2023 Diamondbacks Double-up Mudcats for 55+ National Division Championship in Arizona MSBL
Arizona MSBL, 55+ National Division
Diamondbacks 13, Mudcats 6
Submitted by Tony Burnette, manager
The 55+ Diamondbacks season got off to a rocky start. We were down 9-0 after the first half inning of our season. We battled back to win that game in a walk-off after our ageless middle infielder, Ken Fleisch, singled in the winning run. The season only got better from there as we went 16-2 and captured our first Season Title in over a decade.
We went 3-0 to capture the Playoff Championship as well. The first two playoff games were won in walk-offs, the second game lasting 13 innings! Joe Whitmer gave us five innings of one-run ball and then Jon Knudsen came in and pitched eight innings of relief in his longest outing of the season on a hot and windless late summer night in Arizona. Mike Stults singled home the winning run, just minutes before the lights were about to go out.
To go 19-2, it was obviously a team effort. Craig McKarns played steady shortstop and ignited our offense from the leadoff spot throughout the season. Pete Basaldu played part-time with us and really bailed us out a few times when we were short pitching. He also got the win in the Championship Game.
We weren’t the 2023 Atlanta Braves in terms of slug, but Dave Carlton, Bret Lort, John Bradish, Dave Bellerson, and John Ivkovich provided plenty of pop in the middle of our lineup.
Gary Newson played a steady third base and contributed with the bat with a .400 plus average. Adam Devaney was like a second leadoff hitter at the bottom of our lineup, wreaking havoc on the bases. Despite suffering a hand injury that limited his play this summer, Joel Villa was a solid contributor at several positions for us.
I spent another scorching summer in the Tools of Ignorance, grateful for the opportunity to play ball in my 50s. Our longest-tenured D’Back, George Rocco, provided his normal clutch hitting and pitched a scoreless ninth in the Championship Game, striking out the last batter!
