Joe Walker longtime player rep for Central Virginia ASA. Joe was the chairperson of the Tidewater, Virginia Softball Hall of Fame. He also won an ASA C National Championship with CA/JO in 2008.
Joseph Orlando Walker, died November 8, 2018 in a local hospital. He was a native of Brooklyn, New York and a lifelong resident of Chesapeake. He was the son of the late Olga Rose Caldwell and William Howard Walker and was preceded in death by his brothers William Howard Walker, Jr., and Patrick D. Caldwell. Joe was a graduate of Great Bridge High School, a Veteran of the United States Navy and was a retired Longshoreman with the International Longshoreman Association.
He had been a very active member of the local Softball Program for most of his adult life. He was the District commissioner of the Tidewater VA ASA Softball since 2012 and has been a national council member of the USA/ASA Softball Association for 33 years. He was inducted into the Tidewater ASA hall of Fame in 1989 as an individual and he had 2 teams (Old Dominion Roofing/Siding-2001 and CA/Jo Softball-2011) inducted as well. His CA/JO team won the Men’s class C National Championship in 2008 in Oklahoma City.
He was a member of the ILA and was an avid Animal lover. Joe is survived by his loving wife of 44 years and high school sweetheart, Carol Anne Gray Walker and his daughter Elizabeth Ashley Basinger and her husband and his beloved granddaughter, Savanna Rose Basinger, all of Chesapeake, and 3 Sister-in-laws and 1 Brother-in-law and 4 nephews and one great nephew.
A memorial service will be held in the Chesapeake Chapel of H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., 1416 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322 on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 3:00 PM. The Reverend Tracy Gregory will officiate. Burial will be at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society or to Wounded Warriors. Online condolences may be sent to the family at hdoliver.com
2018 held at Freedom Park in Ridgeland, Mississippi on September 29-30.
Champion – H. Auto/RDD/All In/Sprizzi/Easton, Cicero, New York Runner Up – Team Racks/Yahhh!, Phoenix, Arizona
The 2018 USA Softball Super Nationals featured 5-star studded teams and ended up being played all in one day (Friday, September 28th) because of rain during the week that swamped the beautiful fields at Freedom Park in Ridgeland, Mississippi. So the tournament began Friday morning at 9 AM Central time and used 2 fields the entire day. The weather was in the mid to high 70’s and humid but nice and it was overcast. Each game used 3 umpires and the 52 core Dudley ZN ball with a 16 home runs per team limit. Rosters were not restricted since this is USA Softballs top classification. The defending champions WC Monsta and H. Auto a team that has won multiple Super titles were the favorites.
As the day turned to night the “if” game began with a frustrated H. Auto team taking some angry swings and jumping on Team Racks to the tune of 20 runs in the top of the 1st inning.
In the bottom of the inning with 2 on and 2 out for Racks Daniel Cayton was caught stealing by H. Auto catcher Bryson Baker on a straight steal of 2nd base. You don’t see that too often. Racks did score 8 runs in the inning but can only wonder what could have been! In the top of the 2nd the Racks infield nearly turned a triple play with a hard grounder to AJ Montano at middle infield who tagged the runner on 2nd, stepped on 2nd, and then threw it too high to first base. But the umpires only gave them one out.
The next batter grounded into a double play, so it didn’t matter and it looked like Racks was back in the game. But in the bottom of the 2nd Bubba Mack at 3rd base for H. Auto made an incredible scoop of a hard shot and got an out then they turned a double play to hold Racks scoreless. In the 3rd and 4th innings Racks outscored H. Auto 17-13 highlighted by a Ben Dunn assist from center field to 2nd base to get a batter trying to stretch a single into a double, AJ Montano hit a towering home run that went over the lights in left center, and only a great diving play by H. Auto shortstop Jeff Keske halted the Racks rally with Racks trailing 36-28.
H. Auto added 3 runs in the top of the 7th but their inning was cut short by a phenomenal running catch by Ben Dunn in left center field. The Super title came down to the bottom of the 7th inning and Racks trailed by 12 with 4 homers to hit. They batted around the lineup and used 3 homers to score 9 runs but came up 3 runs short and H. Auto won the Super Nationals.
Brian Wegman and Steele Lewis each had 6 hits in the win, Bryson Baker collected 10 RBI, and Sam Christensen went 6 for 6 (all base hits) in the loss.
MVP – Bryson Baker, H. Auto/RDD/All In/Sprizzi/Easton
1. H, Auto/RDD/All In/Sprizzi/Easton, Cicero, NY (3-1)
2. Team Racks/Yahhh!, Phoenix, AZ (4-2)
3. T’s 13/Monsta/Ductech, Omaha, NE (2-2)
4. WC Monsta, Eastvale, CA (0-2)
5. Comatose/S2N/Monsta, Beloit, WI (0-2)
2018 held at Grand Rapids, Michigan on August 31-September 2.
Champion – Boston Sharks, Holden, Massachusetts Runner Up – Press Box Blue Sox, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
MVP – N/A
Batting Champion – N/A
HR Champion – N/A
2018 FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICANS
N/A
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Boston Sharks, Hyde Park, MA (5-0)
2. Press Box Blue Sox, Fond du Lac, WI (5-2)
3. Secory Flyers, Marysville, MI (3-2)
4. MJS Construction Inc., Wakefield, MA (3-2)
5t. Rebels Softball Club, Clyde, MI (3-2)
5t. Saginaw Jets, Saginaw, MI (3-2)
7t. Hato Mayor, Brooklyn, NY (2-2)
7t. War Water Stallions, St. Clair, MI (2-2)
9t. Press Box Bulldogs, Fond du Lac, WI (1-2)
9t. Hammars Contracting Hurricanes, Kimball, MI (1-2)
9t. Franchise, Brooklyn, NY (1-2)
9t. Men Of Iron, Elizabethtown, PA (1-2)
13t. Blue Ducks, Erie, PA (0-2)
13t. Michigan Bullie Mob, Saginaw, MI (0-2)
13t. Community Savings Bank, Holy Cross, IA (0-2)
13t. Maple Grove, Gap, PA (0-2)
Champion – NY Gremlins, Clifton Park, New York Runner Up – Hill United Chiefs, Machias, New York
The NY Gremlins earned a spot in the Championship Game after a tightly contested battle against eventual runner-up Hill United Chiefs. Down by six runs after three complete innings, the NY Gremlins slowly chipped away at the lead before a walk off grand slam by Malarczuk Ladlisao sealed the win. Hill United Chiefs posted a 17-5 win over Hallman Twins to earn the rematch against the NY Gremlins in the Championship Game. Hill United Chiefs once again took an early lead after a leadoff, solo home run by Brad Ezekiel. The NY Gremlins responded in the top of the third, taking the lead for good with a two-run home run by Ben Enoka. Additional home runs by Bryan Abrey and Zenon Winters kept the offense rolling for the NY Gremlins as they earned the 11-3 (six innings) win to hold on to the Men’s Major Fast Pitch National title. This is the third straight National Championship for the Gremlins.
MVP – Andrew Kirkpatrick, NY Gremlins (3-0, 18 IP, 20 K, Shutout; 6-11, .545, HR, 6 RBI)
Batting Leader – Eric Ochoa, NY Gremlins (10-16, HR, 8 RBI, 5 Runs) – .625
Home Run Leader – Shane Boland, Hill United (10-19, .526, 6 RBI, 5 Runs) – 3
Home Run Leader – Jeff Ellsworth, Hill United (6-14, .429, 4 RBI, 5 Runs) – 3
Herb Dudley Pitching Award – N/A, no info or nothing mentioned about it – (Andrew Kirkpatrick, NY Gremlins was MVP)
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – Tony Sparvier, KC Monarchs
P – Juan Potolicchio, NY Gremlins (2-0, 10 IP, 15 K, No-Hitter)
P – Ryan French, Hallman Twins
C – Bruno Motroni, Hill United Chiefs
IF – Steve Mullaley, Hallman Twins
IF – Tyler Dudley, Circle Tap Dukes
IF – Nick Schailes, Hill United Chiefs
IF – Tommy Crouch, Circle Tap Dukes
OF – Brad Ezekiel, Hill United Chiefs
OF – Mathieu Roy, NY Gremlins
OF – Teo Migliavacca, Hallman Twins
OF – Nico Carill, Hill United Chiefs
UT – Zach Shaw, KC Monarchs
UT – Nick Mullins, NY Gremlins
UT – Derek Mayson, Hallman Twins
OTHERS
Roman Godoy, Circle Tap (3-1, Save, 22 IP, 31 K).
Adam Folkard (2-2, 17 IP, 29 K, 2 Shutouts) and Justin Schofield (2-0, 11 IP, 16 K) both of Hill United Chiefs.
Ladlisao Malarczuk, NY Gremlins (7-13, .538, Grand Slam, 8 RBI, 2 Runs).
Jason Hill, Hill United (8-16, .500, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 Runs).
FINAL STANDINGS
1. NY Gremlins, Clifton Park, NY (5-0)
2. Hill United Chiefs, Machias, NY (4-2)
3. Hallman Twins, North Chesterfield, VA (4-2)
4. Circle Tap Dukes, Denmark, WI (4-2)
5t. J&B Bombers, Ephrata, PA (2-2)
5t. Kansas City Monarchs, Belleville, KS (3-2)
7t. Bloomington Stix, Lexington, IL (2-2)
7t. The Bar on The Avenue Buzz, Kimberly, WI (3-2)
9t. Bear Bottom Lodge, Denver, PA (1-2)
9t. Alexander Crawlers, Calgary, WA (3-2)
9t. Ostrander Norsemen, Chanhassen, MN (2-2)
9t. Pueblo Bandits, Aurora, CO (1-3)
13t. Alvinston Aces, Wyoming, MI (2-2)
13t. Rice Lake Orangemen, New Richmond, WI (2-2)
13t. Tin Cup Tornado, Little Canada, MN (1-3)
13t. Kegel Black Knights, Amboy, MN (0-3)
17t. Wabash Pride, Wabash, IN (0-3)
17t. Frankenmuth Brewers, Frankenmuth, MI (0-3)
2018 held at Prairie Island Athletic Complex in Prairie Island, MN on August 25-16.
Prairie Island was the host for the 2018 ASA Men’s B Slow Pitch National in 2018 as the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium would begin the second round of construction to assemble the press box and second deck. The pre-tournament chatter was about conference A or better teams and the defending champion, L&S Glass, were allowed to play in the tournament.
The semifinals featured four area teams while the winner’s bracket was wrecked by unseeded teams. Heartland Investors of Mandan, ND came out on top with local star and former Team USA pitcher Geno Buck would lead the way. Heartland Investors won ASA B Nationals the last time it was in Minnesota (Andover’s Sunshine Park) in 2013.
Heartland won the ASA B crown the last time it was held in Minnesota which was 2002 in Andover at Sunshine Park.
Champion: Heartland Investors, Mandan, ND Runner Up: All American Restoration/Monsta, Blaine, MN
HR Champion – Dan Cayton, All American Restoration/Monsta – 8 HR
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
Dan Cayton, All American Restoration/Monsta
Artie Barcelo, All American Restoration/Monsta
Jeff Renno, All American Restoration/Monsta
Losson White, All American Restoration/Monsta
Damon Wegner, Comatose/S2N/Monsta
Austin Andrews, Comatose/S2N/Monsta
Tony Mueller, Dugout 47/Airstack/Bud Light
Drew Knutson, Dugout 47/Airstack/Bud Light
Scott Novak, Eurotech/First Source Financial/Norm’s Tire
Brandon Patzig, Evolution/Primetime/Easton/Kluth
Mike Feldman, Heartland Investors
Chris Dahl, Heartland Investors
Blaine Horsager, Heartland Investors
Geno Buck, Heartland Investors
Scott Huffman, Heartland Investors
Champion: Smash-It/Derby Girls/Easton, Kent, Washington Runner Up: USA Armed Forces, Pensacola, Florida
Derby Girls lost their very first game 6-5 to SN/Thunder/Respect/EA and then had to come through the losers bracket to win 7 straight games by the combined score of 114-59. They got even with the SN/Thunder squad by eliminating them 6-5 in the losers bracket final. Then they won 1st Final 18-14 as Fiana Finau 4-4, HR and 6 RBI, Rose Gressley 4-4, Christan Dowling 3-3 and Tara Salcedo 3-5 all had 3 hits. Kasey Castor 4-5 and Jess Kallander 4-4 with 4 RBI led the Armed Forces. In the final Championship game, it was no contest as the Derby Girls walzted to a 16-1 win. Christan Dowling and Fiana Finau both had Home Runs and combined for 7 RBI. Kristen Shifflett was 3-3. Val Proulx and Carmen Fowler both had 2 hits as Pitcher Sara Salcedo allowed only 5 hits in the game.
2017 held at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 28-29.
Champion – WC Monsta, Calimesa, California Runner Up – H. Auto/Resmondo/OA Apparel/Specialty Tank, Winter Haven, Florida
It was a rematch championship game rematch between WC Monsta and H. Auto/Resmondo/OA Apparel/Specialty Tank as the former earned a spot in the finals with a decisive 27-5 (four inning) win.
H. Auto would then post a 49-42 win over T’s 13/Monsta for another chance as the undefeated WC Monsta. H. Auto would carry on their momentum from the previous game as the team scored six runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead over WC Monsta. That lead would be cut to one run after WC Monsta plated five in the bottom of the frame. Keeping H. Auto from plating any runs in the top of the second, WC Monsta would score six runs to take an 11-5 lead.
The game would remain closely contested through the top of the seventh inning with WC Monsta holding a 43-37 lead and H. Auto down to their final at-bat. H. Auto would manage to push across one run in the top of the seventh but would be unable to overcome the deficit as WC Monsta walked away with the Super Slow Pitch Championship, 43-38.
For H. Auto, Bubba Mack (8 HR, 17 RBI) and Mike Umscheid (7 HR, 15 RBI) led the offense.
MVP – Dale Brungardt, WC Monsta
HR Champion – Chaun DeMars, T’s 13/Monsta – 9
HR Champion – Kyle Person, H. Auto/Resmondo/OA Apparel/Specialty Tank – 9
Joe Walker longtime player rep for Central Virginia ASA. Joe was the chairperson of the Tidewater, Virginia Softball Hall of Fame. He also won an ASA C National Championship with CA/JO in 2008.
