By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

The “Jim Barden” Co-Ed Softball League swung into action with two games Tuesday night at Moore Barn Memorial Park in Buena Vista.

Central Door Solutions blasted Papa Joe’s, 16-1, in the opener and Joe’s Bar defeated Final Score, 17-11 in the nightcap. CDS and Joe’s are on top of the leader board with 4-1 records. Final Score slipped to 2-3 and Pa Joe’s remained winless at 0-5.

Mark Leatherman, a veteran right-hander, filled in for injured pitcher James Marthaler and held Papa Joe’s to a mere seven hits. John Wachowiak and Matt Bauman combined for four of those hits with two apiece. It was a different story for the Solutions as they banged out 17 safeties and batted around in the third.

Papa Joe’s scored their lone run in the second when Matt Bauman singled, moved to second after Laura Mattek walked, and came home on Jeremy Studinski’s double. Asia Herr singled and John Wachowiak doubled in the fifth but they were left stranded.

The game marked the umpiring 2017 debut of Marcus Flowerette, a local legend as the “man of blue”. He was filling in for regular Moore Barn umpire Jesse Higgins who took the week off to try to catch panfish in Iowa.

Not really sure why a guy has to go all the way to Iowa to catch bluegills when there’s plenty of them around here, but Jesse said he was going, and he went, so that’s that. By the way, Marcus did an outstanding job behind the plate. But back to the game.

Central Door scored three runs in the first on a single by Meg Lee, triple by shortstop Garrett Karnowski, and three errors by Papa Joe’s. Central Door Solutions then exploded for ten runs in the third to put the game away for good. Tyler Mader homered and singled; Meg Lee walked and singled; Sue Gruba singled twice; Adam Lee and Garrett Karnowski tripled; and Kim Schmitz and Robby Armatoski both singled.

The Solutions led 13-1 after three. CDS added three more runs in the fourth as Robby Armatoski went yard and Abby Rottier (pronounced Ro-Tay in France) tripled. Mark Leatherman and Adam Lee also rapped out doubles. Emily Dampier swept the bases between innings and Monica Dampier ran the boombox and played “Mustang Sally” twice. The highlight of the game was when two kids had a squirt-gun fight in the bleachers.

PAPA JOE’S BATTING STATS: Matt Bauman: two singles. John Wachowiak: single, double. Jeremy Studinski: double. Asai Herr: single. Lisa Brooks: single. CENTRAL DOOR SOLUTIONS BATTING STATS: Abby Rottier: triple, two runs. Adam Lee: triple, double, two runs. Meg Lee: walk, two singles, three runs, liked the new siren we kept blasting. Spike Lee: was probably at a Knicks’ game. Garrett Karnowski: two triples, two runs. Sue Gruba: two singles, run. Tyler Mader: single, inside-the-park three-run homer. Brooke Simonis: run. Robby Armatoski: single, solo homer in fourth. Kim Schmitz: single, run. Mark Leatherman: two singles, double, run, winning pitcher. TIME OF GAME: 40 minutes.

The national anthem was played prior to the second game as the players honored the new flag at Moore Barn Memorial. The red-hot Joe’s Bar struck first when Ryan Gleesing walked and came around on Casey Bielen’s single. Final Score tied it at 1-1 after one when Codi Klismith walked and scored on Bobby Sullivan’s triple. Bobby hit for the cycle in the game and won a free pass to the “ShoePool”.

Joe’s dropped four more runs on the Score in the top of the second behind singles by Bailey Hinderman, Casey Kedrowski, Rob King, Courtney Nelson, Bielen, and Chelsea Stenzel’s walk. Final Score got one run back in the second when Kassie McGettigen singled and tallied on a double by Bobby Sullivan. 5-2 Joe’s after two. Joe’s Bar picked up one more in the third as Rob King singled to drive in Casey Kedrowski. 6-2 after three.

Joe’s kept up the heat with four more in the fourth. The key hits were Bielen’s double and singles by Ryan Gleesing, Brianna Dobbratz, Bailey Hinderman, and Kedrowski plus a walk to Travis Kempf. The Final Score had a four-run rally of its own in the bottom of the fourth behind Jake Mortimer’s three-run double and singles by Kristin DeVogel, Cory Blake, and Kassie McGettigen; 10-6 after four. Ryan Gleesing and Courtney Nelson scored for Joe’s Bar in the fifth while Bobby Sullivan blasted a solo homer to center for the Score. 12-7 Joe’s after five.

Nicole Kirsch’s single sent Casey Kedrowski home with a run for Joe’s in the sixth. 13-7 Joe’s. Then things got really interesting in the bottom of the sixth for the Final Score. With two outs, Jake Mortimer singled and Kristin DeVogel doubled to send Jake home. 13-8. Codi Klismith singled driving in Kristin. 13-9. Morgan Oppor walked. Bobby Sullivan singled (which gave him the “cycle”).

Kelly Arndt, a former “Pointer” catcher, singled and Klismith scored. 13-10. Morgan on third, Bobby on second, Kelly on first, and slugger Dalton up to the plate. But Dalton flew out to left to end the threat. Joe’s Bar tacked on four more in the seventh with the big hits being home runs by Gleesing and Bielen. Joe’s Bar outhit the Score, 21-15. They also had six walks to four for the Score.

JOE’S BAR BATTING STATS: Ryan Gleesing: two singles, walk, homer. Courtney Nelson: three singles, three runs. (Gleesing scored four times). Casey Bielen: walk, two singles, double, homer. Brianna Dobbratz: single, walk. Travis Kempf: two singles, walk. Bailey Hinderman: three singles. Casey Kedrowski: walk, two singles. Nicole Kirsch: walk, single. Rob King: two singles, found quarter in the parking lot. Chelsea Stenzel: walk. FINAL SCORE BATTING STATS: Codi Klismith: walk, single, two runs. Morgan Oppor: walk. Bobby Sullivan: triple, double, homer, single. Kelly Arndt: single. Kassie McGettigen: two singles, two runs. Cory Blake: single, triple, two runs. Carly Johnson: walk, run, broke ring when catching line drive at second. Jake Mortimer: walk, two singles, double, two runs. Kristin DeVogel: single, double, run. TIME OF GAME: 58 minutes.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Joe’s Bar: 4-1. Central Door Solutions: 4-1. Final Score: 2-3. Papa Joe’s: 0-5.