an O'Brien/Austin joint

H A M M E R E D !

The BEAT stumbled in its second game of the Spring season, losing 8-6 to old rival Hammertime, a team the boys in gray have not faced since The BEAT's first championship season, way back in the Summer of '91.

"We had one bad inning defensively and didn't get the timely hits," said coach Peter Wenner, echoing the consensus opinion. All eight Hammertime runs were scored in the third, while The BEAT left nine runners in scoring position, including four left at third base, in just six innings.

The game started off well enough (how often has this phrase been used in sports lately?) as a good defensive battle. Both teams managed only two hits and the game remained scoreless after two innings. The BEAT struck first in the top of the third as pitcher Denny O'Brien drew a one-out walk. Mike "Pizza Man" Weiss hit into a fielder's choice to the third baseman, but a defensive boot left both runners on. B.J. Bateman drove in O.B. with a single, advancing Weiss to third. Chris Young followed with a sacrifice fly to left-center putting The BEAT ahead 2-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.

Then Hammertime lived up to it's name. They crushed the ball, driving it into the wind and past the outfielders. Four singles, a double, two triples, a home run and an error at second, and suddenly (okay, not so suddenly), Hammertime was up 8-2.

The BEAT scratched and clawed its way back in the top of the fourth, scoring three runs off singles by Jeff Ricketts, Wenner, Mike Laffey, and Weiss with the added assistance of error numero tres on la tres basehombre. The BEAT had closed the gap to 8-5, but a dark foreboding appeared as The BEAT stranded runners on second and third.

The BEAT defense pulled itself together allowing Hammertime only one hit through the rest of the game. But as hard as they tried, The BEAT could manage only one more run in the sixth while leaving the bases full in each of the last two innings.

"This one really sticks in my craw," lamented Peter, contrasting his feelings with the opening day win. With three starters out, Pete had to juggle defense and lineup, and found himself second guessing after the game. Close losses do that; every decision, every play, every pitch is magnified. Yet even with the loss, the team maintained it's composure. It shut out Hammertime long enough to allow the comebacks. Like Vince Lombardi's Packers, The BEAT didn't lose, we just ran out of time.

The loss dropped The BEAT out of the undefeated ranks. However, since Hammertime has already lost a game, the team still controls it's own destiny. Every game is now a playoff game, starting with last season's division champs, the sole remaining undefeated team in the division, Cool Dudes.

The make-ups for the early season rainouts have finally been announced. The BEAT will play a double-header on June 6th starting at 10:00am against Granada. This game will be followed by the prior scheduled game against Lights Out at 11:15am.

The last game of the season now looks to be against H.G.A. (5-0-1 vs. The BEAT) at 12:30pm at Jackson 1. The 0-2 H.G.A. is The BEAT's last remaining C-league monkey, and is sure to be an exciting end to the Spring season!

View The BEAT's 1998 Final Batting Statistics

On The BEAT News Archive