All-Four-Ones’ Tony Marelich turns a double play. Smedes photo.

SPARKS, NV - Softball West Magazine hosted twenty-seven teams at the 23rd annual installment of one of the west’s most recognized and respected tournaments. The ‘Challenge’ was played June 23-24 at Don Mello Sports Complex under record hot temperatures and the action on the fields was as hot as the air temperature. Eighteen teams in the ‘E’ division and nine squads in the ‘D’ division battled for the coveted first place champion’s trophy. Tournament director Douglas Foremaster said, "The tournament was a great event, very competitive and everyone involved in the tournament had fun!"

The ‘D’ division top spot went to World Gym from Carson City (formally Nevada Fitness) with a perfect 4-0 record for the tournament. World Gym was the only undefeated team at this years Challenge. (Two-time defending champion BFC was not in attendance this year due to a prior commitment.) World Gym beat All for One, 10-4, in the first round, then rolled past G&R/Sims 21-10 to advance to a match up against Krooked in the third round. World Gym put together a near perfect effort against the eventual runner-up with a 15-1 shellacking of Krooked that put them in the championship game. After the loss to World Gym sent them to the loser’s side of the draw, Krooked bounced back with a 19-6 romp over MST in a loser out game to advance and set up a rematch with World Gym in the final round.

In the final, Krooked jumped out in front early with three runs in the top of the first inning and then posted two more runs in the third inning to take the early 5-0 lead. Krooked had their sights set on the ‘if’ game when World Gym mounted their comeback. After holding Krooked in the fourth World Gym pushed across three runs in the bottom half of the frame making the score 5-3. The fifth inning saw World Gym put up another three-spot to take a 6-5 advantage. World Gym continued with the defensive pressure and held Krooked scoreless the rest of the way. One more run in the sixth inning sealed the decision for World Gym and the final score ended at 7-5.

With this year’s Challenge ‘D’ division title safely tucked away World Gym has established themselves as the top men’s slowpitch team in Northern Nevada.

The ‘D’ division awarded the most valuable offensive player award to Chad Eaton of World Gym and the defensive most valuable player award went to Krooked’s Steve Hampshire.

The eighteen team ‘E’ bracket was very competitive with six teams winning at least three games apiece. The team that ended up outlasting the rest of the field was the local Small Town Boys. STB won a tournament best six games and finished with a 6-1 record.

STB had to overcome a loss in the last winner’s only game against Mix + Match, 20-17, that dropped them into the loser side of the draw. STB got by eventual third place finisher SNAFU 19-8 to advance and set up a rematch in the championship round against Mix + Match. STB would need two wins against the undefeated Mix + Match to land the title. In the championship game STB pounded Mix + Match 18-3 to send the two teams to an ‘if’ game to determine the winner of the ‘E’ division.

The ‘if’ game saw STB score six runs in the second to take a 6-1 lead that they would not relinquish. Keeping the pressure on, STB put three more runs on the board in the fifth inning to close out the scoring and defeat Mix + Match 11-5 to put their stamp on ‘Challenge’ history.

The ‘E’ division most valuable offensive player award went to Roger French of Small Town Boys and the defensive award went to Eric Dahlberg of Mix + Match.