(March 28, 2026 – Carrollton, TX) Losing Streak: an uninterrupted or consecutive series of losses, defeats, or failures in sports, games, gambling, or business, typically defined as two or more games lost in succession. It often refers to a period of poor performance or bad luck, sometimes called a slump.
It’s early yet, but it’s also a short season. Losing two straight and 3 out of 4 games is something we’re not used to seeing for the Dallas Spirits Baseball Club. Whether it’s lack of interest, old age, or hurt feelings, it’s time for this team to step it up. For a team that has averaged 13 runs per game with 15 in the lineup, we’re seeing a silhouette of what has been. In another situation where the team should have easily gotten back on track, the Spirits (50+) squad chalked up another one into the loss column Saturday morning, this tie against the Strangers.
Shawn Lee and Shawn Hunt each finished with a pair of hits on the day while Kirk Sipila and Mike Sopocy each added another and that was it. The Spirits team averaging 13 or better a game for nearly a few years straight finished with 6 hits and 3 errors in a 4 to 3 loss to the Strangers. What’s worse is how the game was lost. The Spirits allowed the Strangers to put up a 4-spot in the bottom of the seventh inning with a 3 to 0 lead and watched as the Strangers walked it off and celebrated like they had just won the Super Bowl.
“It was their Super Bowl,” Lee mentioned afterwards. “These teams dislike us. They may respect us some, but they certainly dislike us. That’s what happens when you send them home every year. However, this dugout has cancer right now. Not sure why our heads are in the sand but this isn’t a team fired up to play baseball on Saturday mornings. This isn’t a team that’s interested in defending a championship. We haven’t had key losses. We aren’t injury plagued. We’re just aren’t playing worth a damn right now. I’m not sure if they need a weekend camping trip, a trip to the strip club, or a trip to see Jesus at church, but something needs to change. And fast!”
Lee’s squad looked anemic facing 60 miles per hour on the hill in what wasn’t a terrible performance but just not a commanding one. Four straight singles in the first inning led to a 2 to 0 lead after Sipila, Lee, Sopocy and Hunt each singled.
In the fourth, Lee singled with two outs and then watched as Sopocy, Hunt and Todd Murrah each drew walks to add another run for a 3 to 0 lead. The defense wasn’t playing bad at all and Sopocy was dealing well from the mound but in the bottom half of the seventh inning, the bottom fell out.
“It was hard to watch it in real time on the field,” Lee continued. “I’m thinking, no way they score four. Surely we’ll get out of this. Nope. We sat and watched them take it from us.”
Franklin Montilla reached on a Spirits fielding error that should have recorded the first out. It seemed redemption was in order when Montilla took off for second and was gunned down by Hunt to record the out after the fact but Raul Ponce followed with a one-out single to keep hope alive and well in the Strangers dugout. Jose Garcia then doubled to move Ponce to third and butcheeks started getting flexed for the Spirits defense. Sopocy then beaned Estanislao Casa to load the bases and the winning run set foot into the batter’s box. Concepcion Garza then followed with a double that was good to clear the bases and to tie the game at 3 to 3. Another single by Johann Jose Garcia mved Concepcion to third. Garcia swiped second base before Joze Zapata flew out and the Spirits needed one more out to secure a tie rather than a loss, however, Ricardo Franchi singled home Concepcion and all that was left was the crying.
“Tough way to lose,” Lee continued. “Mike was great the whole game. A few mistakes there at the end but they fought for it. We did nothing to stop it. And 3 runs isn’t going to win in this league. We just have to do better. Season isn’t over and I have faith we’ll get the offensive machine working again, but right now, we’re in a funk. Hoping the guys find a way to love this game again and more importantly, love this team. That’s something that’s been missing for a while.”
The Spirits will have a chance to start turning things around next Saturday when they take on the Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 11:45AM.
Ranger Fire, Inc. Players of the Game
Shawn Hunt (2-2, RBI, BB)
Shawn Lee (2-3, 2 R)
Mike Sopocy (1-2, RBI, BB)