SSUSA Eastern Nationals Sizzle in Raleigh

Sept. 1, 2009 – Dave Dowell National Director

RALEIGH, NC – The Senior Softball USA’s Eastern Nationals drew 52 teams from 17 states here in early August. Teams played for six days at the state-of-the-art, nine-diamond Walnut Creek Softball Complex under sunny skies and hot temperatures, vying to represent the East later this year at the World Championships.

The tournament was the first step in the Triple Grand Slam, and included a berth in the USA National Championship games at the World Championships in Phoenix in October. Additionally, all winners earned berths in the 2010 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Fla., in February.

“Raleigh has been a great host for the Easterns in 2008 and 2009,” said Terry Hennessy SSUSA’s chief executive officer, who was on site as the Tournament Director. “In fact, we have already agreed to bring the Eastern Nationals back to Raleigh in 2010. The playing facilities are first-rate, and there’s a never-ending supply of that famous Southern hospitality.”

Raleigh officials arranged for Rex Hospital to provide a full crew of paramedics and nurses, along with keeping their equipment onsite for the entire tournament. The paramedics and nurses treated several cases of heat exhaustion and other minor injuries – and provided a great sense of security for the players and officials. During the 2008 tournament, heat exhaustion and a near fatal heart attack raised awareness of being prepared this year, for which all are thankful.

The games matched the weather – sizzling hot – for the entire tournament. The elder statesmen of Senior Softball, the 65+ through 80+ Divisions commenced play on Tuesday with round robin seeding games in advance of bracket play.

The nine-team Men’s 65+ Division played a mixed round robin before splitting into separate skill levels for the finals. In the 65-Platinum division, the perennial powerhouse Florida Legends edged Dirt’s All Stars/Old South (GA) 18-17 in the Championship game.

In the Men’s 65-AAA, following two close victories in the bracket, Blaze Softball (NC) put it all together for an impressive 30-8 win over Maryland’s Tri-County Office Equipment in the Championship game.

The 65-AA pitted two teams from Chicago who play each other regularly, but this time it wasn’t a home game for either of them! The Chicago Classics Gray Sox finally prevailed, 23-6, over their cross-town rival Chicago Seniors in the “If game” after they had traded victories in the first two games in the Best 2 of 3 Finals.

The six-team Men’s 70/75-Gold division also played a mixed round robin seeding set before splitting into separate brackets. In what would become a continuing trend throughout the tournament, it took an “If game” for the Hamels 70’s (MD) to get past the Pompano Beach Bums (FL) 28-22 for the title. It wasn’t surprising, since these two teams were the defending champions from 2008 in the 70-Major and 70-Major+, respectively.

The Men’s 70/75-Major ended in yet another “If game” as Doc’s Sports Retreat (MI) avenged a winner’s bracket final loss to the Texan’s 70’s by coming back through the Elimination bracket to beat them twice for the title, 20-7 in Championship game #1 and 12-5 in the “If game”.

The last session #1 group, the four-team Men’s 70/75/80 Division played three warm-up games on Tuesday and Wednesday before commencing their respective Best 2 of 3 Championship Series. To keep things consistent, both series went to the required “If game”, with the Virginians 70’s edging the Burlington Classics 70’s (NC) 9-8 in game three of the Men’s 70-AA Division, while the Nami Construction 75’s (NJ) closed things out over the Center For Sight 80’s (FL) 23-10 in their game three of the Men’s 75/80 Division.

Friday morning dawned to even warmer temperatures as 40 Men’s and Women’s teams began play in the 50’s, 55’s and 60’s age groups, requiring the use of all nine fields at Walnut Creek.

The Women’s divisions played a full round robin on Friday in preparation for their Best 2 of 3 Championship Series on Saturday. Saturday’s winners, in series sweeps, were the Dreamgirlz (VA) over the Sassy Seniors (SC) by 26-3 and 20-9 for the Women’s 50+ crown and hometown favorite Wanna Bees (NC) over the Smoky Mountain Stars (TN) in two thrillers, 13-12 and 9-7, for the Women’s 55+ title.

The Men’s 50-Platinum division had all of the earmarks for an exciting bracket after the five teams finished round robin seeding play with identical 1-1 records. Fifth seeded Morgan-Keegan (FL) swept through the bracket unbeaten, closing things out with wins over Frederick Chevrolet / E&E Metal Fabricators (PA) in both the winner’s bracket final (21-15) and the Championship game (17-11).

All 14 of the Men’s 55+ division teams played a mixed round robin on Friday prior to bracket play commencing on Saturday. The Men’s 55-Major title went to Schones Chiropractic (OH) with their exciting 28-27 win over Turn Two/Rock Solid/Elite in the Championship game. Shark Sports 50’s (NY) held on in the Men’s 50/55-Gold division with a 15-12 “If game” win over the Sweet Construction 55’s (NJ). The 55-AA championship went home with the Steel Dawgs of PA with a two game sweep of their series with the Ohio Silverados, 17-16 in the Championship game.

One of the two largest divisions of the tournament was the eight-team Men’s 55-AAA, which also had the most interesting bracket. The two lowest seeds, #8 Northern Virginia Force and #7 Freddie’s Shooters (MD), met in the winner’s bracket final with Northern Virginia Force earning a spot in the championship game with their 23-14 win. They made the most of that appearance, edging the Flip Dow Bonding Seniors (NC) 15-14 to complete the storybook run to the title.

The 10 teams in the Men’s 60+ Division also played a mixed round robin prior individual bracket play. The Men’s 60-Major title went home to the northeast with the Bay State Bombers Plus (MA) after a two game sweep of Tapco/Bogey’s Sports Pub (NC), 13-12 and 24-16, in their Best 2 of 3 Championship Series.

In the other of the largest brackets, the Men’s 60-AAA, the story was much the same, with a lower seed getting hot at just the right time. The #6 seed Secure Horizons (VA) swept through the bracket unbeaten, with convincing victories over the top seeded Southland Log Homes (NC) club in the winner’s bracket final (19-10) and the championship game (31-12), bringing down the curtain on the 2009 Eastern Nationals.

FINAL RESULTS – ‘USA’ indicates team will represent the East in the U.S. National Championship game in Phoenix during the World Championships, and ‘TOC’ indicates team earned a berth in the 2010 Tournament of Champions.

MEN'S 50-PLATINUM

1. Morgan-Keegan (FL) - USA & TOC (in 50-Major)

2. Frederick Chevrolet / E&E Metal Fabricators (PA) - USA (in 50-Major+)

MEN'S 50/55-GOLD

1. Shark Sports (NY) - USA & TOC (in 50-AAA)

2. Sweet Construction 55's (NJ) - USA (in 55-Major)

MEN'S 55-MAJOR PLUS

1. Schones Chiropractic / AMR (OH) - USA & TOC

2. Turn Two/Rock Solid/Elite (NC)

MEN'S 55-AAA

1. Northern Virginia Force - USA & TOC

2. Flip Dow Bonding Seniors (NC)

MEN'S 55-AA

1. Steel Dawgs of Pennsylvania - USA & TOC

2. Ohio Silverados

MEN'S 60-MAJOR

1. Bay State Plus (MA) - USA & TOC

2. Tapco / Bogey's Sports Bar (NC)

MEN'S 60-AAA

1. Secure Horizons (VA) - USA & TOC

2. Southland Log Homes (VA)

MEN'S 65-PLATINUM

1. Florida Legends / Human Kinetics (FL) - USA & TOC (in 65-Major+)

2. Dirt's All Stars / Old South (GA)

MEN'S 65-AAA

1. Blaze Softball (NC) - USA & TOC

2. Maryland Tri-County Office Equipment

MEN'S 65-AA

1. Chicago Classics Gray Sox (IL) - USA & TOC

2. Chicago Seniors (IL)

MEN'S 70-MAJOR PLUS

1. Hamels 70's (MD) - USA & TOC

2. Pompano Beach Bums (FL)

MEN'S 70/75-MAJOR

1. Doc's Sports Retreat (MI) - USA & TOC (in 70-Major)

2. Texans 70's (TX)

MEN'S 70-AA

1. Virginians (VA) - USA & TOC

2. Burlington Classics 70's (NC)

MEN'S 75/80 DIVISION

1. Nami Construction - USA & TOC (in 75-Major+)

2. Center For Sight (FL) - USA (in Men's 80's)

WOMEN'S 50's

1. Dreamgirlz (VA) - USA & TOC

2. Sassy Seniors (SC)

WOMEN'S 55's

1. Wanna Bees (NC) - USA & TOC

2. Smoky Mountain Stars (TN)

Complete game scores and bracket results are available online at the SSUSA’s web site: www.seniorsoftball.com.



Dave Dowell is one of the SSUSA’s National Tournament Directors and its National Scheduling Consultant who authors all of their tournament schedules. He can be reached at the Sacramento Home Office of SSUSA or electronically at dave@seniorsoftball.com