(March 18, 2023 – Carrollton, TX) The Spirits (50+) squad was up again bright and early on a Saturday and seemingly picked up right where they had left off one week prior. The team put together a 12-hit, 15-run attack on the Red Sox, leaving them in shock following a mercy-rule 15 to 2 shortened-game victory by the ghosts.
Several Spirits finished with 2 hits on the day, including Todd Murrah, who finished 2-for-2 with a walk, run scored and a pair of runs batted in. Kirk Sipila and Will Nash each finished with a pair of hits, with Sipila adding 3 runs batted in alongside 2 runs scored. Will also scored twice and added an RBI, but the king of the RBI category on the day went to Kent Fischer, who launched a grand slam homerun in the fourth to score himself and three teammates as the Spirits went on to complete a 10-run fourth inning. Fischer also finished with a walk as well.
Sipila tossed 5 innings for the Spirits, allowing 2 earned off 5 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 3. The chaos began right in the first inning as Chris Allen led off the game with a single. Sipila doubled to score Allen and moved to third after Fischer reached on a Red Sox error. Will Nash singled home Sipila, and moments later Fischer was caught stealing second. Brian Hackney drew a walk and Anthony Osburn went down on swings, but Stacy Scott kept the inning going by drawing a walk before Murrah singled to score Nash and Hackney. Scott was also able to score on the play, following an error by one of the Red Sox outfielders. Jack Nash drew a walk to keep the inning alive but the Red Sox starter, Manuel Espinoza was able to get Jason Price to ground out to end the inning.
Fast forward to the fourth after the Red Sox picked up a run in the bottom half of the second, and the Spirits choose to hang out and hit for a while. Jack Nash singled to start things, and Price drew a walk to put two on with nobody out. Allen drew a walk to load the bases and the Red Sox turned to pitcher Carl Shuler, who filled in for Jay Beck, who had replaced Espinoza. Fischer promptly greeted Shuler’s first pitch with a grand slam homerun that cleared the 365 marker as it exited.
Will Nash kept the merry-go-round moving by adding a single before Hackney drew a walk. Osburn singled home Nash and Hackney later scored on a wild pitch. Scott drew another walk and the Red Sox then turned to Samuel Hinuiu to pitch. He then provided Murrah with a free trip to first, and Jack Nash followed with his second single of the inning, good to score Osburn. Price struck out but Allen reached again with his second walk of the inning to score Scott before Sipila singled home Murrah to give the Spirits a 15 to 1 lead. Fischer lost a battle on strikes to end the inning.
“Great day to manage some baseball,” Shawn Lee commented afterwards. “It’s easy when they’re this good. I just remind them how many outs there are or to get back on a line drive in the infield. No yelling today. Everybody wins! That, and Fischer is a monster pick up for this team.”
The Red Sox rallied for another run in the fourth to give the game its final score before it was called in the fifth due to the league’s mercy-rule. The Spirit will return to action next Saturday morning when they visit the Cubs at McInnish Park, Field #11. First pitch is slated for 11:45AM and you can click here for schedule details.