Rulebook Overview

Organized, competitive wiffleball comes in many forms.  See the left sidebar to access the full rules.  Here are the essential elements of our brand:

Season Length: 20 games

Game Length: 6 innings -- there is neither a time or inning limit, but most games will take an hour and fifteen minutes or less.  There are no special rules changing play within extra innings.

Pitching Type: Fast -- A radar enforced speed limit of 70 mph is in effect for all league games.  The mound is 42' from home plate, and strikes are called using a wooden strike zone placed behind the plate.  A traditional 4 ball, 3 strike count is used.

Baserunning: Yes -- In an attempt to make the game as much like baseball as possible, there is baserunning with 45' basepaths.

Bat Type: Loco bat is the league-endorsed bat -- Yellow bats are allowed, but not preferred, as the fast pitching calls for larger bats to even the playing field. Other bats may be used, subject to the rules on equipment.

Team Size: A full strength team has 5 players in the field (including the pitcher), and may bat up to 9 players.  Free substitution is allowed in the field at positions other than pitcher, but the batting lineup is less flexible.  See the Rules.

Field Size: 45' basepaths, outfield fence varying between 100' and 110'.

Umpires -- No.  Calls are made by players on the field with an emphasis on the spirit of fair play.

League Leaders:

Home Run Race Heats Up!

Offensive League Leaders
Batting Average [Min 38 PA]		On-base PCT [Min 28 PA]		Doubles		Homeruns		Runs Batted In
Reilly Brindle, RBI	.639	Reilly Brindle, RBI	.674	Andy Seigel	11	Aidan Welch, DS	6	Daniel Rish, WCW	37
Daniel Rish, WCW	.606	Sam Johnson, BS	.672	Daniel Rish	10	Zac Harris, CNW	6	Liam Munro, CNW	33
Brett Renschler, WW	.595	Kevin Saul, WW	.667	Matt Soucy	8	Cody Thomson, DS	6	Cody Thomson, DS	30
Zac Harris, CNW	.574	Liam Munro, CNW	.662	Andrew Ybarra	7	Kyle Saul, WW	4	Aidan Welch, DS	28
Austin Cudworth, WCW	.573	Cale Spence, SMRF	.660	Zac Harris	6	Kevin Saul, WW	4	Brian Pendergast, BS	28
Liam Munro, CNW	.565	Brett Renschler, WW	.653	Kevin Tsuchida	6	Liam Munro	3	Matt Soucy, BB	27
Andy Seigel, CNW	.560	Dalton Cunningham,BB	.636	Matt Pearson	6	Sam Johnson	3	Kevin Saul, WW	25
Kevin Tsuchida, WCW	.559	Daniel Rish, WCW	.631	Cudworth, Suhr	5	Payton Lawson	3	Max Berner-Hays, DS	24
Kevin Saul, WW	.548	Aidan Welch, DS	.630	Berner-Hays, Winter	5	Felix Reyes	3	Payton Lawson, DS	22
Cody Thomson, DS	.548	Jed Laprade, BS	.620	McGrath, Pendergast	5	Daniel Rish	3	Reyes & Renschler, WW	22

Pitching League Leaders
Record		ERA [Min 10 IP]		WHIP [Min 10 IP]		Strikeouts		K/BB Ratio [Min 10 K]
Daniel Rish, WCW	5-0-1	Matt Soucy, BB	1.51	Matt Soucy, BB	1.11	Daniel Rish, WCW	81	Matt Soucy, BB	13.00
Matt Soucy, BB	5-2-0	Daniel Rish, WCW	1.76	Kevin Saul, WW	1.62	Matt Soucy, BB	78	Matt Leonard	8.00
Randall Pope, SMRF	4-2-0	Kevin Saul, WW	2.25	Daniel Rish, WCW	1.79	Andrew Winter, WCW	61	Kevin Saul, WW	3.67
Cody Thomson, DS	4-3-0	Nick Winn, RBI	3.35	Nick Winn, RBI	1.95	Nick Winn, RBI	61	Daniel Rish, WCW	2.70
Sam Heikell, SMRF	3-1-0	Reilly Brindle, RBI	4.50	Reilly Brindle, RBI	2.06	Aidan Welch, DS	46	Nick Winn, RBI	2.54
Aidan Welch, DS	3-1-0	Cody Thomson, DS	8.47	Cody Thomson, DS	3.15	Cody Thomson, DS	41	Jed Laprade	2.50
Nick Winn, RBI	3-2-0	Aidan Welch, DS	8.53	Craig McGrath, WW	3.18	Kevin Saul, WW	33	Craig McGrath	2.40
Andrew Winter, WCW	3-2-0	Randall Pope, SMRF	9.40	Aidan Welch, DS	3.22	Reilly Brindle, RBI	27	Reilly Brindle	2.14
Craig McGrath, WW	3-2-0	Craig McGrath, WW	9.43	Randall Pope, SMRF	3.47	Randall Pope, SMRF	27	Mitch Barham	1.59
Reilly Brindle, RBI	3-2-0	Felix Reyes, WW	11.20	Brady Lawler, BB	3.74	Jed Laprade, BS	24	Jacob Pope	1.50

Team Rankings
Batting Average		Slugging Pct.		Home Runs		Runs/Game		ERA
Chicken'n'Wiffles	.502	Chicken'n'Wiffles	.666	Dinger Squad	18	Dinger Squad	11.56	RBI Steaks	5.15
West Coast Washout	.500	Wiff Waff	.647	Wiff Waff	16	Bungalow Boys	11.14	Bungalow Boys	7.16
Dinger Squad	.470	Dinger Squad	.645	Chicken'n'Wiffles	12	Chicken'n'Wiffles	10.86	West Coast Washout	9.03
RBI Steaks	.456	RBI Steaks	.612	RBI Steaks	11	RBI Steaks	10.00	Dinger Squad	10.80
Wiff Waff	.451	West Coast Washout	.593	Blue Sox	8	West Coast Washout	9.50	Wiff Waff	12.47

 Current before play on 7/19/2015.

Pitching Duels Highlight 

Week 10

Bungalow Boys Shut Out Blue Sox

Dinger Squad 4, Blue Sox 0

Dinger Squad 6, Blue Sox 0

An Evenly Lopsided Series

Smurfs 20, Chicken'n'Wiffles 3

Chicken'n'Wiffles 28, Smurfs 1

Wiff Waff - RBI Steaks deliver Epic Showdown

RBI Steaks 2, Wiff Waff 1

RBI Steaks 16, Wiff Waff 6

Dinger Squad's Streak Snapped By Washout

West Coast Washout 5, Dinger Squad 3

Dinger Squad 3, West Coast Washout 0

	Pitcher of the Week: Sam Heikell
	Defensive Player of the Week:
	Offensive Player of the Week: Craig McGrath

Seattle Wiffleball

Welcomes the Rain

Dinger Squad KO's Bungalow Boys Division Desires

Dinger Squad 2, Bungalow Boys 1

Dinger Squad 6, Bungalow Boys 5 (7 innings) 

RBI Steaks Offense Shines in the Rain

RBI Steaks 18, Chicken'n'Wiffles 9

RBI Steaks 17, Chicken'n'Wiffles 0

West Coast Washout Capture Anticlimatic Seeyas Crown

West Coast Washout 11, Smurfs 5

	Pitcher of the Week: Aidan Welch
	Defensive Player of the Week: Jacob Pope
	Offensive Player of the Week: Daniel Carson

Wiff Waff to Playoffs by

Week 12 Inaction

Chicken'n'Wiffles go out as they came in; With a Win

Bungalow Boys 15, Chicken'n'Wiffles 14

Chicken'n'Wiffles 15, Bungalow Boys  8

Blue Sox give RBI Steaks a run for their money

RBI Steaks 14, Blue Sox 11

RBI Steaks 5, Blue Sox 0

The Smurfs's Pope-Mobile Runs Out of Gas

	Pitcher of the Week: Matt Pearson
	Defensive Player of the Week: Elijah Ybarra
	Offensive Player of the Week: Matt Soucy

Winter is Coming:

Grab Your Speed Gun

The simultaneous best and worst idea of the all-star festivities passed without injuries.  The radar gun competition was concieved in part to see what the league would look like without a speed limit.  Based on this contest, it might not be pretty, with unhittably fast strikes and plenteous balls.  The contest consisted of participants throwing 12 pitches, with the score coming from the average of the fastest five strikes.  Hurling fewer than five strikes resulted in the inclusion of zeroes in the average, a penalty which sealed the fate of one legitimate contender.

For four weeks, the Bungalow Boys' Matt Soucy was the leader in the clubhouse.  Knowing that Soucy would be one of the parties interested in competing, he was allowed to record his twelve pitches after play on August 2nd due to his imminent departure.  His five fastest strikes averaged 81.8 mph, with one pitch registering at 90 mph. 

After withstanding the best efforts of four challengers, Soucy's mark of 81.8 mph still had to stand against several World Series pitchers.  Both Riley Brindle and Nick Winn of the RBI Steaks elected not to participate after warming up for the contest, but both Washout starters went for gold.  As anyone who faced the Washout staff would know, Andrew Winter provided the threat.

Winter's first five pitches saw four strikes above 80 mph, but after his fifth, his average sat at 79.4 mph.  The clincher came on the 9th pitch, an 87 mph strike.  His score of 82.8 mph was never in danger, as Daniel Rish threw consistently but failed to throw an outlier hard enough to boost his average.

McGrath, Rish to the wire in HR Derby

The pace of homerun production started low in the league's first homerun derby, with three hitters [Pearson, Saul, and Thomson] shut out and eliminated in the first round.  Liam Munro, Daniel Rish, and Aidan Welch led participants with 3 HRs each.

The final two rounds were cumulative, with participants needing at least one second round homer to advance. Max Berner-Hays was the lone victim of the second round.

Zac Harris hit two second round homers, which would lead the way until Rish parked six.  All other advancing hitters hit a single second round homer, leaving Rish sitting pretty heading into the final round.

Craig McGrath, the first hitter of the final round, proved that Rish's lead was in fact not insurmountable by surmounting it.  He hit six final round homeruns to tie Rish for a single-round record, and positioned himself as the man to beat in the process with 7 total homers.  The regular season leaders, Aidan Welch and Zac Harris, did not offer resistance.  Welch finished tied for bronze with Liam Munro.  As the final batter, Rish tied McGrath partway through his final round, and regained the lead with four outs left, using the remainder of the round to push his cumulative total to 11 over the final two rounds.

Matt Pearson manned the mound for Rish, with Kevin Saul doing the duty for fellow Wiff Waffer McGrath.

	Anthracite Division	W	L	PCT	GB	WCGB
	x-RBI Steaks	15	5	.750	--	--
	z-Wiff Waff	10	10	.500	5	2
	Smurfs	7	13	.350	8	5
	Chicken'n'Wiffles	4	16	.200	11	8
	Seeyas Division	W	L	PCT	GB	WCGB
	x-West Coast Washout	14	6	.700	--	--
	y-Dinger Squad	14	6	.700	--	--
	y-Bungalow Boys	12	8	.600	2	--
	Blue Sox	4	16	.200	10	8

x - Cliched Division

y - Clinched Wildcard

z - Advance to Playoffs in place of Bungalow Boys

Playoff Snapshot: If the Playoffs were to Start Today:

#1 SEED Anthracite Division:		Record: 13-5 Remaining Opponents: Blue Sox
#2 SEED Seeyas Division:		Record: 14-6 Remaining Opponent: None
#3 SEED Wild-Card 1:		Record: 13-6 Remaining Opponents: Smurfs [1 game]
#4 SEED Wild-Card 1:		Record: 11-7 Remaining Opponent: Chicken'n'Wiffles
On the Bubble:		Record: 8-10 Remaining Opponent: Smurfs
On the Bubble:		Record: 7-10 Remaining Opponents: West Coast Washout [1 game], Wiff Waff

 *Note:  The 2015 divisions are named in honor of the leagues whose existence allowed Seattle Wiffleball a reality.

The Seeyas Division is named in tribute to Carl Coffee, founder of Wiffle in Southeast Michigan (WSEM), and integral member of the NWLA, the National Wiffleball League Association.  It alludes to his trademark homerun call.  The name was chosen by West Coast Washout player Jason Matt, a former WSEM player.  

The Anthracite Division is named in honor of two leagues in Northeastern Pennsylvania, a region renowned in the first half of the twentieth century for its anthracite coal, the fuel that made America its steel, and therefore its manufacturing power.  Seattle Wiffleball commissioner Daniel Rish made his bones in Backyard Wiffle Ball (BWBLPA) of Wilkes-Barre, PA, before moving the Mountaintop, PA Susquehanna River League (SRL), a league he watched Westside Washout teammate Beau Reznak create (with substantial help from fellow teammate and father Bill Reznak).

The story comes together in early 2015, as a  conversation between Beau Reznak and Carl Coffee led to my knowledge that there was already one wiffle aficionado in Seattle in Jason Matt.  This knowledge was the catalyst for the creation of Seattle Wiffleball, as it shifted from a casual "what-if" scenario into a months-long campaign of poster-hanging propaganda.

World Series: West

Coast Washout Crowned

 The West Coast Washout hoist the "Leaning Silver Man" trophy and a propane tank to celebrate their victory.  From left: Daniel Rish, Jason Matt, Han-Gyu Kim, Austin Cudworth, Andrew Winter.

RBI Steaks Break Out the Brooms vs. Wiff Waff

Game 1: West Coast Washout 1, RBI Steaks 0

The starters for this game came in boasting spotless postseason ERAs, and the stats did not lie in predicting a duel.  An across the diamond putout from Nick Winn to Matt Leonard started things off, and was a harbinger of things to come.  RBI Steaks starter Riley Brindle split his outs evenly between defensive outs and strikeouts.  Similarly, Daniel Rish starting off by dealing three strikeouts was a sign of things to come; he finished with 14.  Several innings passed this way, with both pitchers darting their way in and out of trouble.  Things were relatively uneventful until the fourth.  With two runners on and one out, Brindle showed his grit by recording consecutive strikeouts to avoid trouble.  In the bottom of the inning, Jason Matt bailed the Washout out of a jam by recording an unassisted double play to negate a leadoff single by Mitch Barham.  With the game looking like it was headed for free wiffleball, the Washout manufactured a run in the sixth.  Rish lead off with a single, and Andrew Winter and Austin Cudworth followed in kind.  On Cudworth's single, Winter got bottled up between second and third, and Cudworth soon joined the mess.  In a flash, both were out, but Rish had crossed the plate.  This proved to be the only they would need, as Rish set down the bottom of the sixth in order.

Game 2: West Coast Washout 20, RBI Steaks 14

The West Coast Washout came within one missed extra point of a convincing football score in a marathon game which featured 23 hits, 27 walks, and 34 total runs.  The scoring started off mild, with the RBI Steaks claiming a 1-0 lead on a Matt Leonard fielder's choice which plated Steven McGinley from second.  The lead did not last long, as Winter struck back with a run-scoring double before Daniel Rish blasted an opposite field grand slam  Of the five crossing the plate, three had walked, an issue which plagued both pitchers.  Just as quickly as the RBI Steaks lost their lead, they regained it in a second inning that was one of the longest in league history.

In the second, the RBI Steaks scored 11 runs, including 9 with two outs.  Seven of eight Steaks in the lineup crossed the plate, and the eighth, Riley Brindle, got in the action with a 2-run single.  The rally was jumpstarted by the second "oppo-taco" grand slam of the game, this time by Mitch Barham. The rally was aided by 6 walks in addition to 6 hits, with Steven McGinley, Nick Winn, and Max Crawley joining Barham and Brindle in the hit squad.  Despite the damage on the scoreboard, Winter managed to strike out the side.  Desperate to claw their way out of a 12-5 hole, the Washout turned to patience at the plate.  Five of their first six batters walked, the first of 10 walks in the inning.  In the course of the rally, the Washout knocked out Nick Winn after 1.1 IP.  He was replaced by Matt Leonard. Austin Cudworth, Jason Matt, and Winter all sped things along with singles to balance out the rally. After the dust settled, the score was 15-12 Washout.

The remainder of the game was fairly typical after that decidedly atypical start.  Still, it was hard to sense the game slowing down at the time. The RBI Steaks scored two more two-out runs in the third, as Jack Sandstorm and Jimmy Froio worked walks and scored on a McGinley double to make it 15-14.  The Washout then inched farther ahead with a lone run in the bottom of the inning. In a throwback to Game 1, the fourth was scoreless, with the pitchers allowing an inconsequential baserunner apiece.  Winter continued the calm into the fifth, utilizing the Washout defense to record two outs after two walks to lead off the inning.  With a two-run lead feeling quite tenuous, the Washout drove in the dagger in the fifth.  Rish led off with his second homer of the game, and singles by Cudworth and Matt set up a game-altering double down the right line for Cudworth his next time around.  Winter capped his hitting performance by driving in the Washout's twentieth run.  In the bottom of the inning, he didn't blink.  Delivering his third scoreless inning of the game, Winter set down the only three RBI Steaks he faced to give the Washout the inaugural Seattle Wiffleball Crown.

World Series MVP: Andrew Winter Winter's hitting led the Washout throughout the series.  He wound up 9-11 with 4 walks on the day, including a perfect 6-6, 5 RBI performance in the finale.  However, his pitching was key to this winning the award.  Aside from the 11-run second, Winter contained a potent RBI Steaks offense. More importantly, his struggles did not compound after taking a beating -- he clamped down.  What would have happened had he allowed Game 2 to slip away?  While we can only speculate, it seems that momentum would have definitely shifted to the RBI Steaks.  Winter himself would have had to overcome that by taking the mound again as part of the Game 3 pitching limits.  With greater pitching depth, the RBI Steaks could have gone a different route if their own Game 2 starter, Nick Winn, was not refocused by the new game.  This means that winning Game 2 was crucial to the Washout winning the series despite their 1-0 lead.  The circumstances and Winter's late-game heroics lead to his coronation as World Series MVP.

Climactic Day of Festivities Announced

Be there, or else prepare to miss out on abundant spectacles and pageantry.  Here's the schedule:

10:00 AM Homerun Derby

12:00 PM All-Star Game

1:00 PM Cookout; Grilling Commences

1:30 PM Season Award Presentation

2:00 PM World Series Commences

     FAQs:

How will the HR Derby be administered?

BYOP (Bring your own pitcher) or be at the mercy of those who will throw to you.  Anyone can participate in the first round; then top performers will move on to subsequent rounds.  Anyone who did not hit 3 HRs or more in the regular season should show up at 10 AM to be included; "seeded" participants will hit later in the first round, but will likely still hit in the 10:15 AM neighborhood.

I didn't make the all-star game, and can't hit homeruns.  Should I come?

Yes! There will be burgers and dogs at about 1 PM, so come for some of the fun, and stay for the season awards and the World Series.

I throw very hard.

Not technically a question, but we'll allow it.  A lot of folks have the potential to light up the radar gun, and there is a contest in the works to allow everyone to unleash their fastball.  For those pitchers in the World Series who want to participate, they can throw after those games.  Is this contest a good idea? No, no it is not. Bring your icepacks.

I don't throw quite that hard.  Should I participate?

Yes.  The way the rules have been dreamed up, accurate but not particularly fast participants could potentially win, or at least get on the leaderboard.

World Series Preview

#1v	s.#2
Gameday Roster Mitch Barham: 2-8, 1R, 1RBI Reilly Brindle: 2-8, 2-2B, 3R, 4RBI Jimmy Froio: 5-10, 2B, 3R Matt Leonard: 6-8, 3B, 4RBI Steven McGinley: 7-9, 5R, 2B, 2RBI Jack Sandstorm: 2-6, 3R, 2RBI Nick Winn: 3-8, 1RBI	Gameday Roster Austin Cudworth: 2-11, 1R Han-Gyu Kim: 1-9 Jason Matt: [Did not appear in semifinal] Daniel Rish: 3-9, 2B, 3R, 1RBI Conor Roberson: 1-7, 3RBI Kevin Tsuchida: 2-10, 2R, 1RBI Andrew Winter: 5-14, 2-2B, 2R, 3RBI
Projected Starters: Nick Winn: 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 6 IP, 3H, 18 K, 1.33 WHIP    Reilly Brindle: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 3H, 4 K, 0.60 WHIP	Projected Starters: Daniel Rish: 1-0-1, 0.00 ERA, 10 IP, 4 H, 29 K, 0.40 WHIP  Andrew Winter: 1-1, 8.57 ERA, 7 IP, 10 H, 17 K, 2.71 WHIP
In the Pen: Matt Leonard*: 0-0-2, 8.69 ERA, 9.2 IP, 20 H, 13 K, 3.42 ERA        *Regular Season Stats	In the Pen: Jason Matt*: 2-1, 14.67 ERA, 18 IP, 47 H, 11 K, 3.83 WHIP      *Regular Season Stats
Takeaways from the Semifinals:   The RBI Steaks cruised into the World Series, beating up on Wiff Waff in Game 1, and maintaining a comfortable lead throughout the clincher.  Quick starts have been a noticeable trend, the first two batters scored in Game 1, and the first 3 scored in Game 2. Though everyone on the team hit in the semifinals, there were definite hot spots and cold spots. More consistency throughout the lineup is desirable to create long innings and score runs, and the Steaks will need to improve in that area.  The pitching is hard to complain about. Reilly Brindle threw a gem, no less impressive because of his team's offensive dominance, and Nick Winn failed to match it only due to his 5 walks.  The pair just needs business as usual.	Takeaways from the Semifinals: The Washout will not panic if it comes down to close games, as they rallied to score two in the fifth to take a decisive semifinal Game 3 from the Dinger Squad. However, they need to get the bats going early; the pitching will not get easier in the World Series.  Mid-series adjustments meant the Washout struck out 8 times in Game 3, compared to 12 and 15 in the first two.  Even if not getting hits, it is important for the Washout's run-scoring chances and morale to put the ball in play more. On the mound, Andrew Winter and Daniel Rish combined to strike out 2.70 batters per inning.  That's an eye-popping number, but it only matters if runs don't cross the plate.  To that end, both pitchers need to continue to be stingy with walks, and be lucky by not allowing the walks or hits to get strung together.
Parting Thoughts: History suggests a World Series win will not come easy for the RBI Steaks. The Steaks went 11-1 against their own Anthracite Division, but just 4-4 again the Seeyas Division. They will have the chance to prove their supremacy was not simply the result of an easy schedule versus the Washout.  The teams split their only two games of the regular season, a 9-4 Washout win followed by a 9-4 Steaks win.	Parting Thoughts:   The Washout brought a 14-6 record into the playoffs despite only outscoring opponents 170-150.  Their opponent boasted a 213-92 mark.  The Washout then won their seminfinal series with the Dinger Squad despite being outscored on the day, 10-9.  They will need to take a page from both vanquished playoff teams, and attempt to steal runs with aggressive baserunning to stoke a sputtering offense.

2015 League Leaders

Offensive League Leaders
Batting Average [Min 60 PA]		On-base PCT [Min 60 PA]		Doubles		Homeruns		Runs Batted In
Zac Harris, CNW	.602	Sam Johnson	.672	Andy Seigel	13	Aidan Welch, DS	7	Daniel Rish, WCW	43
Daniel Rish, WCW	.593	Cale Spence	.661	Zac Harris	12	Zac Harris, CNW	7	Soucy	43
Liam Munro, CNW	.566	Liam Munro	.660	Daniel Rish	12	Matt Soucy	7	Munro	40
Matt Leonard, RBI	.556	Jimmy Froio	.630	Matt Pearson	10	Cody Thomson	6	Cody Thomson	34
Austin Cudworth, WCW	.551	Zac Harris	.625	Matt Soucy	8	Liam Munro	4	Aidan Welch	32
Reilly Brindle, RBI	.547	Daniel Rish	.619	Andrew Winter	7	Kevin Saul	4	Harris	31
Steven McGinley, RBI	.532	Ryan Nemethy	.619	Craig McGrath	7	Kyle Saul	4	Seigel	31
Andy Seigel, CNW	.529	Reilly Brindle	.612	Andrew Ybarra	7	Mitch Barham	4	Leonard	30
Sam Johnson, BS	.524	Matt Leonard	.605	Berner-Hays, Cudworth	6	Reyes/Rish/Leonard/Brindle	3	Barham	29
Andrew Winter, WCW	.520	A. Welch/ R. Pope	.600	Tsuchida, Winn	6	McGinley/Johnson/P.Lawson	3	Pendergast	29

Pitching League Leaders
Record		ERA [Min 10 IP]		WHIP [Min 10 IP]		Strikeouts		K/BB Ratio [Min 10 K]
Daniel Rish, WCW	6-0-1	Matt Soucy, BB	1.27	Matt Soucy, BB	1.06	Matt Soucy, BB	120	Matt Soucy, BB	17.14
Matt Soucy, BB	7-3-0	Daniel Rish, WCW	1.80	Kevin Saul, WW	1.55	Nick Winn	106	Kevin Saul	4.00
Nick Winn	6-2-0	Kevin Saul, WW	2.18	Nick Winn, RBI	1.63	Daniel Rish	97	Nick Winn	2.79
Aidan Welch	5-1-0	Nick Winn, RBI	2.28	Daniel Rish, WCW	1.90	Andrew Winter	88	Sean Gibbons	2.60
Reilly Brindle	5-2-0	Reilly Brindle, RBI	4.87	Reilly Brindle, RBI	2.29	Aidan Welch, DS	73	Jed Leprade	2.45
Sam Heikell	4-1-0	Aidan Welch, DS	6.32	Aidan Welch	2.70	Cody Thomson, DS	59	Daniel Rish	2.31
Cody Thomson	5-4-0	Cody Thomson, DS	7.50	Cody Thomson	2.84	Kevin Saul, WW	48	Craig McGrath	1.89

Team Rankings
Batting Average		Slugging Pct.		Home Runs		Runs/Game		ERA
Chicken'n'Wiffles	.488	Chicken'n'Wiffles	.648	Dinger Squad	19	RBI Steaks	10.40	RBI Steaks	5.13
West Coast Washout	.480	RBI Steaks	.640	RBI Steaks	18	Chicken'n'Wiffles	10.10	Bungalow Boys	6.02
RBI Steaks	.463	Wiff Waff	.624	Wiff Waff	17	Dinger Squad	9.90	West Coast Washout	8.18
Dinger Squad	.436	Dinger Squad	.595	Chicken'n'Wiffles	14	Bungalow Boys	9.45	Dinger Squad	9.03
Wiff Waff	.432	West Coast Washout	.580	Bungalow Boys	11	West Coast Washout	8.84	Wiff Waff	12.41

  All-Star Rosters Announced

Anthracite Division				Seeyas Division
	Player - Manager: Matt Pearson				Player - Manager: Max Berner-Hays
	Reilly Brindle				Austin Cudworth
	Zac Harris				Sam Johnson
	Matt Leonard				Payton Lawson
	Craig McGrath				Ryan Nemethy
	Liam Munro				Sean Novak
	Jacob Pope				Daniel Rish
	Randall Pope				Matt Soucy
	Kevin Saul		m		Cody Thomson
	Andy Siegel				Hunter Van Horne
	Cale Spence				Aidan Welch
	Nick Winn				Andrew Winter

 

An Ode to the Bungalow

Boys That Were

May 17, 2015 - August 2, 2015

The date was May 17th, and Seattle Wiffleball was teetering on the brink of non-existence.  At this point, I thought that I had seven teams in the bag.  One of those seven would fold the following week, but at the moment then-unnamed Wiff Waff was the problem.  I scheduled the team before they were ready to go, knowing they would be missing Craig McGrath and Andrew Ybarra.  This was before they were supplemented by the addition of Felix Reyes and Gavin Tiemeyer.  Due to this poor judgement, a skeleton squad of Kevin Saul, his brother Kyle, and a passerby named Jackson took the field, and were taking it to the Blue Sox.  (Allowing this game to occur with only three excellent hitters in the lineup for Wiff Waff was one of two major ways I gave the Blue Sox the short end of the stick this season, but that's a story for another day).

Onto this scene entered the future Bungalow Boys, who happened upon the league after finishing a fateful game of pickup basketball in Ravenna Park.  They started talking to the Blue Sox in the outfield, who did a sales job that I could not have pulled off given the circumstances, and my confidence in the league as it stood.  The group was immediately interested in playing, and I was more than eager to add another team on.  I knew that it was a huge logistical risk; this group of Boeing interns might lose interest like any other team, but they also might find a better way to spend their limited Sundays in the Northwest.  It would be a struggle to even get the regular season finished for them, and playoffs were likely out.  My desperation overuled my caution, and I scheduled the newly formed Bungalow Boys for the following week.  I had unknowingly made an excellent choice by putting my faith in this band of Midwestern refugees, arguably saving Seattle WIffleball as we know it.

The Bungalow Boys quickly showed they were able to play, dominating Wiff Waff by a combined score of 44-3 in their first week on their way to a 4-0 start.  Matt Soucy was immediately a dominant pitcher, and the whole lineup -- several of whom had never played bat-and-ball sports before, contributed.  Throughout the season, the Bungalow Boys were consistently the most ruthless hecklers in the league, but they kept their playful criticism clean and focused on their own teammates.  At their core, they were also supportive of one another.  The Boys' uniform was designed by team member Josh York, founder of the York Project, an entrepreneurial apparel line aimed at helping the homeless with each item sold. His Navigator Snapback became the team's unofficial hat.  And, the Boys were committed.  They came to games multiple times from other recreational activities, including but not limited to trips to Vancouver, white-water rafting, camping, skydiving, and soccer games.  In their last week, many of them returned to work on Sunday to close out their affairs, but only after playing their final series.

Had they been able to remain, the Bungalow Boys would have made the playoffs as the #4 seed, with their 12-8 record. Would they have been contenders? Probably. They were likely better than their record, with a median margin of defeat of just a run and a half.  Sean Gibbons, who came onto the scene late and only played in 6 games, was beginning to develop into a solid pitcher by season's end, relying a fastball that hit 70 mph only with considerable restraint.  With playoffs on the line, he probably could have played the final weekend to become playoff eligible.  The 1-2 pitching duo of Soucy and Gibbons just might have masked any offensive futility on the part of the Bungalow Boys.  Could they have won a title?  The world will never know.

So here's to a self-described crew of "two frat presidents, a body builder, a dad bod, a Borat impersonator, an entrepreneur, and a kid named Beef."  Hey Bungalow Boys: if you're still out there, we'll save a spot for you.

Playoff Semifinals:

Steaks, Washout Advance

Max Berner-Hays scores to give the Dinger Squad a 2-1 lead in Game 3.

RBI Steaks Break Out the Brooms vs. Wiff Waff

Game 1: RBI Steaks 10, Wiff Waff 0

Reilly Brindle threw a three-hit complete game, using the stout RBI Steaks defense to his advantage to record 11 outs in the field, the most in any semifinal playoff victory.  Jimmy Froio and Steven McGinley both scored on a Matt Leonard sacrifice in the first inning, after which Wiff Waff starter Craig McGrath settled into a bend, don't break groove.  The floodgates began to creak in the third, as Wiff Waff fell behind 6-0 courtesy of consecutive doubles by McGinley and Brindle to plate Mitch Barham and Jack Sandstorm.  Kevin Saul advanced to third base in the third on an Andrew Ybarra single, but that's the closest Wiff Waff would come to scoring, as Brindle set the final 7 Wiff Waff batters he faced down in order.  The game ended in walk-off fashion by a mercifying Matt Leonard single.

Game 2: RBI Steaks 5, Wiff Waff 2

Things started poorly for Wiff Waff in Game 2, which saw them throw ace Kevin Saul. Brindle knocked in Froio and McGinley with a double before an out was recorded, and then scored himself.  Nick Winn helped his own cause by driving in a second inning run, all while striking out 12 of the first 14 batters to go along with a pair of walks.  Wiff Waff fought back from a 5-0 deficit with singles by McGrath, Ybarra and Saul to cut the lead to 5-2.  In the bottom of the sixth, Winn finally had some trouble with the law, as several key pitches were over the speed limit, leading to the bases being loaded via walks with one out.  Winn dialed it back in, striking out Ybarra and Gavin Tiemeyer to secure the Steaks berth in the World Series.  Notable in this series was Wiff Waff's short-handedness; they were missing Felix Reyes to travel, and a top hitter in Brett Renschler, out with a hamstring injury.

Series MVP: Steven McGinley The RBI Steaks allowed only two runs in their two games, but the offense set the tone. McGinley led the way on that front, going 5-5 off Game 1 starter Craig McGrath, and 3-5 against Wiff Waff ace Kevin Saul.  His first inning contributions were key in each game, but especially the closer Game 2.  The RBI Steaks did not net any runs on Kevin Saul after the first inning, and the fast start made the difference.

Dinger Squad Fall to West Coast Washout in Game 3 Heartbreaker

Game 1: West Coast Washout 2, Dinger Squad 0

This first matchup pitting Aidan Welch on the mound vs. Daniel Rish was a pitcher's duel extraordinaire. Welch allowed two infield hits, while Rish allowed three in a game which featured 29 strikeouts.  The Washout had one baserunner in each of the first three innings, but failed to threaten, while the first 9 Dinger Squad batters were strikeout victims.  Colin Fallon broke up the perfect game with 2 outs in the 4th, beating out a dribbler to the mound by half a step.  Another dribbler to the mound proved the difference, as Conor Roberson trickled a ball just past the arc to plate Rish and Kevin Tsuchida, both who reached by walk.  Max Berner-Hays singled in the sixth to bring the tying run to the plate, but the next three batted went down hacking to seal Game 1.

Game 2: Dinger Squad 7, West Coast Washout 2

The West Coast Washout manufactured a run in the first, as Austin Cudworth singled Andrew Winter to third, allowing him to score on a Conor Roberson sacrifice fly.  From there, Cody Thomson shut them down, keeping the score at 1-0 headed into the third.  The Dinger Squad converted walks to Ezra Beimborn and Max into runs by a Colin Fallon double.  He was knocked in one batter later on a Payton Lawson single.  The Dinger Squad capitalized on Washout miscues with aggressive baserunning - Max's aggressive running forced an errant peg attempt by Daniel Rish, and Fallon scored on the live ball after a close play at first.  A walk forced another run in to make the score 4-1 in the fourth.  The Washout failed to convert in the third and fourth, scoring only one run in consecutive innings loading the bases.  The Dinger Squad sealed the deal with a 3-run 5th thanks to a Colin Fallon double.  He finished the game with 5 RBI.

Game 3: West Coast Washout 4, Dinger Squad 3

Game 3 pitching regulations led to a starting matchup of Cody Thomson vs. Daniel Rish, the two winners earlier in the series.  The pair kept things scoreless headed into the fourth.  In the top of the fourth, Andrew Winter entered the game, allowing back-to-back singles, one of them run-scoring, to Fallon and Berner-Hays before striking out the side. The Washout regained a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning thanks to two Winter singles and a Tsuchida single.  The Dinger Squad didn't miss a beat, claiming a 3-2 lead on a Cody Thomson homerun.  Ezra Beimborn had put on the pressure to attack Cody by leading off with a single, and Winter paid for the decision to attack with the ball sailing over the left-field fence.  In the bottom of the fifth, now battling Aidan Welch, Winter got revenge by smashing a double to knot up the score and cap a 3-6 performance at the plate.  The game came to a climax with a one-out, bases loaded at-bat for Daniel Rish.  The count went full, and Rish took a close, close ball four.  Welch recovered to get the final two batters, but the damage was done, as the Washout had regained a 4-3 lead.  Rish re-entered in the sixth, allowing a leadoff single to Payton Lawson before clamping down with three strikeouts to save the game.

Series MVP: Daniel Rish Rish's right arm gives him the nod in this series, as he struck out 29 batters in 10 scoreless innings en route to a Game 1 win and a Game 3 save.  Rish scattered four hits along the way, and the only walk issued was an intentional one to Cody Thomson.  Rish's bat was relatively quiet, as his shining offensive moment came when he took a 3-2, 2-out riser from Aidan Welch which missed by mere inches, forcing in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 5th inning in Game 3.

Seeyas Divisions Knotted

Up in Week 9

Dinger Squad Makes it 10 in a Row Versus Blue Sox

Dinger Squad 15, Blue Sox 14

The Blue Sox pushed the Dinger Squad to the limit, as Sean Novak and Hunter Van Horne each had two 6th inning hits to lead a 7 run rally.  The two run lead proved not to be enough, with Colin Fallon driving a 3-run single to the right field fence with two outs, ending the game in exuberance for the Dinger Squad; heartbreak for the Blue Sox.  The Blue Sox had battled back from a 6-0 deficit -- despite a mid-inning lull, no lead was safe in this game.

Dinger Squad 15, Blue Sox 8

Payton Lawson stayed true to the Dinger Squad brand, knocking three big flies and a double.  Again, the Blue Sox worked from behind, but this time the Dinger Squad pulled away.  Aidan Welch struck out the side in the fourth without allowing a baserunner, reinforcing the trend of allowing early runs, and locking down late in games.  Welch was tough to hit, allowing 4 hits, but he did walk 12 batters.  Hunter Van Horne homered for the only multi-hit game for a Blue Sox player.

Wiff Waff's Week to Win

Wiff Waff 11, Chicken'n'Wiffles 2

Did Chicken'n'Wiffles stand a chance?  This is Wiff Waff's 5th consecutive week with a sweep (W-L-W-L-W).  It will be tougher for Wiff Waff to lose next week with the return of Kevin Saul, who gave up 2 runs on 7 hits. Gavin Tiemeyer went 3-4 with 3 RBI to lead Wiff Waff.  Chicken'n'Wiffles mounted an attack in the 4th, with consecutive lead-off singles followed by a 2 RBI Matt Pearson double, but the threat was quickly quashed, with 3 of the next 4 batters striking out.

Wiff Waff 12, Chicken'n'Wiffles 8

Despite tying in hits (16), Wiff Waff prevailed on the strength of scoring more runs than Chicken'n'Wiffles. Craig McGrath walked only one batter; Matt Pearson of CNW didn't do much worse with two walks.  Preston Sahabu went 4-6, Andy Seigel was 5-7, and Zac Harris was 4-7 with a HR.  However, Chicken'n'Wiffles had their hits too far spread out to mount too much of an attack.

Bungalow Boys Break Through Versus Washout

West Coast Washout 5, Bungalow Boys 3

In a game featuring 31 total strikeouts, the Washout took fleeting control of the Seeyas Division, on the strength of two runs by Matt Kane, and a 3-5 performance at the plate from Kevin Tsuchida.  The Bungalow Boys scored two in the third to take a 3-2 lead, as three walks followed a Matt Soucy single.  Brady Lawler knocked in the go-ahead run.  The lead was not safe for long; the Washout scored three runs in the top of the fourth, with a combination of aggressive baserunning and an Austin Cudworth single.

Bungalow Boys 17, West Coast Washout 13

After three losses to the Washout by a combined 4 runs, the Bungalow Boys broke out the offense to defeat their division rivals.  Ryan Nemethy went a perfect 3-3, and Matt Soucy went 6-7 with 8 RBI to lead the onslaught.  The Washout did cut the lead to 10-7 after the second, but were never able to gain a sense of control over the game.  Brady Lawler got the win on the mound.  The Bungalow Boys win allowed the Dinger Squad a share of first place in the division, and parked them only one game behind.

Winn Pitches No-Hitter; No One Notices

RBI Steaks 13, Smurfs 3

With some old faces re-joining their roster, the Smurfs seemed like they would get back to their winning ways, as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead after one inning.  From there, Reilly Brindle shut them down, while going 2-3 at the plate, boosting his league-leading average.  Sam Heikell showed great control on the mound, but his balls tended to encounter RBI Steaks' bats before hitting the strike zone.  The Steaks, who batted 9, had 17 hits in a four inning mercy-shortened affair.

RBI Steaks 8, Smurfs 0

Nick Winn's no-no, the league's first, went unnoticed (at least by the league's official bookkeeper, and seemingly both teams).  Kyle Hayes and Jacob Pope were the only Smurfs to put the ball in play, and Randall Pope worked 3 walks. Aside from that, it was the Winn show.  Winn kept his speed under control throughout, which had been an issue in previous weeks.  Jack Sandstorm went 3-4, and team captain Jimmy Froio went 3-3 to pace the Steaks' offense.  

	Pitcher of the Week: Nick Winn Pitcher of the Week is quite obviously a weekly award, with no memory of previous weeks influencing the outcome of the decision.  That being said, Winn's no-hitter made this week's award a no-brainer, so it is interesting to see his evolution into an ace for the RBI Steaks.  After giving up 7 in a loss to the Dinger Squad, and 9 to the Washout, Winn has thrown 3 consecutive shutouts. He has consistently walked very few hitters, but has allowed 4, 1, and 0 hits his last three trips to the hill.
	Defensive Player of the Week: Elijah Ybarra Ybarra came to the field as a spectator (he is the nephew of the Wiff Waff's Andrew Ybarra).  Instead, he wound up playing as the fifth Chicken'n'Wiffler, and robbed his uncle of a home run in the process.  Ybarra's best play was nullified in the 4th, as he fully extended to make a one-handed catch of a Kevin Saul ball which had already left the park.  However, it was ruled that he was entirely out of play, making the home run stand, but taking nothing away from a fantastic play.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Payton Lawson Lawson was a home run machine in Week 9.  Through no fault of his own, he didn't knock in very many runs, the home runs tended to come at the beginning of innings; two were solo shots.  He saw to the Dinger Squad gaining the league lead in team homers hit, and also added two doubles for the series, finishing 7-11 with 15 total bases, with 6 runs scored and 7 runs batted in.

Week 8 Action

Dinger Squad Offense Carries the Day

Dinger Squad 24, Chicken'n'Wiffles 20 

Missing two of their top threats in Cody Thomson and Aidan Welch, Max Berner-Hays picked up the slack, going the distance on the mound while going 6-8 with 6 RBI.  Liam Munro came in in relief to staunch the tide of a 5-run Dinger Squad sixth, but it was too little, too late.  Munro also went 3-4 with a homerun for the losers.  This game was one of historic length, at 1:50, largely because of the second inning, in which the Dinger Squad scored 12, and Chicken'n'Wiffles responded with 11 of their own.

Dinger Squad 17, Chicken'n'Wiffles 11

Winning their eighth consecutive game, the Dinger Squad relied on the blazing slowball of Aidan Welch, along with an 8-run third inning.  With two down and no runs in, the Dinger Squad reeled off seven consecutive runners reaching base safely, until over-aggressive running ended the inning.  Zac Harris led the offensive attack of Chicken'n'Wiffles, hitting a grand slam for his league-leading 5th homerun of the year in the first, tying Welch, who gave it up.

Wiff Waff Turning Into a Contender? Sweep Says -- Nothing. The Sweep Tells Us Nothing

RBI Steaks 15, Wiff Waff 1

For the fourth consecutive week, Wiff Waff found themselves involved in a sweep.  Twice they have been on the losing end.  In the opener, the RBI Steaks quickly dealt a merciful end.  Reilly Brindle struck out nine in the win, and Nick Winn went 4-5 with two doubles and a homerun.  Each RBI Steak reached base at least three times.  Andrew Ybarra made some of the lone highlights for Wiff Waff defensively.  His sliding catch in the 3rd to rob Brindle of a hit was deemed "Torii Hunteresque" by his opponents.

RBI Steaks 10, Wiff Waff 0

After being held scoreless for two innings, the RBI Steaks broke it open versus Craig McGrath and Wiff Waff, stringing together hits and quickly turning them into runs.  McGrath had the lone hit against Nick Winn, who buckled down after allowing the first three runners of the game to reach base.  The one run given up in the series by the RBI Steaks is the league-wide low to date.

Bungalow Boys Lose Shutout, Maintain Sweep

Bungalow Boys 10, Blue Sox 0

With Matt Soucy on the mound, the Bungalow Boys 1-0 lead after two innings began to look insurmountable, and it was.  Soucy wound up three outs away from a mercy-shortened perfect game, but Sean Novak put an end to that with a leadoff single.  

Bungalow Boys 15, Blue Sox 10

For awhile, it looked like the Bungalow Boys would shutout the Blue Sox in consecutive games, until their six walk, five hit fifth inning plated 10, making a runaway into a close game.  Brian Knoerlein scored thrice and also batted in three, both team highs.  Three Bungalow Boys hitters: Sean Gibbons, Josh York, and new pickup Zach, had five or more hits.  Sean Gibbons came on to pitch during the rally, and quickly gained control of a 70 mph fastball, allowing the Bungalow Boys to get out of the jam with a lead still intact.

	Pitcher of the Week: Matt Soucy Nick Winn of the RBI Steaks looked like a lock to win his second pitcher of the week honors with his dominant performance against Wiff Waff , allowing a single hit and four walks in a 4-inning shutout of Wiff Waff.  The Bungalow Boys' Matt Soucy did one better in his own shutout, walking none, while giving up a lone single to Sean Novak in the 4th to prevent a perfect game.  In doing so, he became the first pitcher to win a second weekly award.  Soucy struck out 10; Brian Pendergast's two flyouts marked the only at-bats aside from Novak's single that Blue Sox put the ball in play.
	Defensive Player of the Week: Brian Pendergast Brian's defense was key in allowing the Blue Sox to claw their way back into the second game versus the Bungalow Boys. In addition to his unassisted double play in the second which limited a promising BB inning to a single run, Brian chased down and caught multiple foul balls, and had a brilliant sliding snag in left field.  On the mound, Brian's defense was also on display, with a one-handed catch of a come-backer. Honorable Mention: Andrew Ybarra
	Offensive Player of the Week: Sean Gibbons Sean was a new pickup for the Bungalow Boys, which explains his lack of a picture.  In his first two games, Gibbons went 9-10, with two homers and two doubles, to go along with eleven RBIs and seven runs scored.  This offensive outburst was irrelevant during the 10-0 Bungalow Boys victory in Game 1, but the bulk of the output was in the second game, a 15-10 slugfest.

Week 7 Action

Blue Sox Snake-bit again in Defeat

West Coast Washout 18, Blue Sox 3

West Coast Washout 13, Blue Sox 11

Wiff Waff Turning Into a Contender? Sweep Says -- yes!?...

Wiff Waff 15, Chicken'n'Wiffles 12

Wiff Waff 30, Chicken'n'Wiffles 14

"The Dinger Squad is for Real"

Dinger Squad 17, Smurfs 13

Dinger Squad 6, Smurfs 3

A Tale of Two Games for Bungalow Boys

Bungalow Boys 3, RBI Steaks 2

RBI Steaks 14, Bungalow Boys 0

	Pitcher of the Week: Nick Winn Nick pitched out of several jams to secure a shutout against the Bungalow Boys, striking out 12 in a battle of two of the league's top teams.  Winn's problem in previous weeks had been getting in trouble with the speed limit, but his speed control dialed him in right around the 70 mph limit. While Winn allowed ten baserunners, they were evenly spread over six innings, preventing any real threats.
	Defensive Player of the Week: Cody Thomson Thomson's shining moment came in the fourth, when he recorded an unassisted triple play. Playing slightly to the third base side of second base, Cody was in the right place at the right time to field a line drive from Cale Spence on a single hop.  Cody then tagged Luke Allen, who had been on second, for out number one.  Then, Cody stepped to his left to force Kirk Hansen at second, and threw home to nail Jacob Pope just before his foot came down on home plate.  The play got the Dinger Squad out of a bases loaded, no out jam with limited damage, enabling them to secure a 17-13 win.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Zac Harris Harris, of Chicken'n'Wiffles, is quickly emerging into the league's biggest power threat.  He proved that versus Wiff Waff, smacking three homeruns over two games to put himself into second place league-wide.  Zac also doubled, and recorded a whopping 19 total bases while going 9-15 with 9 RBI.

So You Want to Make the Playoffs...

The regular season is more than half in the books, meaning that the time for playoffs will be coming soon. So, who makes the playoffs? Division winners automatically make the playoffs, and then the next best two teams will make the playoffs as wildcard teams.  Next best will be determined as follows:

1.  Overall Record

2.  Head-to-Head Record

No other tiebreakers will be considered for entry into the playoffs.  In the event of a tie for a playoff spot, a one-game playoff will be scheduled. This game will not count for regular season standings.  Since it is only one game, any pitcher may be used, and one re-entry is allowed.  Should a tie occur for seeding, but not affect entry into the playoffs, the third tiebreaker shall be the sum of win percentage versus common opponents.  The division winners shall receive the #1 and #2 overall seeds.

Individual players must appear in at least eight games to be eligible to play in the playoffs.  The only exception would be for players who missed time due to injury, but played both before and after the injury (Example: Felix Reyes, who missed 2 weeks due to a sprained ankle, could qualify with 6 games played).

An additional note:  The Bungalow Boys, who hail from all parts of the United States, will be unable to participate in the playoffs -- they are plausible candidates to make it, but not assured of a spot.  Should they earn a spot and be unable to field a team, the teams will be bumped up in order of seeding.  Should they win the Seeyas division, there is no guarantee that another Seeyas team will make the playoffs.  However, if a second team does make it, they will receive the #2 seed.

Also, which teams should make a playoff push?  Everyone! As of publication of this article, the team in the worst shape was 4 games out of a wildcard spot, and with a .500 record giving a share of the wildcard lead, every team is still alive.  At the trade deadline? BUY, BUY, BUY!

Playoff Format

Sunday, August 9th

#1 plays #4, #2 seed plays #3 seed.  Both series are best of three.  Higher seed is home in games one and three.

Sunday, August 16th*

Winners of Semifinal Games Play in Seattle Wiffleball World Series. Series best of three.  Higher seed is home in games one and three.

Additional events on this day include: Homerun Derby, All-Star Game, Season Award Presentation.

Pitching Eligibility

Games one and two of the three game series will be treated like any other doubleheader throughout the season. That is, a game one pitcher may not enter in game two, unless they are used as a closer (5th inning or later) in both games.  One re-entry is allowed per game.  For game three, special provisions apply.

Game Three Pitching Provisions:

If a pitcher started either game one or two, or if they pitched more than two innings in relief in regulation of games one and two combined, they are eligible to pitch only 4.0 innings in regulation.  If the game goes to extra innings, any pitcher is eligible to pitch in extra innings, but only one re-entry is allowed per game.

*Due to the commissioner's sometimes volatile work schedule, there is a chance of these weekend being moved back up to one week, to August 23rd, 2015.  As soon as it is set in stone, the final dates will be broadcast.

Remaining Schedules

Check out the following guide to see who your remaining opponents are -- 38 of 80 league games are complete!  The listing below is not a schedule; it is not yet determined in what order the match-ups will take place. Current as of 6/25/2015.

Week 6 Action

Smurfs Fight Back to Earn Split with Bungalow Boys

Bungalow Boys 15, Smurfs 1

Smurfs 15, Bungalow Boys 13

Wiff Waff Turning Into a Contender? Sweep Says -- hmmm...

Dinger Squad 11, Wiff Waff 4

Dinger Squad 15, Wiff Waff 5

Dinger Squad Snap Losing Streak With Sweep

Dinger Squad 7, RBI Steaks 4

Dinger Squad 7, RBI Steaks 6

Washout/Steaks Settle on a Score, But not a Victor

West Coast Washout 9, RBI Steaks 4

RBI Steaks 9, West Coast Washout 4

 Check Back Wednesday for Players of the Week!

Pitcher of the Week: Matt Leonard Leonard came on in relief with a one-run lead in the fourth, and slammed the door shut on the Washout, while his own team kept on scoring, and struck out seven batters in the process.  While the Washout threatened in all three innings, Leonard delivered in the clutch, stranding at least two runners in each of those innings to earn the save.

Defensive Player of the Week: Luke Lawson The elder Lawson created some sort of vacuum from his third-base position against Wiff Waff, catching pop-up after pop-up in fair and foul territory.  The only miscue Lawson was involved in was when teammate Cody Thomson ignored Lawson's call for the ball, resulting in a pop-up hitting the deck.  Lawson's good defense was key in allowing the Dinger Squad two wins by comfortable margins.

Week 5 Action

Wiff Waff Turning Into a Contender? Sweep Says Yes

Wiff Waff 10, Blue Sox 0

Wiff Waff 10, Blue Sox 6

Chicken'n'Wiffles Gets Back in the Win Column vs. Smurfs

Chicken'n'Wiffles 20, Smurfs 11

Smurfs 14, Chicken'n'Wiffles 1

Dinger Squad Snap Losing Streak With Sweep

Dinger Squad 7, RBI Steaks 4

Dinger Squad 7, RBI Steaks 6

Washout Top Bungalow Boys in Pair of One-Run Games

West Coast Washout 1, Bungalow Boys 0

West Coast Washout 9, Bungalow Boys 8

Check back later in the week for players of the week.

	Pitcher of the Week: Daniel Rish The winning pitcher of Game 1 of Bungalow Boys - Washout was almost predestined to win pitcher of the week, but the stats are there to back it up.  Rish was not perfect, loading the bases in the second, and allowing runners on first and second in the 3rd and 6th.  Bending, not breaking, he allowed three hits and became the first pitcher to record all 18 outs by strikeout. Honorable Mention: Soucy (L): 5.2 IP, 1R, 7H, 1BB, 10K
	Defensive Player of the Week: Cody Thomson Thomson's defensive play off the mound earned him the Week 5 honors.  The highlight came late in the game, when Cody dove off the mound to successfully snag a sinking line drive.  Cody's pitching gave the Dinger Squad the win, but that win did not rely only on his arm, but also on his fielding once the ball was put in play.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Felix Reyes Felix had a solid first game against the Blue Sox, going 3-5 with a double, but his offense was not needed much in a 10-0 Wiff Waff rout.  In the second game, Reyes made his mark.  As the Blue Sox got back into the game, Reyes put up a solo shot in the 4th in answer.  In the 6th, the Blue Sox had cut the lead to two, until Reyes smashed a grand slam to put the game out of reach.  The excellence did come at a price; Reyes sprained his ankle on one of his home run trots, and is expected to miss several weeks.

Week 4 Action

Blue Sox Get Two Much-Needed Wins

Blue Sox 19, Chicken'n'Wiffles 18

Blue Sox 11, Chicken'n'Wiffles 6

Smurfs/RBI Steaks Split Battle Divisional Battle

RBI Steaks 17, Smurfs 7

Smurfs 7, RBI Steaks 4

Wiff Waff Battles Back to Take Game 2 of Evenly Matched Series

West Coast Washout 4, Wiff Waff 0

Wiff Waff 14, West Coast Washout 9

Bungalow Boys Pushed to the Limit; Survive vs. Dingers

The Bungalow Boys 7, The Dinger Squad 0

The Bungalow Boys 21, The Dinger Squad 20

Check back later in the week for players of the week.

	Pitcher of the Week: Matt Soucy Soucy's three hit shut-out of the Dinger Squad made bookkeeping very easy; he never faced more than four batters in an inning and kept the game moving by allowing no walks.  Soucy fanned 10 in six innings of work.  Luke Lawson was the only member of the Dinger Squad to avoid being K'ed.
	Defensive Player of the Week: Jacob Pope  Jacob has been a defensive force for the Smurfs all season long, but it was on full display during Week 4.  Jacob had two defensive assists from the outfield.  Jacob pegged the zone in the fourth as Daniel Carson rounded third, and replicated the feat from an even more difficult angle in the sixth, cutting down Jack Sandstorm, the RBI Steaks tying run.  The feat was all the more impressive due to the pressure.  Pope delivered with the game on the line.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Sam Johnson Sam was the most offensive player in the most offensive game in league history (a record that would last until nearly 8 PM).  On a Blue Sox team which recorded 20 walks in the game, Johnson took his hacks and drove in 5, on a 4-6 performance.  His solo shot in the third made the game 2-1 before both offenses would blow up.  Sam also doubled in the game, and went 2-3 in the second game versus Chicken'n'Wiffles.

Brooms Come Out in



Week 3 Action

RBI Steaks Eat Brunchtime Chicken'n'Wiffles 

RBI Steaks 13, Chicken'n'Wiffles 8

In their league debut, the RBI Steaks had a back-and-forth tussle with Chicken'n'Wiffles, but put the game away with 5 big runs in the fourth.  Two walks and a single by Matt Leonard led off the inning, and then things started falling apart for Matt Pearson and C'n'W.  After a Reilly Brindle sac fly, the next four Steaksmen singled, putting their team on top for good.  Andy Siegel went 5-6 with a double and 3 RBI for the losers.  Chicken'n'Wiffles had battled back from an early 6-2 deficit, but were unable to overcome the power of the RBI's many RBIs.

RBI Steaks 20, Chicken'n'Wiffles 9

Chicken'n'Wiffle starter Liam Munro suffered his first defeat of the season.  Though he pitched largely the same way he had against the West Coast Washout in week 1, pitching to contact and limiting walks, the defense behind him wasn't as sharp on Sunday.  Reilly Brindle and Matt Leonard each homered for the victors, and Elliot Price went 4-4 with 2 doubles.  Team captain Jimmy Froio went the distance on the mound for his first win, and legged out a triple in 4th to help his own cause.

Bungalow Boys Take Wiff Waff Behind the Woodshed

Bungalow Boys 11, Wiff Waff 1

In his debut appearance, Wiff Waff's Felix Reyes impressed.  He limited the damage from a fine Bungalow Boys offense, recording zeros in 3 frames, but the any damage would have been too much to overcome against the Bungalow Boys Matt Soucy.  Soucy firmly established himself as one of the league's premier pitchers, putting the radar gun to good use throughout the contest.   He only allowed multiple hits to one hitter, Craig McGrath, who went 2-3 and scored the team's only run.  McGrath also made several fine defensive plays in the loss, including a one-handed stab and a rare successful throw across the diamond to record an out at first.  The Bungalow Boys offensive attack was well-balanced, with 5 of 6 hitters recording at least one RBI.  On giving up ten runs to a bunch of Boeing summer interns from all over the US, Reyes said, "I think I need to get on the meat and potato diet like you Midwestern boys."

Bungalow Boys 35, Wiff Waff 2

This game was decided in rather quick fashion.  Wiff Waff starter Peter Krengel and reliever Gavin Tiemeyer did their best to throw strikes, but the outcome was never in doubt.  Louis Grisez and Brady Lawler combined for another solid performance on the mound for the Bungalow Boys.

Smurfs Edge Blue Sox in Two Competitive Games

Smurfs 12, Blue Sox 9

Jacob Pope blasted a pair of two-runs home runs off of Week 2 Pitcher of the Week Jed Laprade to lead the Smurfs to the 12-9 victory.  The normally deep Blue Sox squad was hurt by starting the game off with only 4 fielders, though they did get a shot in the arm with the addition of reinforcements Sean and Hunter Van Horne at the end of the first inning. The Blue Sox rallied to score 4 in the bottom of the sixth by stringing together 4 hits and 2 walks, but it was not enough to prevent Sam Heikell from recording his second victory.

Smurfs 16, Blue Sox 12

A patient approach at the plate led to 10 first inning walks, for an 11-3 Smurf lead after one.  The Blue Sox did not quit, as Brian Pendergast threw a scoreless second frame. Sparked by a Hunter Van Horne double, the Blue Sox recorded 9 consecutive successful plate appearances (2 BB, 6 H, 1 SF) to take a 12-11 lead in the top of the 3rd.  The Smurfs responded in the bottom of the inning with 5 runs of their own, with RBI singles from Jacob Pope and Cale Spence.  The game was called after 4 innings due to time constraints, the second consecutive Smurf series to end this way.

Washout Win League's First Pitcher's Duel

West Coast Washout 12, The Dinger Squad 9

The West Coast Washout used nine first inning singles to build a 7-run lead which they would never relinquish.  Pitching on his birthday, Washout starter Jason Matt  bent but didn't break, mixing Dinger Squad walks, hits, and runs in with enough strikeouts and pop-outs to limit the Dingers to chipping away.  The game had the feeling of slipping away from the Washout until a two-out double by Austin Cudworth plated Kevin Tsuchida and Andrew Winter in the fourth.  Matt was fired up and in control in his last inning on the mound as he struck out the final two batters to preserve the 12-9 lead.

West Coast Washout 3, The Dinger Squad 2

Andrew Winter and Aiden Welch were both lights out.  Had they pitched in opposite game, we would have almost surely seen a split.  As it was, the matchup produced some fantastic action.  Winter struck out 13 batters, while Welch took down 7.  The score was knotted at 0-0 going into the third until Austin Cudworth led off with a single.  After an out, Winter helped his own cause by walking, before Daniel Rish doubled, bringing home Cudworth.  Winter and Rish scored as the result of an errant peg attempt in what was the Dinger Squad's only mistake of the day.  Trailing 3-0 in the final inning, the Dinger Squad showed great poise at the plate, loading the bases via two walks and a hit.  Winter responded by striking out one batter, and inducing a pop-fly.  The next batter he walked, prompting captain Daniel Rish to pull Winter and insert himself at pitcher, in a decision sure to be remembered as foolish if it didn't pay off.  Winter had only walked 6 in the game, but 3 of those came in the sixth.  When Cody Thomson walked on a 3-1 pitch to bring the tying run 45 feet from home, the Dinger Squad let out a collective bellow of triumph.  It looked like their joy might increase as a visibly shaken Rish fell behind in the count 2-1 to Welch.  However, with the game on the line, Rish was vindicated in his decision-making as Welch swung through a full count riser.

Check back later in the week for players of the week.

	Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Winter Andrew led the West Coast Washout to a 3-2 victory in the first pitchers' duel in league history, striking out 13 while scattering 7 hits and 6 walks.  Winter's repertoire includes a curveball which has yet to be adapted to the Wiffle game, but it was sharp enough to baffle Dinger Squad hitters.  After struggling with control in his first two starts, Winter was sharp throughout.  Winter was pulled one out before completing the game, and the bullpen let in the second run of the game, though it was charged to Winter.  Winter flirted with the 70 mph speed limit throughout, several times skipping right past the flirting stage. Honorable Mention: Matt Soucy (W 11-1 vs. Wiff Waff: 6IP, 3H, 4BB, 6K)
	Defensive Player of the Week: Aidan Welch  Aidan's big plays came in the first inning, as he robbed homeruns from the West Coast Washout's Daniel Rish in consecutive at-bats.  Those two plays saved somewhere around 6 runs, as a grand slam and a 3-run homerun were converted to a single sac fly.  Welch's defensive stand did not stop there.  He continued to nab fly balls out of the sky in the first game of the series, and then fielded his position flawlessly from the mound in game 2.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Matt Soucy The Bungalow Boys came crashing onto the scene with a bang, with Matt Soucy being a leading force at the plate.  His day started off somewhat slowly, as he went 3-7 against Felix Reyes of Wiff Waff.  His shortcomings were largely due in overagressiveness, and he popped out three times (a fourth was a sacrifice fly).  In the second game, Matt came a home run short of the cycle, and piled up 8 RBIs while going 5-7.  We salute Matt for his aggressive approach, which will pay long-term dividends if it can be refined and combined with patience.

B.S. - W.C.W Split in Week 2 Action

Blue Sox, Washout split in Limited Memorial Day Action

Blue Sox 12, West Coast Washout 7  

The West Coast Washout (known for Week 1 as the Texas Instruments) dug themselves a hole early, as starter Andrew Winter struggled with control from the get-go, walking all six batters he faced.  Connor Tsuchida took over, but only recorded 2/3 of an inning before he too was pulled.  Third pitcher Daniel Rish responded by walking in a run, before finally getting out of the 10-run Blue Sox frame.  Sam Johnson started on the mound for the Blue Sox, and allowed his fielders to make plays behind him.  Still, the Washout clawed their way back to a four-run deficit after two innings.  From there, the game took a turn towards a pitchers duel, with Blue Sox reliever Jed Laprade drawing first and surviving unscathed.  Sam Johnson knocked in Brian Knoerlein for an an insurance run in the 4th, but it was more than Laprade needed to get his team the victory.

West Coast Washout 30, Blue Sox 25  

This was the wacky back-and-forth action which typifies wiffleball.  Both teams got themselves into something of a pitching conundrum.  Washout starter Jason Matt never had backup in the pen, and Blue Sox starter Brian Pendergast was pulled after 3 innings despite his team's two run lead, leading to a merry-go-round of Blue Sox pitchers.  Brian O'Donnell managed to hold the fort for two innings, giving the Blue Sox a 22-15 lead heading into the final inning.  Blue Sox pitcher Brian Knoerlein walked the first three batters he faced, but then induced Dan Rish to hit into a run-scoring double play.  Needing only one out to win, the Blue Sox managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as 11 of the next 13 hitters reached via walk, for a total of 14 two-out runs.  The Blue Sox went to their final option in Sean mid-way through the inning, but his inexperience did not help matters.  Jason Matt won the game for the Washout despite allowing 25 runs on 23 hits.

Pitcher of the Week: Jed Laprade Laprade entered as a reliever in the third inning nursing an 11-7 lead versus a hard-charging West Coast Washout team.  His team would only muster one more run the rest of the way, but it didn't matter.  In his four innings of work, Laprade allowed only three baserunners, walked none, and never allowed a baserunner past first base.  Jed struck out 5, and relied heavily on fly-ball outs to put game one on ice.

Due to having only one series, no offensive or defensive player of the week was awarded.  These distinctions will not be given out willy-nilly -- you have to earn them!

League Goes Splitsville in Week 1

Chicken'n'Wiffles "1st Winners" in League History

Chicken'n'Wiffles 15, West Coast Washout 8

Liam Munro batted in 8 runs on 5 hits, including a triple, to help his own cause and bring Chicken'n'Wiffles to an early lead in the standings.  Kevin Tsuchida went 9-10 with a double, but it was not enough to keep the Texas Instruments in the game.

West Coast Washout 9, Chicken'n'Wiffles 8 

WCW pitcher Andrew Winter showed flashes of brilliance before struggling with control issues in the 2nd and being pulled in favor of Daniel Rish.  Though Chicken'n'Wiffles starter Sean Marsh frustrated Texas Instruments hitters throughout the game, they were able to manufacture enough runs to claw their way out of an early deficit and earn their first win of the season.

Smurfs Win In Dramatic Fashion, Lose in Decidedly Undramatic Fashion

Smurfs 15, The Dinger Squad 12

The Dinger Squad took full advantage of Smurf starter Sam Heikell's second-inning wildness to score 9 runs, but it was not enough to keep the Smurfs at bay.  The Dinger Squad bullpen gave up six runs in 1+ inning of work, allowing the Smurfs to roar back and score an emphatic victory after trailing 9-2.

The Dinger Squad 10, Smurfs  5 

The Dinger Squad got revenge in the second contest, this time taking advantage of suspect pitching to build an early lead on a foundation of walks.  The contest was called after just three innings due to preserve the rest of the league schedule.  Of the decision, league commisioner Daniel Rish had this to say, "We don't anticipate this happening again, I plan to make the trains run on time in the future.  Dinger Squad-Smurfs is like Yankees-Red Sox, you better go in expecting a marathon."

Wiff Waff Unloads Offensive Barrage Before Calling Retreat

Wiff Waff 29, Blue Sox 5

As an amalgamation of many individuals, Wiff Waff relied on a game-time pickup and a brother of regular Kevin Saul  to keep from forfeiting.  They responded to this adversity by crushing a varied lineup of Blue Sox pitchers, while Kevin Saul shut down the Blue Sox for three scoreless innings before surrendering the reins to Jackson. 

Blue Sox 6, Wiff Waff 0

The Blue Sox earned their first win by forfeit.  Of this result, sources close to the league's front office said that officials say not to expect this result to happen frequently, if ever again.  One official, who asked to remain anonymous said, "This is on us for scheduling Wiff Waff before they were truly ready to play.  Their roster has been expanded, and this is now a moot issue."

	Pitcher of the Week: Kevin Tsuchida At first glance, this might seem like an odd choice. Tsuchida's pitching got pretty thoroughly thrashed, as he gave up 27 hits and 15 runs in a 6 inning losing effort.  One stat does stand out -- Kevin was the only pitchers not to walk a batter in Week 1.  This hugely impressive in his first outing, and may be a sign of success to come.  Mitigating the offensive numbers put up by Chicken'n'Wiffles is the fact that Kevin's team was fielding short-handed on a slick field.  Expect him to improve on this performance, but hats off for a walk-free performance.
	Defensive Player of the Week: Andy Siegel Siegel made the play of the young season in the top of the fifth vs. [Rish].  Nursing a 2 run lead, Andy tracked and snagged a ball hit to the warning track by Andrew Winter, before toppling over the fence.  Both Andy and the fence came out unscathed, and though Chicken'n'Wiffles would go on to lose the game, Siegel's effort should have Chicken'n'Wiffles pitchers feeling good about their chances when the ball is put in play.
	Offensive Player of the Week: Eric Henderson Late in the second game of the afternoon, Eric asked who led the league in batting average.  Answer? Eric Henderson, and he will continue to lead the league until someone gets him out.  Eric went a cool 6-for-6 on the day, with 7 RBI, 2 runs scored, a double and a home run.  The home run was the highlight, as Eric smashed a walk-off grand slam to propel the Smurfs to a 15-12 win over the Dinger Squad.  Eric's only time not reaching base was a sacrifice fly, showing opposing pitchers that he can hurt them even if they manage to get him out.

Opening Day Match-ups Released

The opening day schedule has been announced, with the following match-ups scheduled:

12:30 PM Chicken 'n' Wiffles [Pearson] vs [Saul]

3:00 PM [Pope] vs The Dinger Squad [Berner-Hayes]

5:30 PM [Rish] vs [Pendergast]

BYE: [Kilstrom]

Team captains' names are bracketed -- still waiting on official team names from 5 of our teams.

All games will be played at Cowen Park, 58th Ave NE and NE 15th Ave.  See the map below, which shows the general area where the field will be set up.  Spectators are encouraged to attend!

Pre-Season Games Scheduled

Wiffle aficianados and newcomers alike are invited to come play some wiffleball starting at 11 AM on May 3rd at Cowen Park.  Cowen Park is located at 5849 15th Ave NE, in the University District.  Bats and balls will be provided, and no extra equipment is needed.

Come alone, bring a friend, or bring a team -- the forecast is 70 and sunny!

A Call to Arms (and Bats)

Seattle Wiffleball is currently accepting applications for teams for 2015 season.  Potential players should not let a lack of experience dissuade them, as long as they are enthusiastic about creating a positive environment in which teams and players can enjoy competition.

Games will be on Sundays from May through August, in Seattle's University District.  The exact location is TBA.  Teams will play twenty games, broken up into 10 doubleheaders.  Doubleheaders will take a total of about 2 and a half hours. Every effort will be made to schedule around conflicts.  On weeks when games are scheduled, each team is expected to have a full lineup of five players ready to play at game time.  Please check the rules section for a complete description of the way King County Wiffleball games will be played.  Cost of the league will be minimal, aimed only at covering the expense of league materials.