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Spirits (18+) Fall Hard in Season Finale

(July 31, 2018 – Plano, TX) Backing into the playoffs is the last thing any team wants to do and for the Spirits (18+) squad, it’s inevitability. The Spirits took a beating this past Sunday as The Dark Horse pounded the ghosts by a score of 11 to 0 to end the regular season on a negative note. The loss drops the team’s record to 10-9-1 in the NTABL Open National League standings and solidifies them as the number three seed heading into the postseason tournament.

To add insult to injury, after a 10-day layoff from their last game the team will now sit idle for 12 days before their first playoff game, leaving them with one game played in 22 days.

“I brought my opinion on the playoff structure up to a league VP and he seemed equally confused by it,” commented Club Manager, Shawn Lee. “It’s difficult trying to please everyone, but I don’t feel this is a case where every team should make the playoffs, especially if the cost is to have teams wait so long to play. We’ll provide some input at the end of the year meetings on changing this. The fifth seed should have been cut. Then the top four teams should have played for a title. The regular season needs to mean something and what team can get a rhythm down playing a single game in 22 days? It certainly wasn’t intentional, but this has left a bad taste.”

The Dark Horse put up 3 runs in the first inning, followed by 3 more in the second, 3 in the seventh inning and finally, 2 runs in the ninth to coast past the Spirits defense and pitching. Three Horse players recorded 3 hits on the night, including Ian Josh, Noah Tratree, and Chase Weaver who also recorded 4 RBIs on the night.

For the Spirits, hits were few and far between. Teddy Croft had a pair of hits including a double on the night and also drew a base-on-balls. Holden Novak, John Showalter, Eric Goetz, and Nate Martinez each added a single, but the team was unable to plate a runner.

Hayden Stallings went the distance for The Dark Horse, allowing the 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 11 Spirits hitters.

The team will return to action as their playoffs finally begin in a 3-game series versus the #2 seeded Dallas Panthers starting Sunday, August 12 at 6:00PM. Click here for schedule details, to obtain driving directions, or to download the iScore Central app to watch and listen to the game live, online.

Game Box Score

Dallas Spirits Baseball Club Players of the Game

Teddy Croft (2-2, 2B, BB)

Nate Martinez (1-2, BB)

Holden Novak (1-3; 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)