70-and-over San Antonio Texans improve to 4-0 at MSBL World Series

30th Annual MSBL World Series

70-and-over division

The San Antonio Texans improved to 4-0 at the Men's Senior Baseball League World Series in Phoenix today with a 14-0 shutout over Team America. Seven players on the roster are from Tucson -- including three players from the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers -- Bob Daliege, Ron Petersen and Pigpen Price.

Today the Texans received a surprise pitching performance from Daliege, who came on in the second inning in place of starter Reece Wellman, from Towson, Maryland. Wellman left the game with a should injury, and Daliege, who left the game the day before with a hip injury, took the ball and pitched eight scoreless innings and picked up the shutout win.

"I felt pretty good out there (on the mound)," Daliege said, after the game. "I was able to push off the rubber and throw a lot of strikes." Daliege is a little sore and the hip is still swollen, but luckily the Texans have a day off tomorrow before their next matchup with Australia on Wednesday.

Daliege even batted once and singled, while Petersen went 2 for 4 today and caught the entire game. Price went 0 for 2 and a walk, but helped Daliege preserve his shutout with a couple of backhanded plays at third base.

As for Price, he's just happy to have four games under his belt at the MSBL World Series. "I popped a hammy back in August and just finished rehab last Monday. So far so good. My right leg is holding up fine."

All the players on the Texans can use a breather. They have played four games in three days and have scored 62 runs, while holding their combined four opponents to just 18 runs. The Texans are in the playoffs for sure and the question is can they win the whole thing and take home their first MSBL title?

"Sure we can." Price adds. "This is a first to get this far. We're sitting pretty right now. We just need to keep winning."

Old Pueblo Club's Mike Morales continued his hot hitting with two more hits today and has 15 hits in the tournament. Joe Jimenez and Joe Banner, both from the Old Pueblo Club in Tucson, hit safely again today as did Curt Gustafson, who plays with the Arizona Rattlers, another 60-and-over baseball team out of Tucson.

Photo: Bob Daliege hurled a shutout for eight innings today at the MSBL World Series, despite a hip injury.