Heavy Rain Rewrote the 2023 Midwest Championships

Aug. 1, 2023

Softball News Report

An unusually wet August played havoc with the Senior Softball USA Midwest Championships that began six days of play Aug. 4 in St. Charles and Wentzville, Missouri.

Hours-long delayed starts, canceled games and rewritten schedules dogged all but two of the six days of play.

In the end, 13 teams among the 59 entrants captured division titles and earned berths to the 2024 Tournament of Champions set for Polk County, Florida.

The wet weather pattern was highly unusual for Missouri in early August, tournament director Donna McGuire said. Repeated rains arrived after much of the state had experienced moderate to severe drought conditions for months.

Two days before the tournament began, about three inches of rain saturated the fields. More rain fell Thursday night, causing Friday start times to be delayed into the afternoon. Heavier rains drenched the area Friday night, wiping out play in Wentzville and severely delaying games in St. Charles, where the final game of the night ended at midnight. Another storm hit St. Charles on championship Sunday but missed Wentzville.

The weather was much nicer to the 65+ and older teams that played during the second session. Yet on championship Wednesday, light rain dampened the championship and “if” championship games.

One tournament highlight involved a pool play game in the 40+ Masters division. With two outs in the bottom of the open inning, ABC 40s rallied to score 11 runs and tie the game. After holding the Redbirds/Mattingly’s Bar & Grill scoreless in the extra frame, ABC won 22-21 in the bottom of the inning. Both are Missouri teams.

Results:

Men’s 40+ Masters Major: Top-seeded Midwest Elite of Missouri (photo below), the division’s only unbeaten team at 5-0, became the champion after rain halted Sunday play. ABC 40s finished second and the Redbirds/Mattingly’s Bar & Grill took third in the three-team division.

Men’s 50+ Major: After rain halted play at Wapelhorst, the two remaining unbeatens in bracket play drove a half hour to Wentzville to finish the final three innings of their winner’s final at Peruque Valley Park. The St. Louis Stars Reloaded of Missouri (photo below) defeated Big Hurt Softball 50/Draft Picks of Illinois 28-25 to win the title. Southern Illinois Lightning 50 finished third in the eight-team bracket.

Men’s 50+ AAA: After rain wiped out all Saturday play at Peruque Valley, this eight-team division had to finish with a single-elimination bracket on Sunday. Faithletes United/Mastery of Arkansas (photo below) edged the SSC/Persuaders of Kansas 23-22 for the title. Ontourage of Missouri and All In 50s of Illinois tied for third.

Men’s 55+ AAA: Fourth-seeded KC Stampede of Missouri won its first two bracket games, 16-15 and 11-9, which earned it the title of the four-team division after rain halted Sunday play. Southern Illinois was leading Maher Homes Heroes of Nebraska 20-8 in the third-place game when rains arrived in the top of the fifth inning. Maher Homes chose not to wait out the rain delay, which gave second place to Southern Illinois.

Men’s 55/60+ Platinum: Playing a Sunday double-elimination bracket after Saturday’s games were washed out, the 55+ Major team Vectra International/Big Biscuit of Kansas (photo below) defeated St. Louis Lightning 55 of Missouri 25-12 for the championship of the five-team division. KC Elite 55s of Missouri finished third.

Men’s 60+ Major: Playing a Sunday double-elimination bracket after Saturday’s games were washed out, Dudley Lightning 60 of Missouri double-dipped Sea Glass of Arkansas 25-18 and 25-23. Swingcoast Roofing of Missouri finished third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 60+ AAA: Top-seeded KC Stampede won its first two bracket games 12-8 and 12-11, leaving it as the only unbeaten team remaining when the Sunday rains arrived. Southern Illinois finished second and Triple Crown finished third in the seven-team bracket.

Men’s 65+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Texas Crush Sixty Fives (photo below) swept the KC Kids 65 of Missouri 28-13 and 16-9.

Men’s 65+ Major: Third-seeded Dudley Lightning 65 of Missouri lost a tight first title game 14-13 to fourth-seeded Pope Transportation of Wisconsin but won the second 21-13. Midwest Prime 65 of Illinois finished third in the four-team division.

Men’s 65/70+ Gold: Top-seeded and unbeaten Big Daddy’s Donuts of Missouri defeated the KC Kids 70s of Missouri 20-5 in the title game. The 50 Caliber 65s took third in the three-team division.

Men’s 70+ AA: Playing a best-of-three format, the Chicago Hitmen swept R & D Leverage of Missouri 19-9 and 12-5.

Men’s 70/75+ Gold: The second-seeded Chicago Strikers 70 double dipped top-seeded Anderson Roofing/50 Caliber St. Louis 22-12 and 20-7 after Anderson had gone unbeaten in its first five tournament games. Carriage Homes Patriots of Oklahoma finished third in the four-team bracket.

Men’s 75+ AAA: Playing a best-of-three format, the KC Kids 75 won a walk-off third game 15-14 over the MidState Seniors 75s of Illinois. MidState had won the first game 15-12 while the KC Kids had won the second game 22-16 to set up the thrilling finish.