Wildcats let one slip away

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats let one slip away at Hi Corbett Field last night.

New Mexico came from behind and plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat the Wildcats, 5-4. Reliever Andrew Nardi was saddled with the loss as Arizona lost its first home game of the year and falls to 6-3.

The Wildcats open a three-game series at Hi Corbett on Friday against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

TOTS thaw out

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

After two weeks of rain outs and a rare day of snow in the Old Pueblo, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers thawed out and played at Udall Park today.

The result a 7-5 win for Team White over Team Blue, thanks to some hard hitting from John Mathews and Joe Opocensky who led all hitters with three hits apiece. Opocensky pitched all seven innings for Team White and picked up the pitching victory. Team Blue's Mike Dawson hurled six innings and was saddled with the loss.

Down 5-2, Team White plated five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning -- including a two-run triple from Lloyd Barzell. Team White collected six hits in the inning. Team Blue failed to score in the top of the seventh, despite loading the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, Pigpen Price hit a grounder to Team White's second baseman Brad Vermeer for the final out.

The TOTS return to action on Friday at Udall. Game time 10:00 a.m.

Arizona makes it 2 in a row at McKale

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


As it should be.

The Arizona Wildcats make it two in a row at home -- at McKale -- in front of their fans tonight with a 70-54 win over Stanford.

Arizona improves to 16-12 and 7-8 in the Pac-12 as Ira Lee comes off the bench to lead the way with 16 points, while Chase Jeter and Justin Coleman chipped in 14 points apiece. Brandon Randolph also finished in double figures with 10 points.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Wildcats win 2, lose 2 on the road

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats opened the 2019 season at home at Hi Corbett Field with four straight wins and then journeyed to Texas for a four-game road trip -- including a single game against Rice and a three-game series against the Houston Cougars.

The result of the road trip: a 16-5 win over Rice, a 2-1 and a 9-7 loss to the Cougars, followed by a 9-4 victory over Houston today.

Cameron Cannon went 7 for 18 during the road trip  -- including a home run and five RBI.

Arizona returns home at 6-2, just in time to take on New Mexico on Wednesday.

Finally! Arizona wins!

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Ryan Luther hit five of eight shots from beyond the arc and scored 19 points at McKale tonight to lead Arizona to its first win in a month with a 76-51 win over the cold-shooting California Golden Bears.

Arizona shot 49.1 percent from the field, including 11 of 31 three-pointers to improve to 15-12 overall and 6-8 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Wildcats led 30-20 at the end of the first half and gradually built on the lead in the second half. Alex Barcello finished in double figures with 14 points, while starting center Chase Jeter added 13 and freshman Debonaire Doutrive came off the bench to chip in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The seven-game losing streak comes to an end.

Arizona's consecutive losing streak reaches 7 games

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats (14-12, 5-8) return home for a clash on Thursday at McKale Center against the  California Golden Bears (5-20, 0-13). Arizona lost on the road to Utah 83-76 last Thursday and followed up tonight with a 67-60 loss in Boulder to Colorado -- the seventh loss in a row by our reeling Wildcats.

Ryan Luther hit four treys tonight and finished the game with 17 points, while Dylan Smith hit four 3-pointers and ended up with 16.

Tough season continues.

Arizona opens season with 4-game sweep of UMass Lowell

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats opened their 2019 baseball season with a four-game sweep at Hi Corbett over the visiting River Hawks from UMass Lowell.

Arizona scored 69 runs in the series -- including a 20-5 win today as freshman Ryan Holgate from Davis, California hit his third home run of the series and drove in a game-high five runs.

The Wildcats won the first game of the series 12-4 and followed up with a 18-4 win and a 19-4 win before finishing off the River Hawks today.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Palmer shuts down Team Blue, 6-3

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over-baseball

Reed Palmer makes a lot of noise when he bats. Palmer, the Tucson Old Timers current home run record holder, is a force to be reckoned with when he takes the mound as well.

Today at Udall Park, Palmer led Team White to a 6-3 win over Team Blue as he effectively mixed in his fastball with a change up and a menacing curve ball.

The fast-paced seven-inning game was played in 90 minutes, thanks to Palmer's control on the mound and Team Blue's right-hander Pete Maldonado, who mirrored Palmer for most of the game. Both pitchers threw nothing but strikes.

"I tried to throw a lot of strikes today, but they still hit me hard at times," Palmer said

As for Maldonado, he loves to throw strikes. "I hate to walk anybody."

Thus, the reason why the game was played at such a speedy clip.

Needless to say, both teams had trouble putting a lot of runs on the board. Lloyd Barzell and  John Mathews led Team White with two hits apiece, while Pete Peters and Ron Ryan managed two hits apiece for Team Blue.

The play of the day was turned in by Peters, who played left field for Team Blue. Peters took away a hit off the bat of Pigpen Price with a shoestring catch in the sixth inning. Peters grinned, "Pigpen's not talking to me right now."

Dan Boxberger, who caught the offerings from Palmer, had a nice game behind the plate, including a play behind home plate where he hauled in a high pop up to snuff out a Team Blue rally.

Rain is in the forecast for Friday. The TOTS hope to get the game in at Udall. Game time is set for 10a.m. Today was the last day of the 70-degree weather for the month as the forecast for the remaining days in February predict temperatures in the middle 50s and more rain.

Photo: Palmer at work.

Old Pueblo out slugs Aces, 16-11

Tucson Aces

60-and-over baseball

It was cool and windy this morning at Santa Rita Park.

The home team provided all the heat in this one as the Old Pueblo Club out hit the 60-and-over Tucson Aces en route to a 16-11 win. The Aces had their hitting shoes on during the early innings and built a 4-run lead at 10-6 after four innings of play.

Unfortunately for the Aces, Old Pueblo plated five runs in the fifth inning and five more runs in the sixth, while the visiting team had to settle for a lone run in the top of the seventh inning.

"I started getting my pitches up in the later innings," said Mike Dawson, the club's manager and starting pitcher.

It was a disappointing loss for the Aces. "Usually we win when we score 11 runs," said Tim Tolson, the club's power-hitter who had to settle for just one hit today.

The Old Pueblo Club started Tucson MSBL Hall-of-Famer Arnold Mares and the Aces had little trouble posting runs off him. But then Old Pueblo went to the bullpen and brought in Glenn Vann in the fifth. Vann struck out two of the three batters he faced in the inning and went on to pick up the win.

Big John Mathews was the top hitter for the Aces with a 2 for 3 day and a walk. He also scored a run and knocked in a run. Lou Russo provided the biggest blow in the fifth inning with a bases-loaded double to put  the Old Pueblo Club up, 11-10, and regain the lead for good.

Today's Aces:

C-   Pete Peters
1B- Dave Byars
2B- Danny Price/Arnie White
3B  John Mathews
SS- Lloyd Barzell
LF- Tim Tolson
LC- Bob Daliege
RC- Mike Steele
RF- Ken Nebesny
SP- Mike Dawson



Photo: John Mathews

89-year-old still a threat on the bath paths

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Billy Heiny, 89, will soon say "goodbye" to the 80s. He turns 90 in August.

Remarkably, age doesn't keep the second oldest TOT down. Today, Heiny scored all the way from first base in the sixth inning to score one of the four runs for Team Blue.

Unfortunately, Team Blue lost to Team White 8-4 at Udall Park as Lloyd Barzell had three hits and scored twice and Mike Dawson chipped in another three hits. Team White jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings of play and never trailed in the game.

Team Blue just couldn't get anything started in this one. Pigpen Price went 3 for 3 and knocked in a run in a losing cause. Pete Maldonado picked up the pitching victory, while Joe Opocensky absorbed the loss.

As for Billy, well he's like the Energizer Bunny. He keeps on ticking...and running.

Way to go, Billy!

Photo: The fleet-footed Billy Heiny at the plate.

Note: The Energizer Bunny is the mascot of the Energizer battery company. It is a mechanical toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and sandals and beats a bass drum. It never gets tired and never stops. The first Energizer Bunny commercial was broadcast on U.S. television on October 30, 1988. Billy Heiny was 59 then. Of course, Billy beats to a different drum. That's for sure. He can still get the bat on the ball.

Poor shooting, losses continue for Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats (14-10, 5-6) suffered their fifth straight loss last night at McKale.

Another poor shooting night (27 percent in the first half, 31.1 percent for the game) as Arizona falls to Washington 69-55. Justin Coleman led the Wildcats with 14 points.

Bear down, Wildcats!

Tolson homers in third, hits game-winner in 7th inning

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

They call him Thunder Tim for a reason.

Team White's Tim Tolson homered in the third inning and provided the walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh inning with an RBI-single to center field for a 7-6 win over Team Blue in a 60-and-over baseball game today at Udall Park.

Mike Steele and Bill Mishler hit back-to-back singles to get things going in the bottom of the seventh and Tolson stepped to the plate later in the inning and provided the game-winner as Steele scored easily from third base.

Down 5-1, Team Blue had tied the game in the top of the sixth with a 4-run rally, highlighted by a three-run, bases-clearing double from Ken Nebesny. Team Blue's Lloyd Barzell added three hits in a losing cause, and Mike Dawson had three hits and three RBI for Team White.

Still, it came down to the hot bat of Tolson, who knocked in three runs in the game -- included his club-leading second home run of the season.

Right-hander Bob Daliege picked up the pitching victory, while right-hander Pete Maldonado was saddled with the loss.

Team Blue had a rare triple play in the second inning. Arnie White drilled a one-hopper to third baseman Pigpen Price, who stepped on third and threw to second baseman Brad Vermeer for the second out. Vermeer's throw to Team Blue's first baseman Dick Ducklow was in time to nip White.

The game started out in the mid 30s, but by the seventh inning the temperature hovered around the 65-degree mark. A sunny day and a happy ending for Team White.

The TOTS return to action on Monday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Arizona loses at home...again

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats and the Washington Huskies are heading in different directions.

The Wildcats, without starting guard Brandon Williams, lose their fourth straight game, falling to 14-9 overall and 5-5 in the Pac-12 Conference with a loss to Washington 67-60 at McKale Center tonight. The Huskies improve to 19-4 and a perfect 10-0 in Pac-12 play.

Justin Coleman led the Wildcats with 16 points. Arizona shot just 37 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers.

New England wins Super Bowl LIII

New England won its sixth Super Bowl with a 13-3 win tonight in Atlanta over the LA Rams.

Hats off to former University of Arizona star Rob Gronkowski, who set up the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a pass from Tom Brady, setting up a first and goal at the 2-yard line.

Sony Michael scored on the next play for the only touchdown of the game.

Gronkowski hauled in six passes from Brady for 87 yards.

Congrats to Patriots!

Dawson led the TOTS in hits in January

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Mike Dawson, 63, led the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in hits during the month of January with 20. Dawson batted 31 times for a healthy .645 batting average. Dawson played in nine games during the month and tied for the most runs scored with 12 along with teammate Lloyd Barzell.

Other top hitters for the month include John Mathews and Pete Peters.

Mathews, who played in just three games, went 10 for 12 for a .833 average, while Pete Peters played in seven games and went 16 for 23, a .696 average. Reed Palmer and Tim Tolson hit a home run during the month. Palmer played in nine games and went 17 for 30, a .567 average, while Tim Tolson played in eight games and went 14 for 27, a .519 average. Tolson led the club in RBI with 12, while Dick Ducklow was second with 10.

Dawson was also the top pitcher for the month with three wins and only one loss.

Photo: Dawson

Team White wins slugfest, 18-17

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Pete Maldonado sliced a two-run single to right field for a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh inning as Team White came from behind for a 18-17 victory over Team Blue in a 60-and-over baseball game today at Udall Park.

Team Blue scored five runs in the top of the seventh and took a 17-14 lead into the bottom of the inning. Maldonado, who pitched all seven innings for Team White, had plenty of help from his teammates along the way as Lloyd Barzell went 4 for 5 and Ken Nebesny had three hits and knocked in a team-high five runs.

Tim Tolson and Ron Ryan combined for seven hits and each player knocked in six runs for Team Blue.  Pete Peters came close to a perfect day at the plate for Team Blue with four hits in five trips to the plate.

"I should have had five hits, but Pigpen (Price) robbed me at third base," Peters said. The hard-hitting Peters ripped a shot down third in the top of the fifth, but Price backhanded the ball and nipped the fleet-footed Peters at first base.

All in all a good day offensively for both teams. Dennis Crowley started for Team Blue and Mike Dawson came on in relief and ended up saddled with the hard-luck loss.

There were a lot of hits in this one and a combined 13 errors in the game.

One of Team Blue's hits came from the oldest player on the field, 92-year-old Floyd Lance, who singled to right field in the third inning.

The TOTS will return to action and will be looking to put the bat on the ball once again on Monday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photo: Pete Maldonado, who picked up the pitching victory and drove in the game-winner today.