Seven Out of 10 States Welcome Home Winners from the 2026 Tidewater Classic

April 1, 2026

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

     Teams from 10 states battled for bragging rights this March when they invaded Princess Anne Athletic Complex for the 2026 Tidewater Classic in Virginia Beach.

     When the six-day event ended March 29, teams from eight of those states had claimed titles, trophies, championship shirts and berths to the 2027 Original Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Fla.

     North Carolina led the way with three champions. Pennsylvania and Virginia each garnered two. Other winners hailed from Maryland, New York, Minnesota, Illinois and New Jersey.

     “The Tidewater Classic has become the early-season measuring stick for teams in the East,” Tournament Director Tim McElroy said. “Most brackets had six or more teams, with the 12-team Major 60+ division leading the way.”

     The men’s 40+ and men’s 60+ age groups boasted the most entries, with 17 teams apiece. Overall, 62 teams participated.

Results:

     Women's 40+ AAA: Playing a best-of-five format that involved three two-run games, B Elite Ballers of North Carolina knocked off Lady Ace’s/American Legion Post 327 of Virginia (photo below) 17-19, 15-10, 11-9 and 14-12.

     Men's 40+ Platinum: The fourth-seeded Major Plus team Shoreline Marine Company (SMC) of Maryland went 1-1 in seeding games before cobbling together three one-run bracket victories in a row to reach the finale. Another close game followed, with SMC defeating sixth-seeded 40+ Major champion Extreme/Wild N’Out of North Carolina (photo below) 21-19 to win the nine-team division. Both teams earned Tournament of Champion berths. Seventh-seeded Prime 40s/Proton/Treedem Sports of Maryland nabbed third place.

     Men's 40+ AAA: After the second-seeded SpamTown Sliders of Minnesota suffered a one-run loss early in bracket play, the Sliders rattled off five consecutive victories, including 27-21 and 19-8 championship-game triumphs over sixth-seeded EPM/RAM 40s of Virginia. The fourth-seeded Lead Foot Grays of Maryland captured third in the eight-team division.

     Men's 50+ Major: Fourth-seeded Lyndsey Roofing/OTC ELITE of New York got on a roll in bracket play, winning 22-8, 30-12, 28-15 and 22-21 to claim the six-team division while finishing 5-1 overall. Third-seeded Red Athlete/Smiley's Glass of Virginia won four elimination games before finishing second. Second-seeded Wilsons Blvd/Chesapeake Hardscapes/CLA of Maryland finished third.

     Men's 50+ AAA: Top-seeded Old Skool/Racehorse Tavern/Girard Club of Pennsylvania (photo below), which capped its 2025 season by winning the Tournament of Champions in January, continued the run by winning this five-team division. It capped a 5-0 tournament with a 21-20 title-game triumph over fourth-seeded EIS of New Jersey, which dominated three elimination games to reach the finals. Second-seeded Stud Softball of Pennsylvania took third in the five-team division.

     Men's 55+ Major: After the seventh-seeded D.C. Grays of Virginia (photo below) lost two seeding games by a total of three runs, the team raced through bracket play undefeated by averaging 27 runs a game. In the title game, the Grays knocked off second-seeded Caterbone/PHX TUBE of Connecticut 26-23 to win the seven-team division. Caterbone won four elimination games in a row to reach the finals. Fourth-seeded Lawson Construction Management of Virginia placed third.

     Men's 55/60+ Major Plus: Playing a best-of-three format, the 55+ Major Plus team Broughton Pharmacy of North Carolina swept Dugout/Dudley/SP2 of Virginia 20-3 and 29-14 to finish 4-1 overall.

     Men's 55/60+ Silver: The top-seeded 60+ AAA team Team Illinois (photo below) won its third straight Tidewater Classic in style, going undefeated to capture the title of this five-team division. It defeated second-seeded VA Journeymen 19-16 in the championship game. Fourth-seeded DHF/Genesis of Virginia took third.

     Men's 60+ Major: Sixth-seeded E&E Metal Fab Inc/Jerich Company of Pennsylvania played 10 games in three days, finishing as 8-2 champions of this 12-team division. Coming out of the elimination bracket, E&E double-dipped seventh-seeded Phoenix Tube/Bob Johnson of New York 18-17 and 23-20 in the title games. Fourth-seeded Sullivan Contracting of Pennsylvania grabbed third place.

     Men's 65/70+ Gold: Second-seeded Team Riporti, a 65+ AAA team from New Jersey, double-dipped top-seeded The Starboard of Delaware 28-12 and 14-13 to win the four-team division and avenge a 26-20 in the winner’s bracket final. Fourth-seeded Northern Virginia Force 65s captured third place.

     Men's 70+ AAA: Playing a best-of-three format, Northern Virginia Force 70 swept Robinson's Furniture/OTS of Delaware 26-18 and 18-8.