East vs. West: 57 Teams Earn Berths to USA National Championships at Worlds

Aug. 1, 2022

By Donna McGuire

   Fifty-seven teams have earned the right to play for a U.S. National Championship and the coveted Triple Grand Slam when the 2022 Senior Softball USA World Championships occur later this year in Las Vegas.

   Those 57 teams won titles in either the Eastern National Championships, which were played at three Virginia ballparks in Loudoun County, or the Western National Championships, which took place at five California ballparks in the Sacramento area.

   In Las Vegas, the East champs will play the West champs during pool play of the World Championships set for September and October. Those winners will be crowned U.S. National Champions.

   To earn the Triple Grand Slam title, a U.S. National Champion also must win its World Championship bracket. That often proves difficult. Last year, only seven teams succeeded.

   The Eastern National Championships drew 119 teams for games played July 26 to Aug. 7. The Western National Championships drew 157 teams for games played July 26 to 31.

   “Both the Eastern and Western Nationals drew record numbers of teams this year, which is an excellent sign that our sport is healthy and growing after two years of a pandemic,” SSUSA Chief Executive Officer Terry Hennessey said.

   Some champions enjoyed undefeated runs through pool and bracket play. Others staved off elimination multiple times before winning titles by double-dipping their final opponents. A few teams earned U.S. National Championship berths as the highest finishing team in their age and rating level even though they did not win their overall bracket.

The results:

   Women’s 40+ Masters Major: TABU of California (photo below) complied a 6-0 record as it won the four-team Westerns bracket. It defeated Still Grubbing of California 23-8 in the finale. In the East, no teams entered.

   Women’s 40+ Masters AAA: Golden Girls Softball of Maryland won the Easterns by defeating Firestyx of New Jersey 16-12 in the title game of a six-team bracket. Not Today won the Westerns by beating Nemesis of California in the finale of a seven-team bracket.

   Women’s 50+ Major: Unbeaten in six games, the 50 Shades Women of Indiana (photo below) won the Easterns by edging Kryptonite of Florida 18-17 in the finale of a four-team bracket. In the West, no teams entered.

   Women’s 50+ AAA: In the West, the undefeated Snap, Crackle, Pop team from Washington beat the Northwest Lady Warriors of Washington 13-2 to win its four-team bracket. In the East, Unfazed of Virginia earned a U.S. Championship berth by being the highest finishing AAA team in a joint bracket with Major teams.

   Men’s 40+ Masters Major Plus: In the East, Killman’s/Lewis/Rockhill of South Carolina defeated Suncoast/Adidas of Florida 22-18 to win its three-team bracket. In the West, JK Inc. of California compiled a 6-0 record and ousted Cody Staffing/A3 of Washington 30-15 in the finals of a four-team bracket.

   Men’s 40+ Masters Major: The Westerns title game featured the top two seeds, both from California, in a 14-team bracket. Cheap Suits/Republic Realty/Express Athletics (photo below) double-dipped Vicious Cycle, the team that beat it earlier in bracket play, 19-15 and 21-20 to win that crown. Another top seed prevailed in the Easterns. The Riddlers of New York won all six of their games by an average margin of nine runs and defeated the Pennsylvania Legends 18-7 in the finale of a nine-team bracket.

   Men’s 40+ Masters AAA: Both tournaments needed ‘if’ games to determine a winner. In the seven-team Easterns bracket, the Rough Riders of Maryland (photo below) defeated Autism Pride of Maryland 18-9 after losing the first title game 16-13. In the four-team Westerns bracket, GTR of Oregon double-dipped NFL2G of California 24-6 and 19-8.

   Men’s 50+ Major Plus: Top-seeded Fattboyz/Prestige/Elite of California (photo below) double-dipped Bay Equity/Hara’s/SIS of Washington 21-7 and 28-14 to win the four-team Westerns bracket. In the two-team Easterns, Suncoast/Adidas of Florida beat Deluxe Bakery of New Jersey 16-10 and 21-8 in a best-of-three format.

   Men’s 50+ Major: Steve’ Sports/AJS of Connecticut went unbeaten and won the 11-team Easterns bracket with a 27-14 victory over Walkoff 50 of Maryland. Junkies/Onyx/NVS of California went unbeaten in the nine-team Westerns, where it won its title game 23-14 over Battleborn NV 50.

   Men’s 50+ AAA: After starting as the ninth seed in a 14-team bracket, Damage of Nevada rattled off five consecutive victories to win the Westerns. It defeated Rolfe & Company of California 14-11 in the finale. In the 10-team Easterns bracket, unbeaten and second-seeded Fat Chops/4 Seasons of Massachusetts defeated FFE of Maryland 25-16 to win the title.

   Men’s 50+ AA: Top-seeded and undefeated BACKSIDE of Virginia won the four-team Easterns 50/55+ AA combined bracket by defeating Flatline 50s of Virginia 20-5. In the Westerns, no 50+ AA teams entered.

   Men’s 55+ Major Plus: In the three-team Easterns bracket, FBI 55/Worth/Miken/DeMarini/Blue Mountain of Florida (photo below) double-dipped Suncoast/Adidas 55s of Florida 26-11 and 7-0.  No team entered the Westerns.

   Men’s 55+ Major: After starting as the seventh seed in an 11-team Westerns bracket, L.A.F. 55 of California won five games in a row, including a 23-9 title-game victory over Thunderstruck 55s of Arizona. In the 11-team Easterns division, Ohio Elite went undefeated in pool and bracket play. It bested the Northeast Merchants of Maryland 19-17 in a title game that featured the division’s top two seeds.

   Men’s 55+ AAA: Infoquest.com of Pennsylvania (photo below) won the three-team Easterns bracket by defeating the Steel City A’s of Pennsylvania 20-12 in the championship game. In an 11-team Westerns bracket, SMASH 55 of California revenged a 18-17 loss in the first title game by pounding the North Valley Seniors of California 20-1 in the ‘if’ game.

    Men’s 55+ AA: The Longshoremen of Virginia received the U.S. game berth by finishing as the top 55+ AA team in a combined 50/55+ bracket in the Easterns. No teams entered 55+ AA in the Westerns.

   Men’s 60+ Major Plus: Legacy Sports USA of Arizona won the three-team Westerns bracket by beating LPC 60s of California 20-16 in the finale. No teams entered the Easterns.

   Men’s 60+ Major: The Bank of Delaware lost its first bracket game before reeling off six victories in a row, including five on the final day, in the seven-team Easterns bracket. It double-dipped Razor’s Edge of Indiana 19-18 and 24-17 for the crown. In the eight-team Westerns bracket, top-seeded CornerStone of Oregon went undefeated and beat Vegas Elite of Utah 19-9 for the title.

   Men’s 60+ AAA: A nine-team Westerns bracket needed two championship games to declare a winner. Wilson Motors 60s of Idaho got revenge for an earlier bracket loss to the Northwest Yeahoos of Washington by winning the title games 9-7 and 12-8. In the eight-team Easterns bracket, Levin Ameriprise II of Florida (photo below) lost its first bracket game before winning seven in a row, including 16-10 and 12-5 victories over the High Street Bucs of Maryland in the championship games.

   Men’s 60+ AA: Spin Tees of Washington defeated the Pastimers of Washington 22-9 and 16-14 in a best-of-three format in the two-team Westerns bracket. The Beltway Bandits of Virginia earned the Easterns U.S. game berth as the top-finishing AA team in a multi-division bracket.

   Men’s 65+ Major Plus: California Energy (photo below) won the three-team Westerns bracket by double dipping Timberworks/Suncoast of California 19-12 and 22-10. No teams entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 65+ Major: After being seeded fifth in a six-team bracket, Dan Smith/FAI/Dudley of North Carolina won the Easterns title by edging Promotion/Phoenix Tube of New Jersey 12-11 in the “if” game. Promotion won the first title game 14-6. In the two-team Westerns, the Oregon Crabs defeated the Nor Cal Reds 10-9 and 16-5 in a best-of-three format.

   Men’s 65+ AAA: The Gamers of Idaho won the 12-team Westerns bracket by defeating Cut Loose 65s of California 17-7 in the finale. The Northern Virginia Force won the three-team Easterns by beating Starboard/OTS of Delaware 15-10 in the finale.

   Men’s 65+ AA: In a two-team Easterns bracket, the Hudson Valley Cyclones of New York (photo below) defeated the West Chester Wild of Pennsylvania 15-7 and 15-4 in a best-of-three format. The Cascade Thunder of Oregon won the Westerns U.S. game berth as the highest finishing AA team in a multi-division bracket.

   Men’s 70+ Major Plus: Timberworks/Suncoast won the Westerns U.S. berth as the highest finishing 70+ Major Plus team in a multi-division bracket. No teams entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 70+ Major: The Animals of California won the three-team 70/75+ Platinum division in the Westerns by beating R&R of California 11-7 in the “if” game after losing the first championship game 17-7. In the Easterns, the New Jersey Hitmen (photo below) won the U.S. game berth as the highest finishing 70+ Major team in the four-team 70/75+ Platinum division.

   Men’s 70+ AAA: Last Call of Nevada won five games in a row to claim the nine-team 70+ Silver division crown in the Westerns. Last Call beat Nor-Cal 70s in the finale. In the Easterns, JAG-ONE/Jersey Red defeated the Northern Virginia Force 17-7 to win a three-team AAA bracket.

   Men’s 70+ AA: Brunette/Spikes of Washington earned the Westerns U.S. game berth as the highest finishing AA team in a multi-division bracket. No AA teams entered the Easterns.

   Men’s 75+ Major Plus: Venom of Florida won the four-team Easterns 70/75+ Platinum bracket by defeating the New Jersey Hitmen 17-8 in the title game. In the Westerns, Omen finished as the top 75+ Major Plus team in a multi-division bracket.

   Men’s 75+ Major: Valley Fog of California won the two-team Westerns bracket by beating the Sidewinders of Arizona 21-5 and 22-8 in a best-of-three format. No teams entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 75+ AAA: Top-seeded Al’s Sport Shop of California swept away the competition to win the five-team Westerns bracket. It defeated Last Call 75 of Nevada 11-5 in the title game. The undefeated Northern Virginia Force (photo below) won the three-team 75/80+ Gold bracket in the Easterns by besting the Delaware Legends 15-7 in the finale.

   Men’s 75+ AA: Triple Play of California defeated the California Oaks 12-6 and 25-7 in a best-of-three format to win the Westerns. No teams entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 80+ Major Plus: In the Easterns, Florida Investment Properties won the U.S. game berth as the highest finishing 80+ Major Plus team. No team entered in the Westerns.

   Men’s 80+ Major: The San Francisco Seals defeated General Equipment of Oregon 19-10 to win the three-team 80/85+ Major division in the Westerns. No team entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 80+ AAA: Top-seeded Scrap Iron Grey Berets Base Force won the five-team 80/85+ Westerns bracket by beating Gold Rush of California 14-0. The Noreasters 80 of New York (photo below) won the three-team 80+ AAA bracket in the Easterns by edging Peach Tree Restaurant of Pennsylvania 5-4 in the title game.

   Men’s 85+ Major: Top Gun Blue Angels of California won the Westerns U.S. game berth as the top finishing 85+ Major team in a multi-division bracket. No teams entered in the Easterns.

   Men’s 85+ AAA: The Jaguars of California won the Westerns U.S. game berth as the top finishing 85+ AAA team in a multi-division bracket. No team entered in the Easterns.