One-third of the teams in Saturday’s Maag Toy Foundation 16″ Softball Tournament were from outside the Phoenix Metropolitan area, and the three teams that traveled in from Yuma had their fingerprints all over this annual event.

Maple Street (Yuma) defeated Oz (Yuma) 5-1 in the Championship Game at Tempe Sports Complex. The third place team, Chunky, was also from Yuma, while Rhodes Trucking was the highest ranking team from the Valley, coming in fourth.

There was even a team from Chicago, Monsters, which featured several players from Crush, the team that won last year’s Maag Toy Foundation event. However, the Chicagoans showed their rust, and were eliminated from the bracket in just two games.

Players in the tournament donated new toys for the Maag Toy Foundation, and all net proceeds of the tournament go toward buying sports tickets and toys for children in Valley area shelters.

“The quality of play was very good and it looks like Arizona teams can compete with Chicago teams,” said tournament organizer Al Maag of Avnet. “Thanks to the support of Avnet, Saturday was a win-win-win. Anytime 16″ softball is played in Arizona, it elevates the awareness this is a better game than 12″ home run derby, it’s great to see out of town teams play and my family’s Toy Foundation was the big winner Saturday with dozens of toys and the net profits to go buy more memories and smiles for needy kids and teens.”

The Maag Toy Foundation was started in 1990, and since then, has been on a quest to bring smiles and laughter to children who could really use them.