(July 18, 2022 – Plano, TX) In a shortened game that only saw 4 innings of play, the Spirits (45+) unleashed for 15 runs off of 12 hits and cruised to a 15 to 4 mercy-rule win over the Rattlers on Monday night.
Four players finished with 2 hits on the shortened night, including Kirk Sipila, Travis Hitzeman, Sean House, and Brian Hackney. Sipila and Hackney each added doubles alongside 2 runs batted in, while Sipila also added 2 runs scored, batted in, and 2 walks. Shawn Lee finished the night 1-for-1 that included a double, walk, and added 2 runs scored and batted in. Mike Sopocy added a run scored, a single, and 3 runs batted in. Jimmy Campise, Rich Beller, and Aaron Lowe each added 2 hits and an RBI for the Rattlers.
The Rattlers picked up an early 1 to 0 lead in the first, but the Spirits tied the game after Chris Allen drew a leadoff walk, eventually made his way to third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Lee to tie the game, 1 to 1.
The Spirits made it 2 to 1 in the second after David Tipton walked, House singled, and Hackney followed with an RBI single to give the ghosts the lead. That lead was short-lived however, as a leadoff double by Campise in the top of the third eventually led to a run after Lowe doubled to tie the game.
The Spirits then opened the game up with a 5-run third inning that started when Allen singled and Sipila walked. Hitzeman singled home Allen and Lee walked to load the bases. Sopocy singled home both Sipila and Hitzeman, and a sacrifice fly by Tipton allowed Lee to score. Sopocy swiped second before House flew out, but a ground-rule double by Hackney that was just a few mph of wind blowing in from a home run allowed Sopocy to score to give the Spirits a 7 to 2 lead.
A rally by the Rattlers in the fourth made things interesting after the snakes scored another pair of runs to cut the Spirits lead down to, 7 to 4. The Rattlers turned to Brian Kellner to replace Beller as pitcher in the bottom half of the inning and the move appeared to be fatal as the Spirits offense welcomed him by unleashing for 8 runs before the game was eventually called.
Sipila and Hitzeman both singled to start the inning and Lee doubled to score Sipila. Hitzeman scored on a wild pitch that allowed Lee to move to second, and a ground out by Sopocy allowed Lee to eventually score. Tipton walked and House singled, and Tipton later scored on an error by the Rattlers outfield that allowed Hackney to reach base. John Holmquist followed with a single to load the bases, and a walk to Lester Bedford scored another run. Allen also drew a walk for an easy RBI and Sipila doubled home both Holmquist and Bedford before the came was called due to mercy rule.
The Spirits will return to action after a week off when they visit the Cardinals to close the regular season on August 1st. First pitch is scheduled for 8:45PM. Click here for additional game details or to listen live.
CORE Physical Medicine Players of the Game
Kirk Sipila (2-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB)
Shawn Lee (1-1, 2B, SAC, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB)
Brian Hackney (2-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI)