SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS HOSTS 86 TEAMS

July 1, 2016

PERRIS / HEMET – Eighty-six teams competed in the 2016 Southern California State Championships, sponsored by Adidas, at Big League Dreams (Perris) and Diamond Valley Lake Sports Complex (Hemet).

The first session featured the Men’s 65 and over divisions July 5-7, while the Men’s 50, 55 and 60 age groups played July 8-10 and the Men’s and Women’s 40’s groups were held July 9-10.

In the Women’s 40 Masters Major division, TKP/Hunters ran through the group, going 3-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play to take the title. TKP/Hunters defeated Kiss Our Stix 21-19 before going on to knock off Hafta Play twice, including a nail-biter in the championship game, 10-9.

The Women’s 40 Masters AAA division featured a Cinderella run by No. 4 seed So Cal Toxic, as the team defeated fifth seed Misfits, before taking down top seed Punisher Sports Apparel and No. 2 seed Saints twice, including an 11-6 victory in the championship game.

On the Men’s side in the 40 Masters Major Plus division, No. 2 seed Team Braves posted a perfect 3-0 record in bracket play, defeating Sick N Twisted and top seed Kraze twice, including a thrilling 14-13 win in the championship game.

The largest division of the tournament came from the Men’s 40 Masters Gold Division, featuring 16 teams. After going 1-1 in seeding play to earn the No. 10 seed, Layer Cake Wines/Dudley/Elite Sports USA, rattled off five straight wins, beating Rancid/Miken Sports, Diablos, Nicon Trucking and top seed Damaged Goods twice, including a 31-28 triumph in the championship game.  After falling to Layer Cake in their first game, 17-16; Damaged Goods bounced back to defeat Team Dickies/Elite 31-29 to get back to the championship game, setting up a rematch with Layer Cake. Team Dickies won four straight in the elimination side of the bracket to post their eventual third place finish, after falling to Damaged Goods.

The 50 Major division consisted of six teams with L.A.F. 50/DeMarini going 5-0, posting a 2-0 record in seeding to take the top spot in bracket play. L.A.F would then go on to defeat Grants Posse 19-10 and Team Rawlings twice, including a 22-16 win in the championship game. After going 0-2 in seeding play and falling in their first game in bracket play, Arizona Old School bounced back with three straight wins to cap off a third place finish.

In the seven-team 50 AAA division, No. 5 seed Kamikaze ran through bracket play defeating Top Gun Rookies, top seed No Excuses and No. 2 seed Top Gun 50’s twice, including a 10-6 triumph in the championship game.

In another seven-team division, 55 Major, No. 5 seed So Cal 55 posted a 4-0 record in bracket  play, defeating Arizona Old School 55, Grant’s Posse 55 II, Reloaded and finally Tucson Bandits in a hard-fought, one-run victory 15-14 in the championship game.

Needing to win two straight games after coming out of the elimination bracket of the five-team 55 Silver division, So Cal Guys 55 defeated Southern California Braves 14-8 in the championship game, before taking the rubber-match with an identical score of 14-8 in the “if” game. Southern California Braves edged out So Cal Guys earlier in the bracket 16-15.

Top seed Elite/SCS posted a perfect showing in the 60 Platinum division, going 2-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play. Elite/SCS knocked off Desert Dawgs, West Coast All Stars and Top Gun Elite 14-9 in the championship game.

After dropping its first game in bracket play against Grant’s Posse 60, top seed Scrap Iron High Octane rattled off five straight wins, including back-to-back victories over previously unbeaten Grant’s Posse 17-15 in the championship game and 15-4 in the “if” game.

Top Gun 65 Mavericks defeated R & R 65s in a best two-out-of-three game series in the 65 Major division, winning 10-9 and 20-18, respectively.

Top seed No Guts, No Glory dominated the 65 AAA division, defeating Specialists Real Estate and So Cal Warriors twice, including an exciting 11-10 win in the championship game.

Tequila All Stars took home the 65 AA division, defeating Franklin Loan Center 26-11, Git-R-Done 65, 21-14 and Franklin Loan Center for a second time 13-12 in the championship game.

In the 70/75 Platinum division, Top Gun Swat defeated Top Gun 70, 10-9, in the “if” game, after falling 17-6 in the championship game.

Top seed Sons of Pitches bounced back from a 17-14 loss in the championship game of the 70 Silver division to defeat Git-R-Done 70 16-9, in the “if” game.

Top seed California Connection took the 75/80 Gold division with a 16-15 win over No. 3 seed Fairway Ford. Fairway Ford beat Git-R-Done 75 and Top Gun Silver 75’s to reach the championship game, while California Connection had an automatic bye to the championship game after posting a 3-0 record in seeding play.