2022 held at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 4-5.
Champion – The Herd, Des Moines, Iowa
Runner Up – Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli, Topeka, Indiana
An exciting day at the ballpark concluded the 2022 Men’s Class A Slow Pitch National Championship today as The Herd walked away with an undefeated 5-0 record and the 2022 National Championship title. Facing off against Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli, The Herd put up 39 runs on 39 hits in the final game to come out on top and record its fifth-straight win of the tournament.
After playing four games on Day One, The Herd entered Monday’s competition already having clinched a spot in the Championship contest. Rock Run Cabinetry’s path to the title game was more daunting, however, as the squad fought its way through the loser’s bracket on Sunday evening to stay alive in the competition and make it to Monday. With timely hitting, enormous enthusiasm and a fight that never gave way, Rock Run Cabinetry pulled out back-to-back walk-off wins over Dirt Dogs/Alter Ego/KL&R/RDD and Dirty Vegas to make its way to the title game.
Both teams jumped out to a quick start in the Championship contest as Rock Run Cabinetry put up six runs while The Herd answered back with five of its own. Continuing to tack on to its lead, Arlis Miller, Marcus Miller and Kyle Miller blasted three home runs for Rock Run Cabinetry in the second inning to extend the score, 10-5, but it wouldn’t hold for long as The Herd unleashed with a 14-run performance in the bottom of the frame. Four home runs from Matt Schrage, Brett Rettenmeier, Chris Bauer and Quinn Cannoy in addition to a handful of base hits contributed to the rally as The Herd pulled ahead 19-10 after two innings of play.
Chipping away at the lead, Rock Run Cabinetry plated six runs through the next two innings while The Herd kept its foot on the gas with 12 more runs crossing the plate. With the score sitting at 31-16 after the fourth inning, Rock Run Cabinetry flipped a switch and came to life with six singles, a double and three home runs to score 11 runs and cut the lead 31-27. Answering back with two singles and three home runs of its own, The Herd tacked on six insurance runs to pad the score 37-27 heading into the sixth.
Refusing to back down, Rock Run Cabinetry continued to put pressure on the Herd, adding three more runs in the top of the sixth before The Herd put up another two in the bottom of the frame. With one last chance to score, Rock Run Cabinetry pieced together three singles and two doubles to plate four more baserunners, but were unable to muster anything else as a line out ended the game with The Herd claiming the 39-34 victory and the 2022 Men’s Class A Slow Pitch National Championship title.
With a 5-2 record through the tournament, the Rock Run Cabinetry offense combined for a .651 batting average with 238 runs on 243 hits. Kyle Miller led the squad – and the tournament – with 13 home runs followed closely by Arlis Miller with 10 while the two recorded team-leading .811 and .762 batting averages, respectively.
The Herd posted an undefeated 5-0 record this weekend with a .643 batting average, 155 hits and 149 runs scored. With 18 hits apiece, Alex Hovey and Zach Woodside led the team while five members of the squad recorded a batting average over .700.
- MVP – Alex Hovey, The Herd (18 Hits)
- Batting Champion – Michael Gonzalez, Dirt Dogs/Alter Ego/KL&R/RDD – .870
- HR Champion – Kyle Miller, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli – 13
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Alex Hovey, The Herd (18-23, .783, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 23 Runs)
IF – Michael Gonzalez, Dirt Dogs/Alter Ego/KL&R/RDD (20-23, .870, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 19 Runs)
IF – Mike Gallo, Dirt Dogs/Alter Ego/KL&R/RDD (15-21, .714, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 12 Runs)
IF – Steve Paramore, Dirty Vegas (16-19, .842, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 14 Runs)
IF – Brett Rettenmeier, The Herd (17-22, .773, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 12 Runs)
IF – Kyle Miller, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (30-37, .811, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 26 Runs)
OF – Brady Bate, Monsta/Cheap Suits/Bloomerang Property Group/Sparky Apparel (16-21, .762, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 14 Runs)
OF – Hunter Beehler, Tharaldson (13-16, .813, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 15 Runs)
OF – Quinn Cannoy, The Herd (16-20, .800, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 16 Runs)
OF – Zach Woodside, The Herd (18-24, .750, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 17 Runs)
UT – Mike Martinez, Dirty Vegas/Steel (16-19, .842, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 13 Runs)
UT – Tanner Kockler, The Herd (16-23, .696, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 11 Runs)
UT – Terry Lambright, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (18-25, .720, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 10 Runs)
UT – Jason Slabach, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (28-38, .737, 9 HR, 18 RBI, 24 Runs)
UT – Arlis Miller, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (.762, 10 HRs) (32-42, .762, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 32 Runs)
FINAL STANDINGS
1. The Herd, Des Moines, IA (5-0)
2. Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli, Topeka, IN (5-2)
3. Dirty Vegas/Steel, Groves, TX (3-2)
4. Dirt Dogs/Alter Ego/KL&R/RDD, Wallingford, CT (3-2)
5t. Tharaldson, Fargo, ND (2-2)
5t. Monsta/Cheap Suits/BPG/Sparky, Stockton, CA (3-2)
7t. T’s 13, Omaha, NE (2-2)
7t. Comatose/S2N/Monsta, Beloit, WI (2-2)
9t. Ductech/Budweiser, South St. Paul, MN (1-2)
9t. Chosen/Thunder/Beloli, Plainview, NY (1-2)
9t. Northwoods Elite, Eau Claire, WI (0-2)
9t. DNR Miller Concrete, Goshen, IN (1-2)
13t. Alter Ego Apparel/BYB Sports (0-2)
13t. OnlyFriends (0-2)
13t. Meirtran/Swiing Kiingz, Byron, IL (0-2)
OTHERS
Andrew Matson, T’s 13 (13-15, .867, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 10 Runs)
Austyn Dawe, Chosen/Thunder/Beloli (10-12, .833, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 Runs)
Justin Barber, The Herd (13-16, .813, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 8 Runs)
Michael Dunse, Comatose/S2N/Monsta (12-15, .800, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 7 Runs)
Matthew Brady, Monsta/Cheap Suits/BloomergangPropertyGroup/SparkyApparel (15-20, .750, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 13 Runs)
Scott Huffman, Tharadlsons (12-16, .750, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 6 Runs)
Matt Schrage, The Herd (14-21, .667, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 17 Runs)
Kyle Fisher, Monsta/Cheap Suits/BloomergangPropertyGroup/SparkyApparel (16-24, .667, 7 HR, 17 RBI, 13 Runs)
Marcus Miller, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (24-37, .649, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 23 Runs)
Eric Lehman, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (19-33, .576, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 20 Runs)
Faron Fry, Rock Run Cabinetry/All Hustle/Silverbacks/Koval/Beloli (23-40, .575, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 22 Runs)
