Record 132 Teams Compete in the 2024 Eastern Nationals

Aug. 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Top-class ballparks, a triple play, a walk-off grand slam and dozens of nip-and-tuck ball games highlighted the six-day Eastern National Championship played in late July in Louden County, Virginia.

The tournament drew 132 entries, a 15 percent increase from 2023, with participants hailing from 16 states, including Alabama, Minnesota and Indiana.

Tournament Director Fran Dowell complimented the field crews and the local hospitality, which always seems to shine in Louden County. The weather also cooperated, with only a few games affected by rain one afternoon, Dowell said.

Directors Fran (left) & Dave Dowell (right) present championship awards to Center For Sight 85+ managers, Hugh (center right) & Billy Brotherton (center left).

Twenty-four champions earned the right to play the winners of the Western National Championships during the SSUSA World Championships this September in Las Vegas. Teams that win those East/West USA games become U.S. National Champions. To earn the coveted Triple Grand Slam title, a U.S. National Champion also must win its World Championship bracket. Each year, only a few teams succeed.

The Eastern tournament schedule involved more than 400 games scheduled at five parks from July 23 to 28.

In one of the most explosive championship showdowns in tournament history, the Men’s 40+ Major Plus division ended with 39-37 and 51-34 title game scores. For those of you keeping track at home, that’s 161 runs in just two games.

Different fireworks occurred in the 13-team Men’s 50+ Major division, where Half Century of North Carolina pulled off a 6-3-2 triple play in a winner’s bracket game. In the elimination bracket, Florida Onyx knocked Deluxe Bakery/Phoenix Tube of New Jersey out of the tournament by hitting a walk-off grand slam home run.

Another nailbiter happened in the Men’s 55+ Major division when a fly ball bounced out of a right-center fielder’s glove and cleared the outfield fence for a four-base award.

Overall, one run decided roughly 60 of the games. Two- and three-run games also abounded.

Results:

Women’s 40+ Masters Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Allstate/TAZ/K&G Softball of Ohio needed all three games to earn the title over Vintage of New Jersey 20-11, 6-10 and 15-11. Both teams finished 3-2 overall.

Women’s 40+ Masters AAA: The top-seeded Lady Legends of Pennsylvania (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with a 21-20 win over the second-seeded Fireballs of Massachusetts. Fourth-seeded Fear No One of Maryland finished third in a highly competitive six-team division. Five of the bracket games were decided by one run.

Women’s 50+ Gold: Top-seeded and unbeaten TTAU of Florida defeated fourth-seeded Unfazed of Virginia 25-10 for the title of the four-team division. Shots Fired of Rhode Island finished third and earned a USA Game berth as the top finishing 50+ AAA team.

Men’s 40+ Major Plus: In a battle of high-scoring teams, top-seeded Suncoast Adidas of Florida lost the first title game 39-37 but rebounded to win the second 51-34 over second-seeded Headbanger Sports/SWBC of Florida. HDI/Rapid Fire of Virginia took third in the four-team division.

Men’s 40+ Masters Major: Top-seeded Central Jersey Elite double-dipped 10^th-seeded Sake of Maryland 28-22 and 19-8 after losing to Sake in the winner’s bracket finals. Seventh-seeded Gigantes O.C. of Maryland won five elimination games to finish third in the 14-team division.

Men’s 40+ AAA: Fifth-seeded Flatline of Virginia capped a 5-1 tournament by edging the second-seeded Black Kings of Maryland 19-18 in the title game. The sixth-seeded Smokin Aces/American Legion Post #327 of Virginia lost its first bracket game then won four in a row to finish third in the eight-team division.

Men’s 50+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, unbeaten Suncoast/Adidas of Florida swept PulseChain/Juno Athletics of New Jersey 19-18 and 34-32.

Men’s 50+ Major: Third-seeded KL&R Construction of Pennsylvania (photo below) double dipped fifth-seeded Roebell/Paradise of New York 26-10 and 18-13 to win the 13-team division. Tenth-seeded OTC Elite of Pennsylvania nabbed third place.

Men’s 50+ AAA: Unbeaten in six games, top-seeded Broughton Pharmacy of North Carolina dispatched fourth-seeded That 50’s Show of Pennsylvania 18-15 in the title game. Third-seeded Arooga’s/MVP of Pennsylvania finished third in the 11-team division.

Men’s 55+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, BPA/Miken/Worth/Easton of Pennsylvania capped a 5-0 tournament by sweeping Suncoast/Adidas 55s of Florida 32-17 and 22-6.

Men’s 55+ Major: Top-seeded Mitchell’s 55 of Florida capped a 6-0 tournament with a 19-4 victory over fifth-seeded Bishop Electric of Rhode Island. Mitchell’s won three of its four bracket games by double digits. Second-seeded Tyler Trucking/P&G/Watts Plumbing of Ohio finished third in the 14-team division.

Men’s 55+ AA: Playing a best-of-three format, Harford Financial Group of Maryland swept the Longshoremen 55 of Virginia 18-9 and 31-18 to finish 4-1 overall.

Men’s 60+ Major: Third-seeded Ohio Elite 60s capped a 7-0 tournament with a 49-4 championship victory over seventh-seeded Team Florida/Phoenix Tube. Eighth-seeded How Creative Design/The Bank of Delaware finished third in the 15-team division.

Men’s 60+ AAA: Fifth-seeded BJM Bomb Squad of Indiana capped a 5-1 tournament with a 13-9 title game victory over third-seeded Hudson Valley Cyclones of New York. Top-seeded Steel City A’s of Pennsylvania finished third in the 10-team division.

Men’s 65+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Ted Todd Insurance of Florida (photo below) defeated Omega IT Services LLC of Virginia 26-11 and 16-15 to finish 4-2 overall.

Men’s 65+ Major: Fourth-seeded Howe Creative Design/The Bank of Delaware (photo below) finished 6-1 by defeating the seventh-seeded Minnesota Merchants 16-7 in the title game. Third-seeded The Ockers Company of Massachusetts finished third in the seven-team division.

Men’s 70/75+ Platinum: Top-seeded Venom 75s of Florida (photo below) finished 6-0 and earned by 75+ Major Plus USA and 2025 TOC berths by defeating Pill & Pill 70 of West Virginia 20-5 for the title of the four-team division. Pill & Pill earned the 70+ Major berths to the USA game and the 2025 Tournament of Champions. RPR Softball of Alabama finished third.

Men’s 70/75+ Gold: Fourth-seeded Spring Ford 70, a 70+ AAA team from Pennsylvania, (photo below), defeated the third-seeded Syracuse Cyclones of New York 21-20 for the title. Top-seeded Northern Virginia Force 75 finished third and earned the 75+ Major USA game berth.

Men’s 80/85+ Gold: After finishing 3-1 playing a double-round-robin seeding format, Center for Sight of Florida (photo below) won a 19-10 semifinal game over the 85+ AAA team New York Statesmen and a 15-4 championship victory over the 80+ AAA team NorEasters of New York. All three teams earned USA game berths.