Big Ox Wins ISA World Tournament Berth

At Dragon Dome, Five Team Event to Open New Pekin Facility

PEKIN: Big Ox Softball from Chillicothe went a perfect 3-0 to win the five team ISA Men's Class D World Qualifier played at the new Dragon Dome softball fields in Pekin on May 14th & 15th. The champions will be playing at the ISA Men's Class D World Tournament at Lexington, South Carolina on August 26th through 28th. Big Ox took home an unpaid World Tournament berth plus a paid state berth from this tournament, Robinson Plumbing finished in second place taking home a paid state tournament berth with Players Lounge taking home third place (unpaid state berth) from this tournament.
Big Ox opened play with a match-up against The Hitmen and found themselves under attack from the opening bell as the Hitmen scored early and often. Big Ox rallies back and managed to build a three run lead entering the top of the seventh inning. The Hitmen continued to put the pressure on Big Ox but they came up one run short as Big Ox prevailed 16-15 in this first round game of the tournament. Big Ox was led by their crafty pitch Bruce Adams who went 3-4 along with his hard hitting teammates Steve Klein 3-4 and Corey Coats 3-4.
In their second game Big Ox and Robinson Plumbing took the fired to oppose each other with the winner earning a spot into the tournament's championship game. Robinson struck fast and hard as they plated ten runs in the first inning to grab the lead. Big Ox made the adjustment that they needed after that hard first inning to hold Robinson Plumbing to only nine more runs over the next six innings while they got their offense in gear scoring twenty five runs to win 25-19. Leading the attack for Big Ox in this win were; Trevor Thacker 5-5 and Scott Meints 4-4.
The time of day was late and the Dragon Dome Complex's lights were not working yet so the remaining three teams needed to come back on Sunday to finish this tournament.
On Sunday morning Robinson had to play Players Lounge with the winner earning a chance to play Big Ox for the tournament title. Players Lounge jumped out to a big lead and in fact were one out away from winning by the run rule when everything that can go wrong for a softball did, did go wrong as Robinson Plumbing made a huge and miraculous comeback to win by the run rule in the sixth inning to earn a shot at Big Ox and the tournament
In the championship game Big Ox came out focused on what they had to do in order win the berth to South Carolina. Big Ox came out of the gate smoking with a seven run first inning. Robinson Plumbing kept chipping away and in the fourth inning retook the lead from Big Ox. In the fifth inning Big Ox had that big inning every team hopes to have after surrendering the lead as they scored eight runs to retake the lead over Robinson Plumbing. In the sixth inning Big Ox ended the tournament as they piled up enough runs to win by the ten run rule 23-13.
The leading hitters in this win for Big Ox were; Steve Klein,Waylon Logsdon, and Ray who all went 4-4 at the plate during this win.
For the tournament Big Ox's top hitters were; Steve Klein 11-13 and Bruce Adams 10-13.
Tournament runner-up Robinson Plumbing did not supply Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to achieve their second place finish at this tournament.