The St. Thomas Tropical Waves 25+ Baseball Team came up a little short in the championship game of the 2009 Men’s Senior Baseball League World Series on Saturday in Phoenix, Ariz., losing 8-7 to the Oregon Outlaws.
The game was treat then trick on Halloween for the Waves, as they scored first with three runs in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. The Waves added another three runs in the top of the fifth inning to increase their lead to six as the goody bag looked heaving. In that inning, those runs forced the Outlaws to change their starting pitcher, Dan Puderbaugh. He was relieved by Tony Pine.
The Outlaws remained scoreless through four innings. Puderbaugh led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double down in the right-field corner. He later scored as the Outlaws’ offense managed to get on the scoreboard with his one run.
The Outlaws held the Waves scoreless in the top of the sixth and closed the deficit to one run after they scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Outlaws tied the game at six with one run in their half of the seventh after once again keeping the Waves scoreless in that inning.
The Waves regained the lead with one run in the top of the eighth inning. The Waves’ starting pitcher, Akeem Francis, retired the Outlaws’ side in order in the bottom of the inning.
The Waves threatened but were unable to score in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, the Outlaws’ center fielder, Aaron Faucett, walked to lead off the inning. Faucett advanced to second base as the Waves attempted to force him out, but the throw was not on time. The next hitter executed a sacrifice bunt to advance Faucett to third and Wes Warfield to second.
Brian Krupp then looped a one-ball, one-strike pitch to center field for a game-winning, game-ending walk-off RBI single.
Francis took the loss for the Waves and had two hits in four at bats in the championship game, while Kahlil Henley went 2 for 3 and Richard Clendinen 2 for 4.
Pine earned the win as Faucett led the Outlaws with three hits in four at bats and Warfield went 2 for 4.
The Outlaws had defeated the Waves 19-6 on Tuesday in round-robin play.
St. Thomas has three teams in this tournament: the Waves; the 65+ Suns, who finished their round-robin play with a record of 1-3-1; and the 45+ Hurricanes, who begin to play Monday.
