ANN ARBOR–Hopslam is going back to The Show thanks to a 5-0 shutout effort from pitcher Paul Sholtis Tuesday night against the Ice Dogs. Sholtis’s 2.33 ERA and 4-0 record over the last two weeks has earned him league-wide recognition and the admiration of his fellow teammates. “You play for Hopslam now!” exclaimed forward Jeff Price, though the comment was admittedly directed toward winger Ricky Winowiecki.
“Paul hasn’t given up a goal since he was 20!” noted Winowiecki.
“Let’s keep it that way,” said the 21 year-old, whose birthday was Monday.
Woods delivering split-finger fastball, moving the red-socked team into the World Series
The home team got things going early in the bottom of the first, when Dexter Benda’s sacrifice fly brought Chris Sutton home for the first score. Two more runs came off hits from Luke Bell and Andrew Thompson.
Winowiecki struck out his first time at bat and pulled several line drives foul, but persevered, knocking in a home run late in the game. “I couldn’t believe that first shot,” said Winowiecki.
“I was just swinging in anger!” he added regarding the home run.
With the game in hand, team manager John Farrell brought in his closer, Mark Woods, the journeyman player who got his start with the Matsumura Fishworks Giants from the Osaka-fu Prefecture, where he earned the name “Mister Sparkle-a” for his noted disdain of dirty dishes. Woods used his patented split-finger “fast” ball– clocked in at a mile per hour– blowing past Ice Dog catcher Ray Kraft for the out, the save, and the series win.
“I am very pleased to be a part of this great team,” said Woods through his interpreter. “Paul is great player and my favorite Beatle.”