By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

“That’s the beauty of our team,” said Airport Bar manager Meg Lee. “When someone goes down, somebody else steps up. This time it was Kyle Brooks.”

Pitcher James Marthaler of Airport went on injured reserve and was lost for the season. James had a 9-0 record from the mound and usually was good for three hits a game. No problem. His relief pitcher, Kyle Brooks, was a one-man wrecking crew for the undefeated Airporters. Brooks smashed a bases-loaded triple in the first, doubled in the third, drove in a pair with a two-run double in the fourth, and walked and scored in the sixth. His five RBI’s were the difference in Airport’s 11-7 victory.

Marthaler coached first base on crutches.

“Airport’s got our number,” lamented KBI’s losing pitcher Jake Mortimer. “No matter what we do, they always get a couple more runs than us.”

Actually, Kim’s Barrel Inn had more hits (16-14), but all were singles except for doubles by Gabe Benson and Jake Mortimer. KBI also walked four times. Airport managed 14 hits, but five were doubles and one was a triple. The winners also had six bases on balls.

The game was played in intense heat as a bright sun shined straight in. Official base sweeper Emily Dampier was exhausted by the end of the first game, and boombox player Chelsea Stenzel had to sit in the shade for a spell to continue playing the 60’s tunes. Chelsea said, “For a while there, I thought I was gonna wilt.”

Earlier in the week, Jim Billings (Class of ‘69 and The Final Score’s owner), indicated that he’s considering having a “Final Score Night” during a future game. He said, “We’ll see what my program director Stanley Downs can come up with.”

Airport got five runs in the first when Abby Rottier walked, Tyler Mader doubled, Kelsey Holderman walked, and Brooks unloaded a triple. Brooks came in on a single by Josh Swan, and Stephanie Jackson walked and scored after singles by Adam Lee, Meg Lee, and Tyler Mader.

Airport netted one more in the second, pushed across another tally in the third, and added two runs in both the fourth and sixth. The key hits were two doubles by Brooks and two-base raps by Josh Swan and Adam Lee.

Kim’s Barrel Inn finally got on the board with three runs in the fourth thanks to singles by Jake Mortimer and Danielle Hoover, an error, a walk to Jack Mortimer, and a sac. fly by former Pointer basketball player Matt Resch. They picked up two more in the next inning on consecutive singles by Nic Dulmes, Jazmin Soto, Jake Mortimer, and Megan Pollack.

“That’s the thing about Airport. Their outfielders are really fast and they kept holding us to singles,” KBI’s Nic Dulmes said. “That center-fielder (Abby Rottier) robbed us twice.”

Jake Mortimer paced KBI with four hits and the hot-swinging Morgan Oppor (tunity) contributed three singles. The Barrel got two additional runs in the sixth and trailed 11-7 coming to bat in the top of the seventh. They made it interesting with singles by Jake Mortimer, Jack Mortimer, and Matt Resch, but two batters hit into fielder’s choices and Cassie Nelson lined out to Stephanie Jackson at third to end the battle.

KIM’S BARREL INN STATS: Gabe Benson: double; Morgan Oppor: three singles; Nic Dulmes: two singles; Jazmin Soto: single; Jake Mortimer: double, three singles; Megan Pollack: walk, single; Jack Mortimer: walk, single; Danielle Hoover: single, walk; Matt Resch: sac. fly, walk, single; Cassie Nelson: single.

AIRPORT BAR STATS: Abby Rottier: walk, great catch in center; Adam Lee: two singles, double; Meg Lee: single; Tyler Mader: double, single; Kelsey Holderman: two walks (scored on both of them), single; Kyle Brooks: winning pitcher, triple, two doubles, walk; Stephanie Jackson: walk; Josh Swan: two singles, double, made some great plays at short; Kim Schmitz: single; Kyle Krieger: single, almost caught a foul ball.

Time of Game: 58 minutes.

The first game started off badly for Team BAMF in their 10-5 loss to the Shoe Crew. Kyle Norwood led off with a double, and the Crew’s Jenni Brandt lofted a short fly-ball to center. The two Ashland brothers (Brad and Chris) collided although Chris did catch the ball. The game was held up for ten minutes before the Ashlands were deemed
ready to continue.

The Crew had a big six-run third. Jenni Brandt, Andy Horst, and Sam Stuard each singled and all came home on BJ Stearns’ long grand slam homer to left over the Final Score sign. Wait a minute. Final Score doesn’t HAVE a sign. Stearn’s blast carried over the Del Monte sign. Then Amber Hintz singled and Spencer Bell followed with a two-run homer to right.

The Shoe Crew got three more in the fourth due to singles by Brandt, Horst, and Tammy King and Stearns’ triple.

Team BAMF’s best inning was two runs in the third on walks to Kimberley Brockman and Lakyn Lloyd scattered around singles by Corey Blake and Brad Ashland.

Shoe Crew’s rally in the fourth was halted when Jared Shilka flew out to leftfielder Erin Laffe.

The Crew dedicated their win to Jonathan Lucroy of the Brew Crew who got his butt traded to Texas.

Kyle Norwood observed: “Texas is like Brewers South. Fielder, Yo, Lucroy, Gomez to Houston…”

The Sloppy Swats (5-4) had the bye and remain in second place. There are three more weeks remaining and then on to the two-week league playoffs.

NOTE: Next week umpire Jesse “The Legend” Higgins will not be present due to a trip to Texas. (Maybe he got traded there, too).

SHOE CREW STATS: Kyle Norwood: double, single, winning pitcher. Jenni Brandt: two singles; Andy Horst: four singles (he’s a hitting machine); Sam (antha) Stuard: single; BJ Stearns: Grand slam homer in the third; two-run triple in the fourth; Tammy King: single, good catch in right; Jared Shilka: single; Amber Hintz: single; Spencer Bell: single, two-run homer in third; Kara Polley: nice play at home.

TEAM BAMF STATS: Graham Edwardson: single; Kimberley Brockman: walk, scored run; Corey Blake: two singles; Lakyn Lloyd: walk; Brad Ashland: double, two singles, one collision with brother; Chris Ashland: single, double, one collision with brother; Jake Bailey: single; said “I wish I had that pitch I threw to Brooks back”; Morgan Edwardson: walk.

Time of Game: 1:05.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Airport Bar: 10-0. Sloppy Swats: 5-4. Kim’s Barrel Inn: 4-5.
Shoe Crew: 3-7. Team BAMF: 2-8.

Next Week Schedule: Monday, August 8: 5:45: Sloppy Swats vs Shoe Crew. 6:45: Team BAMF vs Kim’s Barrel Inn. Bye: Airport Bar.

NOTE: Next week will be Kyle Norwood Bobblehead Night. Every 100th fan will get a Kyle Norwood Bobblehead.