June 28, 2009 -- We are tied after three innings at 0-0 in our World Series game featuring the National Division's Champ, Lake Villa Gray and our American Division Champ, the Antioch A-Kats! Winds are making the park a pitcher's / defense dream, as batters from both teams struggle at the plate to drive the ball into the wind.

The A-Kats finally break out behind some great base running in the 4th and Lake Villa Gray responds by putting runners at 1st and 2nd when the number two defense in the league shuts them down! A-Kat bats finally get swinging and it looks like they may start to pull away when Gray responds to keep them close in the 5th. We are now in the 7th and Gray is pushing a couple of runs across the plate and loads the bases, and with the go ahead run at the plate, the A-Kats respond and end Gray's run!

We congratulate the players and coaches of Lake Villa Gray and Antioch A-Kats for a great World Series game, as both teams displayed excellent sportsmanship and baseball skills!

Good luck teams and follow these Rules: (i)NO TIES, (ii) Home Team is Higher Seed {better record}, (iii) Home Team takes 3rd base dugout, (iv) Season Pitching Rules {4/16}, (v)Xtra Innings allowed if needed, (vi) Season Time Limit, (vii) WINNING TEAM REPORTS SCORE that night, (viii) Follow Nipp Season Rules and (ix) The 2009 World Series goes 7 innings!!

Thank you to all of our Players, Managers, Coaches, Parents, Community Directors, FVB, Rick Graves, and "Ash" for a great season!

The 2009 Playoff Brackets are set and we are happy to report this year was no exception to teams knocking other teams out of the 2009 Playoffs. The formula as presented at the spring Managers meeting was followed and the first criteria in the National Division is to only count the inter division games. As we stated at the spring Managers meeting, having an American Division team taking a National Division team to task will not affect the record of the National Division team. However, these games DO affect the American Division teams' record, as there were games where the National Division team prevailed.

Removing these games from the National Division obviously creates new team placement and Win/Loss record is now the first criteria. Next, and in cases where we had teams with equal records, solid DEFENSE is always rewarded via RUNS ALLOWED, then OFFENSE via RUNS FOR and finally, HEAD TO HEAD is the last consideration.

Here is a team by team recap!

#1 GC Vipers gave up fewest runs allowed in NL

#16 JB Black gave fewest runs allowed of 11 win teams

#8 LV Black gave up one less run then Wauconda Red

#9 Wauconda Red gave up one more run then LV Black

#5 LV Gray Tied LV Royal record but gave up less runs

#12 Wauconda Royal secured 12th due to one less loss then Antioch Kings

#4 LV Navy gave up 2 more runs then Antioch Wolverines

#13 Antioch Kings record had one more loss then Wauconda Royal and Wonder Lake Red

#6 LV Royal gave up more runs then LV Gray

#11 Wonder Lake Red gave up fewest runs of the 14-10 group of teams

#3 Antioch Wolverines gave up 2 fewer runs then LV Navy

#14 LV White gave up fewer runs then Grant Black

#7 LV Maroon in on W/L record

#10 Richmond Black in on W/L record

#2 GC Ratlers gave up more runs then #1 GC Vipers

#15 Grant Black gave up more runs then #14 LV White