Rain Surprises Teams at the 2023 Texas State Championships

May 1, 2023

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS - Early-scoring teams gained an advantage over teams that typically rally late when rain forced many contests to be shortened to four innings during the second session of the 2023 Texas State Championships played May 5-7 in Grapevine.

Sixteen teams earned berths to the 2024 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida, by winning their divisions at the 62-team event, played from May 2-7.

Though Texans dominated the entry list, teams from Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska also competed. Two from Colorado, one from Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska earned TOC berths, along with 12 teams from Texas earning berths.

Results:

Men’s 50+ Platinum: Rock N Legends 9 earned the 50+ Major TOC berth by defeating PowerHouse/FBI 17-16 in the finale. As the top finishing 50+ Major Plus team, PowerHouse also earned a TOC berth. Texas Steel/California Bats of Texas finished third in the four-team bracket.

Men’s 50+ AAA: The second-seeded Alamo City Heat of Texas double-dipped top-seeded Johnny Softball Senior Class of Texas 15-5 and 10-9 to win the tournament’s largest division with nine teams. Alamo City won five bracket games in a row as it rallied through the elimination bracket. Crossfire 50 of Texas finished third.

Men’s 55+ Major: Escobar Body Shop II of Texas double-dipped ManCave of Texas in two nail-bitters, 13-11 and 13-12, to win the four-team bracket. ManCave had beaten Escobar 25-18 earlier in bracket play. Team Blast of Texas finished third.

Men’s 55+ AAA: The Texas Silverbacks won the championship of the 10-team bracket by forfeit over ETX 55s of Texas. Scrap Iron Mile High of Colorado finished third.

Men’s 60/65+ Platinum: The champion Texas Crush Sixties went 6-0 and earned the 60+ Major Plus TOC berth. Runner-up Houston Fire 65s earned the 65+ Major Plus TOC berth. Omaha Silver Bullets/Minleon of Nebraska finished third in the eight-team bracket.

Men’s 60+ AAA: Alliance/Scrap Iron of Colorado ran through pool and bracket play unbeaten to win the title. Texas Threat finished second, losing only to Alliance. Crossfire of Texas took third in the six-team division.

Men’s 60+ AA: Playing a best-of-three format, Club Tilt/Haus of Colorado lost its first bracket game 25-21 but rallied to win the next two 15-14 and 11-5 against the El Paso Bad Boys of Texas.

Men’s 65+ AAA: Tex/Ark Legends (photo below) defeated the Texas Legends 17-11 and 16-14 in a best-of-three format.

Men’s 65+ AA: Robson Ranch of Texas (photo below) defeated the Electrifiers of Texas 16-6 to win the four-team bracket. The Austin Wizards finished third.

Men’s 70/75+ Gold: Maverick Construction 75s (photo below) defeated Carriage Homes Patriots of Oklahoma 21-7 in the title game. Maverick Construction earned the 75+ Major Plus TOC berth while Carriage Homes captured the 70+ AAA TOC berth. The Texas Rattlers finished third in the four-team bracket.

Men’s 75+ AAA: The top-seeded Texas Raiders (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with an 18-5 title game victory over the Texas Legends. The San Antonio Silver Streaks finished third in the five-team bracket.

Men’s 75/80+ Silver: Robson Ranch of Texas nabbed the bracket title and 75+ AA TOC berth by defeating another 75+ AA team, the Texas 75 Knight Riders, 17-9 in the finale. The Kansas-based Antiques of Kansas City finished third in the four-team bracket and earned the 80+ AAA TOC berth.