The Elite of the Elite Teams Play in the 2023 Tournament of Championships

Feb. 1, 2023

By Donna McGuire

     Two days of special events followed by three days of tournament ball culminated with 26 teams winning titles in Senior Softball USA’s 2023 Tournament of Champions.

     Only champions are invited to play in this crown jewel of SSUSA events.

     The TOC also features a hitting clinic, skills competitions, an All-Star game, and a free reception. The nine-inning All-Star game ended with the American team (photo below) hanging on for a 22-20 victory over a late-charging National team.

     To cap off the tournament, all players on championship teams earn free, high-quality Jostens rings. Some teams even choose to personalize rings with a team logo. For example, the 50+ women’s team Kryptonite of Florida (photo below) has uniforms that feature puzzle pieces. Their rings will have a puzzle piece in the center.

     Eighty-eight teams from 26 states and Canada participated in the tournament Feb. 3-5 at four parks in Polk County, Florida. They gained entry by winning the SSUSA World Championships or another TOC-qualifying tournament during the 2022 playing season.

     For complete coverage of the 2023 T.O.C., look for the 2023 Spring edition of Senior Softball News Magazine, coming out in March.

Results:

     Women: Kryptonite 50+ of Florida grabbed a 5-4 championship game victory after a seventh-inning rally by Firestarter Oldies 40s of Washington came up short. Both teams won crowns and free rings as the top finishers in their respective age divisions. Golden Girls Softball of Maryland finished third in the eight-team bracket. In addition, Arizona Dream Team won the Women’s 55+ title.

     Men’s 40/50+ Platinum: Suncoast/Adidas 50+ Major Plus of Florida averaged 30 runs in its three bracket games enroute to winning the four-team division. It defeated Homer Lovers 40s of Ontario, Canada, in the title game 23-1. As the top-finishing 40s team, Home Lovers also won a first-place trophy and free rings. Extreme of Maryland, the only team to defeat Suncoast, placed third.

     Men’s 40+ AAA: Rough Ryders of Maryland (photo below) went 5-1 and won the four-team division with a 21-11 championship game victory over Smokin’ Aces/Post #327 of Virginia. GTR of Oregon, the only team to defeat Rough Ryders, finished third.

     Men’s 50/55+ Platinum: The Suncoast/Adidas 55+ Major Plus team (photo below) completed an unbeaten tournament with a 22-21 championship game victory over Yeager’s/AC/Max Batz. Both are Florida teams. As the top-finishing 50+ Major team in the seven-team bracket, Max Batz also claimed a crown and free rings. Chi-Town Ballers of Illinois won three elimination games and finished third. In addition, Homer Lovers of Ontario, Canada, won the 55+ Major title.

Photo by James English of MSC Photography

     Men’s 50+ AAA: Fat Chops/4 Season of Massachusetts (photo below) entered backet play 0-2 and seeded sixth among eight teams. Didn’t matter. Fat Chops strung together 15-13, 24-22 and 20-16 victories to reach the finals. Big Hurt Softball/Maximum Precast of Illinois edged Fat Chops 16-15 in the first title game, but Fat Chops prevailed 9-7 in the second to win the crown. Magic Softball of Massachusetts finished third.

     Men’s 55+ AAA: K.C. Elite of Missouri (photo below) capped a 6-0 tournament with a 15-10 title game victory over the Top Gun Phantoms of California. Top Gun’s only losses were to K.C. Elite. Infoquest.com of Pennsylvania finished third in the eight-team bracket.

     Men’s 55+ AA: Manifest of Texas (photo below) swept Longshoremen of Virginia 22-6 and 7-0 in a best-of-three format.

     Men’s 60+ Major: Also in a best-of-three format, the Bandits of Ontario, Canada (photo below), rallied for 21-14 and 17-11 victories after losing the first game of the series 13-11 to Arizona Old School.

     Men’s 60+ AAA: The fourth-seeded BJM Bomb Squad of Indiana (photo below) went 4-0 in bracket play, capped by a 15-13 title game win over the Northwest Yeahoos of Washington. The Ockers Company of New York finished third. 

     Men’s 60+ AA: Third-seeded Club Tilt/Haus of Colorado (photo below) needed two championship games to claim the six-team division. After losing the first title game 24-18, it defeated second-seeded Arizona Blaze 15-13 in the second game. Full Throttle of Arizona, which had knocked off the top seed earlier in bracket play, finished third.

     Men’s 65+ Gold: Top-seeded and unbeaten Via Citrus of Florida won the overall bracket and the Major division title. Northern Virginia Force (photo below) earned free rings as the top 65+ AAA finisher in the seven-team field. The Long Island Jaguars of New York finished third.

     Men’s 65+ AA: Bat Attitude of Utah took the long route to winning the five-team division. It lost its first bracket game to MP Components/Bomb Squad of Michigan 13-6 then rattled off wins of 19-10, 18-12, 21-14, 16-14 and 17-10 for the crown. MP Components finished second while Hudson Valley Cyclones of New York took third.

     Men’s 70+ AAA: The Florida Mustangs (photo below) capped an unbeaten tournament by sweeping JAG-ONE/JER Red of New Jersey 20-9 and 12-10 in a best-of-three bracket.

     Men’s 70+ AA: Top-seeded Doc Martens/Ropes of Michigan (photo below) won the three-team backet with a 19-4 title game victory over the Chicago Hitmen. The New Mexico Boomers finished third.

     Men’s 75+ Platinum: Venom of Florida (photo below), a Major Plus team, notched a 20-5 title game victory over Maverick Construction, a Major division team, from Texas. Both earned championships and free rings. Midwest Express of Iowa finished third in the three-team bracket.

     Men’s 75+ AAA: Northern Virginia Force (photo below) swept the Long Island Jaguars of New York 20-11 and 14-8 in a best-of-three format.

     Men’s 80+ Gold: Bucs & Bulls of Florida (photo below) lost the first title game 15-10 but won the second 18-9 over the NorEasters of New York to claim the four-team division. The Syracuse Cyclones of New York finished third. In addition, Florida Investment Properties received the Major Plus crown.

     Men’s 85+ Gold: Center 4 Sight of Florida (top photo below) claimed the Major division title while Main Street Pub of Michigan (bottom photo below) earned the AAA division title. Team Rehabilitation of Minnesota finished third in the three-team bracket.

All photo, unless stated otherwise, were taken by Clover Tiedeken or SSUSA Directors

Notice: For those who did not have a chance to buy a 2023 T.O,C. tournament shirt may do so by call our office at 916-326-5303. $40 per shirt, shipping $15-20. Hoodies are sold out. Please note sizes are limited and first-come, first-served. We are out Mediums.