Welcome back to Playing the Field. We hope everyone has been enjoying the beautiful summer weather the Carolinas have been having. This time of year, most leagues and teams are wrapping up their seasons. So, here are some events you surely will not want to miss.
Softball
During the July 4 weekend, Nashville hosted their annual Metro Nashville Softball Association Classic. This event sees teams from all over the country come to participate, including teams from Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Chicago and Dallas. As many as 500 people attended and nearly 400 players.
In this year’s competition, The Knoxville Cyclones D team went undefeated the entire tournament and took home the crown against an admittedly thin field of teams. But their performance highlighted their continued dominance throughout the year.
In the C division, Oscar’s Atlanta Sting were able to defeat the Pittsburgh Jolly Roger in the championship game. The Sting were also dominant throughout the tournament, winning every game by at least three runs. This is the first tourney win of the year for the newly formed team. They will look to continue their winning ways next month in Knoxville when K-Town softball hosts their annual event, The K-Town Klassic from Aug. 2-3. If you have a team or are a player interested in playing in that tournament, visit their website at ktownklassic.com to find out how to register.
In Charlotte, the Carolina Softball Alliance is winding down and will be holding their end of the season tournament on July 27 at Revolution Park. There are five teams currently in the league, each with a puncher’s chance of taking home the league title. Here are the current standings:
Carolina Showtime, 6-1
Carolina Xtreme, 6-2
The Swingers, 3-4
Carolina Rage, 3-6
Team #, 2-7
For the game times of your favorite teams or players, check out their website at carolinasoftball.org.
Roller Derby
There are only two home bouts left to check out your home team Charlotte Roller Girls this season. On Aug. 9, the B*Dazzlers will be taking on Classic City Bad News Bs. Then on Sept. 9, the All-Stars play host to the Atlanta Apocalypstix in a charity bout. Both bouts will take place at 6 p.m. at the Grady Cole Center.
The Gastonia G8Force also only have two home bouts left this season. On Aug. 17, they will be hosting the Charlotte B*Dazzlers in a big time North Carolina match up. And then on Sept. 14, the ladies will be hosting the Spartanburg Deadly Dolls. All bouts will be played at Kate’s Skating rink at 5:30 p.m. in Gastonia.
Gay Games
Also, the Gay Games will be held in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, Aug. 9-16. They will be presented by the Cleveland Foundation and is the “most inclusive sports and cultural festival in the world.” The opening ceremony will feature Olympic star Greg Louganis, entertainer Lance Bass, several Broadway stars, among others. Athletes will be competing in a wide range of sports, including rodeo, swimming, figure skating, dancing and bodybuilding. If you would like more information on this major sporting event, visit their website at gg9cle.com. : :