Ellsworth Wiffleball League

Joey led the Fish Sticks to a Game 2 win, hitting a late home run and giving up only one run in a complete game victory

Joey’s two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning put the Fish Sticks ahead as they held on to defeat the Caucasians 3-1 and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2011 Wiffle Series.

The Caucasians were surprised in Game 1 and looked to even the series in Game 2, sending Les to the mound. Les had pitched well in the final third of the season and won Game 2 of their first round sweep of Pumice! He started in control, retiring Blose, who had led off Game 1 with a home run, for the first out of the inning. Les then retired Dinger for the second out, throwing a scoreless first inning.

Les, who came into the Wiffle Series 1-0 on the mound, started Game 2 for the Caucasians

The Fish Sticks started Joey on the mound, hoping to ride his momentum after he earned the win in their pivotal Game 5 win over the Dentists in round 1. The Caucasians inverted their batting order from Game 1, as Higgins led off the game. He flew out to the pitcher for the first out of the inning, and the next batter, Guthrie, hit a one-out double to put a runner in scoring position. But Les was unable to advance the runner, as he flew out to the pitcher’s mound for the second out of the inning.

Les remained in command in the top of the second, as he retired Joey and Vassallo in order as both flied out.

The Caucasians finally showed signs of life in the bottom of the second. Morrison grounded out to left for the first out of the inning, but the next batter, Higgins, crushed a one-out solo home run to deep center field to give the Caucasians a 1-0 lead. It was their first lead and the first run they had scored in the series. Joey retired Guthrie for the second out of the inning, and the Caucasians led by a run through two innings.

Higgins unloaded a bomb in the bottom of the second to give the Caucasians their first lead of the series

It didn’t take long for the Fish Sticks to even the score. Les retired Blose to lead off the game, but he couldn’t do the same in the top of the third. Blose hit a solo homer to right field to tie the game at 1-1. Dinger followed with a groundout to left for the first out of the inning. The next batter, Joey, hit a towering flyball to deep left field. The ball cleared the fence, but was stuck in the tree, limiting Joey to a ground-ruled double. Vassallo came to the plate with one out, but was unable to drive in a run, as he flew out to the pitcher’s mound and the game remained tied at 1-1.

Joey retired the Caucasians in order in the bottom of the third, as Les flew out to the mound and Morrison grounded out to left field for the second out of the inning.

Les got back on track in the top of the fourth, getting Blose to fly out to the mound and Dinger to fly out to right field. The game was still tied at 1-1 through three and a half innings.

Higgings grounded out to center for the first out in the bottom of the fourth. Guthrie followed with a one-out single, but the next batter, Les, was retired for the second out of the inning, stranding Guthrie at first.

Pitching continued to roll in the top of the fifth, as Les retired Joey and Vassallo in order, each flying out to Morrison in left field.

With the game still tied, Morrison led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, his first hit of the game. The next batter, Higgins, hit a towering fly to deep center field. Blose caught the ball with his back against the fence, and Morrison, one of the faster base runners in the game, attempted to tag up and move to third. The play would have put the go-ahead runner on third base, but Blose gunned the ball to Joey at the mound in time, beating Morrison to the bag, and the Caucasians had been doubled-up for the second out of the inning. The go-ahead runner had been stranded on base.

Joey delivers a pitch with Morrison, who would be retired trying to tag-up, on second

Following his display of defensive prowess, Blose led off the top of the sixth inning with a double, putting the winning run on second base. Dinger followed by flying out to Les at the pitcher’s mound, and Blose was unable to advance. Les was an out away from escaping the inning when Joey came to the plate. He hit a two-run blast to deep left field, driving in Blose from second and giving the Fish Sticks their first lead of the game. Vassallo followed with a one-out single, and it looked as if the Sticks rally would continue with Blose coming to the plate. But Les got Blose to fly out to center field, ending the inning with the score 3-1.

The Caucasians were two outs and two runs away from being behind 2-0 in the Wiffle Series. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find an offensive spark in the bottom of the sixth. Joey retired Guthrie and Les in order, ending the game and giving the Fish Sticks a surprising two game lead in the Wiffle Series.

Game Notes:
– Joey pitched a complete game victory for the Fish Sticks, giving up 1 ER while scattering 4 hits
– Les took the loss for the Caucasians, yielding 3 ER on 5 hits
– Joey led the Sticks offensively, going 2-4 with a 2B, a HR, and 2 RBI.
– Higgins drove in the only Caucasian run with a solo homer. Guthrie went 2-4 with a double and single.
– All four of Joey’s at-bats resulted in the ball going into the left field tree. Two were caught for flyouts, one was a ground-ruled double, and one cleared the tree and the fence for a home run.

Box Score

Tags: 2011, 8/2/11, Caucasian Vaginas, EWL Playoffs, Fish Sticks, Game 2, Wiffle Series

Dinger gave up only three hits in a shutout of the Caucasians in Game 1, outdueling the 2011 Pitch King

The Fish Sticks handed Pitch King Guthrie his first loss of the 2011 postseason as they hit three solo home runs and Dinger pitched a shutout in a 3-0 Game 1 win.

The #2 seed Fish Sticks and #1 seed Caucasian Vaginas prepare to start the first ever Wiffle Series

Fresh off a perfect game, and having given up only one hit in 12 innings in the Caucasians’ first round sweep of Pumice on Slow!, Guthrie started Game 1 of the Wiffle Series on the mound against the Fish Sticks. It was a picture perfect matchup to begin the first ever Wiffle Series, as EWL Wiffler of the Year Blose led off the game against Guthrie. Both were members of the All-EWL team, and both had carried their teams to this moment.

Guthrie prepares to deliver the first pitch of the inaugural Wiffle Series to Blose

Guthrie had been unhittable, but Blose led off the game with a thunderclap, pounding the first pitch he swung at over the right-center field fence for a leadoff home run. The bomb put the Fish Sticks up 1-0 early and was the first run Guthrie had surrendered in the postseason. He settled down after the homer, retiring Dinger and Joey to end the inning, and the Caucasians headed into the bottom of the first inning with their first deficit in weeks.

EWL Wiffler of the Year Blose led off the Wiffle Series with a solo homer

The Fish Sticks sent Dinger to the mound to start Game 1 of the championship, and he found himself in trouble early. He retired All-EWL player Morrison for the first out of the inning, but Les followed with a one-out single. Guthrie helped himself out, hitting a double. Les was unable to score on the play, but the Caucasians had runners at second and third with one out. But Dinger and the Sticks defense buckled down, getting Higgins to groundout to left field, stranding both runners to end the first inning.

Vassallo led off the top of the second with a single, and Guthrie had given up more hits in the first four batters of the Wiffle Series than all 25 hitters in the first round. But the Sticks couldn’t move Vassallo past first, as Guthrie retired Blose and Dinger in order to end the inning.

Dinger got into a groove that lasted several innings starting with the bottom of the second. Morrison and Les were each sent down for a scoreless inning.

Up 1-0, the Sticks couldn’t add to their lead in the top of the third. Guthrie retired Joey and Adam, who each flew out, to keep the deficit at one run through two and a half innings.

Guthrie showed his first signs of weakness in Game 1, but still gave up only four hits

The Caucasians struggled to hit Dinger in the bottom of the third, as he retired Guthrie and Higgins in order.

Guthrie had retired four straight hitters, and Blose led off the top of the fourth. He got to Guthrie again, hitting his second homer of the game, putting the Sticks up 2-0. Dinger and Joey were retired to end the top of the fourth, and the Caucasians were down two runs.

Blose hit two homers in Game 1, leading the Fish Sticks offensively

Dinger kept firing in the bottom of the fourth, retiring Morrison and Les in order to maintain a 2-0 lead through four innings.

Vassallo and Blose were retired in order in the top of the fifth, and the Caucasians had four outs left to tie the game.

It didn’t happen in the bottom of the fifth, as Dinger retired Guthrie for the first out of the inning. Higgins followed with a one-out double, the first Caucasian hit since the bottom of the first inning. Morrison stepped to the plate as the tying run, but he couldn’t advance Higgins, as Dinger retired him by groundout to end the fifth inning.

Guthrie retired Dinger, the first batter in the top of the sixth, when he grounded out to left field. The next batter, Joey, extended the Fish Sticks lead to 3-0 when he hit a one-out solo home run, the third Guthrie had surrendered. Vassallo was retired to end the sixth, and the Caucasians were down three runs heading into their final at-bat.

Dinger had retired 9 of the previous 10 batters heading into the bottom of the sixth, and the Caucasians couldn’t figure him out in the final frame either. Les and Guthrie were retired in order as each flew out to Vassallo in left field, and the Fish Sticks had shut-out the Caucasians 3-0 to take Game 1 of the 2011 Wiffle Series.

Game Notes:
– Dinger pitched a complete game shutout, giving up only 3 hits and retiring 11 of the final 12 batters
– Guthrie also pitched a complete game, giving up 3 earned runs on 4 hits while taking the loss
– Blose led the Fish Sticks going 2-4 with 2 solo home runs and 2 RBI
– Les, Guthrie, and Higgins each had one hit for the Caucasians, while Morrison went hitless

Box Score

Tags: 2011, 8/2/11, Caucasian Vaginas, EWL Playoffs, Fish Sticks, Game 1, Wiffle Series