Fog Can't Hang with Cooper's

AP - Maple Wood, Seattle

The Fog took the field last Friday night in the second round of the playoffs, looking to defeat a team they had lost to twice in the regular season, Cooper's. The Fog got the scoring going in the first when Graeme went yard for the third time in the playoffs making it 2-0. Coopers tallied one in their half of the 1st to trail 2-1 heading into the 2nd.

After Will and Joe were retired, Dan doubled and scored on Peter's single making it 3-1. Little did anyone know that Dan's double would be our last extra base hit of the evening. Cook's single scored Peter. Ben singled to extend his perfect playoff batting average, but severely twisted his ankle on the base paths. Dante's single finished the scoring for the Fog and it was 5-1 heading into the bottom of the 2nd. After a lead off double, Joe stranded the runner there, getting the next three batters.

Confidence was in bloom and the Fog was ready to play add on in the third and make a reservation for the championship game this coming Wednesday. Couple of slight problems, the Fog were retired 1-2-3 in both the 3rd and 4th innings and Cooper's had other plans.

A lead off walk in the bottom of the third was followed by a single before the third batter flew out to left center. Joe then walked the next batter to load the bases for the #3 hitter, who crushed a ball over Brent's head in right center. The following batter flew out to Peter. The next batter singled attempted to score from first on a blooper to right but a great throw and incredible block of home plate denied him. Fog 5 Cooper's 5.

The Fog again went down 1-2-3 and Cooper's again loaded the bases with 2 singles and a walk before a single scored one making it 6-5. With the bases still loaded the #11 hitter smoked a ball over Will's head in left center, the second consecutive inning the Fog had surrendered a grand slam. Still with no outs, the next batter doubled before the Fog finally registered an out. The next batter also made an out. With a runner on 2nd, two outs the next batter singled him in, advanced when the following batter reached via error and both scored when the next batter smoked a home run over Dante's head for a 3 run shot. Cooper's 14 Fog 5.

Both teams managed to score one run in the 5th making it Cooper's 15 Fog 6 heading into the 6th. If the Fog had any chance of getting back in the game it was in the 5th as they loaded the bases with no out and only managed on run, hitting into a double play and then a fly out.

In the 6th, the Fog put 4 of the first 5 batters on base scoring 2 before Will and Joe got out. Heading into the bottom of the 6th it was Cooper's 15 and Fog 8.

The first 4 batters singled scoring 2 before a triple cleared the base paths, making it 19-8 and just one run away from the 12 run mercy rule. With no outs and a runner on 3rd, the next batter walked, though it remains unclear if Joe's 5th walk of the night was intentional or not, regardless, the following batter singled ending the game and the Fog's 2006 season. Cooper's 20 and Fog 8. Twice this year the Fog were twelve runned, and both times by Coopers.

2006 Fog Final Stats