BEAT EKES OUT 8-6 VICTORY IN SPRING OPENER OVER FINNEGAN'S!

Beat comeback prevails as Austin and outfield defense hold on;
Lukoski drives in winning run in 6th with clutch 2-run single

The Beat survived a late inning scare and overcame some shaky defense to win a hard fought, low scoring opening game against Finnegan’s A+B. Starting pitcher Kevin (Special K) Austin gutted out a 10-hit, no-walk performance in the face of 5 infield errors to hold Finnegan’s to only 6 runs (2 earned).

Despite the Beat defensive miscues (Finnegan’s only had 2), it was an exciting and hard fought affair as Beat/Finnegan’s games often are. For most of it, the Beat offense squandered opportunities as Finnegan’s starter/manager Steve DeLuco was wild, walking 4 batters over the course of the contest. After 5 ½ innings, The Beat trailed 6-4 with 9 runners left on base. They had left the bases loaded in the 3rd and stranded 2 runners in the 4th and 5th.

Finally, after again loading the bases in the bottom of the 6th, The Beat broke through on a clutch 2-run single by Greg (Lucky Luki) Lukoski to go on top and win 8-6 after a tidy top of the 7th for Austin. Relative newcomer Jason Pendergast won the game ball with a 2 for 2 performance in which he reached base 3 times, hit a triple in his 1st at bat, and made several fine plays in the troublesome right center field of Jackson #1. Jason had returned to The Beat as a full time member of the roster after a cameo appearance 7 years ago. Coincidentally the man Pendergast replaced, longtime shortstop/2nd baseman Brian Arcuri, who unexpectedly retired before the season after 6 years with the team, debuted with Jason as replacement players against Nicoya in a summer game in 1997.

Playing shortstop for the first time in his Beat career after putting on a solid winter league playoff performance there, Armando Lopez did a fine job holding down the position in place of the departed Arcuri.

Random achievements
Luki was 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs on the day. Jim (The Thrill) Colletto, nursing a strained hamstring that has bothered him throughout the spring, was 2 for 2 with a beautiful opposite-field double in the 2-run Beat 1st. Jacq Wilson got on base 3 times and Mike (Butts) Buttafuso went 1 for 2 with 2 runs scored including an exciting baserunning play in the Beat 3rd. Advancing from 1st base on Buttsy’s single, Jacq the Rock took advantage of Finnegan’s indecision to force a throw to the plate and snuck across home place just under the catcher’s tag. Butts cruised into 3rd on the play and eventually crossed the plate with the 4th run on Donnell (Big Daddy) Moody’s RBI groundout to short.

Jacq’s close call at the plate was reminiscent of an earlier play in the Beat 1st when Mark (MSG) St. Georges raced all the way from 1st base to barely beat the tag on the relay throw following Colletto’s double down the left field line.

Just missing by a hair

2004 Spring Standings

Team W L PCT Pts GB

The BEAT 1 0 1.000 2 –

Ronin 1 0 1.000 2 –

SF Ballers 0 0 .000 0 .5

Finnegan's 0 1 .000 0 1

The Other Guys 0 1 .000 0 1

The Beat had numerous threats to break the game open, but were thwarted by a tough Finnegan’s defense that was consistently good all day. They had a 2-out rally in the 3rd shut down when veteran Finnegan’s left center fielder Roldan Penagos made a fine over-the-shoulder, running catch on Jacque Wilson’s bid for a 3-run homer on a long fly ball to the lip of the infield on Jackson #2. Hitting in the #11 EP spot, Pete Wenner fouled to the 3rd baseman Murphy on a diving grab with runners on 1st and 2nd to end a 2-out uprising in the Beat 4th.

The Beat countered with big defensive plays of their own to snuff out Finnegan’s’ rallies. With its well known flair for the dramatic, The Beat recorded 2 crucial outfield-initiated double plays to end the 5th and 7th innings. Having scored 4 runs with 1 out in the 5th, Trevor Williamson hit a shallow fly ball that Jacq Wilson flagged down on the run and caught Torrey Sullivan leaning too far off 1st to end the inning. In the Finnegan’s 7th, Sullivan scalded a 1-out line drive at late-inning replacement Paul Sanders at 2nd base (1 for 1 at the plate) who turned and doubled off Penagos at 1st for the final out of the game.

The decisive 6th
Mondo delivered a timely 1-out hit in the bottom of the 6th to put runners at 1st and 2nd after Colletto had led off with a walk. Mark Briscoe then loaded the bases with a single up the middle before Jason walked to force in the 5th Beat run. Thereupon, Lucky Luki punched his fateful base hit past the outstretched glove of the 2nd baseman Williamson to make it 7-6 Beatniks. EP Pete Wenner blooped a signature opposite-field hit over the lunging try of shortstop extraordinaire Gino Marliani before Pendergast scored with the 8th Beat run scored on an RBI groundout by Kevin.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Both teams seemed to struggle with the new double-wall bats and low-compression balls that have been mandated by the city league this year. The 6-5 Ronin victory over the Other Guys in the previous contest that opened up the Saturday C-league games lent further credence to this theory. The SF Ballers (formerly Joey Js) were idle with a bye.

With an exhilarating close win under its belts on opening day, The Beat breathed a collective sigh of relief. Up next, the Other Guys on Jackson #2 at 3pm on April 3.

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