M & S Express Wins USSSA Class E In Rockford

Fifteen Teams Participate at Forest Hills Diamonds In Rockford

M & E Express Champions At USSSA Men's Class E In Rockford On August 6th & 7th

ROCKFORD: M & S Express from Plano traveled to participate in the fourteen team USSSA Men's Class E Great Lakes National Qualifying Tournament held at the Forest Hills Diamonds Complex in Rockford on August 6th & 7th and left as the undefeated champions. M & S Express won a paid berth to play at the 2005 USSSA Men's Class E Great Lakes national Tournament to be held over Labor Day Weekend in Waterloo, Iowa. Fatty's Pub (4-2) from De Kalb finished in second place, the Bricklayers (5-2) from Rockford took home third place, SM & SF Club (4-2) from Rockford was fourth with both High N Tight (2-2) from Rockford and Andy's Hauling/Elite Gutters (1-2) from Rockford tying for fifth place at this tournament.
The champions to be opened play by receiving a first round bye before taking on and defeating the Splitters 13-0 in the second round to advance in the bracket. The Splitters had won their first round game over Klaas Financial 11-10 to advance into this second round contest with M & S Express.
In the third round M & S Express won the semifinal contest with High N Tight by a final score of 7-4 to move into the winner's bracket finals to play the undefeated game. High N Tight made it to this semifinal game by opening the tournament with a 7-5 win over Costa's in the firs round before stopping Harlem Road Automotive 10-8 in the second round to advance into this semifinal contest against M & S Express.
On Sunday in the game between the last two unbeaten teams left in this tournament M & S Express squared off with Fatty's Pub with the title to the winner's bracket and a berth in the tournament's championship game at stake for the winner with M & S Express getting it done as they won 12-7 to become the only unbeaten team left in this tournament.
Now the Plano based ball club needed to sit and wait as they watched the loser's bracket being played out to its conclusion before knowing who they be playing in the championship game. When that loser's bracket play had been concluded it was a rematch with Fatty's Pub in store for M & S Express in the title contest. In a game that prove to be all defense it was M & S Express managing to score enough runs to win this tournament undefeated as they edged out Fatty's Pub in the championship game 4-1 to claim their title and berth to play at the 2005 USSSA Men's Class E Great Lakes National Tournament in Iowa.
M & S Express did not supply Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to win this qualifier that was played at Forest Hills Diamonds in Rockford.
Tournament runner up Fatty's Pub opened tournament play with a first round game against Rock River Siding and won handily 16-2 to move forward in the bracket.
In the second round Fatty's Pub and Rockford SM & SF Club went at each other with the De Kalb ball club winning a close game 4-1 to advance deeper into the bracket. SM & SF Club made it to this second round contest by defeating Bricklayers 22-18 in the first round of tournament play.
In their semifinal game of the winner's bracket it was Fatty's Pub tangling with Andy's Hauling/Elite Gutters and coming away with an 8-2 win to complete their play on Saturday.
On Sunday playing in the undefeated game Fatty's Pub and M & S Express going toe to toe for the first time in this tournament and the De Kalb ball club came out on the short end of a 12-7 score to drop Fatty's Pub into the loser's bracket where they needed to win one game to get a second shot at unbeaten M & S Express in the tournaments championship game.
Fatty's Pub did what they need to do as they stopped the Bricklayers in a one run game 5-4 to earn a second shot at both M & S Express and the Tournament title.
In the championship game Fatty's Pub could not get their offense in gear as they went down to defeat in a low scoring game by the final score of 4-1 to send the De Kalb ball club home with second place from this tournament.
Fatty's Pub did not supply Illinois Softball Report with any team information, details, highlights stats or quote son how they were able to achieve their second place finish at this tournament.

(L) 2nd Place Fatty's Pub From De Kalb & (R) 3rd Place Bricklayers From Rockford