Griffleball Week Four Game Recaps

Taka Drivers (4-1) vs Ducks on the Pond (0-4) Game 1

JANKE CAGE - The first game between the Taka Drivers and Ducks on the Pond was a tad closer then most experts expected but, in the end Taka found a way to squeak by in extra innings. At first, it looked like the Ducks were destined to upset one of the GBL's best. In the first, the Ducks had the first three batters of the inning reach base. With the bases loaded, Zack Duvnjak stepped up to the lawn chair. Duvnjak crushed a Jackson Buzea pitch over the fence to give his Ducks an early 4-0 advantage. It was the Ducks on the Pond first lead of the season but, it didn't last long. Already down 4-0, the Taka Drivers roared back in the second. After a triple to lead off the inning, Chris Bartley hit an easy ground ball to starter Brian Brilmyer which ate him up and gave Taka their first run. After a few walks, the bases were loaded for Buzea and with one swing he erased the deficit. He tripled off the fence to tie the game at four. Then, Ryan Voges followed up Buzea's triple with a home run that gave Taka a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the second. The Ducks who have been quiet on offense all season answered. Brilmyer would hit a three run homer in the second to regain the lead for the Ducks, 7-6. After a quick third inning for both teams, the action picked back up in the top of the fourth. With the pressure looming, the Taka Drivers needed to manufacture one more run to tie the score. With the bases loaded, Bartley walked in a run to tie the game at seven. The pressure than fell back to the Ducks, who were still looking for their first victory. They had a good opportunity to end the game in the fifth but, could not bring in the runner from second. The Taka Drivers and Ducks on the Pond were tied at seven going into extras and it wouldn't take long for Taka to strike. After the first three batter reached base, Buzea singled to give his squad an one run lead. The Ducks hopes of trying to extend the contest fell flat and the Taka Drivers found a way to hold on for their fifth win of the season. 

FINAL/6 - Taka Drivers 8 Ducks on the Pond 7

W - Chris Bartley (1-0)

L - Brian Brilmyer (0-2)

Taka Drivers (5-1) vs Ducks on the Pond (0-5) Game 2

JANKE CAGE - After game one's back and forth affair, the second contest turned into a good old fashioned pitching duel between Zack Duvnjak and Ryan Voges. In the end, Voges would toss another masterpiece on his way his second win of the season. In three innings, he recorded every out (6) via strikeout and didn't allow a single run. He eventually received the run support he needed in the top of the third. With the game still scoreless, Jackson Buzea led off the third with a solo home run to give the Taka Drivers a 1-0 advantage. It would be Duvnjak's only mistake and it was all the Taka Drivers needed. While the Ducks struggled making contact against Voges, they also had trouble making solid contact against Chris Bartley. The Ducks ended the game with only two hits (one off each pitcher) and never could regain their stroke like they had in game one. To make matters worse, the Taka Drivers added some insurance in the fifth. Bartley led off the inning with a solo home run to doubled the lead to 2-0, Then, Buzea would triple in two to make it 4-0 and later double in two more to make it 6-0. Even one run would have been too much for the Ducks as the Taka staff held them in check all day en route to a series sweep. 

FINAL - Taka Drivers 6 Ducks on the Pond 0

W - Ryan Voges (2-0)

L - Zack Duvnjak (0-2)

S - Chris Bartley (1)

Nighttime Ninjas (2-4) vs Stallionaires (1-3) Game 1

JANKE CAGE -  In need of a win, the Nighttime Ninjas offense came back to life and it could not have come at a better time. After losing four straight, the Ninjas offensive resurrection propelled them to a game one victory over the Stallionaires. They started the scoring as soon as the game started. After missing last week, Sammy Krucek certainly came ready to hit in week four. He tripled in the game's first run to give his team a 1-0 lead. Then, Mike Kubacki Jr. followed that with a triple of his own to make it 2-0. Right after that, Krucek singled to bring in that runner to increase the lead to 3-0. Entering the third, the score remained the same and then Krucek became a man possessed. In the top of the third, Krucek would hit three home runs for a total of six RBI. When the inning concluded, the Nighttime Ninjas led 9-0. Matt Kuna would continue his amazing season at the plate with a solo shot in the bottom of the third to cut the Ninja's lead to 9-1. But in the fourth, Krucek would crush his fourth home run of the game to make it 11-1. The Stallionaires were close to losing another game via the mercy rule but, fought valiantly to make sure that did not happen. After the first two batters reached bases, Josh Ross doubled in a run to extend the game to another inning. Later in the fourth, Kuna doubled in two more to cut the deficit to 11-4. The Ninjas lead was just a bit too much for the Stallionaires to overcome and Nighttime earned a much needed win. 

FINAL - Nighttime Ninjas 11 Stallionaires 4

W - Mike Kubacki Jr. (2-2)

L - Josh Ross (0-1)

Nighttime Ninjas (3-4) vs Stallionaires (1-4) Game 2

JANKE CAGE - After trailing for eight and a half innings, the Stallionaires patience would pay off in game two en route to splitting their series with the Ninjas. In the first inning, the Ninjas picked up right where they led off in game one. Sammy Krucek and Mike Kubacki Jr. would hit back to back solo home runs to give the Ninjas an early 2-0 lead. After the first two batters, the Stallionaires pitching staff settled in. Josh Ross and Matt Kuna would not allow another run for the rest of the game. The score would remain intact until the end of the game, mostly due to the great pitching performance by Krucek. Entering the bottom of the fifth, Krucek was still on the mound in pursuit of his first career no-hitter. That bid would end immediately as Kuna would single to start the fifth. Even with Krucek out of the game, the Stallionaires would still have to deal with Kubacki who stifled them in game one. With the quick turnaround, Kubacki never seemed quite ready to go in the fifth. He would walk four of the next five batters. Kubacki could not locate during the fifth and it ended up costing the Ninjas the game. With the score now tied at two (both runs scored via walks) Kuna had a chance to end the game. With the bases loaded, Kuna hit a walk-off single to steal a win from the Ninjas. Even though they were outplayed for most of the day, the Stallionaires waited until the last moment and ended up staying virtually even with the Ninjas in the standings. 

FINAL - Stallionaires 3 Nighttime Ninjas 2

W - Matt Kuna (2-0)

L - Mike Kubacki Jr. (2-3)

Gashouse Gorillas (4-1) vs Bird Gang (4-2)

JANKE CAGE/GRIFFLE GROUNDS - While the Bird Gang had a big opportunity to prove themselves as contender, the Gashouse Gorillas handled their business as usual in week four's anticipated nightcap. It also turned out to be a fine pitching duel between Jim Tucker and Andrew Felde. In the first inning, both teams were able to get a few runners on but, each pitcher found their way out of tough jams. That would be the best opportunity for both teams to score until late in the contest. In the third inning, the GBL move the game from the Janke Cage to the Griffle Grounds which happened to a first for Griffleball. Yet, the move did not hurt either starter and/or relievers for both teams. The Gashouse Gorillas struck out nine and the Bird Gang did not allow a run until the sixth. In the top of the sixth, the Gashouse Gorillas finally got to work. After a walk by Nick Bobowski, Tucker smashed a pitch from Cole Felde over the tree to clear the fence for a two run homer. It was all Gashouse would need to defeat the Bird Gang and take game one of the series.

FINAL/6 - Gashouse Gorillas 2 Bird Gang 0
W - Jeremy Ratajczyk (2-1)
L - Cole Felde (0-1)

Gashouse Gorillas (5-1) vs Bird Gang (4-3) 

GRIFFLE GROUNDS - Last week the Gashouse Gorillas used their bats to sweep, this week they used their arms to secure another broom worthy performance. Starter, Nick Bobowski, shut down the Bird Gang for three plus innings. He carried a no-hitter into the fourth in his Rookie Pitcher of the Week performance. While the arms were on top of their game, Gashouse needed to score to lock up a sweep. They struck against Andrew Felde in the second with a bases loaded single from Jeremy Ratajczyk. It was Felde's first earned run give up all season. Then, in the third, after an error in the field, Ratajczyk hit a grand slam to extend the lead to 5-0. It would be Ratajczyk's league leading ninth home run and bring his RBI total to 31. Gashouse would add a few more in the fifth because of poor fielding from the Bird Gang. Gashouse would walk in a run and score via an error to make it 7-0. Week four was certainly a week to forget for the Bird Gang as all aspects of their game struggled. On the other hand, the Gashouse Gorillas extend their winning streak to six. 

FINAL - Gashouse Gorillas 7 Bird Gang 0

W - Nick Bobowski (1-0)

L - Andrew Felde (2-1)