By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

Two coed softball games with unlikely results were played Monday night at Moore Barn Memorial in the tiny town of Buena Vista.

In the first game of the “Bud Berry” Coed Softball League, Kim’s Barrel Inn held on to beat Airport Bar, 10-9. Airport had won 18 games in a row by going undefeated last year and starting out 3-0 this season.

Both teams are now 3-1 on the year. In the nightcap, Team BAMF surprised Shoe Crew, 10-6. BAMF’s record is now 1-4 while the Crew stands at 2-2. KBI took a 1-0 lead over Airport in the top of the first on singles by Josh Barnes and Morgan Oppor and walks by Big Jack Mortimer and Callie Schmidt.

Barnes, by the way, was sensational at shortstop for the Barrel. Airport Bar went ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the first thanks to singles by Meg Lee and Tyler Mader, Sue Gruba’s two-run triple, and a run-scoring double by Garrett Karnowski. Neither team scored in the second.

KBI went back on top 5-3 in the third by sending four players across the plate. Callie Schmidt, winning pitcher Brad Kruger, Jazmin Soto, and Josh Barnes each singled while Nic Dulmes doubled and Morgan Oppor added a two-run triple.

“I used my pop-up slide on that one,” Oppor said. “If there was an overthrow, I could’ve scored but there wasn’t so I didn’t.”

Airport Bar got one run back in their half of the third on Tyler Mader’s two-out double and singles by Sue Gruba, Garrett Karnowski, and Stefanie Jackson; 5-4 KBI after three.

Two more runs scored for KBI in the fourth behind singles by the Barnes brothers (Josh and Jacob) and another double off the bat of Nic Dulmes. Airport was stymied in the fourth so the Barrel led 7-4 after four innings. After KBI went down quietly in the fifth, Airport tied the score at 7-7 with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The key hits were singles by Sue Gruba, Stefanie Jackson, and Josh Swan plus Adam Lee’s double and Tyler Mader’s triple. It was all knotted up after five. KBI did zip in the top of the sixth. Then Airport Bar went ahead, 9-7, with a pair of runs behind singles by Kyle Krieger, Adam Lee, Tyler Mader, and Meg Lee’s double.

It looked like a normal comeback for Airport as they always seem to pull wins out at the end. James Marthaler, Airport’s normal pitcher who is on the “D.L.”, said, “I really thought we had them.”

However, KBI had other ideas. Trailing 9-7 with one final at bat, Josh Barnes hit a single with one out. Then Morgan Oppor came up and crushed a long fly to left. She raced around the bases for an inside-the park homer that tied the game at 9-9.

And KBI wasn’t done. Jack Mortimer singled, moved to second on Callie Schmidt’s base hit, and came charging home on a single by Brad Kruger. Big Jack had such a head of steam that he tripped coming into home plate and almost slid through the fence.

“There was no way I was gonna stop,” said Mortimer. Big Jack’s run gave KBI a 10-9 lead. Then Kruger mowed down the Airporters in the bottom of the seventh and Airport went down for the first time in the last 19 games.

After the game, KBI’s Oppor explained.

“It was a total team effort. Brad did a great job filling in for Jake Mortimer, Miranda Kurzinski gave us some good catching, and Josh made some terrific plays.”

KIM’S BARREL INN BATTING STATS: Nic Dulmes: two doubles, two runs; Jazmin Soto: single, run; Josh Barnes: four singles, three runs; Morgan Oppor (tunity): single, two-run triple (and great slide), two-run homer; Jack Mortimer: walk, two singles, scored winning run; Callie Schmidt: two singles, walk; Brad Kruger: two singles, winning pitcher; Jacob Barnes: single, run; Miranda Kurzinski: good play at home plate. AIRPORT BAR: Adam Lee: double, single, two runs; Meg Lee: single, double, run; Tyler Mader: two singles, double, triple, three runs; Sue Gruba: triple, two singles, two runs; Garrett Karnowski: double, single; Stefanie Jackson: two singles; Josh Swan: single; Kyle Krieger: two singles, run. TIME OF GAME: 52 minutes.

The second game got underway following a 10 minute rain delay. Actually, it was tied 2-2 in the second. BAMF opened the scoring with two runs in the first as the dark clouds loomed.

The key hits were singles by Danita Ashland and Christopher Ashland and Graham Edwardson’s triple. Morgan Edwardson lined out to short and Christopher Ashland was doubled up diving back into first. The Shoe Crew also netted a pair of runs in the first on singles by Andy Horst and Amber Hintz and doubles by Kyle Norwood and Joe Kinsella.

Norwood also presented the announcer with a Moe Hill bobblehead still in its original box. 2-2 after one. BAMF didn’t do much of anything in the top half of the second as the sky darkened even more. Then Shoe Crew made two quick outs and it poured to beat the band.

Umpire Jesse “The Legend” Higgins explained: “I told everyone to get under the food stand and then I ran for cover. Some of the players misunderstood me and went to the bar.”

The rain lasted for nine minutes and play was resumed.

“That field holds water real good,” Higgins said.

Team BAMF came back all fired up They put two more runs on the board in the third as Graham Edwardson hit his second three-bagger of the tilt and Brad Ashland, Erin Laffe, and Christopher Ashland each singled. 4-2 BAMF. The Shoe Crew got singles from Kyle Norwood, Melissa Dombrowski, and Sam Stuard in the bottom of the third but all three runners were left stranded on the bases.

In the top of the fourth, Team BAMF scored five more big runs to take a commanding lead of 9-2. The rally included walks to Graham Edwardson and Danita Ashland, singles by Erin Laffe and winning pitcher Jake Bailey, and doubles by Brad Ashland and Cory Blake.

Erin Laffe’s solid single to left drove in a pair of runs. “The pitch was right down the middle and I just socked it,” she said.

Shoe Crew made the score 9-4 in the fifth as Melissa Dombrowski singled, Norwood doubled, and Joe Kinsella tripled. The Bammers picked up their tenth and final run in the sixth when Graham Edwardson singled and came home on Brad Ashland’s fourth hit of the game.

Shoe Crew scored two in the bottom of the seventh to make the final score 10-6 in favor of the underdogs. BAMF manager Christopher Ashland was presented with the game ball which all his players were supposed to sign. Both teams had 15 hits during the game.

“Graham and Brad really came up big,” Laffe said. “It was a great win for us going forward.”

SHOE CREW BATTING STATS: Kyle Norwood: single, two doubles, walk, three runs; Melissa Dombrowski: three singles, run; Andy Horst: single, run, two sac flies; Sam Stuard: single, run; Joe Kinsella: two doubles, triple; Amber Hintz: two singles; Max Delap: two singles. TEAM BAMF BATTING STATS: Graham Edwardson: two triples, walk, single, four runs; Danita Ashland: single, walk, run, played great at first base; Brad Ashland: two singles, two doubles, three runs; Erin Laffe: two singles, 2 RBIs; Christopher Ashland: two singles; Jake Bailey: two singles, run; Corey Blake: double, single, run. TIME OF GAME: 53 minutes.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Kim’s Barrel Inn: 3-1. Airport Bar: 3-1. Shoe Crew: 2-2. Sloppy Swats: 1-2. Team BAMF: 1-4. (Sloppy Swats had the bye. KBI has the bye next week.