Rock 'n Reno Challenge Cup Returns with 203 teams in Action

June 1, 2021

RENO/SPARKS/CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Rock ‘n Reno Challenge Cup came back in full force in 2021 with 203 teams competing here, following a hiatus in 2020 caused by the COVID pandemic shutdowns.

The Rock ‘n Reno Challenge Cup, celebrating its 32nd edition, is the oldest and longest running senior softball qualifier in the country.

The tournament kicked off on Friday, May 28 over Memorial Day Weekend, with 71 total teams competing in the Men’s 40 and 60 age divisions, and all Women’s Divisions.

In the 21-team Men’s 40 Major Division, the largest division of the first session, the winner would come down to the “if” game.

Cody Staffing/A3 (WA), the No. 3 seed, and Zarr Realty/BL29Sports (AZ), the No. 9 seed, each began bracket play with three straight wins to advance to the winner’s bracket final on Championship Sunday.

Zarr Realty/BL29Sports edged out Cody Staffing/A3, 22-21, to punch its ticket into the championship.

With their first loss of the tournament, Cody Staffing/A3 dropped down to the third-place game. The team faced off against Battleborn NV/Asurea, who had won four straight elimination games.

Battleborn NV/Asurea’s run would end in the third-place game, as the team ran out of gas, falling 22-7. For Battleborn NV/Asurea, it was their second loss to Cody Staffing/A3, as the team dropped a nail-biter, 20-19, earlier in the bracket.

In the championship game, Cody Staffing/A3 avenged its lone loss against Zarr Realty/BL29Sports, with a convincing 20-5 win, forcing the “if” game.

In the winner take all final, Cody Staffing/A3 completed the double-dip with a thrilling 24-23 victory.

Hustle 40s (CA) finished in fourth place after winning three straight elimination games.

Cheap Suites/Republic Realty/Express Athletics (CA), Cali 40 Gold, BPS (CA), and HMR/DS Construction (CA) were the other teams to advance to the final day of play.

In the three-team Men’s 40 AAA Division, top seed Game Over (CA) went 2-0 in bracket play, including a 29-25 win over NFL2G (CA) in the championship game.

Game Over (CA) Men's 40 AAA Champions

Sicarios (CA) finished in third place.

In another three-team division, the three-team Men’s 60 Major Plus Division, top seed Legacy Sports USA (AZ) went 2-0 in bracket play, including a one-run thriller in the championship game, 29-28, over LPC/Dudley (CA).

Legacy Sports USA (AZ) Men's 60 Major Plus Champions

Nor Cal Sixties finished in third place.

In the eight-team Men’s 60 Major Division, No. 4 seed Scrap Iron Rocky Mountain Thunder (CO) went 4-0 in bracket play, including a 17-6 win over Weakend Warriors (CA) in the championship game.

Weakend Warriors had previously won three straight elimination games to start the final day of play, before running out of the steam in the championship game.

Sonoma County Crush (CA) and California Energy were the third and fourth place finishers, respectively.

In the 13-team Men’s 60 AAA Division, the No. 4 seed would come out victorious as well, as Texas Legends went 5-0 in bracket play, including a 20-16 win over No. 2 seed Yeahoos (WA) in the championship game. The win capped off an undefeated weekend for Texas Legends.

Texas Legends 60 AAA Champions

ROE (OR) got off to a rough start going 0-2 in seeding play to enter the bracket as the No. 12 seed. After dropping their opening bracket game against Lincoln Hills Coyote (CA), 15-14, ROE rattled off four straight wins en route to their eventual third place finish after falling short against Yeahoos.

Cut Loose (CA) finished in fourth place.

Baker Boyz (CA) and SportStan/Islanders (HI) tied for fifth place.

In the three-team Men’s 60 AA Division, Tri-City Legends/TimeShareCompliance.com (WA) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 14-4 win over East West Aircraft (ID) in the championship game.

Tri-City Legends/TimeShareCompliance.com Men's 60 AA Champions

Top seed The Copper Gang/Classics (UT) finished in third place.

The five-team Women’s 40 Major Division went the distance, with the winner coming down to the “if” game.

No. 3 seed Fun Bunch (CA) reached the championship game unscathed with a 2-0 record.

No. 2 seed TABU (CA) had some work to do to punch their ticket to the championship game, winning three straight games to escape from the elimination side of the bracket.

TABU would eventually make it five straight wins to close out the tournament, as the team double-dipped Fun Bunch by scores of 8-4 and 10-9, respectively, in the championship and “if” games.

Fun Bunch had defeated TABU, 16-13, in their opening game of the bracket.

Top seed Colorado Ohana (CA) finished in third place.

The six-team Women’s 40 AAA Division also featured a team come out from the elimination side of the bracket to complete the double-dip.

Still Grubbing (CA) began bracket play with two straight wins, before falling to CCS Fireballerz (CA), 18-12, in the winner’s bracket final.

Still Grubbing would bounce back with an 11-8 win over Idaho Spirit (ID) in the third place game; and then avenged their earlier loss with back-to-back wins over CCS Fireballerz, taking the championship game (21-17) and the “if” game (24-23).

Still Grubbing (CA) Women's 40 AAA Champions

In the five-team Women’s 50 Division, Old Nasty Curves (CA) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 16-10 win over top seed All Mix’D Up (AR) in the championship game.

Who’z Yer Daddy-50 Shades of Grey (WA) finished in third place.

The four-team Women’s 55 Division saw the top two seeds battle it out at the end.

Top seed B.O.O.B.S avoided the dreaded double-dip, winning the “if” game, 9-2, over Runnin’ Out of Time (NV).

After dropping a heart-breaker in their opening bracket game against Team Battleaxe (OR), 11-10; Runnin’ Out of Time won three straight games, including a 16-4 win over B.O.O.B.S in the championship game.

Team Battleaxe finished in third place.

After a break in play in observance of Memorial Day, session two, with 69 total teams, resumed the tournament, as the elder statesmen, the Men’s 65s through 85s, began play on Tuesday, June 1.

Starting with the three-team Men’s 65/70 Major Plus Division, top seed Texas Crush Sixty Fives defeated Timberworks/Suncoast 70 (CA), 15-12, in the championship game, forcing the decisive “if” game.

The “if” game would be called in the fifth inning by mutual consent, with each team earning the championship title for their respective age division.

Animals 70 (CA) was the third place finisher.

The 10-team Men’s 65 Major Division saw the top three finishers represent the Pacific Northwest.

The eventual champion, Trachsel Auto Body (OR) posted a perfect 4-0 mark in bracket play, including a 12-8 win over Bulldogs (OR) in the championship game.

Both of Bulldogs’ losses in the bracket would come at the hands of Trachsel Auto Body.

REH Second Wind (WA) finished in third place after winning a pair of elimination games.

Nor Cal Reds finished in fourth place.

In the 12-team Men’s 65 AAA Division, Utah Coyotes registered a perfect week, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 4-0 in bracket play, including a nail-biter in the championship game, 12-11, over Last Call (NV).

Last Call won three straight elimination games en route to their eventual runner-up finish.

After dropping their opening bracket game against Cut Loose (CA), Excessive Force (CA) won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to finish in fourth place.

In the three-team Men’s 65/70 AA Division, Cascade Thunder 65 (OR) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 26-15 win over East-West Aircraft Sales 70 (ID) in the championship game.

Top see Scrap Iron Diamonds 65 (CO) rounded out the three team division.

In the six-team Men’s 70/75 Platinum Division, top seed San Antonio Silver Streaks 70 (TX) defeated Codgers/BCT 70 (ID), 19-10, in the championship game, to polish off a perfect showing. San Antonio Silver Streaks went 2-0 in seeding, and 3-0 in the bracket.

Mr. Plywood 70 (OR) went 0-2 in seeding, and 0-2 to start off bracket play, before winning a pair of elimination games to finish in third place.

In the 14-team Men’s 70 AAA Division, W.E. Ruth Realty (WA) went undefeated for the week, going 2-0 in seeding, and 4-0 in bracket, including an 18-2 win over Last Call (NV) in the championship game.

Game On (CA) was the third place finisher, followed by Scrap Iron 5280 (CO).

Scrap Iron 5280 had won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket, before bowing out against Game On.

In the four-team Men’s 75/80 Platinum Division, General Equipment 75 (OR) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 22-13 win over State Roofing Systems 75 (CA) in the championship game.

General Equipment 75 (OR) Men's 75/80 Platinum Champions

After dropping their opening bracket game against General Equipment, State Roofing Systems won back-to-back elimination games to reach the championship game.

San Francisco Seals 80 (CA) finished in third place, while top seed Scrap Iron Legends 75 (CO) rounded out the four team field.

In the four-team Men’s 75 AAA Division, a full round robin was used to determine the champion.

W.E. Ruth Realty (WA) and Solano Senior Enforcers (CA) each posted 2-1 records, while Last Call (NV) and SME Steal (UT) each recorded 1-2 records.

Via its head-to-head win over Solano Senior Enforcers, 17-16, W.E. Ruth Realty would go on to earn first place honors.

Last Call, with its 35-25 win over SME Steal, took home third place.

Grey Sox 75 (TX) also played in the division as an exhibition team.

In the three-team Men’s 75 AA Division, top seed Triple Play (CA) completed its run to the championship, earning a hard-fought, 16-15 comeback win over Sacramento Buds (CA) in the title game.

California Oaks finished in third place.

The Men’s 80 Major Division featured a best of three game series between Scrap Iron Grey Berets (CO) and Git-R-Done Gold (OR).

The Scrap Iron Grey Berets swept the series, by scores of 18-15 and 11-7, respectively.

Action shot from the Men's 80 Major Division

Scrap Iron Grey Berets (CO) Men's 80 Major Champions

In the seven-team Men’s 80/85 Gold Division, another full round robin was used to determine the champion.

Two teams finished tied for first, and Top Gun Blue Angels 85 (CA) and Lincoln Hills Coyotes 80 (CA) finished with identical 5-1 records.

Via its head-to-head win over Lincoln Hills Coyotes, 18-12, Top Gun Blue Angels took home the championship.

Top Gun Blue Angels 85 - Men's 80/85 Gold Division Champions

Two other teams followed with 4-2 marks, as Redwood City Gold Rush 80 (CA) broke its tie with Magic Stuff 80 (UT) due to their 16-4 win in their head-to-head meeting.

California Oaks 80, Git-R-Done Silver 80 (CA), and Sacramento Rebels 80 (CA) rounded out the field with 1-5 records respectively.

The third and final session featured 63 total teams competing in the Men’s 50 and 55 Divisions, which began on June 4.

The six team Men’s 50/55 Major Plus Division came down to “if” game, as Crush 55 (CA) defeated CornerStone 55 (OR), 23-8, to complete the double-dip. Crush edged out CornerStone, 15-14, in the championship game.

Fattboyz/Prestige/Elite 50 (CA) was the third place finisher, and the 50 Major Plus Champion, after knocking off top seed Vicious Cycle 50 (CA) in a thriller, 15-14.

Fattboyz/Prestige/Elite had won three straight games in the elimination side of the bracket.

In the 16-team Men’s 50 Major Division, Scrap Iron Tenacity (CO) emerged as the victors, following its 5-0 record in bracket play, capped off by a 25-23 win over G.O. Softball Junkies/WEPNZ/Dss (CA) in the championship game.

Cali 50 Gold finished in third place, while KM Sportz (CA) was the fourth place finisher.

Battleborn (NV) made a valiant run through the elimination side of the bracket with four straight wins, to finished tied for fifth place, along with BR & Company (CA).

In the 14-team Men’s 50 AAA Division, CaliGold 50 avoided the double-dip, by coming back to defeat Smash It Sports Northwest (WA), 18-12, in the “if” game.

Smash It Sports Northwest won four straight elimination games, including a 23-9 victory in the championship game, to force the deciding game.

All-Quip/SOWC (OR) finished in third place, while Calhoun/Michael’s Toyota (WA) finished in fourth place.

In the 15-team Men’s 55 Major Division, top Rock N Legends (TX) completed an undefeated weekend, going 2-0 in seeding and 4-0 in bracket play, including a 24-14 win over Bad Seed (CA) in the championship game.

WPI/Jayco (ID) won four straight elimination games en route to their eventual third place finish.

Wolfpack/Washington Legends rounded out the top four finishers.

In the 12-team Men’s 55 AAA Division, No. 10 seed Smash (CA) made the Cinderella run the championship game with four straight wins.

After dropping their first game of the bracket against Smash, Cali Gold, the No. 2 seed, went on a run of their own, with five straight wins, to punch their ticket into the championship game.

Cali Gold would make it six straight wins, avenging their earlier loss to Smash with a 25-21 win, forcing the “if” game.

Playing in their fifth straight game on Championship Sunday, Cali Gold ran out of gas, as Smash pulled through with a 16-11 win in the rubber match.

Top seed Six Five 0’s (CA) finished in third place, while Top Gun Growlers (CA) was the fourth place finisher.