The World Champion Team Ambush: Back row (left to right) Larry Kaufmann, Kenny Sheffield, Joe Ellis, Tim Carmichael, Frank Tanner, Steve Hilby and Mike Gloyd; front, kneeling (left to right) John Underwood, Bruce McClain, Terry Hepner and Chuck Schaan. (Missing, on disabled list: Al Hawkensen, Dave McCormick and Mike Wolfe).
Larry Wolfe and Bruce McClain
A new 60 Plus age group senior softball team was formed this year to compete in major tournaments throughout the southwest. The team is comprised of top players from Sun Lakes and nearby areas. The new squad, named Team Ambush, lived up to their name by ambushing the opposition in the recent Winter World Championship Tournament held at five locations in the Phoenix area. The tournament drew 178 teams from all over the country with 13 teams in the 60 Plus AAA bracket in which Team Ambush competed.
The Ambushers won both of their seeding games and earned the No. 2 seed in the double elimination bracket. Team Ambush crushed a solid Colorado-based team 20-8 before beating the talented Arizona Old School team 10-8 to remain in the winners’ bracket. They then waited for Arizona Old School to fight their way through the losers’ bracket for a rematch. Team Ambush beat the Old Schoolers 22-18 to complete a perfect tournament securing the World Winter Championship trophy.
Everyone played well as a team, both defensively and offensively. The team had an incredible overall team on base percentage of .744. Joe Ellis, Steve Hilby, Bruce McClain, Kenny Sheffield and John Underwood were voted to the All-Tournament team.
Team Ambush plans on participating in many tournaments within this tournament year which runs from November through next October. They’re certainly off to a successful start. Congratulations, guys!