September 28, 2014, OKLAHOMA CITY — Four teams raised their respective ASA/USA National Championship trophies in the air this weekend following the adult slow pitch National Championships the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball announced today. On Friday, Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton brought home their second-consecutive Super Slow Pitch National Championship with a thrilling 39-16 (five inning) win over Sonny’s, while Compound Athletics/Bubbas took home the Men’s Class A title, DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia took home the Men’s Class D title and Derby Girls won the Women’s Open title.
In addition to the Slow Pitch National Championships, the ASA Stadium Power Tour concluded with Team DeMarini sweeping the honors as Chris Larsen was named the world’s greatest home run hitter for the second time in his career, crushing 12 out of the park. Team DeMarini also took home the coveted Manufactures Cup, totaling 23 for the evening.
2014 ASA Stadium Power Tour Finals
Chris Larsen, DeMarini – 12 points
Dale Brungardt, DeMarini – 11 points
Scott Kirby, Easton – 9 points
Kevin Filby, Miken – 9 points
Brian Wegman, Easton – 8 points
*Denny Crine, Miken – 10 points
*Crine was hitting for Manufactures Cup
Manufactures Cup Finals
Team DeMarini – 23 points
Team Miken – 19 points
Team Easton – 17 points
Super Slow Pitch National Championship
Long Haul/H.Auto/Easton 39, Sonny’s 16 (five innings)
In a rematch of last year’s Super Slow Pitch National Championship Game the result remained the same as Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton kept a hold on the title. Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton’s Brian Wegman forced the “if-game” with a two-run walk off home run to secure the 21-20 win in the Championship Game, and his team came alive at the plate to claim the Championship with a 39-16 (five inning) run-rule victory.
An outstanding effort by Travis Clark hoisted Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton to a 36-19 win in five innings over Sonny’s, racking up eight RBI on four hits. For Sonny’s, Bubba Mack hit two home runs, going 3-for-4 in the game with three RBI and three runs scored.
Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton’s bats came to life in the first inning, scoring 21 runs off nine home runs. Their hitters combined for 37 hits, 35 RBI and 36 runs scored, while Sonny’s combined for 20 hits, 19 RBI and 19 runs scored.
For his efforts at the plate, Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton’s Wegman took home tournament MVP and Batting Champion titles, while Sonny’s Bubba Mack and Long Haul/H. Auto/Easton’s Dale Brungardt shared the Home Run Champion title.
Men’s Class A
Compound Athletics/Bubbas 39, 4 the Fallen/Miken/Evo 9x 18 (four innings)
An outstanding effort by Neil Haglund lifted the Compound Athletics/Bubbas to a 39-18 win in four innings over four the Fallen/Miken/Evo 9X on Sunday afternoon. Haglund was unstoppable at the plate, going 5-for-5 in the game. Denny Crine led the way for 4 the Fallen/Miken/Evo 9x with a flawless 3-for-3 performance at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored.
Thirty-seven runs in the first three innings helped the Compound Athletics/Bubbas seal the victory in the “if-necessary” game.
Below is a complete list of individual awards for the Women’s Open Division:
First Team All-Americans
Nick Utley – 4 the Fallen
Orlando Castillo – Compound Athletics
Mitch Johnson – All American Athletics
Mike Umscheid – Compound Athletics
Dennis Rulli – Compound Athletics
Nick Santana – All American Athletics
Neil Haglund – Compound Athletics
Nick Sansone – 4 the Fallen
Cory Large – 4 the Fallen
Denny Crine – 4 the Fallen
Kyle Pearson – Front Row Sports
Brett Helmer – Compound Athletics
Kevin Filby – 4 the Fallen
Chris Potts – Front Row Sports
Dale Brungardt – All American Athletics
Travis Clark – Compound Athletics
Batting Champion – Nick Santana (.913)
Home Run Champion – Denny Crine – 11
Tournament MVP – Brad Reckart
Men’s Class D
DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia 14, Chingon/Monsta Athletics 3 (five innings)
DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia jumped out to an early lead on the Chingon/Monsta Athletics and captured a 14-3 victory in Sunday’s Championship Game of the Men’s Class D.
The game was decided quickly as DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia exerted its will early with 11 runs in the first three innings. A two-run home run by Michael Parrish during the first inning and an RBI double by John Brown and a three-run home run by Justin Thayer in the second inning helped DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia put some runs on the board early.
John Brown, from DIA Water Connection/Dutch Mafia took home Tournament MVP honors, finishing the weekend with a .600 batting average (6-for-10) with three RBI and six runs scored.
Women’s Open
Derby Girls 16, All Armed Forces 6
Despite forcing an “if-game” with a 16-13 win earlier in the day, the All Armed Forces were unable to overcome the powerful Derby Girls squad, who captured the Women’s Open National title with a 16-6 (six inning) win Sunday afternoon.
Derby Girls scored five runs in the fifth on an RBI double by Tara Salcedo, a two-run double by Megan Miller, an RBI triple by Dara Toman, and an RBI single by Amy Doerflinger. The teams traded runs for most of the contest, leading to seven lead changes in the game.
Derby Girls pulled out the win thanks in part to a strong fourth inning as Doerflinger connected for a three-run triple, scoring Christan Dowling, Marie and Toman. Salcedo had a busy day at the plate, collecting three extra-base hits.
Melessa Graves was solid at the plate for All Armed Forces. Graves went 3-4, drove in one and scored one run. She singled in the first, fourth, and sixth innings.
Tournament MVP Salcedo finished the weekend with a .562 (9-for-16) batting average, seven RBI and five runs scored.
Below is a complete list of individual awards for the Women’s Open Division:
First Team All-Americans
Christian Camp – All Armed Forces
Leina Braxton – All Armed Forces
Terri Hodges – All Armed Forces
Kasey Castor – All Armed Forces
Melessa Graves – All Armed Forces
Christan Dowling – Derby Girls
Kat Sherer – Derby Girls
Amy Doerflinger – Derby Girls
Tammy Higginbotham – Derby Girls
Sahara Henson – Lady MVP
Kim Pierce – Derby Girls
Dara Toman – Derby Girls
Schameka White – All Armed Forces
Stephanie Watt – Derby Girls
Megan Miller – Derby Girls
Tournament MVP – Tara Salcedo
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed seven World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.