It was another beautiful day at EMLL when the Sand Crabs visited the Orioles, in the 45+ division of the MABL of Southern, Wisconsin.  Ely Torres started on the mound for the Orioles, and Randy Gaber toed the slab for the Crabs.  The Crabs announced their presence with authority, scoring 9 in the top of the first, and the O’s grabbed a couple in their half, thanks to some less than Tenacious D by the Crabs.  The Crabs got 3 more in the second, and another nine in the 3rd, sending 15 men to the plate.  The Orioles pecked back for a run in the 4th, and the Sandies got one in the 5th and 6th.  Gaber was relieved by Bernie Albright in the 6th, and he pitched two scoreless frames.  In the 7th, crafty knuckleballer Randy Oliveras made his Crabs pitching debut, sprinting in from the brick bullpen in seconds flat.  The good news is, he got the hold.  The Orioles unleashed a rather unwelcoming barrage on the rookie pitcher, scoring 6 on 4 hits and some free passes.  In the end, all agreed he was still a good person.

The game was called after the bottom of 7, due to time restrictions.  Final score, Sand Crabs 23, Orioles 9.

Steve Waugh led the Orioles with 3 hits, and Aaron Meyer collected 2.  The Crabbers had 5 players with 3 hits, and one with 4, although methinks the scorer was a bit generous on that player’s first AB.  Mike Kauffman drove in 5, and given the size of his car, that is saying something.  Tim “Mackles” McInernay earned the SPOG award for coming off the schneid with a 3 for 3 performance, and a HBP.

Gaber got the W, and the pitching/defense SPOG, going 5 strong, allowing 1 earned run, 5 hits, one walk and 4 K’s.  The game was recapped at Slice’s, and mini-tacos were washed down with Schlitz…and one Hamms by a player who chose his fate, but shall remain nameless.

The Rangers defeated the Crawfords by a score of 21-3.  Chris Gustaf went 5 for 6 with 5 runs scored and 3 stolen bases.

It was yet another gorgeous day when the first place Sand Crabs met the second place Crawfords in the 45+ division of the MABL of Southern Wisconsin. The game was held at EMLL, the site of an enigmatic occurrence mere minutes before the game, that called for a dog and his pals to come to the rescue in….”The Mystery of the Not Stolen Car.”  This brief film starred Crawford second baseman Bill Baldon as the debonair gent who made a mad dash for a nature call, only to return to his vehicle and find it missing!  GASP!!! What would he do!  Deftly, Baldon quickly called Scooby-Doo on the mystery cell and the Mystery Machine van sped to the parking lot.  “Ruh-roh” said Scooby, “Zoinks” said Shaggy, and Velma said.  “I think we’ve got a mystery on our hands”.  Fred and Daphne were still in the van, adjusting the radio, apparently.

An APB was put out statewide for a 2023 Lamborghini with vanity plates that read “Wife’s Car”, but the team had no leads, no suspects, but they did have Scooby snacks.  Shaggy asked Scooby “can you solve this for a Scooby snack?”.  “Ro-ray” said Scoob.  “Twoooo Scooby snacks?” replied Shaggy.  “RrrrOK” said Scooby.    He ran over to first base and scratched out with his paw in the dirt, “Ror rife rook it”.  Baffled, Baldon said “Ry rife rook it”? “What are you talking about?”  “Ror rife” Scooby said, “Ru ro, ror rife”, as he hummed the tune to “Here Comes the Bride”.  Baldon gasped, “RO, Ry Rife!  Thank you Scooby, you’re a genius”. He was right, Bill’s wife had grabbed the car.  And she would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for these meddling kids and their dog!   Now to call off the cops…..oh, and play a baseball game.

Oh yeah!  The game!  And a great game it was, with the Crawfords tying it up at 5 in the bottom of the 9th on a two run, single by Sean Michael Dargan.  The Crabs fought back in the 10th and clawed for four, and the Crawfords got two in their half to finish a well played game 9-7 Crabs.  Tom Scalissi and Troy Galston led the way at the plate for the Crabs with 3 hits each.  Dargan had 3 hits for the Craws.  Mike Starshak pitched 9 strong innings for the Crawfords, relieved by Rob Grether with the bases jacked in the 10th.  Mike Wallace relieved Randy Gaber for the Crabs win, each tossing 5 strong innings as well.

Both teams quenched their thirsts at Slice’s afterward, and so did Scooby Doo.  Whodathunk he loves Schlitz?