Muckrakers terrorized by Wake The Monster/BL

CONCORD -- All in all, it could have been worse. Wake The Monster/Beeline has cut a fearful swath through the Concord C/D league, and the Muckrakers were squarely in its sight last Thursday on Field 3.

Indeed, the 'Rakers were starting to look like this week's roadkill when WTM/BL put up five runs in the bottom of the first without working up too much of a sweat.

But somehow, the expected jack-stomping never took place. The 'Rakers tidied up the defense and hung around a little bit on offense, enough so that it kept things entertaining for the masses in a 13-5 Muckraker setback.

The Men of Muck missed on some scoring opportunities but cashed in in the fourth and seventh. Mats Petersen and Knauf started off the fourth with singles and both eventually scored, on 'Raker rookie Kyle Bonagura's single and a sacrifice fly from Rick Hurd (2-for-2), who on the few times that he makes an out assures that it is a productive one.

Less intricate was the rally in the seventh. In that one, Mike Yurkus' sac fly plated Hurd, and two batters later Randy Striegel blasted a two-run homer to right.

All good fun, one agrees, but it still leaves Muckraker Nation anticipating its first win of '09. That could come this Thursday, but it will be another stern test in the form of a second-straight C team.

The 'Rakers will have to find a way to C-themselves into the conversation.