vs. Fahey's Flakes, April 12, 1997

vs. Finnegan's Wake, April 19, 1997

vs. Nine Inch Snails, April 26, 1997

vs. Connecticut Yankees, May 3, 1997

vs. HGA, May 10, 1997

BEAT CRUSHES FLAKES

Game 3, Fahey's Flakes, April 12, 1997

by #6

Coming into game three with a 1-1 record, The BEAT struck hard and early to take an easy 13-8 win from Fahey's Flakes on April 12 at Jackson #2. The BEAT knew that they would have to take advantage of the floundering Flakes (0-4) to stay competitive in this heavily stacked division, and they would have to do it without starting pitcher Dennis O'Brien and starting left fielder Jeff Ricketts.

The BEAT made Manager Wilfred Spoon look like a genius as the first three batters reached on two singles and a walk followed by Donnell Moody's towering grand slam to give The BEAT a 4-0 start with no outs in the top of the first. When the dust had settled, The BEAT had sent 14 batters to the plate for a total of nine runs. Coach Spoon rounded out the inning by cracking his second homerun of the season (and his career) for the last two RBIs.

The BEAT showed a different look as they took the field in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Kevin Austin took the mound for his first start pitching replacing the missing O.B. and got two quick outs. But a few flat pitches led to a single and a screaming homer just inches inside the third baseline putting the Flakes on the board with two runs.

With nothing to show on offense in the top of the second, Austin led off the bottom of the inning with a swinging strikeout of Fahey's leftfielder and the side was retired after only four hitters. The BEAT answered not at all in the top of the third, going down quickly 1-2-3.

The Flakes loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but managed only one run. This time The BEAT did answer back with three hits and a fielder's choice scoring two runs (including second runs for Mark St.George and Greg Lukoski and Donnell Moody's fifth RBI) and bringing the score to 11-3.

The bottom of the fourth looked troublesome as the Flakes started to tee off. Following a lead-off single, Fahey's leftfielder (in a vengeful statement against his strikeout two innings prior) lined a shot to rookie rightfielder Andrew Malkus. Andrew misplayed the ball into a home run that looked like it would score two. But typically on his toes, third baseman 'D' Moody caught the first runner missing the bag at third and The BEAT escaped the inning with only one run scored by the Flakes.

The BEAT sputtered again in the top of the fifth going down 1-2-3 as the bottom of the order struggled. Finally, it was Fahey's turn to take advantage. The Flakes strung together four consecutive singles before an out was forced at second. The choppy ground in left gave outfielder Mike Weiss fits as he racked up two errors in the inning with one ball changing direction at the last second laying Weiss out with no way to get to it. A sacrifice and a double gave the Flakes four runs before the final out was made on a sharp grounder to Pete Wenner at first. The Flakes had narrowed the margin to three and the score stood at 11-8. Suddenly, what had looked like a cake-walk early in the game, became a nailbiter. As any player knows, three runs in softball leaves no margin for error and The BEAT realized it was time to tighten up the defense and go get some insurance.

With one out in the sixth, Austin stretched a single into two bases on a throwing error. Running on a 5-3 force, #6 drew a return throw to third that went wild and allowed him to score. 'D' Moody led off the 7th with a double and later scored The BEAT's final run to bring the total to 13.

The Flakes made one last stand in the bottom of the last inning with back to back lead-off singles. The BEAT's defense and pitching clamped down forcing an infield pop-up, an infield grounder and finally a can-o-corn to Weiss in left. The Flakes were held scoreless in the last two frames and The BEAT took the win with a 13-8 final.

In the end, it was a great group effort with nine of The BEAT's 11 starters scoring runs, and the top four hitters scoring two each! Two game balls went out for outstanding performances. One to Donnell Moody for going an awesome 4-4 with a homer, a double and five RBI's (the game margin, by the way) and a great eye catching the Flake's baserunner missing third and saving yet another run. The second game ball went to starting pitcher Kevin Austin for his first win on the mound, one putout and three assists on defense and going 3-3 with a walk on offense and extending his current team-leading hitting streak to 21 games!

Finnegan's Wake, BEAT's Funeral

Game 4, Finnegan's Wake, April 19, 1997

The tone was set early. The BEAT opened the first inning with back-to-back singles yet managed only one run, while division leading Finnegan's Wake closed the inning with five hits including a 3-run homer to shoot ahead 3-1, never looking back. Squeezing out only five total runs on 14 hits, The BEAT struggled for those clutch hits with runners in scoring position. Kevin "#6" Austin, Mike "Butts" Buttafuso, Wilfred "Spoonman" Spoon, and Dennis "O.B." O'Brien all went 2 for 2 and combined for three of The BEAT's five runs and three RBIs.

Finnegan's, on the other hand, made their hits count as they raked losing pitcher O.B. for 15 runs on 18 hits (assisted by a couple BEAT errors) and cruised to a 15-5 victory. Finnegan's ran streaks of three, four, and five consecutive hits showing why they are one of two teams to beat in this lopsided division.

Snail Bait

Game 5, Nine Inch Snails, April 26, 1997

In a game The BEAT had to win, they merely drove another snail in the coffin of this spring season. Coming into this game tied with the Snails for third place, The BEAT came out flat for the second game in a row losing a close 10-8 decision and dropping the boys to a tie for fourth in the seven team division.

The BEAT defense held strong through the first three innings as the Snails were held to just one run on four hits off of back-up pitcher Kevin Austin. The middle of The BEAT order got hot as they pushed three runs across in the second on three consecutive hits by Greg "Lucky Lukie" Lukoski, Peter Wenner, and Mike "Butts" Buttafuso's 2-RBI triple. But The BEAT's 2-3-4 spots struggled for the second straight game leaving gaping holes in the first, third and fifth innings and combining for no runs and only two RBIs in the last two games.

In the fourth, the Snails started to power back with four consecutive hits and four runs to take a 4-3 lead. The BEAT answered back with one in the bottom of the fourth and four more in the sixth on five hits regaining the lead at 8-7. But with one out in the top of the seventh, Austin walked a runner and the Snails went to work moving him to third on a single then scoring with a sacrifice fly. Tie game, bottom of seven.

Suddenly, The BEAT bats went cold and we were going into overtime. The Snails took quick advantage of the situation with two singles, another sacrifice, and a third single to take a 10-8 lead. The BEAT could not recover and managed only one hit in the bottom of the eighth resulting in their third loss.

The BEAT outhit the Snails 18-17 but couldn't get the clutch hits when needed and stranded runners in scoring position six times. Offensive highlights included: Butts (3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, triple); Wilfred Spoon (2-3, 1 run, 3 RBIs); Austin (2-4, 2 RBIs, double); and Pete Wenner (2-4, 2 runs).

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

(What could have, should have, and would have been)

Game 6, Connecticut Yankee, May 3, 1997

Connecticut Yankee. Possibly the tightest, powerhouse softball team you've ever seen, has a tendency for one off day every season. The BEAT caught them on this day. The BEAT "could have" taken advantage of this. The BEAT "should have" won this game. The BEAT "would have" rung up the biggest upset in the ten year history of the team, but instead fell to the division leaders in the closest game of the season. Dennis O'Brien pitched a masterpiece holding a team that averages over 15 runs per game to only seven hits and no earned runs. But The BEAT suffered miserably from key wind-assisted dropped balls, poor base-running, and once again, ineffective hitting in the clutch.

The BEAT led off hungry on Kevin Austin's blooping double over third base (tying him with John Palmer for the alltime BEAT best 24-game hitting streak and his sixth consecutive lead-off hit). Manager Wilfred Spoon, having a great spring himself advanced Austin to third. Chris Young then lined an RBI single to put The BEAT on the board. One out later, Donnel "D" Moody, drilled a double and Spoon, running for Young, scored from first.

Connecticut came up in the bottom of the first and scorched a sharp single over the outstretched glove of "D" at third. The second hitter reached on an error through the glove of First Baseman Peter Wenner leaving runners on the corner. A text-book sacrifice fly brought the first run across for the Yankees. With two outs, the number five hitter sent a long pop-up to deep right center that was misplayed for three bases and a tied ballgame.

The BEAT bounced back in the second with consecutive singles by Wenner, Mark St.Georges, and Jeff Ricketts, with "Rocks" getting the RBI as Wenner scored from second. Mike "Dorothy" Laffey hit a grounder forcing Ricketts at second. The shortstop then threw behind MSG who had rounded third, and Mark was caught dead in a rundown for the second out taking away the opportunity to score with what would have been runners at the corners with only one out. Ground ball, inning over.

Both teams went down quickly for the next inning and a half. The BEAT squeezed out another run in the fourth with a single by DeMaestri who advanced to second on a bobble in the outfield. An infield grounder by Wenner advanced him to third and a two out single by MSG drove him in. Suddenly it's The BEAT 4, Connecticut Yankee 2! Was it possible? Could The BEAT upset the first place team, possibly the best team they've ever played?

With one out in the bottom of the inning, the Yankees hit a ball to deep right that hung so long in the swirling wind that the speedy runner was almost at second by the time Butts dropped it. The runner touched all four standing up and it was a 4-3 game. With two outs, the Yankees drilled three more singles and it looked like a tie game until DeMaestri came up throwing from center and held the runners with the bases loaded. With no chance for a sacrifice, the next hitter grounded to secondbaseman MSG who flipped the ball to Austin at second for the out. The BEAT had dodged a HUGE bullet and still led by a run going to the fifth, but managed only one hit before turning the ball back over to Connecitcut.

The BEAT would have to hold on for three more innings to pull this one out. But let's not forget we're talking about holding a team that averages over two runs per inning for just three more. The Yankees picked up a quick out but then hit another deep fly to Butts in right whose third error put the hitter at second. Another pop-up gave them two outs, but then the Yankees struck with back-to-back doubles and two runs to take a 5-4 lead.

Now The BEAT would have to struggle back in the late innings, a task that has been a deathtoll for the team this spring. With one out, Moody, DeMaestri and Wenner got consecutive singles to load the bases. This was the chance The BEAT had been awaiting for a year and a half, a close game against the Yankees, bases loaded and only one out. Up stepped MSG, one of The BEAT's best hitters for nine years and two for two in the game. A fly ball would tie the game. A basehit would give The BEAT the lead. Instead, a high hopper to the second baseman led to an easy tag of Wenner in the basepath and the short throw doubled off St.Georges at first. Inning over. Threat over. Season over. Connecticut went down quietly in the sixth and The BEAT went down just as quietly in the seventh and the game was in the books.

There was no one to blame but the team itself, for the opportunity was there but it was squandered. The chance for the biggest upset in its ten year history was lost. The BEAT outhit the Yankees 13-7 but once again could not get the clutch hits while handing The Yankees five unearned runs on a platter.

BEAT Highlights included O.B.'s dazzling pitching, Austin (2-3, double, 1 run), Moody (2-3, double, RBI), DeMaestri (2-3, 1 run), Wenner (2-3, 1 run), and MSG (2-3, RBI). Lowlights included the curse of the 2-3-4 spots in the order who left the game a dreary two for nine with only one run and one RBI. The dearth of run production is evident in the fact that three of The BEAT's four losses were by two runs or less. With a couple more clutch hits The BEAT could easily be riding high at 5-1 instead of floundering at 2-4.

What this does tell us is that even with a poor record, The BEAT is showing that it belongs in this league. No more suffering the weekly 10-15 run blowout, this team is competitive in this league and has two more "winable" games that could end this season with a team best 4-4 record in 'C' league. In ten years this team has always struggled with the new experiences. And even though 'C' league is now in it's third season with The BEAT, this team is showing signs of breaking out. And in its ten years, this team has always played better in the summer.

Until then, we have to remember that the key word is TEAM. Sometimes players have great games and you win. Sometimes players have bad games and you lose. But no matter what, it takes at least nine players to field a team. And without at least nine, winning isn't even a possibility.

BITTER LOSSES ABOUND!

Game 7, HGA, May 10, 1997

To say that The BEAT's season has taken a turn for the worse, would mean an assumption that it had recently been better. The turn is now officially a month old and The BEAT's steady decline in four straight losses leaves only one chance for redemption in next weeks season finale against Cool Dudes.

The BEAT headed back to Jackson for a rematch against a very beatable HGA team that has left The BEAT smarting from its 0-3-1 record in the four previous matches with the Spring '96 champs coming into Saturday's game. The BEAT had played HGA close in three of the four games only to let HGA come back in the last inning for the win. But never to quite the extent that they would suffer in this 19-11 loss that The BEAT led heading into the last inning.

The swirling winds of Jackson were the worst of the year as exampled by O.B.'s season high three walks, forcing him to concentrate on location rather than arc. The result was a hit parade. HGA led off with a double and an RBI single before the first out was in the books. HGA's first two hitters would torment The BEAT all day, both going 4 for 4 on the day with four runs a piece. With the help of an error at short, three more singles and a walk, HGA would rack up four runs in the first, two unearned. The BEAT bounced back with five hits, with Greg Lukoski and Mike Buttafuso scoring on 'D' Moody's triple that ended with Donnell out by a mile at the plate trying to stretch it to a 4-bagger. At the end of one, The BEAT was down 4-2.

With two outs in the top of the second, HGA came back to the top of their order and once again piled on a double and RBI single. Austin racked up two more errors at short that left him on his knees in frustration allowing another unearned run to score before he got the force to MSG at second to end the inning. After hitting the bence Austin remarked, "I feel like I'm on the downside of a 15-round fight out there, they're killing me!"

Mike Weiss led off the bottom of the second with a single and scored The BEAT's only run in the inning on Austin's fielders choice to the third baseman after HGA had walked the bases full. But The BEAT sent HGA down quickly 1-2-3 in the top of the third and it looked like the tide was turning. Buttafuso led off the bottom of the third with a double followed by 'D's single and Peter Wenner's RBI double. MSG reached on an error scoring another run. One out later, Mike Weiss stroked a liner through the gap in left-center for his first BEAT homer and 3 RBIs. Jeff Ricketts singled and following Eric Schoenauer's first BEAT hit went from first to home on a errant throw by an HGA outfielder. The BEAT was up 9-6.

But typical of HGA, they bounced back in the top of the fourth with two hits and a fielder's choice, then up came the top of the order again. Leadoff hitter Regald smacked a line drive 3-run shot that high-hopped over the head of Rocks in left field and rolled all the way to the far fence, a good 350 feet away. Second place hitter Sims scorched his third single through O.B.'s legs up the middle and scored two batters later on an error by Mike Laffey at third. HGA was up again 10-9.

The BEAT came back again in the bottom of the fourth to continue the see-saw battle. 'D' Moody reached on a fielders choice and Mark St.Georges got all of an 0-1 pitch and sent it screaming through the outfield for a two run homer. The BEAT was back on top, 11-10, going into the fifth with only 10 minutes to play. If they could hold HGA and stretch out the bottom of the inning they could finally take a victory from their current rivals.

But the cursed HGA comeback would haunt The BEAT once again. As O.B. struggled to keep his control against the howling wind, HGA took advantage of the sweet strikes and the jet stream to left and drilled hit after hit through the left side of the infield. By the time the barrage ended, HGA had batted around racking up nine runs on eight hits and a walk. Trudging off the field to finish the inning, the wind was gone from The BEAT's sails.

The BEAT led the bottom of the fifth with their fourth strikeout on the day, an all-time team high. And although Mike "Dorothy" Laffey stroked a nice two-out double into right field, it would be all the team could muster. They would fall to HGA yet again. This time to the tune of 19-11 in a game that, until the final frame, was much closer that the score would lead you to believe.

Offensive highlights for The BEAT included Mike "Butts" (3-3, double, 2 runs), MSG (2-3, homerun, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Mike "Pizza Man" Weiss (2-3, homerun, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), 'D' Moody (2-3, triple, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), and Pete Wenner (2-3, double, run, RBI). In rather uneventful fashion, Kevin Austin stroked an infield single in his last at-bat to set a new all-time BEAT hitting streak record of 25 games. Lowlights included the forementioned record four strikeouts and fielding difficulties against HGA's potent offense. Austin racked up five assists and a put-out to offset his season-high three errors while watching another dozen well-hit balls pass to either side of him, just out of reach. In response to scorekeeper Anne Spoon's constant calls of "Kevin! He went to you last time!" Austin finally replied after the game "Anne, I wanted to tell you to save your breath, EVERYONE hit it to me today!"

So The BEAT closes the season with one last game against Cool Dudes who are tied with The BEATsters for fifth place with 2 and 5 records. The winner finishes fifth, the loser sixth or (if Fahey's pulls another surprise victory out of their hat to defeat HGA) dead last. The threat of being sent down suddenly looms large and is a fate undeserving of the team that has lost four very close games, three of them by two runs or less. There's no telling how important next weeks game could be.

View The BEAT's 1997 Final Batting Statistics

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