Extreme season kicks off with competitive Jackpot Series NIT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA – Team Hartzel/Famous showed no signs of intimidation in its first foray into the realm of C softball, rolling to the C championship Jan. 31 in Extreme Softball Association’s Jackpot series NIT.

Twenty-two teams battled in C, D and E divisions in the tourney, held at the Quakes Stadium complex in Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California.

“It was a great day, with lots of close games,” ESA National President Rob Johnson said. “On average, the games were decided by five runs or less. That shows me that there’s an even level of competition.”

In the C division, Hartzel/Famous won the five-team bracket ahead of runner-up Beacon, with 3LM taking third. Chronic Tacos took top honors in the D division, besting Meredith Digital in the title game, with Me Vale in third. Our Time won the E division, ahead of It’s in the Bag, with Dead End taking third.

“Everyone was in full mode. There were a lot of great games, a lot of upsets and close calls. And lots of monster home runs. It was definitely a great day of softball,” Johnson said.

Hartzel/Famous displayed a very talented and deep lineup en route to winning the event with a 2-1 mark. Hartzel opened play with a convincing 41-19 thrashing of a team that already had a win under its belt, then won 32-2 in Game No. 2.

“Team Hartzel/Famous was probably the most dominant team in the tournament,” Johnson said. “This was their first real tourney in C — they were D last season. They definitely impressed me, their entire team. Most teams move up a level and struggle, but they were dominant.”

“We’ve got some big boys,” Hartzel/Famous manager Aaron Ingram said. “Offense shouldn’t be an issue for the team I’ve assembled.”

His teams typically have been very solid defensively, too.

“You can always rely on defense,” Ingram said. “Everyone goes into a hitting slump, but if the output on defense is greater than other teams, you’ll always have a chance.”

Right fielder Billy Susdorf didn’t make an out at the plate on the day, and first baseman Sean Boldt chipped in a terrific offensive and defensive showing for the Santa Clarita-based team that is sponsored by Hartzel Dentistry and John Gilmore’s Famous Sports. The team is a combination of two teams that played at the D level last season.

“It was a nice showing by us. It answered a lot of questions that we had,” Ingram said.
The Jackpot Series consists of seven qualifiers held throughout Southern Cal. The top three teams from each event/division qualify for the Jackpot Series Finals. What’s at stake? One of the better prize packages in the land of adult slow-pitch softball — an exclusive Boombah or Elite uniform sponsorship for the 2010 season.