Daliege takes things into his own hands in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-over baseball

Bob Daliege, 73, is warming up for the 2021 Men's Senior Baseball League World Series, scheduled for mid October in Phoenix. Today at Udall Park, Daliege picked up the pitching victory for Team White with six solid innings of work and knocked in the winning run with an RBI double to centerfield in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-3 walk-off win over Team Blue.

Daliege was locked in a tough matchup with Team Blue's right-hander Pete Maldonado for close to two hours as both pitchers battled the excessive heat, while the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers hustled on and off the field for six innings in hopes of beating the triple digits. The temperature reached 100 degrees at high noon and the expected high for the day: a sweltering 105 at 4 p.m.

As for Daliege and three of his MSBL World Series (73-and over division) teammates -- Pigpen Price, Pete Peters and David Byars -- it's just another normal workout as they edge closer to their date in Phoenix and their first game of the prestigious annual tournament on October 25.

Also on the field of play were Tim Tolson, John Mathews and Joe Opocensky, along with the injured Bobby Long, who was on the bench today and out of action for a couple more weeks --recovering from minor arm surgery. Those four players, along with Mike Dawson, who is currently enjoying a week-long vacation in Hawaii, will play in the 65-and-over division at the MSBL World Series, scheduled for October 23-29.

Tolson and Opocensky, two hard hitting left-handers, combined for four hits and two RBI today in a losing cause for Team Blue, while Byars was one of four players to collect a hit in the top of the sixth today as Team Blue managed to tie the game 3-3, but left the bases loaded.

That left Daliege to do his thing in the bottom of the inning. Jesse Ochoa reached on an error and gave way to the pinch-runner, Mathews, who scored all the way from first base on Daliege's booming double over the head of Team Blue's centerfielder John Misiaszek.

Despite the heat,  the die-hard old-timers will close out the week at Udall with a 9 a.m. game on Friday.

Photo:  Daliege, who grabbed the pitching victory today and knocked in the winning run -- a 4-3 walk-off win for Team White.