Oct
21

Spirits (40+) Use Wholesale Runs in Route of Rangers

(October 20, 2021 – Euless, TX) The number 4 appears to be the magic number for the Spirits (40+) Fall team. The squad once again started off a game with a 4-run first inning and cruised to a 12 to 0 win over the Rangers this past Wednesday night at Texas Star.

Kirk Sipila and Travis Hitzeman each added a pair of hits, and Chris Lewis added 3 RBIs to help lead the team to victory. Starting pitcher, Duane Aponte was in assassin mode once again, going the distance to pick up the complete-game win. Aponte threw 6 innings, allowing no runs and no walks, gave up just 4 hits, and struck out a season-high 7 hitters. Aponte also finished 1-for-2, adding a run scored and 2 RBIs to aid his own cause.

Eric Goetz led off the game with a triple in the bottom of the first and a walk to Sipila put runners at the corners. Hitzeman doubled to score Goetz and move Sipila to third. Shawn Lee flew out and Aaron Wilson walked to load the bags. Will Nash also drew a walk to score Sipila, and David Tipton was able to reach on a fielder’s choice that put out Hitzeman at the plate. Lewis blasted a hard single that scored both Wilson and Nash, and Shawn Hunt kept the inning alive by drawing another walk. Lewis was then picked at second to end the inning, but the Spirits held a 4 to 0 advantage heading into the second.

The game remained quiet for a couple of innings until the ghosts unleashed for another 5 runs in the fourth. Nash reached on a one-out single and Tipton walked. Both runners moved over on a wild pitch and Lewis then reached on a fielder’s choice that left everybody safe with Nash crossing the dish to score. Lewis stole second to put both runners in scoring position and Hunt loaded the bases after wearing a pitch from Rangers starter, Gary Jackson. A single by Aponte scored both Tipton and Lewis and after Aponte swiped second, Scott grounded out but it was good enough to score Hunt. Aponte later scored on a wild pitch before Brant Finchum went down swinging to end the inning.

The Spirits added 3 more in the fifth after Aponte recorded another pair of strikeouts in a quiet inning for the Rangers. Goetz led things off with a walk and went on to steal second base. Sipila picked up an RBI double to score Goetz and then moved to third after Hitzeman singled. Sipila then scored on an RBI single by Lee, and a walk to Wilson loaded the bases again for the ghosts. The Rangers turned to Don Moussard to stop the bleeding and he was able to get Nash to line out and Tipton out on a sacrifice fly that scored Hitzeman before Lewis grounded out to end the inning.

Aponte put the final touch on the game by shutting down the Rangers in the sixth and the game was called due to the league’s mercy rule.

The Spirits move to 5-2-1 on the short Fall season and return to action next week when they visit the Drillers. Game time is 8:45PM and the game will take place on Arlington Field at Texas Star. Click here for additional schedule details.

Game Box Score

Core Physical Medicine Players of the Game

Kirk Sipila (2-2, 2B, BB, 2 R, RBI)

Travis Hitzeman (2-3, 2B, R, RBI)

Duane Aponte (1-2, R, 2 RBI, SB; 6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 7 K)