1998 held at City Park, in Burlington, North Carolina on September 3-4.
Champion – Ritch’s Salvage, Harrisburg, North Carolina
Runner Up – Superior/Apollo, Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Ritch’s “salvages” Men’s Major Slow Pitch Championship
Ritch’s Salvage of Harrisburg, NC, won three straight games to capture the ASA Men’s Major Slow Pitch National Championship at City Park on September 4.
Superior-Apollo of Windsor Locks, CT, had beaten Ritch’s the night before in the finals of the winner’s bracket, 18-13.
Ritch’s then met Starpath/Kirk’s Glass of Monticello, KY, in the loser’s bracket finals and defeated them, 15-11.
In the first game between Ritch’s and Superior-Apollo, Superior-Apollo failed to nail down the title, for Ritch’s foiled unbeaten Superior with a 20-8 win. The Ritch’s victory sent the two teams into a final showdown.
Superior-Apollo scored five times in the first inning, but Ritch’s came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. After Superior-Apollo added three in the second, Ritch’s cracked out 10 hits for 11 runs in the second for a 13-8 advantage.
The hard hitting continued for both teams and Superior-Apollo roared back with 11 runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to tie the game at 24-24.
Ritch’s needed just one run to win in the bottom of the seventh. The first batter, Mike Nye, reached on a single, and shortstop Greg Whitlock ended the game with a two-run homer to give Ritch’s the title.
- MVP – Bill Gatti, Ritch’s Salvage
- Batting Champion – Mark Baker, Bell – .800
- HR Champion – Clyde Guy, Superior/Apollo – 11
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Mike Nye, Ritch’s Salvage (17-30, .560, 2 HR, 7 RBI)
C – Dave Steffen, Superior/Apollo
C – Baxter Burris, Ritch’s Salvage (16-29, .550, 9 HR, 23 RBI)
IF – Dave Allen, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
IF – Dennis Graser, Superior/Apollo
IF – Mark Baker, Bell Corp (20-25)
IF – Greg Whitlock, Ritch’s Salvage (25-37, .670, 2 HR, 11 RBI)
IF – Larry Neff, Ritch’s Salvage (26-34, .760, 1 HR, 12 RBI)
IF – Rick Scherr, Ritch’s Salvage
IF – Rich Plante, Superior/Apollo
IF – Charles Wright, Ritch’s Salvage (18-30, .600, 10 HR, 26 RBI)
OF – Clyde Guy, Superior/Apollo
OF – Cody Wyatt, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
OF – Dan Griffin, Ritch’s Salvage (17-29, .580, 4 HR, 14 RBI)
UT – Bill Gatti, Ritch’s Salvage (20-31, .640, 9 HR, 18 RBI)
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Andy Cook, Superior/Apollo
C – Danny Williams, Bell Corp
IF – Fred Shiple, New Construction
IF – Darrell Beeler, Superior/Apollo
IF – Danny Robideaux, Medicine Shoppe
IF – Carl Rose, Lighthouse
OF – Dude Hames, Century
OF – Andy Sanzaro, Superior/Apollo
OF – Steve Craven, Lighthouse
OF – John Shannon, Williams Softball
OF – Doug Roberson, Superior/Apollo
UT – Bruce Rains, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
UT – Steve Yancey, New Construction
UT – Dale Mayo, New Construction
EP – Eddie Foust, Dudleck Guttering
THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Jack Lambert, Bell Corp
C – Mark Graves, Medicine Shoppe
IF – Doug Flynn, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
IF – Scott Jones, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
IF – Steve Blanchette, Stewart’s
OF – Dewayne Frizzell, Lighthouse
OF – Chip Sheffield, Lighthouse
OF – Jamie Wisham, Williams Softball
OF – Jeff Stamps, Ritch’s Salvage (18-33, .540, 4 HR, 12 RBI)
UT – Ron Wilhite, Medicine Shoppe
UT – FA Martin, Stewart’s
UT – Kenny Carver, Lighthouse
UT – Gary Zoza, Medicine Shoppe
EP – Don Clatterbaugh, Starpath/Kirk’s Glass
OTHERS
Greg Miller, Ritch’s Salvage (15-30, .500, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
Britt Hightower, Ritch’s Salvage (13-31, .410, 4 HR, 17 RBI)
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Ritch’s Salvage, Harrisburg, NC (7-1)
2. Superior/Apollo, Windsor Locks, CT (4-2)
3. Starpath/Kirk’s Glass, Monticello, KY (5-2)
4. New Construction, Shelbyville, IN (4-2)
5t. Medicine Shoppe, Jackson, MS (4-2)
5t. Bell Corp, Tampa, FL (3-2)
7t. Lighthouse, Stone Mountain, GA (3-2)
7t. Williams Softball, Houston, TX (2-2)
9t. Stewart’s Lounge, Pittsburgh, PA (3-2)
9t. Century, St. Louis, MO (2-2)
9t. George Dudleck Guttering, Burlington, NC (2-2)
9t. Fab Masters, Lexington, NC (1-2)
13t. Keith Enterprises, Virginia Beach, VA (1-2)
13t. Rollin Rebel Express, Oxford, AL (1-2)
13t. Taylor Brothers, Providence, RI (1-2)
13t. Foraker Masonry, Wilmington, DE (0-2)
17t. Aborigines, Ocean Springs, MD (0-2)
17t. Tri-State Steel, Ashland, KY, (0-2)
17t. Belmont Sports Center, Belmont, NC (0-2)
17t. Blue Moon/JD Hay, Hamilton, OH (0-2)
17t. Mazzio’s, Springfield, MO (0-2)
17t. Miller Lite, Davenport, IA (0-2)
