by K	DEFENSE HOT AGAINST COOL OFFENSE!

The BEAT shined on defense turning four (count 'em...FOUR!) inning-ending double plays to hold Cool Dudes to only four runs in another early 10am game at Jackson Playground. The team knew going in that they would be facing one of the leagues toughest pitchers. Held to a measly nine hits, The BEAT still managed to make them count scoring six runs to defeat Cool Dudes 6-4.

Cool led off with two hits in the first but couldn't put a run across. The BEAT closed the inning in much the same manner, with only one hit. In the second, Cool led off with back to back to back singles to score a run. But with one out and the bases loaded, Cool lined a hard grounder to 'D' Moody at third. Catching the whole Cool team sleeping, 'D' tagged the runner at third and then stepped on the bag for a 5-unassisted double play! Yet even with such momentum in their favor, The BEAT struggled again at the plate unable to break the Cool pitcher's cool.

Opening the third, Cool got a break with back to back BEAT errors. A 6-4 fielders choice scored one, leaving a runner at first with one out. The next batter drilled a screamer at O.B.'s feet. O.B. snatched the ball off the mound, turned and made a perfect throw to the bag at second leading Austin across to Pete Wenner for a 1-6-3 double play! That's #2!

Rookie B.J. Bateman led off the bottom of the third with a single and reached second on a throwing error. O.B. moved him to third with a single, then Wilf pushed him across with a fielder's choice for The BEAT's first RBI. The BEAT closed the inning with two pop-ups, but not without Wilf making it interesting. On the first pop, Wilf deeked the fielders and drew an overthrow that allowed him to advance to third base. Alas, no run for Spoonman.

Cool led the fourth with a liner to MSG on 2nd. Batter #2 shot a single between short and third, but batter #3 got it too close to Austin at short who flipped to MSG then Wenner for the third inning ending double play in a row. Update: Cool 2, BEAT 1. With one out in the bottom of the inning, 'D' reached on his first of two singles. Then with two outs, Pete Wenner drilled a deep single scoring Moody from second to tie the game. 'Pizza Man' Weiss drew a walk, then Jeff Ricketts lined a clutch two-out single over third to load the bases. Up steps rookie Bateman for his second AB. B.J. sent a floating shot over right center for a three-run triple to open the game up. BEAT 5, Cool 2.

Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the fifth. Cool's side ended with a hard hit grounder to Wenner at first who flipped the ball to O.B. who went sprawling over the base at first for the last out of the side. Cool scored two in the top of the sixth with a two-out error and three consecutive singles, the last of which got by "D" Moody at third and that got him pissed. The next batter drilled a should-have-been-basehit six inches off the ground down the third baseline, but 'D' took his revenge with a Matt Williamslike diving catch for the third out. The BEAT picked up a couple singles in the bottom of the sixth, and Pete's FC put one across for a 6-4 BEAT lead.

Top of the seventh, Cool's last chance. Cool singled with one out and was looking for two runs from their leadoff hitter. The batter sent a sharp grounder back to O.B. on the mound who, for the second time in the game, led a 1-6-3 double play, GAME OVER!

Four DPs in seven innings and The BEAT left Cool thinking about what could have been. The game ball went to rookie Bateman for the clutch 3-run triple that put The BEAT ahead for good. It could have easily gone to others like Moody (2-3 with four clutch defensive outs), O.B. (for great pitching and defense), but the list goes on and on.

View The BEAT's 1997 Final Batting Statistics

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