For Immediate Release: 9/24/05

FINAL SERIES RECAPS FROM THE 2005 HOOTERS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Lady Outlaws Go Undefeated (3-0) To Win Hooters Women’s Class D Title

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Lady Outlaws of Jacksonville, Fla. completed a 3-0 sweep to capture the 2005 Hooters Championship Series Class D title with a 14-11 win over D & A Trucking of Topeka, Ks. Saturday morning at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. It was the first of seven national titles that will be decided today.

The Outlaws, who defeated D& A 13-10 and 12-0 in two earlier games, jumped out to a 6-1 lead after an inning before the never-say-die D & A Truckers came back to tie the game at six-all through four innings.

But the Outlaws, who were making their first appearance in the Hooters Championship, exploded for six runs on seven hits in the bottom of the fifth to take a 12-8 lead. D & A, which won the Women’s Class D West title to advance to the Hooters Championship, had scored twice in the top half of the inning to lead 8-6 before the Outlaws banged out five singles, a double and a triple to stay in front for good.

After LaShon Cuyler’s two-run double tied the game at eight-all, second baseman Kim Bradwell tripled for the go-ahead run to break the tie and put the Outlaws in the driver’s seat to stay. They added a pair of runs in the sixth inning on a triple by Cherice Cummings (.444) and a sacrifice fly by Cherice’s sister, Leah (.556 batting average).

Bradwell, who started playing softball at 16, was named the MVP in the Women’s Class D Division and finished with a .500 batting average (4-for-8) and three RBIs, all in the championship game. Besides her go-ahead RBI triple, she had a two-run double in the six-run first inning. April Williams was the leading hitter for the Outlaws (6-for-9) with a .667 batting average. The Outlaws had a team batting average of .495 with the opposition hitting .389.

“This feels good and it’s exciting to win this (MVP award),” said Bradwell following the championship game.

Winning the Hooters Championship capped an impressive season for the Outlaws, who were formed three years ago and had their sights all season on winning the Hooters Championship, the premier event in slow pitch softball.

"This has been an experience of a lifetime,” said Outlaws’ Head Coach Kelvin Lane.” From day one of practice we had hoped to get here and win this event. This has been a great experience.”

Following the championship, Harry Rest, ASA Tidewater, VA commissioner, presented individual awards to the teams along with the team championship trophy and MVP award.

Brackins battles on Saturday taking home Men’s Class D National Title

Brackins/All State of Dothan, Ala. scored all its runs in the first three innings and made them stand up to defeat 3N2SoCal of Arcadia, Calif. 10-8 in the men’s Class D championship in the Hooters Championship Series Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

Brackins finished 3-2 in winning its first Hooters Championship.

Brackins scored three runs in the first, six in the second and once in the third to take a 10-7 lead through the first three innings. Brackins didn’t score for the remainder of the game. 3N2 So Cal, however, didn’t take advantage of the situation and scored only one run in three of the last four innings.

Brackins collected 16 hits with 14 of them through the first three innings.  Third baseman Karl Tunon of Brackins was named the division MVP and responded with a .750 batting average (12-for-16) including six RBI,  Jeff Coots led Brackins in the championship game with four hits in as many at-bats and scored twice. Chris Harris went two-for-four for the winners and drove in three runs.

Center fielder Chester Kingery led the 3N2 So Cal with three hits and two RBI and Thomas Olvera, Shaun Beutner, Eliseo Aguilar, Mario Elizarraz and Joseph Barragan all hits two hits apiece for 3N2 (2-3).

GAME 3

3N2SoCal of Arcadia, Calif. held on to hand Brackins/All-State of Dothan, Ala. its first defeat, 18-17, in the Men’s D Division of the 2005 Hooters Championship Series Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. It was the first win in the best-of-five series for 3N2 So Cal and prevented Brackins, which won the first two game 16-9 and 12-3, from sweeping the Class D Division.

Brackins jumped out to an 11-8 lead through the top of the fourth inning before 3N2 So Cal exploded for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning on nine singles to take an 15-11 advantage.  Brackins came back with five runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh inning. 3N2 So Cal closed out its scoring with three runs in the sixth and finished the game with 24 hits, one more than the losers.

Although it had only one less hit, Brackins never could break the game open as it got runners on but couldn’t capitalize, stranding 14 runners to five for 3N2 So Cal.

Designated hitter Eliseo Aguilar led the 3N2 So Cal offense with four RBI and was one of five players on the team to get at least three hits. The others were Shaun Beutner, Mario Elizarraz, Joseph Barragan and Brodie Childers.

Brackins, which advanced to the Hooters Championship by winning the Men’s Class D East championship, was led on offense by Karl Tunon (4-for-4), Michael Olive (3-for-4) and David Brackins (3-for-4).

GAME 4

It will take a fifth game to decide the Class D champion in the Hooters Championship Series after 3N2SoCal defeated Brakins/All State of Dothan, Ala., 7-5, on a pair of runs in the seventh inning Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

The win ties the best-of-five series at 2-2 as 3N2SoCal has won the last two slow pitch games after losing the first two contests to Brackins.

3N2SoCal led 5-4 after six innings before scoring twice in the seventh on RBI singles by Shaun Beutner and  Mario Elizarraz to increase the lead to 7-4, with Brackin’s scoring only once on an RBI single by Jeff Coots in the botton of the inning.

3N2SoCal out-hit Brackins 16-12 with Thomas Olvera, Beutner, Elizarraz, Joe Barragan, Brodie Childers and Erik Norwood getting two hits apiece. Karl Tunon, Patrick Stewart, David Brakins and Shawn McNeill had a pair of hits apiece for the losers.

Jean Shoppe takes game five to seal Men’s Class B Championship Title

In the final series of the day, Jean Shoppe/Worth of Macon, Ga. defeated Sancho’s/Easton of El Monte, Calif. 24-12 in five innings to capture the Men’s Class B division championship Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

Jean Shoppe scored 12 runs in the first inning and never looked back in winning its first Hooters Championship. Sancho’s finished 2-3 in its first appearance in the Hooters Championship.

Jean Shoppe collected 22 hits while Sancho’s had 14 hits. Left fielder Rodney Donaldson went 4-for-4 in the championship game and was named the division MVP. He batted .824 in the championship, which was the highest among all division collecting 14 hits in 17 at-bats with five homers and 15 RBI. Donaldson hit two of his homers in the championship.

Heath Burns and J.D. Burgstiener each had a pair of hits for Jean Shoppe with Burns driving in three runs and Burgstiener four.

Mike Messinger led Sancho’s with three hits in three at-bats.

Game 3

Sancho’s/Easton of  El Monte, Calif. took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series in the Men’s  Class B division of the Hooters Championship Series Saturday by defeating Jean Shoppe/Worth of Macon, Ga., 17-13.

Jean Shoppe took an early 9-7 lead before Sancho’s scored eight times on nine hits in the bottom of the fifth to break the game open to take a 15-7 lead. Jean Shoppe, which went scoreless in the top of the fifth, also didn’t score in the sixth before tallying four times in the top of the seventh.

Sancho’s added a pair of runs in the sixth inning on Chris Armstrong’s two-run single to conclude its scoring.

Armstrong had three RBI in the game and went 3-for-4 including a two-run blast in the eight-run fifth. First sacker Chad Coleman also had a 3-for-4 day and contributed five RBI with a solo homer in the fifth inning and a three-run homer in the first inning. Right fielder Julio Salazar also went 3-for-4 for the winners and drove in four runs.

Shortstop Jaime Nelson and designated hitter J.D. Burgstiener led Jean Shoppe with three hits in four trips. Nelson and teammate Eric Thompson each had three RBI apiece.

Eight homers were hit in the game with Jean Shoppe smashing five and Sancho’s three. Sancho’s out hit Jean Shoppe 23-17.

Game 4

Only needing one more victory to capture the Hooters Men’s Slow Pitch Class B Championship, Sanchos/Easton/Ultimate Gear (El Monte, Calif.) never got the bats going as Jean Shoppe took the fourth game of the best-of-five series to force the rubber match between the Men’s Class B East/West Division winners.

Sanchos started the game slow suffering three straight outs in their offensive half of the first inning.  However, Jean Shoppe, wanting to start hot, scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning after three consecutive hits by Eric Thompson, Heath Burns, and JD Burgstiener. 

The lead was short-lived as Sanchos came back to score two of their own in the top of the second thanks to back-to-back solo homeruns from Chris Armstrong and Mike Messinger.  The scoring for Sanchos would prove to be more difficult as the game progressed with Sanchos only managing two more runs in the next three innings.

Jean Shoppe used a big third inning to register five runs and capture the lead for good when Duke Donaldson led off the inning with a solo shot to centerfield.  The rest of the team aided the efforts with six additional hits as Jean Shoppe cruised the rest of the way.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jean Shoppe was determined to end the game as teammates Jaime Nelson, Craig Harris, and Lee Daniel all hit homeruns to help plate the final six runs to close the deal.  Jean Shoppe ended the game with a walk-off, two RBI double by first baseman Eric Thompson.

Long Haul Sweeps Series to Capture Men’s Class A Championship

In a match-up of two heavy hitters in the Hooters Men’s Slow Pitch Class A Championship, Long Haul Trucking/Miken (Caledonia, Minn.) swept the series with an impressive 26-18 victory over Berardi’s in the third game of the best-of-five series.

Tony Hansen, Long Haul coach said,” This performance was typical for us. We’ve had different guys step up and do the job for us all year. It was a team effort.”

Starting the game like they ended on Friday night , Long Haul jumped out early to record six runs in the top of the first.  Long Haul began the scoring effort with a leadoff single by Ross Sannes, with Lance Dalbey adding a two-run shot to add to the early lead.

Berardi’s would not go away easy, tallying eight runs in the bottom of the first to capture the lead. Berardi’s, in a must-win situation, batted through the entire lineup in their first at bat while recording nine hits with three long ball shots by the team.

The next two innings showcased a back-and-forth battle with both teams trading hit after hit in an offensive battle.  Neither team was able to capture a commanding lead as tempers began to flare in the heated match-up. 

With the two teams playing their third game in less than two days, both teams were very familiar with their opponents.  Shifting defenses and strategic pitches highlighted today’s action as the two teams tried to find any way to halt the scoring efforts of the other team.

Both teams slowed down offensively after the fireworks that started the game.  Long Haul managed only three runs in the next three innings, including a scoreless top of the sixth.  However, Berardi’s only managed to plate one run over the next three innings making the final inning a do or die situation for the home team.

Long Haul started off the top of the seventh with a leadoff double by Eric Klug as Long Haul began their scoring rally to add insurance runs.  Two homeruns by teammates Lance Dudley and Adam Peterson added fuel to the fire as Long Haul scored seven runs to add to their lead.

Berardi’s had a chance to fight back in the bottom of the seventh, but Long Haul retired the first three Berardi’s batters to capture the Hooters Men’s Slow Pitch Class A Championship.  Long Haul ended the series with a sweep of Berardi’s and teammate Adam Peterson was named Tournament MVP to highlight the team’s accomplishments.

The win for Long Haul Trucking/Miken was its fifth in five games between the two teams this year. The John Daniel-sponsored team finished the year 54-12.

The team has been together for five years and sponsored by John Daniels for the past three years. Daniels said,” They played good defense and got the base hits when they needed them. They used their home runs wisely, too. Berardi’s is a very good team and they didn’t play like they are capable of playing. Our pitcher (Brad Augedahl) made some tough pitches.”

Armed Forces Takes Women’s Open Title in Decisive Fashion.

What a difference a year makes. Last year the Armed Forces women’s team went 1-3 in the Hooters Championship Series.

This year it walked away with the Women’s Open national title after sweeping the Yard Dawgs of Calhoun, Ga. Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Armed Forces won three consecutive games including the title game Saturday afternoon, 9-5, led by shortstop and series MVP Tammy Baldwin.

A sergeant in the Army, Baldwin went 2-for-4 Saturday and finished the championship with an impressive .750 batting average.  She had nine hits and four of them went four extra bases with three doubles and a home run. She brought home six runners and had an RBI in the third and deciding game. The Armed Forces finished with a team batting average of .509.

“Last year we were nervous playing here,” said Baldwin.  “But we came back this year more relaxed and made it happen. This is an excellent stadium and there was some great competition.”

In finishing undefeated, the Armed Forces took an early 5-2 lead as the Yard Dawgs didn’t score in four of the seven innings. The Armed Forces were also scoreless in three innings, but managed to stay ahead and scored three in the third and once in the sixth, out-hitting the Yard Dawgs by one, 16-15.

Winning pitcher Laurie Doughty (3-0,  .625 Batting Average) had a perfect day at-bat for the Armed Forces (3-for-3) with Baldwin, Cheryl Trapnell, Shannon Eichenseer and Niki Dunn all having a pair of hits apiece.

Third baseman Stephanie Johnson and Carol Pearson led the Yard Dawgs with three hits in as many at-bats including a pair of RBI singles.

C & C Knights Win Pair Of Games To Take Women’s Class C Title In HCS

After splitting its first two games, the C & C Knights of Urbandale, Iowa stormed back to win twice Saturday to capture the women’s Class C championship in the Hooters Championship Series with a 7-6 win over the Travel America Cruisers of Grenada, Miss.

After winning 11-8 earlier Saturday with a four-run rally in the sixth inning, the Knights scored only in two innings—the second and fifth—to defeat the Cruisers, who out-hit the winners, 16-14.

Winning pitcher Patti Elliott, who batted .545 (6-for-11), was named the Class C MVP. She had two hits in three at-bats and drove in three of the team’s seven runs with a two-run double in the fourth and an RBI single in the second inning. The other RBI were by Tina Parris (2-for-3, two RBI), Stacy Huff (2-for-4) and Barb Davis (2-for-3). Shortstop Sue Arneson didn’t drive in any runs for the winners but had a perfect day at-bat (3-for-3).

Third baseman Laura Lee Holeman led Travel America with three hits in four trips to the plate and accounted for two runs with a two-run homer in the third inning. Losing hurler Connie Harris (2-for-4), outfielder Melissa Chaney (2-for-4), catcher Suzanne Chaney (2-for-3) and shortstop Heidi Hill (2-for-4) also contributed to the Travel America offense.

Russell’s Paint And Body Captures Class C In HCS

Russell’s Paint and Body of Orlando, Fla. finished off the best year in the team’s 26-year history by capturing the Men’s Class C championship in the Hooters Championship Series with a 16-7 win over RTS Crew of Omaha, Neb.

Russell’s finished the best-of-five series 3-1 and extended its overall season record to 72-9 for sponsor Russell Robinson, who also plays left field and had a hit in the championship game.

For Robinson, winning the Hooters is a dream come true.

“By winning this it’s the best year we’ve ever had,” said Robinson.  “This is the best event period. This is nothing but a class event.”

Russell’s jumped out to an 11-5 lead after three innings and held RTS scoreless in three of the next four innings in the championship game, out-hitting RTS 19-13. Leading the offense for Russell’s were Jeff Parker (3-for-4), Brad Stillwell (3-for-4). Michael Wrenn (3-for-4) and Greg Reynolds (2-for-4, 6 RBI).

Stillwell finished with a .750 batting average (12-for-16 and eight RBI) to earn the division’s MVP award. Parker batted .750 and Reynolds came in with a .647 batting average including a team-high four homers and 16 RBI.

Reynolds accounted for three of the five runs in the first with a three-run blast and hit his second three-run homer in the five-run second inning. He had half of the homers Russell’s hit in the championship series. Russell’s finished with a team batting average of .556.

Center fielder Sam Cromer and Bob Turner each had three hits apiece for RTS, which was making its first appearance in the championship series. Kevin Rasmussen also had a solo homer for RTS in a three-run third inning.