The JILA Monsters lost a heartbreaker Wednesday night, 12-10, against the Fighting Mongooses, on a fragrant spring evening at Stazio Fields.  Monsters offense was firing on all cylinders, blasting a barrage of base hits from up and down the lineup.  Also on display was classic Monster medium-scale ball, where players always scamper for the extra base, round first just enough to be frightening, and kick up more dust than a Hoover in reverse.  Starter Hoagie Cossel’s first two at bats resulted in doubles, both ending in slides at the bag; Cossel now leads the league in slides. Former Monster All-Star Laura Sinclair returned for the evening, and broke up a double play when she dove headfirst back to the bag after the Mongoose shortstop snagged a line drive. But the Sandpaper, Inc. True Grit AwardTMfor the evening went to Clincher O’Dowd.  Having singled in a run, he sprinted from first to third on the next base hit, suffering a twang in the leg in the process, yet limping safely to the bag.  O’Dowd is listed as day-to-day.   The Monsters also played tight defense, none tighter than the Web Gem by Jack Hearon, an amazing dive to spear a line drive at third.  Rounding out the corners, Molly “Not that Molly B” made some decisive plays at first, in addition to going 3 for 4 on the night.   The Monsters were sunk by Mongoose hitting in the first inning, when numerous line drives gave the wily weasels six runs.  Their production fell, however, while JILA’s was nearly uniform.  In fact, a linear extrapolation of the run rate suggests JILA would have pulled ahead and won in about the 13thinning, but sadly it was not to be.   JILA Monsters return to action next week, facing the Killer Penguins at 6PM.