Four Teams Win the Triple Grand Slam at 4th Session of 2024 Worlds

Oct. 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Senior Softball-USA’s World Championships wrapped up Sept. 29 with eight champions crowned among the 157 teams that started play four days earlier.

The 509-game session featured men’s and women’s 50+ teams, the women’s 55+ division, and the international coed division playing at Las Vegas-area softball complexes.

The 2024 Worlds featured one team from Panama and one from Germany. Above, the Reyes/Reinas Diamantes de Panama batting against the Living Legends Co-Ed team of California.

They battled the hottest temperatures of the nearly three-week, slow-pitch softball event, with the thermometer routinely breaking triple digits each afternoon.

Two teams showed extra grit and endurance by winning six or more consecutive games on their final day of play. Suncoast/Adidas of Florida pulled off the feat to win the Men’s 50+ Major Plus title. Broughton Pharmacy of North Carolina provided the encore by winning seven games on Championship Sunday to capture the Men’s 50+ AAA division, which was the tournament’s largest at 60 teams.

Cali Gold Ladies (left) and Takin' Chances (CA - right) playing in the Women's 50+ AAA championship title game at Arroyo Grande Sports Complex in Henderson, Nevada. 

“The fourth and final session of the 2024 World Championships may have ended with scorching temperatures, but the heat didn’t stop the largest divisions of the tournament from producing some exciting finishes,” said Terry Hennessy, SSUSA’s chief executive officer. “It was a wonderful way to cap the largest softball tournament in the world.”

Four teams secured Triple Grand Slam titles, which requires excellence across multiple events. Teams must first win the Eastern or Western National Championship, then triumph in the USA National Championship game that occurs during pool play in Vegas. Finally they must win their World Championship bracket.

That happened during Session 4 in the Men’s 50+ Major division, the Men’s 50+ AAA division, the Women’s 50+ Major division, and the Women’s 50+ AAA division.

Results:

Women’s 50+ Major: Top-seeded TTAU of Florida (photos below) captured the USA National Championship, the SSUSA World Championship and the Triple Grand Slam by going unbeaten in its six games. TTAU defeated third-seeded Old School of California 8-2 in the championship game. It was the teams’ third meeting in the tournament, with TTAU sweeping all three games. Ninth-seeded Straight Pride of California lost its first two bracket games then won three in a row to finish third. SWI/Rueblur of California finished fourth in the nine-team division. USA National Championship game: TTAU 11, Snap, Crackle, Pop of Washington 9.

Women’s 50+ AAA: Top-seeded Cali Gold Ladies of California (photo below) also captured the USA National Championship, the SSUSA World Championship and the Triple Grand Slam with a 6-0 overall tournament record. Cali Gold won its first bracket game by one run before securing the next games much easier, including an 8-1 title game victory over fourth-seeded Takin Chances of California. Sixth-seeded ATL of Missouri placed third. Second-seeded Shots Fired of Rhode Island finished fourth in the 14-team bracket. USA National Championship game: Cali Gold 13, Shots Fired 5.

Women’s 55+ Gold: Top-seeded Homegrown Legends, a AAA team from Florida, (photo below), captured this three-team division by going 4-0 in pool play and 2-0 in the bracket, including a 6-1 title game victory over G.W. Construction of Florida. The Major team Arizona Dream Team finished third.

Men’s 50+ Major Plus: Second-seeded Suncoast/Adidas of Florida lost its first bracket game then won seven in a row — including six on the final day — to capture the 10-team division. After surviving two one-run games in the elimination bracket, Suncoast double-dipped 10th-seeded MP/Primetime/Agent 23 by scores of 30-14 and 24-6. Top-seeded Fattboyz/Front Row of California finished third. Seventh-seeded Hara’s/J&R Wood Products of Washington placed fourth. USA National Championship Game: Fattzboyz/Front Row 22 (photo below), Suncoast/Adidas 4.

Men’s 50+ Major: Overall top seed Gold Nation Hustle of California (photo below) hustled its way through the tournament in fine fashion, winning the USA National Championship, the SSUSA World Championship and the Triple Grand Slam. Gold Nation finished 8-0, including a 18-11 championship victory over Texas Steel, which had been seeded 11th in the American Pod. Fourth-seeded National Pod team Regeee’s Rams of Ontario, Canada, placed third overall. Northwest Easton of Washington, which had been seeded 12th in the American Pod, captured fourth in the 42-team division. USA National Championship game: Gold Nation 19, KL&R Construction of Pennsylvania 9.

Men’s 50+ AAA: Top-seeded Broughton Pharmacy of North Carolina (photo below) took the most difficult route to winning a Triple Grand Slam title and World Championship. After losing its third bracket game, Broughton won seven in a row, all on Championship Sunday, to capture the 60-team division and finish 11-1 overall. Broughton double-dipped Elite Reality/KR Signs of Minnesota 23-12 and 27-26 in the title games. Roof Masters of Alabama placed third. Dayton Legends of Ohio finished fourth. USA National Championship game: Broughton Pharmacy 28, Top Gun G-Force of California 11.

Men’s 50+ AA: It took two championship games involving San Antonio, Texas, teams to decide this 12-team division. Third-seeded Wolfpack (photo below) triumphed 27-9 in the “if needed” championship game. Runner-up and top-seeded Team Madness won the first title game 18-3. The Northwest Blue Dogs of Washington captured third place. Gulf Coast Hurricanes of Texas finished fourth. USA National Champion: HCD of Oregon.

International Coed: This relatively new division drew 10 teams, including ones from Panama and Germany. But Americans took top honors. O&S (also known as Old & Slow, photo below) from Las Vegas lost the first championship game 15-4 to Throwin Shade of California but won the second and the title 12-8. Living Legends Coed of California finished third.