(July 11, 2024 – Carrollton, TX) It wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t pretty, but the Spirits (40+) squad found a way to get past the Killer Bees in the DFW ABA 40 League playoffs on Wednesday, sneaking away with a 6 to 5 win as Jonathan Duran picked up the victory, completing five and a third innings from the hill while allowing just 2 earned runs off of 6 hits while walking 4, and striking out 3. Mike Sopocy came in to pick up the save.
Kent Fischer finished 3-for-3, knocking in 3 runs, and stole a pair of bags while Eric Goetz tripled and finished with a pair of hits while scoring once, knocking in one run, and stealing a bag as well. Eric McPherson scored twice and also finished with a pair of hits and a stolen base to top off the offensive box score.
The ghosts jumped out to an early 3 to 0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning after Cliff Brade led off with a walk and then stole second base. McPherson singled to move Brade to third and after he swiped second, the Spirits had a pair of runners in scoring position with nobody out. Travis Hitzeman flew out and Shawn Hunt walked to load the bases before Shawn Lee lost a battle of strikes. An RBI single by Fischer scored both Brade and McPherson to make it 2 to 0. Fischer stole second base and Hunt later scored on an RBI single by Goetz to make it 3 to 0. Todd Murrah kept the inning alive by drawing a walk after Goetz stole second base, but Sopocy grounded into a double-play to end the inning.
Things remained quiet until the top half of the fourth when the momentum switched to the Bees after Brad Raaum reached on a Spirits fielding error. Nazario Armenta flew out but a single by Marcus Lewis gave the Bees two on with one out. Steve Trocchio loaded the bags with a single and after Michael Scott struck out, it appeared the Spirits may dodge a bullet. However, Samuel Vives followed through with an RBI single to score Raaum before David Diaz doubled home Lewis and Trocchio to tie the game before Tim Adams lined out.
The ghosts rallied for a run in the bottom half of the fourth to grab a 4 to 3 advantage after Goetz led off with a triple and then scored on an RBI single by Murrah. Sopocy singled to move Murrah to second but Stacy Scott grounded out. David Tipton flew out for the second out, and Duran grounded out to end the inning.
The Spirits then added a pair of insurance runs that turned out to be vital in the fifth after McPherson singled with one out. Hitzeman reached on an error that allowed McPherson to score to give the Spirits a 5 to 3 lead. Hunt was hit by a pitch and after both runners moved over on a double-steal, Lee lost another battle of strikes before Fischer singled home Hitzeman to make it 6 to 3.
In the sixth, Duran was able to strike out Armenta to lead things off. Lewis was able to draw a base-on-balls to give the Bees signs of life and two pitches later, Duran beaned Trocchio to give the Bees two on with one out. A single by Scott to the right centerfield gap allowed both runners to score and the Spirits turned to Sopocy to close things out. Sopocy was then able to get Vives to fly out and Diaz to ground out to end the game due to the league’s two hour time limit on games.
“It wasn’t pretty, and certainly from my shoes but as a team we were able to get it done,” Lee mentioned after the game. “The showed up with a bit of a different team than we saw during the season and they came ready to play. They didn’t cave to a 3-run deficit and after they tied the game, the momentum definitely seemed to shift. My guys were able to get it done though, so we’ll take the victory and hope to improve on things in tomorrow’s match-up.”
The team returns to action tomorrow night when they face the Killer Bees for game two of the three-game series in hopes of advancing to the championship game of the Division B playoffs.
Central Roofing and Restoration Players of the Game
Kent Fischer (3-3, 3 RBI, 2 SB)
Eric Goetz (2-3, 3B, R, RBI, SB)
Eric McPherson (2-3, 2 R, SB)