Final 2004 League Standings
1. Michigan Chargers
2. Livingston Storm
2. Novi Heat
4. South Farmington Blues
5. Oakland Bandits
6. Livonia Lookouts
7. NFWB Cobras
8. Michigan Hitmen
9. Northville Broncos
10. Royal Oak Diamond Dawgs

Interesting League Stuff:
In 2004 MATBL teams won 14 tournaments. Finished 2nd 4 times and 3rd 7 times.
The Chargers led the league in scoring with 183 runs scored (average of 10.2 rpg)
The Blues allowed the fewest runs, giving up 86 runs (average of 4.8 rpg)
There were 90 league games played. 39 of these were decided by 3 runs or less. 18 games were affected by the mercy rule.


FINAL 2004 USSSA Michigan Rankings
+++Michigan USSSA Point Rankings

1. Midland Baseball (800)
2. SCS Devil Rays (755)
3. Michigan Chargers* (645)
4. Niles Vikings (595)
5. Oakland County Bandits* (580)
6. Commerce Lightning (525)
7. Novi Heat* (510)
8. Livingston Storm* (445)
9. American Eagles* (400)
10. Saline Yellowjackets (355)


+++Michigan USSSA Power Rating

1. Michigan Chargers* (1363)
2. Novi Heat* (1350)
3. Midland Baseball (1298)
4. Niles Vikings (1210)
5. American Eagles* (1140)
6. Oakland County Bandits* (1105)
7. Macomb Baseball Club (1097)
8. SCS Devil Rays (1086)
9. Livingston Storm* (1076)
10. South Farmington Blues* (1067)


+++Michigan USSSA Coach's Poll

1. Niles Vikings
2. Michigan Chargers*
3. SCS Devil Rays
4. Novi Heat*
5. Saline Yellowjackets
6. Midland Baseball
6. Livingston Storm*
8. Macomb Baseball Club
9. S Farmington Blues*
10. Birmingham Sun Devils

* Midwest Alliance Travel Baseball League
Team

The Michigan Chargers won the CCYB (California Competitive Youth Baseball) World Series, beating Boys of Baseball (Al.) 8-3 in the finals. The Chargers had an 8-0 record for the week.

***The Michigan Hitmen of the 13U MATBL won the prestigious Mayor's Invitational 14U Tournament- Silver Division held in Battle Creek, MI from July 8-11,2004, ending the tournament with an overall 5-1-1 record and defeating the Michigan Dirt Dawgs in the finals by a score of 2-0.
***The Livonia Lookouts won the Livonia Invitational hosted by the Michigan Wolves this weekend. The Lookouts beat the Royal Oak Diamond Dawgs in the championship game 8-7. Both teams were 3-1 after pool play. The Lookouts pulled off a close win with two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning.

USSSA State Tournament The MATBL was well represented in the USSSA State Championship. Four MATBL teams made the quarter-finals. No other league in the state had more than 2 representative in the quarter-finals. The Oakland Bandits finished 3rd in the tournament after losing in the semi-finals 16-15 in 9 innings to the SCS D-Rays. The Niles Vikings ended up winning the championship. All 10 MATBL teams participated in the tournament. Our teams were spread over 5 of the 8 divisions. MATBL teams won 4 of the divisions in pool play. The overall record of MATBL teams in pool play was 19-11 (13-5 when not playing against each other). Other teams placing in the top 15 were: #5 Novi Heat, #6 Michigan Chargers, #8 Michigan Hitmen, #14 Royal Oak Diamond Dawgs and #15 South Farmington Blues.

***Firecracker Classic: The Michigan Chargers went undefeated and won the Firecracker Classic. They defeated Macomb Baseball 8-0 in the finals. The Oakland Bandits (the only other MATBL team entered) finished 4th in the 18 team field
***BPA State Championships: The NFWB Cobras 13U went undefeated in winning the Baseball Players Association (BPA) State Championship this past weekend in Lake Orion defeating the Saginaw Bulldogs in the finals. The Cobras combined great defense with solid pitching and timely hitting to win the double elimination tournament which played over the three day Fourth of July Weekend.

The Livingston Storm (26-12) defeated the Midland Baseball Club by a score of 4 to 3 to win the championship of the USSSA Kalamazoo Invitational Tournament, their second tournament championship of the year.  The Storm won 4 out of 5 games in the tournament as they defeated 3 top 10 teams in the USSSA points race, #4 Niles Vikings, #6 Midland, and #9 Kalamazoo Cyclones.

The NFWB Cobras won the 13U Flushing Travel Tournament this past weekend going 6 and 0.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS 6/12-13
***The Michigan Chargers finished 3rd (out of 16 teams) in the All-South Classic Battle of the Big Boys. The Chargers had a 4-0 record in pool play and they were the only team to defeat the eventual champion Knoxville Stars. They lost in the semi-finals in extra innings. The Chargers ended the tournament with a 5-1 record. Their overall record is now 25-3.

***The Livingston Storm finished 2nd at the Cereal City Classic NIT, out of 26 teams.  They lost 4 to 1 in the finals to the Lincoln Way East Blue Demons (IL). 
The Oakland County Bandits finished 3rd overall. 

***The Novi Heat won the South Farmington Blues Invitational beating the Butler County (Oh.) Diamondbacks 4-0 in the finals. The South Farmington Blues finished 3rd.

***The Livonia Lookouts won the AAYBA Michigan State Championship in St Clair Shores this past weekend.  The Lookouts went 4 and 0 in the tournament winning the championship game 9-4 over the Wyoming (Cinncinati, OH) Bulldogs.

Liberty Park Super NIT
     All four MATBL teams registered in the Super NIT qualified for advanced pool play.  The NFWB Cobras were the highest finishing Michigan team tieing for third place with the Rockets National Team from New Jersey. Beaver Valley beat N.Alabama for the Champoinship.
    The Chargers, Bandits and Hitmen finshed tied for fifth.

Battle Creek NIT
The South Farmington Blues lost in the Finals to the Niles Vikings. Livingston Storm finished 3rd.

The Livingston Storm won the Wolves Spring Wooden Bat Shootout.  The Storm beat the Indiana Bandits in the championship game, 2 to 1 in 11 innings.  They were 4-0 in the tournament.
The NFWB Cobras won the Pinckney Pirate Travel Baseball Tournament. They were 5-0 in the tournament.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS 5/7-5/9
The Michigan Chargers won the Hartland Classic.
The Livonia Lookouts finished 2nd in the Northville Early Bird Tournament.  They lost to the Farmington Tornadoes 8-7 in the championship game. The Northville Broncos finished 3rd in the tournament.
The South Farmington Blues finished 3rd in the WACO May Day tournament.

It was a good weekend for MATBL teams:
     The NFWB Cobras won the Plymouth-Canton 13U/14U Early Bird Tournament this past week by defeating the 14U Howell Hawks 8 - 5 in the Championship Game. This victory qualifies the Cobras for the 13U BPA World Series in August.
     Three MATBL teams were entered in the 18 team field of the Spring Break Challenge in Battle Creek. All three teams made it to the "Final Four". The Livingson Storm and the Oakland County Bandits each made it to the semi-finals. The Michigan Chargers eventually tied the DuPage Diamondbacks for the tournament title.