Wiffleball is back in Northwest Indiana. Griffleball has made it to its eighth season on Sunday and the league congregated to Sheppard Park for opening day. With a full slate of games, it was each teams first chance to prove themselves in the 2017 season. The afternoon games featured a first round playoff rematch from last season, Taka Drivers and Bird Gang. Taka was one game away from winning the World Series last season and I bet they were eager to get back to business. On the other hand, the Bird Gang had a chance to get revenge after being eliminated by Taka last season. The evening set featured the expansion Diggers Dudes and the Nighttime Ninjas, who usually feast on opening day. Sunday Night Griffleball honored the five time champion Gashouse Gorillas and they subsequently played the Ducks on the Ponds. Even though the lights cut opening week short (9:17 PM), opening day was entertaining and there should be more to look forward to as the season progress. Let's see who trending after opening on this week's weekly power rankings.
GRIFFLEBALL POWER RANKINGS
1. Gashouse Gorillas (1-0)(--)
The Gashouse Gorillas got off to a fast start in their first action on the Sunday Night Griffleball. They score four runs in the first inning against the Duck but couldn't put up another run for the rest of the night. Those four runs was all they needed in game one due to another superb start from Jim Tucker. The second game was postponed and Gashouse is still looking for its first runs since the first inning of game one. If their pitching continues on this path, it could be another long season for the rest of Griffleball.
2. Taka Drivers (2-0)(--)
Even without Jackson Buzea, the Taka Drivers swept the Bird Gang. Both Ryan Voges and Chris Bartley contributed and excelled in their first chance back to the Janke Cage. Their arms combined to only give up one run on Sunday. and scored eight in their decisive performance. Out of all the teams on Sunday, Taka looked to be in mid-season form and could contend with Gashouse for the top spot in the regular season.
3. Nighttime Ninjas (1-1)(--)
It's tough to lose a game by one run. It was even more difficult for the Nighttime Ninjas who lost their first game without giving up a hit. But, the Ninjas found a way to win in their second game despite a rough start to 2017. With the return of Ethan Arvay and the addition of Matt Kuna, the Ninjas offense could not find its explosiveness. Mike Kubacki led the way with four of the teams total six hits. I expect their offense to come around soon. Good news, they only gave up one run the whole series.
4. Ducks on the Pond (0-1)(Up 1)
The Ducks lost their opener and have also yet to score a run this season. Their offense has struggled to get any momentum but that could be expected facing the five time champs. They had trouble scoring runs last season but don't expect it to continue as the season progresses. They still have a shot to split a series with Gashouse and it is because of the Ducks pitching. Mark Blount, Zach Duvnjak, and Chris Diehl have pitched eight scoreless innings and look to continue that trend next week.
5. Digger Dudes (1-1)(Up 1)
The Digger Dudes shocked the Ninjas in game one by being patient and waiting for their pitches. They won a game without a hit and let the game come to them. They impressed in their first series and it looks like they have some good arms. Nick Bobowski and Peter Sepulveda shutout an experienced Ninjas team. If they pitch well during the season, they could put themselves in a lot of winning situations. The only concern is whether their offense can capitalize on a weekly basis.
6. Bird Gang (0-2)(Down 2)
In a tough opening day series, the Bird Gang pitching gave up fifteen hits to Taka. Their offense was not much better, as they totaled only four all day. This is not a welcome sign for the Bird Gang. as they were in the bottom three offense last season. Their arms were able to win a lot of games in years prior and they may fall there again. They will have to find a way to rebound against the defending champs next week or suffer an 0-4 start.
GRIFFLEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Hitter of the Week
Chris Bartley
2 Games .588 AVG (10/17) 2 HR 6 RBI 4 BB
Pitcher of the Week
Jim Tucker
1 Game 1-0 3.5 IP 1 HA 5 SO
WEEK TWO
3PM/4PM - Nighttime Nijas at Ducks on the Pond
5PM/6PM - Gashouse Gorillas at Bird Gang
7PM/8PM - Digger Dudes at Taka Drivers
WIFFLE OUT!
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