Seven Teams Complete Triple Grand Slam as 65s - 85s Compete in Second Session

Oct. 1, 2017

LAS VEGAS – The sixth annual LVSSA/SSUSA World Masters Championships continued with the Men’s 65 through 85 age divisions here Sept. 25-28.

Starting with the eight-team Men’s 65 Major Plus division, Timberworks/Adidas (CA) closed out their stellar 2017 season with a 6-0 record at the WMC. The team began the tournament going 2-0 in seeding play, including a 32-17 victory over Superior Senior Softball (VA) in the U.S. National Championship game to complete the second leg of the Triple Grand Slam. Entering bracket play as the No. 1 seed, Timberworks ran the table with a 4-0 record, including a 34-17 win over Superior Senior Softball in the championship game, to earn the Triple Grand Slam.


Timberworks/Adidas (CA) - Men's 65 Major Plus Champions

The win for Timberworks completed arguably one of the greatest seasons in SSUSA history. Along with winning the Western National Championships, U.S. National Championship game, and the World Masters Championships (Triple Grand Slam), Timberworks also won the Winter World Championships, Spring World Championships, LVSSA/SSUSA Southwest Championships, Rock ‘N Reno Challenge Cup, SSUSA/CAN-Sirs Northern California State Championships and the Rocky Mountain Championships during the 2017 season. Rounding out the top four teams in the Men’s 65 Major Plus division were Omen 65 (CA) and Rose/Hollis Appraisals 65s (FL), finishing third and fourth, respectively.

The 20-team Men’s 65 Major division also saw a Triple Grand Slam winner, as New Jersey Hitmen defeated Nor-Cal Stixx 65 (CA) 20-19 in the U.S. National Championship game to lock up the top seed. After Nor-Cal Stixx scored six runs in the top of the open to tie the game at 19, NJ Hitmen notched the lone run it needed in the bottom half of the open to complete the walk-off victory. Riding the wave of its U.S. National Championship win, NJ Hitmen ran the bracket with a perfect 5-0 record, including a thrilling 19-18 win over Enviro-Vac Marauders (BC, Canada) in the championship game. Trailing 18-12 entering the bottom of the open, NJ Hitmen rallied with a seven-run inning to complete yet another walk-off win. Arizona Ancient (third place) and San Antonio Silver Streaks (TX) rounded out the top-four finishing teams. After losing their opening game in bracket play, San Antonio Silver Streaks rattled off six straight wins in the elimination side of the bracket, before running out of gas in the fourth-place game against Enviro-Vac, 17-16.

In the 25-team Men’s 65 AAA division, Oregon Crabs bounced back from its 27-14 loss against Northern Virginia Force in the U.S. National Championship game, rolling with a perfect 5-0 record in bracket play, including a 20-11 win over Ryan’s Way (NV) in the championship game. Minnesota Masters 65s won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to eventually finish in third place, while Northern Virginia Force, the U.S. National Champion, was unable to complete the Triple Grand Slam, finishing in fourth place.

Concluding the Men’s 65 division was the 14-team, Men’s 65 AA division. Fresh Poke 65’s (HI) made the most of their trip to the mainland, recording a flawless 5-0 record, including an exciting walk-off 14-13 win over Oklahoma City Relics in the championship game. Franklin Loan Center (CA) finished in third place, while Chicago Hitmen 65s won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket en route to their fourth-place finish.

Venom (FL) completed the Triple Grand Slam in the three-team Men’s 70 Major Plus division, as the team defeated Omen 70 (CA), 25-15, in the U.S. National Championship game, before going 2-0 in bracket play, including a walk-off 9-8 win over Omen in the championship game. Minnesota Prize 70s finished third.

Venom (FL) - Men's 70 Major Plus Champions

In the 14-team Men’s 70 Major division, SoCal Gusto (CA) came out of the elimination side of the bracket to double-dip California Wrecking Crew by scores of 12-5 and 23-22 in the championship and “if” game respectively. Trailing 22-12 heading into the bottom of the open in the “if” game, SoCal Gusto plated an incredible 11 runs to complete the remarkable 23-22 comeback walk-off win. The wins by SoCal Gusto denied a Triple Grand Slam bid for California Wrecking Crew, who entered the tournament as the U.S. National Champion. The team did not have a counterpart from the East to play. Tri-State Diamondbacks (NM) and Sons of Pitches finished in third place and fourth place, respectively.

Game On (CA) won the 15-team Men’s 70 AAA division, as the team posted a perfect 5-0 record in bracket play, including an 8-1 win over San Antonio Legends (TX), in the championship game. San Antonio Legends made a strong push through the elimination side of the bracket, winning five games in a row en route to their runner-up finish. MN Lumberjacks 70s finished in third place, while top seed Sacramento Islanders 70 (CA) rounded out the top-four teams.

Sacramento Buds (CA) entered the four-team Men’s 70 AA division as the U.S. National Champion, as the team did not have an Eastern counterpart to play. The team posted a 3-0 record in seeding play to lock up the top seed, before going 3-0 in bracket play, including a 21-17 win over Doughboys (NV) in the championship game. The win gave the Buds the Triple Grand Slam. El Paso Nine-Elevens (TX) and TNT (NV) finished third and fourth, respectively.

The San Francisco Seals (CA) defeated W.E. Ruth Realty 75 (WA) in a best three-out-of-five game series to win the Men’s 75 Major Plus division. The teams split the first two games, as the Seals won game one, 18-17; while W.E. Ruth Realty came back to even the series with a win in game two, 18-15. The Seals would come back to win the next two games, 18-8, and 22-19, to take the series and earn the Triple Grand Slam.

San Francisco Seals (CA) - Men's 75 Major Plus Champions

General Equipment (OR) won the 10-team Men’s 75 Major division, as the team registered a perfect 4-0 record in bracket play, including a 16-3 win over Scrap Iron Beams (CO) in the championship game. With no one to play from the East, General Equipment entered the tournament as the U.S. National Champion, and earned the Triple Grand Slam with its championship win. Hawaiian Pride (HI) finished in third place, while Canterbury Cruisers (MI) finished in fourth place.

The 12-team Men’s 75 AAA division, which was split between two pods, American and National, saw the top two teams from each pod advance to bracket play following a five-game round robin. Arizona Outlaws and Git-R-Done (CA) advanced from the American pod, while Las Vegas Coyotes (NV) and New Concepts I (NM) advanced from the National pod. After suffering their first loss of the week in the championship game against New Concepts, 15-13, Las Vegas Coyotes bounced back with a 19-8 win in the “if” game to win the division. Arizona Outlaws defeated Git-R-Done, 17-10, in the third-place game.

Florida Investment Properties defeated Fairway Ford, 25-17, in the championship game of the four-team Men’s 80 Major division, which also gave the team the Triple Grand Slam title. Emerald 80s (WA) finished in third place, while Jimmy’s MN Legends 80s rounded out the four-team division.

The eight-team Men’s 80 AAA division featured a full seven-game round robin to determine the champion via best record. Three teams (Scrap Iron Gray Berets, Redwood City Gold Rush and Git-R-Done) tied with identical 5-2 records. The tie-breaker of least runs allowed came into play to determine the winner, as Scrap Iron Gray Berets took first place allowing 62 runs, Redwood City Gold Rush was next allowing 70 runs and Git-R-Done was third allowing 91 runs. Texas Greyhounds finished fourth with a 4-3 record.

Center For Sight (FL) controlled the four-team Men’s 85 Major division, going 3-0 in seeding play to take the top seed. After being upset in their first bracket game, 11-9, against Jimmy’s Legends 85s (MN), Center For Sight went on a 4-0 run, including back-to-back wins over Jimmy’s Legends 85s, 15-13, and 19-6, in the championship and “if” game, respectively. Southwest Stars 85s (TX) finished third and Arizona Prospectors 85 finished in fourth place.

Center For Sight (FL) - Men's 85 Major Champions

FINAL RESULTS

Second Session (Men's 65 through 85)

Men’s 65 Major Plus
1. Timberworks/Adidas (CA) – TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Western National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. Superior Senior Softball (VA)
3. Omen 65 (CA)
4. Rose/Hollis Appraisals 65s (FL)

Men’s 65 Major
1. New Jersey Hitmen – TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Eastern National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. Enviro-Vac Marauders (BC, Canada)
3. Arizona Ancient
4. San Antonio Silver Streaks (TX)

Men’s 65 AAA
1. Oregon Crabs – TOC
2. Ryan’s Way (NV)
3. Minnesota Masters 65s
4. Northern Virginia Force – U.S. National Champion

Men’s 65 AA
1. Fresh Poke 65s (HI) - TOC
2. Oklahoma City Relics (OK)
3. Franklin Loan Center (CA)
4. Chicago Hitmen 65s (IL)

Men’s 70 Major Plus
1. Venom (FL) – TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Eastern National/U.S. National/World Masters Champions)
2. Omen 70 (CA)
3. Minnesota Prize 70s

Men’s 70 Major
1. SoCal Gusto (CA) – TOC
2. California Wrecking Crew – U.S. National Champion
3. Tri-State Diamondbacks (NM)
4. Sons of Pitches (CA)

Men’s 70 AAA
1. Game On (CA) – TOC
2. San Antonio Legends (TX)
3. MN Lumberjacks 70s
4. Sacramento Islanders 70 (CA)

Men’s 70 AA
1. Sacramento Buds (CA) – TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Western National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. Doughboys (NV)
3. El Paso Nine-Elevens (TX)
4. TNT (NV)

Men’s 75 Major Plus
1. San Francisco Seals (CA) - TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Western National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. W.E. Ruth Realty 75 (WA)

Men’s 75 Major
1. General Equipment (OR) - TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Western National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. Scrap Iron Beams (CO)
3. Hawaiian Pride (HI)
4. Canterbury Cruisers (MI)

Men’s 75 AAA
1. Las Vegas Coyotes (NV)
2. New Concepts I (NM)
3. Arizona Outlaws 75
4. Git-R-Done 75 (CA)

Men’s 80 Major
1. Florida Investment Properties – TOC / Triple Grand Slam (Eastern National/U.S. National/World Masters Champion)
2. Fairway Ford (CA)
3. Emerald 80s (WA)
4. Jimmy’s MN Legends 80s

Men’s 80 AAA
1. Scrap Iron Gray Berets (CO) – TOC
2. Redwood City Gold Rush (CA) – U.S. National Champion
3. Git-R-Done 80 (CA)
4. Texas Grayhounds

Men’s 85 Major
1. Center For Sight (FL)
2. Jimmy’s Legends 85s (MN)
3. Southwest Stars 85s (TX)
4. Arizona Prospectors 85