2024 held at Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Michigan on August 4-6.
Champion – NY Gremlins, Clifton Park, New York Runner Up – OMMA Tigres, Midland, Texas
MVP – Erick Ochoa, NY Gremlins
Batting Leader – Erick Ochoa, NY Gremlins – .846
Home Run Leader – Erick Ochoa, NY Gremlins
The 92nd annual USA Softball Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship concluded Sunday as the NY Gremlins claimed the 2024 Championship title with a 13-0 shutout victory over the Omma Tigres. With an undefeated 5-0 record through the three-day tournament, the Gremlins recorded three run-rule victories while outscoring their opponents 47-4 in five games played en route to their fourth-consecutive and ninth overall Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship title.
Despite facing an early setback with a loss in their first tournament game, the Omma Tigres regrouped and went on a remarkable seven-game winning streak to secure a spot in the championship game, ultimately finishing as the runner-up. After winning their first two matchups, the Hill United Chiefs faced a defeat against the Gremlins, sending them to the loser’s bracket for a chance at redemption against the Tigres. The Tigres emerged victorious with a tight 4-3 win, advancing to the final showdown.
The NY Gremlins finished the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record, making history by winning their fourth consecutive title and becoming the first team in USA Softball history to achieve this feat. Since 2009, the NY Gremlins have improved to a 70-16 record, winning a total of nine National Championship titles and securing a spot in the record books.
The Gremlins outscored its opponents 47-4 during the 2024 event while picking up two shutout wins along the way. Combining for a .357 batting average with a .690 slugging percentage, the squad tallied 46 hits including seven doubles and 12 home runs – six of which came off the bat of Erick Ochoa. Ochoa led the team at the plate with a .846 batting average followed by Cole Evans with a .500 batting average. Shining in the circle for the Gremlins was Jack Besgrove with a .33 ERA and tournament-high 33 strikeouts.
In the lineup of the National Champion NY Gremlins, fans will find two seasoned players from the U.S. Men’s National Team (MNT) – Nick Mullins and Erick Ochoa. With Mullins anchoring the squad from behind the plate and Ochoa delivering a commanding offensive performance, their contributions have been instrumental throughout the weekend.
A total of 18 teams gathered at Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Michigan this weekend as the Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship entered its 92nd year, continuing the tradition of elite Men’s Fast Pitch competition while growing the game around the world. First taking place at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Ill. in 1933, the elite Men’s Fast Pitch Championship has been held across 19 states throughout its near century of play.
FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICANS
P – Jack Besgrove, NY Gremlins
P – Reo Koyama, OMMA Tigres
P – Marco Diaz, Hill United
C – Bruno Motroni – Hill United
IF – Erick Ochoa, NY Gremlins
IF – Lenny Villalvazo, Hill United
IF – Ladislao Malarczak, NY Gremlins
IF – Gustav Prishker, Glowworm
OF – Matthieu Roy, NY Gremlins
OF – Alan Peker, Hill United
OF – Miguel Leyva, OMMA Tigres
OF – Mazaya Toriyama, OMMA Tigres
UT – Yusef Davis, Glowworm
UT – Jesus Cardona, OMMA Tigres
UT – Ben Enoka, NY Gremlins
SECOND TEAM ALL AMERICANS
P – Kuba Osiaka, NY Gremlins
P – Nahuel Saenz, OMMA Tigres
P – Roman Godoy, Hill United
C – Juan Zara, NE Drillers
IF – Yuusuke Morita, Glowworm
IF – Justin Laskowski, Circle Tap Dukes
IF – Blaine Milheim, NE Drillers
IF – Zac Shaw, NE Drillers
OF – Brad Ezekial, Hill United
OF – Alan Salgado, Glowworm
OF – Callum Beashel, Circle Tap Dukes
OF – Spencer Yackel, LC Ostrander
UT – Edgar Prishker, Glowworm
UT – Bryan Abrey, NY Gremlins
UT – Brent Meshke, LC Ostrander
FINAL STANDINGS
1. NY Gremlins, Clifton Park, NY (5-0)
2. Omma Tigres, Midland, TX (7-2)
3. Hill United Chiefs, Six Nations, ON (3-2)
4. Glowworm, San Antonio, TX (4-2)
5t. Circle Tap Dukes, Denmark, WI (2-2)
5t. NE Drillers, Elkland, PA (2-2)
7t. Kegel Black Knights, Fargo, ND (2-2)
7t. Bear Creek Express, Melbourne, ON (2-2)
9t. Team 518, Albany, NY (3-2)
9t. AWP Lumberjacks, Du Quoin, IL (1-2)
9t. LC Ostrander Norsemen, Lake Crystal, MN (2-2)
9t. Midland Explorers, Midland, MI (2-2)
13t. Marchio Sausage Company, St. Paul, MN (0-3)
13t. Ohio Bombers, Bainbridge, OH (1-3)
13t. Pueblo Bandits, Pueblo, CO (1-3)
13t. STK Fastball, Chase, BC (2-2)
17t. Villa Arcos Misfits, Houston, TX (1-2)
17t. Homer Yard Goats, Homer, MI (0-3)
– Must have two (2) or more events. Information is provided in the following order:
– Team Name.
– Team Class.
– Team’s Home Base.
– TPS Power Rating.
– Number of Eligible Tournaments participated in.
– Wins & Losses (in eligible games only).
– Won-Lost % (in eligible games only).
Oklahoma is the winner of the 2024 Women’s College World Series, sweeping rival Texas in the championship series to become the first school to win four consecutive softball national championships.
It was the offense that powered Oklahoma to an 8-3 win in Game 1 Wednesday, and in Thursday’s Game 2, Oklahoma rallied to an 8-4 victory to take down the No. 1 team in the country.
The big hits came from Kasidi Pickering, who launched a two-run homer in the second inning, and Cydney Sanders, who cleared the bases with a fourth-inning double that put Oklahoma ahead for good. The Sooners escaped a jam in the top of the sixth — thanks in part to a massive base-running blunder by Texas’ Mia Scott — before tacking on some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kelly Maxwell then closed it out as OU staked its claim as (arguably) softball’s greatest dynasty.
“We work hard. We do it blue-collar style. We fight. We’re gritty. There’s nothing we feel that we can’t overcome and that’s why we go out and we just play free,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said in her postgame interview with ESPN.
Last season was a historic one for the Sooners. They set the NCAA record for most consecutive wins and had a near-perfect season at 61-1 as they dominated their way to softball’s second three-peat. Oklahoma then lost ace pitcher Jordy Bahl to the transfer portal, its record winning streak finally ended earlier this season at 71 games and for the first time since 2018, the Sooners weren’t the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Still, Oklahoma continued its postseason reign. The Sooners breezed through the regional and super regional round and secured a spot in the national semifinal. Their impressive 20-game postseason winning streak came to an end in a loss to Florida and put Oklahoma in a win-or-go-home game, but the defending champions survived. An extra inning, walk-off home run from Jayda Coleman put Oklahoma in the championship series, which they won again Thursday.
“This was the hardest of all, without question,” Gasso said. “It’s going to probably be the most remembered for just the magnitude of what these guys have done. It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable.”
The national championship gives Oklahoma its eighth title, which ties Arizona for second most in NCAA history, behind UCLA’s 12 championships. It’s been dominance for the Sooners in Oklahoma City in recent history.
All eight of their national championships under Gasso have come since 2000, and they’ve now won seven of the last 11 Women’s College World Series while appearing in the last five championship series. It also puts a bow on the careers of five standout Oklahoma seniors − Coleman, Tiare Jennings, Kinzie Hansen, Nicole May and Rylie Boone. Those five seniors were part of every national championship team during the four-peat, a four-year run that saw the Sooners go an astonishing 235-15.
Most Outstanding Player – Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
Batting Leader –
RBI Leader –
RBI Leader –
RBI Leader –
Home Run Leader –
ERA Leader –
Strikeout Leader –
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
P – NjJaree Canady, Stanford
P – Teagan Kavan, Texas
P – Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
P – Keagan Rothrock, Florida
C – Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
C – Kinzie Hansen, Oklahoma
IF – Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma
IF – Mia Scott, Texas
IF – Katie Stewart, Texas
OF – Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma
DP – Ella Parker, Oklahoma
DP – Regan Walsh, Florida
SCORES
UCLA 4 Alabama 1
Oklahoma 9 Duke 1 (6 innings)
Texas 4 Stanford 0
Florida 1 Oklahoma State 0
Alabama 2 Duke 1 (Duke eliminated)
Stanford 8 Oklahoma State 0 (6 innings) (Oklahoma State eliminated)
Florida State qualifies for the Super Regional, 3-0.
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION REGIONAL
Texas A&M 6 Albany 2
Texas State 4 Penn State 2
Texas A&M 1 Texas State 0
Penn State 9 Albany 3 (Albany eliminated)
Texas State 8 Penn State 4 (Penn State eliminated)
Texas A&M 8 Texas State 0 (Texas State eliminated)
Texas A&M qualifies for the Super Regional, 3-0.
SUPER REGIONALS
AUSTIN SUPER REGIONAL
Texas A&M 6 Texas 1
Texas 9 Texas A&M 8
Texas 6 Texas A&M 5
Texas qualifies for the WCWS 2-1.
NORMAN SUPER REGIONAL
Oklahoma 11 Florida State 3 (5 innings)
Oklahoma 4 Florida State 2
Oklahoma qualifies for the WCWS 2-0.
KNOXVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Tennessee 3 Alabama 2
Alabama 3 Tennessee 2 (14 innings)
Alabama 4 Tennessee 1
Alabama qualifies for the WCWS 2-1.
GAINESVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Florida 4 Baylor 2
Baylor 5 Florida 2
Florida 5 Baylor 3
Florida qualifies for the WCWS 2-1.
STILLWATER SUPER REGIONAL
Oklahoma State 8 Arizona 0 (5 innings)
Oklahoma State 10 Arizona 4
Oklahoma State qualifies for the WCWS 2-0.
LOS ANGELES SUPER REGIONAL
UCLA 8 Georgia 0 (6 innings)
UCLA 6 Georgia 1
UCLA qualifies for the WCWS 2-0.
COLUMBIA SUPER REGIONAL
Duke 6 Missouri 3
Missouri 3 Duke 1
Duke 4 Missouri 3 (9 innings)
Duke qualifies for the WCWS 2-1.
STANFORD SUPER REGIONAL
LSU 11 Stanford 1
Stanford 3 LSU 0
Stanford 8 LSU 0 (6 innings)
Stanford qualifies for the WCWS 2-1.
REGULAR SEASON INFORMATION
Honda Sports Award – NiJaree Canady, Stanford
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year – NiJaree Canady, Stanford
NFCA Player of the Year – Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
NFCA National Pitcher of the Year – NiJaree Canady, Stanford
Softball America Pitcher of the Year – NiJaree Canady, Stanford
NFCA National Freshman of the Year – Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
Softball America Freshman of the Year – Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
NCAA Defensive Player of the Year – Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
NFCA Catcher of the Year – Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
NFCA Golden Shoe Award – Megan Delgadillo, Cal-State Fullerton
ALL-AMERICAN FIRST TEAM
P – NiJaree Canady, Stanford
P – Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
P – Sydney Berzon, LSU
P – Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M
C – Reese Atwood, Texas
1B – Shaylon Govan, Baylor
2B – Allie Skaggs, Arizona
3B – Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
SS – Skylar Wallace, Florida
OF – Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma
OF – Claire Davidson, Duke
OF – Jayda Kearney, Georgia
UT/P – Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State
UT – Sharlize Palacios, UCLA
UT – Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
UT – Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma
UT – Karli Spaid, Miami Ohio
UT – Maya Brady, UCLA
ALL-AMERICAN SECOND TEAM
P – Kayla Beaver, Alabama
P – Kasey Ricard, Boston
P – Jessica Mullins, Texas State
P – Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
C – Kinzie Hansen, Oklahoma
1B – Madisyn Kennedy, Mississippi State
2B – Aminah Vega, Duke
3B – Alyssa Brito, Oklahoma
SS – Jess Oakland, Minnesota
OF – Korbe Otis, Florida
OF – Kiki Milloy, Tennessee
OF – Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech
UT/P – Jala Wright, Duke
UT – CC Wong, Wichita State
UT – Angelina Allen, Iowa State
UT -Viviana Martinez, Texas
UT – Dakota Kennedy, Arizona
UT – Payton Gottshall, Tennessee
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
P – Keagan Rothrock, Florida
P – Teagan Kavan, Texas
P – Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
P – Bridget Nemeth, Penn State
C – Kennedy Miller, Arkansas
1B – Karli Godwin, Oklahoma State
2B – Rosie Davis, Oklahoma State
3B – Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
SS – Isa Torres, Florida State
OF – Reagan Shockey, Arizona
OF – Kayden Henry, Texas
OF – Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma
UT/P – Ava Brown, Florida
UT – Ella Parker, Oklahoma
UT – Kaitlyn Terry, UCLA
UT – Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech
UT – Desirae Spearman, New Mexico State
UT – Katie Stewart, Texas
– Must have two (2) or more events. Information is provided in the following order:
– Team Name.
– Team Class.
– Team’s Home Base.
– TPS Power Rating.
– Number of Eligible Tournaments participated in.
– Wins & Losses (in eligible games only).
– Won-Lost % (in eligible games only).
– Must have one (1) or more events. Information is provided in the following order:
– Team Name.
– Team Class.
– Team’s Home Base.
– TPS Power Rating.
– Number of Eligible Tournaments participated in.
– Wins & Losses (in eligible games only).
– Won-Lost % (in eligible games only).
Stoney was a born and raised Texan who spent 23 years playing fast pitch softball in leagues. Softball became his biggest passion which he then instilled in his two daughters. White coaching his girls, he decide to join USA Softball (formerly known as ASA) in 1987 serving as the president of the girls league North West Sports Association. He also served as the president of the Coastal Girls Softball Association from 1989-1991 and became the founder of the Greater Houston Girls Softball Association, which is currently the governing body of the girls youth softball leagues for Houston.
Stoney had such a drive and passion to continue being involved with the world of softball after his daughters finished their careers. He continued to coach many talented girls for a few more years; most of whom went on to play in college and a few who played for the Women’s Olympic team. After hanging up his hat for coaching, he knew his passion to be involved needed to continue. He became the JO Commissioner for the Houston area in 1992 which led to him becoming the Houston Commissioner for USA Softball in 2010 thru the present.
Cyril’s influence in USA Softball impacted so many young individuals along the way, he leaves an amazing legacy behind in the world of softball. Along with his passion for softball, Stoney also had a passion for camping and spending weekends traveling with family and friends. Being present with his grandchildren and family was always most important for him.
Stoney was born in Bryan, Texas and lived in in Cypress, he graduated from Texas A&M University in 1970 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.
– Must have one (1) or more events. Information is provided in the following order:
– Team Name.
– Team Class.
– Team’s Home Base.
– TPS Power Rating.
– Number of Eligible Tournaments participated in.
– Wins & Losses (in eligible games only).
– Won-Lost % (in eligible games only).
Edward Loren Andrews passed away on December 31st, 2023. He was 83 years old. Eddie was born December 1st, 1940 in Miami, Florida. He had three children; Kenny, Ronnie, and Sandy. However, in 2020, he learned through Ancestry.com that he was the biological father of a daughter who was born one year before his eldest son, Diana. Eddie divorced and remarried Patricia Jankovich in 2001. Ed worked for the City of Hialeah, Parks and Recreation and retired in 1990.
He also worked for the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) as a Commissioner from the City of Hialeah from 1975 until he retired in 2004. Ed and Patty loved to spend time with family and friends, loved to travel and spend their summers in their vacation home in Butte, Montana.A former long-time Commissioner for ASA/USA Softball of South Florida (1974-2004), Andrews also worked for the City of Hialeah, Florida in the Parks & Recreation department – retiring in 1990.
An avid traveler, Eddie and his wife, Patty, enjoyed spending the summers in their Butte, Montana vacation home and loved spending time with friends and family. Eddie is survived by his wife Patricia Andrews, his children Diana Seifreit, Kenneth Andrews, Ronald Andrews, and Sandra Tabert and his three grandchildren, Ethan Andrews, Emmy Andrews and Caitlyn Tabert.
Eddie’s dedication to the sport of softball is greatly appreciated and will leave a legacy that will continue for decades to come.
Calling fast pitch softball “the greatest team sport that I ever played,” Caserto was a pitcher’s nightmare between 1971 and 1984 playing for the Little Brahaus Brewers of Poughkeepsie, NY, the Raybestos Cardinals of Stratford, CT and the Franklin Cardinals of West Haven, CT. A four-time All-American, he smashed 170 homers and drove in 583 runs during his career to go along with his .329 lifetime batting average. Four of the eight years he played for the Cardinals he led them in batting and was twice named an All-American (1976 and 1983). He also twice was an alternate for the USA Pan American team (1979 and 1983). He also batted .280 in the 1984 ISF World Championship. In his first year (’76) with the Cardinals, Caserto led the team in batting (.384) and homers (11). In 1979, he again led the team in batting (.360) and homers (18). He played in 11 ASA national tourneys and twice was a member of a national championship team (1976 and 1983). Before joining the Cardinals, Caserto starred for Little Brauhaus and helped them finish third twice in the national championship. Caserto batted .336 in his first year with Poughkeepsie and was an All-American. He batted .444 in the 1972 national championship to lead all hitters as well as being named an All-American again. Caserto was born June 12, 1946.
Vinnie Caserto, who passed away on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. He was 77 years old.
Sue Ilyes says it was a full-circle moment returning to USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28. She had been on the field before, way back in 1981. The site has become one of the sport’s most hallowed grounds since then, now a 13,000-seat cathedral best known for hosting the Women’s College World Series.
Forty-two years ago, she was a star shortstop for an All-American slow pitch softball team that made the trip for the first-ever Hall of Fame Classic. The team defeated North Carolina-based Howard’s Rubi-Otts, who a year prior had traveled to York and won the 1980 Amateur Softball Association national championship over Ilyes’ York Barbelletes.
This time, Ilyes was in town to be inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame.
Sue Corcoran Bupp Ilyes was among nine inductees in the Hall’s 2023 class. She joined an exclusive club of 449 members, and she was only the 14th women’s slow pitch standout to be enshrined.
“It’s just been a full-circle moment for me that I got to go back on that field, I got to stand at shortstop and relive that again. That was really special to me,” Ilyes said. “And then to have this award on top of it, it was 100 times more than what I thought it would be.”
Ilyes is one of the most decorated slow pitch softball players of all time and arguably the greatest ever from Pennsylvania. During a 35-year career that began in 1972 — the year she graduated from Dallastown High School — Ilyes received a combined 18 All-American and All-World honors. She was part of eight national title teams with the Erie-based Lakerettes and won national championship MVP in 1998.
“I would have never expected this,” Ilyes said of the national awards and recognition. “I just went out to play ball. I loved playing softball, I loved the people I hung out with. Both teams, we were a family. We always did things together. If we weren’t playing ball together, we were doing something together. It was the best experience that I’ve had as far as sports goes.”
National treasures: It started with Ilyes’ father, Gerald R. Corcoran Sr. — better known as “Cork” — who played competitive softball himself when Sue was growing up. The family moved to the York area in 1969 and Sue began playing for a local team sponsored by Frank’s Steak Shop. After the group won the city championship, York Barbell owner Bob Hoffman jumped in as a sponsor. The Barbellets, coached by Cork, became a national powerhouse in the 1970s and were a massively popular draw in the area. Hoffman used his vast resources to send the Barbellets around the country, even funding a 10-day trip to Hawaii for a showcase.
The team name changed after Hoffman stopped sponsoring softball in 1982. The group remained largely intact, though, competing as Mr. Dario’s and the self-sponsored York Pacers. They reached ASA nationals twice but didn’t reach the heights of the Barbellets. As the team slowly disbanded, legendary Lakerettes coach Art Hoover invited a handful of players to join his team, which had been a familiar competitor at weekend tournaments throughout the years. Ilyes made the jump in 1993.
“That’s when it took off,” she said.
The Lakerettes immediately became a fixture at nationals and finally claimed the championship in 1998 and 1999. They also played in the 35-and-over division and won six straight titles from 1999-2004. In their last runs at the Major National level, they finished second in 2000 and third in 2001. Ilyes — who primarily played second base for the Lakerettes — was named ASA Player of the Decade for the 1990s.
The York Area Sports Hall of Fame inducted Ilyes in its 2009 class, and she went into the USA Softball of Pennsylvania Hall of Fame with multiple teammates this March. But she still never gave much thought to “the big one,” even though the three players who had been named Player of the Decade before her had all been in the Hall since at least 2007.
She was nominated by Steve Dimitry, who runs the Softball History USA website dedicated to preserving the history of high-level softball in all forms. Ilyes and Dimitry had never met before Dimitry called Don Ilyes, Sue’s husband, to establish contact.
“I got a phone call one day … he said, ‘What’s your wife’s phone number?’ And I said, ‘Well, who are you?’” Don Ilyes said with a laugh. “And that’s how it started … and it just rolled from there.”
The email from the National Softball Hall of Fame came early in the summer, giving Sue Ilyes a few months to make plans and prepare her speech. She and Don flew to Oklahoma City on Thursday, Oct. 26, did sightseeing that Friday and got a tour of the complex and museum on Saturday morning. The banquet was that evening, and Sue went home with a plaque, a ring and a full-sized bat with her name inscribed on it. (She’ll need to keep that one away from her 7-year-old grandson, she joked.)
‘Cherry on top’: Sue and Don Ilyes met at the softball field — where else? — and eventually married in 1994. Don Ilyes was also a high-level player on one of Hoffman’s York teams and later served as an assistant coach with the Lakerettes. The couple balanced their family life with full-time jobs and copious weekend travel.
Sue Ilyes has remained connected to the game since hanging up her spikes — she has volunteered with the West York softball team in recent years and helmed a short-lived softball program at Penn State York — but isn’t one to boast about her playing accomplishments. It’s Don who makes sure those aren’t forgotten.
“We have a hall in our house that, if it wasn’t for me, (the plaques) wouldn’t be there,” Don Ilyes said. “They’d still be down in the basement.”
Softball was never a job for Sue Ilyes, even if her teams carried themselves like professionals when it was time for business. She was offered opportunities to play outside the state — one team in North Carolina offered her a job and a house — but never moved out of York County. She didn’t see herself as above her teammates despite her distinguished achievements. Her memories of “Saturday Night Live” watch parties in the 1970s are as fond as those of championships in the ’90s.
It was never about MVPs or All-American selections or Hall of Fame inductions. At its core, softball was how Ilyes chose to spend her time away from work. In that time, though, she left a legacy that will now be commemorated forever.
