Trick or Treat

When the rules committee meets in the off-season, a number of proposals will be on the table, most of them geared toward generating more offense.  Games like today’s contest at Nance Bradds, though, may have the committee thinking everything is just fine, thank you.


This morning the 3 Musketeers were hosted by the SmARTies for a six inning battle to the finish.  The drama came right away as Cebulash got into a one-out, bases loaded jam, with league leading hitter Mosser at the plate.  Accounts from all sides agree, Glen turned a gutsy double play on a deep grounder to squelch the threat and allow no runs.


But the visitors would not be held at Zero for long, scoring 1 in the second off Berwald (an RBI triple from Mosser) and another three off Cebulash in the third, courtesy of a bases loaded triple off the bat of one, Brent Mackintosh.


Down 0-4 in the bottom of the third, the SmARTies started their own offensive Starburst, at the expense of pitcher Tim Baker.  Berwald started the inning with a K, but then would hit a remarkable four straight 1-RBI hits in his next four at bats.  Cebulash Skittled hits in be-Twixt those and when Baker found the last out, we had a whole new game at 4-4.


The home SmARTies looked to continue their run scoring against Mackintosh in the 4th: Cebulash hit a 1-out double.  Berwald then tagged a low liner, a Twizzler that carried at maybe 2 feet off the ground all the way into Mosser’s hands as he fell and made the catch.  Cebulash followed with a Tootsie Pop into the hands of Tim Baker.  Candy corn, and the rally was over.

The visitors seemed to put the game out of reach in the 5th when Glen’s ill-advised attempt at another double play let a runner from third score when the throw hit the wall too low.  There were some Snickers when a dribbler passed through Glen’s Butterfingers for a single.  Four hits later, it was a three run inning and the visitors were sitting pretty, up 7-4.  The M&M boys, Mackintosh and Mosser combined for 7 RBI on this day.


But this game was not over.  The bottom of the sixth was Crunch time for closer, Tim Baker. Cebulash and Berwald combined on four straight singles to start the inning, closing the gap to 7-5.  In these situations, pitchers need to pull reserve will from a Special Dark place in their character.  With the winning run aboard, Baker induced a double play from Cebulash - turning the tables on him - and then a ground out from Berwald to end the contest.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	LOB
3 Musketeers - Brent, Kurt, Tim	0	1	3	0	3	0	7	17	9
SmARTies - Glen, Pete	0	0	4	0	0	1	5	15	9

W: Brent Mackintosh
L: Glen Cebulash
S: Tim Baker

Notes

• No Whoppers from our two Baby Ruths today and they remain tied at 5 HR a piece with few if any chances left to add to their totals.
• Big Payday for Brent Mackintosh today: 2IP, no runs allowed; 5-for-12 at the plate with 4 RBI.