Call it payback times two.

After dropping a tough two-run decision to Sperle Masonry/M&M Drywall of Fargo Sunday morning, Budweiser/Stadium Sports Bar/Midwest Doors of Bismarck turned the tables not once, but twice that afternoon to capture top honors in the McQuade Softball Tournament's men's Class C division.

Budweiser totaled 41 runs and 49 hits while sweeping two games from Sperle in the championship round. It pounded out 34 hits, including five home runs, on the way to a 29-13 victory in the first title contest. The game ended after six innings because of the 10-run rule. Later, Budweiser smacked three home runs in the 12-8 clincher.

The two teams met earlier in the day in the semifinal round, with Sperle rallying for a 13-11 victory. At one time, Budweiser led 11-4.

"We jumped on them early in that one, but we let it get away," said Budweiser centerfielder Brandon Wilkens. "We were hoping to get another crack at them."

To get another crack at Sperle, Budweiser had to defeat Red Bull of Burnsville, Minn., and did so by a 15-11 score. Then, it took Sperle apart with an offensive onslaught that included an 11-run second inning and a nine-run sixth. The second inning featured a three-run homer by Joey Cornell, and a three-run shot by Rivers Mitchell. Nine Budweiser batters had at least one hit in the inning.

Scott Sheldon cracked a two-run homer in Budweiser's three-run third, and Ryan Johnson homered in the fifth and sixth. Johnson's first round-tripper plated two runs, and his second brought in three.

"We came out hot," said Wilkens, a 10-year softball veteran who is in his first year with the Budweiser team. "Everybody on this team hits the ball hard. We got on a roll early and (Sperle) couldn't slow us down."

Chad Wiedenmeyer and Dana Gerlach homered for Sperle.

In the second title game, Wilkens' two-run homer in the bottom of the first put Budweiser on top 2-1. Sheldon's three-run shot in the fourth made it 10-3. After Sperle scored twice in the top of the fifth on Wiedenmeyer's two-run homer, Budweiser answered in the home half of the inning with Mitchell's two-run shot.

"We swung the bats so well today," said Wilkens, who is an assistant boys basketball coach at Mandan High School. "We did this whole tournament."

Wilkens made his mark in the basketball world, earning all-state honors while at Center High School, and the NAIA Player of the Year award while at Jamestown College. But he also can swing a big bat in softball. He went 8-for-10 with a home run and a double in the two championship games. His eight hits led the team.

Sheldon, Cornell and Johnson each added six safeties for Budweiser, Bryan Rath had five, and Mitchell and Mike Wolff had four apiece.

Wiedenmeyer totaled six hits for Sperle, including a pair of home runs.

Class D-Rec I

Gateway Pharmacy/The Lodge of Bismarck is finding success in its first year as a team.

Gateway outlasted Bun Lounge/Green Quality Construction of Grand Forks 10-6 Sunday to win the Class D-Rec I division title.

Gateway totaled 102 runs in five games en route to the title contest. All five games ended early, via the 10-run rule.

"The last game was the toughest one we had, but that's what you would expect a championship game to be," said Gateway manager Bobby DeKrey. "We're a new team and we're having a good summer. It's exciting to win here. Most of us came from different teams, but I don't think anybody's ever played on a team that won at McQuade."

Rec II and Upper

Great River Energy of Bismarck earned the Rec II title with a 13-7 victory over Glen Ullin Merchants Sunday.

Great River posted one-run victories earlier in the day to move on to the semifinals, where it blanked McNeil's of Fargo 5-0.

"Our defense shined in the semifinals. We turned six double plays," said Great River manager Mark Natwick. "Then our offense shined in the championship game. We got some big, timely hits."

Tharaldson Enterprises of Fargo outslugged Sperle Masonry/Executive Mortgage of Fargo 25-13 to win the Upper division title.