Memorial Day Scoresheet

Those of you who eschew the scoresheet, preferring others to record the batter-by-batter events of the game are, from time to time, missing out on a little bit of wiffle magic.  Here's today's scoresheet:

Peter "your Commish" Berwald took most of the scoring duties for the home team today. I took most of that job for the visitors, and had the pleasure of watching, inning-by-inning, as Peter decorated the scoresheet with his expert sketches.  Here's a detail:

Infantryman, by da Commish

There's other interesting stuff to see on the scoresheet, such as:

• Peter's two scoreless innings of pitching.
• Matt and Kurt each went 8-for-12 at the plate.
• Glen's third inning Grand Slam.
• The Visitors' late comeback in the fourth and fifth innings.
• Fred's scoreless pitching in the sixth for the save.

Happy Memorial Day.

What a Piece of Work

What a piece of work is a Wiffler, how noble in batting, how
infinite in pitches, in fielding and swing how express and
admirable, in sitting how like an angel, in chalking-runs how like
a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of athletes—and yet,
dear friends, what is this quintessence of plastic?

Fred, Kurt, Matt - 7 r, 19 h
Dave, Glen, Pete - 5 r, 12 h

W: Mosser
L: Cebulash
S: Kirchner

HR: Cebulash (Grand Slam) - his 8th.

Steamed and Pressed

Memorial Day Weekend Blogger: Peter Berwald!

It was a hot and hazy Saturday morning as three regular participants showed up to play some wiffle ball. The usual pre-game chatter took place about who had won in the “bigs” and what the guys had done the previous night while the Commish re-chalked the field (remnants of chalk remained from Thursday night's game)..

And then the surreal occurred. Ben "Tag" showed up to play, he walked on the field with a child-like grin and extra “swag” in his step.  He was coming in off of a good game the other day, and he was hungry for more-and he didn't disappoint the fans....in theory.

Not to be outdone, who came coasting in on his bike? Han Soo, that’s who. No driving to Columbus for graduate school today, and a clearly he was looking forward to having break from the usual parenting routine. Like Ben, he came to play… in theory.

The sides were chosen; Peter "The Commish" and Han Soo “Two Strike” took the field.

With a runner on first and two outs, who was next to show up? Brent “Mac Daddy" Mackintosh! 3 per side! Play ball!

The visitors loaded up the bases and Kurt (Krash) Mosser knocked in a run to start the scoring. He followed up his RBI inning shutting down the home-team as Han Soo, Brent and Pete began a day of anemic hitting including against the likes of Ben and Glen, a couple of pitchers accustomed to giving up a run or two.

As the game progressed, the visitors pecked away with consistent hitting and timely RBI’s while the home-team couldn’t seem to put it all together including a bases-loaded ground out by the Commish against Glen in the bottom of the 4^th.

The game ended with all three home-team “hitters” flying out to deep left against “The Artist, Glen Cebulash.”

Photo courtesy of Brent Mackintosh

The final score says it all, visitors 10, home 0.

Ben 8 for 14 with a triple, and 4 RBI’s. He gave up 3 hits from the mound.

Glen 7 for 14 with two doubles and 3 RBI’s. He gave up 3 hits as well.

Kurt 9 for 14 (all singles) with 4 RBI’s. He gave up 3 hits...hmm, sense a pattern?

Brent 2 for 9 at the plate (singles). He gave up 5 runs from the hill.

Han Soo 3 hits (singles) for 9 at bats. He gave up 2 runs.

Pete 4 for 9, all singles. He gave up 3 runs.

Side notes; Glen made a great catch on a line-drive from the Commish. Kurt hit a shot that hit the wall in a millisecond for a powerful…single. It would've cleared the fence and then some. "The wall giveth..." There were probably 10 pop-ups by everybody. The home-team had no extra-base hits. The Commish went up and over giving up 50 plus runs for the season…he obviously needs to back himself up with better fielders.

Wiffle Picture Puzzler

A snap from tonight's action...

Does anything seem unusual about this picture? Make your guesses in the comments.

That Game in May

May 19, 2012 brought us truly perfect weather conditions for one of Oakwood's most cherished traditions... Saturday Morning Wiffle. We were doubly blessed with surprise players as Eric "The Bandit" Zamonski and Ben "Tag" Montague were among the eight (count 'em EIGHT!) who bestrode the asphalt at Nance Bradds this morning.

Nothing could diminish the the joy of playing the game. Not even finding a big ass truck parked in the deep outfield.

Fortunately, the aforementioned Zamonski always has purple spray paint handy.  Thus we were able to make lemons into lemonade:

And for four of our number the game lived up to the idyllic conditions. Seven crisp innings were played featuring lead changes, gold-glove defense, some tough pitching, and a close win for the Visitors

Scoreless into the bottom of the third, Ben Montague made his return to the rubber. Rudely greeted by the Home team, and surrendered two runs, both driven in by da Commish, including a triple under the truck.

The lead was short-lived, though as Glen took his turn to pitch and allowed five runs on seven consecutive one-out hits (the last a double by Fred "The Poet" Kirchner), giving the Visitors the five runs they'd need for today's win.

But as I said, it was a beautiful day for a beautiful game. And everyone could walk away feeling they had a good game. Check out these stats:

VISITORS:

Matt: 2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 4 K.

Kurt: 5-for-10, 3B, 2B, 1 rbi.

Peter: 2 IP, 0 runs. 6-for-10, 3 rbi.

Glen: 5-for-11, 2 2B.

HOME:

Ben: 1-for-9, 1 rbi. Earned the Win and the Save!

Dave: 4-for-9, 1 rbi. (We won't talk about the pitching.)

Eric: 2-for-8, 1 rbi. 2 IP, 0 runs, 5 K.

Fred: 6-for-7, 2B, 2 game-winning rbi. 1 IP, 0 runs. 

Notes:

• It was also "Bring your wife to the game day." Kirsten Halling, Karen Lindsay and Michelle Eldridge each paid visits and witnessed the jocularity.
• The only sour note on Fred's stellar plate work, was that he still runs to first after each hit. I guess it works for him, but it is unbecoming a wiffler. Be sure to attend the next Theory, as there will be a round on The Poet; such was the fine imposed by da Commish.

Double Header! Wiff followed by Theory

The real men played two. Matt just played one. And the rest of ya'll....

Displaying the tremendous foresight we rely on from a Commissioner, Peter declared we must play tonight as there will be no opportunity to play over the Mother's Day weekend. Thus did five guys answer the call and came to the "field" for our weekly bat and ball play.

In Matt's case: "weakly."

Pete and Dave (R-OH) absolutely dominated the seemingly competent lineup of Glen, Kurt and Matt. At one stretch they retired 13 in a row - and that includes pitching underhand to Glen. After six innings, they had a lead of 4-0, but it seemed to be so much more. Really, they shoulda won.

But they didn't.

The visitors somehow talked them into another inning or two. Peter was on the phone, making sure he had the time. He coulda said he had to go.

But he didn't.

Dave took the mound in the top of the seventh for his fourth inning. He had faced 10 batters all night to get the nine outs he'd already recorded. But outs 11 and 12 proved harder to find.  A one-out rally - single, single, single, triple - produced three runs. The triple was curated by Glen, and pulled his team within one.

After Kurt pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh, Peter pitched the top of the eighth - his fourth inning on the mound. He was battered for six hits, including 3 doubles, and three runs; this after a good night of pitching from da Commish: 3 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 3 K prior to the 8th inning.

In the fading light of evening, Matt came on to get the three batter save, making up for his poor showing with the bat: (3-for-13, 0 rbi). 

Glen, Kurt, Matt - 6

Dave, Peter - 4

W: Mosser

L: Berwald

S: Lindsay

BS: Berwald (the Full Papelbon)

The game was followed by a cool-down on Kurt's porch and then a trip to Tank's for Theory.

Derby Day

So your ever-diligent and faithful stat-keeper and blogger logged in today to once again chronicle the manly doings on the asphalt at Smith this morning.  And when I did, what did I see???

Stats. About the Blog!! Stats about the Stats Blog!!!  I need a cold shower. And just look at their recommendation...

Is that not awesome? Since they suggest the need for "MORE STATS", I will promise the Overhand/Underhand Split stats by midnight Sunday!!

This all of course made my day, because the game this morning did not. The home-boys, Dave, Glen and Kurt (who makes these teams?) blasted Pete and Matt to the tune of the Theme from Hogan's Heroes 12 to 2.

They scored in each of the first four innings: 1 off Matt in the first, 3 off Pete in the second, 1 off Matt in the third, and 7 off Pete in the fourth. Matt did manage a scoreless fifth, but I think they were just being nice.

There was an early glimmer of hope as the Visitors took a short-lived 2-1 lead in the second inning, with Peter driving in the runs with a double and a ground out. Charge both those runs to Glen, who was otherwise masterful with the underhand magic.

Good offensive numbers all around for the winners. Dave had 8 hits and 4 RBI; Glen had 7 hits and 5 RBI; Kurt 7 hits, 3 RBI.

Final score: H to 12.

Pete, Matt - 2

Glen, Dave Kurt - 12

W: Eldridge

L: Berwald

HR - Cebulash (his third on the year)