Mother Nature Causes Havoc at Texas State Championships

May 1, 2021

GRAPEVINE, Tex., - The 2021 Texas State Championships was held here at Oak Grove Softball Complex from April 27 to May 2 with 65 teams originally scheduled to compete.

Twenty-one teams in the first session (Men’s 65 – 80) began the tournament on Tuesday with seeding games, before rain came in overnight on Wednesday, shutting down the remainder of the tournament.

With the impending rain coming Wednesday evening, additional seeding games that were scheduled on day two were replaced with bracket games.

Starting with the Men’s 65 Major Division, Houston Fire swept Team Texas SA in a best of three-game series, winning by scores of 24-11 and 20-1, respectively.

The Men’s 65 AAA Division also featured a best of three series, with Texas Thunder striking first over Carriage Homes (AR) with a 27-16 win. Carriage Homes then bounced back with a 24-19 victory in game two to even the series.

In the rubber match, Carriage Homes completed the comeback, taking the deciding game, 22-16.

In the three-team Men’s 70 Major Division, KC Kids (MO) came out of the elimination side of the bracket to double-dip top seed San Antonio Silver Streaks, by scores of 15-14 and 23-13, respectively.

OK-ARK (OK) finished in third place.

In the six-team Men’s 70/75 Gold Division, a full five-game round robin was used to determine the champion.

Texas Rattlers 70 and Louisiana Legends 70  tied for first place with identical 4-1 records.

Texas Rattlers held the tie-breaker via its head-to-head win, 31-19, over Louisiana Legends.

Scrap Iron 5280’ 70 (CO) finished in third place with a 3-2 mark, while USA Patriots 70 (OK) followed with a 2-3 record.

Hill Contracting 75 (TX) and Grey Sox 70 (TX) each completed the tournament with a 1-4 record. Hill Contracting earned the fifth place finish due to its 17-9 win over Grey Sox.

In the four-team Men’s 65/70 AA Division, Texas Raiders 70 went 2-0 in bracket play, defeating Triple 2 65 (TX) and Robson Ranch Texans 70, to reach the championship game.

Robson Ranch Texans would also eventually reach the championship game, following its 19-12 win over Triple 2 65 in the third-place game.

El Paso Nine-Elevens (TX) was the fourth place finisher.

Unfortunately, the championship game would be cancelled after the first inning due to rain. As the only unbeaten team in bracket play, Texas Raiders earned first place honors.

In the four-team Men’s 75/80 AAA Division, Midwest Express 75 (IA) and San Antonio Legends 75 (TX) entered the modified single-elimination bracket with identical 2-0 records following seeding play.

Each team won their respective opening bracket game, to set up a winner-take-all championship game.

In that deciding game, San Antonio Legends took the title game, 10-9.

In the third-place game, Grey Sox 75 (TX) defeated Antiques of Kansas City (KS), 18-13.

The postponed second session was rescheduled for May 14-16 with 30 teams in action.

Weather was once again uncooperative for Texas State Champs II, as rain washed out Sunday, other than the opening 8 a.m. games on the final day of play.

In the four-team Men’s 50 Major Division, Texas Aces went 2-0 in bracket play on Saturday to enter Sunday in the driver’s seat in the championship game.

Texas Aces edged out BEAT/Powerhouse/Schooners/GI50 (TX), 20-19, to punch its ticket to the championship game.

In the elimination side of the bracket, Texas Xpress eliminated MBR Softball (TX), 36-31, to advance to the third-place game.

With no other games taking place, Texas Aces took home first place.

In the seven-team Men’s 50 AAA Division, top seed Crossfire (TX) completed a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play on Friday, and 2-0 in bracket play on Saturday.

Crossfire defeated ETX 50s (TX), 20-9, to advance to the championship game.

ETX entered bracket play as the last seed after going 0-2 in seeding play, and then posted a 2-1 record in bracket play to secure its spot in the third place game.

Lonestar 50s (TX), Johnny’s Softball Senior Class (TX), and Crisis (TX) were the other teams to advance to Sunday in the elimination side of the bracket.

With no games played on Sunday, Crossfire was declared the champion.

In the four-team Men’s 55/60 Platinum Division, Legacy Sports USA 60 (AZ) went 3-0 in seeding play to lock up the top seed.

The team continued its solid play in the bracket, going 2-0, with wins over Rock N Legends 9 55 (TX), 22-7, and ManCave 55 (TX), 21-18, to reach the championship game.

Texas Bulls 55 edged out Rock N Legends 9, 20-21, in an elimination game, to reach the third-place game.

With all games washed out on Sunday, Legacy Sports USA 60 Major Plus earned first place honors. As the highest 55 Major team, ManCave earned top honors for their respective division.

In the eight-team Men’s 55/60 Gold Division, Escobar Body Shop II 55 (TX), Lone Star 55s (TX), and Romo’s Derty 55 (TX), all posted 2-0 records in seeding play.

Of the three, Lone Star 55 continued its winning ways in bracket play, defeating Demolition 55 (TX), 23-22; Romo’s Derty 55 (TX), 31-18; and Texas Threat 55, 23-7, to reach the championship game.

Texas Threat, Dudley Monster 60 (MS), Romo’s Derty, Escobar Body Shop II, and Team Animo 55 (TX), were the other teams to advance to Sunday.

Lone Star 55 earned top honors as the lone remaining undefeated team.

In the three-team Men’s 50/55 AA Division, Team LBK 50 (TX) defeated Gulf Coast Hurricanes 50 (TX), 23-18, and Manifest 55 (TX), 24-23, in bracket play to advance to the championship game.

Manifest defeated Gulf Coast Hurricanes, 22-19, in the third-place game.

Team LBK was crowned champion with no other games held Sunday due to weather.

In the four-team Men’s 60 AAA Division, Texas Heat took the No. 1 seed in the bracket following a 3-0 mark.

The team continued their winning ways in the bracket, defeating OKC Relics (OK), 20-16, and Texas Legends 20-3. Texas Heat would go on to earn first place awards as the lone undefeated team following the tournament stoppage.

Texas Thunder won a pair of elimination games to eventually finish in second place.