SPA News

The Alphabet team, LOTA SOFTBALL easily won the four-team 80 SPA inaugural WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP at DALTON, GEORGIA’S heritage park SEPT 9-11.

LOTA which stands for LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, ARKANSAS was perfect (3-0) in bracket play and 2-1 in pool.

The champs only loss came in their first pool game 28-20 to the CHICAGO GEEZERS. After that defeat they finished pool play with wins over PRO HEALTH CARE 80’s (20-16) and EAST COAST LEFTOVERS (20-10).

In bracket they got revenge against the GEEZERS beating them 18-9 in the opening round. The EAST COAST LEFTOVERS fell 15-2 and LOTA SOFTBALL finished the tournament with an 18-8 win over PRO HEALTH in the title game.

LOTA SOFTBALL also won the SPA 2018 JIM WELCH CLASSIC in TROY beating the CHICAGO GEEZERS and KC ANTIQUES. They did not fare as well at THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC in BARBERTON going 1 -5.

Members of the championship LOTA SOFTBALL team are: DAVID BOONE, ELDON BRAST, RICHARD BULLOCK, ARNO CHASTEEN, EDDIE GLOVER, ED HARDY, ARTHUR HARRIS, EDDIE HOGAN, JOE HOUSLY,HARLAN JENSEN, RON PERDUE, FERRELL ROTON, MARLYN SCHROEPFER, JESSE SMITH, DON SWIFT and F.JAMES TIBELLI

DON HARRIS is the manager.

UNFAZED certainly got their money’s worth at the 2018 SPA WOMEN’S 50’S WORLD TOURNAMENT. The VIRGINIA team played NINE GAMES in the tournament including six in bracket play.

They proved more is better as they beat the top two seeds TN TRI STARS 21-9, TEAM WORKS 18-2 and TEAM WORKS again in the title game by a 14-13 count. The TN TRI STARS and TEAM WORKS had both gone 3-0 in pool play.

UNFAZED beat SUNNY BEACHES (15-8) and SASSY SENIORS (15-9) in pool play as well as losing to TN STARS (11-5).

UNFAZED won their first two bracket games (WAYPOINT FINANCIAL FANATICS 15-0 and TN TRI STARS 17-8) before losing 9-8 to TEAM WORKS in the winner’s bracket.

The champs downed TN TRI STARS 21-9 in the loser bracket finals and forced the “IF” game beating TEAM WORKS 18-2. UNFAZED finished their marathon edging TEAM WORKS 14-13 in the title game.

Others in the nine-team tournament were SHO ME 50’S, FIRE & ICE and JWP AR MIX.

UNFAZED individual awards: CYNTHIA NELSON, SPA 50 WORLDS MANAGER OF THE YEAR and SYLVIA ECHOLS, TOURNAMENT MVP.

Players selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were DOLORIS PATTERSON, DEBORAH ROBINSON, ELLA ROGERS, MELISSA WILSON and CYNTHIA ROBERSON.

Members of the 2018 champion UNFAZED team: NELSON, ECHOLS, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, ROGERS, WILSON, ROBERSON, LINDA PUENTES, JANICE R. JACKSON, THELMA MASON, ARETHA TILLEY-PIGRUM, SONJA FULTZ, YVONETTE JOHNSON, MICHELLE BROWN, DEBORAH DEEG, CORNIECE KEENE BROWN, PORTIA SLATON, CHARLENE SUGGS, NEDRA BARNARD HILL and MELISSA SPENCER

The FUN BUNCH was one year older this year and moved up to the SPA 70 DIVISION with the result being the 2018 WORLD CROWN.

In 2017 the FUN BUNCH was runner-up in the SPA 65 DIVISION and the rest of the teams in the 70’s group wish they would have stayed there for another year.

The FUN BUNCH took no prisoners going 5-0 in poll and bracket play. Where most teams win championships with their bats, they did it with their gloves.

In five games they allowed only 32 runs (6.4 per game). Offensively they were not to shabby either scoring 77 runs (15.4 per game).

Only the 2017 70’s runner-up GOLDEN GALS 70’s gave them a battle losing 8-9 in the winner’s bracket semi but FUN BUNCH drilled them 16-4 in the title game. The JERICHO SR 70’s fell 6-17 to FUN BUNCH  in the opening bracket game.

In pool play they defeated GOLDEN GIRLS of VA 13-9 and CHATTANOOGA CHARGERS 22-5

The only teams they did not play in the seven team bracket were NORTHWEST MOUNTAIN MAMA’S (2-4) and the CLASSICS (0-5).

FUN BUNCH individual awards: SPA 70 MANAGER OF THE YEAR PEGGY O’NEILL and MVP entire team. Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were JILL SMITH, KAT BONDS, PAT STEPHENSON, MARCIA HILTABIDLE and DUSTY LEVERSKY.

FUN BUNCH 70’s team members: O’NEILL, SMITH, BONDS, STEPHENSON, HILTABIDLE, LEVERSKY, ARLENE GOMEZ, JUANITA GRANDSTAFF, MARSHA MOORE, CLARA ODOM, ELLEN WOODARD, JONI SHIRLEY, SUSAN THOMPSON, DIANNE DOBBINS, EVELYN EVANS and BARBARA PEAVY.

Led by manager RANDY MOSES, the HAMEL LADY 60’S won the 2018 SPA 60’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK.

It wasn’t easy as HAMELS LADIES had to beat the 2016 and 2017 champs JOLICO twice, both times by one run.

‘11 was our magic number,” MOSES said. “We tied it in the seventh inning of the first game with 11 runs to go to extra innings for the first win and won the championship game with 11 runs.”

HAMEL LADIES beat JOLICO13-12 in the first game with THELMA MASON supplying the game winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. CAROLYN COTTERELL came through with a two-out bases loaded hit in the bottom of the seventh for the 11-10 win in the championship game.

It was quite a celebration for the second year team who had just stopped JOLICO’s string of 17 straight wins in the SPA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP dating back to 2016 when they were a 55 team.

“It was quite a win for us,” MOSES said of his team. “We knew going in if we wanted to be the champs we would have to beat JOLICO”

HAMELS also beat MARYLAND ROADRUNNERS 24-10 in the first game in bracket play and SHO-ME 60’s (11-1) and NOR’EASTERS (7-6) in pool play.

HAMEL LADIES 60’S Individual award winners: RANDY MOSES, SPA 60 WOMENS’ MANAGER OF THE YEAR and TOURNAMENT MVP SANDY MURPHY.

ALL-AMERICAN selections were KATHERINE SIVELLS, DIANE GARDNER, JANIS JOHNSON, JAN JONES, JOYCE DONALDSON and DELORES GRANDISON.

HAMEL LADY 60’S team members: MOSES, MURPHY, SIVELLS, GARDNER, JOHNSON, JAN JONES, DONALDSON, GRANDISON, SYLVIA JONES, BETTYE MCCLENDON, KATHY KEYS, CAROLYN COTTERELL, SHIRLEY JOHNSON-WEBB, THELMA MASON, BARBARA DAVIS, KATHERINE ROBINSON-CAIN, KAREN BENTON, PATRICIA GAINES, PEGGY JO NEFF and RAMONA WIGGINS.

The PITCHES BE CRAZY FORTIES actually went CRAZY celebrating their first ever SPA TOURNAMENT title of any kind.

The champs pulled it off August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK in the 2018 SPA 40’s WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

“It was really great,” PBC 40’s manager BRENDA DEWITT said. “We are an offshoot of the PITCHES BE CRAZY 35’s and we just put the team together this year.”

It has been a long year for PBC 40’s as their record was 3-7 in SPA tournaments (TWITTY, ROCKY TOP, SPRING NATIONALS).

“In pool play at DALTON we went 0-2 playing teams like KRYPONITE before we got to bracket play,” DEWITT said.

In bracket play they defeated ARKANSAS SYNERGY 40’s 10-5 and 21-9 for the title.

“I think that may have been the first time we beat SYNERGY this year,” she said,”When we beat them in the finals at DALTON, we actually did go crazy celebrating.”

“We have a great team and a great attitude,” DEWITT said.”It was great to finish the year on a positive note, we all excited now anticipating the 2019 season.”

Individual Awards: BRENDA DEWITT SPA 40’S MANAGER OF THE YEAR and JANE COLSON TOURNAMENT MVP. Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN TEAM were BARBARA HARE, NICOLE BASILE, DEANN DEITSCH, JEANIA HASTINGS and TIFFANY MACKEY GUTHERIE.

Members of PITCHES BE CRAZY FORTIES are; HARE, DEWITT, MACKEY-CUTHERIE, BASILE, HASTINGS, DEITSCH, COLSON, CRYSTAL WHITE, SHERRI RUF, JAN GREATHOUSE, SABRINA CAMPBELL, ERIKA ROACH, CONNIE JONES, JULIE DAVIS, SHERI YOUNG, JULIE KELSO, LISA LONG GILES, CONSTANCE RAMIREZ and REBECCA DAY.

THE VILLAGE GOLDEN GALS won their second straight SPA WOMENS’ 75 WORLDS August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK COMPLEX.

The GOLDEN GALS beat OHIO TRI STARS 15-0 in the “IF” game to win the 2018 crown. TRI STAR forced the “IF” game beating the GOLDEN GALS 10-7.

The two teams played each other four times in the tournament, once in pool and three times in bracket. The GOLDEN GALS won the pool game 10-7 and the first bracket game 4-2.

In other games the GOLDEN GALS beat the TENN SR STARS 14-13 and the GOLDEN GIRLS 75’s 18-1.

The OHIO TRI-STARS beat TENN ST STARS 10-1 for second place. GOLDEN GIRLS 75’s were fourth.

In 2017 the GOLDEN GALS beat the SPORTACULARS 13-9 for the title while the OHIO TRI STARS finished third.

GOLDEN GALS individual award winners in the 2018 tournament were: MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR CHRIS EVANS and TOURNAMENT MVP MARIAN MILHAM. Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were BARBARA BAILEY, CAROL WALTHER, DOTTIE BURELL, GLORIA MILLER and CAROL KOSZOLA.

Members of the 2018 GOLDEN GALS WORLD CHAMP are: EVANS, BAILEY, WALTHER, BURRELL, MILHAM, MILLER, KOSZOLA, KAREN ADAMS, SHARON BARAN, MADELAINE CAZEL, DOLORES FAHRNEY, BARBARA HARJU, LOIS BORIE, EVELYN HAYES, NOREEN MURPHY, MARCIA HALVORSON, BETH QUESNEL, JUDY LEWIS, JEANNE HCKETT and JOYCE TURNER.

The MIDWEST MAYHEM BALLERS 2018 season didn’t start out that well but it sure finished in style with the SPA 35 DIVISION WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP trophy to take home.

The MICHIGAN team came up empty at the SPRING NATIONALS, TWITTY and ROCKY TOP but it was a different story AUGUST 19-23 HERITAGE PARK in DALTON, GEORGIA.

They lost a pool game 13-12 to OUTER LIMITS but after that it was no contest.

MAYHEM beat PITCHES BE CRAZY 12-7 in pool and followed it up with wins WICKED GAME {pool 7-1), TAZ K&G (bracket 10-3), HILTON 40 PLUS (bracket 20-16) and TAZ K&G 11-8 in the title game.

TAZ K&G beat HILTON 40 PLUS 20-9 for second. Others in the six-team bracket were OUTER LIMITS, WICKED GAME, SPORTS ORTHO URGENT CARE WICKED.

Individual award winners for MIDWEST MAYMEM BALLERS were MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR AIESHA AVENT and TOURNAMENT MVP VIKKI MAGDICH.

ALL-AMERICAN selections were ANGELA AVENT, YUKA WISNRSKI, TONIA HUGHES and MICHELLE CANNON’

Team members of MIDWEST MAYHEM BALLERS:

JACQUELINE PRICHETT, ADRIENNE BAILEY-HILL, SHONTE JOHNSON, AMY FASSBENDER, SHAMEKA SMITH, ANGELA AVENT, JUDITH TRYLONG, ALESHA ROBINSON, YUKA WISNESKI, CINDY STAPLES, RENEE GRAHAM, VIKKI MAGDICH, CHARISSE WRIGHT, JACLYNN DARKANGELO, TONIA HUGHES, MICHELLE CANNON, CHERIE RADER and TARYN FINLEY.

Some teams go years before winning a major tournament and others never win one. Not so with the JOLICO SR 65’S who in their initial entry into the SPA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK, claimed the top prize.

JOLICO took no prisoners, going 3-0 in bracket play outscoring their opponents 69-29. In their win over the SPA 2017 65 WORLD CHAMPS OHIO CARDINALS, they collected 40 hits in a 32-10 win.

“The hitting was just contagious in that game,” JOLICO 65 Coach JAN SANDER said. “We had never hit like that in a game before, it was unreal.”

“Everybody was hitting throughout the tournament,” SANDER said, “Our Catcher ROSE BOLONE had her first ever home runs, one a grand slam. Everybody had big hits.”

JOLICO wrapped up the tournament beating the SR DIAMONDS 17-6 and 20-13 in the title game.

It was JOLICO 65’s second SPA TOURNAMENT title this year. Earlier they won the TWITTY TOURNAMENT at HENDERSONVILLE, TENN. They have also won a pair of non-SPA tournaments.

“We have had a pretty good year so far and it hasn’t just been our offense which has carried us, our defense has been just as good,” SANDER said.

JOLICO 65’s are not done for this year, they have the HUNTSMAN GAMES and the NATIONAL SENIOR OLYMPICS still left to play.

Other teams in the SPA 65 WORLDS bracket were runner-up SR DIAMONDS, OHIO CARDINALS, MN LADY LOONS and SMOKEY MOUNTAIN STARS.

Individual awards taken home by JOLICO were CHRIS SCHNEIDER SPA MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR and MVP NANCY NEWKIRK.

Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were MARGARET VAN ECKOUTE. PAT BAKER. CJ TAYLOR, CHERYL JAMES, ROSE BOLONE and JANET PFAU.

Members of the 2018 SPA 65 WOMEN’S WORLD champs are: SANDER, SCHNEIDER, VAN ECKOUTE, NEWKIRK, BAKER, TAYLOR, BOLONE, JAMES, PFAU, JUANITA GRANDSTAFT, PENNY ZIELINSKI, PATRICIA WEILAND, SANDRA NYENHUIS, JANICE STROZIER,MARY TWEEDY, POPATI WING, CYNTHIA MCCARTHY and ELLEN BOWERS.

It is two years and counting as KRYPTONITE won their second 45 SPA WORLDS title AUGUST 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK.

Last year it was a two-out-of-three showdown with BAT GIRLS RETURN while this year

KRYPTONITE ran the table going 2-and-0 in bracket play and 2-0 in pool. The CHAMPS beat PITCHES BE CRAZY FORTIES 21-5 and 32-10 to win the WOMEN’S 40/45 PLUS title

In pool play they beat a pair of 3 5-year old teams WICKED GAME (20-7) and SPORTS ORTHO WICKED (9-6).

It was a great way for KRYPTONITE to finish off the year which started by winning the SPA SPRING NATIONALS.

Individual Awards went to: MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR EDWARD BOUCHARD while Tournament MVP was CAROLYN DEEB. ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS went to COLLEEN SMITH, RHONDA “DODY’ CLINE, VERONICA “V” SHAW, DIANE “DJ” WHITE and VALORIE MULLINS.

KRYPTONITE team members are: SMITH, APRIL BLAKE, CLINE, DEEB, SHAW, WHITE, VERBIA BEHE, SARA PAYNE, MULLINS, KAREN HUNGER, SONJA BROOKS-WHITE, SUNDAY WRIGHT and LORI LAMONT.

Who need their own bat? Certainly not JOLICO 65’s ROSE BOLONE who used teammate PEGGY VAN ECKOUTE’s Miken to hit her first ever home run.

BOLONE enjoyed it so much she hit another, this one a grand slam.

“I have been playing softball since I was five years old and this was the first time I have ever hit a ball over the fence,” the JOLICO 65 catcher said.

Her first came in pool play during a 15-3 win over the OHIO CARDINALS but the second one was really big.

“We were only ahead by 16-13 in the seventh inning of the championship game with the SENIOR DIAMONDS when I hit the grand slam,” BOLANO said.” I was so excited, it really felt great.”

Her blast helped JOLICO 65’s win the title game 20-13.

Her big disappointment, however, was not getting to trot around the bases.

“Ever since I was a kid, I would dream of hitting a home run and trotting around the bases,” she said. “But darn it, SPA has a rule “hit and sit”, so I was only able to trot to first base.

BOLANO also had a good tournament with the glove making two huge put outs at home plate in the championship game.

You would think softball would be her top sport but it isn’t, golf is her favorite.

“I only get to play around thirty games a year in softball but I golf twice a week in FLORIDA and I can do it year around,” she said.

She even credits golf for her softball swing.

“I am more relaxed with my grip and it helps timing and hand-to-eye coordination,”: she explained. “I use the same swing for both.”

The only difference between golf and softball is she has her own clubs.

“I’m sticking with using PEGGY’s bat, if she lets me,” she said..You can’t change a good thing.”