SPA News

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."

MONTGOMERY, ALA - MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA entertained 27 teams for the SPA MENS SOUTHERN SPRING NIT MARCH 14-17.

Champs were crowned in NINE DIVISIONS with the 40/50 group having the most teams with nine.

SIX ONE FIVE bested SOUTHEAST WATER SWARM 36-35 in the title game after losing to SOUTHEAST 32-36 earlier to force the "IF"  championship showdown.

While SIX ONE FIVE had an easier road to the finals with wins over WALKER BROTHERS 27-19, ATLANTA MONARCHS 35-34 and SHIELD CONSULTING COLOR BY DESIGN 44-42 it was not the case for SOUTHEAST.

The SWARM beat DOCS SOFTBALL 31-19 but lost its next game 31-32 to WALKER BROTHERS to fall into the loser's bracket,

SOUTHEAST faced a marathon trip to the title game beating LIGHTHOUSE 31-20, TEAM ARKANSAS 36-21, WALKER BROTHERS 24-18 and SIX ONE FIVE 36-32 to make it to the finale.

Teams in the nine-team bracket were SHIELD CONSULTING COLOR BY DESIGN, SOUTHEAST WATER SWARM, TEAM ARKANSAS, LIGHTHOUSE LOOKOUTS, RIVER ROCK CONSTRUCTION, DOC'S SOFTBALL, ATLANTA MONARCHS, SIX ONE FIVE SENIOR SOFTBALL and WALKER BROTHERS.

T-REX SOFTBALL won the 60 MAJOR CROWN with SEASONED VETS the 60 AAA CHAMPS. Others in the field were BAND OF BROTHERS and GAS.

TRAVELERS 70 were the 70 MAJOR winner with THE TITUS COMPANY 65 AAA champion and COLUMBUS LXV taking the 65 MAJOR TITLE. DEEP SOUTH SOFTBALL was the fourth team in the bracket.

KPI SOFTBALL bested MONSTER SOFTBALL in a 2-out-of-3 match-up winning 21-18 and 37-22 and losing 31-30.

Four teams battled it out for the 55 AAA crown with MONTGOMERY SWARM after losing its opening bracket game 17-19 to PANHANDLE won four in a row including the championship game.

The CHAMPS beat DARELL HARRIS 22-6, PANHANDLE 16-13 and TENNESSEE CONSTRUCTION 26-14 and 25-14.

TENNESSEE had beaten PANHANDLE 20-18 and DARELL HARRIS 28-26 to reach the finals.

KENTS PLAYERSbeat BRICKYARD SOFTBALL 43- 36 and GEORGIA RENEGADES 27-26, 33-18 to go undefeated in bracket play and claim the 50 AAA crown. ACTION SOFTBALL was the fourth team in the bracket.

"It was a good way to start the 2019 year," RIDGE HOOKS SOFTBALL PLAYERS PRESIDENT said. "There were great games in all the brackets, I expect next year to see a huge increase in the tournament."

COLLEGE STATION,TX -The SPA 2019 SALUTE TO VETERANS COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS TOURNAMENT  made up for last year's weather problems with near perfect skies and temperatures. This year's event drew 28 teams to the MARCH 21-24 event.

Eight teams went home with first place awards in the event.

GONZALES INSULATION won the five-team 65AAA- Major "MAJOR" title beating HOOKS 28-14 and TEXAS THUNDER 22-21 for the crown.

TEXAS THUNDER won the 65 AAA crown downing DALLAS SPURS 19-10 and 28-27.

Others in the five-team bracket were HOOKS, ROBSON RANCH and DALLAS SPURS.

The EIGHT TEAM 70'S BRACKET saw LA LEGENDS go undefeated (4-0) in bracket play in winning the championship. The LEGENDS bear OK-ARK 20-2, 11-4, SAN ANTONIO LEGENDS 20-19 and STILL 22-12.

OK-ARK fought its way to the title beating the OAKIES 11-10 and GRAY SOX 16-5 before falling into the losers bracket with a 4-11 loss to LA LEGENDS. OK-ARK bounced back bating SAN ANTONIO LEGENDS 13-10 before losing the title game to LA>

Others in the eight team bracket were: OK-ARK, SAN ANTONIO LEGENDS, STILL, TX RAIDERS, GRAY SOX and TEXAS CLASSICS.

Three teams went at it for the 75 AAA title with HILL CONTRACTING beating the SA DESPERADO'S 16-1 AND 16-6 to claim the crown.

TEXAS CRUSH was the 60 MAJOR PLUS champ. TEXAS THUNDER took the 60 MAJOR title and the TEXAS LEGENDS took home the 60 AA crown.

SAN ANTONIO SOFTBALL 55's was the 55 MAJOR PLUS champ and VIVID EASTON THE 50 MAJOR TITLE WINNER.

SA SOFTBALL beat ESCOBAR 27-14 TEAM ARK 39-23 TO EARN THE TOP SPOT.

VIVID EASTON disposed of MIXED BREED 19-18, TEAM ARK 24-9 and ESCBAR 27-24 on its march to the title.

MANCAVE was the sixth team in the field.

TEXAS ACES beat ETX 50 19-17 and UNDERDOGS 44-20 for the 50/55 title.

ETX downed UNDERDOGS 23-8 to reach the finals.

"It was a great tournament," SOFTBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT and CEO RIDGE HOOKS said." The weather cooperated and the teams all seemed to enjoy themselves. The winners also earned a spot in the SPA TRIPLE CROWN at DALTON."

COLUMBUS LXV went into the 2018 SPA 65 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP at DALTON, GEORGIA Sept 6-9 with one thing in mind...win it for HENRY!!

HENRY SOLIC had been the manager and third basemen for COLUMBUS LXV and unfortunately passed away earlier this year.

“HENRY meant a lot to our team and we all miss him greatly,” COLUMBUS LXV Manager-of-The-Year PHIL DUNLAP said. “We remember HENRY before every tournament game and spread his ashes at third base after the tournament.”

“I know he was watching and rooting for us at DALTON,” DUNLAP said. “I know he is just as excited at winning the WORLD TITLE as we are.”

If SOLIC was watching from above, he had some anxious moments as his teammates won nine games in the tournament but five were by one run in the bottom of the seventh.

“We were lucky and won the toss in all five games, so I took last bats,” DUNLAP said.

They also had to come out of the loser’s bracket to win it.

In the only breather in the tournament COLUMBUS won the first bracket game 17-2 over THE FIRM. That was followed by a 25-24 win over SIDELINE BULL MOOSE before losing 14-17 to the DAYTON LEGENDS.

The CHAMPS started their journey out of the loser’s bracket with an 18-17 over RPR and forced the “IF” game beating DAYTON 15-14. The finale was more of the same with COLUMBUS rallying in the bottom of the seventh for the 18-17 tournament title.

“We were kind of lucky winning both the coin flip and then the game,” DUNLAP said.” We just played really, really well. We are not a soon-to-be MAJOR team, we didn’t win a lot of games this year. We just got really lucky in this one.”

COLUMBUS’S pool wins were over INDY FOG (20-14) and SIDELINE BULL MOOSE (10-8), They lost to SCRAP IRON MILE HIGH (10-11). Counting pool games DAYTON LEGENDS had won five in a row before losing the final two to COLUMBUS.

Teams in the nine-team bracket were: 1, COLUMBUS LXV, 2. DAYTON LEGENDS, 3. RPR, 4. BOYD METALS, 5. SIDELINE BULL MOOSE, 5. THE FIRM, 7. MIDSTATE STARS, 7. SCRAP IRON MILE HIGH and 9. HOOKS.

Members of the 65 AAA WORLD CHAMPION COLUMBUS LXV; NATE DOWDELL, DODGER FOWLER, ANDY HARBIN JR, RON INGRAM, ELMO MOSER, RONNIE SPANN, DINO SULLINS, DANNY WILSON, DOC YATES, RANDY LUNSFORD, DOUG DODSON, DANNY BAKER, VAL VALENTINI, PHIL DUNLAP JR, WALTER BROOKS, RODGER ALLEN, JIM THOMPSON, NICO NICOMETO, JEFF GOLLOTTE and LARRY MAFFIT.

JACK isn’t the only GIANT SLAYER, you can add CAROLINA FIVE-O to the list. CAROLINA earned the recognition by not only winning the 2018 SPA 50 WORLDS at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK but knocking off the TENNESSEE COMETS to do it.

The COMETS came into the tournament already having won SPA TOURNAMENTS at PLAYERS/AWARDS EXPRESS; PEACH STATE, SOUTHERN SPRING NATIONALS and the MID SOUTH NIT and won their first two pool games and three bracket games at DALTON.

CAROLINA FIVE O slowed down the COMETS with a 19-10 victory in the tournament’s winner’s bracket finals. CAROLINA reached the finals with wins over BLACKBURN TRUCKING (23-7), WDMS (22-21) and BRICKYARD SOFTBALL (20-17).

TENNESSEE fell into the loser’s bracket and promptly downed CANADA’S LAKESHORE CONTRACTING 21-15 to earn another shot at CAROLINA.

This time the COMETS came out on top 12-11 to set up the “IF” game. CAROLINA FIVE-O came out charging winning 20-15 for the 2018 SPA 50 AAA WORLD TITLE.

CAROLINA finished 7-1 having won two games ( DIVERSIFIED MACHINE 17-11 and MAJOR LEAGUE SRS 19-14) in pool play.

Teams in the 16-team 50 AAA bracket were: 1. CAROLINA FIVE-O, 2. TENNESSEE COMETS, 3. LAKESHORE CONTRACTING, 4 TEXAS BULLETTS,5. BRICKYARD SOFTBALL, GEORGIA RENEGADES, 7. DAYTON LEGENDS, 7. BOMANI/OHIO REAL ESTATE, 9. MAJOR LEAGUE SENIORS 9. WDMS, 13. CINCY 50’S QUALITY SOFTBALL, 13. BLACKBURN TRUCKING, MJ LOWE PLUS, 13 and ETX 50’S.

Team members of the champion CAROLINA FIVE-O team: JIM PEARSON, ANTHONY HOLMES, RICHARD KIRK, SCOTT CARTER, MIKE RIPBERGER, JEFF LESTER, GREG WATKIN, DAVE POOLE, EVERETT GRAHAM, HOWARD BOYD, JAY SHOTWELL, CLEO SUMMERS, GLEN ROSS, GREG BONNER, TROY BOWLING and JAMIE SANDERS..

ELITE SOFTBALL roared through the 2018 SPA 60 AAA WORLDS Sept 13-16 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK COMPLEX going 6-0 in combined pool and bracket play..

The champs were at the top of their game averaging 17.5 runs per game while holding their opponents average to single digits (8.6) in their six tournament games.

ELITE was 3-0 in bracket play beating CARRIAGE HOMES (18-3), SEASONED VETS (14-6) and KC THUNDER 23-18 in the title game.

In pool play they disposed of KC THUNDER 12-8, CHATTANOOGA RAZORS 21-9 and CARRIAGE HOMES 17-8.

Runner-up KC THUNDER had a rough start losing all three pool games and their bracket opener to CARRIAGE HOMES 6-7 which put them into loser’s bracket after only one game..

They responded by beating CINCINNATI 60’s 24-23, CARRIAGE HOMES 21-13 and SEASONED VETS 13-12 before losing to ELITE SOFTBALL in the title game of the six-team division.

For ELITE SOFTBALL it was their first 2018 SPA tournament title after finishing second at the PENSACOLA SOUTHERN NIT and the MID-SOUTH TOURNAMENTS.

Members of the SPA 60 AAA WORLDS champs are: STEVE SOUTHERN, DAVID TAYLOR, DAVID MASHBURN, JIMMIE YOUNG, ALLEN MICKLER, JACK MELSON, ED BLACKMAN, JOHN SMILEY, RON BRUMMETT, RICHARD BRUMMETT and MARK HUGHES.

No other tournament bracket at the 2018 SPA WORLDS in DALTON, GA was as loaded with as many  2018 Regional tournament champs and runner-ups then the 70 AAA WORLDS group.

SPA 2018 70 AAA champs and runner-ups  participating were TRAVELERS (TOM WILLIAMS, MIDSOUTH, RUNNER-UP PEACH STATE), TIME BANDITS (PEACH STATE,RUNNER-UP MIDSOUTH), DAYTON LEGENDS (HEART OF OHIO, FIRST FLIGHT), LOUISIANA LEGENDS (LAYLA BRYAN, LONE STAR, RUNNER-UP SOUTHERN NIT), US PALLET (MID-AMERICA), LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL (RUNNER-UP THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC) and CHICAGO STRIKERS (RUNNER-UP MOSQUITO LAND, RUNNER-UP HOOSIER CLASSIC).

But when the dust cleared there was only one 2018 SPA 70 WORLD CHAMP among the 13 teams entered… the TRAVELERS from GEORGIA.

The TRAVELERS moved through the 70 AAA field going undefeated in both pool (3-0) and bracket (4-0).

In Pool play the TRAVELERS beat the TEXAS GREYHOUNDS 20-4, CHICAGO GREY SOX 11-1 and LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL 9-8.

First to fall in bracket play was CHICAGO STRIKERS 16-6 followed by TIME BANDITS 19-12,, DAYTON LEGENDS 15-14 and in the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME US PALLET fell 24-9.

US PALLET came out of the loser’s bracket winning three-in-a-row including a 15-12 win over DAYTON LEGENDS to put them in the finals.

Teams in the 70 AAA bracket were TRAVELERS, US PALLET, DAYTON LEGENDS, TIME BANDITS, CHICAGO STRIKERS, LOUISIANA LEGENDS, LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL, AVENGER, FOR FREEDOM, OKIES, NORTHERN VIRGINIA FORCE and DOWN SOUTH.

Team members of the champion TRAVELERS: HARLON BAKER, THOMAS BALLARD, RAY BRYANT, JOHN DAVIS, JERRY DUPREE, LLOYD FERGUSON, HARRY MANSELL, MICHAEL MCFARLAND, RICH MEST, JIM MYERS, RON PETRE, KEN SPANN, JOHNNY STANFORD, LOREN VEACH, DONALD WILLOUGHBY, KEN REESE and KEN SMITH.

ONE UNDER CRAFT BEERS AND EATS ran the table Sept 7-9 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK to win the 2018 SPA 55 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The CHAMPS went 2-0 in pool and 3-0 in bracket for a perfect 5-0 record.

It wasn’t a total cake walk because ONE UNDER had to edge CPOA 27-26 in the finals to wrap up the crown. They started bracket play beating CPOA 20 -12 and MARYLAND COUGARS 21-10 to set up the title game with CPOA.

In pool play they beat DARRELL HARRIS & ASSOCIATES (30-17) and JAMES R.SMITH (14-12).

CPOA gave it a good try opening with a 20-14 over DARRELL HARRIS but lost to ONE UNDER 12-20 in their

next game. They earned their way to the title game with loser bracket wins over DARRELL HARRIS 20-14 and 21-16 over MARYLAND COUGARS.

The sixth team in the bracket was TENNESSEE CONNECTION.

Members of the ONE UNDER CRAFT BEERS AND EATS champs are MANAGER JEFF SHEEHAN, RUPERT ZUBKOFF, BRUCE ANTIOCH, DAVE W. JASKA, MIKE MCLELLAN, BRUCE WOOD, JEFF MILBRATH, PAUL LABARA, ROGER BREEDING, ROBERT MILLER, LARRY MERCER, FRANK NICKOWSKI, GREG KANCLEIZ, JIM CATES, FRANK DELUCA, RICHARD WAYNE, BILL REARDON and MICHAEL FORDE.

The CHICAGO HITMEN finished off a championship season by winning the 2018 SPA 70 AA WORLDS Sept 14-16 at HERITAGE PARK in DALTON, GEORGIA.

The CHICAGO team came out of the loser’s bracket to beat LEGENDS of DAYTON 25-16 and force an “IF” game. The HITMEN took the title deciding game by a 13-9 count.

CHICAGO started their run out of the loser’s bracket with a 10-3 over the TEXAS GREYHOUNDS after losing 21-22 to LEGENDS of DAYTON in the bracket opener.

The HITMEN added the WORLD’S crown to SPA TOURNAMENT titles they had won previously at the HOOSIER CLASSIC and HEART OF OHIO. Ironically the runner-up team in those events was LEGENDS of DAYTON.

In pool play at the WORLDS the HITMEN went 3-0 with wins over OKIES (19-14), DEEP SOUTH SOFTBALL (21-5) and NORTHERN VIRGINIA FORCE (9-5), all AAA teams.

Members of the champion CHICAGO HITMEN are: Manager MIKE SABATINO, STEVE DECORI, AL BARTOLOTTA, FELIX GARCIA, JACK JOST, JIM KUPIEC, RICK MASINO, PHIL WHITMAN, STEVE GAJDA, DAVE VORWALD, WARREN YORK, DANIEL TODD and PAT JOPS.