2002 held at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Champion – Mountain Top/Advanced, Texarkana, Texas (West)
Runner Up – WW Gay/Aubrey’s/TPS, Gainesville, Florida (East)
SCORES: Mountain Top/Advanced; 26-28, 18-25, 28-13, 31-19, 36-31.
Mountain Top, down 2 games to 0, mounted an improbable comeback and won 3 straight to win the 5 game series 3 games to 2. Outscoring WW Gay 95-63 in those 3 games and 139-118 in the series.
- Game 1 – W.W. Gay/Aubrey’s (Gainesville, FL) scored eight runs in the sixth inning to evoke the 15-run mercy rule and defeat Mountain Top/Advanced (Texarkana, TX) in the opening game of the Men’s Class A division of the Hooters Championship Series. Sean Snow went 5-for-5 with five singles and scored four times to lead W.W. Gay at the plate. John Thomas and Billy Eurice each connected for two home runs while Chad Carver and Ken Carlton hit the other two for W.W. Gay. Advanced/Mountain Top first baseman Vince Bisbee went three-for-three and scored three runs to provide a spark in the offense. Paul Sheppard provided the power for Advanced/Mountain Top going 2-for-2 with two home runs. W.W. Gay, who lost its long-time manager N.C. Ryals just a week ago to a sudden heart attack, are playing this tournament in his memory. These two teams meet again tomorrow at 10 a.m. in game two of the Hooters Championship Series.
- Game 2 – In a see-saw battle in Men’s Class A in the Hooters Championship Series it came down to who would get the last at-bat. W.W. Gay/Aubrey’s (Gainesville, FL) won the toss in game two and capitalized with a walk-off home run by Billy Eurice in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Mountain Top/Advanced (Texarkana, TX) 28-26. Eurice remained perfect at the plate for the tournament, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. So far in the tournament, Eurice is 7-for-7 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Other standout performances for W.W. Gay came from Mike Thomas (3-for-4, six RBI), Chad Carver (2-for-4, five RBI) and Jose Santiago (4-for-4, three RBI). Mountain Top/Advanced looked strong at the plate fulfilling its home run limit of nine in the sixth inning. Despite not having the long ball to rely on, Advanced was able to score seven runs in the seventh to extend its lead to 26-23 but the lead would not hold. Paul Sheppard went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI to pace Advanced at the plate. John Glidewell had three home runs in the game while Wade Casey finished with two. W.W. Gay could close out the series in three games today when it faces Advanced at 2 p.m. at Lagoon Park
- Game 3 – Mountain Top/Advanced (Texarkana, TX) kept its national championship hopes alive in game three of the Men’s Class A division of the Hooters Championship Series with a 25-18 victory over W.W. Gay/ Aubrey’s (Gainesville, FL). Rickie Robbins came through in the clutch going 5-for-5 with five runs scored, two home runs and five RBI. Matt Arlett had two home runs and six RBI, while Wade Casey went 2-for-3 with four RBI. Shawn Snow hit a grand slam in the fourth and went 3-for-5 in the game with six RBI to lead W.W. Gay offensively. Billy Eurice, one of the most explosive offensive players in the tournament, once again went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI.
- Game 4 – Mountain Top/Advanced (Texarkana, TX) came back from an 0-2 deficit to win game four in just five innings, 31-19, over W.W. Gay/Aubrey’s (Gainesville, FL) to force a fifth and deciding game in the best of five series. Advanced outscored W.W. Gay 21-9 in the first three innings to distance itself in the contest. Shawn Robinson went 5-for-5 with a home run, scored four and drove in three runs. Wade Casey also contributed big in the game, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI. Shawn Snow had another big game for W.W. Gay going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. Trey Royal was perfect with three hits and three RBIs.
- Game 5 – Mountain Top/Advanced of Texarkana, TX did the improbable and came back from an 0-2 deficit in the best of five series to win three consecutive games including the all-important game five to class the national championship for the Men’s Class A division at the Hooters National Championship Series. Advanced defeated W.W. Gay/Aubrey’s of Gainesville, FL 36-31 in the final game to claim the title. After exhausting its allotment of home runs for the game in the fifth inning, Advanced had to rely on timely base hits to take the lead in the seventh inning. It managed to score 12 runs in the seventh without a home run to its credit. W.W. Gay mounted a charge in the final frame, scoring four runs but was unable to keep the ball in the park and were called out for going over its home run limit. Vince Bisbee was a popular choice for MVP after going 3-for-7 with four runs scored in the final game. Teammate Richie Robbins went 5-for-7 with seven RBI in the championship game, while Rob Gundry and Shawn Robinson both accounted for two home runs and five RBI for the winning team. Brett McDaniel starred for W.W. Gay in the finale going 4-for-6 with two home runs and seven RBI. Billy Eurice also had a good night at the plate, going 4-for-6 with a home run and four RBI.
- MVP – Vince Bisbee, Mountain Top (19-26, .733, 4 HR)
- HR Leader – Wade Casey, Mountain Top – (16-26, .615) 8 HR
- Batting Leader – John Glidewell, Mountain Top – (22-26, 6 HR) .846
2002 ASA A East Men’s Slow Pitch Nationals held at Jacksonville, Florida on August 30 – September 2.
Champion – WW Gay/Aubrey’s/TPS, Gainesville, Florida
Runner Up – Team Ball/Worth, Dothan, Alabama
WW Gay beat Team Ball 26-10 in winners bracket final, then Team Ball eliminated Smokes ABS/Joe Corbi’s/Mizuno in losers bracket final 28-16 to get to the final. WW Gay won final championship game in a rout 29-9 and went 7-0
- MVP – Mike Thomas, WW/Gay/Aubrey’s/TPS (.864, 4 HR)
- Batting Champion – Lou Mongelli, Berardi’s/TPS
- HR Champion – BJ Fulk, Smoke/ABS/Joe Corbi’s/Mizuno
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Kevin Shumate, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
C – Billy Evirce, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
1B – Mike Thomas, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
2B – Fred Ditto, Berardi’s/TPS
3B – Preston Taylor, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
SS – Jose Santiago, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
OF – Joe Resing, Berardi’s/TPS
OF – Brett McDaniel, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
OF – BJ Fulk, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
OF – Stacy Howell, Team Ball/Worth
UT – Lou Mongelli, Berardi’s/TPS
UT – David Allen, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
UT – Tim Lee, Team Ball/Worth
UT – Keith Martin, Team Ball/Worth
UT – John Thomas, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Chad Carver, W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS
C – William Kirby Murphy, Team DeMarini
1B – Doug Flowers, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
2B – Ken Ezzell, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
3B – Bob Boyers, Berardi’s/TPS
SS – Craig “Chickie” Palermo, Team DeMarini
OF – James Franklin, Berardi’s/TPS
OF – Tim Finn, Team DeMarini
OF – Caleb Rabenold, Jax Sports Cards
OF – Rusty Huggins, Jax Sports Cards
UT – Eric Williams, Jax Sports Cards
UT – Curt Gleaton, Team Ball/Worth
UT – Scott Wiggins, Team Ball/Worth
UT – Jim Rogers, Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno
UT – James Nelson, Team Ball/Worth
FINAL STANDINGS
1. W. W. Gay Aubrey/TPS, Gainesville, FL (7-0)
2. Team Ball/Worth, Dothan, AL (5-2)
3. Smokes/ABS/Joe Corbis/Mizuno, Delaware, OH (7-2)
4. Berardi’s/Tps, Louisville, KY (4-2)
5t. Team Demarini, Cranston, RI (5-2)
5t. Jax Sports Cards, Jacksonville, FL (3-2)
7t. Suncoast/Uni-Floz/Nike, Sarasota, FL (3-2)
7t. Sportstars/Miken, Louisville, KY (4-2)
9t. Riverside/TPS, Mt. Washington, KY (2-2)
9t. Team Mizuno, Ft. Pierce, FL (3-2)
9t. Frank-N-Steins/Marodi, Jeanette, KY (2-2)
9t. Big Fogg, Jacksonville, FL (2-2)
13t. Creative Stucco/Easton, Columbus, OH (2-2)
13t. Sid Grinker Co./TPS, Sullivan, WI (1-2)
13t. Central Paving, Carmel, IN (1-2)
13t. Ohio Sealants, Willoughby, OH (2-2)
17t. Checking/Worth, New Haven, CT (1-2)
17t. B & A Cab/Excalibur, Harrison, OH (0-2)
17t. SCB/Denalex, Long Island, NY (1-2)
17t. Treble-Rish/Engineering, Tallahassee, FL (1-2)
17t. Cooper Sports/Specialty/Vending/Worth, Hamilton, OH (1-2)
17t. B & C/Miken, Edmonton, KY (0-2)
17t. Thompson Realtors/Merchants, Springfield, KY (1-2)
17t. Florida Heat/Nave Plumbing/Joe Black’s/Worth, Sanibel, FL (1-2)
25t. Team Focus, Patterson, CA (0-2)
25t. Plumbers & Pipe Fitters, Lansing, MI (0-2)
25t. All-American Red Birds, Jacksonville, FL (0-2)
25t. Sports Den/Elzz/Mavericks, Corbin, KY (0-2)
25t. Las Vegas Funjet/Nike, Milwaukee, WI (0-2)
25t. Audio Jungsion, Springfield, GA (0-2)
25t. Langdale/Builders/Diamond Dogs, Jacksonville, FL (0-2)
2002 ASA A West Men’s Slow Pitch Nationals held at Waterloo, Iowa on August 30 – September 2.
Champion – Mountain Top/Advanced/USA/TPS, Texarkana, Texas
Runner Up – Hooters/Mizuno, Overland Park, Kansas
Mountain Top defeated Hooters/B&B in the “if” game 35-34 to win the title. B&B won the first final 19-12 but could not overcome the Mountain Top squad in the “if’ game. Mt. Top finished 6-1.
- MVP – Wade Casey, Mountain Top/Advanced/USA Cash/TPS (28-35, .800, 11 HR)
- Batting Champion – Mickey Rowland, O&S Cattle – .867
- HR Champion – Scott Nichols, Hooters/B&B/Rew/Mizuno – 13
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Kevin Gillot, Hooters/Mizuno
C – Raith Adair, Hooters/Mizuno
1B – Scott Pick, Hooters/Mizuno
2B – Wade Casey, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
3B – John Glidewell, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
SS – Brent Wilhelm, Hooters/Mizuno
OF – Tim Howard, Hooters/Mizuno
OF – Mickey Rowland, O & S Cattle
OF – Bill Kugler, R & M Metals
OF – Matt Arlett, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
UT – Bob Van Erem, Deery Brothers
UT – Neil Atkinson, Gold’s Gym
UT – Shane Davis, The Red’s
UT – Vince Bisbee, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Charlie Casella, R & M Metals
C – Frankie Kubenka, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
1B – Josh Schmidt, R & M Metals
2B – David Soult, Hooters/Mizuno
3B – Shaun Robinson, Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
SS – Don DeDonatis, Jr., Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS
OF – Dan Yochum, O & S Cattle
OF – Corey Krueger, Hooters/Mizuno
OF – Brian Holmes, Deery Brothers
OF – Pete Tourek, O & S Cattle
UT – Lance Hansen, Gold’s Gym
UT – Kevin Rotzer, O & S Cattle
UT – Ron Hall, The Red’s
UT – Tim Felderman, Deery Brothers
UT – Marc Coonradt, R & M Metals
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Advanced/Mountain Top/USA Cash/TPS, Texarkana, TX (6-1)
2. Hooters/Mizuno, Overland Park, KS (8-2)
3. R&M Metals, Waterloo, IA (3-2)
4. O&S Cattle, St. Paul, MN (4-2)
5t. Gold’s Gym, Merrian, KS (3-2)
5t. The Red’s, Seattle, WA (3-2)
7t. Daisy Dooks, Bettendorf, IA (2-2)
7t. Deery Brothers, Waterloo, IA (3-2)
9t. Bud Light, Owatonna, MN (1-2)
9t. Sambetti’s, Des Moines, IA (2-2)
9t. Doc’s/Mizuno, Pasadena, TX (2-2)
9t. Titan’s, Calera, TX (2-2)
13t. Pov’s, Oakdale, MN (1-2)
13t. T’s 13, Omaha, NE (0-2)
13t. Champions, St. Paul, IA (0-2)
13t. ISS/Carlos O’Kelly’s, Gilbertville, IA (0-2)
17t. BLS/Mizuno, Springfield, MO (0-2)
17t. Northwest TPS, Seattle, WA (0-2)
17t. Team X, Waterloo, IA (0-2)
17t. Rascals, Davenport, IA (0-2)
17t. Winning Edge/Craft Cochran, Waterloo, IA (1-2)
