Yep! Softball Wins USSSA Class D In Joliet

Eleven Teams Particiapate At Inwood Sports Complex On May 7th & 8th

JOLIET: Yep! Softball from Lombard won the USSSA Men's Class D National Qualifying Tournament held at the Inwood Sports Complex in Joliet on May 7th & 8th with a 7-1 record. The champions dropped their opening game to the Chicago Pipe Fitters 8-3 before they came roaring back to win seven straight games including a double dipping of the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's (3-2) in the finals of this eleven team event. Masonry Structures (2-2) from De Kalb finished in third place with Caps/Fury (2-2) from Lombard taking home fourth place.
Yep'! Softball won lost first game to the Chicago Pipe Fitters #597 8-3. But, Yep'! Softball has been in this situation before many times, knowing that with another loss they were going to be sent home. Yep'! Softball next opponent would be against The Squad. This was a battle from beginning to end; in a low scoring game, shortstop Brad Zych and second baseman Matt Flood led their by turning some amazing double plays. In the seventh inning Yep'! Softball and the Squad were tied at 4-4. With two outs Steve Rozak (RF) delivered a solid line drive to RF and ended up with a stand up double. The next hitter was Rick Arnold (3B) and he came through with the big hit to give Yep'! Softball the lead before their defense took over and shut the Squad down in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve a 5-4 win.
Next up for Yep'! Softball would be Sharp Softball from Romeoville. Yep'! Softball jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they posted a 112-1 win over Sharp Softball onto the bracket board to advance.
On Sunday morning, Yep'! Softball first game would be a rematch against the Pipe Fitter's #597. Jim Pedigo (P) came through for Yep'! Softball by limiting the Pipefitters to only one run the entire game as Chris "Iggy" (1B) and Ken Ryan (OF) delivered huge hits to propel their ball club to a 10-1 win.
Next game Yep'! Softball would face Caps/Fury in a seesaw battle from start to finish. The lead was exchanged four times during this game that came down to the seventh inning with Yep'! Softball tied with Caps/Fury 12-12. Yep'! Softball's Rob Atko singled to center in front of Matt Flood who also singled before his brother Billy Flood ended the game with a base hit to right giving Yep'! Softball a 13-12 victory over Caps/Fury.
Yep'! Softball third game on Sunday was against Masonry Structures with the winner earning a shot to play for the title. Dave Pelczarski (C) came through big, going 3-4 with 2 RBI's as teammate Rick Arnold (3B) started two double plays he a fielded hit his way perfectly. Mike Morrow (LF) made an unbelievable catch against the fence ending an inning also contributed to Yep'! Softball 13-7 win over Masonry Structures.
Yep'! Softball now faces the undefeated Yellow Jackets/Katnip's. Both teams made this a defensive battle from start to finish. Yep'! Softball broke on top early with a 2-0 lead before the Yellow Jackets roared back to tie the game at two runs each. Yep'! Softball continued to add one run hear and one run there building a 6-2 lead entering the seventh inning. In the top of the seventh inning the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's struck for three quick runs with only one out to narrow the gap to 6-5. It was here that Yep'! Softball made the defensive play that they needed as Arnold snag a rocket firing to M. Flood to turn a huge double play that ended the game.
In the final game of the tournament Yep'! Softball was trailing the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's 8-3 in the third inning when the struck for five huge runs to tie the game at eight runs each. In the fourth inning Jeff Kunz who came through a hit giving Yep'! Softball a 10-8 lead. In the bottom of the fifth inning Yep'! Softball batted around plating six more runs to open a 16-8 lead over the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's.
The Yellow Jackets/Katnip's rallied to score nine runs to retake the lead 17-16 entering the bottom of the sixth inning. B. Flood started thing off with his fourth hit of the game as his teammates added six more consecutive hits as the retook the lead 22-17 entering the last inning of play.
Yep'! Softball made the defensive plays that they needed to make in the seventh inning to close the Josh Reeder down and preserve the 22-17 victory that included the tournament title.
Yellow Jackets/Katnip's made it to the championship game by opening play with a two run win, 14-12 over the Squad from Joliet in their first game of this tournament.
In their second game Yellow Jackets/Katnip's seemed to find their comfort zone as they defeated Caps/Fury 9-1 to move into Sunday's game between the last two unbeaten team left in this tournament.
On Sunday Yellow Jackets/Katnip's started their day off on the right note as they defeated Masonry Structures 12-3 to assure them a place in the tournament championship game against whichever team would emerge from the loser's bracket to challenge the.
That team turned out to be Yep! Softball who than proceeded to double dip Yellow Jackets/Katnip's 6-5 and 22-17 to send the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's back to Ottawa with second place.
Josh Reeder coach of the Yellow Jackets/Katnip's said, "We started the tournament really strong but could have done better on the finish but we have shown that we are a D Team. Hopefully, we will continue to get better land stronger, like talented teams should".