By Bill Marsh
Item sports correspondent
STERLING — The Brewers captured the George P. Gibbs Little League AAA championship, downing the Crusaders 4-3 in an edge-of-your-seat game.
For the second consecutive year, the AAA season concluded with a double elimination playoff tournament. All five teams competed in the playoffs, with regular season records used to determine seeding.
In addition to the Brewers and Crusaders, the Warriors, Tsunami and Red Grizzlies were the other AAA teams this season.
In the championship game, the top-seed Brewers received outstanding pitching from team ace Ben Mason, who went four innings, allowing just three runs.
Hard-throwing closer Alex LaBrack entered the game and struck out the six batters he faced, over two innings of relief, to cement the victory.
At the plate, the Brewers were led by Mason and Alvyn Trotta, who contributed a triple and double, respectively. Luca Raymond, a speedster on the base paths, raced to home, scoring one of the four runs.
The Crusaders, the second seed, received a strong pitching performance from Quinn Hollywood, who started and pitched three innings, before giving way to Ryan Chandonnet in relief.
Offensively, Bart Favreau delivered a double to left field.
“This AAA season was one of the most competitive, and evenly matched, that Gibbs Little League has seen in a long time,” Brewer’s manager and league president Jay LaBrack said. “I’ve been a member of the board for 10 years, and this was one of the best seasons ever.”
“Our Little League is thriving, and it is a testament to all of the amazing coaches and volunteers who put so much time and effort into making it a great experience for the kids,” he added.
