Archive | September, 2021

Brett Powers Cheap Goats into Wiffle Series with Three Homers in Game 5 Win

20 Sep

Brett went 4-for-4 with three homers and four runs scored, as Cheap Goats stormed past Jack Shack 9-3 in the decisive game five of the best-of-five first round series. After being only two outs away from clinching the series in game four before losing in heartbreaking fashion, Cheap Goats responded in game five with ten hits, and Miller pitched the complete game win, keeping the Jack Shack bats in check. Cheap Goats avenged their loss to Jack Shack in the 2020 Wiffle Series, and they will now advance to the 2021 Wiffle Series to face Shady Characters.

After winning game four with Brian’s extra-innings walk-off homer, Jack Shack got off to a good start in game five. Adam led off with a triple, and Josh D followed with a two-run homer, giving Jack Shack a 2-0 lead immediately. Two batters later, Doc hit a one-out double, but Miller avoided further damage, retiring Adam to strand him at second, ending the inning.

Brett led off the bottom of the first with a leadoff homer, the first for any player during the 2021 playoffs, and the score was 2-1. Jack Shack’s starter, Brian, then retired Joey and Miller to end the inning.

After allowing two runs in the top of the first, Miller got into a groove in the top of the second. He retired Josh D and Brian in order.

Trailing by a run, Cheap Goats rebounded from their game four loss, starting in the bottom of the second. Christian doubled, and two batters later, Brett his his second homer of the game, a one-out two-run shot that put Cheap Goats in front 3-2. Joey followed with a single, and Miller drove him in with a two-run homer, making the score 5-2. Brian struck out Christian to end the inning, but Cheap Goats had scored four runs, taking a three-run lead.

Miller rolled once again in the top of the third, retiring Doc and Adam consecutively.

Jack Shack turned to the bullpen, bringing Adam to the mound, and Cheap Goats extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Dinger doubled, and Brett drove him in with an RBI double, putting Cheap Goats ahead 6-2. Joey then singled, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Miller doubled, scoring Brett, and Cheap Goats led 7-2. Adam got Christian to ground out for the first out of the inning, but Joey scored on the play, and the Cheap Goats lead was 8-2. Adam retired Dinger to escape the inning, stranding Miller at third, and Jack Shack trailed by six.

Josh D led off the top of the fourth with a single, but Jack Shack couldn’t rally. Miller retired Brian and Doc to strand Josh D at first, ending the inning.

Jack Shack brought Brian back to the mound in the bottom of the fourth, and the first batter he faced, Brett, crushed a solo homer to right-center, his third of the game. Brian retired Joey and Miller to end the inning, but Cheap Goats now led 9-2.

Adam led off the top of the fifth with a single, but once again, Miller stranded a Jack Shack runner. He retired Josh D and then struck out Brian to end the inning, stranding Adam at first.

Brian was effective in the bottom of the fifth, retiring Christian and Dinger in order.

Jack Shack trailed 9-2 heading into the top of the sixth, and they would need seven runs to extend their 2021 season. The first batter of the inning, Doc, hit a leadoff double. Miller retired the next batter, Adam, but Doc scored from second on the play, narrowing the deficit to 9-3. The rally would end there, however, as Miller struck out Josh D to end the inning and the game, giving Cheap Goats a 9-3 win in game five.

The win won the best-of-five series for Cheap Goats, three games to two, as they advance to the Wiffle Series to face Shady Characters. Jack Shack, the two-time defending champions, were eliminated in the first round for the first time in franchise history.

W: Miller (3-0)
L: Brian (2-3)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Miller pitched the complete game win for Cheap Goats, allowing three runs on six hits. He tied the single-game postseason record for strikeouts, with two.
– Brian took the loss for Jack Shack, giving up six runs on six hits and striking out one in four innings.
– Adam pitched one inning of relief for Jack Shack, allowing three runs on four hits.
– Brett led Cheap Goats on offense, going 4-for-4 with a double, three home runs, five RBI, and four runs scored.
– Miller also had two extra-base hits for Cheap Goats, going 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a run scored, and three RBI.
– Josh D led Jack Shack at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a single, a homer, a run scored, and two RBI.

Brian’s Walk-Off Homer Wins Game Four as Jack Shack Force Pivotal Game 5 Against Cheap Goats

3 Sep

With the game tied at 3-3 in after seven innings, and as darkness settled over the Wiffle Diamond, game four of the first round series between Jack Shack and Cheap Goats was suspended. When the game was resumed a week later, Jack Shack escaped a jam in the top of the eighth, and they walked off with a win in the bottom of the eighth when Brian hit a two-run bomb that forced a decisive game five to determine the winner of the best-of-five first round series. The defending champs lived to fight another game, extending the series against Cheap Goats, who they beat in the 2020 Wiffle Series.

Adam started on the mound for Jack Shack, and Cheap Goats took an early lead in the top of the first. After retiring Brett, Adam allowed a one-out triple to Joey. Miller singled, scoring Joey, and Cheap Goats led 1-0. Adam then retired Christian to strand Miller at first, ending the inning.

Dinger took the mound for Cheap Goats, and he fought his way out of trouble in the bottom of the first. After retiring Adam to start the inning, he allowed back-to-back singles to Josh D and Brian, putting runners on first and second with one out. Dinger buckled down, getting Turbo to ground out to center, stranding both runners and ending the inning.

Adam rolled through the top of the second, retiring Dinger and Brett in order.

Dinger allowed a one-out double to Adam in the bottom of the second, but retired Josh D to strand him at second, ending the inning, and the score remained 1-0.

Cheap Goats extended their lead in the top of the third. Joey led off with a double, and Miller drove him in with an RBI double, making the score 2-0. Two batters later, Dinger hit a one-out double, scoring Miller, and Cheap Goats led 3-0. Adam then retired Brett to end the inning, stranding Dinger at second, and Jack Shack trailed by three.

Jack Shack cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third. With one out, Turbo hit a solo homer to right-center, and Jack Shack trailed 3-1. Dinger then retired Doc to end the inning.

Jack Shack turned to the bullpen in the top of the fourth, bringing their ace Brian to the mound. He retired Joey and Miller in order.

Dinger matched Brian in the bottom of the fourth, retiring Adam and Josh D in order.

Brian continued to roll in the top of the fifth, sending Christian and Dinger down consecutively.

Once again, Dinger did the same, retiring Brian and Turbo in the bottom of the fifth.

Cheap Goats could not add to their lead in the top of the sixth, as Brian send Brett and Joey down in order, and Jack Shack trailed 3-1 heading into what could have been their final at-bat of the 2021 season.

As they have for the last three seasons, when their backs were against the wall, Jack Shack rallied. Needing two runs to extend their 2021 season, they did just that in the bottom of the sixth. Doc led off with a double, and Adam followed with a two-run homer, tying the game at 3-3. Jack Shack needed one more run to end the game, but Dinger regrouped, and retired Josh D and Brian to send the game to extra innings.

Brian continued to dominate on the mound, retiring Miller and Christian in the top of the seventh, the seventh and eighth consecutive batters he retired since entering the game.

Dinger remained on the mound in the the bottom of the seventh, and he retired Turbo and Doc in order.

At this point the Wiffle Diamond had become very dark, and considering the stakes, the game was called due to darkness.

Several weeks later, after a rainout, the game was resumed.

Brian remained on the mound in the top of the eighth. After retiring Dinger, he allowed a one-out triple to Brett, putting the go-ahead run on third. Jack Shack elected to walk Joey to face Miller. With one out and runners on the corners, Brian got Miller to fly out to left, stranding both runners and ending the inning.

After escaping the jam in the top of the eighth, Brian provided more heroics in the bottom of the inning. Christian took over on the mound for Cheap Goats, and he retired Adam, the first batter he faced. The next batter, Josh D, singled, putting the winning run on base. Brian came to the plate and with one swing, he ended the game and extended the series. His walk-off two-run homer gave Jack Shack a 5-3 win, forcing game five to determine who would advance to the 2021 Wiffle Series.

W: Brian (2-2)
L: Christian (0-2)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Brian earned the win on the mound for Jack Shack, pitching five scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit.
– Christian took the loss for Cheap Goats, allowing two runs on two hits in half an inning of relief.
– Both starting pitchers earned no decisions. Adam allowed three runs on five hits in three innings, and Dinger gave up three runs on six hits in seven innings.
– Brian led Jack Shack on offense, going 2-for-5 with a single, the walk-off two-run homer to win the game, a run scored, and two RBI.
– Adam also went 2-for-5 for Jack Shack with a double, a home run, a run scored, and two RBI.
– Joey led Cheap Goats on offense, going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and an intentional walk.

Jason Hits Three Homers to Eliminate Guacamol-yay and Advance Shady Characters to Wiffle Series

2 Sep

Jason homered three times and drove in five of Shady Characters’ six runs in game four, beating Guacamol-yay 6-4, sealing the series, and advancing Shady Characters to the Wiffle Series for the first time since 2019. Mike and Lucas also contributed three hits, and the #1 seed Shady Characters will await the conclusion of the Jack Shack vs. Cheap Goats series to see who their opponent will be in the 2021 EWL Wiffle Series.

Josh K started on the mound for Guacamol-yay, and he fell behind early. Dylan led off the top of the first with a triple, and when Mike grounded out for the first out of the inning, Dylan scored, putting Shady Characters ahead 1-0. Josh K then retired Jason to end the inning.

With Tom K out for the week, Lucas took the mound for Shady Characters. After retiring Jan to start the game, Lucas allowed a one-out triple to Josh K. Josh K got overly aggressive on the play, attempting to complete an inside-the-park homer, and was caught out, ending the inning.

Josh K allowed a leadoff single to Lucas in the top of the second, but stranded him, retiring Dylan and Mike to end the inning.

Guacamol-yay pulled ahead in the bottom of the second. Kyle singled with one out, and Jude followed with a two-run shot to right-center, giving Guacamol-yay a 2-1 lead. Ryan followed with a single, but the rally ended there, as Lucas retired Jan to strand Ryan at first, ending the inning.

Josh K had reached his innings limit for the week, and Jude came to the mound from the bullpen for Guacamol-yay. The first batter he faced, Jason, launched a solo shot to deep right field, tying the game at 2-2. Jude retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Guacamol-yay rallied once again in the bottom of the third. Lucas fanned Josh K to start the inning, but Sean followed with a solo homer, putting Guacamol-yay in front 3-2. Kyle followed with a double, and Jude drove him in with an RBI single, making the score 4-2. Lucas retired Ryan to end the inning, stranding Jude at first, and Shady Characters trailed by two.

Shady Characters bounced back in the top of the fourth. Mike led off with a single, and Jason drove him in with a two-run bomb to right-center, tying the game at 4-4. Two batters later, Dylan hit a one-out single, but Jude stranded him at second, retiring Mike to end the inning.

Lucas had met his innings limit for the week, and Shady Characters brought Dylan in from the bullpen in the bottom of the fourth. He retired Jan and Josh K in order, and the game remained tied 4-4.

Lucas hit a one-out single in the top of the fifth, but Jude stranded him, retiring Dylan to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Dylan became the first player in the eleven year history of the EWL to strike out the side in a playoff game, fanning Sean and Kyle consecutively, and the game was tied 4-4 heading into the sixth inning.

Facing a potential game five with a loss in game four, Shady Characters pulled away in the top of the sixth. Mike singled to lead off the inning, and Jason drove him in with his third homer of the game, another two-run shot that put Shady Characters in front 6-4. Lucas followed with a single, and two batters later, Mike singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Guacamol-yay intentionally walked Jason, loading the bases for Lucas. The move worked, as Lucas grounded out to left, stranding three runners and ending the inning.

With their 2021 season on the line, Guacamol-yay came into the bottom of the sixth needing two runs to force extra innings. Dylan remained on the mound for Shady Characters, and he made quick work of Guacamol-yay. He retired Jude and Ryan in order, ending the game, giving Shady Characters a 6-4 victory.

The win clinched the best-of-five first round series for Shady Characters, as they advance to the 2021 Wiffle Series, their third Wiffle Series appearance in franchise history.

The loss ended Guacamol-yay’s 2021 season, their third consecutive first round exit.

W: Dylan (1-0)
L: Jude (0-2)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Dylan earned the win for Shady Characters, pitching three perfect innings of relief, and becoming the first player in league history to strike out the side in a playoff game.
– Jude took the loss for Shady Characters, allowing five runs on nine hits in four innings.
– Both starting pitchers earned no decisions. Lucas allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out one in three innings for Shady Characters. Josh K allowed one run on two hits in two innings for Guacamol-yay.
– Jason led Shady Characters in the win, going 3-for-5 with three home runs, three runs scored, five RBI, and an intentional walk.
– Lucas and Mike also had three hits each for Shady Characters. Mike went 3-for-6 with three singles, two runs scored, and an RBI. Lucas went 3-for-6 with three singles.
– Kyle and Jude each had two hits for Guacamol-yay in the loss. Kyle went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, and two runs scored. Jude went 2-for-3 with a single, a home run, a run scored, and three RBI.