Aces pound out 21 hits in win over Old Pueblo

Southwest Old Timers Baseball League

60-and-over baseball

Dennis Crowley, Tim Tolson, Ron Petersen and Pigpen Price combined for 12 of 21 hits as the Aces slammed the Old Pueblo Club, 16-6, today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Southwest Old Timers League game.

The Aces improved their record in the three-team Tucson senior league -- which includes the Aces, the Old Pueblo Club and the Arizona Rattlers -- to 2-2.

The Aces received solid pitching efforts from  Bob Daliege and Petersen. Daliege (top photo) pitched the first three innings and Petersen the final four frames. The Aces led 6-4 after three innings of play and Petersen (bottom photo), a lefty, allowed just two runs in his stint on the mound.

The Old Pueblo Club sent four pitchers to the mound, but it was right-handed starter Frank Castillo who was saddled with the loss as the Aces collected five runs in the second inning and five more in the fifth off reliever Mike Morales.

"It was kind of a payback," said Aces manager Jerry Hamelin. "We had a big lead against them at their place last month, but made some errors down the stretch and lost the lead and the game. Today, we almost played a perfect game."

Hamelin added that the Aces made just three infield errors, none of which proved costly. Offensively, the Aces had it going with double digit runs and hits, while coming up with key defensive plays.

The Aces outfielders, consisting of Brian Reilly in left, Jim Sears in left center, Dennis Crowley in right center and Petersen in right field, used their speed to run down a dozen fly balls, while the infield, comprised of Tolson at first, Dick Ducklow at second, Lloyd Barzell at short and Pigpen Price at third base, snuffed out a couple of Old Pueblo rallies with some defensive gems of their own.

Pete Peters once again handled the catching duties behind the plate. "It was a good game," said Peters. "Bob did well early on and Ron was fantastic in his four innings of work."

It's just the end of March and the Aces are off and running as most of the players on the Aces are in training mode for the next six months as they prepare for the 2014 MSBL World Series, scheduled for mid-October in Phoenix.

Good job, Aces! Keep it up!