Rain came through town heavily in the early afternoon, but the sky cleared up and a full slate of Wiffle Ball was able to be played in the WILL for the first time in 2021. Week 2 featured field tournaments, where teams were split across three fields and competed in double elimination tournaments at those fields. The winner of the brackets received three points, runner ups two (for three team brackets they had to force if necessary game), and third place one point. While the team that went winless got -1 point.
Field Brackets:
Field 1- ARAB (3 points), Slugs (1 point), Noodles (1 point)
Field 2- Splunkers (3 points), Boneyard (1 point), Abyss (0 points)
Field 3- Flamingos (3 points), Lumberkings (2 points), High Heat (1 point)
Recaps and Box Scores of Each Game:
Field 1:
Game 1: Roman Noodles (7) vs. Banana Slugs (3)
Nick Popielarczyk scattered 6 Slug hits in a complete game win for the Roman Noodles to get them in the W column for the first time this season. Pop had one hiccup in the bottom of the fifth, when Nate Morris launched a 3-run homer, his first home run of the season. Morris got the L for the Slugs in their first game of the season. Matt Cottrill got the scoring going for the Noodles in the first inning with a three run homer, Pop added a grand slam in the second inning, and that was all the Noodles would need.
Game 2: All Runs Are Bombs (4) vs. Roman Noodles (2)
Greyden Piechnick and Rob Licht hit two run home runs in the first and second inning, respectively to put All Runs Are Bombs out in front early in the contest. Zach Roman answered with home runs of his own in the third and fourth inning, but they came in the solo variety. Brett Carosone was able to shut the rest of the Noodles lineup down from the rubber, and hold the ARAB lead. Nick Popielarczyk got the loss for the Noodles, while striking out 5.
Game 3: Banana Slugs (3) vs. Roman Noodles (1)
The Slugs scored all three of their runs in the second inning, as Jesse Marra led off with a home run, and then five more hits pushed across the other two runs for the Slugs. Nate Morris shutdown the Noodles offense, who tacked him for 7 runs earlier in the day. In this game, Morris struck out three and allowed one run on 5 hits. The lone Noodles run came in the third on a solo shot by Matt Cottrill. Pop got the loss on the rubber for the Noodles, and went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Game 4: All Runs Are Bombs (6) vs. Banana Slugs (5)
All Runs Are Bombs edged out the Banana Slugs to win Field 1 on Week 2. Each of the batters on ARAB hit home runs. Licht and Piechnick went back-to-back in the first inning, to put them ahead 4-0. Nate Morris answered in the top of the second with a three run home run to narrow the deficit, and Tim Marra tied things up with a home run in the third. Morris held the ARAB offense off the board in innings 2 and 3, including escaping a bases loaded, no out jam. The Slugs took a one run lead in the top of the fourth when Jesse Marra stole third and then scored on an RBI groundout. Brett Carosone came up clutch in the bottom of the fourth with a two run home run, which turned out to be the game winning homer. Adam Carosone shut the door in the fifth for the ARAB's victory, finishing out his complete game.
Field 2:
Game 1: Splunkers (2) vs. Boneyard Wiffle (1)
Cole Lanni got Boneyard Wiffle out ahead in the third when he broke the scoreless tie with a home run. Boneyard kept the narrow lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Splunkers were not ready for their first loss of the season. After a lead off flyout, the Splunkers rattled off four singles in a row to push across the tying run. Abel threw a scoreless sixth, and the Splunkers came back in the bottom half with a walk, single, then the Gardner walk off. Abel finished the game with 7 strikeouts and walked one. Lanni pitched the tough luck loss for BYW, as he was able to scatter the hits early, but the Splunkers got timely ones late. Offensively, Lanni had all four hits for BYW.
Game 2: Splunkers (1) vs. The Abyss (0)
Cree Gardner hit a first inning RBI double and that would be all the support Splunkers pitcher, Austin Abel, needed. Abel tossed 5 shutout innings, allowed 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out 6. Jake Kennedy was nearly just as good from the rubber for The Abyss. Kennedy allowed just one hit after the first inning Splunkers score. Cam Kennedy had the lone hit for The Abyss in their first career WILL game.
Game 3: Boneyard Wiffle (3) vs. The Abyss (0)
Tyler Zadrozny hit a fly ball off the top of the left field fence and over to give Boneyard Wiffle the win in Field 2's loser bracket finals. Cole Lanni and Jake Kennedy went pitch for pitch, as each team was held scoreless through the regulation 5 innings. Boneyard struck for three off the Zadrozny homer in the sixth, which was preceded by a single, flyout, single to start the inning. Lanni continued the shutout through six innings, as he earned the W from the rubber, where he struck out 3 and scattered 6 hits. Jake and Cam Kennedy each had two hit games for the Abyss. Stellar defense was on display this game, as no errors were committed with 19 of the 23 outs being off balls in play.
Game 4: Splunkers (2) vs. Boneyard Wiffle (1)
Deja vu all over again. The Splunkers come from behind to walk off against Boneyard for the second time in Week 2, and this time to win the Field 2 bracket. Tyler Zadrozny gave Boneyard the lead in the top of the first when he hit a one out single with bases loaded. That would be the only run scored in the game until the bottom of the fifth. The Splunkers rallied with one out to get three straight hits and score two runs to secure the victory. Austin Abel hit the game tying double, and Aaron Lindow followed with a single to walk it off, and keep the Splunkers perfect season alive. Lanni and Abel each had well pitched games and went the distance for their respective teams.
Field 3:
Game 1: Lumberkings (4) vs. Flamingos (0)
Jake Cadez cruised past one of the top rated offenses in the league, behind great defense and two strikeouts. Cadez allowed two runners on in the first, but after that no inning saw more than one Flamingo on the base paths. All four runs for the Lumberkings came in the top of the fifth. Frank Fortunato broke the scoreless tie with a two run home run, then Christian Johnson followed with one of his own three batters later. Gino Joseph threw the complete game for the Flamingos, he struck out 6 and got tabbed with the loss. Austin Berger led the Flamingos with two hits.
Game 2: Lumberkings (2) vs. High Heat (1)
The Lumberkings continued their hot start to Week 2, as they held on to beat High Heat to secure at least 2 points. Maxx Melnyk got the High Heat on the board in the fifth with a leadoff home run and Riley followed with a double, but back-to-back outs ended the inning and the game. Mike Ulam had three hits for the Lumberkings. Jake Cadez drove in Ulam for both runs on a double in the second and a single in the third, each hit came with one out. Cadez did it from the rubber, as well, he threw the complete game and struck out four. Melnyk tossed all five for High Heat and got tabbed with the L.
Game 3: Flamingos (5) vs. High Heat (0)
Austin Berger threw a complete game one hitter to give the Flamingos their first win of the season. The Flamingos scored all 5 of their runs in the second inning, when Gino Joseph hit a three run homer and Jordan Castelli followed with a solo shot in the next at bat. Maxx Melnyk started on the rubber for High Heat and went three innings, Bernie Riley relieved him and threw a scoreless fourth inning. Riley had the lone hit for the High Heat, a single in the fifth.
Game 4: Flamingos (6) vs. Lumberkings (5)
The Flamingos were down 5-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. Austin Berger led the inning off with a single, then Gino Joseph blasted a two run home run and the bats came alive for the squad in pink. Four more hits, a walk, and a throwing error put the Flamingos ahead by a run, the go ahead run came across after a throwing error by the Lumberkings right fielder. Steve Keelon, the starting pitcher, closed the door in the top of the fifth with two strikeouts. Christian Johnson hit a home run in the second to put the Lumberkings up early. The Kings struck for four more in the top of the fourth on home runs by Jake Cadez, Frank Fortunato, and Mike Ulam. Cadez cruised through three innings before the fourth inning rally by the Flamingos, as he got tabbed with the loss on the rubber.
Game 5: Flamingos (6) vs. Lumberkings (2)
Gino Joseph hit two home runs and pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out five, to give the Flamingos the Field 3 Bracket victory during Week 2. His first home run came in the third and it was a grand slam, which put the Flamingos ahead 4-2. His second was a two run shot in the fourth, making Joseph responsible for all six runs for the pink squad. Christian Johnson gave the Lumberkings the lead in the first with a single. Justin Davey added a solo home run in the second inning for the Kings. Cadez tossed the complete game for the light blue.
0-2 Faceoff
0-2 Game: The Abyss (1) vs. High Heat (3)
High Heat avoided the negative point for the day with a 3-1 victory over The Abyss, who will get the negative point as a result. Maxx Melnyk and Bernie Riley each hit a solo home run in the third inning, and Melnyk drove in a run in the fourth with a single to extend the lead to 3-1. Toby Kennedy put The Abyss ahead early with a solo homer in the first, but that is all The Abyss could get across the plate. Riley shut The Abyss lineup down the rest of the way, as he scattered six hits and allowed just the first inning run, while striking out 1 and walking none. Jake Kennedy tossed another solid game for The Abyss, but was unable to get any offensive support again.
Other Notes:
LFG Slimeball forfeited and received -1 point.
Valley Bend Blue Jays will have a makeup opportunity on Saturday when they take on LFG twice and ARAB once, a sweep will get them two points, a victory over ARAB one, and a loss of all three, -1.
Up Next
The WILL returns to action on Saturday morning with breakfast Wiffle Ball. Games are makeups from week 1. Follow the action on our Twitter @wiffislife. All 11 teams will be in action on Monday with regularly scheduled gameplay.
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Visit Lovie's Frosty Twist on South Main Street in Houston for ice cream this summer, tell 'em the WILL sent you!
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