25 Teams Converge at 12th Annual Chili Pepper Classic

April 1, 2017

EL PASO, TEX. – The 12th annual Chili Pepper Classic was held here at the El Paso County Sports Complex April 8 – 9 with 25 teams coming from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

In the six-team Men’s 40/50 Gold division, which was later split into two (40-Gold & 50 Major) three-team double elimination brackets, EPT 40’s (TX) and Fully Loaded (TX) each posted a 2-0 record in seeding play to lock up the top seed in their respective bracket.

After losing to Tucson Hammertime 40’s (AZ), 46-36, in the championship game, EPT 40’s would be awarded the “if” game via forfeit.

Following its loss to Tucson Hammertime Softball (AZ), 16-9, to start off the 50 Major bracket, Texas Bulls 50’s rattled off three straight wins on Sunday, avenging their loss to Tucson Hammertime (18-14), and double dipping top seed Fully Loaded with a pair of thrilling one-run victories, 18-17 and 22-21, in the championship and “if” games, respectively.

Texas Bulls held off Fully Loaded in the championship game, as Fully Loaded plated four runs in the bottom of the open to come up just short. In the “if” game, Fully Loaded scored six runs in the top of the open to tie the game at 21 all. Needing just one run, Texas Bulls would get the lone run they needed in the bottom half of the open the complete the walk off and double-dip.

In the eight-team Men’s 50 AAA division, ManCave/WorkSteps (TX) posted a perfect 4-0 record in bracket play, capped off by a 19-13 triumph over Angels 50 (TX) in the championship game. Team Trucha (NM) finished in third place.

In the five-team Men’s 55 Silver division, SW Outlaws (NM) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 27-14 win over New Mexico Boomers in the championship game. El Paso Old School finished in third place.

The four-team Men’s 60 AAA division featured a thrilling “if” game, that saw El Paso Bad Boys complete the double-dip with a 10-8 win over the Drillers 60 (TX). El Paso Bad Boys held off Drillers, 20-19, in the championship game to force the “if”. Drillers defeated El Paso Bad Boys, 15-7, earlier in the bracket to reach the championship game. Texas Thunder finished in third place.

Morning Star Senators (NM) and El Paso Nine-Elevens played in a best two-out-of-three game series to determine the Men’s 60/70 AA champion. Morning Star Senators swept El Paso Nine-Elevens in a pair of come-from-behind wins, as Morning Star Senators scored twice in the bottom of the open of game one to win 22-21 and later rattled off an eight-run bottom of the open to win 25-24 in game two to complete the sweep.