(September 22, 2019 – Irving, TX) The Spirits fall squad remained hot Sunday afternoon, putting up their second set of double figures to kick of the short NTABL Brazos League fall season. In game two, the squad took on the NTABL Veterans League Champion, DFW Hurricanes and it was all Spirits from the start.
The Spirits put up 21 hits on the afternoon to score 13 runs en route to a 13 to 1 victory at North Lake College. Eric Goetz, Patrick Bilgere, Chris Lewis and Aaron Wilson each finished the day with 3 hits as every member of the team hit safely during the game. John Henfer batted in 3 runs and Brant Finchum, Lewis and Wilson each added a pair of runs batted in to round off the box score.
The Spirits started off quickly, batting around in the first inning after Goetz led things off with a single. Shawn Lee then singled and both runners advanced after the throw went to the plate. A balk by Hurricanes starting pitcher, Sean Judge allowed Goetz to score and for Lee to advance to third and a single by Bilgere scored Lee and the Spirits had a quick, 2 to 0 lead. David Tipton and Finchum both drew walks after Bilgere stole third and Tipton stole second, and a follow up RBI single by Lewis scored Bilgere to make it, 3 to 0 Spirits. Tipton later scored on a single by Hefner, and after Lewis advanced to second and then stole third, he later scored on a single by Wilson.
The Hurricanes rallied for a run in the bottom half of the inning after Vince Parello doubled and then scored after Lee missed a ball at shortstop that allowed Mike O’Hornett to reach safely.
The Spirits quickly added three more runs in the second after Travis Hitzeman led the inning off with a double and moved to third after Bilgere singled. David DePaul came in to replace Judge at pitcher for the Hurricanes, but Tipton was able to draw a walk to load the bases and a single by Finchum allowed Hitzeman to cross the dish. Lewis then reached on a fielder’s choice that squeezed Bilgere at home, but Tipton was able to score an an error by the Hurricanes catcher. Finchum later scored on Wilson’s second RBI single on the day and the Spirits led, 8 to 1.
The Spirits added run number 9 in the fifth after Lee singled and later moved to third on a single by Bilgere. Finchum was able to hit a fly ball deep enough to complete the sacrifice fly ball to score Lee and the ghosts had a 9 to 1 lead moving into the latter half of the fifth. The Hurricanes nearly went in order, but Finchum drilled Thomas Mohlner with a side-arm pitch that game the ‘Canes a base runner temporarily before David Brounoff went down swinging and Brad Petty grounded out.
The Spirits went on to add 4 additional runs in the seventh after Hitzeman singled and advanced when Tipton singled after Bilgere flew out. Finchum loaded the bases with another single and Lewis’third hit on the day allowed Hitzeman to score. Hefner the doubled to score both Tipton and Finchum and a single by Goetz pushed Lewis across the plate to give the game its final score of, 13 to 1. Hitzeman came into relieve Finchum in the bottom half of the sixth and was able to set the Hurricanes down in order in the seventh to close out the game.
The next test for the Spirits comes in the form of the Caddo Reds as the Spirits visit the Reds Wednesday night at McInnish Park #10. First pitch is slated for 7:30PM and you can click here for schedule details.
Eric Goetz (3-5, 2B, BB, R, RBI)
Patrick Bilgere (3-5, R, RBI, SB)
Chris Lewis (3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB)
Aaron Wilson (3-5, 2 RBI)