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Welcome to the 2023 WMS! Let's Play Ball….!
 Aug 3 - Hello softball fans, and welcome to the 15th Annual Women's Major Softball National Tournament! This is the first year without the tournament's founder, the late great Brakettes General Manager Bob Baird. It was Bob's vision to make the WMS something special for the nation's top women's amateur softball teams. Baird did just that and gave us 14 magical years as WMS Tournament Director, along with his 35 years leading the Brakettes. The “Bobinator” left us prepared to continue to host the WMS for years to come.
Returning this year to defend their title will be the perennial power Stratford Brakettes, having won the last five WMS Championships. First-year manager Lauren Pitney leads a young club into the tournament with an 18-5 record, having won eight in a row and 14 out of 15 contests. The Brakettes are attempting to win their 13th WMS title, with only the New York City Havoc (inaugural 2009 tourney) and St. Louis Saints (2017) having also claimed WMS crowns.
The 2022 WMS runner-up Stripes & Strikes (PA) pushed the Brakettes to the brink of defeat in last year's tournament, coming out of the Losers Bracket to win the Championship Game, 4-2, and force the winner-take-all “IF” game. The Brakettes claimed the WMS glory with a 6-3 victory, but Stripes & Strikes won the only head-to-head matchup since, a 4-3 decision on June 10th in Lyons, PA. Coach Vince Trivelpiece and Stripes & Strikes will be appearing in their fifth WMS Tournament.
Kaboom Softball (NJ) made a big splash in the 2022 WMS, finishing third in the field. After dropping the Winners Bracket semis to Stripes & Strikes, the Kaboom eliminated both the Junior Brakettes and Select Brakettes en route to a rematch in the Losers Bracket Final with Stripes & Strikes. The Kaboom came up on the short end of that epic 3-2 final, but Coach Anthony Barbero has prepared them for a strong return in 2023, as they look to improve on their impressive first-year showing. The Kaboom have already made two trips to DeLuca Field in 2023 for regular season games.
The Maryland Chill come back for their third straight WMS Tournament, having won multiple bracket play games in both previous WMS Championships. Coach Bo Vicendese's club hopes to improve on their club-best fifth place finish from 2021. The Chill have also made annual pilgrimages to Stratford for weekend contests with the Brakettes and Junior Brakettes.
The Central Jersey Lightning make a return to the 2023 WMS, led by Coach Bo Mido. The club won a pair of games in the 2020 WMS Tournament and hopes to build on that finish. The Lightning had a strong showing at last week's NJ Heatwave Tournament, blasting through pool play with a 3-0 record, and outscoring opponents 18-0.
The Junior Brakettes again field a competitive team that can't be ignored. Coach Mary Sciglimpaglia's squad is one of just four to beat the Stratford Brakettes this season. This will be the fifth straight year the Juniors compete in the WMS, and they hope to again make it to WMS Sunday Softball, as they did with their third-place finish in 2020.
The Mid-Hudson Mustangs (NY) are one of three teams making their first appearance at the WMS. Coach Adam Zolotas has coached this club for six years through various age groups, and in 2023 the Mustangs play in their first Women's Major after years of youth softball tournaments. The Mustangs also made a trip to Stratford this summer to participate in the Bob Baird Memorial Round Robin.
Coach Bill Bedard leads the Hearts in Sync (MA) into DeLuca this week for their first WMS, although not their first trip to DeLuca Field. Hearts in Sync took on the Juniors in an early July doubleheader and feature several former AIC collegians and other regional stars.
Rapids Softball (CT) will also make their maiden voyage to Stratford to play in the 2023 WMS. Coach Chris Martin's team competes in the greater-Waterbury Joan Joyce league and hopes to host the Stratford Brakettes in Waterbury next year to celebrate the city's connection to softball history, Joan Joyce, and the Brakettes.
Many thanks to all the players and coaches, staff members and volunteers, friends and fans that help to make this 2023 WMS a reality!!
As our beloved Bob Baird would say… (Right after “where's the ice cream?”) … PLAY BALL!!!”.
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Congratulations Central Jersey Lightning!
2023 WMS Champions
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