The "Big O”at it again!

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Joe "Big O" Opocensky edged out Tim Tolson, Phil Ahern, and Ernesto Escala for the most hits for April on the Tucson Old Timers.

Opocensky went 24 for 35 and maintained a .686 batting average. He led the club in RBI with 19 and scored 14 runs.

Tolson finished second in RBI with 18  and batted .595, collecting 22 hits in 37 at-bats.

Ahern, the Minnesota Kid,  also had a great April, going 21 for 31 in just nine of the 11 games for a hefty batting average of .677, while Escala went 19 for 28, drove in 13 runs, and finished the month with a .679 batting average.

Jon Beady hit the only triple for the month while collecting 17 hits in 28 at-bats, a .607 average. He led the club in runs scored with 17.

David Byars and Mike Steele led the 75-and-over hitters for April. Byars went 10 for 34, a .294 average, while Steele collected nine hits in 20 at-bats, a .450 average.

On the mound, Opocensky led the TOTS in innings pitched (33), recorded 10 strikeouts, and finished the month with a 2-2 record.

As a club, the TOTS scattered 291 hits around the confines of Udall Park and maintained an overall batting average of .418.

Way to go, TOTS!

   

Photo: Joe Opocensky, who led the TOTS in hitting and pitching for the month of April.

Arizona baseball: Diamondbacks, Wildcats eying a batch of W's in May

 Arizona Baseball

Arizona Diamondbacks (14-17)

The Arizona Diamondbacks (14-17) grapple with injuries, lack of timely hitting, and pitching woes. With April in the books, the team urgently needs some wins to turn the tide in their favor.

The Diamondbacks will close out their three-game series with the LA Dodgers tonight at Chase Field. 

Arizona managed to pull out a 4-3 win over the first-place Dodgers to even the series last night at Chase Field thanks to a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th inning from Christian Walker, who finished the night with two homers and three RBI.

And the game had its moments. First, they had to battle a swarm of bees behind home plate and a two-hour delay. But they survived. The Diamondbacks, that is, not the Bees.

Arizona Wildcats (26-17, 14-7 Pac-12) 

Last night, at Hi Corbett Field, Arizona faced a tough challenge as the Grand Canyon Antelopes teed off on the Wildcats'  bullpen corps for 23 hits and a surprising 24-8 win. The Wildcats saved their top-of-the-line pitchers for this weekend's three-game Pac-12 series at Hi Corbett against the Stanford Cardinal.

Arizona is now tied for first place in the Pac-12 Conference with Utah. Both teams are 14-7. The Wildcats need a sweep of Stanford and a win at Arizona State next Tuesday before they head to Salt Lake City and a crucial three-game series with the Utes.

Photo: Last night's first pitch at Hi Corbett Field. The game did not go Arizona's way as the Grand Canyon Antelopes won, 24-8.

Diamondbacks battling to reach the .500 mark

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks (11-12) continue to claw their way back to the .500 mark, winning and losing some. They head for St. Louis and a three-game series at Busch Stadium on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The Cardinals are having their own troubles and find themselves in last place in the NL Central with a 9-13 record.

Arizona is in third place in the NL West behind the LA Dodgers (13-11) and the San Diego Padres (12-12) but remains just 1 1/2 games back of Shohei Ohtani and Company.

Ketel Marte leads the Diamondbacks with a .330 batting average. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Marte are tied in home runs with five apiece, while Gurriel Jr. leads the club in RBI with 21. 

  

Walk-off Wildcats in first place in Pac-12 Conference race

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

The Arizona Wildcats (24-14 overall, 13-5 in the Pac-12) head for Las Cruces Wednesday and a single non-conference game against the New Mexico State Aggies.

The Wildcats, who are becoming known lately as the Walk-off Wildcats may have their sights set on this weekend's three-game series in Seattle against Pac-12 Conference foe, the Washington Huskies. After all, Arizona has collected six walk-off wins this season, all of them coming in its last 10 home games and the Wildcats now sit atop the conference standings ahead of everyone.

Arizona can garner another series win in Seattle and better yet a sweep would be even better and allow them to remain the top dog in the conference heading into May.

The Wildcats' last sweep and last walk-off win occurred on Sunday at Hi Corbett when the hard-hitting Mason White singled in the game-winner against Washington State in the 11th inning for an 8-7 win.

Brendan Summerhill continues to lead the Wildcats in hitting with a .366 batting average (56 for 153 in 37 games), while White's 13 homers and 49 RBI leads the way in the power department. Cam Walty (6-1, 2.55 ERA), Clark Candiotti (4-1, 3.34 ERA), and Jackson Kent (3-1, 2.64 ERA) continue to be the top three main starters for the Wildcats.

Way to go, Wildcats! Go, get 'em in Las Cruces and Seattle.

A sign of the times...

I have spent eight decades in and out of dugouts.

Yes, the world has changed.

My advice to the young ballplayer out there with a Louisville Slugger draped over his or her shoulder:

Keep swinging! Stay between the lines. Stay focused. Give it your all. Await every pitch thrown at you. Smile. Take your cuts and remember if at first, you don't succeed, you'll have another at-bat, and when you connect at the plate and in life you will be so proud of yourself.

Don't do this...

Do this...

Celebrate and reach for the stars...

Gallen rights the ship at Chase with 5-0 shutout

 Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen (3-0) took care of business at Chase Field on Sunday as the Diamondbacks' ace hurled six strong innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven and walking just two batters as Arizona evened its record at 8-8 with a 5-0 shutout of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Arizona won 2 of the 3 games with Christian Walker collecting three of the Diamondbacks' seven hits on Sunday.

The Diamondbacks continue their homestand with another three games as they take on the Chicago Cubs on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before heading to San Francisco and a four-game series with the Giants.

A beautiful Day at Hi Corbett Field

Arizona Wildcats Baseball

Arizona earned a sweep at Hi Corbett Field of Louisiana Tech on Sunday with a 5-2 win and picked up its 11th consecutive win this season to improve to 20-13. Starting pitcher Cam Walty (6-1) hurled seven strong innings, allowing just two runs while striking out eight batters.

Photos: A day at Hi Corbett -- A little bullpen action before the start of the game and some images depicting the history of the landmark baseball field. So many of the baseball greats have played between the lines at Hi Corbett Field.

Congrats to UConn: National Champs

NCAA National Championship 

Back-to-back titles for the Huskies

University of Connecticut won the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship with a 75-60 victory over Purdue tonight in Glendale, Arizona.

Tristen Newton scored 20 points, dished out seven assists, and won the MVP Award.

Purdue’s Zach Edey was the top scorer with 37 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks.

Arizona Baseball: Wildcats rip Stanford, 12-1

Arizona Wildcats Baseball

Arizona closed out its four-game road trip with a non-conference 12-1 win at Stanford today. The Wildcats improved to 18-13 overall and remain 10-5 in Pac-12 play. Mason White highlighted the big win with two home runs and six RBI.

White leads the Wildcats with 13 home runs and 45 RBI.

Arizona returns home to Hi Corbett Field on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a three-game non-conference series with Louisiana Tech.

Bookemdanosports surpasses half a million views

Considering the grand scheme of things, it's a small thing, but my blog, Bookemdanosports, surpassed half a million views today.

One post at a time. It's a blog, or maybe it's just a diary for this oldtimer. Whatever, it keeps my old brain churning and the windmill turning.

From baseball...

To basketball...

To many of the characters I've met along the way...

Or keeping track of my grandkids...

It all keeps me going one word at a time.

Diamondbacks falter in Atlanta, Wildcats cruise to a sweep in Berkeley, TOTS await total eclipse at Udall

Arizona Baseball: The Diamondbacks, the Wildcats...and the TOTS

from the desk of Dan Price

Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost all three games in Atlanta: 6-5, 9-8, and 5-2. The Diamondbacks (4-6)  head to Colorado and end their current road trip with a three-game series with the Rockies on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Ketel Marte leads the Diamondbacks in hitting with a .311 batting average. Marte, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Christian Walker are tied in homers with three, while Gurriel Jr. leads the club in RBI with 11. Zac Gallen leads the pitching staff with a 2-0 record and an ERA of 0.82.

Arizona Wildcats

The Wildcats are rolling. Arizona improved to 17-13 overall and 10-5 in the Pac-12 Conference with a sweep of California in Berkeley over the weekend. The Wildcats won the opener 5-3, the second game 5-0, and capped off the sweep on Sunday 7-3, riding the pitching of starter Clark Candiotti (3-1), who struck out six in five innings of work.

Cam Walty improved to 5-1 with a seven-inning gem during Game 2. Walty struck out eight and allowed just six hits. Emilio Corona hit his sixth homer of the season in the fourth inning with a solo shot. In Game 1, Jackson Kent had a nice outing with six strong innings, allowing just two runs. He walked three and struck out six. Casey Hintz (2-1) picked up the win in relief.

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

The TOTS will take the field today (4-8-24) at Tucson Udall Park and try to keep the flyballs to a minimum. After all, today's first pitch will be around 10:06 this morning, just in time for the eclipse.

The players say the umpires will have it easy this morning. 'They can't see anyway.'

As for the players, nothing bothers the TOTS. Not even an eclipse!

Thunder Tim leads TOTS with 16 hits in March

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

at Udall Park

Thunder Tim Tolson, 71, led the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in hits during March with 16. The hard-hitting lefty went 16 for 28, a .571 batting average, and finished two hits ahead of two power-hitting right-handers, Ernesto Escala and Jon Beady.

Beady, 62, hit the only home run for the month. He batted 14 for 22, a .636 clip, and scored the most runs (10) while knocking in nine. Escala went 14 for 23 with eight RBI and a .606 batting average.

Three players, Mike Dawson, Bob Long, and Randy Livingston, collected a dozen hits apiece, while John Mathews had 11 hits and tied with Tolson for the most RBI for the month with 11.

Dawson was the workhorse on the mound in March. He pitched 28 innings and had a 2-2 record, while Livingston owned an unblemished record, with four wins in four appearances in 26 innings of work.

The TOTS collected 208 hits in 563 official at-bats as a club while maintaining a team batting average of .369.

The Tucson Old Timers are heading into the spring, hoping for better weather. Three months into 2024, the TOTS completed just 25 games: seven in January, eight in February, and 10 in March. 

Photo: Thunder Tim Tolson led the TOTS in hits during the month of March, going 16 for 28.

Photo: Randy Livingston was a perfect 4-0 on the mound for the TOTS in March.

Photo: Jon Beady hit the only home run for the TOTS in March and led the club in runs scored with 10.

  

Arizona baseball: Wildcats, Diamondbacks and the TOTS

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

The Arizona Wildcats put together a 12-hit attack at Hi Corbett Field last night and knocked off the Lobos from New Mexico, 9-1. Mason White hit his 11th home run of the season, Garen Caulfield went deep with his third of the year, and Tommy Splaine went 4 for 4, a personal best, as the Wildcats used their bullpen arms to take down the Lobos. Dawson Netz (2-0) picked up the win.

Arizona, now 14-13 and 7-5 in the Pac-12 Conference, head for Berkeley and a three-game series this weekend with California.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen improved to 2-0 with six strong innings against the New York Yankees last night. The Diamondbacks evened the three-game series with New York at Chase Field. Gallen allowed just three hits, struck out six, and walked three as Arizona prevailed, 7-0.

Newcomer Blaze Alexander (Oh! What a name!), a 24-year-old rookie, had two hits, while veteran Christian Walker went 2 for 4 and knocked in three runs with his third home run of the season.

Arizona completes the series with the Yankees today at Chase Field. Game time: 12:40 p.m.

Diamondbacks Update (4/3/24)

The Yankees won the series 2-1 over the Diamondbacks. At Chase Field, Arizona relaxed a bit too much and lost the series' final game 6-5 yesterday in 11 innings. Blaze Alexander and Ketel Marte hit home runs for the Diamondbacks, while Aaron Judge and the former Tucson prep star Alex Verdugo homered for the Yankees. New York improves to 6-1 and sits atop the AL East. Arizona hits the road to face Atlanta and Colorado, sporting a 4-3 record.

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers

Two rainouts have occurred this week at Tucson Udall Park. We need the rain, but this is becoming too much, as the TOTS have yet to play a game in April. And there's more rain on the way next week!

The TOTS have a game scheduled for Friday, April 5, with a 10 a.m. start.

The March batting and pitching stats should be out soon.

Go, TOTS!

Remembering a home run milestone with the TOTS...

From the archives/2022...

Reed Palmer, 66, hit his sixth home run of the season and career home run No. 100 today at Udall Park for the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers.

Palmer's team lost 8-7, but the big story was the big lefty's blast in the third inning, when he went deep into the trees 330 feet from home plate, way beyond the right field fence.

Palmer said after the game, 'I really didn't feel like I hit (the ball) that well.'

Reed's teammates can attest that he got it all. On a warm and dusty day in Tucson, Arizona, the TOTS players turned their heads and watched the oval disappear into the trees.

The record-setting blast is a club record for individual career home runs for the organization.

Photo: Palmer is a righthander but bats from the left side. He pitches, too, throwing around 60-plus miles an hour and has a wicked change-up in his arsenal.

Arizona sweeps UCLA with 3 walk-off wins

Arizona Wildcats Baseball

Arizona evened its overall season record to 13-13 and improved to 7-5 in the Pac-12 Conference by completing a three-game sweep of the UCLA Bruins at Hi Corbett Field today with a 10-9 walk-off win in the bottom of the 12th inning.

With an obnoxious wind swirling for most of the game, Mason White stepped into the batter's box and blasted a two-run home run over the right-field wall. He hustled around the bases and met his teammates at home plate to celebrate another Arizona win over UCLA and the Wildcats' third dramatic walk-off win of the series.

Arizona won the opener 5-3 on Thursday thanks to Brendan Summerhill's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning. Then, on Friday, the Arizona Wildcats picked up their 3,000th win in program history with a 3-2 walk-off victory in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Emilio Corona as Summerhill scampered home from third with the game-winning run.

Clark Candiotti (2-1) pitched a complete game and recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, making Arizona's 3,000th win even more memorable.

Today's game took a little longer as Arizona blew an 8-2 lead. The Bruins battled the Wildcats and that swirling wind to put up a five spot in the eighth inning and a run in the ninth to tie the game.

Then came the bottom of the 12th, with Arizona trailing by one run, 9-8. Blake McDonald walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Rogers, and then White provided the game-winner with his 10th home run of the season. The ball sailed onto the roof of the Terry Francona Hitting Center, and the Wildcats had their third consecutive walk-off win.

Live by the 3, die by the 3: Wildcats cash it in at the Sweet Sixteen

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

From the desk of Dan Price

a very disappointed Wildcat fan...

Ultimately, the two-seeded Arizona Wildcats decided to live or die by the three-point shot in their Sweet Sixteen matchup with sixth-seeded Clemson.

The only thing is our beloved Wildcats from Tucson are not a three-point shooting team.

Clemson (24-11) advanced to the Elite 8 in Los Angeles tonight at the Crypto.com Arena with a 77-72 win over Arizona. The Tigers forced the Wildcats to shoot the ball from far...far away. The Wildcats were a dismal 5 for 28 from beyond the arc and shot just 37.3 percent from the field (25 of 67). Meanwhile, Clemson followed coach Brad Brownell's 'game plan' from tip-off to the final buzzer.

Yes, they gave up some points under the bucket, as Arizona's 7-foot center Oumar Ball produced his usual double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds in his 29 minutes on the court. However, Caleb Love, Kylan Boswell, and Pelle Larsson combined to shoot 2 of 20 from downtown. Love finished the game with 13 points, Larsson eight, and Boswell only three.

Arizona and coach Tommy Lloyd turned to Jaden Bradley off the bench to try to spark the Wildcats. And he did. Bradley played 25 minutes. He sliced and diced his way to a team-high 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, and canned eight free throws. Of Ballo's 15 points, only one came from the free-throw line. In fact, Arizona missed eight of its 25 attempts at the charity stripe.

You live by the three and die by the three.

The Arizona Wildcats' season ends at 27-9. The Wildcats had a good showing at the NCAA Tournament, winning over Long Beach State and Dayton to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

Arizona wanted so much more. 

Arizona baseball: Wildcats fall to NMSU, 12-9

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

A little rain and a little lighting delay didn't keep our Arizona Wildcats from completing another non-conference affair at Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday night.

In the end, the Wildcats came out on the losing side of a 12-9 score with the visiting New Mexico State Aggies.

Arizona hit three home runs in the loss -- one by Mason White, another by Garen Caulfield, and another by Brendan Summerhill.

White leads the Wildcats with nine homers.

Arizona falls to 10-13. The Aggies, who managed to win their first game on the road after nine tries, have an 11-13 record.

Next up for Arizona: A three-game Pac-12 series at Hi Corbett, beginning Thursday with the UCLA Bruins.

Arizona baseball: New Mexico State in town Tuesday

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

The Arizona Wildcats (10-12, 4-5) will host New Mexico State (10-13) on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Hi Corbett Field in a non-conference game.

The Aggies are 0-9 on the road this season, while the Wildcats return from Eugene, Oregon, after salvaging one of three games with the Ducks (March 22-24). Arizona captured the series' final game, 15-4, thanks to Brendan Summerhill's 3-for-6 and seven RBI performance against the Ducks.

Cam Walty picked up the win for the Wildcats and improved his record to 4-1.

Arizona knocks off Dayton to reach Sweet Sixteen

The Arizona Wildcats (27-8) will return to the Sweet Sixteen for the 20th time in school history after beating Dayton 78-68 today in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City.

Caleb Love led four Arizona players in double figures, finishing with 19 points and five assists. The second-seeded Wildcats, up seven points at halftime, held off the seventh-seeded Flyers and their star center Daron Holmes II down the stretch in the second half to punch their ticket to Los Angeles (March 28-29) and the round of sixteen.

Holmes had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Arizona's Oumar Ballo played 22 of the 40 minutes and scored eight points. 

Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson scored 13 points each, while Jaden Bradley scored 12, grabbed four rebounds, and made three steals off the bench.

Arizona rolls by Long Beach State in NCAA tourney opener

The Wildcats move on to the second round.

Arizona found its comfort zone in the second half and rolled to an 85-65 win over Long Beach State today at the NCAA West Regional in Salt Lake City.

All five Arizona starters scored in double figures, with Kylan Boswell highlighting his 20-point, eight-assists, and three-rebound performance with a steal and a dunk. Caleb Love added a quiet, much-needed double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

Oumar Ballo chipped another double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Pelle Larsson scored 15, and Keshad Johnson finished with 13 points.

The Wildcats' game-stat sheet included 19 assists, eight blocks, and 10 steals while committing only nine turnovers.

Arizona fans can now take a collective breath!

I'm a dreamer. Everybody knows that!

 March Madness

Life continues in my little world...

Close to home, the Arizona Wildcats baseball team beat Grand Canyon last night at Hi Corbett Field by a score of 6-4. The Wildcats' second baseman, Garen Caulfield, went 3 for 5, and third baseman Richie Morales did the same and knocked in a run. First baseman Tommy Splaine homered and added two RBI. Reliever Kyler Heyne picked up the win.

Miles away, Shohei Ohtani went 2 for 5 and scored a run as the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul last night. Actually, this morning in Tucson, the Major League 2024 season is officially off and running.

Over at Udall Park in Tucson, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers continue their 2024 season this morning. I may show up and take some batting practice. I'm back. My ordeal lasted about a month. Time to move on.

Of course, we are just hours away—well, about 24 hours away—from our Arizona Wildcats locking horns with Long Beach State in Salt Lake City in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament—the Big Dance.

Go, Wildcats! Keep on dancing all the way to the final.

I just filled out one bracket this year. Why bother. The upsets are coming! Last night, Colorado State rolled over Virginia in one of the play-in games.

The Arizona Women's team is across the country tomorrow and will take on Auburn in Storrs, Conn., in the NCAA Tournament for the right to move on as an 11-seed and play sixth-seeded Syracuse. Good luck, Lady Cats!

It's officially spring. What a month of March it is going to be! My picks for the final four are Purdue, UConn, Kentucky, and Arizona, with the Wildcats winning the championship -- their first since 1997.

I'm a dreamer. Everybody knows that!

Arizona's Caulfield batting .400 after 18 games

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

The Arizona Wildcats lost the first two games (3-2 and 4-0) to Arizona State (9-10, 3-3) this past weekend but salvaged Game 3 on Sunday at Hi Corbett Field with a 20-hit attack and a 14-3 win. Arizona is 8-10 on the season and 3-3 in the Pac-12 -- the Wildcats' final Pac-12 Conference season.

Garen Caulfield has a .400 batting average (28 for 70) and continues to lead the Wildcats in hitting. Mason White is the main man in RBI, with 25 runs batted in and seven home runs.

The final season for Arizona and Arizona State will be a real grinder.

Love, Wildcats bow out in Las Vegas

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Semifinals at Pac 12 Tourney in Las Vegas today

Oregon 67  Arizona  59

Oumar Ballo --  14 points and 12 rebounds. He did not take a shot in the second half.

Caleb Love sat on the bench for much of the second half. He banked in a 3-pointer early in the first half and finished the night with six points.

Awaiting selection Sunday...

Won/lost record 25-8

Wildcats get revenge

My Arizona Wildcats

I'm still sick, but I received some excellent medicine today. My Arizona Wildcats defeated USC 70-49 to reach Friday's semifinals in Las Vegas at the Pac-12 Tournament.

The doctor says to stay out of harm's way for the rest of the month without any exercise or heavy lifting.

.

Easier said than done.

I'm going nuts!

Wildcat notes: Bradley and Lewis combined for 27 points on 10 for 14 field-goal shooting. Hats off to Ballo, who scored 10 points, blocked 3 shots, and had 13 rebounds.

Oh, well! There's always ASU vs. Arizona at Hi Corbett this weekend

 Arizona Baseball

The final Pac 12 season

The end of Pac-12 competition in baseball is quickly coming to a close for my Arizona Wildcats.

Arizona is 7-8 on the season and 2-1 in the Pac-12. Arizona visited southern California last week and won 2 of 3 over the Trojans but lost a non-conference game yesterday to Loyola Marymount, 9-2. 

It's time for some home cooking!

I could go sit in the bleachers and get some sun.

And reminisce about the old days...

Garen Caulfied emerges as the top hitter after 15 games with a .418 batting average (23 hits, 55 at-bats), while Mason White is the leader in home runs (7) and RBI with 24. 

I guess it didn't matter!

From the desk of Dan Price

Arizona's Final Pac 12 Conference regular-season game ever --  a bust for the Wildcats!

USC  78  Arizona  65

Bottom Line:

The Wildcats finished 24-7 overall and finished the Pac-12 with a 15-5 record... Pac12 Conference Champs, and ranked No. 5 in the nation.

And now it's Pac-12 tourney time in Las Vegas and we hold the No. 1 seed.

Go, Wildcats!

Arizona clinches the Pac 12 Conference title with win at UCLA, 88-65

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The 5th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (24-6, 15-4) won the Pac-12 Conference title tonight at the Pauley Pavillion in Los Angeles after scoring an 88-65 win over the UCLA Bruins.

Due to the Washington Huskies' 74-68 stunning upset win at #18 Washington State (23-8, 14-6) in Pullman tonight, Coach Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats had a somewhat stress-free evening. With one regular-season game left on the schedule at USC on Saturday, the Wildcats have already earned the title and the top seed for next week's Pac-12 Conference Tournament.

KJ Lewis came off the bench tonight to lead the Wildcats with 18 points on 6 of 9 shooting, while starting guard Caleb Love finished with 17 points. 

Arizona baseball begins Pac-12 schedule with USC in Irvine

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

Arizona finished 1-3 at the Frisco Tournament last week in Texas and now heads for Irvine, California, to open up a three-game  Pac-12 series with USC on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Wildcats salvaged one blowout 12-1 win over #20 Indiana in Frisco but lost to #5 TCU 6-1, #25 Dallas Baptist 4-3, and #16 Alabama 7-6 to start the tourney.

The Wildcats will tangle with Loyola Marymount at the George C. Page Stadium in Los Angeles before returning home on March 15-16-17 to meet the Arizona State Sun Devils at Hi Corbett Field.

Brendan Summerhill leads the club in hits with 18, one more than Garen Caulfield. Summerhill is 18 for 48 (.375), while Caulfield owns the best average after 11 games at 17 for 40 (a .425 clip). Mason White leads the team in home runs with five and RBI with 19.

Cam Walty leads the pitching staff with an unblemished 3-0 record.

Go, Wildcats!

TOTS play just 8 games in February

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The TOTS played just seven games in January, and February wasn't much better with all the rain we had at Udall Park. 

Forty-six members took the field one way or another. A few were limited to umpiring chores due to injuries, and bless their hearts, all the field crews showed and weathered the storms, so to speak.

That's what makes the organization so great. Everyone chips in as the 2024 season is off and running despite the weather. The Big O, Joe Opocensky, had the most hits for the month. He went 12 for 21 in eight games and batted .571. His nine RBI tied him for the club lead with Thunder Tim Tolson, who went 9 for 18 and had a cool .500 batting average.

Also joining the nine-hit club for the month were Ken Nebesny (9 for 20), Phil Ahern (9 for 22), Randy Livingston ( 9 for 15), and Reed Palmer 9 for 16). Other notables included Spiro Roberts, 8 for 10 in just three games, and Martin Pelgar, 8 for 17 in five games, while the 'old man' of the group, 76-year-old Dave Byars, led the super seniors with 8 hits in 23 at-bats and played in all eight games.

Jon Beady was a perfect 2-0 on the mound, while Opocensky went 2-1 for the month.

Way to go, TOTS!

FYI: The author of this blog, Pigpen Price, will be somewhat limited in some press releases after coming down with COVID at the end of February... and he found himself back in the hospital again. The author seems to have a black cloud hanging over him, except when he's playing third base at Udall Park with the TOTS. As Arnold has always said, "I'll be back." 

Pigpen hopes to be back at Udall on the 18th of March. But for now, I must stay away from humans!

I have Covid, but my Wildcats beat Oregon 103-83

 Two wins away from Pac12 title!

6th-ranked Arizona knocks off Arizona State in Tempe, 85-67

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Kylan Boswell scored 17 points, hitting 7 of 9 shots from the field, and Oumar Ballo added his eighth straight double-double with 13 rebounds and 14 points to lead the 6th-ranked Wildcats to an 85-67 Pac-12 win in Tempe tonight over the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Arizona (22-6, 13-4) kept its hold on first place in the Pac-12 Conference as all five starters scored in double figures. Caleb Love just missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds, Pelle Larsson added 12 points, and Keshad Johnson chipped in 10.

The Wildcats led 30-12 early, 41-27 at halftime, and kept the Sun Devils at bay the rest of the way.

Arizona takes on Oregon at McKale on Saturday and closes the regular season at USC and UCLA next week. If they win all three, the Wildcats will be Pac-12 Champs.

Go, Wildcats! 

Arizona knocks off Huskies, 91-75

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona shook off a sluggish second half and disposed of the Washington Huskies 91-75 at McKale today to improve to 12-4 in Pac-12 play and 21-6 overall. The 4th-ranked Wildcats jumped out to a 52-35 halftime lead but were not hitting on all cylinders the final 20 minutes.

Caleb Love led Arizona with 28 points, and Oumar Ballo picked up his seventh consecutive double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Pelle Larsson chipped in 17 points and a team-high seven assists, while Keshad Johnson finished with 16.

Arizona shot 47.1 percent from the field (33 of 70) and limited the Huskies to 37.7 percent (29 of 77). The Wildcats outrebounded Washington 56-39.

Next up: The Wildcats head for Tempe on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. showdown with ASU and return home on Saturday, March 2,  for their final regular-season home game and 12 p.m. tip-off with Oregon.

Washington State beats Arizona at McKale, 77-74

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Washington State, the surprise team in the Pac-12 this season, needed to play a perfect game at McKale Center tonight to beat the 4th-ranked Arizona Wildcats.

And that's precisely what they did.

The Cougars are currently ranked No. 21 in the country but played more like a No. 1 seed for 40 minutes as they knocked off the Wildcats 77-74, handing Arizona its first loss at McKale this season, and with the win take over sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 Conference.

Arizona falls to 20-6 overall and 11-4 in the Pac-12, while Washington State leaves McKale tonight on the top of the world, so to speak, with a 21-6 overall record and a 12-4 slate in the conference.

Caleb Love led Arizona with 27 points, but WSU had the equalizer with Jaylan Wells, who also scored 27 points, including the dagger -- a 4-point play with less than one minute to go in the game.

Oumar Ballo finished the night with another double-double. The 7-0 Wildcats center scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Keshad Johnson finished in double figures with 12 points.

Wildcats open 2024 season

 Arizona Baseball

The Arizona baseball team opened its 2024 season with a four-game homestand at Hi Corbett Field, winning three of four, including a 2-1 series win over #23 Northeastern last weekend and a single win Tuesday 24-4 over Utah Tech.

Leadoff hitter Brendan Summerhill is off to a fast start this season with 11 hits in 19 official trips to the plate for a hefty .579 batting average. Summerhill scored seven times and knocked in 11 runs to lead the Wildcats.

Arizona beat Northeastern 6-1 in the opener, lost 8-7 on a 9th-inning solo home run in Game 2 off closer Trevor Long, and won the three-game series on Sunday, 9-3.

The Wildcats hit the road for a three-game series with San Diego, Feb. 23-25.

  

5th-ranked Arizona rolls in 105-60 win over Sun Devils

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The 5th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (20-5, 11-3) cleared the bench at McKale tonight en route to a 105-60 thumping of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Jaden Bradley scored a career-high 21 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists to lead Arizona. Six players scored in double figures, with Oumar Ballo continuing his double-double action with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Caleb Love spent his share of time on the bench in this one but chipped in 15 points, while Keshad Johnson added 14 and Kylan Boswell finished with 11.

Paulius Murauskas, the 6-8 power forward from Lithuania, was a factor down the stretch with 12 points and three rebounds, while the 7-2 Moe Krivas grabbed six rebounds and scored eight points.

Arizona shot 57.1 percent from the field (36 of 63) and made eight of 20 3-pointers.

Way to go, Wildcats!

8th-ranked Arizona hands Colorado first loss at home, 99-79

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The 8th-ranked Arizona Wildcats did everything right in Boulder tonight as they handed Colorado its first loss at home with a 99-79 Pac-12 win over the Buffaloes.

Five players scored in double figures, with Caleb Love leading the way with 19 points. Pelle Larsson finished the night with 18 points, while Oumar Ballo added a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kylan Boswell chipped in 15, and Jaden Bradley added 14.

Arizona shot 52.9 percent from the field (36 of 68) and canned 10 of 22 from beyond the arc. The Wildcats made 17 of 21 from the charity stripe and out-rebounded the Buffaloes 35-33. They had 14 assists, stole the ball 10 times, and committed just eight turnovers.

The Wildcats improve to 19-5 overall and hold a one-game lead over Washington State in the Pac-12 Conference with a 10-3 record.

Visitors from heaven

 

From the desk of the TOTS' historian...


My current sleep pattern seems to be in two-hour intervals, and when I do fade away, my imagination rambles...and that seems to be a safe place for me to go. It means I'm still alive.

Suddenly, a city transit bus appears amongst the cypress trees and comes to a stop just a few feet beyond the centerfield fence. The familiar sound of the hydraulics echoes toward the TOTS' infield as the door of the bus slowly opens. Big John Mathews exits. He smiles, takes up his position at the bottom of the steps, and offers his hand as his precious cargo emerges -- one by one.

First to return to earth, the TOTS' smiling scorekeeper, Jim Pagels, and behind him, today's pitcher, Chico Bigham, with the game ball in one hand and a rake in the other -- just in case the infield needs a slight sprucing up. Brad Tolson, Jerry Smarik, Ed Rife, Carl Brutovksy, Clarence Fieber, Conrad Royksund, Richard McAnnaly, Bunny Bechtold, Floyd Lance, and Don Wood all emerge and quickly gather their gear and head for the third-base dugout.

Pagels sets the batting lineup. Bigham toes the rubber, and McAnnaly takes his spot behind home plate.

"Play ball."

"Clarence, you are up!"

The fielders are set. Smarik at third, Rife at short, Royksund at second and Lance at first. Brutovksy hustles to left field, with Bechtold in center and Wood in right.

The sky is a dark blue. The field, void of players the past three weeks, is alive again. A warm breeze follows Chico's first pitch to the plate...

I look at the clock nestled in the corner of my bedroom. It's three o'clock in the morning. How long have I been away?

A conversation with 'Father Time'

 The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers have fielded baseball teams since 1968- fifty-five seasons, to be exact. An amateur old-time baseball club member has one age requirement -- the player must be at least 60.

So, just when is "the peak season" for a TOT?

The consensus is somewhere between the ages of 62 and 67.

After that, the baseball skills take a downward turn. Making a play at 75 is more challenging than at 62. It just stands to reason. The muscles, the bones, and, of course, the mental sharpness deteriorates.

'I remember my first two seasons with the TOTS.' Pigpen Price recalls. 'It was 2008 and 2009, and I was faster than a speeding bullet. Well, not really. Still, after 17 seasons, no teammate has ever used the word speed and my club nickname in the same sentence.'

When a TOT refers to the '60s as his best years, he's not referring to the 1960s but to his time with the TOTS when hits came in bunches and spectacular fielding plays were the norm.

With an active roster of 45 players, the youngsters go about their position on the field or their appearances at the plate, knowing that "Father Time" has an eye on them.

By the time a TOT reaches the mid-70s (and again, not the year, but the age), he has a daily conversation with Father Time.

'How long can I keep going?' the TOT asks. 'I have a new pain somewhere between my head and feet; what is that all about, or why is first base so far away?'

To be honest, I've never met Father Time, but in my mind, I imagine him as a dead ringer for Moses. His voice is pleasant, and his lengthy white beard twirls in the breeze. Yet, you get the sense, in the middle of a conversation, that he knows what lies ahead, and he knows exactly where you are going.

But for now, Father Time sits on his bench on Cloud Nine and keeps tabs on the game below at Udall Park, where a bunch of crazy old men play America's favorite pastime.

Father Time watches. He takes time out of his busy schedule on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to watch his Triple-A team, the TOTS, as they complete yet another seven-inning game. At the same time, through a clearing in the fluffy white clouds, he can see an all-star team at play inside Heaven's Gate. Among the heavenly all stars are catchers Clarence Fieber and Richard McAnally; pitcher Chico Bigham and shortstop Ed Rife -- all TOTS' hall-of-famers, making "the play of the day" and leading their team to victory -- all of them with bright smiles and each one of them not looking a day over thirty.

Over 250 old-timers have donned a TOTS uniform over the years. All of them have left their mark and will be remembered as time marches on.

Life on the road in the Pac-12: Arizona 105 Utah 99 3OT

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Pelle Larsson poured in a career-high 27 points with seven rebounds and eight assists to lead 8th-ranked Arizona to a 105-99 Pac-12 win in three overtimes tonight in Salt Lake City to hand Utah (15-8, 6-6) its first loss at home this season.

All five starters for Arizona scored in double figures, and two players ended up with double-doubles as the Wildcats squandered a 16-point lead at the half and were forced to battle the hometown Utes for 55 minutes.

Caleb Love had an off-shooting night, hitting only 5 of 20 shots from the field, but did hit 3 of 11 3-pointers and 6 of 7 from the foul line to finish with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Kylan Boswell scored 16 points with 5 for 9 from the field, including 2 of 4 from long range, while Keshad Johnson added 17 points and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Oumar Ballo grabbed 16 boards and scored 10 points.

Jayden Bradley and KJ Lewis did their thing off the bench, combining for 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

And it took all of the above to get the job done!

Arizona improves to 18-5 overall and remains in first place in the Pac-12 Conference at 9-3.

The Wildcats take a break tomorrow and move on to Boulder on Saturday for a showdown with the Colorado Buffaloes, who have yet to lose at home this season. The Buffaloes beat Arizona State tonight 82-70 to improve to 16-7 and 7-5 in Pac-12 play.