The Grand Rapids Brewers went to Ohio over the weekend and won the National Amateur Baseball Federation 22u World Series championship.
"It was awesome," Brewers infielder and Hope College junior Spencer Cable said. "It got canceled last year due to COVID so I hadn't been there, I didn't really know what to expect. The competition was great and we just kind of went off and it was awesome to see everyone succeed in the way that we did."
The Brewers were swinging some hot bats over the weekend scoring 34 runs in their final three games including 11 in the championship game win.
"We have a motto that we feast on fastballs, we don't let anyone throw a pitch by us," Brewers head coach Josh Russell said. "Guys had a great game plan and they executed it to perfection."
Winning is the cherry on top, but just the opportunity to play this summer is big for the players on the Brewers roster.
While division one players are off playing in the Cape Cod league or the Northwoods League, the guys on the Brewers are mostly from junior college, NAIA or NCAA division three programs.
"The d3/juco level you are not getting pushed to summer ball as much as you are at higher level," Cable, who started his college career at Central Michigan University, said. "At Central guys are getting assigned so they are traveling, pretty much, the world going to play and that is what's, I think, nice about this league is it gives everyone an opportunity to get better and also play the competition that you are going to face all year."
The Brewers won the Great Lakes United Baseball League to advance to the World Series.
The league is made up of six teams currently but they are planning to add teams for next year in Jackson and Livonia and would like to get to ten teams for next summer.
The Brewers success cannot hurt that potential.
"It's huge moving forward to get other kids in the area that are college athletes that are looking for another place to play," Russell said. "We are looking to expand in the area."
Russell would like to add another Grand Rapids team, he just needs enough guys that want to play.
"Growing up playing baseball, I've lived here all my life and just the amount of guys that I've played against, I know it's a huge baseball community," Cable said. "With all the high schools there is a lot of great players around here that I think want to play."
Right now the Brewers will enjoy their World Series win before heading back to school in a few weeks.
