Tournament wrapup

2008 Atlantic Coast Championships Nets 9 New TOC Berths

Oct. 1, 2008 – Dave Dowell National Director

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA – Beautiful weather and perfect playing conditions at the Potomack Lakes and Brambleton Sports Complexes marked the SSUSA’s visit to Loudoun County in July for the inaugural Atlantic Coast Championships. In a serene setting not far from the Nation’s capital, 41 of the best senior softball teams on the Eastern seaboard won nine regional championships and the coveted invitations to the 2009 Tournament of Champions.

In the six-team Men’s 50-Major division, close games marked the competition, with numerous bracket games decided by three runs or less. Angle Inn/Doghouse and Seven Softball met three times, with Seven prevailing in the “If” game, 26-11. The Seven championship was later vacated and awarded to Angle Inn/Doghouse over a player eligibility issue (see related story on page 3). In the 50-AAA division, the Rochester (NY) 50’s completed a perfect tournament weekend over the eight-team field with a come-from-behind 12-11 victory at the expense of the Carpenter’s Legends (NC) in the Championship.

The 55’s division featured exciting and high-scoring games throughout, where no lead was safe. The High Street Bucs (MD) captured the 55-Major title with a two-game sweep over the New Jersey Hitmen, 22-8 in the final. The 55-AAA division was the largest of the tournament, with 10 teams battling over three days. TNT Sports Club (PA) captured the championship, overcoming a 14-run deficit by scoring 15 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Championship game to eke out the 25-24 victory over the Syracuse Merchants (NY).

The New York Statesmen won highly competitive Men’s 60-Major title in a bracket that saw all but one game decided by two runs or less, the final game being an 18-16 victory over Spicer Properties. The Men’s 60-Silver division was won by Bostonian shoes following a march through the elimination bracket, culminating in 25-3 and 23-15 victories over Ca$h 4 College.

The Men’s 65’s and 70’s division, the Richmond Classics (VA) defeated the Virginia Cavaliers (16-5) in the “If” game, Hamel’s 70’s (MD) took two straight exciting games decided in the last at-bat bit (11-10 and 14-13) from the Central PA 70’s for the 70-Major Championship and the Virginians completed a perfect 5-0 weekend with a 14-5 win over the VA Crackerjacks for the 70-Silver Championship.