11 TOC BIDS AWARDED AT TENTH ANNUAL NORTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sept. 1, 2016

EAST LANSING / POTTERVILLE, Mich. – Forty-four teams from around the Rust Belt and Canada vied for a Tournament of Champions berth at the 2016 Northern Championships held at East Lansing Sports Complex and Lake Alliance Softball Complex, Aug 18-21. In total, 11 TOC bids were awarded.

Starting off the tournament was the 65 and over divisions.

In the three-team 65 Platinum division, No. 3 seed Handeland Flooring (WI) dropped its first game in bracket play against No. 2 seed Direct Employers/Indy 65 (IN), 16-14, before stringing together three straight wins, including back-to-back one-run victories over top seed DeClaire LaMacchia Orthopaedic Institute  (MI) 21-20 and 16-15 in the championship and “if” games, respectively.

The six-team 65 AAA division was controlled by top seed Doc Martens/Ropes Courses (MI), who went undefeated during seeding and bracket play. After going 2-0 in seeding, Doc Martens/Ropes Courses posted a 3-0 record in bracket play, defeating No. 4 seed Blue Chips (IL) 21-13 and No. 2 seed Michigan Lakers 65 twice, including 16-8 in the championship game. After going 0-2 in seeding play and dropping its first game in the bracket to Blue Chips, No. 5 seed Life Guard Financial/Pepco (OH) would go on to win two straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to finish in third place.

Following a 0-2 showing in seeding play, No. 5 seed Windsor Chiefs (ON) from north of the border, would go 4-0 in bracket play to win the championship in the 70/75 Gold division. Windsor Chiefs defeated Columbus Silver Sticks (IN) 16-13 No. 1 seed Chicago Strikers 18-11 and Pfeiffer/Doc’s Boys (MI) twice, including 19-7 in the championship game. As the top finishing 70 AAA team in the mixed bracket, Chicago Strikers earned the 70 AAA bid to the TOC.

Brickyard Classics (IN) had a flawless showing in the 50 Platinum division, going 2-0 in seeding play to lock up the top seed, before going on to post a 3-0 record in bracket play to take the championship. Brickyard Classics knocked off No. 4 seed PDC (MI) 25-22 and No. 6 seed Motor City Thunder (MI) twice, including 28-21 in the championship game. After going 0-2 in seeding play, Motor City Thunder went 3-2 in bracket play en route to its runner-up finish. No.2 seed Pope Transport (WI) capped off a third place finish.

In the four-team 50 AAA division, No. 2 The Mattress Store (MI) came out of the elimination side of the bracket to double-dip No. 3 Jackson Merchants (MI) 16-14 and 22-17 in the championship game and “if” game, respectively. Mattress Store avenged its loss to Jackson Merchants earlier in the bracket. Top seed Milwaukee Magic (WI) finished in third place.

The 50 AA division featured a best two-out-of-three game, as Buddies Sampson Olivet Merchants (MI) swept All-In Softball (IL) by scores of 13-12 and 11-6 to take home the title.

The 55 Major division was won by No. 2 seed Michigan Smash, who came out of the elimination bracket to double-dip top seed Doug and Don’s Auto Care (MI) 8-7 and 19-17 in the championship and “if” games, respectively. Chicago Prime 55’s (IL) finished in third place.

Windsor Can Am 55 Chiefs (ON, Canada) had a solid showing in bracket play in the 55 AAA division, going 3-0 to win the championship. Windsor Chiefs defeated Central IL Chiefs 19-5 and Old Stars (IL) 18-10, before defeating Central IL Chiefs again 15-13 in the championship game.

In the 60 Major division, Golden Vipers (MI) swept Motown Stars (MI) 17-15 and 24-14 in a best two-out-of three game series.

In the 60 Silver division, No. 4 seed Minutemen/Pepco/SFS (OH) posted a perfect 4-0 record in bracket play, defeating No. 5 seed McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home (OH), top seed Central Illinois Chiefs 60s (IL) and No. 3 seed MP Components/Bomb Squad (MI), before knocking off Central Illinois Chiefs for a second time, in the championship game. MP Components/Bomb Squad finished in third place.