By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

Two games were on tap Tuesday night at Moore Barn Memorial in the “Jim Barden” Coed Softball League.

Final Score ( 5-4) upset Central Door Solutions (6-3), 12-4, and Joe’s Bar (7-2) hammered Papa Joe’s (0-9), 14-2. Jim Billing’s Final Score took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. (By the way, did you know that the Bible mentions baseball right off the bat? It says: “In the big inning…”)

The Score’s four runs came courtesy of walks to Jake Mortimer, Cory Blake, and Carly Johnson, singles by Kendra Pressuer Logan Marcell, and Kassie McGettigan, and Bobby Sullivan’s 3-run homer to right over the Southpoint Restaurant sign. The Solutions got on the board in the top of the second with one run when Stefanie Jackson singled, moved to second on a single by Kim Schmitz, and scored on Robby Armatoski’s base rap; 4-1 Final Score.

Final Score’s defense was outstanding in this game. They turned a double play (Sullivan to Wriedt to McGettigan), and Megan Shulfer in left field and shortstop Dalton Wriedt really came up big. Final Score added four more runs in the bottom of the third with the big hits being singles by Kassie McGettigan, Megan Shulfer, and Kristin DeVogel plus Cory Blake’s triple.

The five girls for the Score combined for 10 hits; 8-1 after three. CDS picked up one run in the top of the fourth when Robby Armatoski walked with two out and advanced to second on a walk to Katie Kahrs. Casey Bielen then singled to drive in Armatoski, but once again Final Score’s defense came through. Katie was picked off after rounding second; 8-2 Final Score.

The Score then made it 9-2 with one run following singles by Bobby Sullivan, Megan Shulfer, and Dalton Wriedt’s double.

“Dalton’s double almost went through the Four Star Family Restaurant sign in left,” Sullivan said. “He really crushed it.”

Singles by Tyler Mader, Kim Schmitz, Armatoski, and Casey Bielen netted CDS a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but it was too little too late. Then the Score really put the game away by scoring three more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. The rally included singles by Sullivan, McGettigan, Shulfer, and Carly Johnson plus doubles by Wriedt and Blake.

Adam Lee doubled for the Solutions in the seventh and scored on Garrett Karnowski’s single and the game ended 12-5 in favor of Final Score.

Winning pitcher Jake Mortimer noted, “It was a big win for us and got us right back into the hunt. We’re only a game out of second now”.

Central Door Solutions Batting Stats: Abby Rottier: single; Adam Lee: walk, single, double; Meg Lee: single; Garrett Karnowski: double, single; Stefanie Jackson: single, run; Tyler Mader: single, run; Kim Schmitz: two singles, run; Robby Armatoski: two singles, walk, run; Katie Kahrs: two walks; Casey Bielen: two singles. Final Score Batting Stats: Jake Mortimer: walk, run; Kendra Presseur: single, run; Stanley Downs: Did not play; Bobby Sullivan: two singles, three-run homer, three runs; Kassie McGettigan: three singles, three runs; Dalton Wriedt: two doubles, two runs; Megan Shulfer: three singles, run; Cory Blake: walk, triple, double, run; Carly Johnson: walk, single; Logan Marcell: single; Kristin DeVogel: two singles. TIME OF GAME: 51 minutes.

Joe’s Bar once again used the long ball to throttle Papa Joe’s. Joe’s was held scoreless in the first inning. Courtney Nelson doubled and Casey Bielen singled but Travis Kempf lined out to shortstop Aaron Sampson. It was the first time all season that Joe’s failed to score in the opening inning.

The winners finally got rolling in the top of the second as Casey Kedrowski singled, Ryan Gleesing got a base hit, and catcher Chelsea Stenzel walked. Outfielder Rob King then crushed the next pitch to left for a grand slam homer thus giving Joe’s a 4-0 lead. Papa’s got on the board with one run in the bottom of the second when Nika Wanserski drove in Jeremy Studinski; 4-1 Joe’s after two.

Nobody scored in the third. Then Joe’s delivered the knockout punch in the top of the fourth. The six-run uprising featured singles by Ryan Gleesing, designated hitter Dani Brezinski, Rob King, and Courtney Nelson to go along with booming home runs by Bielen and Travis Kempf. Kempf’s solo homer to left just missed hitting a squirrel which was eating a nut in the trees behind the left field fence; 10-1 Joe’s.

Joe’s went deep again twice in the top of the sixth. Rob King, who was inspired listening to the Beach Boys on the boombox, left the yard with a two-run blast and Kempf also whacked a two-run shot. Ashley Radmer of Papa Joe’s scored in the bottom of the sixth following singles by Jake Kluck and Hiroko Koashi; 14-2 was your final.

Hiroko, Laura Mattek, and Melissa Dombrowski each won broasted chicken dinners from RD’s Diner. NOTE: Casey Kedrowski of Joe’s had his string of consecutive games with a walk snapped at eight. He had two hits and made an out.

He said. “Jeremy Studinski’s pitches were all right in there. I had to swing or I wouldda struck out.”

PAPA JOE’S BATTING STATS: Ashley Radmer: run; Jake Kluck: single; Hiroko Koashi: single; Jeremy Studinski: single, triple, run; Laura Mattek: walk; Brandon Wojtalewicz: single. Papa Joe’s had five hits. JOE’S BAR BATTING STATS: Rob King: Grand slam homer in second; single; two-run homer in sixth; seven rbi’s as the leadoff batter; Courtney Nelson: double, single, run; Casey Bielen: two singles; three-run homer in fourth; Bailey Hinderman: run; Travis Kempf: single; homers in fourth and sixth; Melissa Dombrowski: single; Casey Kedrowski: two singles, run, no walks; Ryan Gleesing: two singles; two runs; Beke Blue: double; Chelsea Stenzel: walk, run; Dani Brezinski: two singles; two runs. TIME OF GAME: 48 minutes.

LEAGUE STANDINGS: Joe’s Bar: 7-2; Central Door Solutions: 6-3; Final Score: 5-4; Papa Joe’s: 0-9.