The game that would never end

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue  13  Team White 10

Mike Dawson, co-manager of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, spends a lot of time on the baseball field these days.

At night he ramrods his Little League players through their paces -- that alone is quite an undertaking, but he also manages a club of old-time ball players three days a week at Udall Park, which includes setting daily lineups, making sure the scheduled work crews have the field in working order and, along with co-manager Mike Steele, manages to keep a club of baseball players happy -- a club consisting of a roster of  close to 75 players.

And he tries to play, too. Dawson, 67, is one of the club's top hitters and he logs in his share of mound duty. This morning at Udall Park, he would have been happy with a low key game -- a six-inning affair, with an 8:30 start, maybe a handful of 1-2-3 innings to boot, then close up shop, head home for a few hours of rest before heading off to Freedom Park on the south side of town and another night with his Little Leaguers. If all goes well, he'd be home and in bed before midnight.

Dawson (photo) toed the rubber for Team Blue today and went up against another right-hander 70-year-old Ernesto Escala, who started for Team White, before he turned the ball over to Mark Rupert in the fifth.

"I threw a lot of pitches today," Escala said. "The innings seemed to last forever."

Before the first pitch this morning, the players had decided to go six. After all, the temperature was rising and the humidity was building as well. Six innings would be enough today for a group of players ranging in age, this morning, from 64 to 76.

The first inning went quickly. Two runs by Team Blue and a lone run by Team White.

Then the game began to sputter.

Two hours and twenty minutes later it was over. Twenty-one players saw action. There were 75 at bats among the players -- including a few wild pitches, eight walks, a hit batter,  six errors, 32 hits banged around the confines of Udall Park and 23 runs scored.

The final score: Team Blue 13 Team White 10.

"It was a long game," said Dawson, who eventually picked up the win. He allowed 10 runs, 15 hits and walked three batters, while his teammates committed four errors behind him. Escala allowed 10 runs, 12 hits, struck out two and walked four. Rupert was saddled with the loss as the game went into the sixth tied at 10-10, before Team Blue plated three runs -- included a 2-RBI single from Dawson, who finished the game with three hits and four RBI.

Joe Opocensky contributed three hits for Team Blue as did Steele, while David Byars ended up with four RBI on the day. Ken Nebesny and Tim Tolson were the hitting stars for Team White. Nebesny went 3 for 3 with a walk, while Tolson was a perfect 4 for 4 and four RBI.

Newcomer Frank "The Mechanic" Garcia received his TOTS' hat today and became the newest member of  the organization. Garcia, 67, played right field for Team Blue today and went 2 for 3.

As for the TOTS' scorekeeper Mal Zwolinski, 84, he recorded every out, every hit, every error today, just like he always does. Mal keeps a clock at the scoring table inside the dugout on the third base side and records every play -- no matter how long it takes.

The TOTS will be back in action on Friday, July 1 and will be ready for action. No matter how long it takes.

Go, TOTS!

 

 

Battery combo of Abramson-Dean lead Team Blue to a 10-3 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue 10  Team White  3

The catcher-pitcher combination of Larry Abramson and Sam Dean led Team Blue to a 10-3 win over Team White today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Abramson, 68, tossed a five-hitter and allowed a lone run in the first inning and two runs in the seventh, while Dean, 65, handled duties behind the plate and collecting three hits in the game. Dean scored three runs and knocked in a run, while Abramson helped his own cause with two hits and scored twice. Dean has been on fire his last three games in June with eight hits in 11 trips to the plate -- a blistering .727 batting average.

Team Blue scored in every inning, except the fifth when they plated a four-spot, while Team White went  without scoring runs in the middle innings, but managed a lone run in the first inning and two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

The TOTS will be back in action on Wednesday at Udall. Game time: 8:30 AM.

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Photo: Sam Dean collected three hits today to help TOTS' Blue to a 10-3 win and is now eight for 11 in his last three games -- a .727 batting average.

The young guys call me, "Sir"

Tucson Old Timer (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

I started playing for the best organized amateur baseball team in the world back in 2008. I was a young whippersnapper and for that first summer with the 60-and-over TOTS, I briefly was the youngest player on the roster.

My new teammates didn't know me from Adam.

An old saying derived from the fact that Adam lived so long ago that nobody could possibly recognize him.

It took a few months before I was saddled with the nickname of Pigpen. After a rainstorm, if there was a mud puddle at the field, chances are I'd find it and slide right into it. I dove for every ball hit in the 5-hole. Sometimes I would come up empty, sometimes not.

Fast forward 16 seasons and my diving days are over.

I turn 77 on Saturday and I now spend more time on the DL and less time on the field of play. I'm currently the oldest regular on the TOTS.

In fact I'm so old, my teammates no longer refer to me as Pigpen, but call me "Sir" instead.

Not too long ago we were playing a team from the Southside of Tucson. After the game, all the players shook hands and one of the players said to me: "Nice game, Sir!"

I quickly advised the young man, who was probably in his mid 40s, "Please don't call me, Sir!"

We diehard baseball players have to come to grips with the fact we are getting old, but that doesn't mean we have to give up our passion for the game.

I come off the DL (disabled list) on Monday.

TOTS end week with kiss-your-sister game

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

It was another hot week on the field at Udall Park.

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers ended this week's action with a kiss-your-sister, 5-5 matchup on Friday. The pitchers of record: Ernesto Escala (5 R 11 H 3K 5W) for Team Blue and Reed Palmer (5 R 6 H 1 K 1 W) for Team White.

Sam Dean (Team White) led all hitters with a perfect 4 for 4 day, while John Mathews (Team White) was his usual self with a 3 for 4  day-- including a triple and four RBI. Pete Peters led Team Blue with  two of their six hits.

Sam Dean

                                           John Mathews

TOTS finish up the month with games on Monday (June 27) and Wednesday (June 29) at Udall.

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Maldonado allows 1 run, 7 hits in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team White  12  Team Blue 1

Crafty right-hander Pete Maldonado pitched for Team White  today at Udall Park. The 70-year-old, who hails from The Bronx, New York, allowed one run and scattered just seven hits as Team White, down 1-0 in the second inning, scored a dozen runs the rest of the way to dispose of Team Blue, 12-1, in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Maldonado (photo) sailed through each inning, much like he must of done as a 10-year-old in da bronx some 60 years ago when he toed the rubber as a Little Leaguer.

If he keeps it up, the TOTS may have to change his name to The Maldonado from da Bronx.

While The Maldonado was busy mowing down batters his teammates were busy scoring runs with Mike Steele, John Mathews and Mike Dawson combining for nine of the team's 16 hits -- including three doubles, a triple and were responsible for six of the 12 runs that crossed the plate. Dawson had the triple and Mathews finished the game with four RBI.

Joe Opocensky had one of the seven hits for Team Blue and scored the only run. Brack Whitaker also singled and knocked in the lone run. 

The TOTS finish off the week with a game at Udall on Friday. Game time: 8:30 AM.  

 

26 runs scored, 36 hits recorded in TOTS' slugfest at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue 14  Team White 12

Team Blue stunned Team White with eight runs in the top of the seventh inning at Udall Park this morning for a come-from-behind 14-12 win in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Just about everyone in both lineups had their hitting shoes on today.

Joe Opocensky (photo), the starting pitcher for Team Blue, allowed 17 hits as his team made nine errors behind him and yet still won the game by batting around during their final at bats. Team White went quietly in the bottom of the seventh and lost, despite scoring in every inning -- except the second and the seventh.

Opocensky helped his own cause and led Team Blue with four hits in five trips to the plate. He scored two runs and knocked in two runs. John Jarboe (photo below), who batted just ahead of Opocensky in the lineup, went went 3 for, 4, walked once, scored twice and knocked in two runs, while Roger Beebe, batting sixth in the lineup, had a good day with three hits, two runs scored and two RBI.

Also collecting hits for Team Blue were Mark Rupert (1 for 4), Mike Dawson (2 for 5), Ken Nebesny (2 for 4), Ron Ryan (1 for 3), Jesse Ochoa (1 for 3) and Brack Whitaker with a 2 for 3 day at the plate.

As for Team White, they slashed 17 hits around Udall Park with starting pitcher Ernesto Escala leading his team with a 4 for 4 day and two RBI. Larry Abramson had a three-hit day, while Pete Peters, Mike Steele, Tim Tolson and John Cooke collected two hits apiece. Bobby Long and David Byars also singled to complete Team White's hitting attack.

The TOTS' hitters will rest up and go at it again on Wednesday at Udall. Game time: 8:30 AM.

Lead-off hitter Peters gets the job done in TOTS' win

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over-baseball

Team White  7   Team Blue  6

Pistol Pete Peters, 73, did what lead-off hitters are supposed to do: Get the party started.

Peters (photo) led Team White to a 7-6 win at Udall Park this morning in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game with a perfect 3 for 3 day and scored twice.

He had a little help from his teammates, too. Team White starter Randy Livingston picked up the pitching victory with six solid innings of work, although things got a a little dicey in the sixth and final inning when Team Blue, down 7-2, plated four runs -- highlighted by an RBI-single from Mike Dawson and a Roger Beebe double, which knocked in two runs.

Team White's Mike Steele, Jimmy Kinion and Joe Opocensky contributed two hits apiece. Both of Opocensky's hits were doubles and he drove in three of the seven runs.

The TOTS return to action on Monday at Udall. Game time: 8:30 AM.

24-hit attack lifts Team Blue to 12-6 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue  12   Team White  6

Team White sent three pitchers to the mound this morning at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game, but nothing seemed to cool the jets of Team Blue. Three right-handers -- Mark Rupert, Mike Dawson and Brad Vermeer -- couldn't keep a bunch of old-timers off the base paths as Team Blue banged out 24 hits with 64-year-old Ron Ryan leading the way with a 5 for 5 day -- including an opposite field triple.

With the sun blaring down and already heading for the 100-degree mark, Ryan (photo) scampered around the bases and went in standing up at third in the fourth inning. Ryan ended up scoring four times on the day. 

Catcher Chuck Sabalos, who knocked in four runs, was sizzling at the plate too with four hits in five trips to the plate, while Jimmy Kinion collected four hits and Joe Opocensky scored four times and chipped in three hits -- including two doubles. Pigpen Price went 3 for 5, David Byars had two hits, Frank Garcia added two hits and leadoff hitter Ken Nebesny went 1 for 4.

Six players knocked in runs for Team Blue. Opocensky went the distance for Team Blue and picked up the win.

As for Team White,  they collected 12 hits. Normally a dozen hits will get you a win, but not today.

Thunder Tim Tolson was his normal self as he led Team White with a 3 for 3 day. He scored twice and knocked in a run with a double. Brack Whitaker went 2 for 4 as did Rupert.

The TOTS will be back in action on Friday at Udall. Game time: 8:30 AM (once again, trying to beat the heat).

The TOTS (1968-present): Where it all began

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ten men found a spot next to each other on the small bleachers, located behind home plate at Himmel Park on a warm summer day fifty four years ago.

It was the end of the 1960s and the first TOTS' photo session was in progress. Two rows, five old-timers in each row, getting ready to play the game of baseball -- and play for the love of the game.

The organization would grow over the years and by the year 2022 close to 300 players have worn the pinstripe uniform, covered their gray hair with a TOTS' blue and white cap and scampered onto the ball field, looking to knock in the winning run or make that leaping catch.

Who were the originals?

Well, let's salute them. The founder Joe Gorman was born in Russia in 1904, unfortunately we have birth dates for just three more of the remaining 10 original players. Skip Alexander was born in Mid Pine, North Carolina in 1907, Bert Hough was born in Rockton, Illinois in 1907 and was two months younger than Hough, while Clifford Burdick was born in 1896. Eldon Crews, Avery Nixon, Al Hall, Pete Paolo, Charlie Snyder and Ray Miller are on the original roster but their birth dates and birth places are omitted from the archives.

It's a sure bet they were all over 60 years of age and we are, of course, talking about men who were born some 120-odd years ago. For example, Mr. Burdick would be 124 years old if he was still able to mosey up to the plate and takes his cuts against the current TOTS' pitching staff.

According to the TOTS' archives, it was Mr. Hough, as it turns out, who was the last of the originals to play for the organization. Hough hung up his cleats in 1998 at the age of 91.

Of course, that record of longevity was broken by a familiar name with the TOTS' organization Floyd Lance, who retired from active duty with the TOTS close to three years ago at the age of 94. Lance stands as the oldest active player with the TOTS on record. Lance will turn 97 in September.

The TOTS have moved on to Udall Park and have been playing there for some 25 years with games played during the early-morning hours of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In the old days at Himmel Park, the TOTS played without a fence. At Udall, it takes a poke of over 300 feet to clear the fence and the field is dragged and watered by members of the TOTS before each game.

An old-timers' oasis in the middle of the desert. Just what the doctor would order for his elderly patients, who were yearning to continue to play the game of baseball.

The Originals have come and gone and have been replaced by the TOTS' 2022 version -- another decade of players take the field and swing for the fences. More 60-somethings arrive everyday. The turnstiles are always open.

The Tucson Old Timers will live on...and on and on.

Photo: The Originals 

 

Team White's Palmer loses shutout bid in the 6th inning, but edges Team Blue, 4-2

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team White  4  Team Blue  2

Team White's Reed Palmer carried a 4-0 shutout into the bottom of the sixth inning today at Udall Park, but getting those final three outs took a while as Team Blue loaded the bases -- first with a walk, then a hit batter, followed by a single down the third baseline by the hot hitting Ernesto Escala.

Palmer (photo left), who had led 2-0 after three innings of play, picked up a couple of insurance runs -- an RBI- single in the fourth inning from Pigpen Price and and a wild pitch to plate a run in the fifth -- but now had the task of disposing of Larry Abramson to insure the win.

Abramson, the starting pitcher for Team Blue today, promptly singled up the middle to score two runs to cut the lead in half.

Luckily, a couple of force outs and an easy come-backer to Palmer would end the game, but what at one point looked like a shutout in the making turned into a real nail biter in the end.

Because of the heat with an afternoon high expected to reach 104, the game was limited to six innings today.

Escala, who had made the game interesting in the sixth with his single down the line, ended up with two hits on the day and has 10 hits in 12 at bats in June to go along with 10 RBI.

John Mathews had a big day for Team White with a 3 for 3 day. He had a key double, scored twice and knocked in a run. Chuck Sabalos, Team White's catcher, played in his first game this month and went 1 for 1. Sabalos said, after some calculations in his head. "I'm batting 1.000 for the month!"

Abramson was saddled with the hard-luck loss. He struck out three and walked three and allowed three runs. Escala relieved in the top of the fifth and allowed one run, while striking out three and walking one.

Mathews was all smiles after the game today. One of his TOTS' heroes showed up in the dugout during the game. Floyd Lance, with Mathews in left photo, turns 97 in September. The legendary Lance played with the TOTS until his 94th birthday, becoming the oldest member of the TOTS to ever take the field with the organization.

Mathews, 66, calculates he'll have to play another 28 years to have a crack at breaking Lance's longevity record.

Hats off to Mr. Lance and way to go, TOTS!

 

 

Bobby Long leads Team Blue to 15-11 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Bobby Long loves to play the game of baseball.

And he's good at it, too.

Long plays for the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers at Udall Park every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and he plays Tuesday and Thursday with the 60-and-over Old Pueblo Club over at Santa Rita Park. Bobby also plays in tournaments when asked -- including his annual jaunt to Phoenix every October to play in the Men's Senior Baseball League World Series.

To make a Long story short, Bobby sees his share of pitches from January to December. And he loves to take his cuts at the plate (see above photo).

Today was a perfect example as he led Team Blue to a 15-11 win over Team White in a Tucson Old Timers game. Bobby tried his best to hit for the cycle, but had to settle for a 4 for 4 day with two singles, a double, a triple and four RBI. He also scored three runs.

Long is also one of the TOTS' top outfielders.

Right-hander Brad Vermeer picked up the pitching victory today and had plenty of support. Along with Long's performance, Ernesto Escala also had four hits and drove in three runs as Team Blue scored five runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

Leading the way for Team White was Brack Whitaker with a 2 for 4 day and three RBI. Reed Palmer added a hit and drove in three runs, while John Mathews doubled, scored twice and drove in two runs.

It was a hot day at the ball park. Even with the TOTS' new 8:30 a.m. start, it's hard to avoid the heat and it looks like the 100-degree days are here to stay for a while.

Next game at Udall: Wednesday. Remember: 8:30 a.m. first pitch.

 

Ole Miss wins Coral Gables Regional, rips Wildcats, 22-6

NCAA Baseball Tournament

Coral Gables Regionals

Ole Miss 22  Arizona  6

No late-game heroics tonight for the Arizona Wildcats.

Ole Miss blows by Arizona 22-6 to win the NCAA Coral Gables Regional and the Wildcats will head back to Tucson. The Wildcats season complete at 39 wins and 25 losses.

The Rebels improve to 34-22 and head for the Super Regionals to face Southern Miss, just two wins away from a trip to Omaha and the College World Series.

For Chip Hale, his first season as the Wildcats' coach is in the books. He has a lot to do before the 2023 season.

Note: Blake Paugh hit two homers tonight for Arizona and Tanner O'Tremba also went yard. Daniel Susac had two hits tonight and finished the season with 100 hits. All three players were named to the Coral Gables Regional team, along with Chase Davis.

The season ends...

Arizona stuns #6 Miami 4-3 at Coral Gables Regional

NCAA Men's Baseball Tournament

Coral Gables Regional

Elimination game

Arizona 4  Miami  3

Tanner O'Tremba (photo) doubled in the gap in right-center and knocked in Nik McClaughry and pinch runner Tyler Casagrande in the top of the ninth inning to give Arizona a come-from-behind 4-3 lead and reliever Quinn Flanagan closed out the #6 Miami Hurricanes (40-21) in the bottom of the ninth to stay alive at the NCAA Coral Gables Regional tonight.

With two outs and facing Miami's star reliever Andrew Walters, McClaughry reached on an infield hit, Daniel Susac was hit by a pitch and Casagrande replaced Susac at first.

O'Tremba stepped into the batter's box and drilled a Walter's fastball  to the base of the wall in right-center. McClaughry scored easily and Casagrande scored all the way from first with the go-ahead run.

Trevor Long (6-3) picked up the win, Flanagan the save... and it'll be a hot time in Miami tonight.

Well, maybe not.

The Wildcats need to get to bed. They have two games tomorrow against Ole Miss (33-22). Arizona (39-24) is two wins away from a trip to the Super Regionals!

Note: Arizona beat Canisius College this morning 7-5, thanks to two home runs by Blake Baugh, one by Chase Davis and another by McClaughry. The win over Canisius led to the matchup with the Hurricanes tonight. Arizona also hit two homers in the Miami game -- one by Tony Bullard and one by Mac Bingham, giving the Wildcats six homers on the day.

Texas eliminates Arizona from CWS in Oklahoma City

NCAA Women's College World Series

Texas  5 Arizona  2

Longhorns eliminate Wildcats

Texas (45-20-1) moves on to face Oklahoma State (48-12) and Arizona (39-22) heads back to Tucson as the Longhorns eliminate the Wildcats 5-2 tonight in the losers' bracket at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

A three-run homer by Texas first baseman JJ Smith turned the 2-1 Longhorns' deficit into a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning and the blast turned out to be the difference in the ball game. Carlie Scupin knocked in both runs for Arizona with a single to right field in the top of the fourth to give the Wildcats a short-lived one-run lead.

Texas reliever Elaine Czech kept the Wildcats in check for the final 3.1 innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four. Hanah Bowen and Devyn Netz shared the mound duties in the Wildcats' final game of the year, each logging three innings of work. Bowen (14-12) allowed three runs, Netz two.

TOTS' Legends Lance, Heiny: Where are they now?

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Once upon a time, TOTS' legends Floyd Lance and Billy Heiny spent their early morning hours playing baseball at Udall Park -- regulars on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers.

The TOTS' organization has been around since 1968 and close to 300 ballplayers have suited up over the years, laced up their baseball shoes, grabbed their trusty gloves and found their  position on the field, but rarely did any player see action past their 89th birthday.

Except for the duo of Lance and Heiny.

Lance, who lives just two miles from Udall, turns 97 in September and he retired from the TOTS at the age of 94, while Heiny, who lives just a few miles from Lance, turns 93 this August, and he suited up and played for the amateur baseball organization until the summer of 2020.

And it wouldn't surprise anyone if Lance and Heiny pulled into the parking lot, walked into the TOTS' dugout next week and uttered the words: "Put me in, coach!" 

Lance and Heiny combined for over 2,600 hits with the TOTS. Lance joined the organization in 1999, Heiny in 1997.

Hats off to the two TOTS' legends -- Floyd Lance, born in 1925 in Glen Gardner, New Jersey, and Billy Heiny, born 1929 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Photos:  (top photo) Lance, a first baseman, (bottom photo) Heiny, a utility player who played all positions.

Arizona facing elimination Sunday in Coral Gables

NCAA College Baseball Tournament

Coral Gables Regional in Coral Gables, Florida

Ole Miss  7  Arizona  4

Chase Davis hit his 17th homer of the year and Garen Caulfield hit his third round tripper, but the Wildcats' struck out 20 times as Ole Miss bested Arizona 7-4 in first-round action Saturday at the NCAA Collegiate Baseball Tournament in Coral Gables, Florida.

Arizona starter Garrett Irvin gave up four runs on eight hits, struck out nine and didn't walk a batter in 6.2 innings, but the Wildcats' bullpen issued four key walks down the stretch and Ole Miss scored three runs in the eighth inning to gain the win.

The Wildcats (37-24) take on Canisius at 9 a.m. (Arizona time) Sunday in a elimination game. Canisius College  (29-24) lost 11-7 to Miami earlier today.

Wildcats still alive in Oklahoma City

NCAA Women's Softball College World Series

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The Arizona Wildcats, after a 4-2 loss in the opening round of the College World Series to Oklahoma State on Thursday, rebound tonight with a 3-1 win over Oregon State and are one of six teams remaining as the series moves to the weekend.

Arizona (39-21), behind the pitching of Devyn Netz and Hanah Bowen, get a three-hit performance from Carlie Scupin (left photo) and break a 1-1 tie with a two-run sixth inning to advance to a Sunday matchup with the loser of Saturday's winner's bracket game between Texas and Oklahoma.

Netz started for Arizona and went five innings before giving way to Bowen (14-11), who pitched the final two innings and picked up the win. Scupin's RBI-double put the Wildcats up 2-1 in the sixth and Blaise Biringer knocked in the insurance run with a single down the right field line. Sophia Carroll doubled home Arizona's first run in the second inning.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Bitzer, Rupert a 1-2 punch in 14-10 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team White's Rick Bitzer may need some extra rest tonight after leading his team to a 14-10 win over Team Blue this morning at Udall Park.

Bitzer, 67, followed Team White's leadoff man Mark Rupert in the lineup today.

Keeping up with the hot-hitting Rupert these days is no easy task. 

When all was said and done, Bitzer went 3 for 4, scored four runs and knocked in a run, while Rupert went 3 for 4, scored three times and knocked in a run as well. The 1-2 punch kept filling up the bases and were a thorn in the side of Team Blue's starter Ernesto Escala all morning.

The third, fourth and fifth batters in Team White's lineup benefited from all of the Bitzer-Rupert shenanigans. Reed Palmer had two hits and picked up four RBI, Joe Opocensky followed with two hits and scored twice, while John Cooke had his own big day at the plate with three hits and four RBI. Cooke also collected one of Team White's four doubles. Tim Tolson, Mike Steele and Palmer also hit two baggers. Steele ended up with three RBI on the day.

As for Team Blue, it was Randy Livingston leading the way with a 3 for 3 day, and scored three times with a single, a double and a triple. Escala tried to help his own cause with two hits and four RBI, while catcher Sam Dean added a pair of singles and drove in two runs.

Opocensky went the distance for the win, allowing 11 hits. Team Blue committed six errors in the game.

The TOTS will take the weekend off and return to action on Monday. Game time: 8:30 a.m.

Photo: Bitzer

Palmer hits 4th homer of the year -- his 98th TOTS' career home run

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Reed Palmer, 65, blasted his fourth homer of the year and his 98th career home run with the organization today as Team White beat Team Blue 12-8 in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) game at Udall Park.

Palmer, who owns the TOTS' single-season home run record with 30 (set in 2017), hit a two-run shot over the right field fence this morning in the bottom of the first inning off Team Blue right-hander Pete Maldonado. Team White never trailed in the game with a three-run first inning, three more in the third, three in the fourth and three runs in the fifth inning.

Mike Dawson and Joe Opocensky combined for five RBI and both players went 3 for 3 in the game, while Ernesto Escala had two hits and drove in three runs for Team White. Palmer also singled, scored twice and knocked in three runs. John Cooke doubled, scored twice and knocked in a run.

As for Team Blue, Thunder Tim Tolson went 3 for 4 with a double and one run-batted-in, while Mike Steele had two hits, scored twice and drove in two runs. Bobby Long had a hit and drove in three of Team Blue's eight runs.

Dawson pitched all seven innings for Team White to pick up the win. He struck out five. Maldonado was saddled with the loss.

The TOTS will close out the week with a game on Friday at Udall. Game time: 8:30 a.m. 

Photo: Palmer hit career homer No. 98 today.