It was a bright and sunny day at EMLL when on June 26th, when the Sand Crabs met the Grays in the 45+ division of MSBL of Southern Wisconsin.  An EF1 breeze was blowing out to right center.  The seats that were filled were filled to capacity for this epic battle between the Gabers.  The Elder statesman Randy got the nod on the mound for the home Crabs, while his younger sibling Greg hurled for the Grays.
Missing from the Sand Crabs lineup this day were Jake Kas, Chris McGill, and Brian Buol, who were in New York, starring in their (very) off-Broadway production of Fiddler on a Roofie.

The Grays mounted a threat in the first with a Gaber double that followed a single by Kevin Mack, but were held scoreless with a strikeout to end the inning.  The Crabs grabbed a half dozen in the bottom of the first, on 3 singles, 4 doubles, and 2 run bomb over the right centerfield fence by Mike Schoonveld.  The Grays were held scoreless until the 6th, while the beach dwellers tacked on 3 in the 2nd and then were held to one each in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

In the 6th, Randy Gaber would give way to middle (aged) reliever Schoonveld, and the Grays battled back for 3 runs on hits by Nate Venckus, Doug Foy, and Dave Bayer.  In their half of the 6th, the Crabs met reliever Mike Darwin rather rudely and scored 9 on 6 hits, and some free passes, all with two outs.

Darwin got one back in the 7th, walking off Crabs closer Mike Wallace, stealing second, moving to third on a single by Venckus, and scoring on Greg Gaber’s bloop single to right.  Acting shellfishly, the Sand Crabs scored 5 more in the 7th, including 2 on Schoonveld’s second home run of the day, this time to dead center, also knocking in his 5th run.

Hits leaders on the day for the Grays were Venckus with 3, Gaber with two, and a buncha guys with one.
For the Crabs, Barry Davis and Schoonveld had 4 knocks, Jason Himebauch had 3, and a buncha guys had two.

Randy Gaber went 5 innings for the victory, allowing no runs and scattering 6 hits, walking none and hitting one batter.

After the game, the parched pincers headed to Slice’s, to enjoy a Schlitz, and then go straight home.