(June 29, 2024 – Carrollton, TX) The Spirits (50+) offense once again proved unfriendly for the Cubs this past Saturday as the ghosts racked up a 13-run second inning following a 6-run second, and breezed to a 24 to 0 mercy-ruled win. In the shortened games in the past two weeks, the Spirits outscored their opponent by a margin of 44 to 3 in just 10 innings of play.
Every Spirits batter hit safely with the exception of two. Shawn Lee, Brian Hackney, and Vince Parello helped lead the ghosts, each finishing with 3 hits on the day in a game that featured 8 Spirits being hit by pitches and 5 additional free passes to first via walks. Lee finished with 3 singles, was hit by a pitch, scored twice, and knocked in 3 runs. Hackney doubled alongside two singled, scored twice and batted in two, while Parello finished 3-for-3, walked once, scored 3 times, and knocked in a run. Shawn Hunt and James Hardt also came up big on the day, each finishing with a double on the day, with Hunt adding a walk, hit-by-pitch, 2 runs scored and 4 runs batted in while Hardt added a double, single, 2 runs scored, and 4 runs batted in. Stacy Scott also added a double as part of his 2 hits on the day and scored twice.
Mike Sopocy picked up the win on the mound, working for 3 innings while allowing just 2 hits, a walk, while striking out 2. Hunt, the Spirits starting catcher, came on to pitch the final two innings, allowing no runs and no hits while walking 2, and striking out 3.
“Absolutely epic in all facets,” Lee mentioned after the game. “We’re hard to beat when we hit the ball like this, but the defense was good, pitching was good, and (Shawn) Hunt had a heck of a day all around, catching for 3 innings, adding on offense, and then coming in to pitch in temperatures over 90 degrees. That’s pretty incredible work!”
In the top half of the first inning, Chris Allen led off the game by wearing a pitch from Cubs starter, Ben Northcutt. Lee struck out and Allen later moved to second following an error by the Cubs catcher. Kirk Sipila was then hit by a pitch and was later put out at second after Hunt reached on a fielder’s choice. A balk by Northcutt allowed Allen home before Kent Fischer grounded out to second with the Spirits up, 1 to 0.
Sopocy walked Tony Chavez, Sr. to give the Cubs a base runner in the bottom half of the inning and after striking out Heath Baker, Northcutt singled to put two on with one out. Both runners moved over on an error by Sopocy but Sopocy gathered and struck out Mike Skaggs before getting Keith Riley to line out to get out of the inning.
The Spirits then rallied for a 6-run second inning after Sopocy led off with a walk. Hackney singled and Scott reached on an error to load the bases. Hardt followed with an RBI single to score both Sopocy and Hackney, and a follow up single by Parello scored Scott. Allen was hit by a pitch a second time to reach and load the bags. Lee was then hit by a pitch that scored Hardt. Sipila flew out to the infield to hold the runners but a walk to Hunt added another run after Parello crossed the dish. Fischer lost a battle of strikes but Sopocy was able to plate another run after he was hit but another pitch from Northcutt that gave the Spirits a 7 to 0 lead after Allen scored and Hackney struck out ot end the top half of the second.
Sopocy held the Cubs offense quietly in the bottom frame and then the Spirits opened the offensive flood gates, adding a 13-run inning to go up 20 to 0 before the dust settled. Scott doubled to start off the inning and moved to third on a wild pitch. Hardt was hit by a pitch and Parrello walked to load the bags before John Holmquist joined the lineup and added an RBI walk to first. After Scott scored, Allen reached on a fielder’s choice that put out Hardt at the plate on a slow roller to third. Lee followed with a single to score Parrello, and a walk to Sipila and a ball to the leg of Hunt scored Allen. Fischer then followed with an RBI single that scored both Lee and Sipila, and with the Spirits now up 13 to 0, the Cubs turned to veteran pitcher, Michael Paul in hopes of slowing down the Spirits offense.
Sopocy welcomed Paul to the game with a single to reload the bases for Hackney, who promptly singled home Hunt and Fischer. Scott grounded out in his second at-bat of the inning and Hardt’s double to the right-center field wall scored Sopocy and Hackney. Parrello followed with a single and Holmquist was hit by a pitch to load the bags again. Allen then reached on an error that allowed Hardt to score and Lee’s second RBI single in the inning plated Parello. Sipila followed with another RBI single that scored Holmquist before Paul was able to get Hunt to fly out.
After closing out the Cubs for the third straight inning, the Spirits offense actually took a break from scoring in the third before turning to Hunt to pitch. Hunt struck out Skaggs to start the bottom half of the fourth and then walked Paul to give the Cubs a base runner. Dennis DiCapua popped out and Hunt then walked James Greer to give the Cubs two on with two out. The hope was short and sweet as Hunt then struck out Roger Venables to end the inning.
The Spirits then rallied for another 4 runs in the fifth after Parrello singled and move dot second when Holmquist reached on an error. Allen then reached on a fielder’s choice that cut down both Parrello and Holmquist via a 5-5-4 double-play but the Spirits rallied for another 5 straight hits including singles by Lee and Sipila, followed by an RBI double by Hunt that scored both Allen and Lee. Another RBI single by Fischer scored Sipila before Sopocy’s RBI single scored Hunt to give the game its final score.
“Pretty rough one for our opponent,” Lee continued. “We don’t try to run up the score but we do expect teams to get us out. We didn’t steal a single base that game and at the same time, we try to keep a balance of fair play so as not to insult our opponents. Typically, if a guy gets a hit, you score and give them their run batted in. We’d never want to run up the score on someone so as to insult them. But the guys were just on today. We hit the ball where they weren’t and that made for a long day. The combination of Mike (Sopocy) and Shawn (Hunt) on the hill seemed to shut them down, so it is what it is. They’re great guys, they just didn’t have anything today.”
The Spirits return to action following the July 4th weekend break and will host the Aces on July 13th starting at 11:45AM on Field #10 at McInnish Park. Fans can click here for schedule details.
Central Roofing and Restoration Players of the Game
Shawn Hunt (1-2, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI, HBP, BB; 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K)
Shawn Lee (3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HBP)
James Hardt (2-3, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI, HBP)