2008 Farm/NAFA World Series Wrap-up
July 29, 2008
Middleton, WI

This is Executive Director Benjie Hedgecock with a wrap-up on the 2008 NAFA Open World Series sponsored by The Farm which was held the last weekend in July at the Bowling Green Softball Complex in Middleton (near Madison) Wisconsin.

Patsy’s (7-1 overall) played 4 games on Sunday to win the title over the Casa Trejo Bombers(4-1) in the final. Patsy’s entered the Championship game on a bottom of the seventh game-ending home run over the Midwest Stampede (2007 NAFA AAA World Champions) who took 3rd place with a 3-2 record.

Rounding out the top six teams, MinnDak Millers of (2005 NAFA Open World Champions) took 4th place with a 3-2 record. The Farm (2-2, 2007 NAFA Open Champions) and Circle Tap (2-2, 2006 NAFA Open Co-Champions) tied for 5th place.

The remainder of the field finished in the following order; Townline (2006 NAFA Open Co-Champions) tied for 7th place with IAC/Team Rainey both with 2-2 records. New Image (4-2, 2007 AA-Major Champions) tied for 9th with Herda & Sons (2-3, NAFA AA team). Two AA-Major teams playing up finished tied for 11th, Wilber Lime (NAFA 2004 AA Champion) and Kegel Black Knights (2007 AA-Major Runner-Up) both with 2-2 records. At 13th was Dolan & Murphy (1-2) and at 14th was Quad City Sox. Bar of Green Bay finished 15th at (1-2). Thomson Area Merchants, Bar of Appleton and Stoneyard all tied for 16th.

Just 9 of the 39 games played were settled by the run rule, and two of those were after the 5th inning. 22 of the remaining 30 games were within 1 to 3 run differences. There was not one ejection or one single incident between teams. A true testament to the players and umpires choosing to treat each other right. A big thank you to all the players, coaches and spectators for displaying great sportsmanship at this event. The All World Team is listed below as well as the umpires who officiated this event.

I would like to thank the tournament staff; Tournament Director and NAFA Vice- President Robert Hernandez from Southern California for being the on-site and overseeing the operation there from Friday morning until Sunday night. Thank you to Umpire-In-Chief Carley Parish from Eastern Canada for overseeing the officials and selecting the officials for this most prestigious of events. I have already had emails from coaches saying that it was one of the best officiated Open events of the year. Vice-President Loren Lathrop for selecting and overseeing the scorekeepers and handling the coin flips. Vice-President Mike Watson for managing the bracket board and game controlling. NAFA Statistician Tony Schaaf for providing Box scores, statistics and info for All World Tournament Selections.

A very special thanks to Terry Knight, Bowling Green Sports Complex Manager and his staff for providing field preparation prior to each game, for staffing the gate and providing concessions at the park and across the street at the bowling alley restaurant. Thanks to Al Doran and Jim Flanagan for posting website updates when we could get them to them.

(more…)

Order of Finish

Team Location W L
1 Patsy’s New York City, NY 7 – 1
2 Casa Trejo A-1 Bombers Yucaipa, Cal 4 – 1
3 Midwest Stampede/Albaugh Elkhart, Iowa 3 – 2
4 MinnDak Millers Fargo, ND 3 – 2
5 Circle Tap Denmark, Wisc 3 – 2
The Farm Tavern Madison, Wisc 2 – 2
7 IAC/Team Rainey Whittier, Cal 2 – 2
Townline Green Bay, Wisc 2 – 2
9 New Image Monfort, Wisc 4 – 2
Kegel Black Knights Fargo, ND 2 – 2
Wilber Lime Galesville, Wisc 2 – 2
Herda & Sons Waverly, Minn 2 – 3
13 Dolan & Murphy Aurora, Ill 2 – 2
Quad City Sox Davenport, Iowa 0 – 3
15 The Bar of Green Bay Green Bay, Wisc 1 – 2
The Stoneyard Fox Cities, Wisc 1 – 3
The Bar of Appleton Appleton, Wisc 0 – 3
Thomson Area Merchants Thomson, Ill 0 – 3