TB's/Venetian III Champions At USSSA Class E In Freeport

Thirteen Teams Partake In National Qualifier At Taylor Park On 7/9 & 10

FREEPORT: TB's/Venetian III (8-1)from Rockford won eight straight games to claim the title after dropping their opening game of the thirteen team USSSA Men's Class E National Qualifier held at Taylor Park in Freeport on July 9th & 10th. The champions earned a berth to play at the Great Lakes Men's Class E National Tournament to be held in Waterloo, IA over Labor Day Weekend. Matt's Hometown Pizza (4-2) from Freeport finished in second place, Triple Play Sports (2-2) from Rockford finished in third place , Oilspots (3-2) from Freeport was fourth with Windsor Auto Sales (2-2) and Harlem Road Automotive (1-2) tying for fifth place at this tournament.
TB's/Venetian III opened play on a sourer note losing to T.R. Excavating from Rockford 17-6 to send them into the loser's bracket from the get go of this tournament.
TB's/Venetian III regrouped quickly and sent Jiffy Lube/Culver's Goats packing for home first after beating them 17-7 to advance in this tournament.
The next team sent home by TB's/Venetian III was SM & SF Club from Rockford by a final score of 9-8.
The Second String and TB's/Venetian III now squared off with TB's/Venetian III slipping past them for their second one run win in a row as they edged out the Second String 3-2 to continue their advancement in this tournament.
Harlem Road Automotive was excused from the tournament next after they were beaten by TB's/Venetian III by a final score of 20-3.
The Oilspots left with fourth place after they were eliminated by TB's/Venetian III with the score of 11-7 being posted onto the bracket board.
TB's/Venetian III and Triple Play Sports hooked up in the game that would decide which of these two teams would advance into the championship game against unbeaten Matt's Hometown Pizza. No score was reported on this game but TB's/Venetian III advanced to challenge Matt's Hometown Pizza in the finals.
TB's/Venetian III still needed to win two straight games over matt's Hometown Pizza in order to win this tournament and they went about the business at hand as they defeated the previously unbeaten team 10-8 to force the need of having to play the 'if necessary game' in order to determine which of these two remaining teams would be the tournament champion.
The extra game went in favor of TB's/Venetian III as they posted a narrow 8-7 win onto the bracket board in the deciding game of this tournament.
TB's/Venetian III did not supply Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to win this tournament.
Matt's Hometown Pizza opened play with a 13-5 win over Jiffy Lube/Culver's Goats from Woodstock in their opening game of this tournament.
In their second contest it was matt's Hometown Pizza winning over T.R. Excavating 14-10 to advance into the semifinal of the winner's bracket. T.R. Excavating had advanced into this second round contest by defeating TB's/Venetian III 9-8 in the first round of tournament play.
Matt's Hometown Pizza won their semifinal game of the winner's bracket as they defeated Neighbors/Windsor Auto Sales 16-6 to move into the tournament undefeated game. Neighbors/Windsor Auto Sales made it into this semifinal contest by receiving a first round bye before they defeated Nimloc 4-2 win in the second round of play.
In the game between the last two remaining unbeaten teams it was Matt's Hometown Pizza posting a win onto the bracket board over Triple Play Sports (no score was reported) to become the only remaining unbeaten team left in this tournament and this win also assured Matt's Hometown Pizza a spot in the tournament's championship game against whichever team that would win the loser's bracket to earn the right to oppose them in the finals.
That team turned out to be TB's/Venetian III and TB's/Venetian III pulled of the double dip defeating Matt's Hometown Pizza by the scores of 10-8 in the first game and 8-7 in the 'if necessary game' handing the Freeport based ball club back to back losses that sent them home with second place from this tournament.
Matt's Hometown Pizza did not provide Illinois Softball Report with any team information, stats, highlights or quotes on how they were able to achieve their second place finish at this tournament.