Ann Arbor, MI – After two games without giving up an extra base hit, the Shrimp Fried Rice let in four, including a third inning home run that cut the lead to one. However, with five of their own, including a round-tripper of their own, the Shrimp squeaked out a 14-9 win over The Ticklers to remain undefeated. In a game filled with bobbled catches, base-running errors, and plenty of runners left on base, the dynamic Shrimp offense still scored 3, 4, and 5 runs in the first three innings. Outfielder Josh Olkowski knocked in five, including a bases-loaded triple in the second.
Due to the tardiness of a few Tickler players, the game started late, almost disallowing a sixth inning from happening. Kirk the umpire warned the Shrimp that if they could keep the bottom of the fifth going longer than three minutes, there would be no time to start the sixth. However, outs by Josh McCaman, Lindsay Caldwell, and Olkowski, the first time any of them failed to reach base, gave The Ticklers one last chance. With a two out bunt and another infield single, The Ticklers started to rally before a pop fly to the shortstop clinched the game for the Shrimp.
Shortstop-outfielder Jeff McVeigh returned to his leadoff spot after a one game absence with a 3 for 4 outing, including a double. Leftfielder-secondbase Anna DeJesus dropped back in the lineup behind him and scored three runs, despite being limited by a strained quad muscle. After the game, the trainer said DeJesus would be held out for a couple weeks and return against the Shrimp great rival, the Kickball Kangaroos. The trainer, Lizzie Neilson, told media, “She’s probably just a wimp, but considering I don’t have the proper medical equipment to diagnose it in the middle of a city park, sitting her through the Fourth of July weekend seems like the right move.”
The bottom of the lineup provided a boost for the Shrimp for the third consecutive week. First baseman-shortstop Justin Hetherman booted a line drive over the outfield for a stand-up inside the park home run, his first of the season. Infielder Karen Mandarino tripled in the fourth, knocking in a run before scoring herself to give the Shrimp a five run cushion. Mandarino, who spends the off-season training with Lance Armstrong’s Team RadioShack cycling team, claimed, “when I saw their outfielders creep in to the edge of the infield, it became a question of whether I would end up on third or try for the score. If [third base coach Josh] McCaman had let me, I know it would have been a home run.”
Up next for the Shrimp Fried Rice is a matchup with the other top Community team, the Ann Arbor Adventure Club, Friday at Veterans Park field 3. Opening pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm.