Ending the season with nationals
The Daily Courier
Ken Lindley Field will again host a fast-pitch national event when the men’s Class C bracket opens Thursday.
• Out-of-state teams include Santa Rosa, Calif., who placed fourth in the 2007 ASA Men’s Class C Fast-Pitch National Championship; Twin Pine of Adamstown, Pa., who placed ninth in 2007; and Wolf Pack of New Mexico who placed seventh at nationals and also won the New Mexico state championship this year.
PRESCOTT – Men’s fast-pitch softball wraps up its summer season with a bang – the Class C national championship in Prescott this week.
Arizona’s Amateur Softball Association (ASA) brings 50 teams to town to crown the Class C champion out of a pool of teams spanning 11 states. Action gets under way on Thursday before the championship game decides the title on Sunday at Ken Lindley Field.
The ASA, established in 1933, boasts more than 240,000 teams and 3 million members nationwide. Prescott has hosted seven ASA-sponsored events this summer, including an exhibition featuring the women’s U.S. Olympic softball team, which claimed the silver medal in Beijing this past week. This week’s men’s Class C national event is the city’s last of the summer.
Play starts on Thursday at Lindley, Bill Vallely and Pioneer Park fields. The tournament features some of the best teams in men’s fast-pitch from Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Utah, New Mexico, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Kansas, and Texas.
Two Arizona clubs – Tucson Hurricanes and Tucson Rattlers – will serve as host teams after placing first and second, respectively, in the state tournament held earlier this year. The Hurricanes have built a strong team expected to contend. Prescott teams in the bracket include Brennan Aire, Prescott Cool Arrows, Badger Roofing, Barros Roofing and Vandehey Builders.
Peoria Guns, Tucson Hawks, G2 of Willcox and Progressive Roofing of Peoria round out Arizona’s representatives.
After Thursday’s opener, games continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday, scheduled for every two hours at all three fields.
Championship play starts Sunday at 8 a.m. with the title game firing its first pitch at 7 p.m. An “if” game will follow at 8:30 p.m. if necessary.
All games are open to the public with no admission charge.
SCHEDULE
THURSDAY’S GAMES
(at Ken Lindley Field)
Rattlers (Tucson) vs. Vergedaal (Calif.), 4 p.m.
Eagle AA (Pa.) vs. Brennan Aire (Prescott), 6 p.m.
(at Bill Vallely Field)
Landis (Pa.) vs. Wolf Pack (N.M.), 4 p.m.
Sundevils (N.M.) vs. Panteras II (Calif.), 6 p.m.
Shockers (N.M.) vs. Tornados (S.C.), 8 p.m.
(at Pioneer Park #1)
Montgomery (Colo.) vs. Badger Roofing, 4 p.m.
Brewers (Window Rock) vs. Caribbean (Calif.), 6 p.m.
Hitmen (N.M.) vs. Flor De Cana (Calif.), 8 p.m.
(at Pioneer Park #2)
Amigos (Calif.) vs. Dirtbags (Texas), 4 p.m.
Magic (Utah) vs. Blue Lake (Pa.), 6 p.m.
Barros (Prescott) vs. Katman (Mass.), 8 p.m.
(at Pioneer Park #3)
G2 (Willcox) vs. Vipers (Ga.), 4 p.m.
Vandehey (Prescott) vs. Perfect Game (Calif.), 6 p.m.
Twin Pine (Pa.) vs. Silverhawks (Calif.), 8 p.m.
(at Pioneer Park #4)
Nor-Cal (Calif.) vs. Rage (Colo.), 4 p.m.
Risers (N.M.) vs. River Dogs (Idaho), 6 p.m.
Pumpers (Calif.) vs. Progressive (Prescott), 8 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
(at Pioneer Park #1)
Hustlers (Calif.) vs. TBA, 8 a.m.
Techna Glass (N.M.) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
Cool Arrows (Prescott) vs. TBA, Noon
(at Pioneer Park #2)
Lumpy’s (Utah) vs. TBA, 8 a.m.
Da Bruddahs (Calif.) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
Funky Monkey (Calif.) vs. TBA, Noon
(at Pioneer Park #3)
Hawks (Tucson) vs. TBA, 8 a.m.
Pipeline (Ore.) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
(at Pioneer Park #4)
Bulls (N.M.) vs. TBA, 8 a.m.
Piper Lake (Kan.) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
(at Ken Lindley Field)
Primetime (Calif.) vs. TBA, 8 a.m.
Guns (Peoria) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
(at Bill Vallely Field)
Santa Rosa (Calif.) vs. TBA, 10 a.m.
Cedar Ridge (Utah) vs. TBA, Noon