Wednesday March 27th, 2024
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2011 Las Vegas Conference Tournament Preview

The Conference season kicks off this Friday night April 1st at the Big League Dreams park in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It looks like 12 Conference teams making the trip and 25 teams over all. 

 

Las Vegas Bracke Link

 

  [AZ] AZM / CARTEL                  
                     
  Fri 10:00 PM Fenw   (10                    
[WY] SONNY'S/BEACON/COWBOYS/SIDELIN                    
Fri 6:00 PM Yank   (1                      
[CAS] WEST COAST MONSTA'S/TPS                    
    Sat 1:00 PM Fenw   (27                  
[CAS] MAGZ ELITE                    
Fri 6:00 PM Ang   (2                      
[NV] ANYTIME GARAGE                    
  Fri 8:40 PM Fenw   (11                    
                     
  [IL] EWS/SHIRTSANDLOGOS/DRGRAPHX/EASTON                  
                     
      Sat 5:30 PM Yank   (39                
                     
  [TXN] GOLD'S GYM                  
                     
  Sat 8:30 AM Ang   (12                    
[CAS] VICTORY/DEMARINI                    
Fri 6:00 PM Fenw   (3                      
[NV] DYNASTY                    
    Sat 1:00 PM Ang   (28                   
[CAS] LCP/RATED ATHLETICS                    
Fri 7:20 PM Yank   (4                      
[NV] CUSTOM TRUCK                    
  Fri 8:40 PM Yank   (13                    
                     
  [WA] GTL CARTEL/DEMARINI                  
                     
        Sat 7:00 PM Yank   (45              
                     
  [WA] TEAM COMBAT/LASERVISION/DOWN2E                  
                     
  Sat 8:30 AM Yank   (14                    
[CAS] T.A.I.SPORTS/ELITESPORTSUSA.N                    
Fri 7:20 PM Ang   (5                      
[AZ] MADD SKILLS/WATCHYURLIPS                    
    Sat 1:00 PM Yank   (29                  
[WA] DOERFLINGER/TSC/PRO-COAT/COMBA                    
Fri 7:20 PM Fenw   (6                      
[AZ] KOVACH INC                    
  Sat 8:30 AM Fenw   (15                     
[MI] LINEDRIVE/TRIPLE SSS SPORTSCAR                    
Fri 10:00 PM Yank   (7                      
[NV] TIME TO MASH                    
      Sat 5:30 PM Ang   (40                 
                     
  [NV] SIN CITY SOFTBALL/SPECIALTY HY                  
                     
  Sat 8:30 AM Wrig   (16               Sun 10:00 AM Yank   (48      
[CO] PEAK/ L3 SCREEN PRINTING/TLG                    
Fri 8:40 PM Ang   (8                      
[CAS] TEAM JROB                    
    Sat 1:00 PM Wrig   (30                   
[CAS] VFW                    
Fri 10:00 PM Ang   (9                      
[AZ] SOUTHCOAST                    
  Sat 8:30 AM Dodg   (17                    
                     
  [CAS] FAMOUS SPORTS/LOGO EXPRESS/EASTON                  
                     
              L-45      
                     
                     
                  Sun 11:30 AM Yank   (49    
          L-40          
  Loser's Bracket              
      L-27              
  L-4                  
  Sat 10:00 AM Dodg   (19     Sat 4:00 PM Yank   (35     Sat 7:00 PM Fenw   (43     Sun 8:30 AM Yank   (47         
  L-17                  
    Sat 2:30 PM Yank   (31                   
  L-3                  
  Sat 10:00 AM Wrig   (20        Sat 5:30 PM Fenw   (41               
  L-16                  
      L-28              
  L-2                  
  Sat 10:00 AM Fenw   (21     Sat 4:00 PM Ang   (36        Sat 8:30 PM Ang   (46           
  L-15                  
    Sat 2:30 PM Ang   (32                L-48  
  L-1                  
  Sat 10:00 AM Yank   (22          L-39          
  L-14                  
      L-29              
  L-9                  
  Sat 11:30 AM Ang   (23     Sat 4:00 PM Dodg   (37     Sat 7:00 PM Ang   (44             
  L-13                  
    Sat 2:30 PM Dodg   (33                   
  L-8                  
  Sat 11:30 AM Fenw   (24        Sat 5:30 PM Wrig   (42               
  L-12                  
      L-30              
  L-5                  
  Sat 11:30 AM Wrig   (25     Sat 4:00 PM Wrig   (38                 
  L-10                  
L-6   Sat 2:30 PM Wrig   (34                   
Sat 10:00 AM Ang   (18                      
L-7 Sat 11:30 AM Dodg   (26                     
  L-11                  

 

I really don't know much about the 13 local 'C' and 'D' teams that are entered in the event but you have to figure that they have a couple tournaments under their belts, and they are playing on familiar fields.  So I expect that the lower Conference 'C' teams like Linedrive and Peak may have a struggle in their first game.

In the top quarter of the winner's bracket you would expect a shootout between Sonny's and and AZM/Cartel over on the Fenway Park field.  As long as my flight gets in on time, I hope to make this nightcap between two new 'B' teams that want to get the season started on the right foot.   Sonny's has the Granados brothers, and a mix of west coast players from last years Desert Falls and pitcher Danny Lopez (D-Lo).  I'll take Sonny's in a close one.  The winner gets a stacked EWS team at 1 PM on Saturday.   EWS has ex Dan Smith and GTL major rated players like Brett McCollum, Ryan Thiede, Sam Lopez, Scott Kirby, and a host of up and coming 'A' players.  I'll take EWS to win the top quarter of the bracket and make the final 4.

The second quarter of the bracket looks similar to the first with conference newcomer's Gold's Gym out of Texas matched up with fellow 'B' team Victory/Demarini (if they win).  Gold's features former FBI pitcher Perry Hensley, veteran slugger Kelly Hartman, and lesser known hitters like Preston Spurlin, and Clay Smitherman.  Victory/Demarini is a new Conference team led by player/manager Rodney Munoz and a number of solid 'B' players like Sean Boldt, Mike Calise, and Bryan Lang.  The winner takes on GTL who has joined the Major ranks this year.  GTL has added Dan Smith pitcher Geno Buck, outfielders Jason Branch and Tim Howard, infielders Joey Formosa and Sean Mcdonald, and sluggers Kevin Filby and Chris Larsen.  I'll take Gold's Gym over Victory in the morning game and GTL over Gold's Gym at 1 PM.

In the third quarter of the bracket Team Combat/Laser Vision who is playing Major this year looks to knock off Doerflinger which is a new 'B' team in the Conference.  Team Combat is basically the 2008 Dan Smith team with Rick Baker in CF instead of Kirby, and Dennis Rulli in the infield instead of Bryson Baker.  Also Billy Messina is on the mound insteas of Scott Nastally.  Some oldscout rumors have a number of players missing from Team Combat but I'm pretty sure they will still be stacked.  I have not heard what the Linedrive roster is but travelling from Michigan into hostile territory and winning more than a game in the winner's bracket would be impressive.  I'll take Team Combat over Doerflinger in the 1 pm game Saturday.  Doerflinger is a new Conference team this year with a Northwest Combat feel to it.  Robert Sena pitching, Cal Ford, Joey Smith, Julio (the best hitter under 6 foot) Salazar…

In the last part of the bracket I look for the VFW vs Southcoast game to be the best matchup.  Peak Contracting may struggle with their opener.  And the most interesting team is Sin City Softball.  Classed 'A', this is sort of a throw together team with Long Haul bomber Denny Crine, local power hitter Dan Norquist, and other top players like Tyler Beuerlein, Scott Lydy, and Chris Arredondo.  Obviously this team could be the sleeper of the tournament.  Look for Famous/Logo to struggle with the SouthCoast vs VFW winner on Saturday morning but whoever wins could have their hands full with this new Sin City team, depending upon who they find to pitch…  Famous/Logo is a merger of 2010 Conference teams of the same names and are a welcome newcomer to the 'A' division led by former GTL pitcher Chad Munger.

At 5:30 PM in the final 4 I'll take GTL over EWS in a bit of a rivalry, considering Sam Lopez and Jimmy Salas have moved over to EWS from GTL.  That should be one hard hitting game.

On the other winner's field I'll take Team Combat over Sin City.

If there is an upset of the top teams, look for them to run the loser's bracket and still finish in the top 4.

I look forward to some high scoring games.  BLD fields usually don't have long homerun fences and early spring weather could be windy and cooler in the evenings, I'm guessing.  Should I bring a heavy sweater?

Look for twitter score updates on the front page of softballcenter.com throughout the weekend.

Also look for pictures from the event on Monday and a full report by Tuesday evening.



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