By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan

Kim’s Barrel Inn of Stevens Point is the new Monday Night “Bud Berry” Coed Softball League Champion.

Kim Krayecki’s Barrel Inn squad downed the defending champion Airport Bar, 9-4, Monday night at Moore Barn Memorial Park. In its tenth season, the league is named after Ed “Bud” Berry, the late dad of Doug’s Sports Pub co-owner Doug Berry. Bud was a longtime baseball and softball star from Almond, and his Moore Barn teams were powerhouses during the 60’s and 70’s in the Stevens Point area.

Doug “Doogie” Berry, who shares ownership of the bar with his wife Ren, commented, “The Monday night league was really competitive, and my dad always enjoyed good old-fashioned competition. I know he would’ve been honored to have this league named after him. He liked to have fun and enjoyed hard-fought games.”

So another chapter was closed in Coed softball at Moore Barn Memorial as Kim’s Barrel Inn came up huge on defense. KBI only out-hit Airport Bar 13 hits to 11 but got most of them when it counted. After the game, base umpire Logan Marcell said, “Geez, for a while there, I thought one of them would win 1-0. Both of the defenses were outstanding”.

Marcell had a point. Neither team scored during the first three innings. In fact, Eric Mueller, a dead ringer for Green Bay Packer Aaron Rodgers, opened the game with a single and was promptly erased on a double play (Garrett Karnowski to Meg Lee to Kyle Krieger). The next seven KBI hitters were retired in order. Over the first three frames, Airport got hits from Adam Lee, Sue Gruba, James Marthaler, and Kyle Krieger but also failed to score. Mueller and centerfielder Morgan Oppor made great defensive plays to shut down the Airporters.

KBI finally dented the scoreboard with the game’s first run in the top of the fourth. Catcher Kassie McGettigan singled, moved to second on an error, and scored on a single by Josh Barnes. Airport tied it at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Tyler Mader doubled and came home on a single by James Marthaler.

Neither team scored in the fifth. Jacob Barnes singled for KBI but was left stranded at first, and Abby Rottier had a base knock for Airport but also never got past first base. The score was still 1-1 after five.

Going into the top of the sixth, the feisty crowd had to be wondering if either team would score again. But then the hits started coming for KBI like voting in Chicago. Early and often. Seven of the Barrel’s first eight batters had hits as the champs scored a big seven runs. The huge rally included singles by Nic Dulmes, Megan Wiczek, and Jacob Barnes plus doubles by Kassie McGettigan, Eric Mueller, and Jazmin Soto. Shortstop Josh Barnes also chipped in with a long home run to right. When the dust had settled, KBI was in front, 8-1. Four straight hits by Airport produced three runs to make the score 8-4. Airport’s late rally included singles by Sue Gruba, Tyler Mader, and Stefanie Jackson to go along with Garrett Karnowski’s triple.

Josh Barnes blasted another sole homer to right for KBI in the seventh, but Airport went quietly in their last at bats. The Bud Berry Monday Coed League had a new champion, and the final score was 9-4. Winning pitcher (and manager) Jake Mortimer said, “Airport is always such a tough team. That one big rally did the trick for us, and our defense was outstanding. This Monday league was a lot of fun”.

The league party that followed the title game was highlighted by Terry Kluck’s delicious barbecues.

AIRPORT BAR BATTING STATS: Abby Rottier: single; Adam Lee: double, single, walk; Garrett Karnowski: triple, run; Sue Gruba: two singles, run; Tyler Mader: double, single, two runs; Stefanie Jackson: single; James Marthaler: two singles; Kyle Krieger: single.

KIM’S BARREL INN BATTING STATS: Eric Mueller: single, run; Josh Barnes: single, two home runs, two runs, four RBIs; Jazmin Soto: double, run; Nic Dulmes: single, run; Megan Wiczek: single, run, caught three line drives at third; Jacob Barnes: two singles, run; Jake Mortimer: walk, winning pitcher, five strikeouts; Kassie McGettigan: two singles, double, two runs.

NOTE: The Coed leagues at Moore Barn would like to thank the Stevens Point City Times for its coverage the past two seasons.