2020 Tigers Hold On to Down Team Freedom for 45+ Crown in Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League

Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League, 45+ Division

Tigers 13, Team Freedom 11

The Tigers won the Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League 45+ championship in a battle between the Tigers and Team Freedom in a high scoring game in Couer D’ Alene, Idaho.  It took nine innings under the lights at Thorco Field but the Tigers held on for a 13-11 victory.

It was a battle with each team scoring double digits in the game, with Team Freedom scoring seven runs in the second inning to take the lead while batting around in the inning.  In the top of the third the Tigers came back with five runs of their own to make it 5-7. Freedom put up another run in the fourth to make it 5-8 going into the bottom of the fourth.  But the Tigers battled back in the bottom of the frame to tie it up in at 8-8.

Both teams made a pitching change even though both pitchers were doing well, but a few errors on each team wasn’t helping them out.  The Tigers took the lead the next inning, 9-8, on a dropped ball in the outfield which would have been out number three.  The Freedom were blanked in that inning as the Tigers added four more runs in the following inning thanks to some errors, but the Freedom kept coming back, adding a couple more runs to make it 10-13 going into the top of the ninth.

The Freedom got two runners on base with Bret Fink coming up, having already gone 4 for 4 for the night.  He singled to center making it 5 for 5 with the bases now loaded.  There was then a wild pitch, allowing all runners to advance while scoring one to make the score 11-13 with the tying run now on second.  But the Tigers held tough and were able to secure the 45+ championship.

It was a great season for all of the 45+ teams. Congratulations to the 45+ Tigers and the second place Freedom.

Stated league president Bret Fink, “Great Job to all the teams this year traveling to Idaho to play and handling our sometime game-day changes to get the games in.  All in all, it was a fun year, even with the challenges.”