Scorpions fall to South Dakota 8-7

Men's Senior Baseball League World Series

70-and-over Arizona Scorpions

2nd round game at Maryvale Stadium


The Arizona Scorpions are battling at the 2014 MSBL World Series.

Today the Scorpions battled back from a 4-0 deficit and took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning against South Dakota but couldn't hold the lead in the last two innings as the Rushmores strung together enough hits in the top of the eighth and ninth and escaped with an 8-7 win.

Chico Bigham of Tucson pitched the first six innings and gave way to reliever Phil Webster from Camby, Indiana in the seventh. Jeff Helzel and Pigpen Price, both from Tucson, had four of the Scorpions 14 hits today -- Helzel 2 for 4 and two runs batted in and Price collected two hits in two at bats. Ron Petersen had another hit today and has three hits at the World Series after two games, while Price is 3 for 5.

The Scorpions take on Tri Valley tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at the Goodyear Complex, spring training home of the Cleveland Indians. The Scorpions need a win over Tri Valley and a win Wednesday over Dodgertown to have a shot at the playoffs.

"We hit better today, but didn't get the key hit when we needed it," said manager Jerry Hamelin.

Scorpions' Note: Our Puerto Rico connection -- Jorge Fuentes and Marcos Garcia -- went 5 for 7 today. Tucsonan Arnie White dropped down two sacrifice bunts and scored a run.