The hottest travel baseball organization in the Lincoln-Way area continues to execute on the field of play, and represent the communities it serves through tournament play, as the Lincoln-Way Prospects 9U and 10U travel baseball teams took home a double championship from the U.S.S.S.A. World Series qualifier played at Lenz Field in Jacksonville, IL.
Amazingly, this is the third time in 2010 that the 9U and 10U program claimed championships on the same weekend, as the teams try to travel together if a tournament offers multiple age groups. “Youth baseball is a lifestyle as a volunteer coach, and I have a staff of great coaches and volunteers at all age groups to help make my job as Head Coach easier, especially during tournament pool and bracket play,” insisted Coach Korbel. The Prospects carry a coaching staff of four additional coaches, with specific responsibilities, at each age group as well as a host of former professional players, now instructors, made available to players in the off-season along with a mentor program new for 2010.
The 9U Prospects defeated the Plainfield Tornados 7-6 in an incredible 8 inning game, that featured two extra innings of play. The 9U Prospects went undefeated at Lenz Field, claiming their fourth championship of the 2010 season.
The 10U Prospects also played undefeated in the tournament, and were victorious over the Illinois Raiders team 7-5, claiming their impressive sixth tournament win of 2010, and the organization’s tenth title of the year — and with that, many teams are glad the Prospects only have a 9U and 10U team to contend with in 2010.
The teams made the journey to take advantage of a major league artificial turf complex at Lenz Field, in Jacksonville, IL that draws hundreds of teams annually. “It helps us gain camaraderie as families and as players to travel in April, plus the turf eliminates the concern for rain outs early in the season,” added the Coach.
The program is off to a record start through early June, with the 9U team currently 38-5-1, which includes a 3-2 record against older teams in an age play-up tournament in Bolingbrook. The 10U team is on a stronger pace than last years record setting 61-10 season, which includes World Series play as the runner-up with C.A.B.A. The team is currently at 39-6 on the season, and has also clinched one of four elusive State bids from I-80 for the State of IL travel baseball championships. The team was 6-0 for indoor dome tournament play in pre-season.
Earlier double championships for the Prospects includes a sweep at GameDay USA’s Pre-Season Championship played in West Chicago, IL and a sweep at the USSSA Mississippi Valley NIT played in Davenport, IA. Each team has held a top 100 national power rank on and off throughout 2010 and has qualified for three major World Series, but will compete in the tougher CABA matchup in 2010.
PHOTO INFORMATION:
Left Team Photo (9U)
Photo by: Jim Hatfield
Back: Coach Tim Weygandt, Coach Marty O’Brien. Head Coach Steve Korbel, Coach Ed Getz, Coach Paul Schackle
Middle: Dominic Borrelli, Marty O’Brien, Tyler Cech, Daniel Barrios, Jimmy Hatfield, Alex Helmin, Evan Weygandt, Martin Bender
Front: Jackson Ferree, Ryan Getz, Justin Schackle, Anthony Durling, Dylan Van Kampen
Right Photo (10U)
Photo by: Lynn Dawson
Coach Mike Roat, Coach Jerry Lullo, Coach Ron Blount, Coach Ron Dawson, not pictured is Head Coach Steve Korbel
Middle: Trey Korbel, Evan Tenuta, Jacob Blount, Kyle Knodel
Front: Michael Roat, Jayden Robertson, Ryan Kaup, Anthony Lullo, Brett Dawson, Andrew Dawson
Stories by: Staff Reporters
