2010 North Franklin Men’s Softball Champions Strong based Brew Crew has done it again. Pictured (back row, left to right) are Brandon Wheeler, Jeff Pillsbury, Matt Ryan, Tim Merwin, Victor Butterfield, Rick Durrell, Will Crockett, Doug Osgood, Kirby Ross, Eric Adams, (middle) Mike Buxton, coach Terry Wilcox, Josh Wilcox Jason Wing, Jake Kilbreth, Curtis Tyler, (front) Betty Atkinson and Sasha Bolens. Not pictured is Rand Richards. (David Hart photo) PHILLIPS -– Over the last five years, Grams and Brew Crew have been in the North Franklin County men’s softball championship round. “It was no surprise today to see them again battling it out,” said league commissioner Bud Philbrick.

For the second year in a row, or four of the last five, Brew Crew has become the tournament champions. Brew Crew is also the 2010 regular season champion.

Brew Crew sailed its way through the tourney winning the first two games. This sent them into the championship bracket facing Grams, a familiar foe who they had to beat the twice. In a battle between titans, Brew Crew prevailed winning this one by way of the long ball by the score of 6-5.

Bat speed Brew Crew’s Josh Wilcox rips this 2-RBI home run in the fifth inning of the North Franklin County men’s softball championship games. This rope gave the Crew a 4-0 lead over Grams. (David Hart photo) Brew Crew came out with a very simple game plan. Hit the ball hard and hit it far. Jason Wing led his team with five homeruns in the tourney. Curtis Tyler hit two of the five total homeruns for Brew Crew in the final round.

The Grams faced a tough Rangeley team in the semifinal round and were able to advance with a 16-10 win. Grams’ Brandon Durrell was red hot at the plate and went 4-for-5 with an in-the-park grand slam and an inthe park homerun for six RBIs.

“At the tournament there’s always one team who steps up in the standings and this year it was Rangeley,” Philbrick said.

The final round was quiet until the bottom of the second when Brew Crew’s Eric Adams smacked a solo shot for a 1-0 lead. Leading off in the bottom of the third, Tyler hammered a long shot over the fence to make it 2- 0 Brew Crew.

In the fifth inning, Brew Crew opened it up after Tyler singled. Josh Wilcox drove him home with a 2 RBI dinger. The next batter was Wing who followed suite, and roped a back-to-back line drive homer for a 5-0 lead.

Grams didn’t give up and fought back in the top of the sixth. Alan Brissard drew a walk to start it off. With two outs, Mike Radcliff reached on a single, Darryl Howard had an RBI single and Mark Henderson drove in two with a triple. Cliff Lehigh RBI single made it a 5-4 game through the middle of the seventh. Tyler who went 3-for- 4 on the day sent his second monster-shot over the fence for a 6-4 lead.

Grams made it interesting in the ninth after Tim Swett reached on a one out single. Lead-off hitter Nick Caton also singled with two outs followed by Durrell who drove in Swett for a one run game. Radcliff’s fly ball to center was reeled in for the final out of the game and tournament.

“This year the league was very competitive with great games all season long,” Philbrick said. “At any given time any one team could come out and beat the other.”

After the game, Kirby Ross formally thanked tournament officials Philbrick of Strong, Rick Clark of Rangeley and Rocky Dube of Avon as well as the rest of the regular season officials for doing an outstanding job and putting up with the players. If it wasn’t for them, we would not have our season or weekend tournament, Ross said.

Brew Crew’s lead sponsors are Sandy River Cash Fuel, Gordon Lumbering and Trucking and Boralex. On each of their sleeves of their jerseys it reads, “In loving memory of Angie Durrell.”

Congratulations go out the Grams ball club as runnersup and Brew Crew for becoming the 2010 regular season and tournament champs.

NFC tournament scores
Phillips, 10 –- Rangeley, 8
Grams, 10 –- Kingfield, 3
Brew Crew, 28 -– Phillips, 3
Rangeley, 17 -– Kingfield (E), 4
Rangeley, 23 -– Phillips (E), 13
Brew Crew 10 — Grams, 3
Grams, 16 -– Rangeley (E), 10
Brew Crew, 6 -– Grams, 5