'Rakers fall in playoffs; '12 season ends

CONCORD -- A season that had a little bit of everything came to a sudden stop in the first round of the D league playoffs Saturday when the Muckrakers sustained a 22-17 setback to the Strippers in a morning game on Field 5.

The 2012 finale was an eventful, closely fought battle befitting two of the finer ballclubs D League has to offer. The 'Rakers had things pretty much where they wanted them, with the game close in the sixth inning and The Men of Muck wielding the hammer in the bottom of the seventh.

But then the Strippers did something awfully mean -- and really, is there anything meaner than a nasty stripper? -- by scoring 10 runs in a seemingly endless top of the seventh. It was a bit too much of a hole for Yer Heroes to dig out of, although try they did, rallying for five runs before running out of time, and outs.

The Muckrakers held leads of 2-0, 4-1 and 5-1, fell back 7-6 and 12-9, came back to tie it 12-12 ... but then came the fateful seventh inning that did not go the way of the Muckistas.

It wasn't for lack of trying. The Mucksters rapped out 26 hits,with nine 'Rakers having multiple-hit games. Ten 'Rakers scored runs, 10 'Rakers drove in at least one run.

Chris Wagnon, batting out of the 11-hole, blasted a triple in the second to plate Eric Leithliter, who'd doubled. In the third, Scott Brama singled home Matt Knauff to give the Mucksters their biggest lead of the day, 5-1. But those darned Strippers rallied for 21 runs over the next four innings to dash Los Muckereros' title hopes.

Still, there were fine performances all around. Leadoff man Matt McCall went 4 for 5, Chris White topped off his remarkable season by going 3 for 5, Leithliter was a nifty 3 for 3, Randy Striegel had three hits and scored three runs, Reed Johnson had two hits, two ribbies and two runs scored. Justin Boyd's one hit was an RBI triple during the 'Rakers' three-run uprising in the sixth inning. Brian Kroll continued his late-season excellence, going 2 for 4 with a run scored.

But when it was all said and done, the Mucksters took in a pitch for Martinez indoor softball and resigned themselves to convening once again in the spring. If next spring is as eventful as was the fall campaign, then good times are indeed ahead for the Muckrakers, each and every one of them.

Final 2012 Fall League statistics

..........................................AB...R...H...RBI.. Ave
Justin Boyd ........................13....5....7....6.... .538
Scott Brama.........................29....8...14....7.... .483
Ben Enos...............................8....3....3....1.... .375
Mike Gale ...........................13....4....6....3.... .462
Reed Johnson......................26...11...16...11.... .615
Matt Knauff..........................33...20...20...12.... .606
Brian Kroll .............................8....1....5....1.... .625
Marshall Murray....................24....9...13...14.... .542
Eric Leithliter........................27...12....18....5.... .667
Matt McCall..........................30...15...19....5.... .633
Randy Striegel......................34...13...20....8.... .588
Dave Taxier .........................28...10...15...10.... .536
Chris Wagnon.........................6....2....3....2.... .500
Chris White.........................34...21...27...22.... .794
Totals............................317..134..185..116.. .586

Final 2012 Fall League results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....Muckrakers (3-0) 31, KP Bombers 3
9/27....Field 1....Conquistadors 7, Muckrakers (3-1) 5
10/4...Field 4....Muckrakers (4-1) 29, Conquistadors 9
10/11..Field 2....The Chicharones def. Muckrakers (4-2), forfeit
10/25..Field 3....Muckrakers (5-2) 17, WHP/DBacks 12
Playoffs
10/27.. Field 5...Strippers 22, Muckrakers (5-3) 17

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

Statistics

..........................................AB...R...H...RBI.. Ave
Justin Boyd   ........................10....4....6....5.... .600
Scott Brama.........................26....8...13....5.... .500
Ben Enos...............................8....3....3....1.... .375
Mike Gale ...........................13....4....6....3.... .462
Reed Johnson......................21....9...14....9.... .667
Matt Knauff..........................29...18...18...10.... .621
Brian Kroll .............................4....0....3....1.... .750
Marshall Murray....................24....9...13...14.... .542
Eric Leithliter........................24....9....15....4.... .625
Matt McCall..........................25...13...15....3.... .600
Randy Striegel......................29...10...17....7.... .586
Dave Taxier ..........................24....9...12....8.... .500
Chris Wagnon.........................3....1...1....0.... .333
Chris White.........................29...20...24...20.... .828
Totals............................273..117...159...99.. .582

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....Muckrakers (3-0) 31, KP Bombers 3
9/27....Field 1....Conquistadors 7, Muckrakers (3-1) 5
10/4...Field 4....Muckrakers (4-1) 29, Conquistadors 9
10/11..Field 2....The Chicharones def. Muckrakers (4-2), forfeit
10/25..Field 3....Muckrakers (5-2) 17, WHP/DBacks 12
Playoffs
10/27... Field 5...11:20 .... Muckrakers vs. TBD

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....Muckrakers (3-0) 31, KP Bombers 3
9/27....Field 1....Conquistadors 7, Muckrakers (3-1) 5
10/4...Field 4....Muckrakers (4-1) 29, Conquistadors 9
10/11..Field 2....The Chicharones def. Muckrakers (4-2), forfeit
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

Muckrakers conquer Conquistadors

CONCORD -- Damn, Muckrakers! Damn!

Normally, your humble correspondent does not traffic in expletives, but there comes a time and place to break out the language not normally uttered in polite society.

So here goes, one more time: Damn!

There. We got it out of our system. And it feels good!

Speaking of feeling good, there's what the Muckrakers are doing to the competition in Concord D Fall League. Not just winning, mind you. Try ... dismantling.

The latest ballclub to feel the lash of the 'Rakers whip was perhaps the most surprising. The poor unfortunates were the Conquistadors, the self-same outfit that hung the lone Fall League loss on the Mucksters, a 7-5 decision a week earlier.

Well, that must have gotten under the skin of the Men of Muck; a burr in their saddle, if you will. For the Muckrakers administered a memorable butt-kicking, as well as took over first place, with an Oct. 4 29-9 crushing of those same Conquistadors, who by this time probably wish they'd never beaten those Mucky guys in the first place.

The 'Rakers had 34 hits in 55 at-bats in as complete a bum-rushing as this reporter can recall.

It's almost funny in retrospect, but this game was playing out pretty much to the book most of the way. The Muckrakers went scoreless the first two frames, put across three in the third inning and four more in the fifth, taking a 7-5 lead going into the sixth inning.

Then all holy heck broke loose.

The Mighty Mucksters scored nine runs in the sixth inning and an incredible 13 more in the seventh, tallying 22 of their 29 runs in the last two innings. Such shock and awe has rarely been visiting upon D League, one would think

It probably had to impress Muckraker rookie Justin Boyd, who did some impressing of his own in his 'Raker debut. He went 4 for 5, scoring three runs and driving in three from the 10-hole.

It was just the latest in the long list of fine recruits by manager Matt Knauff, who didn't have a bad day himself: three hits, five runs, three RBI. But then, you could hardly swing a dead cat without hitting a 'Raker with a multiple-hit game, as nine 'Rakers had two hits or more, and eight Mucksters had three safeties or greater.

There was winning pitcher Chris White, who had a 'Raker game for the ages at the plate, going 6 for 6, with six RBI and four runs, including a homer and a triple among the carnage. White and Marshall Murray (4 for 6, five RBI) authored back-to-back homers in the fifth inning.

Mike Gale, the 'Raker returning to the fold, slammed four hits, and Scott Brama, Eric Leithliter and Dave Taxier all had three hits, and Randy Striegel (coupla hits) and Matt McCall each contributed a couple runs scored as well as solidified the Muckraker infield.

It was quite an enterprise from all involved and as impressive an outing as you're bound to encounter at Willow Pass Park. Anyone stumbling upon it could only have one reaction:

Damn!

Statistics

..........................................AB...R...H...RBI.. Ave
Justin Boyd   .........................5....3....4....3.... .800
Scott Brama.........................22....7...11....5.... .500
Ben Enos...............................8....3....3....1.... .375
Mike Gale ...........................13....4....6....3.... .462
Reed Johnson......................17....9...11....7.... .647
Matt Knauff..........................25...13...15...7.... .600
Marshall Murray....................24....9...13...14.... .542
Eric Leithliter........................19....8....13....3.... .684
Matt McCall..........................25...13...15....3.... .600
Randy Striegel......................24....8....15....7.... .625
Dave Taxier ..........................22....8...12....7.... .545
Chris White................. ........24....15...19...15.... .792
Totals............................232..100...136...84.. .586

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....Muckrakers (3-0) 31, KP Bombers 3
9/27....Field 1....Conquistadors 7, Muckrakers (3-1) 5
 10/4...Field 4....Muckrakers (4-1) 29, Conquistadors 9
10/11..Field 2....8:25....Muckrakers vs. The Chicharones
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

'Rakers bust out to 3-1 Fall start

CONCORD -- It's been feast or famine for the '12 Fall League edition of the Muckrakers -- and so far, heavy on the feast.

The 'Rakers' tour of duty so far consists of two nights, four games -- a couple of doubleheaders, with one sweep and one near-sweep for a 3-1 mark for the post-summer campaign.

Last Thursday's action on Field 1 was emblematic of the way things have gone so far for the Muckistas. In the doubleheader opener, the Men of Rake put on a line-drive clinic in crushing KP Bombers for the second game in a row 31-3. Game 2 vs. the Conquistadors was an entirely different kettle of fish, as the Mucksters fell just a little short in a tautly played battle 7-5.

Let's not spend much of our valuable time analyzing the first game. To be blunt, Yer Heroes hit the ball early, late and in between in crushing their hapless foes, jacking up nine runs in the third inning, eight more in the fourth and adding a nine-spot in the fifth. Thirty-one runs on 41 hits, helped along by a KPB outfield that treated softballs hit to them like hot rocks.

Game 2 could not have been more different, as it was an early showdown between the loop's undefeated, and top-two, teams. The Conquistadors' team defense was as good as KPB's 'D' was putrid. Also, the Conquistadors utilized a rarely seen defensive alignment, with three speedy outfielders and the extra fielder placed in short center, just beyond second base.

It took the 'Rakers a bit to break down C-dors' scheme. The Rakesters went the first five innings without scoring, putting only one batter in scoring position over that span (not counting Rakers rookie Marshall Murray's fifth-inning blast that cleared the fence, which by rule was an out). The C-dors, by that time, has built a 4-0 lead.

The Rakers began digging into that margin in the sixth, putting up four runs to tie up the sucker. Leadoff man Matt McCall singled, and sped home on Randy Striegel's double, which found a gap the C-dors outfield. Cleanup man/pitcher Chris White singled in Striegel, and advanced to second on a C-dors error. The next two batsmen, Reed Johnson and Murray, each followed with RBI hits to knot the thing.

Thus, it all came down to the final seventh inning between these two proud team. The C-dors fired the first salvo, tallying three times to take a 7-4 margin going into the bottom of the seventh.

The Men of Muck fired back, battling desperately after two had been retired. Eric Leithliter singled, McCall reached on a booted ball at shortstop, and Striegel came up clutch with a single to drive in Leithliter. Captain/GM Matt Knauff blasted a deep drive into center, but the quick C-dors center fielder tracked it down on the run, robbing Knauff and ending Rakers hopes on this night.

But one thinks these two teams have not seen the last of each other. In fact, the schedule says the very next Muckrakers game is against the self-same Conquistadors (Oct. 4, 6:15 p.m., Field 4). In a feast-or-famine season, the Rakers are looking forward to eating hardy on Thursday.

Statistics

..........................................AB...R...H...RBI.. Ave
Scott Brama..........................16....4....7....3.... .438
Ben Enos...............................8....3....3....1.... .375
Mike Gale ............................8....3....2....0.... .250
Reed Johnson......................17....9....11....7.... .647
Matt Knauff..........................19...8....12...4.... .631
Marshall Murray....................18....5....9....9.... .500
Eric Leithliter........................14....5....10....3.... .714
Matt McCall..........................19...11...14....2.... .738
Randy Striegel......................20....6....13....5.... .650
Dave Taxier ..........................16....6....9....4.... .563
Chris White................. ........18....11....13....9.... .722
Totals............................177...71...102...56.. .576

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....Muckrakers (3-0) 31, KP Bombers 3 
9/27....Field 1....Conquistadors 7, Muckrakers (3-1) 5
 10/4....Field 4....6:15....Muckrakers vs. Conquistadors
10/11..Field 2....8:25....Muckrakers vs. The Chicharones
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

Fall League statistics

..........................................AB...R...H...RBI.. Ave
Scott Brama..........................8....1....4....0.... .500
Mike Gale ............................8....3....2....0.... .250
Reed Johnson.......................9....5....6....3.... .667
Matt Knauff..........................10...6....7...4.... .700
Marshall Murray....................9....3....4....4.... .444
Eric Leithliter........................6....1....5....2.... .833
Matt McCall..........................9....6....5....1.... .556
Randy Striegel......................9....2....5....3.... .556
Dave Taxier ........................8....3....5....1.... .625
Chris White................. ........9....5....6....4.... .667
Totals............................85...35...48...25.. .565

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4.....Muckrakers (1-0) 7,  WHP/DBacks 6
9/20....Field 4....Muckrakers (2-0) 28, KP Bombers 2
9/27....Field 1....7:20....KP Bombers vs. Muckrakers
9/27....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers
 10/4....Field 4....6:15....Muckrakers vs. Conquistadors
10/11..Field 2....8:25....Muckrakers vs. The Chicharones
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

Indian ball, that's all; opening night postponed

CONCORD -- The Muckrakers did their very best to get the 2012 Fall League under way in a timely matter Thursday night, but cruel fate intervened.

In the women's game before the 'Rakers' 9:30 tilt, a baserunner tripped over first base and apparently suffered some sort of leg injury. An ambulance evenually arrived to cart away the injured player, but by that time the umpire had departed, meaning the 'Rakers would begin their season some other night. Hopefully, barring another unforeseen happenstance, this upcoming Thursday.

Being all dressed up with no game to play, the Men of Muck improvised and chose up sides for an intersquad game of Indian Ball, or Over the Line, or whatever the heck you want to call it. Randy Striegel and Matt Knauff chose up sides (pick me! pick me!) and off the Rakers went, playing their intersquad until the lights went out. Then they repaired to the parking lot, where, as usual, they proceeded to dominate. Until the lights went out. Then they dominated some more.

The Mucksters will attempt to get things going for realsies this Thursday, when they have a rare scheduled doubleheader. First ball gets tossed at 6:15 -- be there.

Schedule, results

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers, postponed*
9/20....Field 4....6:15....WHP/DBacks vs. Muckrakers
9/20....Field 4....7:20....Muckrakers vs. KP Bombers
9/27....Field 1....7:20....KP Bombers vs. Muckrakers
10/4....Field 4....6:15....Muckrakers vs. Conquistadors
10/11..Field 2....8:25....Muckrakers vs. The Chicharones
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

*Injury in prior game caused postponement

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord

2012 Fall League schedule

9/13....Field 1....9:30....Conquistadors vs. Muckrakers
9/20....Field 4....6:15....WHP/DBacks vs. Muckrakers
9/20....Field 4....7:20....Muckrakers vs. KP Bombers
9/27....Field 1....7:20....KP Bombers vs. Muckrakers
10/4....Field 4....6:15....Muckrakers vs. Conquistadors
10/11..Field 2....8:25....Muckrakers vs. The Chicharones
10/25..Field 3....8:25....Muckrakers vs. WHP/DBacks

All games at Willow Pass Park, Concord