Cap tip to Dirk McCall for the vine.
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With tournament’s top pitcher and home-run hitter, All Phase Land Clearing completes a triumphant run at Colfax Men’s Fast Pitch Classic
By Mike Ray, Gold Country Media Services
PHOTO: Kyler Caldwell of the Les Eva All-Stars attempts to get the bat on the ball in action against the Vino Kings of Sonoma on Sunday during the 44th annual Colfax Men’s Fast Pitch Classic. All Phase Land Clearing of Grass Valley won the tournament.
COLFAX — Strong pitching, key hitting and solid defense paved the way over the weekend for the All Phase Land Clearing men’s softball team to walk off with top honors in the 44th annual Colfax Men’s Fast Pitch Classic.
The Grass Valley team parlayed the trio of ingredients to post four straight wins, including a 17-8 decision over the NorCal Gamblers of Sacramento in Sunday afternoon’s championship game.
All Phase spotted the Gamblers leads of 3-0 and 4-3 in the final before parading 10 batters to the plate in a six-run third inning and 11 more in a six-run fourth.
Justin Deme, who led all hitters in the tournament with six home runs, hit a three-run blast in the third inning before teammate Rob Zydonis added a two-run single to spark the fourth-inning rally.
Pete Medrano worked the first four frames for the win before giving way to Will Maddox, who allowed one-run to the Gamblers in the fifth before closing the door for the save.
All Phase began the tournament Friday night with a 15-4 win over Flue Doctor of Grass Valley, then came back on Saturday for an impressive 4-0 win over the Nor Cal Merchants of Stockton as Maddox fired a four-hitter. Medrano, Troy Sidebottom and Curt Campbell each had a pair of hits.
In Sunday’s elimination games, All Phase gained a berth in the final by blanking McCall’s Painting of San Francisco 3-0. Maddox shut down the Bay Area squad on a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
Maddox was the recipient of the Doug Hess Memorial Award as the tourney’s outstanding pitcher. Deme garnered the Ed Fontana Memorial Award as the tournament’s most valuable player.
ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
All-Phase Land Clearing — Troy Sidebottom, Pete Medrano, Brian Anderson, Jarrett Roenicke
Gamblers — Brian Fontana, Donovan Chilton
Nor Cal Merchants — Dave Chaves, Cary Wiler, Keith Frye, Garrett Brownfield
Doug Hess Memorial Award — Will Maddox, All-Phase
Ed Fontana Memorial Award— Justin Deme, All Phase
PHOTO: Bob Woods and the Les Eva All-Stars battled into Sunday’s quarterfinals before being eliminated.
PHOTO: Micah Flores, left, of the Vino Kings of Sonoma gets set to tag Kevin Gallino of the Les Eva All-Stars at second base Sunday at the 44th annual Colfax Men’s Fast Pitch Classic.