BASEHITS CHAMPIONS AGAIN
Berkeley, CA (Routers) The Basehits are back in the championship T-shirts, nearly a year to the day after the team had completed its run of four championships in a row. The Hits (5-5) pulled off the improbable last night at San Pablo No. 2 by defeating the Bourgeois Scum (9-1) in extra innings, 15-14, in the nightcap to capture their fifth championship in recent history.
The Hits were led by the determined pitching of Bob “Full” Nelson, tight defense and clutch hitting. Cris “Speedy” Carrigan played a solid first base as Dave “win one without me” Johnson missed his second championship win in a row. The Hits were up early in the game, but a 6 run third by the Scum put them into the lead. The game was close the rest of the way, with Doug “Pete”Moss and Kip “I just want to play” Conner hitting crucial homers to aid the cause. Down by a run in the seventh inning, the Hits managed to push across the tying run on a two out clutch hit by Matt “Largemouth” Fishencord, scoring a much relieved Dan “Let’s Play Two” Lashkoff from third, who had reached there with NO outs on a screaming liner by Rich “Double Secret Probation” Stayman. The Hits held the Scum scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, and then mustered up for three in the top of the eighth.
Ah, but this was not a night that the Scum was going to go quietly, and quickly had their first two men aboard when Rob “Sully3” Sullivan made the catch of the night in left center, going to his knees to field a line drive. The Scum then pushed across two runs and had men on second and third with two
outs and their strongest left-handed hitter due up, who had previously cleared the trees in right. Manager Brian “Braino” Murray called for the intentional walk to load the bases, and the Scum’s cleanup hitter flied out weakly to end the affair.
The Hits had earlier dispatched Lazy Lightning in lightning fast time, 5-3. Playing errorless ball and generating just enough offense, Mike “Rocket” P. got the start and pitched brilliantly for the working man Nelson, Mike “Super Sub” Prekostsky called an outstanding game behind the plate in place of Loren “Out to Lahaina” Carjulia and Alex “Hackman” Hamann sprayed ’em around at designated hitter.
When asked what was the key to the Hits victory, Sullivan summed it up best by ordering two more pitchers at Brennan’s.