By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

Under the threat of rain Monday night, Airport Bar and Shoe Crew both came from behind to chalk up victories at Moore Barn Memorial.

Airport Bar (7-1) needed six runs in the seventh inning to beat Kim’s Barrel Inn, 17-14. KBI fell to 5-3 on the year. Both teams came out swinging like there was no tomorrow. The Barrel had 25 hits including five doubles and a homer and still lost.

Airport was credited with 17 hits but also came up with nine walks. Sue Gruba of the winning team had two of those walks and scored after each of them.

“I met my hubby Ricky during coed softball, and he always said it never hurts to take a walk every now and then,” Gruba said. “I’m pretty sure my fine eye at the plate comes from eating sweet corn”.

Airport Bar jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as shortstop Garrett Karnowski blasted a two-run homer over the Hoffman Hobbies sign. Then Sue Gruba used her keen eyesight to draw a walk and scored on Tyler Mader’s double. Tyler was feeling particularly happy because he recently became engaged; 3-0 after one.

The winners scored three more runs in the top of the third as Meg Lee doubled and six players walked. “Those walks will get you every time,” said onlooker Howard Hoeft.

Trailing 6-0, Kim’s Barrel Inn scored four runs in the bottom of the third. The rally included a walk to Kendra Anderson, singles by Jazmin Soto, Kassie McGettigan, and Dalton Wriedt, Jacob Barnes’ double, and a homer by Josh Barnes; 6-4 after three.

Airport was stymied in the fourth. The Barrel Inn (owned by Kim Krayecki) broke through with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-6 lead. The big hits were singles by Jake Mortimer, Megan Pollack, Jacob Barnes, Kassie McGettigan, and Dalton Wriedt mixed in with doubles by Nic Dulmes and Jazmin Soto. Jazmin and Kassie each had four hits during the game.

Three more runs by Airport Bar in the top of the fifth tied the game at 9-9. Sue Gruba once again led off with a walk and came home on Tyler Mader’s double.

Airport teammate Kim Schmitz said, “Sue has such a great eye up there. Ricky really taught her well”.

Following an error, Codi Klismith’s double drove in Tyler and Josh Swan. Mader’s double was his second of four hits. Kim’s then came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 12-9. Singles by Megan Pollack, Jacob Barnes, Nic Dulmes, Jazmin Soto, and Kassie McGettigan accounted for all three of the runs.

Airport Bar picked up two runs in the top of the sixth on doubles by Garrett Karnowski and Mader and Sue Gruba’s single. 12-11 was the score after six innings of play. And then came THEE big rally which Airport seems to get nearly every week.

Winning pitcher Josh Swan (filling in for rookie Tony Almanza) was safe on an error, Kim Schmitz singled, Codi Klismith walked, Abby Rottier singled, Adam Lee doubled, Meg Lee singled, Garrett Karnowski and Sue Gruba singled, and a lot of them came in to score after Tyler tripled.

The six runs gave Airport a 17-12 lead. Singles by Jazmin Soto, Josh Barnes, and Kassie McGettigan brought in two runs for KBI but it wasn’t enough and the final score was 17-14 in favor of the league-leading Airporters.

KIM’S BARREL INN BATTING STATS: Nic Dulmes: single, double, two runs; Jazmin Soto: three singles, double, three runs; Josh Barnes: homer, double, single, two runs; Kassie McGettigan: four singles; Dalton Wriedt: two singles; Alishea Johnson: two singles; Jake Mortimer: single, run; Megan Pollack: three singles, two runs; Jacob Barnes: two singles, two doubles, three runs; Kendra Anderson: walk, run. AIRPORT BAR BATTING STATS: Abby Rottier: walk, single; Adam Lee: two doubles, two runs; Meg Lee: single, double, three runs; Garrett Karnowski: homer, walk, double, single, three runs; Sue Gruba: two walks, two singles, three runs, fine eye; Tyler Mader: three doubles, walk, triple, two runs, bunch of RBIs; Stefanie Jackson: walk; Josh Swan: walk, two runs; Kim Schmitz: walk, single, run; Codi Klismith: two doubles, walk, traded back to Final Score. TIME OF GAME: 58 minutes. (What did you expect with 31 runs, 42 hits, and ten walks?)

The second game was a lot quicker and was also a thriller. Shoe Crew (4-4) beat Team BAMF (2-7), 9-7 in a game that saw some fine defense. The Shoe Crew’s Big Joe Kinsella made two great catches on throws in the dirt at first base, and Graham Edwardson of BAMF caught seven balls out in center. The Crew struck first with a run on singles by rookie Michelle O’Donnel, Andy Horst, Joe Kinsella, and newbie Amy Gumtz.

Team BAMF tied it at 1-1 when Graham Edwardson led off with a triple and scored on Brad Ashland’s sac fly. The Crew went ahead 2-1 in the third after winning pitcher Kyle Norwood tripled and scored on a single by Jenni Brandt. NOTE: Norwood also got engaged to Kara Polley earlier in the day. The Bammers took the lead back with three runs in the bottom of the third.

The key hits were singles by Steve Stroik, Kimberly Brockman, and Brad Ashland; 4-2 BAMF after three. Kyle Norwood’s double drove in Max Delap thus making the score 4-3. BAMF added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to give themselves a 6-4 lead. The rally included Steve Stroik’s single and another triple by Graham Edwardson. The Crew scored once in the top of the sixth but still trailed, 6-5.

Then the Shoe Crew dropped the proverbial hammer in the top of the seventh. The Crew tallied four big runs behind doubles by Andy Horst, Jenni Brandt, and Joe Kinsella plus Jared Shilka’s triple and a single by Max Delap. Shoe Crew took the lead, 9-6. Team BAMF could only get one run in the bottom of the seventh and lost 9-7. NOTE: Amber Hintz of Shoe Crew played but was still exhausted after riding in the Almond Parade over the weekend and throwing candy to the kiddies.

SHOE CREW BATTING STATS: Kyle Norwood: triple, double, single, got engaged; Michelle O’Donnel: single, run; Andy Horst: single, double, run; Jenni Brandt: single, double, run; (Norwood said she’s the best centerfielder in softball); Joe Kinsella: two singles, homer, double; Amy Gumtz: single; Jared Shilka: single, triple; Max Delap: two singles, walk, two runs; Michelle Morrisey: walk; was singing along to “Surfin’ USA”. TEAM BAMF BATTING STATS: Graham Edwardson: two triples, double, walk, three runs, caught a bunch of flyballs; Brad Ashland: two singles; Christopher Ashland: walk, good penmanship with lineup; Lakyn Lloyd: walk, run; Steve Stroik: three singles, two runs; Kimberly Brockman: single, run. TIME OF GAME: 41 minutes. NOTE: The game was a partial sellout.

MONDAY NIGHT “BUD BERRY” COED LEAGUE STANDINGS: Airport Bar: 7-1. Kim’s Barrel Inn: 5-3. Shoe Crew: 4-4. Sloppy Swats: 2-5. Team BAMF: 2-7. KBI has the bye next week.