2013 25 + American

By Jeff McGaw, MSBLNational.com

Las Vegas, Nev. – It sounds funny to say it, but the Las Vegas Dirtbags cleaned the table at the 2013 MSBL Kickoff Classic.

The Dirtbags, managed by Kris Barber, claimed the top prize in the 18-and-over adult baseball division on March 4 with a 16-4 takedown of the OC Sox. A week later, the hometown bunch, seeming less rusty, claimed gold in the 25-and-over American division with a 10-1 victory over a battle-tested Chicago Seminoles team.

And for their part, the loss by the Seminoles may have permanently cemented their status as the best team never to win a title at the Kickoff Classic. Mike Cibelli’s talented club has had an amazing run in Vegas. It has reached the semifinals or finals of the tournament every year since 2008.

The Dirtbags, who beat the Seminoles 6-3 in the 2010 Kickoff finals, finished 2-1 in round robin play in each of the tournament’s two weeks. They suffered a 10-2 loss to the Las Vegas Senators in the opening round of the 25-American division tournament (second week) before reeling off victories over the 25 National Division So Cal Snappers and FDNY.

By the time the playoffs rolled around the Dirtbags were living up to their name and playing filthy baseball. They mud-slinged the Long Island Cubs 15-3 in the opening round of the playoffs, and then buried the Seminoles in the finals.

The Seminoles entered the finals with a 3-1 record that included wins over Long Island Cubs and Tucson Tigers, a loss to the National Division So Cal Titanes, and a 3-2 semifinal win over the Long Island Senators.