BIG OX Wins 'All-Nighter' At The Dragon Dome
Fifteen Teams Particiapte At Pekin On January
8th & 9th
PEKIN: Big Ox (5-0) from
Chillicothe won the first ever, fifteen teams, one pitch, 'all
nighter' softball tournament held at the Dragon Dome in Pekin
on January 8th & 9th, 2005. The Dragon Dome had collapsed
during a pre-Thanksgiving snow storm but the needed repairs have
been made in the dome is now in full operation.
The tournament format was continuous play from 10 AM Saturday
to its conclusion at noon on Sunday. Every batter entered the
batters box with a full count so if the hitter did not swing at
the offering by the pitcher it was either a walk of a strikeout.
All teams enter were guaranteed three games with the walls and
ceiling were in play.
Big Ox drew the second game played and their opponent was Miken/Dalton
Trucking from Springfield. In a close game that saw the lead sea-saw
back and forth Big Ox managed to pull in front by a single run
in the top of the seventh inning before hanging a goose egg up
on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh inning to escape
with a narrow 13-12 victory in their opening game of this tournament.
Next up was a contest against Players Lounge from Canton at 4:30
on Saturday afternoon and Big Ox came out with their bats smoking
as they piles up runs winning by the run rule 21-7 to advance
into the third round of action.
Game time was 4 AM Sunday morning) for Big Ox as they took the
field to play The Cast from Indiana. The Indiana ball club had
built an early 14-7 lead entering the fifth inning before Big
Ox exploded to push twelve runs across the pay-station to wrestle
the lead away from their opponent as they went on to win by a
final score of 26-18. Bib Ox was led in this win by the hitting
of their first four hitters in the line-up who combined to go
14-18 in this contest to lad the way to victory for the Big Ox
ball club.
At 7:30 Am (Sunday) Big Ox and Slick Ricks from Bloomington squared
off in the game between the last two unbeaten teams with Big Ox
jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead. Big Ox continued to stretch that
lead out until Slick Rick's rallied late in the game to narrow
the gap to 12-9 but they could get no closer as Big Ox record
a win to advance into the championship game against whichever
team would emerge from the loser's bracket to challenge them for
the title.
When the last out in the loser's bracket was record a team called
Yep from Naperville was the team still standing as they earned
the right to play Big Ox for the championship at noon on Sunday.
Yep plated three runs in the top of the first inning as Big Ox
started out slowly as they managed only one hit through four innings
of play. In the fifth inning Big Oz scored four runs to tie the
game at four apiece. In the sixth inning Big Ox pulled ahead by
a run but Yep tied up as the game entered extra innings. Big Ox
reach down and found the energy to score three huge runs to take
a 8-5 lead into the bottom of the eight inning before Yep made
some noise in the bottom of the eight inning by scoring one run
and putting the tying runs on base before Big Ox could catch a
ball off the ceiling to end the game and win the tournament championship
by a final score of 8-6 over Yep.
Big Ox team spokesman Greg Wages said, "It was hard but a
blast. I want to mention Jerry Jackson, he ran a great tournament."
The champions Big Ox took home a team trophy, t-shirts and six
hundred dollars in cash for their efforts in winning this tournament.
Yep made it to the championship game by doing things the hard
way, losing their first two games before making their way back
to the finals with the gun against their head in every game they
played. Yep dropped their opening game to Pottsies Place from
Pekin by the final score of 2-1.
In their second game Yep was defeated by Slick Rick's 14-7. It
was here that Yep started to get the hang of playing with the
ceiling and walls in play. In their third game Yep hung a victory
up on the bracket board when they defeated Z Force from Wisconsin
15-14.
Yep now was paired against Robinson Plumbing from Pekin with Yep
posting a 12-5 win onto the bracket board as they continued to
march towards the championship game. Yep got their offense in
gear as they sent the Cast packing for their trip back to Indiana
after a 22-11 victory.
With four teams left in the tournament Yep sent the Bombers from
Mackinaw home with fourth place as they posted a 18-11 victory
to advance them into the loser's bracket championship game.
Yep and Slick Rick's engaged in a slug fest with Yep coming out
on top by a final score of 25-18 to earn them the right to challenge
Big Ox in the tournament's championship game as Slick Rick's exited
the tournament with third place. Big Ox prevailed over Yep in
extra innings 8-6 to send Yep home to Naperville with second place.
Yep did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any details
or highlights on how they were able to achieve their second place
finish in this tournament.
