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Aches & Pains Win 50+ Women's Division in Reno

Sept. 1, 2003 – Senior Softball-USA

Aches & Pains is a 50+ women's team that has come a long way in a very short time.

In its three years in existence, the team has won Senior Softball World Championships Qualifiers in both 2002 and 2003 and captured third place in the Las Vegas Qualifier in 2002.

This team also plays in the E Division ASA city league in Manteca, often facing players half their age. Despite the perceived disadvantage, Aches & Pains won their league title.

Player-manager Angie Gomez, who is a 2003 Senior Olympian, credits the team's ability to win to the players' love of their sport, competitive nature and natural talents that they have maintained over the past 30 years.

Aches & Pains went undefeated in the Tanel 2003 Rock n' Reno Challenge cup Qualifier in Sparks, Nevada, this year with Jane Irwin, Lucile Bible and Pat Stacher being named to the All-Tourney Team.

The team put on an awesome display of hitting power, sporting a team average of .634. Irwin led the power parade with three home runs that cleared the 300-foot fence. The top hitters for average were Darleene Shackleford at .818, Debbie Taylor .714, Gomez .667, Janine Van Vliet and Bible both at .636, Irwin .600, Cathy Chavez .578, Cookie Gambucci .545 and Stacher at .523. Over the three-day event, the team averaged 19 runs a game. In spite of searing temperatures well into the 90s, pitcher Stacher faced more than 250 batters in six games and only allowed one walk.

In addition to the sharp hitting, the Aches & Pains played some outstanding defense along the way. The bench also played a huge role in sparking the team's championship run with timely hitting and aggressive base running by Evelyn Bird, Betty Ramos, Chris Johnson, Camile Lopez and Carol Clemens.

Sharon Waugh, 60, provided key relief pitching and pickup player Shackleford from Richmond, California, was the top hitter and also made several remarkable defensive plays.

Players who could not make the tournament due to injuries or illness included Cathy Cortez and Linda Dixon. Two other players, Kerrie Webb and Dar Harrity, could not make it back in time after playing in the Senior Olympics in Virginia.

The absence of those key players could have been costly had not the team had a solid corps of utility players.

Following the Tanel Tournament, Manager Gomez said of her team, "Everyone played their hearts out and each and every one deserved to be All Tourney. I'm so proud of all the gals playing with all the characteristics of the pros while coping with the 90-degree temperatures and stiff competition."

The Aches & Pains can be contacted through Gomez at (209) 466-7411 or at chachball23@aol.com.