SSC Bulldogs Advance to Midwest District Tournament

The South Suburban College baseball team won the Regional Tournament on Tuesday in a 4-1 victory over Kishwaukee College. 

Winning pitcher Brandon Duplessis (RHP, sophomore out of Lockport High School, 2 Regional wins, 6-4 overall) was named Region-4 Tournament MVP and Bulldogs Head Coach Steve Ruzich earned his eighth Regional Coach of the Year award. 

The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a 5-2 win over Kishwaukee on Friday, followed by a 4-2 victory over host Triton College and 4-1 loss to Kishwaukee on Monday, before Tuesday's Championship victory.  This is the eighth Regional Title for the Bulldogs (1991, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011) who now look to advance to their third National Tournament appearance.

With the Regional Championship victory, the Bulldogs improved their season record to 35-25 and will now travel to the NJCAA Midwest District Tournament at John Logan College in Carterville, Ill., to take on the Region-11 winner Iowa Western (defending 2010 National Champs) and Region-24 winner John Logan. 

The schedule for Saturday, May 21, has SSC vs. Iowa Western at 10 a.m., with the loser vs. John Logan at 1 p.m., and the winner playing John Logan at 4 p.m.  The double elimination District Tournament concludes on Sunday.  The winner advances to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

"This team has worked extremely hard all season to accomplish the first goal of winning the Regional Title," said Ruzich.  "It has been a total team effort since the beginning of the season and I could not be more proud of the way this team has performed when their backs are against the wall."

Ruzich recorded his 900th career victory with the Bulldogs this season while also finishing above .500 for the 23rd time in the past 25 years coaching at SSC.