Luke Moedritzer announced his return to the league by swatting two home runs as the Juice choked the Chickens.
One could not wish for better weather than what we had on Opening Day 2019. Sun shining, but not too harsh; breeze blowing, but not too hard; larpers having a party in the nearby valley. (wait what) Due to a scheduling snafu, Cinco de Mayo was a soft opener with only the four returning teams going at it, renewing stagnant rivalries from last season. Let’s get to it.
Brunch Wars: 100% Real Juice vs Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles
PRESTON SAHABU, Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles
100% Real Juice 14 || Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles 0
Adam Brickett, pressed into service by the offseason departure of Aaron Hunter and the gameday absence of Epo Olivares, made it immediately clear that he would play third fiddle to nobody. He worked a quick 1-2-3 with two K’s, and the opponents were forced into the field before they knew what happened. It seemed that every time the Chickens started a rally, the Juice defense would squelch it with impressive plays, and Brickett would punch in a strikeout or two for good measure.
Matt Pearson took the hill for Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles, working with a revamped arsenal and looking to leverage the new sixth fielder. Things almost went according to plan, with Pearson keeping the ball around the strike zone and badly fooling some batters, but walks, ground ball singles, and home runs would eventually unravel the squad over four mercy rule shortened innings.
Adam Brickett pitched four scoreless innings for 100% Real Juice, surrendering four hits and no walks while striking out four in front of a solid defense.
100% Real Juice 6 || Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles 1
The bats stayed cold for Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles in this one, facing off against Matt Morris on the hill. Despite his colorfully expressed inability to pitch a wiffleball, he leaned effectively on his stellar defense, which hunted down pop-flies and threw groundballs across the diamond with easy grace. Curse the newly-sodded infield. The Chickens’ only run would come off a perfectly placed double in the left field corner, which was damped by an amazing play from the outfielder to peg a runner advancing to third in the back of the knee.
Matt Morris stepped in to pitch a complete game, striking out six and surrendering just one run on six hits and four walks.
Michael Constantine made his Seattle Wiffle pitching debut for the Chickens, and was ultimately quite effective. Towering over his opponents and throwing from a brand-new rubber, “The Big Angle” used Chris Young levels of wizardry to charm pop-ups and gentle fly balls to his defense. Of course when one lives by the sword, they die by the sword, and he surrendered a solid scoop of home runs in the effort.
CNW may have found their second starter in Mike Constantine who limited the Juice to six runs while inducing popup after popup.
Though the Juice defense was nigh-impeccable, the Chickens made good decisions, solid catches, and a few athletic plays to keep the game within reach. One particularly fun play saw a bobble off an infielder (that shall remain unnamed) wind up in the hands of Constantine for an out. Another saw Andy Siegel christen the brand-new fence with a high jump flop while trying to rob a home run. The fence remained upright, as advertised.
Despite the two defeats, Chicken ‘n’ Wiffles remains optimistic about the rest of the season while admiring 100% Real Juice’s pursuit of a title repeat.
The Steaks Chew Their Cud: West Coast Washout vs RBI Steaks
DANIEL RISH, West Coast Washout
RBI Steaks 6 || West Coast Washout 3
Past seemed like prologue for the Washout as they watched this season begin with two Steak walks before a strike was thrown. It would come to pass, but not yet. Max Melendez would record three quick outs to escape the first unscatched. RBI Steaks pitcher Riley Brindle, a recent call-up from the Thai developmental league, performed well in his season debut. His squad fell behind early on a fielder’s choice by Kevin Tsuchida in the first, but quickly retook the lead as Joey Meucci parked an self-admittedly ill-advised Melendez knuckler in the following inning. The Washout squandered an opportunity to retake the lead in the following inning, as Conor Roberson and Jason Ciummo made it two on with one out, waiting for the top of the lineup. Unfortunately for the Washout, Brindle induced a Daniel Rish strikeout on 3-2 in the eighth pitch of the at-bat. Andrew Winter then singled, but was cut down on an aggressive choice to make for second. The game was all twos, 2-2 after 2.
Then, the wily veteran Steaks made their move. In a disastrous half-inning for the Washout, the Steaks found six walks, coupled with a routine pop-up falling in for a hit between Rish and Jason Matt. The Washout would plate one more in the fourth, but left the bases loaded, falling 6-3 in a full-length game. Conor Roberson went 3-3 for the losers, while Joey Meucci led the way for the Steaks by driving in 4.
Max Melendez showed guts and that nasty riser, striking out a league-high 13 despite taking the loss in game one.
RBI Steaks 12 || West Coast Washout 2
In the highly anticipated matchup of Nick Winn vs. the speed limit...nothing happened! A rare few pitches got called back, but mostly, Sly Cy kept it tamped down. The first two innings zipped by, with Winn and Washout counterpart Jack Kineke solid thunking the board. Winn ran into a spot of trouble in the third, as the Washout loaded the bases with one out and walked one across. Alas, they would come to regret tipping that strategy. After leading 1-0, the Washout headed into the bottom of the third. A few walks and in between-er singles left the bases loaded, with no outs and the score 3-1. Kineke would walk the next five batters, before being rescued by teammate Daniel Rish, who...walked the next two batters. Two K’s, two more walks, and one fielder’s choice later, the recently 1-0 game was a 12-1 affair headed for mercy. The Washout came close to prolonging the evening, getting the score to 12-2 with the bases loaded, but Winn shut the door and proclaimed the Steaks well-done for the evening.
