 |
by Matt Floyd
Contributor
Perfect weather, intriguing match-ups and exciting finishes. What more could one ask in the final weekend of play of the 2009 Metro Nashville Softball Association (MNSA) season?
Saturday's final day of play started early as many teams arrived at 8 a.m. to prepare for a full slate of games beginning at 9 a.m. Since many of the games in the prior week were rained out, the regular season had to be wrapped up before tournament play could begin. Some of those teams played as many as eight games and were still at the park at 10 p.m. However, with unseasonably cool temperatures in the air on Saturday, it was the perfect day for a softball extravaganza.
After all was said and done, the Cyclones claimed the B-division title, and Fury, who finished second in the regular season, beat the Clippers for the tournament crown. Good Times finished third, while regular season champion Time finished fourth.
In the D-division, Players, after securing the regular season title, overcame an early loss in the tournament and defeated Blaze in back-to-back games to win the tournament. Xplosion finished second in the regular season and third in the tournament. Panthers, who tied for third in the regular season, finished fourth in the tournament.
Holy Trinity (Red) cruised to a perfect record on Saturday, not dropping a contest. They clenched the regular season title in the E-division after the morning session and rolled through the tournament beating sister team Holy Trinity (Blue) in the tournament championship. Fireballs claimed second in the regular season, but struggled during the tournament.
All teams were recognized at the annual banquet on Sunday afternoon. Each team voted a Team MVP, Team Most Improved Player, Golden Glove, and a Team Spirit award. Each of those recipients was recognized. In addition, league awards were also bestowed to the following players/coaches:
B/C Division Awards: Most Improved ˆ Marty G (Time); Most Valuable Player ˆ Shannon H (Time); Co-Coach of the Year ˆ Freida F (Good Times) and Keith N (Fury).
D/E Division Awards: Most Improved ˆ Troy C (Xplosion); Most Valuable Player ˆ Tonya W (Players); Coach of the Year ˆ Patrice N (Xplosion).
League commission Kerry P recognized each of these individuals with an award and presented the Cyclones, Fury, Time, Players, and Xplosion with their official invitation to the NAGAAA World Series in Milwaukee in September. He also presented a special plaque of appreciation to the league photographer Anthony C. and also recognized the individuals who ran the concession stand all season.
For all current league news, be sure to visit the Metro Nashville Softball website at metronashvillesoftball.org