Mild Temps Mix With Heated Competition for the 2025 Western Nationals

Aug. 1, 2025

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Thirty-two teams gave themselves a shot at a USA Championship and possible Triple Grand Slam by winning their divisions in the 2025 Western National Championships played July 29 to Aug. 3 in the Sacramento area.

Those teams earned berths to their age and rating division’s USA Game, in which the Eastern National champions and Western National champions square off during the SSUSA World Championships in September. Winners of USA Games can capture the coveted and difficult-to-achieve Triple Grand Slam by also winning their overall Worlds bracket in Las Vegas.

The Westerns drew 123 teams this year from nine states, including Texas, Montana and Colorado.

Pest Seniors (CA) and Vintage Baddies (WA) play their first bracket game of Western Nationals against each other. 14 women's teams competed in the 2025 Western Nationals. 

“We saw many games played at very competitive levels throughout most all age groups and divisions,” Tournament Director Mike Hula said.

Several teams won championship games by single digits or by taking their opponent into the “if needed” title game, he said.

“The weather helped out a lot for most days of the tournament,” Hula said, citing temperatures in the mid-70s to 80s much of each day, until the thermometer climbed into the 90s in the late afternoons.

In addition to gaining USA Game berths, bracket winners earned berths to the 2026 Tournament of Champions to be played in Polk County, Florida.

Results:

Women's 40+ Major: Second-seeded TABU of California capped a 5-0 tournament with a 22-7 domination of third-seeded Team I.S.S.U.E. of California in the title game. Top-seeded Royal-T Real Estate/The LaFlamme Group of Washington finished third in the five-team division.

Women's 40+ AAA: After winning its first four games with runs to spare, top-seeded Mood Swings of California claimed the title in a nailbiter – a 10-9 triumph over the second-seeded Vintage Rockstars of California. The third-seeded Vintage Baddies of Washington finished third in the six-team division. (Mood Swings and Vintage Rockstars photographed together below).

Women's 40/50+ Gold: Top-seeded 50+ AAA champ Takin' Chances of California went 5-0, including a 18-15 title-game triumph over 40+ AA champ TWB of California. The third-seeded Poly Chics (Cali Gold) received the 50+ Major title. All three teams got berths to their division’s USA Games in Las Vegas. (Takin' Chance and TWB photographed together below).

Men's 40+ Major Plus: Top-seeded and unbeaten Tai/Elite Sports/Onyx of California averaged 30 runs a game in its six victories, which included a 37-27 championship triumph over third-seeded Swingcoast/Spartan Bat Co. of Missouri. Fourth-seeded Supreme Athletics/Anarchy Bats of California finished third in the high-scoring four-team bracket, which included a 74-run game between Swingcoast and Supreme in the elimination bracket.

Men's 40+ Major: Seventh-seeded The Ravine of California (photo below) lost the first championship game 23-17 before snagging the second 30-24 over fourth-seeded Legendary Old School of California. Eighth-seeded RC/High Mountain Propane of California, which knocked off the top seed early in bracket play, finished third in the 11-team division.

Men's 40+ AAA: Top-seeded Hella Nor-Cal (photo below) capped a 4-1 tournament with a 20-15 championship victory over third-seeded T.N.T. (Tacos & Tequila) of California. Second-seeded GTR of Oregon finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 50+ Major: Unbeaten in its five games, top-seeded A&B PLBG 50 of California (photo below) ousted second-seeded Rightline of Washington 24-19 for the title. Fourth-seeded BR & Company of California captured third in the six-team bracket.

Men's 50+ AAA: Third-seeded EUV Tech of California (photo below) started bracket play with a 29-28 win over the team it would meet again in the championship: CaliGold 50 of California. Though CaliGold won the first title game 21-15, EUV Tech controlled the second 22-4 to capture the five-team division. Fourth-seeded Central Cal 50s finished third.

Men's 50+ AA: Playing a best-of-three format, the Nor-Cal Hitmen of California swept HCD 50 of Oregon 15-4 and 21-6.

Men's 50/55+ Major Plus: Top-seeded Fattboyz/Front Row, the 50+ Major Plus champions from California (photo below), went 6-0, including a 23-9 title-game victory over third-seeded Gold Nation Hustle 50s of California. Second-seeded Hara's/Hub City/Dirty of Washington finished third. Pacific Reign/DeMarini of Oregon received the 55+ Major Plus title and USA Game berth.

Men's 55+ Major: After winning both seeding games by one run, top-seeded Classic Glass 55s Easton of California scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to win the championship game by – you guessed it – one run, 18-17. Third-seeded L.A.F. 55 of California took second place, and fourth-seeded A-1 Pavement Marking 55s of California finished third in the six-team division.

Men's 55+ AAA: Top-seeded Cali Gold 55 capped a 5-0 tournament with a 23-21 title victory over second-seeded Top Gun Storm of California. Fifth-seeded West Coast 55s of California finished third in the seven-team division.

Men's 60+ Major Plus: This best-of-three bracket went all three games, with Sommerville Softball of California besting BTI of California 18-14, 18-27 and 16-9.

Men's 60+ Major: The fourth-seeded Top Gun Warriors of California (photo below) got smacked down 20-5 in the first title game before capturing the “if needed” game 22-19 over 11^th-seeded Jayco 60 of Idaho. The eighth-seeded Dirty Birds 60s of California earned third in the 11-team division.

Men's 60+ AAA: After this division played a slew of close seeding games, second-seeded SMASH of California played a seesaw set of bracket games. It lost the winner’s finale 15-8 before returning from the elimination bracket to double-dip the top-seeded Warriors of California 15-9 and 18-16. Fourth-seeded Excellence Auto Collision of Washington finished third in the 11-team bracket.

Men's 60+ AA: Second-seeded Tri City Legends of Washington (photo below) won all three of its bracket games, including a 25-10 triumph over top-seeded Spin Tees of Washington. So Cal Riptide 60 finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 65+ Platinum: Third-seeded 65+ Major Plus champ Cal Energy 65 (photo below) defeated 65+ Major champ NW Elite Hitmen of Washington 24-10 in the title game. Both earned USA Game berths for Las Vegas. The fifth-seeded Arizona Owls finished third in the five-team division.

Men's 65+ AAA: The second-seeded Hustlers of California (photo below) knocked off runner-up SportStan/Islanders 65s of California twice in bracket play, including the 22-15 championship game. Fourth-seeded QC Rebel's/Hopkins Financial of Idaho finished third in the five-team division.

Men's 70+ AAA: Third-seeded Excessive Force 70 of California double-dipped top-seeded Pacific Storm of California 19-6 and 15-9 to win the four-team division. The fourth-seeded Sacramento Islanders 70 took third.

Men's 70/75+ Platinum: Top-seeded Omen 75 (photo below) earned the 75+ Major Plus title and USA Game berth while the other finalist, fifth-seeded Scrap Iron High Octane of Colorado, finished unbeaten in bracket play and earned the 70+ Major title and USA Game berth. After losing its first bracket game, Omen won four elimination games to reach the finals. Third-seeded Cal Energy 70 finished third in the seven-team division.

Men's 75+ Major: Playing a best-of-three format, Last Call 75 of Nevada (photo below) swept the previously unbeaten Animals 75s of California in two nailbiters, 17-15 and 18-17.

Men's 75+ AAA: Top-seeded Cut Loose 75s of California (photo below) followed a 3-0 pool play record with a 3-0 bracket record, including a 15-14 championship victory over fourth-seeded Please Don't Bug Me of California. The Sacramento Islanders 75s finished third in the four-team division.

Men's 80+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, Omen 80 of California (photo below) swept Maverick Construction 80s of Texas 15-14 and 14-3.

Men's 80+ Major: Gold Rush of California (photo below) finished unbeaten overall by sweeping Top Gun 80 Gold/J2 of California 22-7 and 17-11 in a best-of-three bracket format.

Men's 75/80/85+ Gold: The top-seeded 80+ AAA champion Enforcers of California defeated the 75+ AA champion California Oaks 19-4 in the title game of this three-team division. The Top Gun Blue Angels of California received the 85+ Major title and USA Game berth.