2012 45 Wood Bat American

45 Wood Bat American champion Team United Nasty Boys

MVP pitcher Billy Tabb shuts down Houston
Team United Nasty Boys 7, Houston Baseball Club 2

By Steve LaMontia, MSBLNational.com

Maryvale Baseball Park, November 3, 2012 — Mike Jensen’s RBI triple highlighted a three-run seventh inning as Team United Nasty Boys beat the Houston Baseball Club 7-2 for the 45 Wood Bat American title.

It was the first title for Team United Nasty Boys, a collection of players from California and Kansas City. It was the second consecutive finals disappointment for Houston who lost in the 50 Wood Bat Central finals last year.

After being roughed up for two runs in the first inning, pitcher Billy Tabb shut down Houston through six innings. Dave Thomas threw three innings of scoreless relief to earn a save.

Tabb, the game’s MVP, and Thomas held Houston to six hits after the second inning. “Unfortunately, our pitchers have a habit of struggling early and then it’s light’s out,” lamented Nasty Boy manager John Brown.

Houston’s chucker, Steve Harris, allowed just five hits through six innings, but ran into trouble in the seventh when he allowed three runs on three hits. Neither pitcher allowed much after the seventh when the teams combined for just three hits.

“It was a total team effort and we didn’t have one or two guys

MVP Billy Tabb (middle) flanked my managers Marcus Pugh and John Brown

carry us,” Brown said. “Everyone contributed. We had a lot of injuries this week but guys just sucked it up and played hurt and things turned out well for us.”

The team’s only loss in the tournament was a one-run loss to Houston in round robin play. “We had that game and just gave it away,” Brown said. “I guess we got our revenge today.”

The Nasty Boy’s lead-off hitter, Lenny Towle, had two of the team’s eight hits and scored twice. Their three-hole hitter, Dave Thomas, added two hits, two RBI, and a stolen base while scoring a run. Burlin Germany started the seventh with a shot to left and came around to score the first of their three runs in the break-out inning.

David Agado led Houston at the plate collecting three of the team’s nine total hits. Houston scored twice in the first inning on three singles, two hit batsmen, and a sacrifice bunt, but Robert Schwartz lined a rocket to first base that was caught and turned into an easy double play to end the threat and saved Tabb’s day.

“We almost had a perfect week,” Brown said. “But this is a great way to end the week.”