2020 50+ American

Diamond Dream Mustangs 9, Atlanta Saints 5

Submitted by Mike LaComb, Mustangs manager

The 50+ Fall Classic Mustangs team saw its toughest tournament competition that it has ever had to face. Almost every team in the 50+ bracket had a chance of winning a championship.

The Mustangs played three one run ballgames and had one tie in extra innings. We had two walk offs during the week. You couldn’t have asked for more fun! All week long, the team got great defense with Dan Cassidy making game saving plays at shortstop, and Joe Walsh logging the majority of the innings behind the plate. Dave Kaufmann and Tony Parella had terrific hitting performances at the plate. Joe Feller threw two complete games for the team. Steve Nix led the team in hitting.

Team leaders Steve Hutchinson and Ron Lochner held down the hot corner. Carlos Espada, Jimmy O’Connor, Robert Smith, James Hutmacher, John Denney, Tony Parella, Steve Nix and Enrique Ayala played solid defense behind our pitching. Dave Porta and Wilson Reyes pitched us to wins on the mound.

After the round robin, the Mustangs ended up in the American playoffs. Chris Dunn stepped on the mound to pitch his second game of the week versus the Atlanta Saints. He threw 7+ innings to depart the game tied 5-5. Rick Clough came in to pitch the rest of the game, as the team rallied behind Robert Smith’s three run double in the eighth inning, as the Mustangs won 9-5. Carlos Perez, Jimmy O’Connor, Dan Cassidy and Robert Smith each had two hits for the Mustangs. Joe Walsh led the team in the championship game with three hits, and was named tournament MVP.