CROSBY TOWNSHIP — Perkins Roofing/Watanabe Optical/TBS showed upstart Western Hills Windows on Sunday night what playing in the Majors is all about.

        Perkins came from the losers bracket to beat Western Hills 20-3 and 25-5, claiming its second consecutive Major Division title at the 50th annual Metro Softball Tournament at Rumpke Park.

        Western Hills moved up to the Majors after winning last year's A Division crown.

        Next up for Perkins is a trip to the Amateur Softball Association National Tournament. Unlike in years past, however, the Metro championship did not automatically qualify Perkins for nationals.

        This year, the Metro changed from a national qualifier to an invitational. The reason: a new set of rules adopted by the tournament to restrict the types of bats used by players. Metro commissioner Danney Saylor said although the decision to ban eight specific bats was made with fairness and safety in mind, it caused quite a backlash.

        “It was the biggest controversy in the history of the tournament,” Saylor said. “But the average ballplayer wants his game back.”

        Saylor, who has been with the tournament since 1979, said the feats of average ballplayers show the need for reform.

        “Fifteen years ago, if you hit three home runs in a game, you were a god in softball,” he said. “Now, there's 40 or 50 guys in the city that can do it.”

        Halfway into the tournament, the ASA — softball's governing body in the United States — took a similar stance by banning six bats.

        Metro softball umpiring chief Pat Hessler, who instructed his umpires before Monday night's final games to check all bats, said the steps being taken by softball governing bodies are warranted.

        “It's the only way we'll get our game back,” he said.

        Eight more teams were slated to fight it out Monday night at the 351-team tournament. In the A Division finals, Taylor Made/Royal Athletics/CustomCutts/BW3s faced the winner of Raw Talent vs.Local 392 Blue. The B Division finals saw Sidelines Cafi take on the winner between Sullivan Group Design and JSA/Nasty Boys. Central Light/Huss Electric and Kidwell/O'Charley's/MSM met in the C Division finals, while Teamworks and the Red Dogs were slated to square off in the Division D finals.

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