High Qualify Fields Amaze at Midwest Champs' New 2024 Location

April 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Fully turfed fields got their first taste of adult slow-pitch softball when 64 senior teams from 10 states converged on Kansas City, Kansas, in mid-April to compete in the SSUSA Midwest Championship.

Players gushed about the quality of the new fields at the Homefield Baseball Complex situated just down the road from a NASCAR track, professional soccer stadium and semi-pro baseball park.

When a downpour drenched the complex on championship Thursday, an underground drainage system quickly dispersed the water. Players returned from a rain and lightning delay amazed that the fields felt only slightly damp.

Kansas City, Kansas' new complex, Homefield, opened in early Spring of 2024, allowing SSUSA players to be among the first teams to use the fields.

Most teams found the competition stiff, with 20 percent of games decided by one run. Only two champions went undefeated.

The 64 entries tied a Midwest Championship record and included teams from as far away as Florida, Texas and Illinois.

Seventeen teams headed home as champions with berths to the 2025 Tournament of Champions in Florida.

The previous two years, the Midwest Championship played about 275 miles to the east, in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Held last year in the August heat, the event moved this year into the Kansas springtime, April 16-21. That meant some nice days, some extremely windy days, and some dripping wet days. Yet because of the turf, no games were canceled.

Results:

Men’s 40+ Masters Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Jelly 40s of Missouri swept O.T.H.G. of Oklahoma 18-9 and 18-10.

Men’s 50+ AAA: Third-seeded Alliance/Scrap Iron 50s of Colorado (photo below) lost the first championship game 20-3 before edging top-seeded MAK Maulers/Elusive Sports Apparel of Missouri 20-18 in the finale. Heroes 50s of Nebraska took third in the three-team division.

Men’s 50/55+ Platinum: Top-seeded SSC/Persuaders of Kansas (photo lower left) also needed two championship games to capture the 50+ Major crown and finish 5-1. The Persuaders lost the first title game 25-19 to third-seeded Florida-Onyx before winning the finale 22-18. Second-seeded Eagles FOE 545 of Illinois finished third in the six-team bracket. After winning its three bracket games playing in an exhibition format, 50 Degrees of St. Louis (photo lower right) won the 55+ Major Plus title and TOC berth.

Men’s 55+ AAA: Top-seeded Alliance/Scrap Iron 55 of Colorado (photo below) lost the first title game but won the second 24-12 over second-seeded Maher Muehling Nebraska Elite. NOP Softball of Oklahoma finished third in the six-team division.

Men’s 55/60+ Platinum: Once again, the top-seeded team needed two championship games to capture a title. KC Vintage, (photo lower left), a 55+ Major team from Missouri, lost 18-15 to the second-seeded Texas Silverbacks in the first one before rallying in a nail-biting second game for a 23-22, eight-inning victory that saw 23 runs scored between the teams over the final two innings. K.C. Elite 55s of Missouri finished third in the five-team division. After winning its three bracket games playing in an exhibition format, Dudley Lightning/KPI of Missouri (photo lower right) nabbed the 60+ Major Plus title and TOC berth.

Men’s 60+ Major: Fifth-seeded The Tribe of Missouri (photo below) capped a 5-1 tournament with a 23-18 title game victory over the third-seeded Iowa Demons. Top-seeded Peak/Scrap Iron of Colorado finished third in the seven-team division.

Men’s 60+ AAA: KC Stampede of Missouri (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with a 15-11 victory over KC Elite of Missouri in the title game. Triple Crown of Missouri finished third in the five-team division.

Men’s 60+ AA: Fourth-seeded OKC Angels of Oklahoma (photo below) shook off a 0-3 pool play record and went undefeated in bracket play, including a 22-10 championship victory over the top-seeded Antiques of Iowa City. Club Tilt/Haus of Colorado finished third in the four-team division.

Men’s 65+ Platinum: Fourth-seeded Dudley Lightning of Missouri (photo lower left) capped a 5-1 tournament with a 31-30 thriller over the KC Kids 65s of Missouri for the 65+ Major title. Peak Softball/Scrap Iron 65s finished third in the six-team division. After winning its three bracket games playing in an exhibition format, the Texas Crush Sixty Fives (photo lower right) earned the 65+ Major Plus title and TOC berth.

Men’s 65+ AAA: The top-seeded Texas Legends (photo below) lost the first title game 17-12 before defeating Big Daddy’s Donuts of Missouri 20-10 in the second title game to finish 5-1 overall. Bucks Run Minleon of Nebraska finished third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 65/70+ Silver: In another thrilling finish, the top-seeded 70+ AAA Texas Rattlers capped a 6-0 tournament with a 26-25 title game victory over the third-seeded Midwest A’s of Missouri, which won three elimination games to reach the championship. Second-seeded Carriage Homes of Missouri finished third in the six-team bracket.

Men’s 70+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, the KC Kids 70s of Missouri (photo below) swept 50 Caliber of Missouri 15-6 and 25-16 for the title and a 4-1 overall record.

Men’s 70/75+ Silver: The top-seeded 75+ AAA Midwest Fossils of Nebraska (photo below) avenged a one-run loss earlier in the bracket to Bale Chev of Arkansas by double dipping second-seeded Bale 18-5 in an injury-shortened game and 7-0 for the title. The third-seeded USA Patriots finished third in the four-team division.

Men’s 75+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, the Chicago Strikers (photo below) needed three games to defeat the KC Kids 75 of Missouri 20-24, 29-19 and 7-0.