Dirtbags Champions Of 9th Annual Worth/USSSA Class D N.I.T.

2nd Place, 9th Annual Worth/USSSA Men's Class D N.I.T. - Players From Peoria

Now the Dirtbags had to sit and wait as the loser's bracket needed to be played out before they would know who their opponent would be in the championship game.
When the last game in the loser's bracket was completed after extra innings it was a rematch with Players was in store for the Dirtbags in the title contest.
The Dirtbags playing in their third game of the day looked refreshed compared to Players who were playing in their sixth straight game in a row under the sweltering heat as they romped to the title by a final score of 18-3 to complete their undefeated sweep of the field of twenty six teams to win the ninth Annual Worth/USSSA Men's Class D N.I.T.
The Dirtbags did not supply Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to win this tournament.
Players opened tournament play with a defensive effort as they shut out the Stallions/Furious Lunchmeat from Bloomingdale 8-0 in the first round of tournament action. In their second contest on Saturday it was Players over Byron Bank/Cave Inn/Costa/6-4-3 from Byron in a close game 9-7. Byron Bank/Cave Inn/Costa/6-4-3 had opened the tournament with a 27-0 win over The Riot from Chicago in the first round of tournament action.
Game number three on Saturday was a loss to the Dirtbags in spite of scoring six runs with two out in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead before the Dirtbags answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning to snatch the win 13-12 sending Players into the loser's bracket.
On Sunday morning Players took on and defeated the Slugs from Aurora 9-3 to advance into the next round of loser's bracket games.
The Squad could not get anything going against Players as the Peoria ball club rolled over them 28-5 to continued their advancement through the loser's bracket.
Money was excused from this tournament next after Players posted a narrow one run win with the winning run scoring on a close play at the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning giving Players an 8-7 win.
Byron Bank/Cave Inn/Costa/6-4-3 was shown the door next as Players continued to move towards that title game by sending the Byron ball club to packing their cars for the trip home with fourth place to their credit after beating them 13-7.
Team Complete jumped all over Players with a double digit first inning but the Peoria ball club did not fold in spite of the heat and also playing in their fifth consecutive game on this brutally hot Sunday. Players kept chipping away and using their defense to hold down Team Complete as they scratched their way back into the game before pulling out another one run victory 18-17 to earn them a shot at both the Dirtbags and the tournament championship.
The number of consecutive games coupled with the scorching heat, and playing a fresh team that had been sitting in the shade waiting, plus the fact that Players already had secured the World Tournament Berth to Disney World in September all played into the equation as Players were soundly defeated by the Dirtbags 18-3 in the title game as they returned to Peoria with the second place team trophy but also with the coveted 'World Berth' that they came to play for.
Players did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to make this strong run into second place at the N.I.T. and securing the 2005 berth to Disney World.

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