Muckrakers deflated by Air Pro

CONCORD -- Their big inning was bigger than our big inning, and there you have it. In a nutshell, the CCT Muckrakers’ 14-9 loss to Air Pro wasn’t such a hard nut to crack after all.

But it was a tad disappointing, seeing how it was a battle of two first-place, 2-1 ballclubs, both looking to make early season statements. But the operative phrase here is “early season.” There’s much softball to be played, and as the ‘Rakers well know, anything can happen, and often does, in Concord D league.

What happened to the Muckrakers Thursday was that Air Pro came out en fuego, battering starting pitcher Dave Taxier for eight runs in the first inning -- all scoring with two outs and the ‘Rakers thinking they were having an easy time of it early on.

An easy time was not in the offing, although the gallant Mucksters had their shining moment in the third in rallying for five runs, keyed by some wacky baserunning by Dave Alcorn, who refuted the meaning of the word “stop” by legging out an RBI triple, then continuing on home on an AP throwing error. Randy Striegel also doubled in a run in the frame.

AP had a little statement left in it, though as it struck for four runs in the bottom of the fifth, which as it turned out gave them a tidy little bit of insurance.

But while the ‘Rakers fell a mite short in this one, they let Air Pro know there’s oh so much more ball to be played on the mean fields of Willow Pass Park. Oh, so much more.

STARBURSTS

Mike Yurkus, Mat Petersen, Striegel and Dwayne Giron all had multi-hit games. .… Petersen absolutely pulverized pitches in the third and fifth, paralyzing the right fielder for triples each time.

NOTES

Calling all Muckrakers! The team needs each and every ‘Raker possible to attend this Thursday night’s game, an 8:25 affair vs. Young Guns Reloaded (field 3). The Muckrakers are the home team in their next four straight games.