With the 2010 Championship Trophy on their mantle, it’s hard to argue that the Liberty Square Sliders are the best team in USHSL history.  Consider the resume’:

·         2010 Champions

·         5 straight Final 4’s

·         Tournament Record – 9.80 run differential

·         All-Time Tournament Record – 6.96 run differential

·         2^nd in all-time tournament wins (trail by one)

·         Most runs scored in a Championship game (28 - 2010) – in only 4 innings

·         Only team to win 4 of 5 tournament games by slaughter rule.

After that dominating tournament run, the Sliders are off to slow start to the 2011 campaign, already having lost as many games as they did all of last season - though both losses are to current Top 10 teams.   The Sliders are in search of another League first to add to their already impressive resume’ – back-to-back championships.  They slaughter-ruled away Texas Republic’s bid to do just that last year, and are gearing up to climb the mountain themselves. 

In this week’s GOTW, the Sliders face a familiar opponent in the Dragon Slayers, who are already playing their third GOTW this season, and are tied 1-1 all-time vs. the Sliders.   Both meetings have been very close with only two runs separating the teams on both occasions.

The Slayers are trying to avoid a 2-game skid, coming off a loss to Moderately Sober, who earlier this season also dispatched the Sliders.  And maybe the GOTW is just the prescription – the Slayers have won both GOTW matchups this year, while the Sliders have lost their last two GOTW appearances. 

A loss this week for the Sliders with a Championship game rematch against Texas Republic looming in two weeks could put them in a midseason hole as they jockey for tournament position.