(May 18, 2024 – Carrollton, TX) The Spirits (50+) offense was up and at ’em on Saturday morning as the squad wasted no time pounding the baseball from the game’s first pitch. The ghosts put up a first inning “touchdown,” scoring 7 runs while on their way to a 14 to 4 mercy-rule win in DFW-ABA 50 League action.
Kirk Sipila and Mike Sopocy each finished with a pair of hits, with Sipila adding a pair of runs scored and Sopocy adding a pair of runs batted in. Kent Fischer doubled, scored 4 times, and knocked in a run while Dee Mauldin finished 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 3 runs scored, 2 runs batted in, and a pair of stolen bags. Shawn Hunt was also 1-for-2, adding a walk, run scored, and an RBI. Kevin Simmons finished 1-for-1, with a sacrifice fly, a walk, and a pair of runs batted in to top off the Spirits box score.
Pitcher, John Holmquist picked up the victory, tossing for 3 innings while allowing 3 earned on 6 hits while striking out one. Sopocy closed off the final two innings, allowing one earned off of 2 hits, while striking out two.
Chris Allen led off the game by reaching safely on a Metroflex error and moved to second on the play. He then scored on an RBI single by Vince Parello. Parello swapped second base and moved to third when Sipila singled, and the bags loaded up when Fischer reached on an error. Sopocy made the error hurt by knocking home Parello with an RBI single and the scoring continued with Mauldin drew an RBI walk. Shawn Hunt followed with an RBI single to score Fischer, and a sacrifice fly by Simmons scored Sopocy. Mauldin also scored following an error by the Metroflex catcher, leaving the Spirits with a 6 to 0 start with one out. Stacy Scott‘s sacrifice fly scored Hunt to make it 7 to 0 before Earl German and Allen both walked to keep the inning alive, but Metroflex starter, Ken Earp was able to get Parello to strikeout to finally stop the bleeding.
Metroflex rallied for a run in the bottom frame but the Spirits offense didn’t let up, adding 3 more runs in the second to make it 10 to 1. Sipila led things off with a single and a double by Fischer scored him before Sopocy grounded out. Mauldin singled home Fischer and then swiped second base before Hunt lost a battle of strikes. An RBI single by Simmons scored Mauldin to add the tenth run before Scott grounded out.
Singles by Kiki Olivas and George Ebertin proved worthy as both runners scored in the bottom of the second to cut the Spirits lead down to, 10 to 3. Things remained quiet for an inning before the Spirits added 2 more runs in the fourth after Fischer reached on a dropped third strike. Sopocy flew out but Mauldin walked and following a double-steal to move both runners to second and third, Fischer later scored on a wild pitch before Hunt drew a base-on-balls. Simmons also drew a walk before Scott reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Mauldin to cross the dish to make it 12 to 3, Spirits before German grounded out.
Metroflex added another run in the bottom half of the fourth to update the score to, 12 to 4, and the Spirits tacked on runs 13 and 14 in the fifth inning after Allen led off with a single. Parello flew out and Allen took second on a wild pitch before Sipila flew out. Fischer then reached on an error that plated Allen, and an RBI single by Sopocy scored Fischer to give the game its final score before Mauldin grounded out to end the Spirits fifth.
Sopocy took Metroflex down quietly in the bottom half of the inning despite a single by Jonnie Gunter, and the Spirits held on to a 14 to 4 win cut short by the league’s 10-run mercy rule. The team will return to action next Saturday when they visit the Freebirds at McInnish Park, Field #11. First pitch is scheduled for 11:45AM.
Central Roofing and Restoration Players of the Game
Dee Mauldin (1-2, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB)
Kent Fischer (1-4, 2B, 4 R, RBI, SB)
Mike Sopocy (2-4, R, 2 RBI; 2 IP, ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K)