CAN-Sirs/SSUSA Northern California State Championships Welcomes 45 Teams

June 1, 2021

ELK GROVE/LINCOLN, Calif. – The Northern California State Championships was held here, June 11-16, with 45 teams in attendance.

SSUSA teams up with CAN-Sirs, an organization dedicated to promoting cancer awareness and prevention to senior softball players, for the annual tournament.

The tournament began on Friday, June 11, with the Men’s 40/50 Platinum Division playing at Hal Bartholomew Sports Park (Elk Grove), and the Men’s 50/55 Platinum, Men’s 50/55 Gold, Men’s 55/60 Gold, and Women’s Divisions at Foskett Regional Park (Lincoln).

The 11-team Men’s 40/50 Platinum Division would come down the “if” game, and extra innings.

Cheap Suits/Republic Realty/Express Athletics 40 (CA) edged out a hard-fought, 19-18 walk-off win, over Hustle 40s (CA) in the winner’s bracket final to punch its ticket into the championship game.

In the third-place game, Hustle 40s bounced back with a 19-16 win over top seed Vicious Cycle 50 (CA) to secure its spot in the championship game.

For Vicious Cycle, it was the  team’s fourth game of the day on Championship Sunday, as the team won three straight elimination games en route to its third place finish.

Building off of the momentum of its win in the third place game, Hustle cruised to a 30-17 win in the championship game, to force the decisive “if” game.

In the rubber-match, Cheap Suits avoided the dreaded double-dip, by gutting out a 25-24 comeback victory in extras.

Action from the Men's 40/50 Platinum Championship Game

Cheap Suits/Republic Realty/Express Athletics 40 (CA) Men's 40/50 Platinum Champions

Universal Slowpitch 40 (CA) finished in fourth place.

In the four-team Men’s 50/55 Platinum Division, top seed Crush 55 (CA) posted an undefeated weekend, which included a 14-7 win over BR & Company 50 (CA) in the championship game.

Crush 55 (CA) Men's 50/55 Platinum Champions

Team ASB 50/A&B Plumbing (CA) finished in third place.

In the three-team Men’s 50/55 Gold Division, JU Entertainment 55 (CA) defeated Big Dawg Softball 50 (CA), 13-8, to win the championship.

JU Entertainment 55 (CA) Men's 50/55 Gold Champions

West Coast 50s (CA) was the third-place finisher.

In the two-team Men’s 55 AAA Division, Cali Gold 55 knocked off North Bay Rebels (CA), 13-9, to claim the title.

Cali Gold Men's 55 AAA Champions

In the two-team Men’s 60 Major Division, Sonoma County Crush (CA) double-dipped California Energy by scores of 12-8 and 18-17, respectively.

Sonoma County Crush (CA) Men's 60 Major Champions

The seven-team Women’s 40 Gold Division featured a full round robin, with best record determining the champion.

With a perfect record, Fun Bunch (CA) took home the first place hardware.

Fun Bunch (CA) Women's 40 Gold Champions

Still Grubbing (CA) finished in the runner-up spot, while CCS Fireballerz (CA) and B.O.O.B.S (CA) tied for third place. Via its head-to-head win, 18-13, CCS Fireballerz held the tie-breaker.

As the highest finishing AAA team, Still Grubbing would also earn first place awards for their respective division.

The tournament continued on June 14, with the Men’s 65 through 80 age divisions. All games were held in Elk Grove.

In the four-team Men’s 65 AAA Division, top seed Last Call (NV) complete a perfect week, going 3-0 in seeding, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 24-6 win over Mountain Mike’s Pizza-Paradise (CA) in the championship game.

It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere (CA) finished in third place.

In the six-team Men’s 70 AAA Division, a full round-robin with best record determined the champion. The division featured an exhibition team, CAN-Sirs (CA), which were not included in the standings.

With identical 3-1 records, Nor-Cal 70s and Valley Fog (CA) tied for first place.

Via its head-to-head win over Valley Fog, 15-7, Nor-Cal 70s took home the first place awards.

Last Call (NV) and Please Don’t Bug Me (CA) tied for third place with 2-2 records.

With their 22-16 win over Please Don’t Bug Me, Last Call took third place honors.

In three-team Men’s 75 Silver Division, top seed Sacramento Buds (CA) went unbeaten on the week, capped off by a 20-10 win over Solano Senior Enforcers (CA) in the championship game.

California Oaks rounded out the three-team field.

In another three team division, the Men’s 80 AAA Division, top seed Lincoln Hills Coyotes (CA) proved worthy of its No. 1 billing, by winning the championship game, 15-13, over Redwood City Gold Rush (CA).

California Oaks finished third.