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It was a typical recreational league season for the Dripping Springs Tuesday night adult softball league. Seasons are usually composed of two parts. The regular season schedule and then an end-of-the-season tourney based on the standings. Although there can be other various options, most tourneys are of the double-elimination variety. The tourneys are second chances for teams that may not have done as well as they wanted. Many adult teams have problems keeping their teams intact during the season due to work, family matters, etc. Those that do usually are the most successful over long haul of the season. The tourney is a short version of the season. It is on any given day. Those teams that can get their full teams in action for the tourney are usually successful. What one usually finds is there are upsets and sometimes the seeds end up scrambled.
The Tuesday league experienced all of the above. The final standings were: Lake Travis Gnashers 13-3, DS Electric Shockers 13-3, Sons of Thunder 9-7, DS Conglomerates 7-9, Baptist Bombers 5-11, Holy Sluggers 1-15.
When the dust had cleared from the tourney the Shockers moved up to first, Sons of Thunder second and Bombers third. Scores: Bombers 22 Conglomerates 17; Sons of Thunder 20 Holy Sluggers 0; Bombers 17 Gnashers 2; Shockers 8 Sons of Thunder 4; Sons of Thunder 13 Conglomerates 8; Gnashers 12 Holy Sluggers 0; Shockers 26 Bombers 6; Sons of Thunder 15 Gnashers 14; Sons of Thunder 23 Bombers 15 (Third); Shockers 10 Sons of Thunder 9 (Championship game).
The Thursday night league chose to go with a single-elimination format for their tourney. This, of course, really changes the dynamics of the tourney. Instead of having to face the top teams twice during the course of the tourney, a team only has to put a good game together once and then they can forget the hazard of meeting them again later.
For the last decade the two teams, Sons of Pitches and Dripping Royalty, have dominated the top two spots for the right to win the Jay Hudson Memorial Traveling Trophy. This is a trophy that has been awarded to the top team in the tourney since 1982. The other teams competing in the tourney were Slapnut Magoos, #Town, Big Sky, Day Drinkers, T-Baggers and Chronic Offenders. All the games were highly competitive with high-scoring games the norm. Most were decided in the final at bats, including extra innings. For just as long, Slapnut Magoos and #Town have been butting their heads against the talents of Sons of Pitches and Dripping Royalty. This format worked to their favor as each defeated the teams in the semifinals and opened the door for a new champion listed on the trophy for the first time. The game was a typical back and forth battle with the Magoos able to forge ahead in their at bat and run out the clock for their win.
The Dripping Springs adult softball leagues have been in action since 1975 serving the citizens of the Dripping Springs area. It is a recreational, family friendly sport that has afforded friends to put teams together and enjoy a night out at the park making more friends along the way. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know members of the community in a common venue. Now is the time to plan for entering a team and join in on the fun. You will be glad you did. The spring leagues for men and women begin in March, followed by the summer leagues in June.
