Neighbors Bar & Grill Champions In Winfield

Eight Teams, One Day Tournament, At Glasshagle Fields, On July 21st

WINFIELD: Neighbors Bar & Grill from Rockford went perfect 4-0 to win the eight team USSSA Men's Class D qualifier played at Glasshagel Field in Winfield on July 21st. The champions earned a paid USSSA Men's Class D National Tournament berth to play in Indianapolis, IN over Labor Day Weekend. The tournament runner-up C. A. Bruckner (4-2) from Aurora earned a berth to play at the 2007 Illinois USSSA Men's Class D State Tournament to be held in Rockford during August as did third place finisher St. George's / Powell HVAC (2-2) from Aurora.
Neighbors bar & Grill opened play with a first round game on Saturday morning against C.A. Bruckner winning by a single run 6-5 to advance into a second round game against the Hot Shots from Warrenville. Neighbors Bar & Grill won another close game as they edged out the Hot Shots 4-3 to advance into the winner's bracket undefeated game. The Hot Shots had defeated Johnny Mac Softball / Club 57mx.com from Woodstock 14-12 in the first round of tournament play to advance into this second round match up against Neighs bar & Grill.
With only two remaining unbeaten teams left in this tournament Neighbors bar & Grill took on St George's / Powell HVAC with Neighbors Bar & Grill riding the strength of their teams overall defense to win 6-0 assuring them of a place in the tournament's championship game. St George's / Powell HVAC made it to the winner's bracket championship game by opening play on Saturday morning with a first round 14-2 win over the bandits from Sycamore. Later on Saturday morning St George's / Powell HVAC met and defeated Howard Sportswear from Elgin 16-7 to earn the right to oppose Neighbors Bar & Grill in the winner's bracket undefeated game.
Now Neighbors Bar & Grill had to sit and wait until the loser's bracket was played out to its conclusion before knowing which team they would be playing in the title game and when all of the play in the loser's bracket was complete Neighbors Bar & Grill was faced with a rematch of their first round game against C.A. Bruckner in the championship game.
In an interesting game Neighbors Bar & Grill kept there eyes on the goal in front of them finding a way to win the game to complete their undefeated run to the title of this tournament with a 9-5 victory over C.A. Bruckner to claim their title.
Tournament runner-up C.A. Bruckner opened play by losing to the eventual champions Neighbors Bar & Grill in a one run ball game 6-5 to drop them into the loser's bracket for the rest of this tournament.
Now playing with their backs against the wall C.A. Bruckner regrouped quickly and started to send team aft team to the parking lot to pack their cars for the trip back home starting with Johnny Mac Softball / Club 57mx.com by a final score of 7-0. Next to exit this tournament at a the hands of C.A. Bruckner was Howard Sportswear who were dismissed after dropping a 6-5 decision to C.A. Bruckner.
The Hot Shots were next to be sent to the parking lost after they dropped a one run game to C.A. Bruckner 5-4. Now only St George's / Powell HVAC stood between C.A. Bruckner and a rematch with the team that had put them into the loser's bracket Neighbors Bar & Grill. C.A. Bruckner wanted that rematch and found a way to win yet another one run game sending St George's / Powell HVAC home with third place after beating them 10-9.
A tired but game C.A. Buckner strapped it onto play another game with the idea of gaining some revenge over the team that had put them into the loser's bracket but they just could not get over the hump in this game dropping an 9-5 decision to Neighbors bar & Grill to finish this tournament in second place.