Questionable Outfit held off a late Ham Slams rally to complete a three-game sweep in the first round, advancing to the 2013 EWL Wiffle Series
The Ham Slams went down swinging, but Questionable Outfit’s offense was ultimately too much as they won game 3 9-6, completing a three-game sweep and advancing to the 2013 EWL Wiffle Series. They await the conclusion of the other first round series between Eastbound & Dahn and Cookies & Cream, which will determine their opponent in the best-of-seven championship series.
With Charlie out for the game, the Ham Slams put Josh on the mound. He got into trouble early, as Questionable Outfit took at early lead in the top of the first. Tom led off the inning with a single, and he moved to second when Reilly grounded out to left for the first out of the inning. Bob followed with a single off the fence, and Tom scored on the play to put Questionable Outfit ahead 1-0. With one-out and a runner on first, Mike blasted a two-run bomb to left, making the score 3-0. Tom followed with a single, but Josh ended the rally there, getting Reilly to ground out to left for the second out of the inning.
Questionable Outfit put their ace, Bob, on the mound to close out the series. He retired the Ham Slams’ first batter, Kyle, who grounded out to right. Anthony followed with a one-out double, but Bob got Steve to fly out to center, stranding the runner and ending the inning.
Questionable Outfit got right back to work in the top of the second, and added to their lead. Bob led off the inning with a solo shot to right, making the score 4-0. Mike followed with his second homer of the game game, and the back-to-back home runs pushed the Questionable Outfit lead to 5-0. Tom followed with a double, and Reilly drove him in with a two-run blast to left, pushing the score to 7-0. Josh finally registered an out when Bob grounded out to center, but the next batter, Mike, doubled. Tom followed with a double, driving in Mike, and the score was 8-0. The inning ended there, as Reilly flew out to right for the second out of the inning, but Questionable Outfit had opened up an eight-run lead.
Josh led off the bottom of the second with a single, but as he was trying to advance to second for a double, he was caught in between bases for the first out of the inning. Bob then retired Kyle for the second out, ending the inning.
Up 8-0, Bob added more of his own run support, leading off the inning with a solo homer to right. Josh avoided another big inning, retiring the next two batters, but Questionable Outfit was up nine.
Anthony led off the bottom of the third with a single. Steve grounded out for the first out of the inning, and as Anthony was rounding from first to third, he overran third base and was tagged out by Bob, ending the inning.
Josh finally pitched a perfect frame in the top of the fourth, retiring the Questionable Outfit side in order.
Bob retired Josh to lead off the bottom of the fourth, but the Slams finally got on the board when Kyle hit a one-out solo homer, making the score 9-1. The Ham Slams couldn’t extend the inning, as Bob retired Anthony to end the inning.
Josh pitched his second consecutive scoreless inning in the top of the fifth, retiring Mike and Tom consecutively.
The Ham Slams showed signs of life in the bottom of the fifth, and their fifth inning rally made the game interesting. Steve led off the inning with a single, and the next batter, Josh, hit a two-run homer through the tree in left, making the score 9-3. Kyle followed with a single, and after Anthony flew out to the mound for the first out of the inning, Steve crushed a two-run home run, cutting the deficit to 9-5. Josh followed with a single, but the rally ended there, as Bob retired Kyle to end the inning.
Josh retired Reilly to lead off the top of the sixth, and after Bob hit a one-out single, Mike grounded out to right to end the inning.
Trailing 9-5, the Ham Slams would need a four-run inning to extend the game and their season. Anthony led off the inning with a solo homer, cutting the score to 9-6. Steve flew out to right for the first out of the inning, but Josh followed with a one-out single. It looked as if the Ham Slams would rally, but Bob got Kyle to ground out to right for the second out, ending the game.
Questionable Outfit’s 9-6 win clinched a three-game sweep of the Ham Slams, and earned the squad a berth in the 2013 EWL Wiffle Series. The Ham Slams were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
W: Bob (1-0)
L: Josh (0-1)
Game Notes:
– Bob pitched the complete game win for Questionable Outfit. He allowed 6 runs on 11 hits in 6 innings.
– Josh took the loss for the Ham Slams, giving up 9 earned runs on 12 hits in 6 innings pitched.
– Bob led Questionable Outfit on offense, going 4-for-6 with 2 singles, 2 homers, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI. Mike also had 3 hits, including 2 homers and 3 RBI, and Tom had 4 hits.
– Josh led the Ham Slams at the plate, going 4-for-5 with 3 singles, a home run, a run scored, and 2 RBI. Kyle, Anthony, and Steve also homered in the game.
– Questionable Outfit will advance to the wiffle series in their first season in the EWL, becoming the first team since the league’s original season to make the wiffle series in their first year as a franchise.
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