2023 ‘Mighty Coyotes’ Repeat as 40+ Champions in Fort Worth MSBL
Coyotes 14, Drillers 7 (Game two in best-of-three championship series sweep)
Submitted by Mike Millsap
The “Mighty Coyotes” repeated as 40+ FWMSBL champs with a convincing 2-0 series sweep over the regular season champion Drillers.
Overcoming an unprecedented amount of turnover from the 2022 championship roster, the Yotes didn’t take long to “gel” with their new teammates as they coasted through their 3-game championship run to the title.
Playoffs game one against the Sandlots featured an absolute pitching GEM by Greg Potter, a lead-off dinger by Chris “Phillips 66,” as well as TWO BOMBS and 3-RBI by team captain Doug “BIG PUMA” Parris. Charles “THUNDER” Bolton collected three hits with Dewey Harrison coming through with a couple of clutch knocks as well to propel the Desert Dogs into the Championship.
Championship Series Game One against the Drillers featured the pitching services of Bolton and Billy McDaniel who combined to keep the hard-hitting opposition to seven runs with the Yotes rallying in the later innings to a 10-5 game one victory.
With former Major League Baseball Player and “YOUR Certified Hitting GURU” Jeff Frye in the dugout to energize the Coyote offense, Parris (yet again) delivered three more hits including a smash double and two RBI to help break open a close game in the fourth inning as Derek “SAAVY” Savage added a clutch 3-run triple and Justin “Hatch” Hatcher had two RBI as well.
Game two went the Yotes’ way as well as Hatcher took the mound to close out the series with a 14-7 win securing back-to-back Championships for the Coyotes. Mike Huber and Chris “CRUSH” Hughes collected two hits each with Hughes, Mike Millsap, and Scott Peterson knocking in two runs apiece.
The playoffs MVP goes to the “BIG PUMA” Doug Parris with an OBSCENE line of .714-BA, .714-OBP, 1.714-SLG and 2.429-OPS in just two games. Other offensive performances of note for the Coyotes in the playoffs included Hughes and Millsap with .750 batting average (59-yr-old Millsap made ONE out in the series!), Hughes’ with six hits to lead the team, and Mike Justice with five (that’s FIVE) WALKS!
A GREAT season with a GREAT team effort in the playoffs to secure back-to-back (and fifth overall) championship! Let’s THREE-PEAT, BOYS!!!