14U Plainfield Lightning Go Undefeated, Win Inaugural Yorkville Foxes Father's Day Tournament

PLAINFIELD, June 20, 2011  The independent 14U fast-pitch softball travel team Plainfield Lightning,  made team history by winning its first major tournament championship by winning the inaugural Yorkville Foxes Father's Day Tournament, held June 17-19, 2011, in Yorkville, Illinois.

              The Lightning started out fast in Pool play on Friday, June 17, beating the Yorkville Foxes 13-4 and the Bolingbrook Fury 8-2. In  the Lightning's last Pool game on Saturday, June 18, they defeated the Crystal Lake Comets 7-5 to earn a third seed for bracket play.

            Bracket play began on Sunday June 19, with a quarterfinal win against the Bolingbrook Fury 13-5. In the semifinal game, the Lightning beat Eich's Twisters Columbia 10-6 to advance to the championship game. In the tournament championship game, the Lightning defeated the Crystal Lake Comets a second time, in a closely fought, tightly played game 3-2, to capture the tournament championship in six innings.

            On its way to the tournament championship, the Lightning set several team records. They won their first ever major tournament championship. Outscored opponents 57-24. Reached a winning streak of six games, and improved the overall team record to 17-7.         

            "I am very proud of the way the team played  throughout the tournament to win the championship",  said Lightning Manager Ken Pittman. "Great pitching. Timely hitting.  Stellar defensive play with nearly error-free softball across six games is a combination that's hard to beat.  Every single girl contributed in big ways to our success.   Now that the girls know what it takes to win a major tournament, we took another important step in our growth and development."           

            The 14U Lightning play next in the West Chicago Keppler Classic, June 24-26, 2011, in West Chicago, Illinois.

            Anyone interested in learning more about the Plainfield Lightning 14U Fast-pitch Softball travel team, can visit the team web site at www.leaguelineup.com/illight