The Luverne Blaze fastpitch summer softball club hosted its third annual Bash-A-Rama tournament Saturday, July 8, and Sunday, July 9.
Thirty-two total teams, some from as far away as Pierre, South Dakota, participated in four age brackets, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16/18U.
Each team played two games Saturday to determine which bracket (gold or silver) they would compete in Sunday. In bracket play, teams that lost were out of the tournament.
The Luverne Blaze had two teams in the 10U bracket.
On Saturday, Blaze 1 lost 15-0 to the Blitz (Brandon Valley), lost 15-5 to Fusion Heat (Brandon) and lost to Hit-Stix 14-5.
On Sunday, Blaze 1 fell to Boltz (Sioux Falls) 15-2.
Blaze 2 lost to Flare (Watertown) 13-1, Boltz (Sioux Falls) 15-0 and the Wildcats (Brandon) 13-8.
On Sunday, Blaze 2 fell to Hit Stix 17-2.
In the 12U bracket the Luverne Blaze lost to the Panthers (Sioux Falls) 11-0, beat the Strikers (Sioux Falls) 12-6 and beat the Fusion Heat (Brandon) 10-9.
On Sunday, the 12U Blaze lost 8-5 to TSC Aftershock (Harrisburg).
In the 14U brackets the Luverne Blaze lost to Blast (Brookings) 12-0, lost to Relentless (Pierre) 8-7 and beat TC Typhoon (Harrisburg) 4-3.
On Sunday, the Blaze lost to the Sparks (Sioux Falls) 5-3.
In the 16/18U bracket the Luverne Blaze beat 605 Octane (Sioux Falls) 1-0, lost to Blue Bombers (Pierre) 4-3 and beat the Blast 14-1.
On Sunday, the Blaze lost to Pierre 2-1.
Bracket winners are as follows:
•10U Gold Bracket winner was Blitz from Brandon Valley. Silver Bracket winner was Hit Stix
•12U Gold Bracket winner was TSC Aftershock from Harrisburg. Silver Bracket winner was the Futures from Sioux Falls.
•14U Gold Bracket winner was Thunder from Brandon Valley. Silver Bracket winner was the Sparks from Sioux Falls.
•16/18U Gold Bracket winner was Pierre. Silver Bracket winner was Diamonds Elite from Tea.
During the tournament, Blaze board members had put together a fundraiser event that offered a “unique” slant that teams ate up.
Board member Stacey Smidt said, “Teams look forward to winning this event.”
Hot dog contest
The Blaze sold hot dogs and credited one point for each hot dog sold to a corresponding team in the tournament.
The team in each bracket with the most points would be crowned the hot dog champs and receive a metal trophy.
In the 10U bracket, the Luverne Blaze 2 team won with 55 hot dogs eaten.
12U went to the Panthers of Sioux Falls with 57 hot dogs eaten. This was their third year winning the title.
14U went to the Panthers from Pierre with 32 hot dogs eaten.
The 16/18U bracket saw Pierre win with 108 hot dogs eaten. This was also Pierre’s third year in a row taking the hot dog title.
“We brought in a lot of visitors to town for a fun event and look forward to next year,” Smidt said about the Bash-A-Rama event.