By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

Kim’s Barrel Inn and Airport Bar were both winners Monday night as the “Bud Berry” Coed Softball League resumed play following the holiday break at Moore Barn Memorial Park.

Under a bright sun and intense heat, KBI rolled past Team BAMF, 18-11, in the opener. The second game was much closer as Airport Bar nipped Sloppy Swats, 13-11. The early game saw Team BAMF (1-6) get off to a great start with five runs in the top of the first. The rally included four walks and singles by Steve Stroik, Erin Laffe, and Justin “Biggie” Buege. (To clarify, Justin’s last name is pronounced “Biggie”).

KBI (4-1) scored four runs in their half of the first on four walks and singles by Nic Dulmes, Josh Barnes, and Jake Mortimer. BAMF picked up five more runs in the top of the second on two walks and singles by Jake Bailey, Brad Ashland, Steve Stroik, Erin Laffe, Christopher Ashland, and Justin Buege. KBI pushed across four more in the bottom of the second on singles by Dulmes, Jazmin Soto, Barnes, Jack Mortimer, and Megan Pollack plus a double by Jake Mortimer. Mortimer’s double rolled all the way to the Carbo’s Junction Bar sign in right field.

Mortimer said, “I go to right a lot and I kinda use the Carbo’s sign as my guide.”

BAMF led 10-8 after two and 11-8 after they scored one run in the top of the third thanks to singles by Jake Bailey and Danita Ashland and Steve Stroik’s double. KBI went ahead, 12-11, in the bottom of the third by scoring four runs yet again. This time singles by Jacob Barnes, Dulmes, Soto, Jack Mortimer, and a double by Josh Barnes did the trick.

Team BAMF never got another runner on base the rest of the way as KBI’s defense clamped down. Megan Wiczek at third base made a dandy catch of a foul ball against the Polito’s sign down the line and shortstop Josh Barnes gunned down three straight BAMF batters. The Barrel put the game away in the fifth with six big runs.

The big rally featured base hits by Nic Dulmes, Jaz Soto, Megan Wiczek, Jack Mortimer (a big Moe Hill Fan), Megan Pollack, and Kristin DeVogel to go along with the second double of the game by Josh Barnes.

BAMF left-fielder Erin Laffe explained, “The heat just caught up to us. We were hanging right in there during the first few innings but sorta wilted midway through.”

Several players and fans won broasted chicken dinner certificates from RD’s Diner on Post Road.

TEAM BAMF BATTING STATS: Jake Bailey: two singles; Lakyn Lloyd: walk, run; Brad Ashland: walk, single; Danita Ashland: walk, single, run; Steve Stroik: double, two singles, two runs; Erin Laffe: two singles, two runs, four RBIs; Chris Ashland: walk, single, two runs; Morgan Edwardson: two walks; Justin Buege: two singles. The Bammers had 12 hits. KBI BATTING STATS: Nic Dulmes: Four singles, four runs; Jazmin Soto: three singles, three runs; Josh Barnes: two singles, two doubles, four runs, five RBIs; Megan Wiczek: walk, single; Big Jack Mortimer: walk, three singles, three runs (voted Game MVP); Kristin DeVogel: walk, single; Jacob Barnes: single, double; Shantel Zdroik: good play at catcher. KBI had 22 hits. TIME OF GAME: One hour and five minutes.

The second game was a doozy as Airport Bar (5-1) once again came from behind to edge Sloppy Swats (1-4), 13-11. Both teams had 21 hits. Airport went ahead 2-0 in the top of the first as Brianna Dobbratz and Meg Lee singled and Adam Lee tripled.

The Sloppy Swats answered by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first. Pat Scheele, Jen Eggleston, Justin Scott, Tracy Mixa, Randy Shirek, and Misty King each singled while Rob King and Rachel Graves smacked doubles.

Misty King was playing in her first game of the season, and Rob King noted, “Her first inning single was quite impressive and it even drove in a run.”

Swats led 7-2 after one. Airport Bar was shut down in the second as Rob King, Tracy Mixa, and Jen Eggleston turned a nifty 6-4-3 double play. The Swats picked up one more run in the bottom of the second when Pat Scheele tripled and came home on Tracy Mixa’s single. 8-2 Swats after two.

Airport scored three runs in the top of the third when Kyle Krieger and Brianna Dobbratz singled and Adam Lee followed with a long three-run homer to left over the inviting Dave’s Body Shop sign. 8-5 Swats. In the bottom of the third, the Swats went ahead 11-5 with three runs following singles by Rachel Graves, Pat Scheele, and Jen Eggleston and Rob King’s double.

The Swats were held scoreless over the final four innings. Airport Bar began chipping away at the lead as they scored two runs in the fourth behind singles by Josh Swan, Kyle Krieger, Tyler Mader, and Brianna Dobbratz. 11-7 Swats. Then Airport narrowed it to 11-8 with a run in the fifth as shortstop Garrett Karnowski doubled and came home on Sue Gruba’s single. Sue won a broasted chicken dinner when her son retrieved a foul ball.

Then Airport Bar dropped the hammer in the top of the sixth. They put five runs on the board as the key hits were singles by Kim Schmitz, Kyle Krieger, Sue Gruba, and Tyler Mader mixed in with doubles by Josh Swan and Garrett Karnowski. The biggest hit in the rally was Adam Lee’s long three-run homer to left center. 13-11 was the final.

Jesse Higgins and Codi Klismith umpired the first game while Higgins went solo in the second tilt. Higgins noted, “Man, it sure was hot out there. I give the players credit for sucking it up and giving it their all.”

AIRPORT BAR BATTING STATS: Brianna Dobbratz: three singles, three runs; Adam Lee: triple, three-run homer in third, three-run homer in sixth; Meg Lee: single; Garrett Karnowski: two doubles, two runs; Sue Gruba: two singles; Tyler Mader: single, double; Josh Swan: two singles, double; Kim Schmitz: single, run; Kyle Krieger: four singles, two runs, also had Ken Yenter softball card. SLOPPY SWATS BATTING STATS: Rob King: two doubles, single, two runs; Rachel Graves: double, single, two runs; Pat Scheele: two singles, triple, two runs; Jen Eggleston: two singles, caught some salmon earlier in the month); Justin Scott: two singles; Tracy Mixa: four singles; Randy Shirek: single, run; Taylor Gregorich: single; Jake Roy: two singles, run; Misty King: single, RBI, caught foul popup. TIME OF GAME: 45 minutes.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Airport Bar: 5-1. Kim’s Barrel Inn: 4-1. Shoe Crew: 3-2. Sloppy Swats: 1-4. Team BAMF: 1-6.