by Kev

Going to the Dance! The Beat makes a playoff statement with a 30-11 blowout over Established Hitters. Joey J’s victorious over Masters of Disaster to set up an all-Saturday series.

With manager Pete Wenner out due to a prior engagement, veteran and Beat sage Denny (O.B.) O’Brien took the reins as interim manager and imparted some borrowed wisdom to the team before the game, “Yogi Berra once said, ‘A post-season (playoff) game is just like any other, only more so.’” And at that, the Beat proceeded to make more of their first 2003 playoff game than they ever expected.

The summer 2002 playoffs were close and exciting. The Beat notched it’s first ever playoff win by 1 run in a come-from-behind victory, then lost the semi-final by 1 run in the same manner. In the spring of 2003, the Beat drew a bye for the first round sending the team straight to the semi-finals against the Established Hitters under the lights at Jackson #1. The Hitters had matched the Beat’s 7-1 spring record, then dispatched their first round opponent, Hits on Three, with an 18-11 drubbing. The Beat was looking for a closely matched game; what they got was slightly more competitive than the 19 run margin would lead one to believe.

The Recap
O.B. opened his first ever playoff game as manager by watching the Hitters’ manager win the coin toss. This may have been a blessing in disguise as home-field advantage only really counts if the game is close in the last inning. As visitors, the Beat was able to jump out to a quick 6-run lead; Pete’s called-in line-up fell into place at once.

Jacq (the Rock) Wilson led off the inning with a 1-strike single to right center. Brother Jacque flew out foul to the third baseman, then the barrage began with consecutive hits by Mark (MSG) St.Georges, Donnell (Big Daddy) Moody (2b), Jim (the Thrill) Colletto, Armondo (Don’t call me A-Lo) Lopez, and Mike (Butz) Buttafuso with a 2-RBI double putting the Beat up 4-0. Mark (the Dude) Briscoe capped the inning and began a #&(%!#& awesome game-ball day with a follow-up 2-out, 2-run double before the inning ended 1-runner short of batting around.

Established Hitters, not to be shown up, jumped right back with a leadoff single by Brushera and a line-drive homer over center by Metz. Following an infield error, Jacque Wilson pulled off an incredible shoe-string catch in left-center for the first out. The Hitters managed to squeeze one more across on a hit and 2 infield errors before the inning was over.

Up 6-3, The Beat played small-ball in the second inning; manufacturing 1 run on 3 short singles and a sac fly to extend the lead to 7-3. The Hitters answered back with 2 in the bottom of the inning. Following 2 leadoff singles and a fielder’s choice which put runners at the corners, pitcher Jacobsen sent a deep fly to center for a sacrifice. The throw came all the way to the plate allowing the runner at first to advance and subsequently score on a single to cut the Beat’s lead to 7-5 at the end of 2.

It seems like each year for the past 3 years every time the Beat lost a player, he has been replaced by someone that improves the team. In 2001 it was the Wilson brothers and lefty outfielder Steve Hinkebein that put us over the top for the Beat’s first C-league division title. In 2002, it was slugger Mark Briscoe and occasionally his brother Alex which brought the Beat another division title and its first playoff win. In 2003, the disappointing loss of Hinkebein was overcome with the addition of Armondo Lopez; and for the third year in a row the Beat caught lightning in a bottle with another awesome slugger and outfielder.

Mondo led off the hammer inning at the top of 3 with a deep triple and followed up with an RBI single later in the inning (you see where this is going, right?). Following Butz’s hard grounder to first to score the run, the Beat rolled off a string of 7 hits (including a double by Brian Arcuri), 2 walks, and an error as 9 consecutive Beat batters would cross the plate. When the dust settled, the Beat had batted around, scored 10 runs, and greatly extended their lead to 17-5.

Time for a Break
In an eerie deja-vu of last summer’s playoff loss to the Mishaps, play was halted for 7 minutes at the bottom of the third due to problems with the first base bag. In that game, the Beat’s first inning rally was killed with the bases loaded after a prolonged play stoppage. With a 12 run lead, there was certainly less reason for concern this year, yet the Beat was again riding a wave when play stopped.

Hurler Kevin (Special K) Austin working with catcher Greg (Lucky Luki) Lukoski behind the plate put an end to that notion by quickly dispatching the side on 7 pitches with an infield popup and 2 routine grounders. After seeing the Hitters’ ability to drive the backspin early, ‘K’ brought out the “ol’ Nasty” knuckler in the third and held the Hitters to just 7 hits over the last 4 innings.

The Beat went quietly in the top of the 4th with just a single and a walk. The Hitters tried to launch a comeback in the bottom of the inning when Brooks and Duff singled to lead off the inning. Duff’s drive got by left fielder Colletto for 2 extra bases and a run in. The next hitter, Callen, drove a line double to left scoring Duff. The next batter, Roja, drove a liner to center that looked like it would drop in, but this was the first of a few liners that would hang up in the wind. Mondo raced in for the catch then doubled off Callen at second with a dart for the play of the day. A quick outfield pop and another rally was averted.

The Beat padded again in the top of the 5th with 5 consecutive singles before Brian struck out on a sharp grounder just outside the bag at third. Briscoe laid another hammer with a 2-run single before the inning was out, advancing the Beat lead to 22-7.

The Hitters squeezed out another run in the bottom on a hit and two infield errors bringing up big lefty Sousa (0-2) with 2 runners on. Austin gave up his only walk of the game with 4 high hard knucklers to load the bases, “I just wanted to see if he’d swing at it,” replied Spesh, “I wasn’t going to give him a chance at the fence with 2 on and first base open” replied Austin. The strategy backfired as shortstop Antonini took the intentional pass personally and lined a 2-run single before the inning ended with the score at 22-10.

When the team got back to the dugout, Big D commanded “Let’s throw the dirt over them.” And that they did. Jacq Wilson led off with his 4th single. Jacque was called out at the plate on a great play by catcher Denatle who picked up a one-hopper in front of the plate and tagged Jacque before he had a chance to leave the batter’s box. With 1 on and 1 out, the Beat poured dirt on the Hitters’ grave with 8 consecutive hits capped by Briscoe’s 3-run homer to the fence in right-center. The Beat blew ahead 30-10.

The Hitters had one last chance in the bottom of the 6th to avoid a playoff mercy-ruling, and they needed 6 runs to do it. The Hitters had their work cut out for them as the Beat defense has not given up more than 3 runs in any inning in the last 8 games. Duff led off with a double. Lefty Callen then came up and took Jacq all the way to the fence in right with a ball that was as high as it was deep, but Jacq reeled it in with a spectacular back-peddling catch. A single by Roja drove in the last run of the game before a grounder to MSG at third and a fly to Jim in left put this one in the book.

Stats Summary
While the Beat’s ability to avoid the big rally on defense kept the Hitters down, offense was obviously the key to this game. In the words of Jim Colletto, “HITTING WAS CONTAGEOUS.” Mark “Mr. Postseason” Briscoe walked away with the game ball after a 4 for 4 game with a home run, double, walk, and 7 rbi which gives Mark 13 ribbies in the last 2 Beat playoff games. Other offensive notables on a day in which the Beat hit an incredible .654 as a team and only left 4 runners in scoring position: Big Daddy went 4 for 4 with a double, 4 runs, and 4 rbi; Mondo went 5 for 5 with a triple, 4 runs, and 3 rbi; MSG went 5 for 5 with 4 runs and 2 rbi; Butz went 3 for 5 with a double, 3 runs, and 5 rbi; Big Jim went 3 for 4 with a walk, 4 runs, and 3 rbi; and Jacq Wilson went 4 for 5 with a walk, 4 runs, and 1 rbi. You’ll just have to look at the box score and tell me if you’ve ever seen anything like it… The Beat batted around twice in the game and had streaks of 5, 9, 5, and 7 consecutive runs scored. The Beat also continued their lead in the walks differential drawing 3 to Kev’s 1 intentional.

While Austin was the only Beat player not to join the hit parade (“I couldn’t hit the side of a barn tonight,” grinned Kev), he continued his spring dominance of C-League hitters allowing only 5 earned runs over 6 innings. With no outs in the 4th, K switched to the “Nasty” knuckler for good and gave up only 4 more hits over the last 3 innings. While the defense made 6 errors allowing 6 unearned runs, fantastic plays in the outfield stole hits and broke the Hitters’ spirit and their rallies.

There was no doubt that this was a total team effort. Everyone contributed and that’s what chemistry is about. Now only one game stands between the Beat and their first S.F. City Championship. That game is against the other Saturday playoff repeater, Joey J’s, Monday, June 23rd at 7pm, Jackson #1. We hope you can make it!

See the scoresheet in pdf (280k) or
On The BEAT News Archive

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