US and Canadian Teams Battle Each Other in the 2023 Bobby Chapp Memorial

May 1, 2023

By Nic Francois
Softball News Report

LANSING, MICH. – 30 teams from five states and Ontario, Canada, had fun battling each other and the weather at the 2023 Bobby Chapp Memorial here May 19-21.

“It was a typical mid-May Michigan weekend,” according to Tournament Director Mike Dembicki. “Rain on Friday and chilly on Saturday ending with warm and sunny on Sunday.”

“The field crew at Lake Alliance in Pottersville, was great at getting the fields done in those conditions,” he added.

Similar to the Wayne Gilmore Memorial, featured in an earlier newsletter this year, Bobby Chapp is the tournament’s namesake. He was a local player out of Michigan who passed away during the tournament in 2008. The tournament was previously known as the Lansing Regional Qualifier.

Results:

Men’s 50+ Major: In this seven-team bracket, first-seeded Go Sports/3AC/Reuter-Stokes (OH - photo below) went undefeated, taking the championship game 21-20 over the Regeee’s Rams (ON, Can.). Chitown Assault/Truly Hard Seltzer/T2Auto claimed third.

Men’s 50+ AAA: The fourth-seeded Pro V/CSN Apparel (MI - photo below) also went undefeated in their seven-team bracket. First-seeded Area 51 50s (MI) lost their first bracket game and worked their way to the Championship game, finishing in second place, 15-22. Prodigy (MI) won their first two game then lost two in a row to take third place.

Men’s 55+ AAA-AA: Due to the mixed rating division, both the champions and the finalists earned titles. Buddies, Sampson’s, Mid-Michigan Merchants (photo, lower left), won the 55 AA title while finalists, Gray Ghosts (IL) claimed the 55 AAA title. Team OG 55 (MI – AAA) took third place.

Men’s 55/60+ Major: PRS Softball (MI – 55s - photo below) went undefeated in their bracket, winning each game by an average of five runs or more. MPH Logistics/Larry’s Tire/Wolfpack (MI – 60s) placed second and Tiffany’s (MI – 55s) finished third.

Men’s 65+ Gold: MP Components/Bomb Squad (MI – AAA) defeated BJM Bomb Squad 65s (IL – AAA), 14-9, in an IF game on Saturday night, blocking finalists, BJM Bomb Squad’s chance to double dip. Mike Ott, MP Components’ MVP, played all day Friday and Saturday despite spraining his shoulder the first day, only to find out on Sunday that his shoulder was actually separated. Minnesota Lumberjacks came in third in the division.