TOTS return to action with a 6-6 tie

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers returned to Udall Park today after a 10-day layoff, which included three straight rainouts.

The boys were a little rusty as Team Blue and Team White played to a 6-6 tie. Joe Opocensky, 71, pitched for Team Blue and lefty Dennis Crowley, 71, took the mound for Team White.

Jesse Ochoa tied the game in the top of the sixth inning with a solid RBI-single to left field. With the game shortened to six innings today, Team White came to bat in the bottom of the inning, needing just one run for the win.

Newcomer John Jarboe, 65, and Doc Thompson, 79,  reached base with solid singles, but with one out Mike Steele, 73, hit a hard ground ball into a force play for the second out and that brought up Pigpen Price, 76, with a chance to be the hero.

Not!

Price took a border line pitch at the knees for a strike and then fouled off a change up from Opocensky. The next pitch sailed high and outside.  The final pitch from Opocensky nailed the outside corner and Price was called out on strikes as the game went on record as a kiss-your-sister game.

"I'm not sure about the last pitch, but Team Blue's catcher Ron Carlson thought is was a strike and the umpire Denny Leonard thought it was too. Of course, Denny has the final say," Price added.

There were plenty of players who made contact with the ball today. Team Blue had three players with three hits -- Ochoa, Opocensky and John Mathews. The trio combined for five RBI and Mathews had three doubles. Doc Thompson led Team White with a 4 for 4 day and two RBI. 

The good news for the TOTS -- they are back playing. The rain went away and the morning turned into a hot one as the temperature reached 97 degrees by the noon hour.

The TOTS return to action on Wednesday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Photo: Jesse Ochoa, 69, made it a kiss-your-sister game today at Udall with an RBI-single to tie the game at 6-6.