NSA hosts Super NIT at Victory Lane

Damage pitcher Glen Davison. Munoz photo.

GLENDALE, AZ - The NSA Super NIT was held April 16th and 17th at Victory Lane Sports Complex with 50 men's teams spread over four divisions, in double-elimination competition. There were 17 women's teams competing. The following weekend was the Super NIT Coed with 20 teams and four divisions.

RMS of Phoenix took the championship with a 3-0 record in the three-team men's ‘C' division. American Legion of Flagstaff was second and Phoenix‘s Rally Time came in third.

There were 23 teams competing in the men's ‘D' bracket. Damage, Inc with a final record of 7-1 went on to take the championship over Team Jel from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Before the final game, coach and pitcher Glen Davison of Damage said, "I'm going to try to get these guys fired up, the team with the biggest heart will win this game. This is it. We've been playing all season to get to this tournament, we've got to put our hearts in it and go get it. They all know that there are no more NIT's and this is it. We moved up a division this year and guys just got to step up. The difference between winning these games is the team with the biggest heart wins. Everybody out here is a good ballplayer. It all comes down to heart."

Men's ‘E' champions Endo Steel of Mesa went undefeated at 5-0. Los Bad Boyz from Phoenix claimed second. AZ High Voltage of Surprise was third.

After losing their first game, Gila Bend's Misioneros dominated the loser's bracket and finished with a record of 7-1 and win the nine-team men's ‘Rec' division championship. AZ Mulisha/Play It Again Sports from Phoenix had a 4-2 record. Third place went to Gil's Twelve Pack of Phoenix. About coming back to win, Frank Espinoza, Misioneros coach, said, "We hit the ball hard, scored runs and used defense. Everybody helped the team. We'll take it one tournament at a time and we'll be at the World Hispanic in October. We'll try to show up the same way we did today."

A team from New Mexico, NM Ritmo, took the championship in the women's division I ‘Red' with Las Muchachas from Phoenix coming in second. Peoria's No Control topped Hand Picked of Phoenix for the division II ‘Blue' title. AZ Sports from Mesa came in second to Wilcox Mixed Up from Wilcox, in division III ‘White'.

On Sunday, April 25th, Coed play had two divisions of four teams, ‘Gold' and ‘Red', two divisions of six teams, ‘Blue' and ‘White'. AZ Sting of Glendale took the ‘Gold' championship over runner-up Lost Cause from Scottsdale. Performance Golf came in second to Phoenix's City Boyz & Girlz in the ‘Red' division. Another Phoenix team, Hit ‘Em Up downed JWP of Mesa for the ‘Blue' title with a overall record of 4-1. Champs in ‘White' MWSN beat fellow Phoenicians Otty and finished the tournament with record of 5-1.