2023 70+ Division

Sacramento Tribe 7, North County Mudcats 6

Submitted by Joe Soto, Tribe manager

Led by pitcher Van Mattison and MVP Dennis Smith, the Sacramento Tribe went 5 and 0 in winning the MSBL Las Vegas Kick-off Classic 70-over Division Championship. The Tribe won the championship game 7 to 6 over the San Diego Mudcats.

The Tribe took a 6 to 0 lead into the seventh inning, where the Mudcats came up with three runs. The Tribe then scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-3. However, the Mudcats scored three in the top of the ninth to close the gap to one run but the game ended with a fly ball out to Smith in centerfield.

Smith and Ewbank each had two hits in the game, in which the Tribe totaled 12. The defense of Smith in center and the combination of shortstop Carter Njus and second baseman Pat Kelly were outstanding. In the five games, Smith had 12 hits and was voted the MVP by the team. Mattison contributed two wins on the bump during the three-day tournament. The defense was the key to our five wins.