(August 19, 2020 – Euless, TX) The game’s final score made the contest look closer than it actually was last Wednesday night as the LS Spurs rolled the Spirits (40+) squad by a score of 13 to 7 in DFW ABA League action at Texas Star. The Spurs led the game off on offense and the game was over before the first half of the first inning was completed.
Andy Castro drew a walk off of Spirits starter, Earl German and two singles and a double later, it was 3 to 0. The next Spurs hitter grounded out and the following four hitters followed with a triple, a pair of doubles and a single to make it 6 to 0, Spurs. The next hitters flew out and another Spurs single made it 7 to 0 before Spirits manager, Kirk Sipila turned to Dan Sosa to relieve German. Sosa was able to get the next hitter to ground out to end a horrific 25 minutes in the field for the Spirits defense to start the game, which only allows for 2 hours to play 7 innings.
The Spirits rallied for a pair in the bottom half of the inning after Eric McPherson led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Stacy Scott grounded out and Sipila flew out, but Travis Hitzeman doubled to score McPherson and one pitch later Shawn Lee sent a rocket to the center field wall to score Hitzeman on an RBI triple to make it 7 to 2. Bobby Kornhauser went down on swings to end the inning.
The Spurs then picked up where they left off by adding another 5 runs in the second to make it 12 to 2. It turned to 13 to 2 in the third and the Spirits then rallied for another pair of runs after German singled to lead off the bottom half of the third and advanced to second when McPherson drew another base-on-balls. Scott was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Sipila was able to reach on a fielder’s choice that kept the bases loaded but squeezed German at the plate for the first out. McPherson was then able to score on an error by the Spurs catcher and a single by Hitzeman scored Scott. Lee flew out and Kornhauser went down swinging to end the rally and the Spurs held a 13 to 4 edge.
The Spirits added a fifth run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by John Hefner that scored David Tipton and later in the bottom half of the fifth and final inning due to game time restraints, the Spirits added another pair of runs in an attempt to make it look respectable. Scott reached on a single and Hitzeman on an error and both runners scored on a single by Kornhauser before the Spurs put the final nail in the coffin.
Hitzeman led the Spirits with a pair of hits including a double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs while Lee finished with a triple and an RBI. Hefner finished 1-for-2 with an RBI as well. The team returns to action next Wednesday night when they host the Rangers on Arlington Field at Texas Star. Click here for schedule details.
Waxahachie Autoplex Players of the Game
Travis Hitzeman (2-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI)
Shawn Lee (1-3, 3B, RBI)
John Hefner (1-2, RBI)