The Lincoln-Way Prospects Travel baseball program is picking up in 2011 where they left off in 2010. The young 9U team was fresh off a USSSA World Series qualifying tournament championship in Rockford, IL to begin April, as they entered the USSSA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) hosted in Joliet, IL for 2011. The Prospects won the championship on Sunday, April 10th with a 5-2 victory over the talented St. Joe’s Red.
The Prospects dropped two games during pool play, and then were reseeded for elimination rounds. “We moved our players around a lot during our pool play games knowing we would be reseeded, especially with the fantastic competition in this tournament,” stated veteran Head Coach Steve Korbel. The team faced two top-rated teams in Illinois at the 9U level in the Homer Heat and St. Joe’s Red. “These are quality teams, some of the best competition we will face,” offered coach Armie Gasbarro. The Prospects went on to defeat St. Joe’s Blue 15-11 in the quarter finals, earning a rematch with the Homer Heat. The Prospects fueled by an earlier loss jumped out to a 21-3 lead on the Homer Heat, closing the game down in five innings 21-10 to advance to the championship game versus St. Joe’s Red. The Prospects best defensive effort of the early 2011 campaign secured the 5-2 win and more importantly, delivered the lesson “… that baseball is truly a game of redemption,” stated Korbel.
The youngest Prospects squad is off to a 7-2 season start, and has already qualified for the USSSA World Series, and the 2012 Michigan Major Elite showcase, an invitation only tournament. The team has a commanding lead as the #1 USSSA point earner in Illinois with 475 points, which is expected to give them a top 100 national point rank when published in late April. The 9U Prospects, along with their counterparts at 10U and 11U are the only District #210 teams at their age currently ranked in the USSSA State of IL top ten. 9U (2nd in State), 10U (3rd in State) and 11U (2nd in State but 24th in the nation representing the Midwest with Cincinnati).
The team plays out of New Lenox, IL and is known for baseball training, community service, academic standards and contributes to bringing national attention to our wonderful local market of youth baseball.
For more information on this youth baseball organization, visit www.lwprospects.com
PHOTO INFORMATION:
Back Row: Coach Tom DeVries, Coach Armie Gasbarro, Head Coach Steve Korbel, Coach Kevin Aikens, Mentor Jeff Darche
Middle Row Standing: Jacob Randolph, Bryan Avalos, Liam Higgins, Timmy Darche, Kenny Middleton, Sean Malpeli
Front Row: Jackson Ferree, Ethan Hedden, T.J. DeVries, Justin Aikens, Alex Gasbarro, Tanner Smid
Not pictured: Nathan Durling
