Worth/Northern Diamonds 2nd At Cincinnati, OH Women's NIT

Illinois Ladies Earn USSSA Women's Class C World Tournament Berth

CINCINNATI, OH: The Worth/Northern Diamonds from Carpentersville traveled to Cincinnati, OH to play in the USSSA Women's Class C, Bud Light-Worth Commie Current Memorial held at the Riverstar Park Softball Complex on April 9th & 10th. The ladies from Carpentersville came home with what they traveled to Cincinnati to get their 2005 USSSA Women's Class C World Tournament berth.
The Worth Northern Diamonds were able to knock off the rust that winter brings but the price was high, as several injuries were sustained. The ladies brought home their World Tournament berth by going 2-0 in Saturday's pool play before finishing 1-1 (second place) in Sunday's single elimination tournament.
On Saturday the Worth/Northern Diamonds opened play against Leslie Isaiah Gaines from Cincinnati. The Illinois ladies came out patient at the plate, and used a five man infield, to win the first game of pool play 19-8. Deanna Maday, Christina Chase, and Vickie Schultz each had 3 RBI's in this first win.
Saturday's second pool play game matched the Worth/Northern Diamonds with an old foe Hill Griffith also from Cincinnati. The Hill Griffith ball club had beaten the Northern Diamonds at the USSSA C Nationals, and again last year in Cincinnati to win this NIT. This year, the Diamonds exacted a little revenge, winning 11-7 as Maday, Chase, Schultz, and Rose Sullivan each chipped in with 3 hits to pace the offensive attack during this victory.
Saturday's 2-0 pool play record earned the Worth/Northern Diamonds a first round bye in Sunday's single elimination tournament. After the first round was played the Worth Northern Diamonds were faced with a rematch against their old fried from Cincinnati Hill Griffith. The ladies from Carpentersville proved that Saturday's win was not a fluke as they defeated Hill Griffith a second straight time in this tournament by the final score of 23-13. This win assured the Worth/Northern Diamonds of that 2005 USSSA Women's Class C World Tournament berth that they came to Ohio to play for. Leading the way with their bats for the Worth/Northern Diamonds were Chase and Schultz with four hits apiece, while Scotti McElyea and Sullivan each had 5 RBI's each during this win.
In the tournament championship game the Worth/Northern Diamonds broke on top by a lead of 9-5 in fourth inning before the roof caved in on them. The Shooter from Dayton, Oh just kept on scoring runs as they defeated the Illinois squad 18-11 to force the Worth/Northern Diamonds to accepted second place from this tournament. The leading hitters for the Illinois ball club in this game were Molly Gillespie, Maday, Chase, and Rachel Prushinski who all had three hits each and McElyea who chipped in four hits and three RBI's.
For the tournament the Worth/Northern Diamonds were led at the plate by the hitting of Christina Chase .722, 9 runs with 7 RBI, Deana Maday .705, 9 runs, with 7 RBI, Vickie Schultz .666 7 runs with 6 RBI, Rachel Prushinski .642 with 8 RBI, and Scotti McElyea .562 6 run with 10 RBI.
Coach Rod Neubauer said, "This weekend was all team, several ladies gutted it out and played through injuries. LJ Anderson injured her arm during warm-ups of the 1st game. It swelled up and she played the whole day, turned out she fractured it. Prushinski re-injured her knee, which she had reconstructive ACL surgery on last Thanksgiving, and played the whole day. Several other players were dinged up pretty bad. The five teammates that couldn't make the trip were sorely missed. I can honestly say I have never been more proud of the team since I started coaching ten years ago. The team we have assembled over the past three years are nothing but gamers. This weekend proved why we are one of the best teams in the Midwest."