Competitive Cloquet-based softball teams take talents to World Series

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The Cloquet-based Minnesota Silver Bullets and Minnesota Xplosion traveling summer softball teams will participate in this week’s USSSA 18-and-Under Class B World Series July 25-29.

The five-day long event hosted in Rockford, Ill., began with pool play Wednesday afternoon as this edition of the Pine Journal went to press, while championship play will conclude Sunday evening.

The Silver Bullets are coached by the Pine Journal’s Tyler Korby, while the Xplosion are headed by Cloquet native Steve Jezierski.

Korby and Jezierski both have their squads travel around the region, as each club fields talent, college prospects and a number of players from Cloquet’s high school team, which took third place at state this spring.

As the 28-team event began Wednesday with pool play, the Bullets clashed with teams from Nebraska and Illinois, and the Xplosion faced Illinois and Minnesota opponents. Each team will continue pool play Thursday against Missouri foes, while bracket play will begin that evening. All in all, a total of 97 games will be played in five days.

The Bullets and Xplosion have not faced each other this summer, but that doesn’t mean they won’t each strive for the title this week. Among the competitive nature of things, there will be opening ceremonies, a gift exchange, pin exchange, team breakfasts, pizza parties, skills competitions and even the announcement of an All World Team.

Tags: softball