The reigning Champions picked up right where they left off, as the 2022 Wiff is Life League season got underway last night at Hendersonville Park. There were 18 games which ended with Boneyard Wiffle and the Beavers both atop the early season standings at 3-0, as eight of the 11 teams in the league picked up a win.
The Sea Turtles and Prestige World Wide each went 3-1, the Lumberkings and Splunkers both had a 2-1 day, the Ball Busters were 1-2, Oakdale Curve 1-3, while the Roman Noodles, Banana Slugs, and High Heat will still be in search of their first wins next week.
Game by Game
Sea Turtles Start Season With Win
The first at bat of the season could not have went any better for the Sea Turtles, as Rob Licht blasted a home run to kick things off. All four Turtles ended up with home runs to roll past the 2021 runner-ups, Roman Noodles, 12-5. Licht led the offensive attack with three homers, Jordan Castelli added two. The Noodles joined in on the longball festivities early, with three first inning home runs to get ahead 4-1 after the first inning. That lead was short lived, as the Turtles struck for four of their own in the top of the second. Matt Cottrill went 3-for-4 with two homers for the Noodles. Licht settled down in the second inning and retired eight of the last 10 batters he saw to earn the win from the rubber.
Prestige World Wide Wins Season Opener
Will Taczak and Tyson Mead each homered as the Prestige World Wide offense was clicking in their first game ever in the WILL. The rookies downed fellow rookie squad, Oakdale Curve, behind five innings of shutout wiffs by Taczak from the rubber. Johnny Dragisich had three hits for the Curve, while Scott Bilovus was dealt the loss on the rubber.
Boneyard Wiffle Continues Winning Ways In 2022 Season Opener
Boneyard Wiffle, fresh off the 2021 WILL Championship, downed the Slugs to open play in 2022. Ty Zadrozny hit home runs in the first and second innings, driving in five runs, to put the reigning champs up early. Nate Morris, who was 4-for-5 in the game, hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Jake Davey had a solo shot in the fifth for the Slugs runs. Cole Lanni, 2021 WILL Cy Wiff, used an effective pitch to contact method to earn the win from the rubber, scattering eight Slug hits while walking and striking out none. Eric Diffendal added a solo home run for Boneyard in the fourth.
Late Rally Sends Sea Turtles Past Banana Slugs
A five-run bottom of the fourth gave the Sea Turtles the lead late and a two up, two down top of the fifth made the comeback officially complete. Rob Licht and Gino Joseph each hit one-out home runs in the fourth, as the Turtles erased a two-run deficit and propelled ahead of the Slugs. Jake Davey belted four home runs in five at bats, accounting for five Slug runs, including the first at bat of the game. Jesse Marra extended the lead for the Slugs in the top of the fourth with a two-run blast before the Sea Turtles fired up the engine in the comeback train. Joseph led the Turtle offense with two home runs. Licht locked in from the rubber and finished his complete game with a one, two inning to earn the win.
Beavers Down High Heat To Open Season
Adam Carosone raced around the bases for a rare three-run inside-the-park home run and then pitched five innings of one-run wiffleball to propel the Beavers to a win in their first game of the year. Carosone also drove in the insurance runs with a two-run single in the third, extending the Beavers lead after Maxx Melnyk hit a solo shot in the top half of the inning. Melnyk tossed the entirety of the game for the two-man High Heat squad.
Zadrozny Walks It Off For Boneyard
Tyler Zadrozny stepped in with two runners on and one out in the bottom of the fifth and launched a walk-off home run to win Boneyard the game, 5-2, over the Lumberkings. Cole Lanni put the Kings down in order in the top of the first and led off the bottom half with a homer, then was followed by a solo shot from Chris Sarnowski to put BYW up 2-0 real early. The veteran left hander, Jake Cadez settled down and quieted the reigning champs offense until the walk off. Frank Fortunato gave the Lumberkings their two runs in the third inning with a two run bomb. Cole Lanni tossed the complete game for BYW to get the win, he struck out three.
Boneyard Mercy Rules Ball Busters
Boneyard Wiffle welcomed the Ball Busters into the WILL with a three inning mercy rule rout. All five Boneyarders had multiple hits, led by Eric Diffendal with a 4-for-4 performance highlighted by a three-run homer. Chris Sarnowski dominated from the rubber, allowing just two hits and striking out two.
Lumberkings Homer Way Past PWW
The Lumberkings launched six home runs on way to an 8-3 win over Prestige World Wide on Opening Day. Jake Cadez and Christian Johnson hit two apiece, while Frank Fortunato and Justin Davey added one apiece. Johnson, Cadez, and Fortunato fired off a back-to-back-to-back barrage of dingers in the fourth. Will Taczak and Tyson Mead joined on the home run festivities with solo shots for PWW.
Oakdale Gets First Win Behind Dragisich HR and CG
Johnny Dragisich homered in the third inning, which the Curve scored all four runs, and pitched a complete game to lead Oakdale to a 4-1 win over the Roman Noodles. Matt Cottrill got the Noodles run on a solo shot to lead of the fourth. Scott Bilovus singled with two on in the third and was drove in by the Dragisich dinger.
Castelli Blasts Walk Off Bomb For Sea Turtles
Jordan Castelli had all four hits for the Sea Turtles, but none more meaningful than his last, a walk off bomb to left field. Gino Joseph and Scott Bilovus dueled it out on the rubber and each pitched great. The Castelli power was the difference maker, moving the Sea Turtles to 3-0 on the season. Johnny Dragisich hit a homer in the fourth for the Curve.
Beavers Finish Opening Night With Narrow Win
Greyden Piechnick hit a home run to lead off the third inning and that would end up being all the Beavers would need to complete a 3-0 opening night. Brett Carosone sat down the Noodles, allowing just two hits while striking out two to earn the complete game win.
Taczak Leads PWW To Stun Of Splunkers
The Splunkers came into 2022 with revenge on their mind after being the #1 seed in the playoffs in 2021 and exiting earlier than expected. Prestige World Wide was up for the battle and soured the Splunkers season opener with a 3-1 victory. Austin Abel hit a lead off home run and then the bats went silent for the Splunkers, as Will Taczak pitched a complete game three-hitter. He allowed just that one run and three of the five baserunners allowed reached in the first. Taczak did it offensively too, hitting the eventual game winning home run, which came in the third with one-out after Kolton Smittle drew a walk. Abel was strong on the mound other than two home runs, he allowed just one other hit and struck out six.
Lumberkings Hold On For Victory Over High Heat
The Lumberkings built a 7-3 lead after four innings of play, but High Heat would not go away easily. The duo of Ethan Earley and Maxx Melnyk hit back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth, then down to their final out Melnyk belted a three run bomb to make it a one run game. A single and a walk put the tying run in scoring position, but Jake Cadez induced a game ending groundout to seal the win for the Lumberkings. Cadez threw all five innings and scattered 12 hits across the six runs allowed while striking out and walking two apiece. The Lumberkings were able to plate runs in each of their four innings at bat. Frank Fortunato, who went 3-for-4, and Mike Ulam hit homers for the Kings, Ulam's was of the two-run variety in the bottom of the fourth.
Beavers Edge Out Ball Busters
Ben Taczak and Brett Carosone both threw gems from the rubber, but ultimately the veteran Beavers were able to edge out the rookie Ball Busters, 2-1. The at bat after Taczak saved a run on an impressive peg out of Brett Carosone at home plate, Greyden Piechnick hit a two-run homer to put the Beavers up 2-0 in the bottom of the third. Gio Lonero got a run back for the Ball Busters in the next half inning on a line drive off the left field wall, but that is all the Ball Buster offense could muster. Brett Carosone earned the win, he struck out one and scattered four hits while walking none. Taczak was the tough luck loser, as he allowed three hits, all of which coming in the third inning, and struck out three.
Abel Pitching and Home Run Gives Splunkers First Win
Austin Abel threw a complete game with four strikeouts, allowing just two runs, and added a two run home run on the offensive side to help earn the Splunkers their first win of 2022. The Sea Turtles got two runs in the second by a Rob Licht home run, but that is all they could salvage.
Ball Busters Thump High Heat
Gio Lonero led the game off with a home run and the Ball Busters never looked back, as they cruised to a mercy rule win to cap off their Opening Day. The Ball Busters plated 13 runs before High Heat even stepped in the box. Ethan Earley drove in the lone run on a double down the left field line for the shorthanded High Heat squad.
Prestige World Wide Offense Is Too Much For Slugs
The Prestige World Wide offense could not be stopped, as they stomped the Slugs 13-2 in the Field 3 nightcap on Opening Day. Will Taczak bombed five home runs, Tyson Mead added two, and Kolton Smittle gave them both runners to drive in with six singles in the game. Smittle took the rubber as well to earn the win, he scattered seven Slug hits and struck out one on the way to victory. Tim Marra drove in Morris after his three bagger with a two-run homer, his first of the season.
Gardner Throws One-Hitter In Splunkers 3-0 Win Over Curve
Cree Gardner allowed just one single, which came in the fourth inning, as he shut down the Oakdale Curve leading the Splunkers to a 3-0 win. Gardner struck out four and walked one in the complete game effort. The Splunkers manufactured two runs in the first inning off of three singles, a walk, and an RBI fielders choice. Zach Williams finished the game 4-for-6 for the Splunkers. Mikey Sullivan added an insurance run with a solo homer in the fifth. Zach Marshall had the lone hit for Oakdale.
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Up Next
Week 2 will return to Hendersonville Park for another 18-game slate on Monday. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@wiffislife).
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