SPA News

PENSACOLA,FLA - The 2019 SPA WOMENS TOURNAMENT opened the season APRIL 12-14 at MICHAEL J. DESORBO EXCHANGE PARK in PENSACOLA with the SPA WOMENS SPRING NATIONALS.

Twenty-one  teams took part in the event which featured lots of close and "IF" games as the ladies battled for titles in the 35,40,45,50 and 55 Divisions.

The TN STARS captured the 50 AAA bracket by beating JWP twice 25-17 and 24-11. They also disposed of H-TOWN SISTERS 16-1 and FIRE&ICE 19-4.

The STARS went 6-2 in bracket and pool play with the only defeats being to JWP. 

JWP went undefeated in pool play and through the first two games of bracket play before losing the final two games to the TN STARS.

Others in the bracket were H-TOWN SISTERS and FIRE&ICE.

THE PLAYERS went undefeated (6-0) in both pool and bracket play to capture the six-team 55 DIVISION.

The champs took down SERIOUS FUN twice in the finals of bracket play 14-0  and 12-9 along with an opening round 17-8 win over SHO-ME.

SERIOUS FUN also had six wins in the tournament but was saddled with three defeats, all to THE PLAYERS.

Others in the 55 DIVISION were H-TOWN SISTERS, SHO-ME, SUNNY BEACHES. and LA SPORTS. The 35 DIVISION also saw an undefeated team win its bracket as PITCHES BE CRAZY went 5-0 in the six-team field to take home the top prize. The PITCHES knocked off JWP twice in bracket play to wrap it up.

JWP downed OUTER LIMITS 17-13 to make it into the finals.

Teams in the six-team group were PITCHES BE CRAZY, JWP, OUTER LIMITS, HILTON, WICKED GAMES and MIDWEST MAYHEM.

KRYPTONITE beat PITCHES BE CRAZY, TM FORCE and ARKANSAS SYNERGY in bracket play for the 45 PLUS crown while ARKANSAS SYNERGY edged TM FORCE 10-9 for the 40 PLUS title.

Teams in the 40/45 bracket were KRYPTONITE, ARKANSAS SYNERGY, TM FORCE, PITCHES BE CRAZY and LADY SHOT CALLERS..

"It was a great tournament with plenty of outstanding players and individuals," TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR MIKE DESORBO played," The ladies really had their hitting shoes on and played outstanding defense. They really are outstanding softball players."

SPA continued to be the number one men's senior softball tournament drawing card in MARYLAND attracting 33 teams to the GLEN BURNIE TOURNAMENT may 1-4 at the BACHMAN SPORTS COMPLEX.

"GLEN BURNIE has been a fixture with SPA over the years always drawing between 30-50 teams," SOFTBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT RIDGE HOOKS said. "We were a little down this year with 33 teams but we will probably bounce back to 50 teams next year."

ELEVEN DIVISION champs were crowned in 2019 which saw winners in all age brackets.

The HIGH STREET BUCS won the 70's beating NORTHERN VIRGINIA FORCE (18-0) and SPICERS (17-11) in the finals. NORTHERN VIRGINIA reached the finals downing SPICERS 17-11.

The 70 MASTER crown went to the NEW YORK STATESMEN who beat BRADFORD WHITE 16-9 in the third game in a two-out-of-three showdown. The STATESMEN took the opener 12-10 but BRADFORD rallied to win the second game 17-11.

HAMEL BUILDERS BEAT PEACHTREE 23-10 and JERSEY MASTERS 18-11 for the 80's title.

PEACHTREE reached the finals with wins over BAILEY CAVALIERS 23-22 and 27-10.

The HIGH STREET BUCS downed ROCHESTER TITANS (26-18)and SPRINGFORD (26-25) to win the 65 MAJOR championship while the TITANS claimed AAA title.

ROADHOUSE BLUES and NORTHERN VA FORCE rounded out the five team bracket.

MARYLAND CLASSICS tripped PINEBELT CARS 30-20 AND 18-3 for the 50 AAA title. TIME BANDITS were third in the three team bracket.

THOMAS LAW lost the opener in the best two-out-of-three 28-29 to TEAM USA in the opener but rebounded taking the next two 32-25, 34-28 for the 50 MAJOR + title.

The 50 MAJORS saw BOB JOHNSON run the table in bracket play with wins over PHOENIX TUBE (24-19), COVELLO SANITATION (19-18) and WV HOTSHOTS (22-11) for the championship 50 MAJOR TROPHY.

PHOENIX TUBE beat CAVELLO SANITATION 21-16 for second.R

ROBELL PAINT was the fifth team in the group.

It was another bracket sweep as ACTION AUTO downed BUILDING INNOVATION (25-10. 29-13) and PHOENIX TUBE 24-5 for the 55 MAJOR crown.

THE NATIONALS filled out the four team bracket.

MARYLAND COUGARS beat CRUNCH IT 20-17 and MONECARY BREWERS 29-23 TO WIN THE 55AAA/60AAA title.

NORTHEAST STORM wrapped up the tournament as the 55 MAJOR + STORM beat 60M PROMOTION 17-16 and 28-13 in the 55 M+/ 60 M finale.

GEORGETOWN, TEXAS - The EYES OF TEXAS smiled down on the SPA  LAYLA BRYAN MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT APRIL 10-15 at the MCMASTER ATHLETIC COMPLEX in GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.

For the second straight the event hit 30 teams with eight teams sharing in EIGHT BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIPS.

LA LEGENDS defeated SAN ANTONIO LEGENDS twice and OK-ARK once in bracket play to take the three-tea, 70 GOLD bracket.

The GRAY SOX came out of the losers bracket to defeat the TEXAS CLASSICS 28-24 and 14-12 for the crown.

The SOX also had to beat the TEXAS RAIDERS twice (28-12, 23-22) to offset their only bracket loss 16-5 to the CLASSICS in the second round.

LOTTA SOFTBALL PLAYED LIKE A "YOUNG 80'S team" beating SAN ANTONIO twice 20-8,21-6 to take the "SENIOR" senior citizens bracket.

The kids HILL CONTRACTING won the 75 title beating the SAN ANTONIO DESPARDO'S 75'S 22-2 AND 7-0. SA reached the finals by beating TEXAS 75 KNIGHT RIDERS 24-11.

TEXAS THUNDER won the 65 AAA/MAJ GOLD BRACKET fighting its way out of the loser's bracket to do it.

The THUNDER beat GONZALEZ INSULATION 29-28 in the opened before losing 20-36 to CENTEX 65's.

The champs bounced back with wins over DALLAS SPURS (21-6) and twice (17-14, 14-5) against CENTEX.

Others in the six-team bracket were USA PATRIOTS and HOUSTON CLASSICS.

The 50 GOLD championship award went to BEATTEXASVETS who downed HOUSTON FIRE 28-27, 20-11 and CROSSFIRE 21-19.

HOUSTON FIRE was second followed by CROSSFIRE and TEXAS ELITE.

The 50 PLATINUM crown was taken by MANCAVE with wins over MIXED BREED 37-30 and OKLAHOMA RHINO 21-6. MIXED BREED took runner-up honors.

"It was another great tournament to honor LAYLA (BRYAN)," SOFTBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT RIDGE HOOKS said. "LAYLA started this tournament and through the years it has been a staple of SPA, this year's tournament continued to honor her name."