2016 EWL Wiffle Series Champions, Questionable Outfit
A year after becoming the first team in league history to repeat as champions, Questionable Outfit became the first team to win three consecutive titles, winning game four 17-7 and sweeping Cookies & Cream to become 2016 Ellsworth Wiffleball League champs. Questionable Outfit pulled away early and kept their foot on the gas, running away with the title and maintaining their seat upon the wiffleball throne. Bob hit four home runs in the game and pitched the complete game win, and Tom pitched in five hits, including three homers. After getting swept by Cookies & Cream in the 2013 Wiffle Series, Questionable Outfit won the 2014 series in five games, the 2015 series in six games, and became the first team in EWL history to go a perfect 7-0 in the playoffs, sweeping both of their 2016 series.
Cookies & Cream congratulate Questionable Outfit after the game
Questionable Outfit won the first three games of the series during the previous week, and had Cookies & Cream on the ropes heading into game four. Cookies started Joey on the mound for the third consecutive game. He had pitched well in a game two loss, and started game three effectively before being hit hard later in the outing. Questionable Outfit jumped on him immediately in game four and made the path very challenging for Cookies & Cream to extend the series. After Joey retired Bob to start the game, Kimble doubled, and he scored when Mike hit an RBI single to make the score 1-0. Miller then followed with a double, scoring Mike, and the score was 2-0. Bob cleared the bases with a two-run homer, and Questionable Outfit had taken a 4-0 lead with only one out in the game. Joey finally escaped the inning, retiring Tom, but Cookies were in a big hole in the series and the game.
Joey delivers a pitch to Bob in game 4 of the Wiffle Series
Bob, who had won game two in a pitcher’s duel with Joey, started game four for Questionable Outfit. He retired the side in order in the bottom of the first, sending Guthrie and Blose down consecutively.
Questionable added to their lead in the top of the second. Mike singled, and two batters later, Bob hit his second two-run blast of the game, putting Questionable ahead 6-0. Joey retired Tom, and Cookies & Cream trailed by six.
Jordan hit a one out single for Cookies & Cream in the bottom of the second, but he didn’t advance beyond first, as Bob retired Guthrie to strand the runner and end the inning.
Joey camps under a fly ball to make a catch in center field
Already ahead by six runs, Questionable Outfit piled on in the top of the third. Cookies & Cream had seen enough from Joey, and turned to Guthrie from the bullpen. The first batter he faced, Mike, crushed a solo homer to left, and Questionable led 7-0. Miller followed with a single, and Bob hit his third two-run homer in as many at-bats, putting Questionable Outfit in front 9-0. Tom then tripled, and he scored when Mike drove him in with an RBI double. Mike was caught for the first out, trying to extend the double into a triple. Guthrie then retired Miller to end the inning, and Questionable Outfit led 10-0.
Mike races around third to score as Guthrie awaits the relay from the outfield
Cookies & Cream got on the board in the bottom of the third and made what would otherwise be a blowout interesting. Blose led off the inning with a solo homer that made the score 10-1. Joey singled, and two batters later Guthrie singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Blose hit a double, scoring Joey, and Cookies had made the score 10-2. Joey came to the plate with one out and two runners on, and he hit an RBI single that cleared the bases, cutting the deficit to 10-4. Bob retired Jordan to strand the runner and end the inning. Cookies had cut the ten-run hole to only six, but Questionable got out their bats again in the top of the fourth.
Bob led off the inning with a double, and Tom followed with a two-run homer that extended the Questionable lead to 12-4. Guthrie was removed from the mound, and in a desperation move, Jordan made his his first pitching appearance of the postseason for Cookies & Cream. He retired the first batter he faced, Mike, but the second batter he faced, Miller, his a solo shot to left, making the score 13-4. Jordan then retired Bob to end the inning, and one inning after cutting the deficit to six runs, Cookies & Cream now trailed by nine.
Miller connects on a pitch. He had four hits, including two singles, a double, and a homer.
Cookies continued to show heart in the bottom of the fourth, cutting into the Questionable lead. Guthrie singled, and he moved from first to third when Blose followed with a double. Joey then hit an RBI double off the fence, emptying the bases and making the score 13-6. It looked as if Cookies may rally, but Bob hammered down, retiring Jordan and Guthrie to end the inning and avoid further damage.
Questionable added another run to their lead in the top of the fifth when Tom led off with a solo homer, his second bomb of the game. Miller would single with one out later in the inning, but Jordan retired Bob to strand the runner and end the inning with the score 14-6.
Bob had a dominant performance in the Wiffle Series, and helped Questionable Outfit close things out with a complete game win and four home runs
Bob cruised through the bottom of the fifth, retiring Blose and Joey in order, and Questionable Outfit led by eight runs, one inning away from a title.
Questionable Outfit would pile on a few more runs in the top of the sixth. Tom started the inning with a solo homer, his third consecutive at bat with a blast, and the score was 15-6. Mike followed with a solo shot, his second of the game, and the back-to-back jacks put Questionable Outfit ahead 16-6. Jordan was removed from the mound, and Blose became the fourth Cookies & Cream pitcher to appear in the game. He retired the first batter he faced, Miller, but Bob followed with his fourth homer of the game, a solo shot that gave Questionable Outfit a 17-6 lead. Blose retired Tom for the second out of the inning, and Cookies & Cream trailed by eleven runs heading into what would likely be their final at-bat of the 2016 season.
Bob remained in the game to close things out for Questionable Outfit. He retired Guthrie for the first out of the inning, and Questionable was one out away from being crowned champions. Blose hit a one-out single, and he moved to third when Joey followed with a double. Cookies & Cream had one out and two runners in scoring position, down to their final out. Jordan hit a high fly ball to center field. Tom settled under it, caught the ball for the second out of the inning, and Questionable Outfit united in the middle of the wiffle diamond as champions of the wiffle world.
Questionable Outfit had completed a four game sweep of their rivals Cookies & Cream, winning their third consecutive title.
Tom hit over .600 in the Wiffle Series and had three home runs in game four
Miller pitched two complete game wins for Questionable Outfit in the Wiffle Series
Mike gets Questionable Outfit’s post-game celebration started by cracking open the championship trophy, the PBR 40 oz.
Mike had five hits in the deciding game, going 5-for-7 with two singles, a double, two homers, four runs scored, and four RBI
Mike’s defense helped carry Questionable Outfit throughout the playoffs
W: Bob (2-0)
L: Joey (0-3)
Game Notes:
– Bob pitched the complete game win for Questionable Outfit, allowing 7 runs on 12 hits in 6 innings.
– Joey took the loss for Cookies & Cream, giving up 6 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings.
– Guthrie, Jordan, and Blose each pitched in relief for Cookies & Cream. Guthrie allowed 6 runs on 7 hits in one inning, Jordan gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in 2 innings, and Blose surrendered a single run on one hit in one inning pitched.
– Bob led Questionable Outfit on offense, going 5-for-8 with a double, four home runs, five runs scored, and seven RBI.
– Tom also went 5-for-8 for Questionable Outfit, with a double, a triple, three home runs, five runs scored, and four RBI.
– Blose led Cookies & Cream at the plate, going 4-for-6 with a single, two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI.
– Joey also went 4-for-6 for Cookies & Cream, with two singles, two doubles, one run scored, and four RBI.
