2006 Last Chance NIT

Resmondo – KME Softball wins the Last Chance USSSA Conference NIT in Michigan. Resmondo proves to be the best team in the new conference NIT play for 2006. The “sod boys” pretty much dominated throughout the season. Resmondo had to win this one the hard way by double-dipping Northwest Pipe. This bunch was led by MVP Howie Krause, and once again was a total team effort. The regular season is now over and it’s on to the Conference Championship Labor Day weekend and then to the USSSA Worlds. I have written during the year that I thought Resmondo would be the best team on the big fields and Bell would be the best on the small fields. I was a little wrong on this as the sod boys proved to be the best on the small fields, that’s for sure. I still believe it will be a battle in the Conference and the USSSA to see who comes out the #1 team for 2006, we will see. Congratulations goes out to Travis and his whole squad on being the #1 team in the first year of the conference season.

Second place went to a very competitive A team Northwest Pipe/Bud Light/3N2/Easton. This team deserves a lot of credit for the job they did this season. This bunch has played extremely well in most of the tournaments they played in not only this year, but in the past. Larry and the gang beat both Bell and Resmondo this past weekend to finish in the runner-up spot before falling to Resmondo in the final two games. Congratulations on a great season and good luck in your Class A Worlds and also the Conference and USSSSA Worlds.

Third place went to Bell Corp/Taylor/Belcher/Easton who has fallen on hard times the last three weekends they played. Make no mistake this is one very talented team, but they will have to pick it up if they expect to win in the last two, we will see. Good luck in the last two.

Fourth place went to Team Combat. This bunch has started to get it going, and look out for these guys in the next two. I believe that this team will hurt some very good teams in the Conference Championship and in the USSSA Worlds. Good job in this one, and good luck the rest of the way.

Congratulations to Tony D. and his Michigan USSSA staff on another great Last Chance Tournament.

I’m sorry about not getting the Softball Report in from last week’s NSA Class A Worlds. I just was too busy with other things, I apologize. Here’s a little something from that tourney. Jean Shoppe/Worth won this Class A NSA Worlds in a cloud of smoke. I did get some details on what happened with the forfeit to Shoppe, but really don’t have all the facts. I can tell you that this is what I heard is that they used Huff and according to the NSA he was not eligible to play and therefore they forfeited the first game. I was also told that the NSA staff made a decision to allow Shoppe to continue in the tournament, and the rest is history as they went on to win this tourney. Like I said I don’t know the whole circumstances, but I do know that Huff had been with Shoppe for about three weeks. That’s all I know about it. I believe that Jim and his staff made the right decision in letting Shoppe continue to play. The Shoppe team would be ranked in the Top 5 in my pole if they didn’t go to some lower class tournaments and get beat. Believe me this is a very good A softball team who can compete against any of the best teams in the country on any given weekend. I’ve seen enough on my board of the bashing of this team for the last 2 or 3 years, yet this team goes out and wins a lot of games against a lot of very good teams. I will tell you this, that if anymore is said derogatory about this team I will ban you immediately and you will not come back on this board, I promise you! Enough is enough. Congratulations Shoppe on winning this NSA A World and good luck the rest of the way.

Second place went to Aubrey’s/Worth who has had a little up and down season, but sure gave it their all in this one. I still believe this team has enough talent to win an A World, we will see. Congratulations Rocky and the gang on a good job in this one and good luck the rest of the way. Congratulations to all the other teams who participated in this NSA Worlds and good luck to you guys the rest of the way.