game between these two squads in order to determine which of them would leave as the champion of this tournament.
In that deciding extra game it was Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's over Leisure Time 15-6 as the Byron Based ball club claimed the first place prize from this tournament.
Tournament runner-up Leisure Time opened play with a first round win over 2 NQ Softball from Crystal lake winning 14-4 to advance into the second round of the winner's bracket. Leisure Time met and defeated Bunger's Softball from Byron in a close game 15-14 to advance into the semifinal of the winner's bracket. Bunger's Softball had received a first round bye so playing Leisure Time in their first game played in this tournament.
On Saturday afternoon playing in their semifinal contest Leisure Time and Extreme from Bristol, Wisconsin went at one another with the Sterling based Leisure Time posting a win onto the bracket board by the final score of 8-6 to advance them into the winner's bracket undefeated game.
It was here that Leisure time stubbed their toe losing to Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's 11-7 and with that loss dropping them into the loser's bracket where they needed to win in order to get a rematch against Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's who had just defeated them.
Leisure Time was all business in the loser's bracket championship game winning 11-2 over the Milk Jugs to give them a second shot at both the tournament title and also the team that had beaten them earlier in the day Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's.
Leisure Time made good on this second chance handing Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's a loss by the final score of 15-14 to even this tournament at one loss each. Now in the deciding 'if necessary game' Leisure Time gave it their best but on this Saturday afternoon that was not good enough as they fell to Byron Bank / Costa's / Bunger's by a final score of 15-6 to finish in second place at this qualifier.