Ellsworth Wiffleball League

Tim and Adam carried the Ham Slams to victory in a back-and-forth game that was one of the league’s best in 2015

The Ham Slams, led by Adam and Tim, won their fourth consecutive game in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to take the lead in the top of the sixth and hold off Eastbound & Dahn for a 9-8 victory. Adam had four extra-base hits and 6 RBI, while Tim hit for the cycle for the second time in his EWL career.

Christian took the mound for Eastbound & Dahn, and with one out in the top of the first, Adam hit a solo shot to put the Ham Slams ahead 1-0 early.

Eastbound would make up the deficit immediately in the bottom of the first. Nate singled off the Ham Slams’ starter, Charlie, to lead off the game, and two batters later, Crustin, who was helping to round out a depleted Eastbound roster, hit a two-run blast to put his team ahead 2-1. Helal followed with a solo homer, and the back-to-back bombs gave Eastbound a 3-1 lead. Nate then doubled, but Charlie stranded him to avoid further damage.

Down 3-1, the Slams bounced right back in the top of the second. Charlie singled to start the inning and moved to third when Tim doubled two batters later. With two men on and one out, Adam crushed his second blast in as many at-bats, and the three-run jack gave the Ham Slams a 4-3 lead.

Charlie cruised through the bottom of the second, maintaining a one-run lead.

Christian retired the side in order in the top of the third, and Eastbound would regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Christian led off with a double and moved to third on a Crustin double. Charlie struck out Helal, but the next batter, Nate, emptied the bases with a two-RBI double, putting Eastbound ahead 5-4.

The Slams would even things up in the top of the fourth. Tim started things off with a triple, and he scored from third when Adam grounded out to left to tie the game at 4-4. Steve followed with a single, but Christian fanned Charlie to end the inning.

Charlie retired the side in order in the bottom of the fourth, getting Crustin to ground out to left before striking out Helal for the second consecutive inning.

The Ham Slams pulled ahead in the top of the fifth when Alan led off the with a double, and Tim drove him in with a two-run homer to deep right-center. Adam followed with a double, but Christian stranded the runner by striking out the next two batters, Charlie and Steve, to end the inning.

Christian, who tied the single-game record for pitching strikeouts with three, attempts to catch this fly ball with his foot

Down 7-5, Eastbound bounced back again in the bottom of the fifth. Nate led off the inning with a solo homer, cutting the score to 7-6. Christian followed with a double, and he moved to third on a Crustin single to put runners on the corners. Helal grounded out to center, scoring Christian to tie the game at 7-7. With one out, Nate hit a line drive off the fence. Crustin raced home from first to score the go-ahead run, making the score 8-7. Nate, being aggressive on the base paths as always, tried to score on an inside-the-park homer, but was caught out in between bases, ending the inning and the rally.

The Slams had surrendered the lead again, but as they had all game, they came out swinging yet again in the top of the sixth. Alan started the inning with a double and moved to third on a Tim single. With no outs and runners on first and third, Adam doubled, scoring Alan to tie the game at 8-8. Steve then followed with an RBI double, scoring Tim to put the Slams in front 9-8. Adam was caught in between bases on the play for the first out of the inning. Christian then retired Charlie for the second out of the inning, stranding the runner on second, and Eastbound would head into their final at-bat trailing 9-8.

Nate went a perfect 6-for-6 in the loss and hit for the cycle for the second time in his EWL career

Charlie remained on the mound to close things out for the Ham Slams, and he retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth. He got both Christian and Crustin to fly out to Steve in left field, ending the game and giving the Ham Slams their fourth consecutive win in a tightly contested 9-8 victory.

The win moved the Slams to 5-10 on the year, and the loss dropped Eastbound & Dahn to 8-7.

W: Charlie (3-7)
L: Christian (1-4)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Charlie pitched the complete game win for the Ham Slams, allowing 8 runs on 13 hits while striking out 2 in 6 innings.
– Christian was credited with the complete game loss for Eastbound, giving up 9 runs on 13 hits and striking out 3 in 6 innings.
– Christian became only the fourth player in EWL history to strike out the side, joining Guthrie, Holly, and Dinger.
– Christian also tied the single-game record for strikeouts by punching out 3 Ham Slams. He joined Guthrie, who has struck out three twice, Mark, Josh, and Helal, as well as himself (he struck out three last season) as the only players to do this.
– Adam led the Ham Slams on offense, going 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 6 RBI.
– Tim also had a big game for the Slams, hitting for the cycle by going 4-for-5 with a single, a double, a triple, a home run, 4 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
– Nate also hit for the cycle in the game, going a perfect 6-for-6 in the Eastbound & Dahn loss. He had a single, 3 doubles, a triple, a home run, 2 runs scored, and 4 RBI.

Tags: 2015, Eastbound & Dahn, Ham Slams, June, Week 8

Tim connects for one of his four hits in the game. He went 4-for-6 with a double, two triples, and a homer to lead the Ham Slams to their third consecutive win.

Tim went 4-for-6 with four extra-base hits as the Ham Slams completed their first 2-0 week of the 2015 season and earned their third consecutive victory in a 10-6 win over Eastbound & Dahn.

Charlie started for the Ham Slams, and Eastbound & Dahn jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. Nate led off the game with a double, and the next batter, Morrison, crushed a two-run homer, putting Eastbound ahead 2-0. Helal would later double with one out, and he scored when Nate hit an RBI single to make the score 3-0. Morrison singled to put runners on first and third, and Christian also followed with a single, driving in Nate to put Eastbound ahead 4-0. Helal then came to the plate with runners on first and third and a chance to open up a huge lead, but Charlie retired him, stranding both runners and ending the threat.

Eastbound surprised the EWL by starting Morrison on the mound in a rare pitching appearance. He retired the first batter he faced, Tim, but then the Ham Slams got out their bats. Dan hit a solo homer to cut the score to 4-1, and Alan and Steve each followed with singles. With one out and two on base, Tim hit a triple, clearing the bases and making the score 4-3. Dan followed with an RBI single to score Tim, and the Ham Slams had erased the early deficit to tie the game at 4-4.

Nate led off the top of the second with a triple, but made a base running error and was caught out trying to complete an inside-the-park homer. Charlie then retired Morrison for a scoreless inning.

The Slams would add two more off Morrison in the bottom of the second. Tim hit a one-out double, and Dan followed with an RBI triple to make the score 5-4. Alan then singled, and Dan scored from second, extending the Slams lead to 6-4.

Charlie allowed a one-out single to Helal in the top of the third, but stranded him, maintaining the Slams three-run lead.

The Slams added another run in the bottom of the third. Tim tripled to start the inning, and he scored when Dan grounded out to left, making the score 7-4.

Eastbound cut into the Slams lead in the top of the fourth when Christian hit a one-out solo homer. Helal followed with a double, but Charlie retired Nate to strand him, and the score was 7-5.

Morrison retired the side in order in the bottom of the fourth, striking out Tim to end the inning.

Eastbound chipped away at the Ham Slams lead again in the top of fifth when Morrison led off the inning with a solo homer, his second of the game. Christian followed with a single, and the tying run was at the plate, but Charlie stranded another Eastbound runner to end the inning with the score 7-6.

Eastbound had slowly been making things interesting over the past several innings, but the Ham Slams would put the game away in the bottom of the fifth. Alan hit a one-out single, and Steve followed with a two-run bomb, making the score 9-6. Tim followed with a solo shot, and the back-to-back homers put the Slams ahead by four runs, 10-6. Morrison then retired Dan to end the inning and escape further damage.

Charlie remained in the game to close things out in the top of the sixth, and he did just that, retiring the side in order to end the game. The Slams survived an early deficit and held off a late Eastbound rally to win their third consecutive game.

The win moved the Slams to 4-10 on the year, while the loss dropped Eastbound & Dahn to 8-6.

W: Charlie (2-7)
L: Morrison (0-1)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Charlie pitched the complete game win for the Slams, allowing 6 runs while scattering 12 hits over 6 innings pitched.
– Morrison earned the loss for Eastbound & Dahn, giving up 10 runs on 12 hits while striking out one in 5 innings.
– Tim led the Ham Slams on offense, going 4-for-6 with a double, 2 triples, a homer, 4 runs scored, and 3 RBI.
– Morrison carried Eastbound & Dahn, going 3-for-6 with a single, two home runs, two runs scored, and 3 RBI.
– All four Eastbound & Dahn players had 3 hits in the loss.

Tags: 2015, Eastbound & Dahn, Ham Slams, June, Week 7