Team Blue edges Team White 10-9 in slugfest at Udall Park

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Baseballs were flying out of Udall Park in the early innings, but an opposite-field two-run double in the top of the seventh inning by Ted Davis broke an 8-8 tie and led to a 10-9 win for Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-an-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Early on it looked like the home run ball would eventually decide the winner as Team White's Reed Palmer crushed a home run over the right field fence for his fourth round-tripper of the year and Team Blue's Tim Tolson drilled a two-run homer off the scoreboard in center field for his third of the season.

Instead, the game came down to the final inning. Palmer, who relieved Team White starter Doc Thompson, retired the first two Team Blue batters in the top of the seventh, but Bob Royer reached on an error and moved to second on a walk to Pigpen Price.

That brought up Davis, who worked the count to 3-2 and then hit a double to right. The ball got by Team White right fielder Miguel Urtaza and rolled all the way to the fence. Royer scored and Price scored all the way from first to give Team Blue a 10-8 lead.

"I'm just happy to get a meaningful hit for a change," Davis said, after the game.

Still, Team White had the heart of their order coming up in the bottom of the seventh. Palmer, who went 4 for 4 on the day, doubled in a run with two out to make it 10-9, but Team Blue's Ron Petersen struck out Denny Leonard to end the game and preserve the hard-fought win.

Tolson singled, tripled and homered in his first three at bats, but missed out on the cycle with a single in his final at bat in the sixth inning. Team White's Mike Steele also had a big day at the plate with four hits in four trips to the plate.

Palmer was saddled with the loss and Petersen went the distance for the win.

Photos: top, Tolson, who hit his third homer of the year today, middle, Palmer, who hit his club-leading fourth homer and, bottom, Davis, who provided today's game winning hit.