It was another nice Sunday on June 4, 2023 when the 2-0 Sand Crabs met the 2-0 Rangers in a battle for the top spot in the 45+ division of the MABL of Southern Wisconsin.  The venue was the parched patch, aka EMLL Senior field which was clinging to life after 3 weeks of Sausalito Summer Night-like blazing hot and dry weather. 

Serving eggs for the home Crabs was Randy Gaber, and for the visiting Rangers, southpaw Jeff Kunkle.  Battery mates were Chris “Big Slugger” McGill, and Dale Doebert.  

The Rangers got one in the first when Kunkle scored on a Jason Witt single. Unfortunately, this would end their scoring for the day.  The Crabs fought back in their half to get two, when Gaber hit a sac fly to Centerfield, and Brian Buol knocked in McGill. From this point on, the Crabs found every open patch of green (well, brownish-green) as they dinked and dunked 22 hits all over the place, and even had a few line drives, highlighted by a rare EMLL triple by SPOG Dewey Walz.  Rumors were that baseball was Walz’s Hair of the Dog this day, after having been over-served the day before.  While previously Plowed, Dewey, you showed Your Love in the Outfield with a 9-6 assist.  And for that, we Can’t Stop praising your SPOGgedness.  Hopefully, you went straight home, and Sandman Entered and you got a good night’s sleep after such a productive day at the ballpark.

Crabs pitching was not hiding behind an Eminence Front.  This was no put on.  Gaber threw 6 innings in his best performance of the young season, striking out 4 and walking none.  He allowed only 5 hits and no earned runs to a tough Rangers lineup.  He did hit a batter though, so lets not get carried away.   He was relieved by Mike Wallace, who did equally well in his one inning, allowing no hits, walking one and striking out 2.  

The Rangers fought Tooth and Nail to Get a Little, but their hits just found gloves this day.  Jason Witt, Paul Yurkovich, Lou Rodriguez, Pete Olsen, and Chris Gustaf collected hits for the Rangers, and Doebert won the hustle award for the year with a gritty, gutty performance in the Dust Bowl.  

The Crabs feasted on mini-tacos and tater tots, and shared a Schlitz or two at Slices afterward. They left refreshed.