by Pete

THE BEAT COMES FROM BEHIND TO NOTCH ITS FIRST EVER PLAYOFF WIN 13-12 VS 23RD HOUR! Lukoski 2-run homer ignites 4-run 6th to break 9-9 tie; Beatniks hold on for exhilarating cardiac win to claim unofficial “Saturday Title”; Advance to 2nd round of C-league playoffs vs. the Mishaps on October 17

The Beat franchise’s first playoff win in team history was an exhilarating barnburner with a familiar nemesis under a different name. The C-6 champion Beat held on to edge 23rd Hour, a team boasting the nucleus and heart of the old Connecticut Yankee and later Altered States teams that were the gold standard of Saturday afternoon C-league softball for years before the team moved up to CC, fragmented then returned last summer in its current reincarnation. Given that history and the fact 23rd Hour had won a tough second Saturday division (C-7) over two former C-league division winners Nicoya & Joey Js this summer, the meeting with the undefeated Beat looked like a marquee match up. It did not disappoint.

It’s overly tempting and often trite when sportswriters dub games the greatest ever. But arguably this was The Beat’s finest game in 15-years. It had all the elements—a tight, hard-fought contest between two hungry combatants in which the momentum dramatically swung twice.

It took 11 years after the legendary “shot heard round the infield” propelled The Beat to its first D-league division title over the Fringe Players in 1991 and 5 trips to the well for the team to notch its first post-season win. It was also The Beat’s first victory at night going back 7 games (4 playoff openers, 1 exhibition and 2 tournament games). Teams used to playing in daylight typically have difficulty adjusting under the lights so it was fitting that the 2 Saturday afternoon division champs drew each other in the opening round. This may help level the playing field somewhat for next week’s 2nd round match up against the Mishaps, who clinched a berth by mercy ruling Baboo’s Boys 19-1. At least the boys in gray will have had a night game under their belts.

Before tying the game 9-9 with 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th, the Beatniks had trailed all night (5-0 in the 2nd, 7-4 in the 3rd, 9-6 in the 5th). But the team settled down after some early jitters that resulted in disorganized defensive play to keep the game close in the middle innings until the 12-man offense gelled and surged ahead. For the third consecutive game, it was a comeback fueled by the bottom of the Beat order and of course, the speed game.

Quick strike offense.
Jacque Wilson hit a 3-run homer in the 2nd and Greg (Lucky Luki) Lukoski followed with a 2-run shot in the 6th to power the explosive Beat offensive. Both home runs came at opportune times and caused emotional eruptions in the Beat dugout. Brass Beat winner Wilson ignited the bench in the bottom of the 2nd with a signature laser shot that got the boys back in the game after 6 hits and 2 errors led to 5 23rd Hour runs. Lukoski’s rising line drive that split the left centerfield gap in almost the same place broke the 9-9 tie and vaulted The Beat in front for good.

Staring up at a 9-5 deficit in the middle of the 4th, starting pitcher Kevin (Special K) Austin and the defense battened down the hatch through the 5th and 6th to give the Beatniks a chance to get back in the game.

The game started with the ceremonial coin flip that the Beat won and then elected to take home field advantage. 23rd Hour quickly threatened with a single by the leadoff hitter Barry, the 2nd baseman, who steamed into 2nd base on an outfield bobble. The Beat players looked collectively nervous as the shortstop Lazurus grounded a hard single through the right side and advanced to 2nd as the throw went to 3rd. The Pettyesque, silver-maned 1st baseman Keenan, the longtime Beat killer, hit a deep fly ball that skipped between Alex Briscoe in right center and Jacq (The Rock) Wilson in right for a double. Barry scored, but Jacq, 2nd baseman Mike Buttafuso and catcher Luki combined on a strong relay to nail the sliding Lazurus at the plate. Cleanup hitter Dez Dezman then flew deep to Jacque in left center to drive in Keenan who had cruised into 3rd on the throw home. Austin got the tall number-5 hitter Lynn to ground weakly to 2nd to end the inning and keep the 23rd Hour lead to 2-0.

After The Beat went down in order in the home half of the first, 23rd Hour went back on the attack. Pitcher Dave Powell and the leftfielder Levino led off with singles to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Arcauz flew out to Steve Hinkebein in left but Cortes’s grounder skipped past Butts for an error that led to 3 more runs thanks to a single by the pesky number 10 hitter Lazetti and a sac fly by Barry. 23rd Hour was clearly energized.

Down 5-0 in the bottom of the 2nd, The Beat offense came to life. Donnell (Big Daddy) Moody doubled to lead off and Jim (The Thrill) Colletto walked before newly named Brass Beat winner Jacque scorched a patented laser beam shot to left center to clear the bases and cut the 23rd Hour lead to 5-3. Beatniks leapt off the bench with sudden rejuvenation.

Mark Briscoe flew deep to right center before Brian Arcuri singled and sped all the way to 3rd on Levine’s throwing error from left. Brian scored on Steve’s sharp grounder that was speared by Keenan at 1st to make it 5-4.

23rd Hour came right back with 2 runs in the 3rd on deep triples to right by Dezman and Powell to make it 7-4. The Beat got a run back on an RBI-single by Big Daddy in the bottom half.

Up 7-5, 23rd Hour added 2 more off Special K. The last place hitter Lazetti burned a shallow Beat outfield with a leadoff blast to straightaway center. The guys with the classic yellow Final Doom screamers on their black jerseys could only manage another run as Kevin wiggled out of a bases-loaded 1-out jam by getting both Powell and Levino to fly out to Steve Hinkebein in left.

Down 9-5, The Beat began to chip back.

Mark Briscoe singled to left center and alertly moved into scoring position at 2nd as the outfielder overran the ball. Hinke, suddenly red hot over the last 3 games drove Mark in on a single with 2 outs to cut it to 9-6.

Butts from his butt.
Austin said later that “somewhere around the 4th or 5th the curve appeared. That was the best pitch tonight. The blue opened the zone for the 5th and 6th and I started pitching more comfortably.” What it also allowed was for the Beatniks to get back on offense quickly. The top of the 5th seemed to turn the momentum our way.

With 1 out and Arcuaz on 1st, Mike Butts dove for a hard grounder and made a snow cone grab as he hit the ground. Turning in one motion, Buttsy threw a 1-hopper from a seated position to the shortstop Brian Acuri for a big 2nd out. Barry flew to the busy Jacque (6 put outs in left centerfield) for the final out.

The boys in gray came back from a 3-run deficit in the 5th to tie the score at 9-9 thanks to an RBI by Donnell and a key 1-out hit by #2-hitter Alex Briscoe. The 11 and 12 hitters Lukoski and Butts set up Alex’s heroics by advancing to 2nd and 3rd on singles with no outs. After MSG walked, Moody drove in the speedy Briscoe on a hard single up the middle to tie it. With 2 out and 2 on, Jacque Wilson hit a sharp comebacker to Powell that rolled up his chest. As Jacque raced safely to 1st, MSG retreated back to 3rd just to be safe. However, Mark Briscoe lined out sharply to 2nd to end the bases loaded threat.

Kevin stiffened and got 23rd Hour to go down in order in the 6th to set up the Beat heroics to come.

The Beat scored a quick run when 23rd Hour committed 2 throwing errors on Arcuri’s grounder to 3rd. Brian’s aggressive base running caused Doom to uncharacteristically lose composure and throw the ball around. With 1-out, Kevin doubled off the right centerfielder’s glove. Luki then uncorked a deep fly into no-man’s land in left center for a 2-run homer to make it 12-9.

The Beat bench went wild. After a Wenner groundout to 2nd pinch-hitting for Butts, Jacq, Alex and MSG singled to add an insurance run that turned out to be the winning tally.

As an experienced playoff team, 23rd Hour was not about to go down quietly. Austin walked Lynn and got Dave Powell to ground to Donnell at 1st. Levino singled before Arcuaz hit a troublesome towering pop-up into short left that Brian sprinted out for. Moving away from the ball, it bounced off the Beat shortstop’s glove in the Bermuda Triangle and it was 13-10. A Cortes sacrifice fly and an RBI-single by the pesky Lazzetti cut the Beat lead to 13-12 and caused the Beat manager Wenner to prowl the blacktopped walkway between the “dugout” and tennis courts.

But Jacque caught the towering fly to left center to end it. Then the heavens opened up and The Beat were on their way to the 2nd round of the C-league playoffs.

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On The BEAT News Archive

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