Last Chance NIT

Resmondo/Specialty Tank/Worth wins its 9th NIT of the year and wins the Conference NIT’s season again. The sod boys have put together another winning season. I had written in my first report of the season that Resmondo & Smith would be much closer because of the player movement. I know for sure that these two giants had a battle all season long every time they played against each other. Resmondo proved to be the better team in the NIT schedule. The question now is who is going to be the better team in the Conference Championship and the USSSA Worlds?

The games will be played on the two biggest fields they play on all year. The Kissimme field, winter home of the Houston Astros is 330′ 390′ 410′. Disney’s Wide World of Sports, winter home of the Atlanta Braves is 330′ 390′ 400′. I can tell you now that if a team wants to win on these two big fields, they better have people who can go get it or you won’t win period. I thought at the beginning of the season that Smith would be the better hitting team and Resmondo would be the better defensive team. The conference play showed that Resmondo was the better team both offensively and defensively all season long. The overall record between Resmondo & Smith was 7-5 in favor of Resmondo.

Resmondo won 9 out of 11 NIT’s they played this season. Dan Smith won 5 out of 10 NIT’s for 2008. Resmondo’s overall record in NIT play for 2008 was 63-8. Dan Smith’s overall record in NIT play for 2008 was 47-10. Resmondo lost to Smith five times, they lost to Columbus Pipe once, T& R Stucco once and Jean Shoppe once. Dan Smith lost to Resmondo seven times, once to Diamond Blade/Whiskers/SP, once to Holland’s/Terry’s/Easton and once to Long Haul/Phonemasters/Miken. I totally believe this was the best conference season of them all. Two B teams beat two super teams, four class A teams beat three super team., Long Haul lost to GTL.

Congratulations to Resmondo on winning the Last Chance and good luck in the two championships. Congratulations to Dan Smith/Menosse/Benfield/Team Combat on their runner up finish in Michigan and good luck in the two championships.

Long Haul/Phonemasters/Miken, who I had written in my first report that this team was caught in the middle and it sure was. I thought they would beat one of the big boys during the season, and sure enough it happened in the last NIT of the season as they beat Dan Smith. Long Hauls only losses were to Resmondo five times, Dan Smith five times and once to GTL. I know this you better be on your game in the upcoming championships or you might get upset if you don’t play well. Congratulations on your third place finish and good luck in the championships.

Rope Club has proved that they are a very good Class A team. This bunch has beat the best of the A teams in 2008 and I look for them to be a real force in the class A Worlds. This team can base hit it, has enough power and can catch it. Congratulations on a terrific tournament this past weekend and good luck in the A Worlds and the championships.

Congratulations to the USSSA staff of Michigan on running another great Last Chance NIT.