Charity softball games raises more than $1,200

Gilpatrick's Greg Dye grins as he crosses home plate after hitting a home run. Below, donated toys and food; Catcher Stephanie Stanton and ump Troy Graffam at loggerheads and Chris Gilpatrick Jr. gets a hit during the game. (Harrison Thorp photos)

EAST LEBANON - Forget the Yankees-Red Sox, the Bruins-Montreal, the Celtics-Heat.

Northern New England has a new rivalry to cheer.

Lebanon Fire vs. Gilpatrick Property Service.

After weeks of anticipation and angst, the two teams met on the playing field of STS Field in East Lebanon with the “Gilpatrick Bombers” whacking a plethora of prodigious towering home runs to humble Lebanon Fire, 23-10.

The real winners in the game, however, were the kids and some of Lebanon’s most needy families. The benefit softball game raised some $1,200 for the town’s summer camp program, plus 173 1/2 pounds of food for town food pantries and 51 toys for Lebanon Fire’s Christmas toys for needy kids project.

As far as the game was concerned, Gilpatrick Property Services scored somewhere around six runs in their first at bat and never really looked back.

Greg Dye hit a couple of home runs for the grass mowing company as well as Adam Hale and Andrew Welch.

Firefighters fought back valiantly with roundtrippers by Josh Tapley, Joe Perron, Brett Burke and Mitchell Neubert, but it wasn’t enough.

There was a lot of scoring … and a lot of entertainment as well, including an ongoing, all-in-good-fun dispute over balls and strikes between umpire Troy Graffam of Sanford and the Fire Department’s catcher, Stephanie Stanton. At one point Graffam quipped he’d take away Fire Department runs if she didn’t stop arguing his calls. Later she was called out at first on a ground ball and wouldn’t get off the bag, kiddingly showing the ump up. Graffam went along with the gag, telling her to go back to the dugout, which she did with a smile.

The most incredible play, however, was when center fielder Tapley was caught looking out into the woods when a Gilparick player lofted a towering fly ball in his direction. Tapley turned and nonchalantly caught the ball near the fence.

About 60 or so residents attended the game, including Lebanon Selectmen Chair Karen Gerrish, who sang “Sweet Caroline” with friends to celebrate the seventh-inning stretch giving the whole show a Fenway feel.

The concession stand was open with tasty burgers and dogs that went fast despite the early morning start to the game. All the concession money went to the summer program as well.

Money was also raised by drawing for prizes donated by Skydive New England, Schoolhouse Ice Cream and Lebanon Pines Golf Course.

“We mowed ‘em over,” said a chuckling Chris Gilpatrick Sr. soon after the teams lined up to shake hands after the game. “We are the better athletes,” he added, referring to a The Lebanon Voice article fielded earlier in the week over the relative athleticism of the two professions.

Lebanon’s firefighters were unfazed. And a little fired up. They want a rematch soon. Gilpatrick Property Services agreed. The rematch is tentatively set for September.

This time, it’s serious.

After the game the two teams line up for a group picture.