Iowa Games athletes were not the only competitors in Ames this weekend.

Area softball teams played in the American Softball Association state district tournament at South River Valley Park this weekend.

The Tradewinds, an Ames team sponsored by Tradewinds Lounge in Ames, earned a berth in the district finals Sunday with a 5—3 win over Tsunami, a team comprised of players from Ames and Huxley.

The Tradewinds got off to an early start taking a 3—0 lead after three innings.

A change from Ames league rules to ASA rules cost the Tradewinds a run when a fourth inning hit out of the park was called an out. In league rules, a team is allowed three home runs per game, and every home run after that is an out. The ASA rules do not allow traditional home runs, and all balls over the outfield fence become outs.

Tsunami came firing back from their early deficit, tying the game with their next at bat.

After seven innings on a field dampened by Saturday’s rain, the Tradewinds had won the game 5—3 and prepared to face an undefeated foe in the final game.

“We have to beat them twice to advance to state,” player Colin Shearn said before the game.

The Tradewinds fought their way to the championship through the loser’s bracket after losing a previous game in the tournament.

Their drive to state ended with a loss in the championship game later Sunday afternoon.

Most of the players on the district and state team played for one of the Tradewinds sponsored teams in the Ames summer league.

“The teams are combined to make the best team possible for districts,” Shearn said.

After what Shearn said was a mediocre season, he had high hopes for the current tournament.

“We have a lot of experience, and most of the guys have done this before,” he said.

Shearn said the youngest player on the team is 23, and they have two players that are 58.

The team began playing games in April, and Shearn said they will continue to play until it snows.

The state tournament, hosting one team from each of the ten districts in Iowa, will be held August 8—10 in either Burlington or Des Moines.