1994 held at Decatur, Illinois.
Champion – Redding Rebels, Redding, California (34-8)
Runner Up – Southern California Jazz, Bellflower, California (29-7)
The tournament was played under a different format. There were 26 teams total and they were broken up into two 13 team brackets, double elimination format. The only twist was that team that wins the losers bracket in “A” will play the “B” winner’s bracket survivor. And the team that wins the losers bracket in “B” will play the “A” winner’s bracket survivor. In the end, the 2 “brackets” would have a winner and The Bracket A champ would play the Bracket B champ in a one game championship.
The Bracket A Champ was the Redding Rebels, after winning their first game 1-0, who lost their second game 4-1 to the St. Louis Classics and then won 8 straight games to capture the Bracket title and then their 9th consecutive victory was in the Championship game. They had to defeat the hometown Lady Pride twice to win the bracket and reach the final. The two games were won with relative ease as the Rebels shutout the Lady Pride twice 8-0 and 16-0. Michele Smith tossed a 1-hit shutout and struck out 10 in the first game, then started the second game, pitching one inning. Lori Sippel came in and finished the final 4 innings in the 16-0 rout.
In the A Bracket final, things were much simpler as The SoCal Jaz won 2-0 over the Newport Beach Activity A’s on a shutout by Heather Compton. The Championship game was decided by two home runs by the Rebels hitters. The game was a scoreless tie until Kelly Jackson led off the bottom of the 6th with a solo HR and a couple batters later, eventual tournament MVP Kim Maher unloaded a 2-run shot. Michele Smith pitched a 1-hit shutout and struck out 10 Jazz batters. Jazz pitcher, Heather Compton, who pitched brilliantly the whole tournament was the losing pitcher.
The Rebels pitching staff gave up only 6 runs in the 10 games, tossing 8 shutouts along the way. Besides Michele Smith (5-0), Lori Sippel was 2-1 and Dee Dee Weiman was 2-0 with a no hitter. They outscored their opponents 66-6 in the 10 games.
The Brakettes came into the tournament with a 47-0 record. They finished the season 51-2. The legendary Barbara Reinalda may have made her last appearance a memorable one as she won the only game she pitched 3-1. That victory was the 77th win in a row for Reinalda. Lori Harrigan was (1-1) with a shutout for the Brackettes. Michele Bolster was also 1-1, losing a game in relief of Lisa Fernandez. Fernandez pitched a 5-0 one-hitter with 5 K for her only decision (she was 1-0).
Michele Granger of the Cal Commotion was 1-2, but both her losses were by the score of 1-0, She threw a 8-0, 5 inning no hitter with 13 K in the game she won and in 19 total innings pitched, she had 41 K.
Debbie Doom also pitched a game for the Commotion and hurled a 1-hit shutout and had 12 K.
Kathy Van Wyck was 1-0, with a 1-hitter, and 12 K.
Kim Maher broke all time Home Run record with 5 HR, and also had 12 RBI.
- MVP – Kim Maher, Redding Rebels
- HR Leader – Kim Maher, Redding Rebels – 5
- Batting Leader – Cathy Wylie, Redding Rebels – .471
- Bertha Tickey Pitching Award – Michele Smith, Redding Rebels
- Erv Lind Defensive Award – Martha O’Kelley, Southern California Jazz
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Michele Smith, Redding Rebels (5-0, 5 Shutouts, also pitched in relief twice, 47 K, 33 IP, 0 ER, won Championship game 3-0 on a 1-hitter and struck out 10)
P – Monique Fluellen, Montclair Majestics
P – Heather Compton, Southern California Jazz (3-1, she tossed 3 straight shutouts, before losing in the Championship game)
C – Lidia Stiglich, Southern California Jazz
1B – Trish Johnson, Michigan Cruise
2B – Sara Pickering, Southern California Jazz
3B – Chris Parris-Washington, Redding Rebels
SS – Kim Rodina, Newport Beach Activities A’s
OF – Kim Maher, Redding Rebels (13-32, .406, 5 HR, 12 RBI)
OF – Laura Berg, Newport Beach Activities A’s
OF – Dorsey Steamer, Montclair Majestics
OF – Pat Dufficy, Raybestos Brakettes
DH – Kim Ward, Newport Beach Activities A’s (4-1)
UTIL – Cathy Wylie, Redding Rebels
UTIL – Michelle Gromacki, Redding Rebels
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – DeDe Weiman, Redding Rebels (2-0, 2 shutouts, no hitter)
P – Kathy Richards, East Peoria Avanti’s
P – Michele Granger, California Commotion
C – Michelle Venturella, Michigan Cruise
1B – Sheila Cornell Douty, Raybestos Brakettes
2B – Selina Finck, Decatur Lady Pride
3B – Heather Lefford, Buffalo Shamrocks
SS – Martha O’Kelley, Southern California Jazz
OF – Jennifer Brundage, Redding Rebels
OF – Patty Benedict, Michigan Cruise
OF – Charlotte Wiley, Montclair Majestics (8-17, .471)
OF – Leah O’Brien, Southern California Jazz
DH – Suzanna Fairhurst, Decatur Lady Pride
UTIL – Jennifer McFalls, Redding Rebels
UTIL – Tiffany Tootle, Montclair Majestics
THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Lori Sippel, Redding Rebels (2-1)
P – Susie Parra, Phoenix Sunbirds
P – Tracy Carey, Minneapolis MCM Sports
C – Nichole Victoria, Decatur Lady Pride
1B – Lynn Rochester, Bloomington Lady Hearts
2B – Liz Phillips, Phoenix Sunbirds
3B – Rachel Shipley, Bloomington Lady Hearts
SS – Ann Rowan, Phoenix Sunbirds
OF – Dionne Harris, Raybestos Brakettes
OF – Lisa Erickson, California Commotion
OF – Sonya Bright, East Peoria Avanti’s
OF – Ann DeLuca, Buffalo Shamrocks
DH – Jackie Cipolloni, Raybestos Brakettes
UTIL – Angie Jacobs, Redding Rebels
UTIL – Frankie Spruce, Buffalo Shamrocks
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Redding Rebels, Redding, CA 9-1
2. Southern California Jazz, Bellflower, CA 4-1
3t. Decatur Lady Pride, Decatur, IL (4-2)
3t. Activity As’s, Newport Beach, CA (5-2)
5t. Michigan Cruise, Ann Arbor, MI (2-2)
5t. Montclair Majestics, Montclair, NJ (2-2)
7t. Raybestos Brakettes, Stratford, CT (4-2)
7t. East Peoria Avantis, East Peoria, IL (3-2)
9t. Phoenix Sunbirds, Phoenix, AZ (2-2)
9t. California Commotion, Los Angeles, CA (2-2)
9t. Bloomington Lady Hearts, Bloomington, IL (2-2)
9t. St. Louis Classics, St. Louis, MO (1-2)
13t. Buffalo Shamrocks, Buffalo, NY (2-2)
13t. MCM Sports, Minneapolis, MN (2-2)
13t. Topton VIPs, Blandon, PA (1-2)
13t. Memphis Saints, Memphis, TN (1-2)
17t. Allentown Pates, Allentown, PA (1-2)
17t. Homewood Aurelio’s Saints, Homewood, IL (1-2)
17t. Carlinville Storm, Carlinville, IL (1-2)
17t. DC Metros, Washington DC (1-2)
17t. Celina Suns, Celina, OH (0-2)
17t. Twin City Jammers, Minneapolis, MN (0-2)
17t. Decatur Breeze, Decatur, IL (0-2)
17t. Springfield Rockettes, Springfield, IL (0-2)
25t. Pekinettes, Pekin, IL (0-2)
25t. Mason City Iowans, Mason City, IA (0-2)
NOTE: There were two separate brackets played with the two winners playing for the title.
L-R, top row- Coach Andy Van Etten, Manager Ralph Raymond, Jennie Condon, Jill Justin, Crystal Boyd, Karen Sanchelli, Michelle Bolster, Pat Dufficy, Lori Harrigan, Barbara Reinalda, Sheila Cornell, Jackie Cipolloni, Lisa Fernandez, Dionna Harris, GM Bob Baird, Coach John Stratton kneeling- Tricia Popowski, Missy Nowak.
