A sunny day at the ball park

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

It was a good day for baseball at Udall Park today.

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers decided to take full advantage of the weather as Team White  held on for a 4-3 win over Team Blue. Today's game turned into another pitching duel, this time between two right-handers -- Team Blue's Joe Opocensky and Team White's Bob Daliege.

At the plate it was the hard-hitting tandem of Tim Tolson and Ron Ryan for Team White. Tolson doubled in a run in the bottom of the first inning and Ryan followed with an RBI-single to tie up matters at 2-2. Team Blue had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, thanks to a two-run single from Dave Byars.

After one inning of play, it looked like a high-scoring game was on tap, but Daliege settled in and pitched shutout ball for Team White until the sixth inning, while Opocensky did the same for Team Blue. By the sixth inning the temperature had gone from a crisp 40 degrees to a pleasant 65 degrees.

Byars stepped to the plate in the top of the sixth and hit a shot between second and third. Ryan, Team White's third-sacker,  moved to his left and gloved the ball, but his throw to first baseman John Mathews was too late to nip Byars. After a couple of force plays, Byars was camped at third base and that brought up Brad Vermeer, who then drilled a shot between third and short to score Byars, allowing Team White to regain the lead at 3-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, it turned out to be the Tolson-Ryan show once again. Tolson singled in a run to tie the game and Ryan followed with an opposite-field, RBI-single to give Team White the lead for good.

Team Blue went quietly in the top of the seventh and Daliege had his pitching victory. "I pitched pretty well today," Daliege said. "I didn't walk anyone. I was proud of that. I did hit a batter (Joe Aparicio), but other than that the control was good."

As for Opocensky, he pitched well for Team Blue, but he just couldn't keep Tolson and Ryan from getting the run-scoring hits in the first and sixth inning. Opocensky already owns one win this month. On New Year's Day, Opocensky went the distance and picked up a 3-2 win as the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers opened up the club's 52nd season.

The TOTS return to action on Wednesday with a 10 a.m. game at Udall.

Photo: Daliege had complete control today in 4-3 TOTS' win. Daliege struck out two and didn't walk a batter in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game at Udall Park.