2016 Pilots Shoot Down Brewers for Crown in 55+ at the Rock in Milwaukee

Milwaukee-Rock MSBL, 55+ Division

Pilots 15, Brewers 9

Bottom Row L-R: Frank McCann, Bill Tschanz, Tim Urban, Mike Derrick, Al Alt, Bob Friday, Keith Kempski, Stuart Schramm, Gary Schultz and Pat Hudec. Top Row L-R: Terry Teske, Mike Butterfield, John Becker, Bill Wood, Dave Globig, Gary D’Amato, Mike Yttre, John Arnold, manager Bill Windler, Mike Fleissner, Ace Vollmer.

‘55+ Pilots Win Fourth Straight Title’

Submitted by Bill Windler, Pilots manager

Pushed to the limit by the Brewers, the Pilots won the third game in the best-of-three championship series, 15-9, at the Rock Complex in Franklin, Wisconsin, to capture their fourth straight 55+ crown and sixth in seven seasons.

The rematch of the 2015 championship series featured the top two Milwaukee-area teams from the regular season and stretched into early October. The Pilots were tested to the maximum as the Brewers won the first game, 11-10, to snap the Pilots’ 39-game winning streak dating to 2014 and used an eight-run fourth inning to take a 10-1 lead in game two. Pushed to the brink, the Pilots responded with a nine-run eighth inning for a 22-14 victory that set the stage for the deciding game Oct. 4.

Gary Schultz picked up the pitching victory in game three, with Al Alt working the final four innings and closing the door after the Brewers had pulled within four. Mike Yttre went 4 for 4 for the Pilots to cap a 10-for-12 championship series with nine RBI. Alt drove in three runs in the final game, and Pilots teammates John Arnold and Terry Teske knocked in two each, with Mike Butterfield adding a pair of doubles. Bill Wood scored seven runs in the series.

For the Brewers, Jeff Dickert had four hits and Steve Brothers and Andy Zibolski three apiece. Brothers had an outstanding series with eight hits and seven RBI.

The high-scoring series was atypical for the two teams, which featured top pitching and solid defense throughout the regular season. The Pilots’ John Arnold was the league’s top pitcher with a 2.62 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 86 innings, and Gary Schultz went 5-1 over 48 innings.

Other top hitters were Frank McCann, Dave Globig, John Becker, Bill Tschanz, Mike Derrick, Ace Vollmer, Tim Urban, Mike Fleissner and Bob Friday. A strong reserve crew included Keith Kempski, Stuart Schramm, Gary D’Amato and Pat Hudec, our third base coach who helped the Pilots steal 130 of 138 bases.