Wiffle in Southeast Michigan: Gameday Results, 5/17: Coffee Grounds


↴ 2015 Scoresheet (.PDF)	‣ League Lineup Stats Entry

GAMES 1 & 2 11:00 AM FIELD A

Game 1

6 innings

Game 2

6 innings

WP: N. Braden (1-1)
HR: Nagorski (1,2), N. Braden (1), Lollio (2)

LP: C. Phillips (2-2)

LP: Adams (1-1)
HR: Adams (2), Hewlett (2)

WP: Fisher (1-1)
HR: Fisher (1)


AVG:	.138
SLG:	.301
RpG:	1.33
ERA:	3.33
WHIP:	2.11
K/6:	12.8


AVG:	.116
SLG:	.198
RpG:	5.00
ERA:	2.00
WHIP:	1.44
K/6:	11.8

El Diablos finally clawed their way to .500 with 2 nail-biting 1-run games last week. It's not all roses and Shirley Temples for the Fighting Chickens yet, though. The record may be shaping up, but their offense is still far from where it was expected to be. Especially in run production. Els have led WSEM in runs scored both seasons in the league. This year, their 8 RS in 6 games is last in the league. Good news on the pitchers mound for the second week in a row, though, as they will not have to worry about their rotation as Lollio will throw game 1 before handing the ball off to Chandler.

The last time the Islanders opened a gameday at the Coffee Grounds they went off, scoring 19 runs in their two Opening Day games. That production all but disappeared Week 2 when they managed just 1 run at a windy Gill Yards. So, this "homecoming" is a welcome site for the weary Pirate bats, no matter the arms set to throw against them. Still, the Isles lineup has over 4 times as many walks (46) as hits (10); they'll need to narrow that margin if they want to take a game from El Diablos. RJ Fisher is slated to clash against Chandler in the second game, and that ace-versus-ace showdown will provide the big excitement in this series.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: C. Phillips (EL), Fisher (IS)

GAMES 3 & 4 11:30 AM FIELD B

Game 3

6 innings

Game 4

9 innings

LP: Rogers (0-2)

WP: Farkas (2-1)

WP: E. Bischoff (1-1)

LP: Hatt (1-1)


AVG:	.146
SLG:	.201
RpG:	1.67
ERA:	2.13
WHIP:	1.11
K/6:	12.5


AVG:	.160
SLG:	.227
RpG:	1.50
ERA:	2.25
WHIP:	1.79
K/6:	12.8

Untimely hitting is the theme coming out of Gatorville. The See Yas left 14 runners on base in a pair of 1-run losses last week. They were unable to manufacture any runs in 13 innings, getting their only tally from a home run. A total of 4 extra base hits puts them just 1 spot ahead of last in WSEM, and they've played 2 more games than the two teams behind them with 3. Pitching is the Yas' rock and, outside of 1 inning Week 1 against the Cox, it has been great. Rogers looked good in his first start last week, surrendering just 2 runs - none coming after the first inning, and he'll get the ball again in Game 3.

Evan Bischoff is back, and the Aces are at .500. Still, early season splits with the Squirrels and the Cox isn't a bad result, especially when the 2 series were played with Aces lineups that had only 2 players in common. All hands are expected for the first time, and that means the Aces can go a few ways with their rotation. Little E and Hatt both can play the ace, and both have already beaten the best two offenses in the league this year: Hatt took down the Squirrels 2-1 in Week 1, and Evan shut down the Cox 7-0 last week. The question is, who will hit? Outside of Little E's 6 hit Week 3 performance, the Aces' bats have been surprisingly cold. Maybe the captain's return is the spark to set them off.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: Farkas (AS), Giguere (WA)

GAMES 5 & 6 1:30 PM FIELD A

Game 5

6 innings

Game 6

6 innings

LP: Haffey (0-2)

WP: Kujawa (3-0)

WP: Dash Fejza (1-1)
HR: G. Brannan (2)

LP: Strojny (1-3)


AVG:	.146
SLG:	.201
RpG:	1.67
ERA:	1.36
WHIP:	1.08
K/6:	13.9


AVG:	.160
SLG:	.227
RpG:	1.50
ERA:	6.00
WHIP:	2.62
K/6:	13.7

Take a big stick, some Onanism, and some fresh faces and what do you get? The class of the league through 6 games. The Cox are first in hitting for AVG and SLG. Smallball or the long ball, they do it all: first in HR, first in RS. Their fault offensively is that they are second in OPS and SB. (#NotReallyAFault) Production has come from the entire roster; 6 of 7 players have driven in runs, 6 have crossed the plate, and 5 have gone yard. To top it off, theirs is the only lineup to feature 4 players hitting over .230. On the rubber they're at the top of the league, too: second in ERA, WHIP, and K/BB (3.54); first in K/6. Led by Jardine (0.53 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) and rookie Kujawa (0.60 ERA, 1.10 WHIP), they are yet to let up more than 4 runs in a series. That'll more than get the job done when your offense is clicking.

Wolfpack got in the win column and looked impressive in their Week 2 series with El Diablos. Strojny had one of the best outings out of his career, throwing 8 innings over the 2 games. His stats on the day: 1 RA, 3 H, 6 BB, and 19 K - aka a 0.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 3.2 K/BB. A night and day difference from a rough week 1 outing, as it was for Mark Brannan who pitched 3 innings in a relief role: 3 IP, 1 RA, 1 H, 0 BB, and 7 K. The bats even perked up against Nagorski, El Diablos #3 or #4 pitcher (depending who you ask), in game 2. Mark got his first hit of the season, Strojny added 2 of his own, and Hollister and Bencher popped off some surprise power. The Pack will need to step it up and recreate some of that magic this week against tougher pitching, though, if they want to if they want to continue capitalizing on the upswing in their pitching.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: Jardine (RC), Strojny (WO)

GAMES 7 & 8 2:00 PM FIELD B

Game 7

3 innings

Game 8

6 innings

LP: Hewlett (1-2)

LP: Fisher (1-2)

WP: Hatt (2-1)
HR: Shore (1), Bortmas (1)

WP: E. Bischoff (2-1)


AVG:	.116
SLG:	.198
RpG:	5.00
ERA:	2.00
WHIP:	1.44
K/6:	11.8


AVG:	.160
SLG:	.227
RpG:	1.50
ERA:	2.25
WHIP:	1.79
K/6:	12.8

Round 2 of the day for both Isles and Aces could give us the long-awaited showdown of Evan Bischoff vs. RJ Fisher. Fisher was unabashedly upset when the Aces chose not to franchise him at the end of last season, then didn't go after him in the draft. It's hard to argue that RJ's 2014 stats (0.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) would have better served the team in 2015 than a PUP listed Austin. Yet Little E made the call for the future of the Aces, and cited dependability issues with Fisher. That seems to have further stoked a fire in RJ to show up, compete, and prove himself this season. Hopefully he and Little E face off head-to-head in this series, because the entertainment factor will be through the roof.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: TBD (AS), TBD (WA)

GAMES 9 & 10 4:00 PM FIELD A

Game 9

6 innings

Game 10

9 innings

WP: Castle (2-0)
HR: Pearson (3,4,5,6,7,8), Castle (3,4,5,6), Paquin (1)

WP: Paquin (2-2)
HR: Castle (7,8,9,10), Pearson (9,10), Paquin (2), M. Phillips (1)

LP: Rogers (0-3)
HR: Farkas (2,3)

LP: Corbett (0-2)
HR: Corbett (2,3), Farkas (4)


AVG:	.120
SLG:	.218
RpG:	2.17
ERA:	2.76
WHIP:	1.28
K/6:	12.5


AVG:	.146
SLG:	.201
RpG:	1.67
ERA:	2.13
WHIP:	1.11
K/6:	12.5

The Holy Balls have been on a rollercoaster the first 3 weeks of season. Sweeping the champs and earning a #1 NWLA ranking. Following that up by getting swept in a series with an uninspiring offensive showing. Then, coming back with a split in a series where their offense again didn't do much against talented pitching, but did come through with one clutch hit that made all the difference. That hit came off the bat of Castle, who also has led the Balls pitching staff so far this season: yet to surrender a run, and allowing only 3 H in as many games. That's been huge for the Balls as Paquin's faced some unfamiliar struggles early: his 4.12 ERA is nearly 3.00 higher than his career number. Through all of it the Balls are 2-0 in the division, and they'll look to expand on that against another division rival this week.

The See Yas expect to have Doby (1.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP) back for this series, putting their 1-2 rotation back together for the first time since Week 2 when they went 1-0-1 — assuming, of course, Farkas remains eligible after his earlier start against the Aces. It'll be only Doby's second start of the season, and they'll need him in top form facing off against the hot Castle. Playing 4 games this week against .500 teams puts the Yas in a position to make moves. Which direction that goes likely depends on whether they can find a way to hit with any of those aforementioned runners in scoring position. Side story: This series should provide the first opportunity for longtime Balls teammates Paquin and Corbett to face each other in an at-bat.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: N/A (HB), TBD (AS)

GAMES 11 & 12 4:30 PM FIELD B

Game 11

6 innings

Game 12

9 innings

WP: Fejza (2-1)

LP: Strojny (1-4)

LP: D. Braden (0-1)

WP: Skinner (2-1)


AVG:	.160
SLG:	.227
RpG:	1.50
ERA:	6.00
WHIP:	2.62
K/6:	13.7


AVG:	.221
SLG:	.389
RpG:	3.75
ERA:	1.20
WHIP:	0.92
K/6:	13.7

The Squirrels come in with a chip on their shoulder after having a game stolen from them last week - their words. They exercised some of that anger when they went off on Holy Balls in the back-half of that series; will they continue to play angry this week against the Wolves? Such motivation is hardly something the Squirrels need. They are the best pitching team in WSEM, and a top 2 team when it comes to AVG and SLG. Their anger-induced, Hulk-like offensive outburst last week also has propelled them into the top 2 for RpG.

All of that means the second-half of the double-header doesn't get any easier for the Wolfpack. They trade one of the top 2 hitting and pitching teams in WSEM for the other top 2 hitting and pitching team in WSEM. That makes this a statement week for the Pack. They have their doubters around the league that probably don't expect Wolfpack to get anything done this week. So, with their pitching now coming around, this is the perfect opportunity to silence the critics and prove the doubters wrong. If they hit, they are in position to make that happen.

Ineligible Pitchers — 1 game: TBD (WO), B. D'Agnese (FS)

Gameday Results, 5/17: Coffee Grounds — Southgate, MI

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