2021 Eastern National Championships Surpasses 100-Team Mark

Aug. 1, 2021

Dave Carver, Division Manager Loudoun County Parks, Recreation & Community Services with Fran Dowell, SSUSA Executive Director

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The 2021 Eastern National Championships shattered past records with 107 teams competing here this year.

A record 86 teams competed July 27 through Aug. 1, and an additional 21 teams will compete in the Men's 40s Eastern Nationals on Aug. 21-22.

All games for session one (Men's 65 - 80) took place at the Potomack  Lakes Sportsplex in Sterling, with 21 teams in action.

Highlighting the first session of the Eastern Nationals was the induction of Ray Dye, 79, into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame (NSSHOF).

Ray Dye - NSSHOF Class of 2020

Dye, part of the NSSHOF Class of 2020, was inducted into the Pioneer Player category.

Dye has a senior softball career that spans over 18 years, where he has accumulated a number of MVP and All World honors across all the major associations. He has previously been a member of Indy Fog, Chicago Classic, Direct Employers, Bucs & Bulls, Pfeiffer Auto, Canterbury Cruisers, Boca, Monkey Joe’s Big Nut Co., Chadwell Supply and Venom among many others.

Currently, Dye is a member of Florida Investment Properties.

Beginning with the five-team Men’s 65 Major Division, Via Citrus (FL) posted a perfect 3-0 record in bracket play, including a 25-11 win over High Street Bucs (MD).

New Jersey Hitmen finished in third place, while top seed Promotion (NJ) finished fourth.

In the four-team Men’s 65 AAA Division, Talaga Construction (CT) went 3-0 in bracket play, including a 23-14 win over top seed Pill & Pill (WV).

Northern Virginia Force finished in third place.

The Men’s 70 Major Plus Division featured a best of three game series between Bradford White/Jersey Masters (NJ) and Superior Senior Softball (VA).

Superior Senior Softball swept the series, by scores of 19-8 and 29-9, respectively.

Superior Senior Softball (VA) - Men's 70 Major Plus Champion

The Men’s 70/75 Platinum Division was also a best of three series, with Venom 75 (FL) sweeping High Street Bucs 70 (MD) by scores of 17-9 and 17-8, respectively.

In the three-team Men’s 70 AAA Division, top seed Jersey Masters Red went unbeaten the bracket, going 2-0 with a 10-6 win over Northern Virginia Force, and a 12-8 victory over Syracuse Cyclones in the championship game.

Jersey Masters Red - Men's 70 AAA Champion

The Men’s 75/80 Platinum Division featured AMR South and Florida Investment Properties playing a best of three.

AMR South swept the series, by scores of 14-6 and 25-15.

The tournament continued with the second session on July 30, with 65 teams competing in the Men's 50-60 and Women's 40-50 divisions.

Along with Potomack Lakes, Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park (Leesburg) and Brambleton Regional Park (Ashburn) were also used during the second session.

However, all three complexes would not be used for the entirety of the tournament, as rain would eventually wash away play at both Brambleton and Potomack Lakes on Saturday and Sunday.

Bolen would be the lone complex used on Sunday.

SSUSA would like send a special thank you to the grounds crew at Loudoun County Parks and Recreation for all of their hard work and dedication to helping play resume and crown champions.

Women's Division in action at the 2021 Eastern National Championships

In the six-team Women’s 40 AAA Division, Taz/K&G Softball (OH) went 2-0 to take the top seed, and won opening bracket games, 13-10 over Lady Legends, and 15-0 over Fireballs (MA), to reach the championship game.

With the remainder of games rained out, Taz/K&G Softball was declared the champion.

Taz/K&G Softball (OH) - Women's 40 AAA Champion

Cherry Bomb (MD) won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to reach the championship game.

Fireballs finished in third place.

In the four-team Women’s 50 Gold Division, top seed Team Works (VA) reached the championship game following wins over Unfazed (VA) 16-10 and Dreamgirlz (VA) 21-17.

With no other games played, Team Works was declared the champion.

Unfazed finished in second place after winning a pair of elimination games, while Dreamgirlz finished in third place.

In the nine-team Men’s 50 Major Division, weather also prevented the completion of bracket play.

Following its 14-8 win in the winner’s bracket final to advance to the championship game and lone remaining undefeated team in the bracket, Hard Hat Café/Latella’s (CT) would be declared champion.

Top seed Tri-State 50s (MD) was the runner-up, while Team Elite (PA) and KIKU Imports/MY Buddies (MA) tied for third.

The 14-team Men’s 50 AAA Division saw top seed Freehold Buick/Juno (NJ) continue its solid play in bracket paly, going 3-0, including a 17-5 win over High Street Bucs (MD) in the winner’s bracket final.

With the rest of the games rained out, Freehold Buick/Juno took home the title, with High Street Bucs as the runner-up.

Gashouse (NY) and Old Skool/GTS Sports (PA) tied for third place.

In the four-team Men’s 55 Major Plus Division, top seed BPA (PA) downed Ohio Elite/R Sports/AMR (OH), 28-27, and Kelleher Firm/Lemay/Blue Mountain (FL), 25-24, to reach the championship game.

With the rest of the games rained out, BPA was declared champion.

The five-team Men’s 55/60 Platinum Division was able to be played in full.

Top seed Dugout/Mid Atlantic/Dudley 55 (VA) went 2-0 in seeding, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 23-8 win over Phoenix Tube/REMAX 55 (FL) in the championship game.

Phoenix Tube/REMAX rattled off three straight wins in the elimination side of the bracket to reach the title game.

Aurora Tap House 55 (IL) finished in third place.

The four-team Men’s 55 AAA Division was also able to be completed in full, as top seed N.E. Merchants (MD) went 3-0 in seeding, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 21-9 win over Infoquest.com (PA) in the championship game.

Infoquest.com posted back-to-back wins in the elimination side of the bracket to reach the championship game.

Carolina Legends (NC) finished in third place.

In the three-team Men’s 50/55 AA Division, Goats 50 (MD) came back to defeat Backside 50 (VA), 18-7, in the “if” game. Backside defeated Goats, 6-3, in the championship game to force the deciding game.

Longshoremen 55 (VA) finished third.

In the nine-team Men’s 60 Major Division, Hamel Builders (VA) was declared the eventual champion, defeating Levin/Ameriprise (FL) in a rain shortened game in the winner’s bracket final.

The Bank (DE) began bracket play on the wrong footing, going 0-2. However, the team bounced back with three straight wins to advance to the third-place game. The game would be rained out.

Maryland Cougars made a valiant run through the elimination side of the bracket with four straight wins to finish in fourth place.

In the seven-team Men’s 60 AAA Division, top seed Crossfit/Great Clips (NC) won their first two bracket games (12-11 over Sunshine Sluggers, FL; and 13-10 over Syracuse Cyclones, NY) to reach the championship game.

With the rest of the games rained out, Crossfit/Great Clips was declared the champion.

Sunshine Sluggers won three straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to advance to the third-place game.