2022 50+ National

Boston Wolfpack 16, Mustangs Baseball Club 5

Submitted by Sterling Endicott

The Boston Wolfpack defeated the two-time defending champion Mustangs Baseball Club 16-5 in the 50+ Championship at the MSBL Las Vegas Kickoff Classic.  Boston pounded out 83 hits and scored 68 runs, going 5-0 after moving to the younger division due to lack of teams in the 55+.  The weekend had a somber overcast, however, as teammate Rodney ‘The Ageless Arm‘ Tafoya was fighting for his life after being stricken with a massive stroke two weeks prior. 

In the final, the Pack fell behind 3-1 in the first and battled back to a 5-3 lead.  The Mustangs tied it with two in the bottom of the seventh and the game went into the ninth tied at five.  After a leadoff walk by Russ Ward, Boston sent the next 16 batters to the plate, scoring 11 runs in the process.  Jose Delgado hit a 2-run triple that was followed by three straight doubles by Efrain Nieves, David Oliver, and David Benedict.

Sam Steed earned the complete-game win and was backed up by solid defense including web gems from Ahmed Rodriguez, Benedict, and Oliver.  When the game was over, the Wolfpack came together and said a prayer for Rodney.

In pool play, the Wolfpack had wins over the California Hogs, Fresno Knights, and NSEW Connection getting solid pitching by Smith, Marco Barragan, and Jim Kearschner.  In the semifinal, the Pack defeated NSEW again, their only two losses, as J.T. Tomlinson call on the turn was the nuts  Offensive standouts for the tournament included Mike Kalfopoulous, Nieves, Mike Smith, Oliver, Mark Moise, and Rodriquez.