SPRING 1994 CHAMPIONS!

	A Team in Transition			vs. Silver Streak, May 14, 1994
	vs. Silver Streak, March 26, 1994			vs. Plough & Stars, May 21, 1994
	vs. Plough & Stars, April 2, 1994			vs. Sydney Duck, May 28, 1994
	vs. DUCK!, April 16, 1994			Spring Wrap Up!
	vs. Chameleons, April 30, 1994			1994 Team Photo

Spring '94

A Team in Transition

by #6

Following the Championship of 1991, The BEAT found themselves back in 'DD' league for the first time since the premiere season in '87 and soon experienced a great transformation. By the summer of '92, the team would lose five-year BEAT allstar, Eric Meyer, but would acquire the hot hitting Chris Young. The Spring of '93 brought two more excellent players in Mike Buttafuso and Greg Lukoski, but also mourned the loss of power hitter Robert Bingham. By July of '93, the team would lose its original manager and motivator, Jim Harvey. And as Wilfred Spoon took the managerial reins in the summer of '93, The BEAT struggled to find its' new identity.

The nucleus of the team was changing and catcher Frank "Pepe" Green stepped up as chief motivator and became team captain. But little could be done to save this rocking boat, and The BEAT found the competition in 'DD' to be more than they could handle. Following a 2-6 summer season, the team hit rock bottom when trying to regroup by playing its' first season of winter ball. What should have been a time to relax and reflect, became a lesson in humiliation as The BEAT lost game after game. The final winter game brought arguments and infighting as teammates turned on each other talking trash and putting each other down.

But there was still one great disappointment in the team's future. The BEAT would be sent back down to 'D' league for the spring season.

With the realization of what this meant, and the possible collapse of the team on the balance, The BEAT got together making a statement to the league that rang loud and clear--The BEAT would NOT be sent down! The team acquired one last piece for the puzzle, power-hitting third baseman, Donnell "D" Moody, and having aired all dirty laundry the preceding winter, set about its' task of dismantling division D-8. The "New BEAT" was born!

Typically flat in the Spring, The BEAT opened the season on fire and didn't look back, boasting a 6-0-1 record before losing the final game of the season. Because of that final loss and their 6-1-1 record at season's end, the ball was suddenly out of The BEAT's court for the first time all season. One team still remained a challenger to the title. The Chameleon's, at 6-1 (with their only loss coming from a close 8-6 match to The BEAT on April 30th) could take the division with a win in the final game. The BEAT came out in force for the showdown between The Chameleons and Silver Streak, cheering the Streak to a 7-1 victory and sealing the season championship for The BEAT.

Here's the season at a glance.

Game One

Silver Streak, March 26, 1994

The BEAT was a little slow jumping out of the box in the Spring opener at Rolph Park #1, but once they did, they jumped out hard trouncing Silver Streak to the tune of 19-3! The Streak led 3-1 entering the bottom of the third and got two quick outs before The BEAT struck with four hits and a walk leading to four runs. Silver Streak was held to only one hit for the remainder of the game. Meanwhile, The BEAT came back in the fifth with eight hits and sending 13 batters to the plate, seven of them scoring. At one point, The BEAT racked up six consecutive hits and all six scored. The BEAT was up 12-3. But the free-for-all wasn't over as The BEAT batted around again in the sixth scoring seven more runs on seven hits and two walks for the 19-3 final.

Eleven BEAT players got hits, eleven scored, and nine had RBI's. This was a true team effort on offense and defense, and in games like this it takes quite a bit to make the highlight reel. But catcher Frank Green stood out with a 4 for 4 performance including two doubles, three runs, and four RBIs starting his Brass Beat season with a bang. Chris Young also went 4 for 4 with three runs and three RBIs. Pitcher Dennis "O.B." O'Brien and The BEAT defense held The Streak to only six hits and set them down 1-2-3 three times in six innings.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (293k)

Game Two

Plough & Stars, April 2, 1994

The BEAT turned on the defense again in game two as the team headed back to Rolph #1 for a showdown with Plough & Stars. The BEAT managed only two hits in the first three innings while The Stars came out with a single and an RBI triple for a run in the first before going cold.

The BEAT struck for three runs on three hits in the fourth inning as Pepe, Peter Wenner, and 'D' Moody picked up consecutive RBIs knocking in leadoff hitter Greg Lukoski, Kevin Austin, and Wenner. Danny Carroll led off the fifth inning with a double and scored on a single by Mike Laffey. The BEAT was up 4-1.

The Stars picked up their second and last run in the bottom of the fifth on a fielder's choice and an RBI double before The BEAT defense could shut the door for good. Following a one-out single by Austin in the sixth, John "The Bomber" Palmer drove the last nail in the coffin with a 2-run homer closing the book on a 6-2 BEAT victory.

The BEAT's tight defense was impenetrable and shortstop Austin led the blockade with six assists and one put-out ringing up 1/3 of The Stars outs. O.B. pitched his second consecutive masterpiece allowing only 13 hits and five runs through the first two games. Palmer led The BEAT offense going 2 for 3 with a homer and two RBIs while Austin picked up two of The BEAT's six runs.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (256k)

Game Three

DUCK!, April 16, 1994

The BEAT ventured out to beautiful Rossi Park for game three against long-time rivals, DUCK!

DUCK! struck fast and early in the top of the first with two singles and a 2-RBI double. A BEAT throwing error led to a third run before O.B. could shut the door on the inning with a strikeout. BEAT leadoff hitter Greg Lukoski walked followed by Mark St.George's single, John Palmer's RBI double and Chris Young's single. Two batters later, Frank Green poked an RBI single and The BEAT's first four hitters had reached and scored. The BEAT was up 4-3. DUCK! came back in the second with four consecutive hits, a walk, sacrifice fly, and three more hits. When The BEAT got back to the dugout, DUCK! had batted around and was up 9-4. But The BEAT returned the favor, also batting around and scoring six runs on seven hits (including second runs by each of The BEAT's top four) giving The BEAT a 10-9 lead.

But this is a tale of two games and defense took over from here on out. DUCK! managed only two hits in the last four innings as O.B. cruised through the lineup racking up his second strikeout along the way. The BEAT could muster only four hits themselves with O.B. getting caught leaning off first for the game's final out. But O.B. and The BEAT defense held that one-run lead through four scoreless innings to chalk up their third victory, 10-9.

Accolades must go to The BEAT's top four, with two runs and at least one RBI each (Palmer had three) in the first two innings.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (247k)

Game Four

Chameleons, April 30, 1994

Game four brought The BEAT back to Rossi Park for one of the team's biggest games ever. Check out "BEAT Triumphs!" by O.B. for the whole story on this one.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (260k)

Game Five

Raging Bulls, May 7, 1994

As happens on occasion, The BEAT showed up for this one but Raging Bulls did not. With an 0-4 record and a date to meet the first place BEAT, the Bulls stampeded out of town never to be seen again. Okay, who's next?!?

Game Six

Silver Streak, May 14, 1994

Still smarting from the 19-3 drubbing at the hands of The BEAT on opening day, Silver Streak came back to the sister park where the damage was done, Rolph #2, with minds set on revenge.

With a slightly different order, The BEAT came out of the gate much like the last game, with the top four hitters each scoring twice in the first two innings. And much like the last game, that would be it. The BEAT managed only one hit and struck out three times in the last four innings while the Streak struggled back.

Silver Streak, after posting one run in the first, took advantage of an error by BEAT second baseman Mark St.Georges and bounced back with three unearned runs in the bottom of the second to cut The BEAT's lead in half. An error by Moody at third base in the fifth led to two more unearned runs. An error and three walks in the sixth tied the game and Silver Streak snuck away with an 8-8 tie (three runs earned, five unearned) and The BEAT saw how just a few mistakes can ruin a perfect season.

Offensive highlights once again included The BEAT top four, Chris Young (2-3, 2 runs), MSG (2-2, 2 runs), John Palmer (2-3, double, triple, 2 runs, 4 RBI), and Frank Green (2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI) all getting two hits and two runs in the first two innings. 'D' Moody. rounded out the scoring going 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs while The BEAT's bottom five went a combined 1 for 14.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (236k)

Game Seven

Plough & Stars, May 21, 1994

After a short, fairly painless three game slump that saw The BEAT take two wins and a tie by a margin of only 3 runs, The BEAT was ready to break out again. In attendance were many members of The Chameleons, whose only loss had come at the hands of The BEAT and they were out in force to cheer on Plough & Stars with the hopes of taking first place for themselves. The last time The BEAT met Plough & Stars they came out on top of a defensive battle. This time, The BEAT added some offense.

Once again, the Stars struck early picking up two runs in the first and three in the second while holding The BEAT scoreless. But that would be all for the Stars as The BEAT set them down 1-2-3 in each of the last five innings. The only hit relinquished in that five inning stretch was erased with a game ending double play from Austin to St.Georges to Buttafuso at first. But this game was about more than just stellar defense.

The BEAT hit the board in the third parlaying a walk, two singles and a sacrifice fly into three quick runs. They broke it open in the fourth sending 15 batters to the plate and scoring 11. Frank Green led the inning with a walk followed by Pete Wenner's single and a 3-run blast by 'D' Moody to give The BEAT a 6-5 lead. Jeff Ricketts scorched a double down the third baseline then turned an error into another quick run. A quick infield out later, The BEAT strung together five consecutive singles scoring three more and bringing up John "The Bomber" Palmer with two runners on. Palmer scorched a towering drive over the Lang fence in right for The BEAT's second 3-run dinger in the inning and sent the Chameleons in attendance scurrying for the parking lot. Pete rounded out the scoring with a single, and scored for the second time in the inning on Moody's triple. Suddenly, The BEAT was up 14-5.

The boys in gray went down quietly in the fifth but sprung back for one last party in the sixth. O.B. led the inning with a double followed by two singles with MSG's second RBI single driving in O.B. Two fielders choices drove in a second run leaving a runner on third with two outs. But The BEAT wouldn't let up, hammering the Stars with four more straight hits (including Ricketts second double for 2 RBIs) driving in the last four runs. When the runs were all tallied, The BEAT had rolled to a 20-5 victory with eight BEAT hitters scoring two or more runs.

O.B. picked up the game ball by holding the Stars to five hits while going 3 for 3 with three runs and three RBIs. Other outstanding performances included 'D' Moody (3-4, homerun, triple, 2 runs, 4 RBIs), Chris Young (3-3, triple, 2 runs, RBI), and Pete Wenner (2-2, walk, 2 runs), but then again, I could list everyone.

The BEAT was on top of the world at 6-0-1 and riding high on their blowout victory with one game to go.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (206k)

Game Eight

Sydney Duck, May 28, 1994

Forced to make up a rainout on Memorial Day weekend, The BEAT seemed to be looking forward to the post game celebration rather than the actual game, and it almost cost them the season.

The Ducks jumped out to an early 3-run lead. The BEAT could only answer back with one as Chris Young scored from first with two outs just in time to beat the third-out tag of 'D' Moody trying to stretch his RBI single into a double.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the second and the Ducks picked up another run in the third. Danny Carroll scored The BEAT's second run Austin's sharply hit ball to the shortstop was bobbled. The BEAT kept picking away as Young scored his second run in the fourth, driven in by Jeff Ricketts. The BEAT had come back and were trailing by only one at 4-3.

But the Ducks took off in the fifth scoring four, then coming back with five each in the sixth and seventh on 16 hits in the last three innings. The wind quickly left from The BEAT's sails as they scored only two more in the sixth on a leadoff double by St.Georges, an RBI triple by Moody, and Rocks second RBI driving in Moody.

The BEAT went down 18-5, but worse than that, the title was now up for grabs. They would have to wait one more week for the game between Silver Streak and the 6-1 Chameleons.

See the game scoresheet in pdf (270k)

Wrap Up

There's an old saying in softball that it takes 10 runs to win. Well that makes a pretty good case for Pitcher Dennis O'Brien as the MVP of this Championship Season. O.B. held opposing teams to less than 10 runs in six of his seven complete games (five victories and one tie). In three of those games he held the opposition to seven or fewer hits for the entire game, leading The BEAT to an excellent 6-1-1 record!

On the other side of the ball, accolades go out Chris Young who picked up the Spring Season batting title with a .700 average (followed closely by 'D' Moody at .688) and tied with MSG for the team lead in runs scored with 11. Typically, John Palmer took the slugging title with a 1.250 percentage and led the team with 14 RBIs on just 9 hits in 16 at-bats. Those nine hits included three doubles, a triple and two homeruns. The BEAT finished the season with a respectable .458 team batting average.

The Spring 1994 Division Champions! Back: Jeff, T.C., Mike, Wilf, Annie, T.C. Middle: Kev, OB, Mike, Greg, Mark Front: John, Dan, Donnell, Chris, Pete, Frank

View The BEAT's 1994 Batting Statistics

On The BEAT News Archive