2023 55+ Mountain
Yonder Travelers 10, Sacramento Rockets 3
Submitted by Dave Halley, Travelers’ manager
October 26, 2023, Goodyear Stadium, AZ…The Yonder Traveler’s journey to the 2023 Championship game started with an early test in their very first game of the round robin with a rematch of last year’s Championship Game against the eventual 2022 Champion Tri-Valley Tribute. The Tribute wasted no time jumping on the Travelers. They scored two in the first, two in the third, one in the fifth, and two in the eighth to take a commanding 7-0 lead over the Travelers. But the Travelers showed some grit in the bottom of the eighth when they scored seven runs to tie the game.
The game would go into extra innings, but neither team scored, so the game ended in a tie. That was a big game for us. Tying that game after being down seven runs was like a win, and it helped build the confidence we needed as a team moving forward that week. That was a defining moment for us that week.
After tying their first game the Travelers would go a win streak, beating the Chicago MAXX Cubs 18-3, San Antonio Reds 16-1, and the Mustang Baseball Club 20-6, before losing the Sacramento Rockets 3-2 in Game Five. The Travelers would rebound from that loss to beat the Tri-Valley Tribute in their rematch 5-1 with some exceptional pitching from Paul Fortney, who threw a complete game.
The Travelers’ semi-final game against the Chicago MAXX Cubs was a close 7-4 win behind strong pitching from Dan Kopitzke, who would have three complete game wins for the week. The Sacramento Rockets would beat the Mustang Baseball Club 18-5 in their semi-final game.
The 55+ Mountain Championship would match the 4-1-1 Yonder Travelers against the 4-2 Sacramento Rockets. The Rockets wasted no time and plated two runs in the top of the first with a double by Guimonte, an RBI single by Miller, and a sacrifice fly from Ozboroune.
The Travelers would respond quickly with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first to take a lead they would never relinquish the rest of the game. A big five runs in the fourth by the Travelers would put some distance between the Travelers and the Rockets. That big inning was highlighted by doubles from Lou Goehrig, Hector Diaz, and Dan Kopitzke. Dan Kopitzke would get the complete Championship game win, scattering nine hits and striking out three with no walks.
Co-Tournament MVP Steve Frellick would lead the way amongst all Traveler hitters, going 15 for 29 for a .517 batting average, with eleven RBIs, ten runs, and three doubles for the week. Co-MVP Dan Kopitzke, nickname “Gringo Descalzo,” had three complete game wins for the week, including the winning pitcher for both the semi-final and Championship games.
Javi Baragan, Lou Geohrig, and Doug Thigpen also had strong offensive weeks, batting above or at .500 for the week. Yonder’s pitching was also strong for the week. As a team, Yonder pitchers had a combined 1.88 ERA and just a .225 batting average from opposing teams. The Yonder Travelers added four new players to their Ring Brother fraternity. Kirt Bennett, John Perry, Lou Geohrig, and Paul Fortney are now part of a growing list of Raleigh Braves/Yonder Travelers World Series champions.
