The Ham Slams escaped with a narrow win to force game 5 in their best-of-five series with Cookies & Cream
Anthony went 3-for-4 including a triple and two homers, along with all 4 Ham Slams RBI, to carry the Slams past Cookies & Cream 4-3 and force a pivotal game 5 matchup to determine who will advance to the 2014 Wiffle Series.
Down 2-1 in the best-of-five series, the Ham Slams continued to roll with their ace, Charlie, on the mound. Their stars, Anthony and Steve, were in the lineup along with Riley, who had made a handful of appearances for the Slams throughout the 2013 and 2014 regular seasons.
Charlie gave up a single to Guthrie to lead off the top of the first, but he retired the next two batters, standing the runner and ending the inning.
Due to a scheduling conflict, Cookies & Cream entered the game without their best player and MVP candidate, Blose. Dinger, who pitched a great game despite taking the loss in game 2, started on the mound.
The Ham Slams first batter, Anthony, tripled off the fence to lead off the game. The next batter, Steve, hit a towering fly ball to center field. Joey caught it for the out and relayed the ball to the mound to attempt to retire Anthony, who had tagged up in an effort to score a run on a sacrifice fly. Anthony crossed home before the throw made it to the mound, but the umpires and attending players ruled that he had left third early prior to the ball being caught, and he was called out for the second out of the inning.
Dinger led off the top of the second with a single, and after Charlie retired Guthrie, Vassallo singled to put runners on first and second with one out. Cookies & Cream couldn’t capitalize, however, as Charlie got Joey to fly out to deep center for the second out of the inning, once again stranding both runners.
The Ham Slams would open up a lead in the bottom of the second. Charlie led off the inning with a single to left, and he moved to second when Riley followed with a single. With no outs and two men on base, Anthony crushed a towering home run to left-center. The three-run homer put the Ham Slams ahead 3-0. Dinger would retire the next two batters, but the damage had been done.
Riley singled and scored on an Anthony homer in the third
Dinger led off the top of the third with a single, but Charlie continue to strand Cookies & Cream runners, sending Guthrie and Vassallo down in order to end the inning.
Riley was retired to start the bottom of the third, but Anthony followed with a solo shot to center, his second homer in as many at-bats. Dinger retired Steve for the second out, and the Ham Slams were up 4-0 and halfway to a game 4 win.
Anthony led the Ham Slams with three hits and drove in all of the Ham Slams runs
Charlie continued to roll in the top of the fourth, retiring the side in order to maintain the four run lead.
Charlie had his best start of the postseason, allowing only 3 earned runs
Dinger pitched his first perfect inning in the bottom of the fourth, retiring Charlie and Riley consecutively.
Down 4-0, Cookies & Cream would cut into the Ham Slams lead in the top of the fifth. Guthrie led off the inning with a single and moved from first to third when Vassallo followed with a single. With no outs and runners on first and third, Joey hit another deep fly to center. Guthrie tagged up and scored on the play, and the sacrifice fly made the score 4-1. Dinger then came to the plate and hit a two-run homer to right field, and the score was 4-3. Charlie retired the next batter, Guthrie, to end the inning, but the Slams lead had been cut from four runs to one.
Dinger pitched well and had 3 hits, including a two-run homer, but Cookies & Cream came up short
Dinger cruised through the bottom of the fifth, retiring the Slams two most potent hitters, Anthony, for the first time this game, and Steve.
Down to their final at-bat and needing a run to to extend the game, Cookies & Cream couldn’t muster any offense in the top of the sixth. Charlie remained in the game, and he retired Vassallo and Joey in order to end the game.
The 4-3 win saved the Ham Slams season and tied the first round series at 2-2. The deciding game of the best-of-five series will be played Thursday, July 24th at the wiffle diamond.
W: Charlie (1-2)
L: Dinger (0-1)
Game Notes:
– Charlie pitched the complete game win for the Ham Slams. He scattered 7 hits, stranding Cookes & Cream runners while allowing only 3 runs in 6 innings pitched.
– Dinger took the complete game loss for Cookies & Cream, giving up 4 earned runs on 5 hits in 5 innings pitched.
– Anthony led the Slams at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two home runs, two runs scored, and 4 RBI.
– Charlie and Riley also singled and scored runs for the Ham Slams.
– Dinger led Cookies & Cream at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two singles, a home run, a run scored, and 2 RBI.
– Vassallo and Guthrie each hit two singles for Cookies & Cream.
Leave a Reply