NWA Softball Club Wins USSSA Class D

Thirteen Teams Participate At Forest Hills Diamonds in Rockford

ROCKFORD: NWA Softball Club (5-2) from Loves Park bounced back in the 'if necessary game' to upend Fish/Loomis (8-2) from Rockford in the deciding game of the thirteen team USSSA Men's Class D National Qualifier held at Forest Hills Diamonds in Rockford on June 16th & 17th 14-3 to claim the title and the berth that go with that championship. The champions will be playing at the 2007 USSSA Men's Class D National Tournament to be held over Labor Day Weekend in Indianapolis, IN plus the 2007 Illinois USSSA Northern Illinois State Tournament which will be held in Rockford on August 18th & 19th. The tournament runner-up Fish/Loomis will also be playing at the 2007 USSSA Northern Illinois State Tournament along with third place finisher Gizmo's (2-2) from Rockford and fourth place finisher Blackhawk Athletic Club (2-2) from Rockford.
NWA Softball Club opened tournament play with a first round contest against Fosler Construction from Freeport and came away with a 16-5 win to advance in the bracket. In their second contest NWA Softball Club met and defeated the Brewmasters from Henry 8-4 to advance into the semifinal of the winner's bracket. The Brewmasters had defeated United Restoration from Rockford 6-2 in the first round of play to advance into this second round match-up with NWA Softball Club.
On Sunday morning it was NWA Softball Club and Blackhawk Athletic Club going toe to toe in a semifinal game of the winner's bracket with NWA Softball Club emerging from the game with a 9-2 victory to put them into the winner's bracket finals. Blackhawk Athletic Club had defeated Fish/Loomis 8-4 in the second round on Saturday after receiving a first round bye to advance into this semifinal game against NWA Softball Club.
In the game that featured the last two remaining unbeaten teams NWA Softball Club and Gizmo's lock horns with one another and whne the final out had been recorded the score board read 9-6 in favor of NWA Softball Club as they became the only unbeaten team left in this tournament.
Now NWA Softball Club had to sit back and wait as they watched the loser's bracket being play out on the field until only one other team was left standing and that team was Fish/Loomis. The challenger was on a roll having won six straight games to make it to the final before adding one more scalp to their belt edging out unbeaten NWA Softball Club 9-7 to force the need of having the 'if necessary game' played between these two ball clubs to decide who the tournament champion would be. In that extra game NWA Softball Club found its magic once again winning 14-3 to claim the title to this tournament.
Tournament runner-up Fish/Loomis opened play with a 12-6 win over Swilligan's Pub from Rockford in the fist round before dropping an 8-4 contest to Blackhawk Athletic Club in the second round. Fish/Loomis posted two victories in the loser's bracket on Saturday as they stopped the High Rollers 16-2 before beating Fosler Construction 7-0.
On Sunday Fish/Loomis open play with a 16-1 win over Wheels by RT/LT's Bar & Grill. Next they sent home Neighbors Bar & Grill 12-2. Blackhawk Athletic Club was the next team excused from this tournament by Fish/Loomis after a 14-8 win was posted onto the bracket board. Gizmo's now was the only team that stood between Fish/Loomis and unbeaten NWA Softball Club. Fish/Loomis kept their eyes on their team goal as they won again defeating Gizmo's 6-5. Fish/Loomis continued their winning way evening the tournament at one loss each when they handed NWA Softball Club a 9-7. In that fateful extra game Fish/Loomis just ran out of gas losing 14-3 to NWA Softball Club to finish in second place at this tournament.