Brewers are 2021 NDBL senior champs

By Brian Lockhart

The North Dufferin Baseball League senior championship series between the Bolton Brewers and the New Lowell Knights ended in spectacular fashion when Bolton's Stephen Warden hit a grand slam home run in the sixth inning. 

With the Brewers leading 8 – 0, the four runs invoked the mercy rule of a ten or more run differential to end the game and give the Bolton team the championship.

The final between the Brewers and the Knights took place in Bolton on Saturday, September 25.

The Brewers were leading the best-of-five series 2 – 0 going into Game Three. 

The Knights needed a win to keep the series alive.

Saturday's game saw the Brewers open with a huge start scoring seven runs in the first two innings of the afternoon.

A grand slam home run from Bolton's Chris Fafalios in the first inning gave the Brewers a 4 – 0 lead to start the game. 

The Brewers planted three more runs in the second and single in fifth to make it an 8 – 0 game and put all the pressure on the Knights to respond.

On the mound, Bolton started their ace pitcher, Trent Barwick, who pitched six innings giving up two hits and striking out one. 

The best-of-five series got underway the previous weekend with Bolton taking the first two games by a score of 2 – 1 and 4 – 1. 

It was short season this year, but that didn't stop all teams in the league from putting out a good effort and playing some spectacular baseball.

The top eight teams went into the playoffs, completing two rounds to decide which teams had earned the right to go to the final.

The Brewers and Knights finished in the top two spots in the regular season. 

The NDBL Strother Cup was presented to Brewers. 

The Brewers last won the Cup in 2017, and won five consecutive years from 2009 to 2013. 

After the game, Trent Barwick and Nick Hodgson were named the most valuable players in the playoffs and were awarded the Paul Carruthers Memorial Award from League secretary Scott Anderson.