EASTERNS CONTINUE GROWTH IN RALEIGH: TEAMS FROM 15 STATES VIE FOR EAST TITLE

Sept. 1, 2012 – Jack Sirard contributing writer

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2012 Eastern Nationals returned here in August for the fifth straight year and attracted a record 56 teams from 15 states.

While there was plenty of action on the field, there were a few notable events unrelated to the actual game play.

For starters, Jack Hudson was introduced (in front of his team, who were surprised) as one of only two people who will be inducted into the Senior Softball-USA International Hall of Fame later this year. Hudson, manager of the 80-year-old Center 4 Sight team from Florida, will be inducted at the SSUSA Convention in Mesquite, Nev., in November.

One happy winner’s victory came off the field. Rip’s Country Inn from Maryland won a drawing that paid half their entry fee for the Eastern Nationals from Beeline Travel. All teams staying in Host Hotels were eligible for the award.

On the field, Omega QSE Construction of Maryland was the Cinderella story of the tournament. Omega did not show on Friday for seeding games, which meant their first bracket game was an automatic loss, forcing them into the 55/60 Platinum loser’s bracket.

Omega then won six games in a row, plowing through every team in a very strong division – and double-dipping Turn 2/ Chavis of North Carolina to win the division.

In the Men’s 50/55 Platinum Division, TSC/Howard Construction from South Carolina cruised through bracket play undefeated to take the crown. They beat C & M Sporting Goods from Alabama 16-14 in the final game.

The Men’s 50 AAA Division attracted seven teams with the Carolina A’s from North Carolina coming out of the loser’s bracket to beat Pill & Pill from West Virginia by scores of 24-12 and 18-13 to win the crown.

New York Motion won three hard-fought games to take the title in the Men’s 55 AAA Division, beating Reality Check from North Carolina 23-19 in the title game.

Over in the Men’s 60 Major Decision, the Northern Virginia Force dropped its first game in bracket play and then came back to double dip the South Florida Heat 17-16 and 19-5 to claim the top prize.

The Indiana Legends/Campbell Tire showed why they were the top seed in the Men’s 60 AAA Division winning all of its games including the title game against the Ohio Steel Dawgs 26-15.

The Ohio Silverados lost their first game in the Men’s 60 AA Division, but won the rest including the title game 22-20 over Code Electric/Royals from North Carolina.

In the Men’s 65/70 Major Plus Division, Hammel Builders/Turn 2 from North Carolina won and in the Men’s 65-70 Gold Division, Flip Dow Building from North Carolina jumped all over Hamels 65’s 19-6 in the title game.

The Syracuse Cyclones from New York got their hitting together once they lost their first game in bracket play in the Men’s 65/70 Silver Division. They put up 25 runs in each game against the top seeded Carolina Cardinals winning 25-14 and 25-8 to win the crown.

In the Men’s 75 Major Division, Agility/Joseph Chevrolet from Florida beat Premium Seats USA from Florida 15-7 and 22-4 to take the title.

The top-seeded Syracuse Cyclones from New York went undefeated in the tournament beating Center 4 Sights from Florida 12-2 to win the Men’s 75/80 Division.

C.P.B. from Michigan rolled through the competition undefeated in the Women’s 40 Master Gold Division, topping home-state rival Butch’s Beavers 19-5 in the finale.

In the Women’s 40 Masters AA Division, Motown Magic from Michigan beat Lew’s Crew from Maryland by scores of 20-6 and 17-14 for the title.

In similar fashion, the Dreamgirls from Virginia topped Phenomenal Ladies from Virginia 18-7 and 18-9 for the Women’s 50 Division.

And the Maryland Roadrunners took two games from the North Carolina Why Nots by scores of 14-5 and 32-6 to win the Women’s 55 Division.

EASTERN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 ALL TOURNEY PLAYERS

Men’s 50/55 Platinum- Tri State Connection- Norman Boque, Denolphus Eason, Gregory Hinds, Emory Vandiver, James Waymer. C&M Sporting Goods- Mike Langford, Ronnie Desmarais, Russ Brick.Metro Stars- Ron Baker, Dan Heinrich.

Men’s 50/55AAA- Pill and Pill- Keith Traylor, Steve Barrett, Mark Ward.

Men’s 55AAA- Goodman Tri-County- William Bandy, Kenny Crouch. Buckeye Classics- Kirby Mayle, Gary Busson.

Men’s 55/60 Platimun- Omega QSE- Wade Ellegood, Preston Phillips, Hosen Harris, Charles Clark, Tony Marlow. Turn Two Chavis- Don Clatterbough,Lawrence Hutcherson, Tommy Tudor.Triangle Master- Bobby Holliman, Mike Koch.

Men’s 60 Major-South Florida Heat- Jim Rappoli, Charles Bell,Jerry Hastings.Metro Hittmen- Charles Atkinson, Dale Hood.

Men’s 60AA-Code Electric/Royals Contracting- Sherwood Driver, Jerry Brown, Buddy Pease, Terry Johnson, Dave Lenhart.

Men’s 60AAA- Indiana Legends/Campbell Tire- Art Robertson, Alan Spayd, Jack Phelps, Bill Wright, Gary Hunt.Steel Dawgs- David Faupel, Mike Foote, Ron Zankey.Lou’s Royals- David Rothwell, Dennis Telmanik.

Men’s 65AA-Syracuse Cyclones- Dan Glum, Joe Scaturro, Joe Broun, Dick Brown,Richie Faia.

Men’s 65/70Major+- Hamel Builders/TurnTwo-Tommy Doss, Phil Biedronski, Don Clatterbough, Pete Smith, John Davide, Lawrence Hutcherson.

Men’s 65/70 Gold- Flip Dow Bonding- Manny Brown, Terry Peters, Jim Benfield, Doug Wilson, Bob Stine. Hamel Builders- Lou Lussi, Bill White, Gene Pinkney.

Men’s 65/70 Silver- Carolina’s Cardinals-Dave Gardner, Ron Milam, Larry Coble.Rip’s Country Inn- Ralph Conlin, James Jackson.

Men’s 75 Major- Agulity/Joseph Chev.-Duffie Stone, Dallas Moore, Norm Ellis, Bob Johnson, Herman Zornes, Vinnie Remson.

Men’s 75/80 Gold- Syracuse Cyclones- Al Sheridan, Dick Lowenberg, Len Becchetti, Bob Fox, Charlie Foote.Center for Sight- Roger Thresher,Al Murray, Jerry Jones.Delaware Diamonds- George Merlo, Frank Williams.

Women’s 40- Butch’s Beavers- Carolynn Harmon, Sue Harrington, Lisa Cook.

Women’s 50- Dreamgirlz- Barbara Foxx, Lynnie France, Shirley Snell, Kathy O’Meara, Deborah Franklin, Fay Jennings. Phenomenal Ladies- Cynthia Nelson, Clair Edwards, Blondell Floryance, Annette Pittman.

Women’s 55-Maryland Roadrunners- Joyce Kraimer, Janet Mitchell, Mary Byrnes, Patti Martin, Sheila Hutchison, Sharon Allen. Why Nots- Toni Sugg, Ruthanne Phillips, Gail Whitesell,Debbie Madden.