Las Vegas Old Bats win Gay Softball World Series division as league players prepare to march in Pride parade

What happened

The Old Bats, a 50-and-older team in the Las Vegas Gay Softball League, won their division at the Gay Softball World Series on Sept. 5 in Columbus, Ohio, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The team won the 27-team "Legends D" division. League players are set to take part in the Las Vegas Pride Night Parade 2026 downtown on Friday night.

According to the Sun, this is the third World Series title for a Las Vegas league team since 2011. The annual tournament drew 261 teams that played more than 1,000 games.

How the Old Bats won

A defensive finish

Shortstop Mike Inskeep assisted on the last out of the championship game, a fielder's choice at second base, the Sun reported. The night before, he dove to stop a ball behind second base on what would have been a game-tying hit. He then flipped it to second baseman Sean Dwyer to start a game-ending double play that kept the team in the winners bracket.

The Old Bats finished 9-1, and five of their wins came by a single run. Left fielder Tommy Privitere calls Inskeep "The Great Wall of Inskeep" and often yells "Great Wall" after his plays. "Nothing gets past that man," Privitere told the Sun.

A homecoming in Ohio

The tournament brought Inskeep, 51, back to his home state. The Sun reported that he was a standout pitcher at Hubbard High School in Ohio, where he still holds pitching records. Relatives who live in Ohio made the drive to watch him play. They wanted to make homemade signs, but he thought that would have been too much.

A comeback after a 2020 illness

Time in intensive care

Inskeep's return to the field followed a serious illness. The Sun reported that in 2020 he contracted what was likely one of the Las Vegas area's earliest coronavirus cases, weeks before local cases were being confirmed. When he woke up in the intensive care unit at St. Rose Dominican Hospital-Siena Campus, he had no memory of the previous few days.

According to the Sun, he went without a heartbeat for more than 15 minutes and was put on dialysis and a ventilator. Rebuilding his fitness during recovery was part of why he started playing softball again.

A sponsor with a personal link

The Old Bats are sponsored by LifeCare Partners. The Sun reported that its executive director, Dr. Rahul Jain, provided the care that kept Inskeep alive. Inskeep is a retired engineer who also golfs with a 6 handicap, but he ranks the World Series win among his top athletic achievements.

Why the league matters to players

The Sun described the league as a source of competition and camaraderie for a community that has faced plenty of challenges. The paper reported that LGBT athletes who have not always felt welcome on other teams can play there without feeling they have to hide who they are.

Inskeep said the relationships matter as much as winning. "Some of our closest friends in Las Vegas we made playing in the league," he told the Sun, speaking of himself and his husband, a local pediatrician. Privitere said the league "promotes inclusiveness and gives us a great place to get together, be ourselves and enjoy the camaraderie of the community."

In an editor's note, the Sun disclosed that Dave Mondt, an employee of Greenspun Media Group, plays for and coaches the Old Bats.

Pride parade on Friday night

League members, including the Old Bats, are scheduled to march in the Las Vegas Pride Night Parade 2026 on Friday, according to the Sun. The preshow begins at 6 p.m. The Sun listed the location as downtown Las Vegas along Fourth Street from Gass to Ogden avenues. More local events and groups are covered in our community section.

What to watch next

• The Las Vegas Pride Night Parade 2026 takes place downtown Friday night, with the preshow starting at 6 p.m., according to the Las Vegas Sun.
• The Old Bats and other Las Vegas Gay Softball League members are scheduled to march in the parade.