After an incredible game 1, Mike came through yet again, and his walk-off homer in the bottom of the sixth gave Loss Mitigation a two game lead in the best-of-five first round series with the Porkswords
After carrying his team to victory in game 1, Mike put Loss Mitigation on his shoulders again in game 2. His walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth capped another great performance and gave his team a comfortable lead in the best-of-five first round series with the Porkswords.
Norris took the mound for Loss Mitigation, and he looked good early. After allowing a leadoff double to Adam, he retired Frosty and Josh to strand the runner, ending the inning.
With three innings of eligibility left after game 1, Josh started once again for the Porkswords. He rolled through the bottom of the first, retiring Mike and Nate in order.
A family of three watches the EWL playoff action from the third base line stands.
Bob singled to start the top of the second, but the Porkswords couldn’t get on the board, as Norris retired Adam and Frosty to strand the runner and end the inning.
Loss Mitigation would take a lead in the bottom of the second. Norris tripled to start the inning, but he was caught out in between third and home trying to extend the hit into an inside-the-park homer. Reggie followed with a triple, and Mike drove him in with a two-run blast, making the score 2-0. Josh retired Nate to end the inning, and he had met his innings limit for the week.
Adam of the Porkswords fields a ball off the left field fence while teammate Bob watches from center field
With a two-run lead, Norris rolled through the top of the third, sending Josh and Bob down consecutively.
Norris is pleased with his squad’s performance in game 2.
Loss Mitigation extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Adam entered the game for Josh, and he was hit hard right away. Norris singled, and Reggie drove him in with a two-run homer, making the score 4-0. The next batter, Mike, tripled, but similar to Norris in the previous inning, he was caught out between third and home trying to extend the hit into an inside-the-park homer. Nate followed with a single, but Josh avoided further damage, retiring Norris for the second out of the inning.
The Porkswords cut into the four run deficit in the top of the fourth. Frosty doubled with one out, and Josh drove him in with a two-run homer to right center. Norris retired Bob to end the inning, and the Porkswords had cut the score to 4-2.
Reggie singled to start the bottom of the fourth, and two batters later, Nate hit an RBI triple, pushing the Loss Mitigation lead to 5-2. Josh retired Norris to end the inning, and the Porkswords trailed by three runs.
Norris connects on one of his two hits in the game.
The Porkswords rallied once again in the top of the fifth, tying the game. Adam led off with a triple, and he scored from third on Frosty’s RBI single that cut the score to 5-3. Two batters later, Bob doubled to put runners on second and third, and Adam cleared the bases with an RBI triple, his second three-bagger of the inning. Norris retired Frosty for the second out of the inning, but he had allowed three runs, and the game was tied at 5-5.
Frosty, who made his triumphant return to the wiffle diamond, celebrates after scoring a run in the fourth inning.
Loss Mitigation pulled back ahead in the bottom of the fifth. Reggie tripled for the second time in the game, and Mike drove him in with an RBI double that made the score 6-5. Adam retired Nate and Norris to end the inning, and the Porkswords needed a run in the top of the sixth to extend the game.
Nate, who went 2-for-5 with a single and a triple for Loss Mitigation, poses for the wiffle camera.
Josh led off the final frame with a triple, and Bob came through in the clutch, hitting an RBI single to tie the game at 6-6. Norris retired Adam and Frosty to end the inning, but the Porkswords had evened the game for yet another time.
With a chance to walk-off with a two game lead in the series, Mike and Loss Mitigation did just that, on cue. Reggie singled for his fifth hit of the game, and Mike, who had reached base safely in nine of his first eleven at-bats of the series, came to the plate. He delivered for Loss Mitigation again, crushing a two-run bomb to right-center, ending the game, and giving Loss Mitigation an 8-6 victory.
The win put Loss Mitigation ahead 2-0 in the best-of-five first round series with the Porkswords, one win away from clinching a berth in the 2018 EWL Wiffle Series.
W: Norris (1-0)
L: Adam (0-1)
Game Notes:
– Norris pitched the complete game win for Loss Mitigation, allowing six runs on ten hits in six innings.
– Adam took the loss in relief for the Porkswords. He gave up six runs on ten hits in three innings pitched.
– Josh started for the Porkswords and earned a no-decision, giving up two runs on three hits in two innings.
– Mike led Loss Mitigation on offense, going 4-for-6 with a double, a triple, two home runs, two runs scored, and five RBI. He became the first player to hit a walk-off home run in the EWL playoffs since Nate hit two for Eastbound & Dahn in the 2015 playoffs.
– Reggie White was a perfect 5-for-5 in the game, with two singles, two triples, a home run, five runs scored, and two RBI.
– Adam led the Porkswords at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a double, two triples, a run scored, and two RBI.
