by Pete

The Beat Drops Nicoya Deeper Beatniks take charge early, hold off 0-4 Nicoya 15-11

Nicoya came into week 4 of the summer season on the ropes at 0-3 following two stunning walk-off upsets at the hands of the Rhinos and HGA, crescendoed by a listless showing on August 11 against the Other Guys. Already in a huge hole early in the 8-game campaign, the consensus pre-season favorites showed up ready to play The Beat, who were looking to make a statement against a battered foe. The Nicaraguans had coaxed the return of several of their old guard who had been conspicuously absent in week 3 against the OGs and replaced by old-looking, double-D Grenadans. 

However, The Beat took charge by jumping out to a quick 13-5 lead in the top of the 3rd before Nicoya gamely scratched out a late comeback that fell short. Steve Hinkebein keyed the offense in his Beat debut with a 2 for 3, 3 RBI day that featured a booming triple off the fence in right. Brian Arcuri continued his year-long hot hitting by going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a 2-out, 2-RBI hit in the 6-run 2nd inning that blew open a 9-5 lead. It may well have been the difference in the game. 

Additionally, Donnell (Big Daddy) Moody went 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Bob (BJ) Bateman extended his summer hitting binge with a 2 for 3 day.

In the 12.30 game on Jackson #2 immediately following the Beat victory, the Other Guys beat back a late surge from the Rhinos to ride Ron Hamilton’s pitching to an 8-6 and remained tied with the Beatniks at 2-0-1. Both teams slipped back into first place, 1 point ahead of idle HGA at 2-1.

5-run 1st inning rule

The Beatniks came right back with 6 runs in the 2nd to take command at 11-5. Right fielder Javier Urdiales led off with a walk and Gunnar (Nails) Rosenquist reached on an error by 2nd baseman Eric Ortega to set up a succession of RBI hits by Jacque Wilson and Donnell Moody. With 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd and the Beat leading 7-5, Jacq grounded out to the shortstop Tocq. Incredibly, the 1st baseman Wilbur Rodriguez saw the “Cottonmouth King” Mark St. Georges dancing off 3rd base perhaps in a momentary gamble of drawing an errant throw. St. George later said that he saw Moody breaking for 3rd and sought to go home or create a diversion. Rodriguez sprang off the bag and threw to the catcher Uriel Jimenez who was steaming up the 3rd base line. Luckily, MSG beat a high throw back to the bag at 3rd as manager Pete Wenner coaching 1st base became apoplectic, loudly admonishing the base runners to play it safe. 

Having dodged a rally-killing bullet that characterized the week 2 Other Guys tie, Arcuri strode to the plate and cracked a clutch 2-run single that immediately picked up the club. Hinkebein followed with a fly ball that looked routine at first before gaining altitude and rattled off the high fence in right for an RBI triple. Austin knocked in the 11th run with a bloop hit over the infield before the rally ended.

The Beat settles in

The Beat didn’t score in the 4th, but Nicoya scored 2 off Kevin to close the gap to 13-7. It could have been worse. Ortega led off with a double and scored on Tocq’s single. Tocq landed on 2nd base as his hit took a tricky hop and bounced by BJ. A walk to Carlos Lopez put runners on 1st and 2nd with none out. Silvio Guerrero then scalded a hot grounder down the 1st base line that Steve smothered and stepped on the bag to get the 1st out and save a run. Jimenez singled to score Tocq, but Lopez got caught at 3rd on a good relay from Jacq to Pizza to Donnell for the 2nd out and Rodriguez flied to BJ in left for the 3rd out.

The Beat scratched out another run in the 5th to make it 14-7 on Gunnar’s RBI fielders’ choice. 

The Gods speak loudly

Sensing a Nicoya comeback, The Beat hungered for insurance runs and got 1 on a sacrifice fly by Hinkebein to score Moody and make it 15-10. As the teams traded sides, the blue shouted “4 minutes”. It was do or die for Nicoya.

Lopez hit a sharp comebacker to the mound that OB snared off balance and threw wildly in the dirt past Steve at 1st and put the runner on 2nd base. The pitcher Guerrero followed with an RBI single that Jacque threw hard down the middle of the diamond. Standing on the pitcher’s mound, OB stabbed the accurate throw and relayed to Pizza Man who was charging across the infield at Guerrero, whom he tagged out. With the wind out of their sales on the heads up play, the crafty O’Brien induced Jimenez to fly to Jacque in right center. Rodriguez grounded out to Pizza to end it. In a gritty display of determination, OB had successfully closed the win for Austin and The Beat.

The Beatniks defeated a proud Nicoya team that had gamely tried to regain some of its lost luster. It was indeed a big victory, especially to those who remember the Renegades late surge to vanquish The Beat in the spring. Thanks to some key player acquisitions and a summer pre-season of hard work, this Beat team has a different, more confident outlook. 

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On The BEAT News Archive

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