ASA MEN'S 50+ FAST-PITCH TOURNAMENT

By DOUG COOK
The Daily Courier

Long journey to Prescott pays off for Texas pitcher Plangger  

PRESCOTT – It’s amazing what can transpire in 24 short hours. For Rick Plangger, traveling by plane halfway around the United States to eventually pitch in a national championship softball game led to a substantial reward.

Not bad for a guy who just turned 50, had open-heart surgery four years ago, and openly describes himself as an “OK” pitcher.

Texas Stars pitcher Rick Plangger won both championship games on Sunday for the victorious Texas Stars at Ken Lindley Field.
On the brink of elimination, the Texas Stars of Houston rode Plangger’s arm to consecutive wins and a title in the ASA National Men’s 50 and Over Fast-Pitch Tournament Sunday night at Ken Lindley Field.

The Stars eclipsed the previously undefeated Tulsa Gray Sox 12-0, in what could have been a championship elimination game, before entering the title contest in which they claimed a 6-1 victory over the Gray Sox and their second straight ASA fast-pitch national crown.

Plangger, whose Michigan men’s major team (comprised of younger men’s players in their 40s) lost in a tourney Thursday evening, arrived in Prescott Saturday night to join the Stars.

Making Plangger’s trip to the Southwest considerably grueling was the fact that he didn’t get home until 2 a.m. Saturday morning and had to catch an early flight to Chicago that same day in order to get to Arizona.

No matter. On Sunday he won two games - hurling a no-hitter in the five-inning, run-ruled first game, and an eight-hitter over seven strong innings of work in the championship.

“I’ve been pitching for so many years. I had more fun playing with the older guys than I did the younger guys,” said Plangger, who was named Tournament MVP after the title contest. “I wasn’t going to come this weekend because the scheduling was so hard.”

The tournament, rained out a year ago in Alabama, returned to Prescott where the Stars traversed the same road to a championship that they had here in 2001. That year Texas also had one loss heading into the title showdown, and won two straight to be crowned champs.

Plangger had made a commitment last year to pitch for the Stars in Alabama. When the weather came, he left. But, sticking true to his word, Plangger still planned on joining Texas in 2003.

He’s glad he did.

On Sunday the Gray Sox scorched the Stars 9-1 in the winner’s bracket finals. But Texas was able to emerge victorious from the loser’s bracket, and became Tulsa’s worst nightmare.

With storm clouds hovering over Ken Lindley Field, Texas made quick work of the Gray Sox in the initial game’s 12-0 shellacking.

Plangger struck out only a trio, but retired the side in three of the five innings he pitched. He overcame three fielding errors that could have cost him some runs, and his offense backed him up superbly with a five-run first and a five-run fourth to seal the deal.

In the decisive fourth, Stars right fielder Randy Brown ripped a two-run triple and pinch hitter Emerson Hayes plated two more after scorching a deep double to center.

“We just never gave up,” said Stars manager Bobby Smith, who has roster players from 10 different states and has been with the team since its inception in 1996. “It’s very gratifying, especially to beat a team like this. We kept the same guys we had the year before (in 2001), and added a few other players.”

Plangger had similar success in the championship, striking out six and retiring the side twice. He scattered eight hits over the seven innings, and was never really threatened after a potentially shaky first. Tulsa’s Hice Stiles roped an RBI single that scored leadoff man Paul Rubin from second, accounting for the Gray Sox’s lone run.

The Stars scored four in the second inning with the assistance of two RBI triples, one apiece from designated player Bob Sagle and left fielder Tom Manor.

Moments later Gray Sox starter Dennis Stillwell threw a wild pitch that brought in Manor. Texas second baseman Mike Hazel then laced a hot shot off Stillwell’s glove that caromed into left field and scored Glenn Lusk, who had tripled hitting in the No. 9 hole.

“This week’s been fun. We have very class guys, and I’ve enjoyed it,” said Tulsa manager Bobby Hill, who incorporated standout players from the 2001 national runner-up Southern California Painters team onto his squad for a 2003 title run. “We played well up until the finals, and it’s pretty disappointing - especially after we beat those guys like we did in the winner’s bracket finals.”