Squeeze Softball Wins USSSA Class D In Joliet

Ten Teams Participate At Inwood Sports Complex On May 13th

Squeeze Softball Champions of USSSA Class D Great Lakes National Qualifier in Joliet

JOLIET: Squeeze Softball from Arlington Heights came back in the 'if necessary game to upend Joliet's Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends (7-2) 15-8 to win the USSSA Men's Class D Great Lakes national Tournament Qualifier played at the Inwood Sports Complex in Joliet on May 13th. Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends came out of the loser's bracket to upend undefeated Squeeze Softball 14-4 to force the need to have the 'if necessary game' played between these two ball club in order to determine which of them would win the championship of this tournament. Hell Yeah (2-2) from Schaumburg took home third place with the Cruisers (2-2) from Portage, IN finished in fourth place at this eleven team event.
Squeeze Softball opened play with a first round bye before meeting N.W.A. Softball Club from Loves Park in the second round of play and posting their first win up onto the bracket board by a final score of 9-6. N.W.A. Softball Club had defeated One Timer's / 30 Buck from Joliet 12-3 in the first round of play to advance into this second round game with Squeeze Softball. Squeeze Softball upped their record to 2-0 when they defeated Cruisers 7-5 in a semifinal game of the winner's bracket. The Cruisers had received a first round bye before getting a second round forfeit win over the Misfits who no showed to this tournament. Squeeze Softball now faced unbeaten Hell Yeah in the winner's bracket finals. Squeeze Softball did what was needed to do as they posted another win onto the bracket board as they defeated Hell Yeah 12-7 to become the only unbeaten team left in this tournament. Now Squeeze Softball needed to sit and wait as the loser's bracket was played out to its conclusion before knowing which of the remaining team would be their challenger in the title game. When the dust from the loser's bracket settled back down on the infield Squeeze Softball was facing a challenge from the Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends in the championship game.
The Joliet based challenger came right out after unbeaten Squeeze Softball and jump allover them as they posted their sixth straight win in a row onto the bracket board 14-4 to force the need to have that extra game played in order to determine who the champion of this tournament would be. In that deciding extra game it was Squeeze Softball in control as the rebound from that loss in the first championship game to stop the Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends 15-8 to claim the title and earn their berth to play at the 2006 USSSA Men's Class D Great Lakes national Tournament to be held over Labor Day Weekend at Milford, Ohio.
The Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends received a first round bye before taking on and losing to Sideouts Bar & Eat from McHenry 8-7 to drop them into the loser's bracket from the get-go of this tournament. Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends started their long way back with a game against Ice House Dogs from Chicago and the Joliet ball club posted a big 15-3 win onto the bracket board to start things rolling in the right direction for them. Next up was a date with the Purple Helmets who 'no showed at this tournament giving the Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends a forfeit 7-0 win to advance. Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends than was matched with Ballz Deep from Crete and they pounded out a 14-4 win to continue their advancement in the loser's bracket of this tournament. It was at this point that the Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends were given that chance of gaining some revenge over the team that had put them into the loser's bracket in their opening game of this tournament the Sideouts Bar & Eat. Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends took advantage of this opportunity to send Sideouts Bar & Eat to the parking lot to pack their cars for the trip back home after beating them 13-9. Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends were really starting to feel it as a team which equated to bad news fro the Cruisers as they Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends rolled over the Indian ball club 17-2 to continue their march towards the championship game. Now only Hell Yeah stood between the Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends and the title game as the Joliet squad went to work and eliminated Hell Yeah by a final score of 10-8. The Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends were on a roll and they used that momentum to pound out an impressive 14-4 win over Squeeze Softball to set up that one game for all the marbles in this tournament. That extra game went to Squeeze over Roaddawgs / Heroes & Legends as the Joliet base ball club was forced to accept second place after dropping a 15-8 decision to the champions Squeeze Softball from Arlington Height.