2024 Land of Enchantment: New TOC Qualifier Excels in Albuquerque

June 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Sixty teams from eight states gathered in Albuquerque, N.M. , in early June to participate in the inaugural Land of Enchantment Championships.

Players competed at the newly revamped Los Altos Softball Complex, which boasts five 300-foot-fenced softball fields with new fields, fencing, lighting and restrooms.

Senior Softball players are greeted by Albuquerque Parks and Recreation personnel as they enter the nicely shaded Los Altos Complex.

“This is a huge win for the city (and) a home run for sports tourism in Albuquerque,” Parks and Recreation Director Dave Simon told a local news channel that broadcast a story about the Senior Softball USA event.

The great turnout for a first-time event created a packed Friday and Saturday schedule, with the final games ending several hours after sunset each day. Unfortunately, lightning and heavy rain washed out Sunday’s final rounds.

Overall, 13 teams earned berths to the 2025 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida, by winning their divisions. For the first time, four New Mexico teams earned TOC berths at a tournament in their home state.

Results:

Women’s 50+ Gold: Second-seeded Get Dirty, a 50+ AAA team from New Mexico, capped a 4-1 tournament as champion after rains eliminated the title game. Fourth-seeded Wicked of Texas took second in the six-team division. Top-seeded High Octane/Miken Franchise of Indiana finished third.

Women’s 55/60+ Seniors: Playing a best of three format, the 55+ AAA team G.W. Construction of Florida swept High Desert Diamonds of New Mexico 11-8 and 8-7 to finish as champions and 4-1 overall.

Men’s 50+ AAA: Unbeaten in bracket play before the rain, Johnny Softball Senior Classic of Texas was declared the division champion. It finished with a 4-1 overall record. El Paso Strong 50 took second. Alliance/Scrap Iron of Colorado finished third in the four-team division.

Men’s 50+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, the two teams in this division split their first two games. The championship was awarded to NMP 5.0 of New Mexico on a coin flip. The Originals of Texas finished second.

Men’s 55+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format between two Colorado teams, Scrap Iron Thunder (photo below) swept Scrap Iron Mile High 17-16 and 21-18. Thunder finished 5-0 overall.

Men’s 55+ AAA: Top-seeded Team Vega of Texas went 4-0 and was awarded first as the only unbeaten in the seven-team bracket. Third-seeded Tucson Hammertime Softball of Arizona finished second after defeating second-seeded Alliance/Scrap Iron of Colorado 22-21.

Men’s 60+ Major: Top-seeded Peak Softball/Scrap Iron of Colorado finished 4-1 overall and was awarded first place as the only unbeaten in bracket play. Second-seeded Vegas Elite finished second. Third-seeded Sidewinders of Arizona took third in the four-team division.

Men’s 60+ AAA: Top-seeded Tejano’s of Texas finished 5-0 and nabbed first in the nine-team bracket. Second-seeded KSS/Taco Bell of Arizona won a coin toss to finish second. Fourth-seeded Top Gun Fury took third.

Men’s 60+ AA: Second-seeded Los Toros of New Mexico nabbed first with a 4-0 overall record. Top-seeded El Paso Bad Boys lost its first bracket game then won three elimination games to finish second. Fifth-seeded Club Tilt/Haus of Colorado took third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 65+ Gold: The second-seeded Wolfpack of New Mexico (photo below) double dipped top-seeded Texas Legends 23-12 and 16-12 for the title and an overall 6-1 record. Third-seeded Peak Softball/Scrap Iron finished third in the six-team bracket.

Men’s 65/70/75+ Gold: Fourth-seeded Full Throttle, a 70+ AAA team from Arizona, (photo below), went 4-0 in bracket play, including a 19-18 championship thriller over 70+ AAA Scrap Iron 5280’ of Colorado in a five-team division that featured seven one-run games. Scrap Iron Rockies, a 65+ AA team, finished third.

Men’s 70+ AA: Top-seeded Robson Ranch Texans (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with a 14-13 title game victory over the second-seeded New Mexico Boomers. Third-seeded Triple 2 of Texas finished third in the six-team bracket.

Men’s 75+ AAA: The third-seeded Rangers of Texas (photo below) edged the top-seeded San Antonio Silver Streaks 26-25 to win the four-team bracket. Scrap Iron Stampede of Colorado took third.