Locals win state slowpitch softball tournament

WENATCHEE - The Brew Crew, a Columbia Basin-based men's slowpitch softball team, took home first place at the 2007 state tournament, played Aug. 11-12 at Walla Point Park.

The team finished third in its league standings and improved upon that performance at state thanks to outstanding defense. The Brew Crew won three games on Saturday and three more on Sunday to win the state title.

"I knew that there weren't any team that would be able to get through our defense," player BJ Garza said. "We're just too strong of a team who, honestly, had the desire and drive to win the state championship."

The team improved to 2-0 on Saturday courtesy of an Omar Valdez walk-off home run, giving the Brew Crew a 2-1 win. Valdez added two more homers during the tournament, helping the team through some very hard-fought and close contests.

"It felt so good to hit those three home runs when they were needed to help out the team," Valdez said. "I knew we could do it - we just needed to do it one run at a time."

Another Brew Crew player, Stevie Garza, won the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. BJ Garza, Felipe Martinez, Geronimo Coronado and Josh Gonzalez all earned All-Star awards.

It wasn't the first championship the team won this season, as it took three National Softball Association regular-season tournament titles and a pair of United States Specialty Sports Association titles.

The team thanks its sponsors: Zack's Pizza of Quincy, Papa's Casino of Moses Lake, and Budweiser, as well as friends and family members who helped lend support to a successful season.

The Brew Crew will be in action again this weekend, Aug. 25-26, competing at the Chicano Latino State Tournament at Lions Park in Othello.

- Staff report