Record 88 Teams Compete at 2024 Jim Sherman Memorial/Northwest Champs

July 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

A record 88 teams endured unusually hot temperatures while competing July 9-14 in the 2024 Jim Sherman Memorial/Northwest Championships in Oregon.

Opening day proved so hot – 106 degrees officially in Salem – that Parks and Recreation staff enforced a weather advisory game plan. They required games to start at 7:15 a.m. with games shortened all day to a maximum of five innings.

“The teams were very thankful this happened,” Director Ron Grassi said.

Temperatures cooled into the 90s for the remaining days but remained above average for July. As Director Brian Pryor put it, “It was still pretty hot.”

Directors juggled the Sunday morning schedule after a bank of lights went out Saturday night in Albany, forcing some games to move to Sunday.

SSUSA Staff (Eunice & David Lee) commended the hard working maintenance staff at Wallace Marine Softball Complex in Salem, Oregon.

Overall, teams from 10 state states and Canada squared off at parks in Salem and Albany, Oregon. Twenty-three teams earned berths to the 2025 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida, by winning their divisions.

One highlight involved the Men’s 50/55+ Platinum Division, where one run decided each of the final three games – including one contest won on a walk-off hit.

Results:

Women’s 40+ Masters Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Royal-T Real Estate/The LaFlamme Group of Washington (photo below) swept Not Today of Nevada 10-8 and 18-12. Royal-T finished 5-0 overall.

Women’s 40+ Masters Silver: Top-seeded AAA team Ol’ D BYBs of Oregon defeated Stayin Alive of Washington 11-2 for the title. Idaho Spirit finished third in the three-team division.

Women’s 50+ Gold: Top-seeded Snap, Crackle, Pop, a Major team from Washington, (photo lower left), lost its second bracket game by one run then came back to double dip the AAA champions Takin’ Chances of California (photo lower right), 23-16 and 29-18. Both earned TOC berths. West Coast United placed third in the four-team division.

Women’s 55+ AAA: Playing a best-of-three format, Adrenaline of Nevada swept Team BattleAxe of Oregon 12-6 and 16-8 to finish as champs and 4-1 overall.

Men’s 40+ Masters Platinum: After losing a pool game by one run, the fifth-seeded Major team Hara’s/J & R Wood Products of Washington swept all four of its bracket games, including a 21-10 title game over fourth-seeded S2 40s of Oregon, which won four elimination games to reach the finals. ReRinc Outlaws of Oregon placed third in the six-team division.

Men’s 40+ AAA: Fourth-seeded GTR of Oregon lost the first title game 19-18 but won the second by the same score over second-seeded Torgi Trucking/U.P. Electric of Washington. Top-seeded Style Motors/Integrity Home Loans/Sutton Sign Solutions of Oregon placed third in the five-team division.

Men’s 50+ AAA: Top-seeded All-Quip/SOWC-50 or Oregon capped a 5-0 tournament with a 11-8 title game victory over fourth-seeded Refurbished of Utah. Coastline of Washington placed third in the seven-team division.

Men’s 50+ AA: Doerflinger Athletics of Washington (photo below) lost the first championship game 18-10 but rebounded to take the second 17-11 over the NW Blue Dogs of Washington. HCD 50 of Oregon placed third in the three-team division.

Men’s 50/55+ Platinum: Top-seeded NW Easton, a 50+ Major team from Washington, lost the first title game on a walk-off 19-18 win for Bath Conversion/NW Wolf Pack of Oregon. Then NW Easton edged Bath 18-17 in the second thrilling title game. Pacific Reign/DeMarini of Oregon placed third in the three-team division.

Men’s 55+ Major: Second-seeded Scrap Iron Thunder of Colorado finished 5-0, including a 24-23 title game thriller over fourth-seeded Damage of Nevada. Top-seeded NW Jokers/Dave Smith Motors of Washington took third in the four-team division.

Men’s 55+ AAA: Second-seeded All-Quip/SOWC-55 of Oregon capped a 6-0 tournament with a 20-16 championship victory over fourth-seeded Boise Office Equipment/BOE of Idaho. Top-seeded Alliance/Scrap Iron 55 of Colorado finished third in the nine-team division, the tournament’s largest.

Men’s 60+ Major: Two losses in pool games mattered little to Arizona Old School, which went 3-0 in the bracket and edged third-seeded Precision/Wolfpack of Washington 24-23 for the title. D’Amore Law Group of Washington finished third in the four-team division.

Men’s 60+ AAA: Top-seeded Chelu of Oregon capped a 5-0 tournament with a 22-18 title game victory over third-seeded Michael’s Automotive Group of Washington. Second-seeded Alliance/Scrap Iron of Colorado finished third in the six-team division.

Men’s 65+Platinum: Top-seeded NorthWest Stampede, a 65+ Major team from Oregon, (photo below), capped a 5-1 tournament with a 19-4 title game victory over the second-seeded NW Elite Hitmen of Washington. Texas Crush Sixty Fives finished third in the three-team division.

Men’s 65+ AAA: Second-seeded Second Wind of Washington (photo below) earned top honors with a 5-0 record, including a 16-12 title game victory over fourth-seeded Scrap Iron Heavy Metal of Colorado. Top-seeded Team Fire/Macklin’s Auto Body of Washington finished third in the six-team division.

Men’s 65+ AA: Third-seeded Cascade Thunder of Oregon lost the first title game 20-15 but won the second 17-13 over second-seeded Scrap Iron 65s Rockies of Colorado. Fourth-seeded Northwest Silver of Washington took third in the four-team division.

Men’s 70+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Timberworks/Suncoast of California (photo below) swept Enviro-Vac Marauders of British Columbia, Canada, 25-1 and 24-10 to finish 4-1 overall.

Men’s 70+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Bulldogs 70 of Oregon swept Last Call 70 of Nevada 12-11 and 12-5 to finish 3-2 overall.

Men’s 70+ AAA: Second-seeded Oregon Crabs lost the first title game 15-13 to top-seeded W.E. Ruth Realty 70 of Washington (photo below) but won the second 21-20 to capture the championship. Spot Bar & Grill of Oregon finished third in the three-team division.

Men’s 75+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, undefeated Omen 75 swept Enviro-Vac Marauders of British Columbia, Canada, 18-17 and 12-10.

Men’s 75+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Last Call of Nevada defeated Al’s Sport Shop of California 13-12, 17-22, 18-15.

Men’s 70/80+ Silver: Top-seeded Proton/Spikes, a 70+ AA team from Washington, defeated third-seeded Northwest Silver of Washington 23-7 for the title and an overall 4-1 record. Silver City Brewers, an 80+ team from Washington, took third in the three-team division.