SACRAMENTO & PLACER COUNTIES HOST 112 TEAMS AT 2016 WESTERN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Aug. 1, 2016

SACRAMENTO / ROSEVILLE / ELK GROVE / LINCOLN, CA – The 2016 Western National Championships was held here, with 112 teams playing in four facilities (Sacramento Softball Complex, Maidu Regional Park – Roseville, Hal Bartholomew Sports Park – Elk Grove and Foskett Regional Park – Lincoln). Winners of each division began the first leg of the Triple Grand Slam, which includes winning either the Eastern or Western National Championship, the USA National Championship game and the World Masters Championship.

The Men’s 65 through 80 age divisions opened the championships Aug 2-4.

The 65 Major Plus division was captured by Timberworks Construction (CA), who defeated Enviro-Vac Marauders (B.C.) from north of the border. Old A’s (CA) earned the top seed in the bracket after going 3-0 in seeding play, but was unable to continue its strong play in bracket play, going 0-2. After losing its opening game against Timberworks, Enviro-Vac defeated Old A’s and Omen 65 (CA) to play its way back into the championship picture, eventually falling to Timberworks in a rematch in the championship game.

Animals (CA) dominated the 65 Major division, going 2-0 in seeding play to lock up the No. 1 seed, before concluding a perfect week with a 3-0 record in bracket play, with wins over Old Dawgs (CA), Scrap Iron/Phiten (CO) and finally NorCal Stixx (CA) 18-15 in the championship game.

The 65 AAA division was won by Over The Edge (CA), who went undefeated in bracket play, defeating Sacramento Islanders (CA), Scrap Iron Diamonds (CO) and top see Auto Accessory Distribution (WA) in the championship game.

The 70 Major Plus division featured a hard-fought best two-out-of-three game series between Omen 70 (CA) and Scrap Iron Legacy (CO). Omen eked out a 10-9 win in game one, while Scrap Iron Legacy bounced back with a 16-4 win in game two to force the decisive third game, which Scrap Iron won, 13-11 to take the title.

Top seed California Wrecking Crew took the three-team 70 Major division, defeating Top Gun Swat (CA), 11-8, in the championship game. California Wrecking Crew posted a perfect record during week, going 4-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play.

Game On (CA) also went undefeated in seeding and bracket play, taking the title in the 65/70 Silver division, edging out Triple Play (CA) 21-20 in the championship game. Game On earned the 70 AAA berth for the West, while Sacramento Buds will represent the West in the 65 AA division.

San Francisco Seals 75 (CA) and PDR Fastsigns (OR) played a best two-out-of-three game series in the 75 Major Plus division. After falling in game one, PDR came back to win game two and force the third and deciding game. In the end, San Francisco Seals won the final game and title.

The 75 Major division also featured a best two-out-of-three game series that went the full length, as Scrap Iron Beams (CO) and State Roofing System (CA) split the first two games, before Scrap Iron Beams won the final game to capture the championship.

Kokopelli Eye Institute (AZ) swept the best two-out-of-three game series in the 75 AAA division against Triple Play 75 (CA), while Fairway Ford (CA) swept the best two-out-of-three game series in the 80 Gold division against Sacramento Gold (CA). Fairway Ford will represent the West in the 80 Major division, while Sacramento Gold will represent the 80 AAA division.

The second session of the championships saw the Women’s 50 division, as we well as the Men’s 50 through 60 divisions in action, Aug 5-7.

Arizona Dream Team had the four-team Women’s 50 division on cruise control, going 3-0 in seeding play to earn the No. 1 seed, and 3-0 in the championship bracket to win the championship. Arizona Dream Team defeated Ladiez Steel Smackin 14-9 in the championship game.

Somerville Softball (CA) posted a 3-0 record in seeding play in the four-team 50 Major Plus division to secure the No. 1 seed and continued its solid play in the bracket, going 3-0 including a thrilling 19-18 win in the championship game over JU AfterShock (CA).

The 11-team 50 Major division featured competitive play throughout, but in the end, it would be top seed L.A.F. 50/DeMarini (CA) proving worthy of its No. 1 billing, defeating No. 3 seed Westcoast 50’s (CA) in the “if” game, 17-10 for the title. After dropping its first game in bracket play against Layer Cake Wines/Crush 50 (CA), No. 2 seed Nor Cal Warriors battled through the elimination side of the bracket rattling off four straight wins before falling to Westcoast 50’s.

After going 0-2 in seeding play, Dead Sailors (WA) bounced back going 4-0 in bracket play to win the five-team, 50 AAA division.  Top seed Pacific Coast Alliance (CA) finished in second place after winning three straight in the elimination side of the bracket.

The 55 Major Plus division consisted of four teams, with Summy’s 55 (CA) defeating MTC 55’s/Dudley (CA) in the “if” game, 23-7. MTC defeated Summy’s 28-25 in the championship game to force the “if” game. The highlight game of the bracket occurred between MTC and Northwest Legends (WA), as the teams combined to score 43 runs in the open inning.

D&K Tradition recorded a perfect weekend in the 55 Major division, going 2-0 in seeding play, before moving on to the bracket, where the team continued its strong play going 3-0, including a 22-6 win in the championship game over California Energy. After losing their first game in the bracket, Cal Energy won three straight games to come out of the elimination bracket and play its way back into the championship picture.

In the seven-team 55 AAA division, the top two seeds played each other three times in the bracket, with No. 2 seed So Cal Guys 55’s topping No. 1 seed Southern California Braves in two of the three meetings. In the first matchup, So Cal Guys edged out So Cal Braves 14-13 sending the Braves into the elimination bracket and moving So Cal Guys into the championship game. The Braves bounced back with a win over Senior Bend Elks (OR)  12-9 to reach the championship game, and later on a 16-11 win over So Cal Guys in the championship game to force the “if” game. In the end, So Cal Guys would take the title, winning the “if” game, 18-10.

In the 50/55 Silver division, Pastimers (WA) swept Horn Softball (CA) in a best two-out-of-three game series. Pastimers earned the berth for the West in the 55 AA division, while Horn will represent the West in the 50 AA division.

The 60 Major Plus division featured a best two-out-of-three game series between a pair of California teams, Old Dawgs and Top Gun Elite. Old Dawgs would go on to sweep the series with relative ease to win the championship.

The nine-team 60 Major division saw top seed Tri-C Machine defend its position winning the championship.  After losing its first game in the bracket, Goodman Racing (WA) won six straight games, before running out of gas in the championship game. Elite/SCS (NV) rounded out the top three teams.

In the 60 AAA division, Lincoln Hills Coyotes 60 (CA) came back to defeat top seed Bulldogs 60’s (OR) in back-to-back games, 21-15 and 21-16, in the championship and “if” games, respectively. Trachsel Auto Body (OR) came in third place.

After going winless in seeding play, Scrap Iron 60’s Rockies (CO) rebounded in bracket play, eventually double-dipping Fresno Mayhem (CA) 22-3 and 18-17 in the championship and “if” game, respectively, in the 60 AA division.

The final session of the Western Nationals featured the Men’s and Women’s 40 divisions, Aug 6-7.

In the three-team 40 Masters Major Plus division, top seed Prestige/Elite (CA) rolled through bracket play to take the title defeating Nor Cal Stars in the championship game.

The 10-team 40 Master Major division saw No. 7 seed Damaged Goods (CA) take the top spot going 5-0 in the championship bracket. Damaged goods defeated Cali Swagger (19-9), Team ASB (18-14), Layer Cake (22-20) and SofaKing twice, 19-18 and 24-13 in the championship game. Prestige Pools finished in third place.

On the women’s side, in the 40 Master Major division, Old School 40’s (CA) defeated Kiss Our Stix (CA), 11-5 in the championship game. Old School 40’s had a busy opening day, going 4-0, before knocking off Old Nasty Curves (CA) and Kiss Our Stix on championship Sunday.

The Women’s 40 AAA division saw an incredible run by top seed Smack That (CA) on Sunday. After dropping their first game in the bracket on Saturday to No. 4 Punisher Sports Apparel (16-14), Smack That would drop its second straight game in the three-game guarantee bracket to Idaho Spirit 17-16 on Sunday morning. Facing elimination the rest of the way, Smack That rolled on, winning five straight games, including a grueling nine-inning victory over Punisher in the championship game (27-26) and finally 20-8 in the “if” game to cap off the title run.