Free Agents shortstop Rusty Kawachi goes high for the catch in the coed division. Smedes photo.

SPARKS, NV – Aftermath/DSSbats won the first game of the day, an 8-7 squeaker over FDI to open the men’s D division of the 26th Annual Softball West Challenge. But it was FDI who came back and won when it counted as they took the final 21-19 to force the if game which they also won 20-15.

“All the games were close in the D division,” said tournament director Tom Smedes. “Five runs was the biggest margin of victory all day.”
In the loser’s bracket of the triple elimination tournament FDI beat Cali-Purp 14-10 and D-12 17-16 to get to the championship game.

D-12 finished third and Cali-Purp fourth.

All tourneys were Mike Morgan and George Hamm (Cali-Purp); Chad Kendall and John McHenry (D-12); Aaron Gonsalves, David Cruz and Paco Vasquez (Aftermath/Dssbats) and Lance Dillilo, Mike Lee and Travis Bartek (FDI). Travis Simpson was the golden glove for Aftermath and Lucas DeLong the MVP for FDI.

The Sore Pecker Softball team cruised through the winner’s bracket of the men’s E division until they met the Bash Brothers. In the final game the Bash squad prevailed 14-11 to force an if game. The Sore Pecker team rebounded with a 17-7 win to take the top spot. The Bash Brothers lost their first two games of the weekend and then went on a 5-0 winning streak to get to the championship game. Frozen Rope took third and Bad Guys finished fourth.

The MVP for Sore Pecker was Bill Meyers and gold glove for Bash Brothers was Billy Periatt. Sore Pecker all tourney’s were James Stamps, Dan Berry and Joe Prewett while Bash Brothers chose Javon Sims, Tim Ingram and Joe Marks, Frozen Rope chose Rob Ordahl and Phil Morelli and Bad Guys chose Catmandu Baker and Chuck LaMantia.

The Free Agents went through the coed division undefeated to take home the first place trophy. Along the way they defeated Bohica, the Regulators and Thongs and Dongs to get to the final game. Thongs and Dongs narrowly downed Ken’s Crew 9-7 to earn their way into the championship game. In the finale it was Thongs and Dongs that took the early lead but the Free Agents chipped away and took the lead for good in the seventh, winning 13-11.

Free Agents MVP was Heather Hamilton and Jason Roleson, Chris Coleman and Tawney Lopez were all tourneys. The gold glove for Thongs and Dongs was Scott Walters with all tourneys going to Sheri Gannon, Shanon Auble and Michelle Pajensky.

Third place went to Ken’s Crew and fourth to Dirty Thirty with all tourneys Dannah Pennington and Jaci Carlson.