Comebacks Galore in 227-Team Southwest Championships

April 1, 2025

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

 A hot 2025 Southwest Championships ended April 13 with 31 teams claiming top awards and berths to the 2026 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Fla.

The tournament drew 227 teams from 14 states, including teams from as far away as North Carolina, Alaska and Wisconsin.

Competition ranged from tension-filled cliff-hangers to one-sided blowouts orchestrated by some high-scoring offenses. Several teams averaged more than 20 runs a game during the April 8-13 Senior Softball USA tournament played in and around Las Vegas.

Yet 20 runs did not guarantee success, especially in championship games. One losing team scored 32 runs. Another lost despite scoring 29 runs.

Only five teams managed to earn a No. 1 seed after pool play and a No. 1 finish after bracket play.

“Teams not only got to play in large divisions -- but games were exceptionally competitive, with a third of the division titles decided in ‘if-needed’ games,” Tournament Director Terry Hennessy said.

Rather than an “iron man” title, the Arizona Owls earned “iron team” accolades after winning eight elimination games in a row to capture the 65+ AAA crown.

Swingcoast/Spartan Bat Co. of Missouri did nearly as well, winning six in a row coming through the elimination bracket to claim the 40+ Masters Major Plus crown.

Two other teams also deserve shout outs: Top Gun 80 Gold of California for averaging 20 runs a game during an undefeated run to the 80+ Major title; and Top Gun Blue Angels for defeating two younger teams while compiling a 5-0 mark in the 85+ Major division.

Results:

Women's 40+ Masters Major: Fifth-seeded YAS of California (photo below) lost the winner’s bracket final 20-18 but quickly returned for a rematch with third-seeded Firestarter of Washington in the title game. YAS double-dipped Firestarter 16-9 and 21-15 to win the eight-team division. Top-seeded Tharaldson Softball of Nevada finished third.

Women's 40+ Masters AAA: Fourth-seeded Wicked Sports of Arizona lost the first title game 11-5 before capturing the second 13-10 over third-seeded Girl's On Top (G.O.T.) of California. CCS Fireballz of California captured third in the nine-team division.

Women's 50+ Masters Major: Fifth-seeded GBA of California capped a 5-1 tournament with a 12-9 championship victory over top-seeded and runner up Cash Out 50s of California. Second-seeded Snap, Crackle, Pop of Washington finished third in the seven-team division.

Women's 50/55+ Gold: Second-seeded SWI/Rueblur, a 55+ Major team from California, never lost a game en route to defeating third-seeded Bomb Threats of North Carolina 18-10 for the championship. Top-seeded West Coast United of California placed third in the five-team bracket.

Men's 40+ Masters Major Plus: Top-seeded Swingcoast/Spartan Bat Co. of Missouri (photo below) lost its first bracket game 25-24 before going on a six-game win streak, including 40-32 and 7-0 championship triumphs over third-seeded Front Row/Spartan Bat Co/ NM Designs of Texas. That enabled Swingcoast to finish 8-1. Fourth-seeded Johnny Blaze/Suncoast, the California team that sent Swingcoast into the elimination bracket, nabbed third place in the seven-team bracket.

Men's 40+ Gold: Second-seeded L&S Glass/ GlassGuru/ Fatboy, a 40+ Major team from California, capped a 7-1 tournament in exciting fashion. It lost the first title game 24-23 before eking out a 23-22 victory in the if-needed championship game against eighth-seeded SBT of Arizona. Thirteenth-seeded Scudz Sportz / Vicious Cycle of California won five elimination games to finish third in the 18-team division, which tied for the tournament’s second largest bracket.

Men's 50+ Major: The second-seeded Silverbacks/SB 50 of California (photo below) averaged 28 runs a game, went 5-1 overall, and overcame a 32-26 loss in the first title game to win the if-needed title game 35-29 over Arizona Heat. Top-seeded CALIGOLD APPAREL finished third in the five-team division.

Men's 50+ AAA: Sixth-seeded Viejos So Cal (photo below) lost the first title game 22-20 before nabbing the second 27-14 over third-seeded Team SMS of Nevada. Viejos scored 80 runs in its final three games and scored at least 20 runs in six of its eight games. Ninth-seeded Mis Hermanos of Arizona earned third place in the 13-team bracket.

Men's 50/55+ Major Plus: Competing in the only division to crown two champions, top-seeded and unbeaten BPM 50s of Arizona (photo lower left) earned the 50+ Major Plus title by defeating the 55+ Major Plus champions Arizona Heat (photo lower right) 27-25 in the finale. Second-seeded ShowTime So Cal finished third in the four-team division.

Men's 55+ Major: Top-seeded and unbeaten MC Improvements of Wisconsin (photo below) averaged 23 runs per game en route to defeating fourth-seeded L.A.F. 55 of California in the championship game 21-20. L.A.F. won three elimination games to reach the finals. Third-seeded Damage of Utah placed third in the nine-team division.

Men's 55+ AAA: Twelfth-seeded Top Gun Storm of California lost both pool games before winning all five of its bracket games, including a 21-20 title game thriller over third-seeded So Cal Guys 55. Ninth-seeded Fossil Fuel 55 of California captured third in the 14-team division.

Men's 60+ Major Plus: Top-seeded and unbeaten Sommerville Softball of California (photo below) scored 129 runs in five games, including a 27-20 championship victory over third-seeded BTI of California. CornerStone of Oregon finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 60+ Major: Fourth-seeded Hawaii Five-O lost only once (21-20 in pool play) on its way to a 13-12 championship victory over second-seeded Jayco 60 of Idaho, which won five elimination games to reach the finals. Seventh-seeded D'Amore Law Group of Washington placed third in the 12-team bracket.

Men's 60+ AAA: Seventh-seeded NFM Lending of Arizona never lost a bracket game, including a 21-7 championship victory over fourth-seeded Chelu 60s of Oregon (both teams photoed below). Third-seeded SoCal Kamikaze/BFAD 60s of California captured third in the 18-team division, which tied for the tournament’s second largest.

Men's 60+ AA: Top-seeded Boys of Summerlin of Nevada (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament by edging second-seeded Spin Tees of Washington 16-15. The sixth-seeded Advil Knights of California finished third in the seven-team division.

Men's 65+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Cal Energy followed an unbeaten run through pool play with a sweep of NorthWest Stampede of Oregon 26-8 and 20-5. Cal Energy outscored its opponents 128-76 in its five games.

Men's 65+ Major: Top-seeded Samurai 65 of California (photo below) capped a 5-1 tournament with a 15-12 title game victory over fourth-seeded New Dawn Awning of California. Third-seeded SW Bandits of California took third in the five-team division.

Men's 65+ AAA: Proving that anything can happen in Senior Softball, the ninth-seeded Arizona Owls (photo below) overcame a first-round 19-16 loss in the bracket by winning eight in a row, including 22-20 and 19-11 title game victories over the third-seeded SportStan/Islanders 65s of California. The fifth-seeded Sidewinders 65s of Arizona captured third in the 12-team division.

Men's 65+ AA: Second-seeded Lights Out 65 of California (photo below) lost the first title game 17-11 then won the second 19-1 over top-seeded Classics 65 of Utah. Third-seeded Los Vatos Viejos 65s II of Arizona finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 70+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Timberworks/Suncoast of California swept R&R 70s of California 25-24 and 24-9.

Men's 70+ Major: Second-seeded Top Gun Strike Force of California went 6-0 overall, including a 7-0 title game victory after sixth-seeded Steel Etc of Montana forfeited because of injuries and hot weather. The top-seeded Bulldogs 70 of Oregon nabbed third in the 12-team bracket.

Men's 70+ AAA: Top-seeded Scrap Iron 5280' of Colorado suffered only one loss, 24-15 in the first title game, while averaging 20 runs a game. It won the if-needed title game 15-14 over 11th-seeded Rannall’s Realty 70 of Arizona (photo below). Fourth-seeded Arizona Old School 70 placed third in the 19-team division, which was the tournament’s largest.

Men's 70+ AA: The third-seeded Utah Coyotes overcame a first-round bracket loss by winning five in a row, including 23-6 and 20-13 championship game victories over top-seeded Lights Out 70 of California. The second-seeded Scrap Iron Diamonds 70 of Colorado placed third in the five-team bracket.

Men's 75+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Omen 75 of California dispatched R&R 75s of California 19-9 and 19-7 to finish 5-0.

Men's 75+ Major: The top-seeded Ancient 75s of Arizona lost the first title game 26-14 but captured the second 22-11 over second-seeded Animals 75s of California. Sixth-seeded SoCal Gusto placed third in the six-team division.

Men's 75+ AAA: Third-seeded Cut Loose 75s of California capped a 6-0 tournament with a 20-5 title game victory over top-seeded Git-R-Done 75 of California. Second-seeded W.E. Ruth Realty of Washington nabbed third in the 11-team division.

Men's 80+ Major Plus: Third-seeded Maverick Construction 80s outscored opponents in bracket play 68-25 and captured the three-team division by defeating the top-seeded Sidewinders 80s of Arizona 16-5 in the title game. Second-seeded Omen 80 of California finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 80+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, unbeaten Top Gun 80 Gold of California (photo below) swept 80 Ho'oikaika of Hawaii 24-18 and 20-1.

Men's 80+ AAA: Also in a best-of-three format, Git-R-Done of California (photo below) swept the Las Vegas 80 Coyotes 18-13 and 22-21.

Men's 85+ Major: Playing the best of three games, the unbeaten Top Gun Blue Angels 85 of California (photo below) swept the Scrap Iron 85 Legends of Colorado 19-4 and 18-6.