Dirtbags Win USSSA Men's Class D N.I.T.

26 Teams Participate At 9th Annual Worth/USSSA Tournament

9th Anual Worth /USSSA Class D NIT Champions Dirtbags From Aurora

JOLIET: The Dirtbags (5-0) from Aurora won their second USSSA Men's Class D N.I.T. when they swept to the title at the twenty-six team, Ninth Annual Worth Invitational held at the Inwood Sports Complex in Joliet on July 16th & 17th. The champions passed the 2005 USSSA Men's Class D World Tournament berth to Disney World Complex in Florida during September down to runner-up Players (7-2) from Peoria. Team Complete (4-2) was third, Byron Bank/Cave Inn/Costa/6-4-3 (6-2) from Byron finished in fourth place. Tying for fifth place was Blackhawk Athletic Club/Mizuno (3-2) from Rockford and Money (2-2) from Orland Park with a seventh place tie going to both Squad (3-2) from Joliet and K.G.B./Paradise Bay (2-2) from Lockport.
The Dirtbags received a first round bye in this twenty-six team event so they opened tournament play in the second round against the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's and quickly hung a impressive 20-3 victory up onto the bracket board to advance into the third round of play on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets/Katnip's had won their first round game 11-6 over Whitey's from Oswego to advance into this second round contest against the Dirtbags.
Their next game was a wild affair with Players. The Dirtbags seemed to have the game in hand leading by five runs with two out in the seventh inning when Player erupted for six runs to take a one run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning. He Dirtbags responded with two runs of their own to pull out a narrow 13-12 win to move into Sunday's semifinal round of the winner's bracket in this tournament.
On Sunday morning the Dirtbags locked horns with Blackhawk Athletic Club/Mizuno from Rockford and came away with a 15-9 win to move into the winner's bracket finals of this tournament. Blackhawk Athletic Club/Mizuno made it to this semifinal game by opening the tournament with a first round 16-1 win over Heroes & Legends from Joliet. In the second round Blackhawk Athletic Club met and defeated Lynch Mob from Naperville 11-1 before closing out their Saturday tournament action with a 17-14 win over Squad from Joliet in the round of tournament play.
In the game between the last twp remaining unbeaten teams in this twenty-six team event the Dirtbags and Team Complete from Ottawa locked up with each other with the Dirtbags building a early lead before hanging on to win 12-9 over Team Complete to become the only remaining unbeaten team left in this tournament. Team Complete made it to the winner's bracket championship game by opening the tournament with a first round 28-4 win over Tigrates from Chicago. In their second round game it was Team Complete sending the Lumber Company to the loser's bracket in a very close one run ball game by a finals score of 6-5. Team Complete than became one of only four teams to finish Saturday undefeated after they sent K.G.B./Paradise Bay into the loser's bracket after beating them 16-10. On Sunday morning in a winner's bracket semifinal game it was team Complete over Money 9-4 to put them into the finals of the winner's bracket.

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