By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

On a very windy Tuesday evening at Moore Barn Memorial Park in Buena Vista, Joe’s Bar won its third straight Co-Ed softball game in the “Jim Barden” League by edging previously undefeated Central Door Solutions, 10-7.

Both teams are now 3-1 on the year.

Kim Schmitz and Abby Rottier were awesome on defense for CDS, and Bailey Hinderman, Travis Kempf, and Beke Blue each turned in outstanding plays for the winners. Joe’s Bar, sponsored by Sean Stroik, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kyle Salzman singled, advanced to second on Courtney Nelson’s single, and came home on Travis Kempf’s RBI hit.

Casey Bielen also singled but the rally was snuffed out when Rottier and Meg Lee turned a double play. Neither team could get anything going on offense during the first three innings as the score remained 1-0 heading into the fourth. Joe’s Bar finally got their bats working in the top of the fourth.

Bielen led off with a home run, and two more runs came in thanks to singles by Kempf and Casey Kedrowski, a walk to Dani Brezinski, and Rob King’s double. 4-0, Joe’s CDS finally also got clicking in the bottom of the fourth to tie the affair at 4-4.

The key hits were singles by Meg Lee, Kyle Brooks, Kim Schmitz, and Robby Armatoski plus doubles from James Marthaler and shortstop Garrett Karnowski. Joe’s Bar sent ten batters to the plate in the top of the fifth and five of them scored.

The outburst featured singles by Courtney Nelson, Bielen, Kempf, Dani Brezinski, and Rob King along with walks to Casey Kedrowski and Beke Blue. 9-4 Joe’s. The fourth inning’s wild action also was highlighted by an outstanding display of base-running by CDS’s James Marthaler. After he doubled, Garrett Karnowski also rapped a double. Rob King’s strong throw came in to Joe’s catcher Chelsea Stenzel who was blocking the plate.

Marthaler leaped in the air to avoid running Chelsea over and finished off the play with a terrific hook slide. He siad, “I knew it was gonna be close. I instantly had to figure out how to hit the plate and avoid not running into her. The hook slide was my only option.”

Joe’s made the tally 10-4 with one run in the top of the seventh due to singles by Kempf, Casey Kedrowski, and King. Central Door Solutions made it close with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

The rally included singles by Adam Lee, Kyle Brooks, and Marthaler mixed in with a walk to Tera Schmidt and Meg Lee’s double. The Solutions had the tying run at the plate but a line drive to Kempf ended the contest. Joe’s had 17 hits to CDS’s 14, and 10-7 was the final score.

JOE’S BAR BATTING STATS: Kyle Salzman: single. Courtney Nelson: three singles. Casey Bielen: Homer, two singles. Bailey Hinderman: great plays at first. Travis Kempf: four singles. Dani Brezinski: walk, single. Casey Kedrowski: two singles, walk. Beke Blue: walk. Rob King: double, two singles. Chelsea Stenzel: almost tagged out runner at home. CENTRAL DOOR SOLUTIONS BATTING STATS: Adam Lee: single. Meg Lee: two singles, double. Kyle Brooks: double, two singles. Tera Schmidt: walk. James Marthaler: double, single, sliding run. Katie Kahns: walk. Garrett Karnowski: double, triple. Kim Schmitz: two singles, great catch at first. Robby Armatoski: single. UMPIRE: Jesse Higgins. TIME OF GAME: 53 minutes.

The first game of the chilly evening was a runaway as Final Score (2-2) hammered Papa Joe’s (0-4), 17-2.

When asked about Final Score’s performance, shortstop Dalton Wriedt said, “We had the confidence of a stallion.”

Final Score outhit Papa’s, 20 to 6. Jim Billing’s winners got two runs in the first when Morgan Opper had the first of her four singles and scored on Bobby Sullivan’s home run. Final Score sent four more runners across the plate in the second and two more in the third.

The key hits were the first home runs of the season by Codi Klismith and Dalton Wriedt. The winners picked up six runs in the fourth on singles by Morgan Opper and Mickey Jo Terry, doubles by Cory Blake and winning pitcher Jake Mortimer, and triples by Bobby Sullivan and Codi Klismith. Final Score added three more in the fifth on Klismith’s double and singles by Kristin DeVogel, Opper, Sullivan, and Terry.

Onlooker Kenny Opiola noted it was a “fine performance by the Score.”

Papa Joe’s two runs came in the second when Laura Mattek walked, Jeremy Studinski and Nika Wanserski singled, and Matt Bauman doubled.

Doug Barsness, a fan in the stands, observed, “I liked how the Score’s catcher (Kelly Arndt) fired the ball back to the pitcher.”

No big surprise there since Kelly was a catcher for UWSP. On a side note, Final Score’s birthday girl Kristin DeVogel’s daughter Kiana was the guest announcer, and Jim Billings won a broasted chicken dinner from RD’s Diner for retrieving a foul ball.

Final Score’s victory left them a game out of first place. Co-manager Bobby Sullivan said next week’s game against Joe’s would be “huge”.

FINAL SCORE BATTING STATS: Kristin DeVogel: single, run, birthday. Cory Blake: double, run. Morgan Opper: four singles, three runs. Bobby Sullivan: Homer, triple, single. Mickey Jo Terry: two singles, two runs. Dalton Wriedt: walk, two-run homer. Carly Johnson: walk. Jake Mortimer: two singles, double, big Minnesota Viking fan. Kelly Arndt: single, run. Codi Klismith: Homer, triple, double; only batted three times so had no chance for the cycle. PAPA JOE’S BATTING STATS: Lisa Brooks: single. Laura Mattek: walk, run. Jeremy Studinski: single, double, run. Nika Wanserski: single. Jake Kluck: walk. Madison Penning: double, walk. Matt Bauman: double. TIME OF GAME: 52 minutes.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Central Door Solutions: 3-1. Joe’s Bar: 3-1. Final Score: 2-2. Papa Joe’s: 0-4.

LEAGUE SCHEDULE: Tuesday, June 6: 5:45: Papa Joe’s vs Central Door Solutions. 6:45: Joe’s Bar vs Final Score.