Tag Archives: Playoffs

Bob Homers Three Times As Questionable Outfit Open Wiffle Series with Impressive Game 1 Victory

6 Aug
Bob had 3 homers and 5 RBI to lead Questionable Outfit's late surge past Cookies & Cream in the game 1 win

Bob had 3 homers and 5 RBI to lead Questionable Outfit’s late surge past Cookies & Cream in the game 1 win

Questionable Outfit were the betting favorites heading into their 2013 Wiffle Series matchup with Cookies & Cream after earning the #1 seed and cruising through the first round of the playoffs. However, they were shocked in a stunning four game sweep at the hands of Cookies & Cream, as Cookies celebrated their first title, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon on the wiffle diamond in front of them.

Questionable have been on a mission all of 2014, hoping to redeem themselves and make up for the disappointing performance in the 2013 championship series. After sweeping Eastbound & Dahn in the first round, they watched Cookies & Cream narrowly escape the Ham Slams to force a rematch in the 2014 championship.

Questionable Outfit would once again enter the Wiffle Series as the heavy favorites. This year they added Morrison, a key cog for the 2013 Cookies & Cream team, while Cookies added Blose, the star of the 2011 and ’12 Fish Sticks’ teams. Cookies are looking to repeat as champions, while Questionable Outfit seek their first title and a spot in wiffleball history. The two best teams had once again earned their way to the final series, and Questionable Outfit would land the first blow in game 1.

Reilly, perhaps the best pitcher during the 2014 regular season, started on the mound for Questionable Outfit. Cookies & Cream would play without Guthrie, one of the best postseason performers in EWL history and the MVP of the 2012 and 2013 Wiffle Series.

Dinger led off the 2014 Wiffle Series with a bang, crushing a solo homer to left field, putting Cookies & Cream ahead 1-0 early. Reilly retired the next two batters to end the inning without allowing another run.

Dinger was named the starting pitcher for Cookies & Cream, and he breezed through the bottom of the first, retiring the side in order.

Reilly got back on track in the top of the second, pitching a scoreless inning. The score remained 1-0.

Questionable Outfit would even things up in the bottom of the second. Morrison led off the inning with a single, and he moved from first to third when Reilly followed with a single. Tom followed with a deep fly to center field, and Morrison tagged and scored to tie the game at 1-1. Dinger retired the next batter, Bob, to strand the runner and end the inning.

Cookies & Cream pulled back ahead in the top of the third. Blose led off the inning with a solo homer, making the score 2-1. Reilly then retired the next two batters to avoid further damage.

Morrison doubled to lead off the bottom of the third, but Dinger maintained the lead, retiring the next two hitters to strand the runner.

Cookies would add to their lead in the top of the fourth with another Blose homer. With one out, he crushed a solo shot to right-center, making the score 3-1. Cookies couldn’t extend their lead, as Reilly retired Joey to end the inning.

Blose went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in the Cookies & Cream loss

Blose went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in the Cookies & Cream loss

Down 3-1, Questionable had looked impotent halfway through the first game of the series. However, like they had all season, they found a way to explode for a big inning, and they would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Bob led off the inning with a solo homer, making the score 3-2. Morrison followed with a double, and Tom later singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Bob would then crush his second homer of the inning, a three-run blast, putting Questionable Outfit ahead 5-3. Morrison singled, and it looked as if Questionable would open up a huge lead, but Dinger retired Reilly, holding the deficit at two runs.

Tom continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI

Tom continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI

Reilly was in command in the top of the fifth, retiring the side in order.

Questionable extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Tom led off the inning with a homer, and Bob would make it back-to-back jacks with a solo homer of his own. Dinger retired Morrison and Reilly, but Cookies & Cream now trailed by four runs.

Reilly got behind early but finishing strong, allowing 3 earned runs on only 4 hits in the complete game win

Reilly got behind early but finishing strong, allowing 3 earned runs on only 4 hits in the complete game win

Reilly shut things down in the top of the sixth. Joey would single with one out, but Cookies never threatened.

Questionable held on for a 7-3 game 1 victory, taking an early lead in the Wiffle Series.

W: Reilly (2-1)
L: Dinger (1-3)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Reilly pitched the complete game win for Questionable Outfit, allowing 3 runs on only 4 hits in 6 innings.
– Dinger took the loss for Cookies & Cream, giving up 7 runs on 10 hits in 5 innings.
– Bob led the way for Questionable, going 3-for-5 with 3 homers, 3 runs scored, and 5 RBI.
– Morrison also went 4-for-5 for Questionable Outfit with 2 singles, 2 doubles, and 2 runs scored.
– Blose was the only Cookies & Cream player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI.

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Questionable Outfit Storm Past Eastbound & Dahn 10-6 to Return to Wiffle Series

6 Aug
Tom had 6 hits in the series-clinching win to lead Questionable Outfit to a second consecutive Wiffle Series berth

Tom had 6 hits in the series-clinching win to lead Questionable Outfit to a second consecutive Wiffle Series berth

Despite a late rally, Eastbound & Dahn couldn’t extend their series with Questionable Outfit, as the Questionable offense was too much in a 10-6 series clinching victory.

Nate, who had pitched brilliantly in Eastbound’s game 1 victory over Questionable Outfit, started on the mound in game 4. He got into trouble early, and he didn’t last long.

Kimble led off the game with a single, and he scored when the next batter, Bob, crushed a two-run homer to put Questionable ahead 2-0. Morrison followed with a solo homer, and the back-to-back home runs gave Questionable a 3-0 lead before registering an out. Tom would later triple with one out, but Nate avoided further damage in the first, stranding the runner.

Bob would take the hill for Questionable Outfit, and ​he got off to a much better start than Nate. Steve led off the bottom of the first with a single, but he was stranded as Bob pitched a scoreless inning.

Nate bounced back in the top of the second, allowing a leadoff single to Morrison but retiring the next two batters to hold the score at 3-0.

Eastbound would get on the board in the bottom of the second. With one out, Steve crushed a solo homer to left, making the score 3-1. Frosty, an EWL postseason legend making his first appearance of 2014 and his first career appearance with Eastbound, followed with a solo bomb, and the back-to-back homers cut the deficit to 3-2. Bob then retired Nate to end the inning and maintain the one-run lead.

Nate got into more trouble in the top of the third, and he didn’t give himself much leeway before removing himself from the game. Morrison singled with one out, and the next batter, Reilly, crushed a two-run homer to left-center, making the score 5-2. Nate pulled himself from the mound, and Eastbound turned to Christian from the bullpen. The first batter he faced, Tom, doubled, and he moved to third when Bob followed with a single. Questionable had runners on second and third and it looked as if they would blow the game open, but Christian retired Morrison to end the inning, stranding two runners.

Morrison went 5-for-7 with a solo homer in the win

Morrison went 5-for-7 with a solo homer in the win

Eastbound would chip away at the Questionable lead in the bottom of the third. With one out, Steve hit a solo homer to left, his second of the game, cutting the score to 5-3. Eastbound couldn’t add any more runs in the bottom of the third.

Questionable would make up for the lost run sin the top of the fourth. Reilly led off the inning with a double and moved to third when Tom also doubled. Bob then hit a groundball to right, which Nate scooped up for an out, but both Reilly and Tom scored on the play. Christian retired the next batter, Morrison, but Questionable had extended their lead to 7-3.

Bob breezed through the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order.

Questionable would add more to their lead in the top of the fifth. Tom singled with one out, and Bob followed with his second two-run homer of the game, moving the score to 9-3. Morrison would follow with a single, but Christian retired Reilly to avoid further damage.

Down 9-3 and with their season slipping away, Eastbound showed heart in the bottom of the fifth inning. Steve led off the inning with a solo homer, his third bomb of the game, cutting the score to 9-4. Frosty followed with a triple, and with one out, Christian lined a two-run homer to right field, making the score 9-6. Steve came back to the plate with one out, but couldn’t hit a fourth homer in as many at-bats, and Bob escaped with a three-run lead.

Tom led off the top of the sixth with a triple, and he scored when Bob hit a sacrifice fly, making the score 10-6. Morrison and Reilly each followed with one out singles, and it looked as if Questionable would put the game away for certain, but Christian retired Tom, stranding both runners.

Trailing four runs and down to their last two outs of the 2014 season, Eastbound couldn’t put together another rally in the bottom of the sixth. Frosty flew out to Bob for the first out of the inning, and Nate grounded out to Tom in left for the second out, ending the game and giving Questionable Outfit a 10-6 win.

Questionable Outfit had won the best-of-five first round series 3 games to 1, clinching a spot in the Wiffle Series for the second consecutive season. They will face their rival, Cookies & Cream, in a rematch of last year’s final.

After taking Cookies & Cream to the brink in round 1 of the 2013 playoffs, Eastbound & Dahn bowed out early again in 2014.

W: Bob (2-0)
L: Nate (1-2)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Bob picked up the complete game win for Questionable Outfit, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings pitched.
– Nate took the loss for Eastbound & Dahn, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 2.5 innings. Christian pitched 3.5 innings of relief, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits.
– Bob tied an EWL playoff record with 7 RBI in the game. He went 3-for-6 with a single, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 7 RBI.
– Tom tied an EWL playoff record with 2 doubles in the game. He went 6-for-8 with 2 singles, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 runs scored.
– Morrison went 5-for-7 with 4 singles, a homer, 2 runs scored, and one RBI.
– Steve led Eastbound & Dahn on offense, going 4-for-5 with a single, 3 homers, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI.

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Dinger Delivers Historic Performance in Game 5, Cookies & Cream Advance to Wiffle Series

29 Jul

Cookies & Cream beat the Ham Slams 5-0 in the pivotal fifth game of their first-round series, thanks in large part to Dinger, who delivered one of the best performances in a series-deciding game in EWL history. He pitched a complete game two-hit shutout while also going 4-for-4 with a home run and 3 runs scored.

Dinger came into the game 0-2 in the series and was the losing pitcher in games 2 and 4 despite turning in strong outings in both games. With Guthrie out for game 5, Dinger would return to the mound for the third time in the series.

The game’s first batter, Anthony, ripped a line drive off the fence. However, Vassallo fielded the ball quickly, gunned the ball to the mound, and Cookies & Cream were able to catch him in between bases trying to extend the single into a double for the first out. Dinger then retired Steve, and the game was scoreless after the top of the first.

Charlie started on the mound for the Ham Slams for the fifth consecutive game, and Cookies & Cream would get on the board quickly in the bottom of the first. Joey was retired for the first out of the inning, but with one out, Blose crushed a long solo homer to left-center, making the score 1-0. Charlie then retired Vassallo to end the inning.

Jamie led off the top of the second for the Slams, making his first appearance of the 2014 season in a designated hitter role. Dinger retired him, and then retired Riley to end the inning.

Dinger doubled to lead off the bottom of the second, and after Joey flew out for the first out of the inning, Blose followed with an RBI double, scoring Dinger to make the score 2-0. Charlie avoided further damage after allowing the run, retiring Vassallo to end the inning.

Dinger continued to roll in the top of the third, retiring the side in order.

Up 2-0, Dinger provided his own run support in the bottom of the third. He led off the inning with a solo homer to center, putting Cookies & Cream ahead 3-0. Charlie retired the next two batters to end the inning.

The Ham Slams continued to struggle at the plate in the top of the fourth, as Jamie went down on strikes, followed by Riley grounding out to center.

Cookies & Cream would add two more runs to their total in the bottom of the fourth. Vassallo flew out for the first out of the inning, but Dinger followed with a single. The next batter, Joey, hit a two-run homer to left, extending the Cookies lead to 5-0. Charlie retired Blose for the second out of the inning, but the Slams trailed by five runs late in the game.

Dinger retired Anthony for the first out in the top of the fifth, and Steve followed with a single, only the second Ham Slams hit of the game. But the Slams couldn’t rally, as Dinger retired the next batter, Jamie, stranding the runner and maintaining the five-run lead.

Charlie pitched his first scoreless inning of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Vassallo flew out to start the inning, and after Dinger hit a one-out single, Joey was retired to end the inning.

Trailing 5-0 and down to their final at-bat of the season, the Ham Slams needed a miracle to stun Cookies & Cream and force extra innings. The miracle didn’t come, as Dinger continued to retired Ham Slams hitters. Riley and Anthony were retired in order, ending the game and giving Cookies & Cream a 5-0 game 5 victory.

The win advanced Cookies & Cream, the defending EWL Champions, to the Wiffle Series for the second consecutive season. They will await the winner of the Questionable Outfit/Eastbound & Dahn series which Questionable leads 2-1. The Ham Slams fell in the first round for the third consecutive year. The Slams lost in 5 games to the Fish Sticks in 2012 and were swept by Questionable Outfit in 2013.

For the first time in the four year history of the Ellsworth Wiffleball League, the field was turned upside down and the game was played in an alternative direction on the wiffle diamond. Construction equipment blocked the standard center field fence, so the field was turned sideways and the game was played toward a different side of the fence. The new field had similar dimension to the left and right field foul poles, but there were a few differences, primarily a deeper centerfield, a more spacious outfield, and no tree in left field. Both teams seemed out of place at first on the new field, but they also adapted quickly to the new conditions, and the field was well received by all parties. It was looked upon so favorably that the league may adopt the secondary field for regular use in upcoming seasons.

W: Dinger (1-2)
L: Charlie (1-3)

Box Score

Game Notes:
– Dinger pitched the complete game shutout for Cookies & Cream in a historically dominant playoff performance. He allowed only 2 hits while striking out one in 6 innings.
– Charlie took the loss for the Ham Slams, allowing 5 earned runs on 7 hits in 5 innings.
– Dinger led Cookies & Cream at the plate, going 4-for-4 with 2 singles, a double, a home run, 3 runs scored, and one RBI.
– Blose and Joey also homered for Cookies & Cream.

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More of the Mayor

24 Jul

Some more photos have surfaced of Mayor Bill Peduto’s legendary appearance at the wiffle diamond this past Tuesday night.

The Mayor addresses the league after tossing the first pitch.

The Mayor addresses the league after tossing the first pitch.

The Mayor battles Darth Vader with a wiffleball bat. Light sabers are no match for the wiffle stick.

The Mayor battles Darth Vader with a wiffleball bat. Light sabers are no match for the wiffle stick.

The legendary first pitch

The legendary first pitch

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Anthony Carries Ham Slams Past Cookies & Cream 4-3 to Force Decisive Game 5 Matchup

24 Jul
The Ham Slams escaped with a narrow win to force game 5 in their best-of-five series with Cookies & Cream

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

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

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

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 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)

Box Score

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.

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