Spirits (50+) Cruise Through the Storm

(June 25, 2022 – Carrollton, TX) It was another hot one in Dallas as the Spirits (50+) engaged the Storm in DFW-ABA 50 League action this past Saturday. The team used a 5-run first inning to spark an 11 to 1 victory as the squad was able to earn an early exit due to the league’s mercy rule.

Kirk Sipila, Earl German, and Stacy Scott led the offense, each finishing with a pair of hits on the day. German added a double, run scored, and 2 RBIs while Brian Hackney also added a double on the day, scoring once, and adding 3 runs batted in.

Mike Sopocy and Sipila led off the game with walks, and Shawn Lee singled to load the bags. That’s when Hackney doubled to the gap to score all three runners and minutes into the game, the Spirits were up, 3 to 0. German traded places with Hackney to score him and to make it 4 to 0. German advanced on a wild pitch, and then scored on another wild pitch to make it 5 to 0 before Vince Parello drew a walk. The Storm were then able to get Dee Mauldin and John Hefner both to flew out before Scott singled and was left stranded after Jack Nash struck out swinging.

Kiki Olivas doubled in the bottom half of the inning and later scored on an RBI single by Bil Sachelari to cut the lead down to 5 to 1, but that proved to be the only run the Storm would score the rest of the way.

The Spirits added a pair of runs in the third inning after Parello reached on a one-out error and scored on a long RBI single by Mauldin. Mauldin swiped second and Hefner was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out before Scott singled home Mauldin. Nash was hit by a pitch, but John Holmquist grounded into a 6-4-3 double-play to end the inning with the ghosts up, 7 to 1.

The Spirits added run number 8 in the fourth after Sopocy walked and later scored on an RBI single by German, and the squad went on to score 3 more runs in the fifth inning to give the game its final score. Mauldin drew a walk to start off the inning and then stole his second bag of the game. Hefner singled to push Mauldin to third, and then went on to swipe second base to put both runners in scoring position. Nash grounded out but was able to pick up an RBI after Mauldin scored, and a single by Holmquist plated both Hefner and Scott to make it 11 to 1.

German picked up the victory on the mound for the Spirits, completing 4 innings of work while allowing one earned on 2 hits, and striking and walking one. Sipila picked up the close with one inning of work that included a hit and a strikeout.

The Spirits return to action following the July 4th holiday weekend, returning to host the White Sox at Lively Park in Irving starting at 9AM on July 9th. Click here for schedule details.

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