Scorpions win! Scorpions win!

Men's Senior Baseball League World Series

Arizona Scorpions


The Arizona Scorpions upset the San Diego Mudcats 12-11 at the MSBL World Series today at the Tempe Diablo Sports Complex and in doing so qualified for the playoffs on Saturday morning and will take on the top seed, the Sacramento Solons, at 9 AM at the Papago Sports Complex in Phoenix.

The Scorpions (2-3) will go into the playoffs as the eighth seed. The Solons get the top seed due to their 4-0-1 record after five round robin games.

Today there were a lot of heroes in the Scorpions' win. Lefty Phil Webster from Camby, Indiana pitched eight strong innings and kept the Mudcats off balance with an assortment of pitches -- included a cutter. Right-hander Ed Rife came on in the ninth inning and picked up the save.

Jeff Helzel, Ron Petersen, Pigpen Price, Arnie White, Eddie Eckert, Chico Bigham and Rife (the Tucson boys) all hit safely for the Scorpions. Top defensive plays were turned in by second baseman Tony Bonilla, who made two tough fly ball outs and three assists, and by Price, at third base, who had six assists -- including the last two outs in the bottom of the ninth, which sealed the win.

Scorpions manager Jerry Hamelin (also from Tucson) was a happy camper, after today's win. "The win got us in the playoffs. It hasn't been the best week as things certainly haven't gone our way. But today we got it done and we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Way to go, Scorpions!