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WMC Concludes with Fourth Session; B.O.O.B.s 40 (CA) and Dreamgirlz (VA) Earn Triple Grand Slam Titles
Oct. 1, 2017
LAS VEGAS – The 2017 LVSSA/SSUSA World Masters Championships concluded with the fourth session, which featured 122 teams from the Men’s 40’s and Women’s 40’s and 50’s divisions, taking the field Oct. 6-8.
In all, the 13-day tournament attracted a record 612 teams for the largest senior softball tournament, playing an incredible 1,997 games.
Entering bracket play as the U.S. Champion, top seed B.O.O.B.’s (CA) claimed the three-team Women’s 40 AA division with a 15-11 victory over Guam Team Sotta in the championship game. The win completed the Triple Grand Slam for B.O.O.B.’s.
The second Triple Grand Slam of the final session was completed by Dreamgirlz (VA), who needed to come out of the elimination side of the bracket for the three-team Women’s 50 Major division. After falling to Arizona Dream Team in their opening game of the bracket, Dreamgirlz defeated Karphone 50’s (CA), 13-5, before double-dipping Arizona Dream Team by scores of 16-11 and 16-5, in the championship and “if” game, respectively. For Dreamgirlz, this marks the teams fifth straight Triple Grand Slam title.
The 2017 season saw the most Triple Grand Slam winners ever - 14. Along with B.O.O.B.’s 40 (CA) and Dreamgirlz (VA), MTC/Dudley (CA), Omega IT Services (MD), Timberworks/Adidas (CA), New Jersey Hitmen, Venom (FL), Sacramento Buds (CA), San Francisco Seals (CA), General Equipment (OR), Florida Investment Properties, Redwood City Gold Rush (CA), J.K. Inc/Miken 50 (CA), and Roadhouse Blues/BP & Associates (PA) all accomplished the feat. Congratulations to all Triple Grand Slam winners.
In the nine-team Women’s 40 Major division, Kryptonite (FL) defeated Old School (CA), 23-12, in the U.S. National Championship game to complete the second leg of the Triple Grand Slam and earn the top seed entering bracket play.
After winning their first two bracket games against Smack That (CA) and SoCal Toxic (CA), Kryptonite was upset by TKP 40’s (CA) 20-9, dropping the team down into the elimination side of the bracket. After defeating Greenspace Consulting (KS) 7-2 in the third-place game, to reach the championship game, Kryptonite once again fell short against TKP 40s, this time by a score of 15-14. Kryptonite scored seven runs in the top of the open to tie the game at 14, while TKP 40’s scored the lone run it needed in the bottom of the open to finish off the championship thriller. Greenspace Consulting and Smack that finished in third and fourth place, respectively.
Utah Relics held off Fireballs (MA), 19-17, in the U.S. National Championship game in the 18-team Women’s 40 AAA division to secure the top seed in the bracket and the second leg of the Triple Grand Slam. The team; however, would be unable to secure the third leg, as the team posted a 2-2 record in bracket play.
In the end, the final two teams standing were, Still Swinging 4.0 (NV), who won four straight games in the bracket to reach the championship game undefeated, and No. 6 seed Above The Law (MO), which rattled off five straight games to escape the elimination side of the bracket and reach the championship game. The championship game featured a re-match of an earlier game, as Still Swinging 4.0 defeated Above The Law, 20-19, knocking the team down into the elimination bracket.
Above The Law would get its revenge, double-dipping Still Swinging 4.0, by scores of 14-10 and 11-10 in the championship and “if” games to take the WMC victory and cap off a remarkable run, that saw the team win seven straight games while facing elimination. Hawaiian Connection finished in third place, while TABU (CA) finished fourth.
Completing the Women’s division was the six-team Women’s 50 AAA division. Stix With Impact (CA) dominated the division, going 2-0 in seeding play to take the top seed, before winning three straight bracket games, including a 22-1 win over PNW Rolling Thunder (WA), in the championship game. Who’z Yer Daddy/50 Shades of Gray (WA) finished in third place following three straight wins in the elimination side of the bracket, while H-Town Sisters With Bats (TX) rounded out the top four finishing teams.
Moving to the Men’s 40 division, 21 teams competed in the Major Plus division, which saw J.K. Inc./Miken (CA) complete a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 5-0 in bracket play, including a 37-24 win over Suncoast Adidas (FL) in the championship game. Nicon Trucking (CA) finished in third place, while Firehouse Pub/Game Apparel/Absolut (MI) bounced back from an 0-2 showing in seeding play, going 4-2 in bracket play, en route to a fourth-place finish. Fattboyz Dickies (CA) made a valiant run through the bracket after losing their first game, as the team won five straight games, before running out of gas and falling to Suncoast Adidas for a second time.
In the 44-team Men’s 40 Major division, SofaKing Softball/Elite (CA) defeated East Coast Berserk/LB (MD), 24-20, in the U.S. National Championship game. SofaKing Softball/Elite used the momentum of that win to help carry the team into Championship Sunday, among the final 12 teams remaining, and one of four unbeaten teams. However, the team would be unable to complete the Triple Grand Slam after posting a 1-2 record in the final day to finish in fourth-place. Epic-All World, one of the eight teams that began the final day in the elimination bracket, won four straight games, before falling in the third-place game.
K & B Beverage/AG Painting (AZ) and Quick Roofing (TX), the final two teams standing, would go to the “if” game. Quick Roofing defeated K & B Beverage/AG Painting, 28-23, in the championship game, avenging their 32-22 loss to K & B Beverage/AG Painting earlier in the day and forcing the decisive final game. Quick Roofing completed the double-dip with a 28-25 win in the “if” game.
The final Men’s 40 division, the 18-team Men’s 40 AAA division, saw Color By Design (MD) defeat No Limit/Fay’s Sports (CA), 22-12, in the U.S. National Championship game to lock up the top seed. The teams would meet again in the third-place game, with Color By Design once again getting the best of No Limit/Fay’s Sports 23-11 to reach the championship game.
In the championship game, Color By Design scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the open inning to complete the 21-20 come-from-behind win over Bud Light Guam. The win avenged Color By Design’s loss against Bud Light Guam, 23-20, earlier in the bracket. In the “if” game, Bud Light Guam held off Color By Design, 18-16, which scored seven runs in the bottom of the open, to take the division.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s 40 Major Plus
1. J.K., Inc. (CA) - TOC
2. Suncoast Adidas (FL)
3. Nicon Trucking (CA)
4. Firehouse Pub/Game Apparel (MI)
*NWP - U.S. Champion
Men’s 40 Major
1. Quick Roofing (TX) - TOC
2. K&B Beverage/AG Painting (AZ)
3. Epic/All World (CA)
4. SofaKing Softball (CA) - U.S. Champion
Men’s 40 AAA
1. Bud Light Guam - TOC
2. Color by Design (MD) - U.S. Champion
3. No Limit/Fay’s Sports (CA)
4. Aces (AZ)
Women’s 40 Major
1. TKP 40’s/Karphone (CA) - TOC
2. Kryptonite (FL) - U.S. Champion
3. Greenspace Consulting (KS)
4. Smack That (CA)
Women’s 40 AAA
1. Above the Law (MO) - TOC
2. Still Swingin’ 4.0 (NV)
3. Hawaiian Connection (HI)
4. TABU (CA)
*Utah Relics - U.S. Champion
Women’s 40 AA
1. B.O.O.B.’s 40 (CA) – TOC & Triple Grand Slam
2. Guam Team SOTTA
3. Dames Got Game (AZ)
Women’s 50 Major
1. Dreamgirlz (VA) – TOC & Triple Grand Slam
2. Arizona Dream Team
3. TKP 50’s/Karphone (CA)
Women’s 50 AAA
1. Stix With Impact (CA) - TOC
2. PNW Rolling Thunder (WA)
3. Who’s Yer Daddy/50 Shades of Gray (WA)
4. H‐Town Sisters with Bats (TX)
