Games 4 and 5 Report: A split decision

A bye week and two straight rainouts kept the TapOuts off of their appointed rounds in the Quincy Park District Division IV play for nearly a month.

However, the boys were able to finally get back to action on Thursday night at Moorman Main. It was a Demons/TapOuts first — a doubleheader. The boys played their regularly scheduled game against Bryant's Lawncare before making up a May 26 date with their former Division V nemesis, Entrup Drywall and Painting.

Even though it had been a while since they played a QPD game, many of the TapOuts played in a wooden-bat tourney last weekend at the Knights of Columbus. The TapOuts took second, making $150 as a team.

DOB wasn't on that tourney team. Maybe if he wouldn't have been around on Thursday night, the TapOuts would have swept their foes. Bryant's Lawncare wound up pulling out an 11-8 victory over the TapOuts in the opener. In spite of having DOB in the lineup, the TapOuts were able to hold off Entrup 17-13 in the nightcap to improve to 3-2 on the season.

In their opener, the TapOuts hit the ball hard for most of the night, but it was right at the Bryant's defense.

The TapOuts offense, however, came around in the nightcap as your diamond warriors built a 14-4 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. The Entrup pitcher had all kinds of problems finding the strike zone and wound up walking in a run before Kriss Kross followed with an inside-the-park grand slam to push the lead to 10 runs.

Entrup, which tied the TapOuts, for the Division V title last summer, tried to mount a comeback and got within 14-12 after six innings, but the TapOuts prevailed. Nothing But Triples Baker (formerly known as Home Run Baker) had a big triple in the seventh to help the TapOuts extend their lead.

Nick Jr. had a great day at the plate in the nightcap, reaching base every time he batted. The team also got a lift from Donny Wahlberg, who made his triumphant return to the squad.

The entire organization had to make up for DOB's shortfalls on the night. DOB knew it was going to be a rough night when he was called on strikes on his first at-bat of the night, a call that was wrong. DOB jawed with the officials all night, eventually drawing a warning in the nightcap from one of the blind boys in blue.

DOB finished the twinbill 1 for 9. The only thing he did right was tag out a runner at home in the second game. DOB had clearly thrown a would-be base stealer out at third base against Entrup as well, but Quincy's verison of Danny Davis called the guy safe. Just another case of the QPD trying to keep the TapOuts down.

We'll be back in action next Thursday at 6 p.m. at Wavering when we face the Flying Inn for the second time this season. We were able to slip past the Flying Inn earlier this season.

Hopefully, DOB isn't demoted to the minors by then.