Teams As Far As Alaska & Texas Win New DeMarini Bats at the Jim Sherman/Northwest Champs

July 1, 2023

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

A record 84 teams from nine states and Canada enjoyed mid-80s temperatures as they battled for 2024 Tournament of Champions berths during the Jim Sherman Memorial/Northwest Championships in Oregon.

Six teams completed undefeated runs through pool and bracket play during the July 11-16 event played at parks in Albany and Salem, Oregon. Overall, 23 teams earned berths to the 2024 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida.

“It went pretty smooth,” said Ron Grassi, the tournament director at the five-field Wallace Marine Park Softball Complex in Salem. “We had good weather, and the grounds crew was great as usual.”

Billy Powers, of Salem's Wallace Marine Softball Complex, Receives Appreciation Award from Senior Softball USA at the 2023 Jim Sherman Memorial/Northwest Champs.

Seven teams that entered bracket play seeded first finished as champions, though it took an “if” game for some of those teams to triumph. Overall, bracket winners hailed from Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Texas and Alaska.

First place teams received one of three all-new DeMarini Bats: The 2023 Paul Sadler Signature Senior Bat, 2023 Larry Carter Signature Senior Bat, and the 2023 Denny Crine Signature Senior Bat (bats photoed below, in order). These are our sponsor's newest bats to hit the market. Special thanks to Jerry Garnett and DeMarini for their support of the 2023 Jim Sherman Memorial/Northwest Championships.

Results:

Women’s 40+ Masters Silver: The third-seeded AAA team Royal-T Real Estates/LaFlamme Group of Washington defeated top-seeded Ol’ D BYBs of Oregon 17-15 to win the six-team division. Vintage 208 of Idaho nabbed third.

Women’s 50+ Gold: Top-seeded Takin’ Chances, a AAA team from California, capped a 5-0 tournament with a 18-10 championship game victory over second-seeded Snap, Crackle, Pop of Washington. Third-seeded West Coast United of California (photo below) finished third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 40+ Masters Major Plus: In a best-of-three format featuring two Washington teams, the NorthWest Legends (photo below) needed three games to defeat Headcase 31-20, then 27-33, and won 33-28.

Men’s 40+ Masters Major: Top-seeded Simon Homes of Oregon suffered its only tournament loss in the first championship game, 31-22, before edging Smash It Sports Northwest of Washington 28-27 in the second game. Dead Ball Out of Washington placed third in the four-team division.

Men’s 40+ Masters AAA: In a finale featuring two Oregon teams, fourth-seeded GTR (photo below) defeated third-seeded Style Motors/Integrity Home Loans/Sutton Sign Solutions 18-12. The Oregon 40s took third in the six-team bracket.

Men’s 50+ Platinum: Vicious Cycle Softball of California went 5-0 overall and nabbed the 50+ Major TOC berth with a 7-0 forfeit win over Hara’s/Bay Equity/J & R Wood Products/Rawlings of Washington, which earned the 50+ Major Plus TOC berth. Hara’s won three one-run elimination games to reach the finals. Cody Staffing/A3 of Washington finished third in the six-team division.

Men’s 50+ Silver: Fifth-seeded A3/NW50s of Washington knocked off the bracket’s top two seeds, won the finale 26-15 and earned the 50+ AA TOC berth. Runner-up All-Quip/SOWC North of Oregon earned the 50+ AAA TOC berth. Hitmen of Idaho finished third in the six-team division.

Men’s 55+ Silver: Top-seeded D’Amore Law of Washington finished 6-0 overall and won all three of its bracket games by double-digits. In the title game, it dispatched the Bend Dirtbags of Oregon 21-4. Third place in the four-team division went to Stars & Stripes 55s of Oregon.

Men’s 55/60+ Platinum: Second-seeded CornerStone of Oregon went 5-0 and nabbed the 60+ Major Plus TOC berth and the overall division title with a 12-7 victory over third-seeded Damage NV, which earned the 55+ Major TOC berth. DeMarini/Torch Eyewear of Oregon took third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 60+ Major: Top-seeded Precision/Wolfpack of Washington (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with a 25-19 championship victory of the Washington Legends. The Northwest Yeahoos of Washington finished third in three-team bracket.

Men’s 60+ AAA: The fourth-seeded Tri-State Kings of Alaska (photo below) lost the first title game 29-12 but nabbed the second 21-16 against top-seeded Chelu of Oregon. Michael’s Automotive Group of Washington finished third in the four-team bracket.

Men’s 60+ AA: Top-seeded Mike’s Bar & Grill of Washington went 5-0 overall and won the crown with a 22-17 victory over Spin Tees of Washington. NW Ikaika 60s finished third in the three-team bracket.

Men’s 65+ AAA: In a battle of Colorado teams, top-seeded Scrap Iron Heavy Metal defeated second-seeded Scrap Iron Xplosion 17-12 for the championship. Hustlers of California took third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 65+ AA: In a tale of two title games, third-seeded Cascade Thunder of Oregon (photo below) lost the first one 28-11 but won the second 21-4 against Scrap Iron Rockies of Colorado. East/West Aircraft 65s of Idaho finished third in the six-team bracket.

Men’s 65/70+ Platinum: Playing in the tournament’s largest bracket, Texas Crush Sixty Fives (photo below) won three elimination games to reach the championship, where the Crush double dipped Trachsel Auto Body of Oregon 8-7 and 7-0 to earn the 65+ Major Plus TOC berth. Trachsel earned the 65+ Major TOC berth. North Idaho Softball Club earned third place in the eight-team bracket.

Men’s 70+ Major: The third-seeded Oregon Crabs lost the first title game 15-12 but won the second 12-10 over Enviro-Vac Marauders of British Columbia, Canada. The Codgers of Idaho finished third in the three-team bracket.

Men’s 70+ AAA: In a best-of-three format, W.E. Ruth Realty 70 of Washington (photo below) defeated Spot Bar & Grille of Oregon 22-8 and 22-12.

Men’s 70+ AA: In a best-of-three format involving two Washington teams, Spikes swept Northwest Silver 12-7 and 20-5.

Men’s 75/80+ Gold: Second-seeded Al’s Sport Shop of California lost the first title game 10-9 before prevailing 24-17 in the second game against Last Call 75 of Nevada. Scrap Iron Diamonds finished third in the four-team bracket.