(October 26, 2022 – Euless, TX) There wasn’t much for offense, but the Spirits fall squad found ways to get guys on and to plate them as they cruised to an 11 to 1 mercy rule win over TBD on Wednesday night to earn the #1 seed heading into to the single elimination tournament.
TBD starter, Jeff Peck walked 9 Spirits while he and relief pitcher, Luis Ambriz allowed 6 hits, and each struck out a pair. Spirits ace, Craig Molldrem went the distance, allowing just 1 earned off of 3 hits, walking none, and striking out 11.
Eric Goetz led the Spirits offense, finishing the night 2-for-3 with a triple, 2 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and a walk. Molldrem walked 3 times, added a hit, run scored and 2 RBIs, while Stacy Scott added a hit, run scored, and 2 RBIs.
Tied at zero through three full innings of play, TBD got on the board after Scott Swingle doubled off of Molldrem and later scored on a ball that got past catcher, Will Nash. The Spirits would rebound, and it would get ridiculous, fast.
Goetz led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and moved to second after Molldrem walked. David Tipton and Shawn Hunt also drew walks to score Goetz, and to tie the game at one each. Scott singled home both Molldrem and Tipton, and after Shawn Lee moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, two straight walks to Cliff Brade and Eric McPherson, followed by Nash wearing a pitch, and two more walks to Goetz and Molldrem, and it was 7 to 1, Spirits. TBD then turned to Ambriz to pitch and Tipton welcomed him by reaching on a fielder’s choice that squeezed Molldrem at second and allowed Nash to cross the dish. Goetz was able to score on an error by the TBD second baseman before Hunt last the battle on swings to end the inning.
The Spirits went on to tack on another pair of runs in the sixth to secure the game after Nash led off with a walk, Goetz tripled, and a single by Molldrem created the walk off due to the league’s 10 run mercy rule.
“Solid effort tonight,” Lee mentioned after the game. “Our offense was a little anemic but we didn’t kick the ball around, so that was nice. We’ll have to play a little better on offense if we want to win this thing but I have faith that we’ll put some good games together here moving forward. Kind of difficult to measure up your offense when they don’t see a lot of pitches to hit. Another great outing by Molldrem. We’re lucky to have him.
The Spirits will stand idle for the league’s final week of play, awaiting seeding for the league’s end of the season single-elimination tournament. Stay tuned.
Dallas Spirits Baseball Club Players of the Game
Craig Molldrem (1-1, 3 BB, R, 2 RBI; 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 11 K)
Eric Goetz (2-3, 3B, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI)
Stacy Scott (1-3, R, 2 RBI)