Softball Guy's D/E NIT Predictions for 5/7/11

Winner's Bracket:

1st Round:

Specialty Modifications vs. Sand Baggers: This is one of those games that could go either way, both teams struggled last week and I don't expect much better from them this week either.

Winner: Specialty Modifications

Blazers vs. Perkins/Trillium/Butches: Both teams have been around and have experience, Perkins last year when hot were a tough team to beat, while Blazers just never got it rolling last year.

Winner: Perkins/Trillium/Butches

Michigan Misfits vs. S.O.S. Softball: This game is a mirror of the Specialty Modifications vs. Sand Baggers game, don't know much about either, but I expect both teams will struggle in this tournament.

Winner: S.O.S. Softball

Mushsportz.com vs. Motor City Venom: I don't think people give enough credit to Mushsportz, they were a very competitive team towards the end of last year and did well last weekend. Everyone is calling Venom's roster new and improved, but I just don't see it yet.

Winner: Mushsportz.com

2nd Round:

DO/Mushtube.com vs. D-Nation: We got to see this match up last weekend and I expect this game to be much closer this time around, but with the same results. I just don't know if DO is quite there yet, but they will get it right.

Winner: D-Nation

Apex Softball vs. Specialty Modifications: Apex struggled record wise last weekend, but they did battle all weekend. I believe this match up really favors Apex in this game.

Winner: Apex Softball

Mush Reloaded/Sinister vs. Perkins/Trillium/Butches: Perkins are one of the few teams that I believe can play with Mush Reloaded at the D level, they will struggle in this one though with it being there first tournament of the year.

Winner: Mush Reloaded/Sinister

Detroit Drama vs. Khaos/S&S Apparel: Khaos is hot and cold so far in the early part of the season, Drama had a very nice showing last weekend and I believe they can hang with anyone in this tournament.

Winner: Khaos/S&S Apparel ***UPSET SPECIAL***

Dooley's/Pole Position/LV Financial vs. Kings: Any other week I would think this could be a real good game, but with Dooley's coming off an 0-2 week, I think they will make a statement in this game versus the Kings.

Winner: Dooley's/Pole Position/LV Financial 

Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario vs. S.O.S. Softball: We will see if Trust comes out flat after their tournament championship last week, if they do, good thing they are playing a team like S.O.S. Softball.

Mushsportz.com vs. Repo Monkey: We got a chance to see this match up last weekend and Repo won that one in pretty convincing fashion and they should be able to do the same in this one as well.

Winner: Repo Monkey

Bright Horizon vs. Represent/Big Gamers/Defenders: I think this could be the best E match up of this round. Bright Horizon is not the Bright Horizon of old they have some real good talent on this team and Big Gamers I believe haven't full gelled as a unit yet.

Winner: Represent/Big Gamers/Defenders

3rd Round:

Apex Softball vs. D-Nation: These two teams are very similar to each other, both have veteran guys and both can be streaky offensively. D-Nation will be coming into this game with a lot of confidence, but I believe Apex makes a play or two defensively that makes the difference.

Winner: Apex Softball

Khaos/S&S Apparel vs. Mush Reloaded/Sinister: Khaos M.O on the year is to have a let down after a pretty big win and I don't see this changing in this game versus Mush Reloaded.

Winner: Mush Reloaded/Sinister

Dooley's/Pole Position/LV Financial vs. Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario: A game that many have been waiting to see, between the two teams you might have the most slashes combine in a team name. Dooley's will have to play great defense to sneak out this win, Trust has too much offense right now to lose to a struggling Dooley's team offensively.

Winner: Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario

Repo Monkey vs. Represent/Big Gamers/Defenders: Just like the Dooley's/Trust game I believe that Big Gamers are going to have to play near flawless defense to win this game. Repo's offense has been more consistent and potent than Big Gamers to this part of the season.

Winner: Repo Monkey

Semi-Finals:

Mush Reloaded/Sinister vs. Apex Softball: If Mush Reloaded starts off slow against Apex, Apex will take advantage of that and could pull off a huge upset in this one, but I don't see Mush starting off slow in any of there games this year, they are looking for their first tournament championship of the year and they know this should be 1 of many on the year.

Winner: Mush Reloaded/Sinister

  Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario vs. Repo Monkey: Should be another classic game between the two teams, I didn't get to see the championship game on Sunday, but the game on Saturday Night was one of the better "E" softball games I have watched in a while.

Winner: Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario

Finals:

Mush Reloaded/Sinister vs. Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario: I could see this game going one of two ways. One being that Mush wins in convincing fashion or two Trust jumps off to an early lead and it becomes a slug fest. Either way I don't see Trust winning this one.

Winner: Mush Reloaded/Sinister

Loser's Bracket:

1st Round:

Michigan Misfits vs. Kings: The Kings will bounce back nicely in this game and beat the Misfits.

Winner: Kings

Motor City Venom vs. Bright Horizon: Both teams have improved rosters, but Bright Horizons has already showed dividends in their new and improved roster.

Winner: Bright Horizon

Sand Baggers vs. DO/Mushtube.com: DO will bounce back nicely in this game with a convincing win.

Winner: DO/Mushtube.com

Blazers vs. Detroit Drama: This could be a good and close game, but I believe Drama will find a way to win this game.

Winner: Detroit Drama

2nd Round:

Specialty Modifications vs. Kings: I never like a D vs. E match up and rarely pick the E team to win and that will ring true in this game here. Specialty Modification does have a nice core of veteran D players on their roster.

Winner: Specialty Modifications

Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches vs. Bright Horizon: Even with an improved roster, I still think Bright Horizon will struggle against D teams, especially veteran D teams like Perkins.

Winner: Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches

 S.O.S. Softball vs. DO/Mushtube.com: Another favorable match up for DO to get their head right and get some confidence going.

Winner: DO/Mushtube.com

Mushsportz.com vs. Detroit Drama:  An overachieving Mushsportz team I believe will struggle against Drama.

Winner: Detroit Drama

3rd Round:

Represent/Big Gamers/Defenders vs. Specialty Modifications: I think the Big Gamers will keep in close but Specialty Modification will pull away at the end.

Winner: Specialty Modifications

Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches vs. Dooley's/Pole Position/LV Financial: This could be one of those E/D match up where I would pick the E team to win, but Dooley's offense hasn't been to consistent yet on the year, so I will go with Perkins.

Winner: Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches

Khaos/S&S Apparel vs. DO/Mushtube.com: This game could go either way, but I believe DO will be rolling at this point and that will be enough to get them by Khaos.

Winner: DO/Mushtube.com

Detroit Drama vs. D-Nation: Teams are pretty even offensively, but I give defense and pitching to Drama.

Winner: Detroit Drama

4th Round:

Specialty Modifications vs. Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches: Another close game that I believe Perkins will pull out at the end.

Winner: Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches

DO/Mushtube.com vs. Detroit Drama: They had some great match ups last year while they were in E, Drama got the best of them twice I believe. I believe this Drama team is stronger while this DO team is weaker compared to last year's teams.

Winner: Detroit Drama

5th Round:

Apex Softball vs. Perkins Insurance/Trillium/Butches: Two evenly matched teams, the biggest difference at this point of the tournament is that Perkins probably will be gassed from playing so many games in their first tournament of the year.

Winner: Apex Softball

Detroit Drama vs. Repo Monkey: This game could be very high scoring and I don't know if Repo has learned how to win those tight games at the end yet, with Drama being a veteran bunch they could take advantage of that a sneak out a win.

Winner: Detroit Drama

Semi-Finals:

Detroit Drama vs. Apex Softball: Apex gets another aging team that has played a lot of games in a row and could be a little spent at this point, Apex squeaks this game out in a low scoring game.

Winner: Apex Softball

Apex Softball vs. Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario: Trust will need to hit to win this game, Apex won't give them any free outs, Apex will have to jump to an early lead if they want to win this game.

Winner: Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Trust Sports/Wicked Sports/Mario vs. Mush Reloaded/Sinister: I do believe this game will be closer than the one that happened earlier in the tournament, but it will have the same result with Mush Reloaded winning it.

Winner: Mush Reloaded/Sinister

The Softball Guy