Good Weather, Close Games Dominate the 2023 Heart of Texas

June 1, 2023

By Nic Francois
Softball News Report

WACO, Tex. – While the second and final session of Rock ‘N Reno raged on, 25 teams competed against each other in the 2023 annual qualifier, the Heart of Texas, June 1-4.

All the teams were from the Lone Star State except for one from Oklahoma City, the OKC Angels, 60 AA.

Texas State Director Keith Parker ran the two-session tournament, comprised of Men’s 50s through 80s divisions. “Great tournament in Waco this past weekend. Lots of competition, [the] weather was beautiful and we had no injuries, which is always a blessing,” Parker said.

Results:

Men’s 50+ Silver: Fourth-seeded out of six teams, Team Creed (AAA - photo below), successfully double dipped CTX Hammer 50 (AAA), 31-22 in the championship game and 22-8 in the IF game. 50 GZ, also an AAA team, worked their way through the elimination bracket to finish third.

Men’s 55/60+ Gold: This small four-team division has two champions, as Texas Rush 55+ AAA and Texas Heat 60+ Major (photo below) both advanced to the championship game. No championship game was played as the teams won their respective division titles. Texas Silverbacks 55+ AAA came in third.

Men’s 60/65+ Silver: First-seeded Tex/Ark Legends, a 65 AAA team, forfeited in the third inning of the championship game, giving first place to Bomb City Buzzards (60+ AA - photo below). Tex/Ark Legends took the finalist position and OKC Angels (OK), a 60+ AA team, finished third.

Men’s 65+ AA: This division was the smallest in the tournament, with only two teams, and mixed seeding with 70+ AAA teams. Both Robson Ranch Texans (photo below) and Triple 2 won one seeding game out of three. Robson Ranch Texans won both bracket games, 16-15 and 23-7, for the title.

Men’s 70+ AAA: After mixed seeding games with the 65+ AA division, second-seeded Texas Rattlers (photo below) won the two bracket games in a row, 10-8 and 19-16 respectively, to become the champions. First-seeded Robson Ranch Texans 70s finished second as Relentless 70s finished last.

Men’s 75+ AAA: This three-team division had mixed seeding games with the 75/80+ Silver teams. San Antonio Silver Streaks (photo below) went undefeated in the seeding games and bracket to finish first. Texas Raiders finished second, losing the championship game 7-15, and Texas Legends finished last.

Men’s 75/80+ Silver: This division also had mixed seeding games with the 75+ AA division. San Antonio Legends, a 75+ AA team, won the championship game, 17-7, against finalists, Texas Knight Riders, another 75+ AA team. San Antonio 80s, an AAA team, came in third.