Six years later...
June 17, 2007
16 teams battled for the championship in NY's NCQ #2, but it was the Battle Toads who would come out victorious at the end of a very long day. This organization, dating back to when they were the PacMen, would win their first every wiffleball tournament, taking them over six years to accomplish the feat. The team would start the day off with Chris Jenney leading off, Matt Ventimiglia batting second, and Nick Tullo batting third. Nick would have to leave after round robin play.
The Battle Toads would draw the Boondock Saints, Switch Hitters, and F-Bombs in round robin play. In the first game, Nick would start on the hill but controls problems would force the team to bring it lefty Matt Ventimiglia. The team would win 21-9. The second round robin game would be against new team Switchitters. Their pitcher's velocity would rival some of the top pitchers in the country. He had some control problems however, and Chris Jenney would hit a grandslam to break the game open and the Toads went on to win 10-5. Look for this team in the future. Ventimiglia would get the win.
Standing between them and a perfect round robin record was the New England F-Bombs. A first inning homer by Mike Washington would provide the only scoring of the game, as the Battle Toads could not handle the lefty on the mound. Matt would go hitless. They would drop this game 2-0. Because of their high runs against total, they would have to face Rabid Woodpeckers in the only play in game of the tourny. In the 2nd inning, they would win on a bases loaded walk by Chris Jenney.
With the 8 seed in the playoffs, The Toads would go right back to facing the F-bombs again, the 1 seed. Jenney would pitch his first of many great games. He would hit a game tying homer in the third, and in the fifth Matt would manage his first hit out of the inflied against the F-Bombs to take the 4-3 lead. Jenney would get out of the fifth unharmed and the Battle Toads would move on to the final four.
The Knights would come back late in the game to beat Yahtzee, so that is who the Battle Toads would have to beat to get to their first ever championship game. Jenney would pitch against the most feared team in the game, and pitch an amazing game. After Matt would walk in a run, and Jenney would get a base hit up the middle, the Toads went into the last inning with a two run lead. The knights would manage one run off of Chris. With two outs and a man on third, Matt would throw the ball short of the back stop to tie the game at 2. Jenney would get out of the inning, and the playoff game would head to extras. Matt would bounce back with a leadoff walk, followed by his first and only homer of the tournament to give the team a two run lead again. They would go on to beat the Knights by a score of 4-3.
With Jenney having already pitched 13 innings, there was speculation to how he would fare against the Running Wiff Scissors. They would also throw their ace Kishan. Jenney would hit an rbi double, and Matt would hit an RBI single. Jenney would man up and pitch 5 more shutout innings and the Toads would capture their first championship by a final score of 2-0.
The win gives them 60 FP points, should help them in the writers poll, and improved their record from 3-4 to 9-5. Jenney would beat four well known teams on the hill, and hit five home runs in the tournament. He would hit the ball all day long. Matt was more inconsistant, but came up big later in the playoffs. Hopefully the team can bring the momentum with them to NJ on July 9th. When Michael Marmo is able to join the team, their pitching should rival many top teams with Chris Jenney proving he can beat the best teams around.
Tourny Recap:
HR's:
Chris Jenney - 5
Nick Tullo - 1
Matt Ventimiglia - 1
Pitching:
Chris Jenney: 4-0, 18 innings, 6 runs
Matt Ventimiglia: 2-1, 11 innings, 7 runs
Nick Tullo: 1 inning, 9 runs.
First NJ NCQ of 2007
June 9, 2007
NJ NCQ #1
The battletoads traveled down to New Jersey to compete in their second tournament of the year. Once again, they were short handed and the vacancy was filled by former Niff player Nick Tullo.
With the weather hot, the bats remained cold as the Toads compiled a total of 2 hits in the first two games. Game one was against North East powerhouse The Knights. With the score tied 0-0 in the 4th inning and Chris still on the mound a runner was on first and a ground ball was hit up the middle. After 50 hops the ball settled against the fence for a double and the only hit of the game; the score was 1-0. Due to walks, a second run would score and the battle toads would drop the first game of the tournament 2-0 against the Knights. After being no hit, the Toads looked for a better hitting performance against their second opponent Niff.
Unfortunately the bats remained cold. Nick Tullo took the mound in his first start for the Toads. After a rough 2nd inning the toads found themselves down 5. With bases loaded and a 0-2 count Chris hit a double off the fence making the score 5-4 (a run scored earlier due to walks.) Niff continued to hit and with a score of 9-4 and bases still loaded Chris came in to take over the pitching. The walk parade began and by the end Niff had defeated the Toads 14-4.
Already eliminated the Battletoads went into their last game against rock to win. This game was a blowout. Chris had 4 homeruns and Nick had two, the Toads won by a final score of 9-5 after being down 5-0.
Overall the tournament was a fun way to spend a Saturday, but a giant disappointment for a battle toads team that showed promise in their first tournament in New York. The toads are looking to rebound in NY NCQ 2 which will be held on Saturday June 16th. Chris is also now 20, so look for big things from the should be poster boy of wiffleball.
Jenney picks up where he left off last year as Toads do well in first tourny of year
May 20, 2007
In 2006 the Toads made it to the playoffs in every New Jersey tournament, but went 2-9 in their home region. Yesterday, they showed they were ready to play and win in New York, qualifying for the playoffs in an 18 team tournament where top teams like Mud Ducks, Yahtzee, In The Box, Thunder, and Wood N' Bats did not. They arguably had the toughest draw of the day, having to face the national champions of '06 Rookies, followed by Wood N' Bats, and Thunder. A grandslam in the third inning against the Rookies would open the game up and the Toads would lose 7-0, leaving many runners on base each inning. Jenney would take the loss on the hill, but every out recorded that game would be via strikeout (15 in total). This would force Chris Jenney to also pitch the next two games if the team wanted a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
Against Wood N' Bats, Jenney would make only one mistake - a solo shot by Ryan Wood - and would hit a two run homer himself to win the game. THe Toads would have to beat a top team in the country, Thunder (who was also 1-1 and playing in their first tournament of the year) to advance to the playoffs.
Thunder would throw their ace Jared LaChance, and Jenney would take the hill for the third straight game. After a solo shot by Rob on Thunder, Jenney would respond with another two run homerun to take a 2-1 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Matt Ventimiglia would get his first homer and RBI of thet tournament with a solo shot to center. Jenney would homer in his next at bat as well, and th Toads were up 4-1 going into the last inning.
Jenney, pitching lights out all game, would give up a solo home run to Jared with two outs, and then make an error, getting the tying run to the plate. He would strike out the final hitter, and the Toads would qualify for the playoffs.
The Toads would receive the 6th seed and draw Niff in the first round. Matt would be on the hill. He would get out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning, and would follow that up with a double to give the Toads a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Matt would get smacked around, giving up 6 runs. He would give up three more runs and Jenney would hit his fourth homer of the game as the Toads would lose 9-2. Their big opportunity came in the third with the bases loaded and nobody out. They would not manage to push a run across.
A better draw might have allowed the team to save Jenney's arm for the playoffs. The team does hope to play more as a three man team this year. With the addition of Marmo's arm, and Jenney showing he can beat the best of teams, look for the Toads to make some noise this year.
Tournament Breakdown:
Home Runs:
Chris Jenney - 4
Matt Ventimiglia - 1
Pitching:
Chris Jenney - 15 innings, 10 runs, 2-1 record
Matt Ventimiglia - 4 innings, 9 runs, 0-1 record
2007 tournament schedule set
April 1, 2007
The Fast Plastic schedule for the 2007 season is set, along with the wiffleup schedule. There is numerous tournaments available for the Battle Toads this season, including 7 in New York alone. The team's first priority will be Fast Plastic NCQs. With 11 tournaments between NY and NJ, look for it to be a very eventful season for the Battle Toads. Check out the events calendar for the full schedule.
Battle Toads '07
February 21, 2007
The only major offseason news for the Battle Toads is the flip flop of roles for Michael Casale and Frank Ventimiglia. Casale, who appeared in three tournaments in 2007, will take on a reserved role (in order to run the tournaments) and Frank will be playing on a more full time basis after taking 2006 off. Frank's arm will be a welcomed addition to the already strong rotation, and his experienced bat will increase the team's potent lineup.
With each region hosting four NCQ's over the course of the summer, there will be plenty of wiffleball for the Battle Toads to play. With Chris Jenney having an impressive rookie year, and ace Mike Marmo having 60 more innings under his belt, the team should be stronger than ever. Matt Ventimiglia will be returning as team captain, after playing in 8 of the team's 9 tournaments last season, as he also lead the team in wins on the hill and homeruns with his bat.
The Team should improve upon their 21-18 record last season. The addition of Frank's arm and the hope that Chris Jenney will play more games should help the team's fatigue factor, where they finished the regular season 2-9 in their home region, after starting the season off with an impressive 12-3 record.
2006 Season Recap
August 21, 2006
Team statistics:
Game Summary:
Tournament 1, NJ NCQ #1 (Matt, O'Mara):
W 13-3 vs. Rising Sliders
W 7-6 vs. Yahtzee (6 innings)
W 14-13 vs. Doom
W 3-2 vs. Old School Risers
L 8-0 vs. Rookies
Tournament 2, Wiffleup LI (Matt, Chris, Marmo games 1 and 5)
W 4-1 vs. Team Franks
W 1-0 vs. Section 39
W 6-0 vs. N/A
W Forfeit
L 7-2 vs. Syosset Studs
Tournament 3, NJ NCQ #3 (Marmo, Chris)
W 6-5 vs. Dunskies (6 innings)
W 3-0 vs. Slimetime
W 3-1 vs. Old School Risers
W 12-0 vs. GC Boys
L 10-3 vs. Mud Ducks (7 innings)
Tournament 4, NE NCQ #3 (Marmo, Matt)
W 11-1 vs. Money Shot
W 19-1 vs. Lights Out
L 7-1 vs. Rookies
L 11-7 vs. Doom
Tournament 5, NJ NCQ #4 (Matt, Chris)
W 19-0 vs. Doom
L 3-0 vs. Hitsom
W 8-4 vs. Thunder
W 12-7 vs. Swingers
L 5-3 vs. Hitsom
Tournament 6, NY NCQ #1 (Casale, Matt games 1-3, Marmo games 3 and 4)
L 1-0 vs. Speaker City
L 10-0 vs. Yahtzee
L 12-2 vs. Rookies
L 2-1 vs. Wiffleholics
Tournament 7, NY NCQ #2 (Casale, Matt)
W 2-0 vs. Team Slimetime
L 10-3 vs. Yahtzee
L 10-0 vs. Screwballs
Tournament 8, NY NCW #3 (Casale, Jenney, Matt, Marmo games 3 and 4)
L 7-0 vs. RWS
W 8-7 vs. Doom (9 innings)
L 10-0 vs. Rookies
L 8-4 vs. Wiffleholics
Tournament 9, NY Playoffs (Marmo, Matt)
L 2-1 vs. Dunskies
W 2-1 vs. Dunskies
W 1-0 vs. Dunskies
L 11-3 vs. Niff
More Teams Stats:
Total Runs Scored: 184
Average RS/game: 5.57
Average RS/tourny: 20.4
Total Runs Allowed: 186
Average RA/game: 5.63
Average RA/tourny: 20.6
Overall Record: 21-18
Record in Fast Plastic: 17-17
Record in NJ region: 11-4
Record in NY region: 2-9
Record in NE region: 2-2
Record in Wiffleup tournaments: 4-1
Record in Regional Playoffs: 2-2
Record in games that Chris Jenney played in: 12-7
Record in games that Matt Ventimiglia played in: 17-16
Record in games taht Mike Marmo played in: 12-10
Record in games that Mike Casale played in: 2-8
Total HR's hit: 48
Average HR's/game: 1.45
Average HR's/tourny: 5.33
Total Innings played: 178
Final FP3 ranking: 28th in nation
Individual stats:
Chris Jenney:
Tournaments played: 4
Games Played: 18
Homeruns: 14
Homeruns/game: .77
Homeruns/tourny: 3.5
Pitching Record: 6-2
Innings pitched: 44.2
Complete games: 8
Runs allowed: 23
ERA (for standard 5 inning game): 2.60
Mike Marmo:
Tournaments played: 7
Games Played: 21
Homeruns: 14
Homeruns/game: .66
Homeruns/tourny: 2
Pitching record: 6-7
Innings pitched: 59.2
Complete games: 9
Runs allowed: 65
ERA (for Standard 5 inning game): 5.48
Mike Casale:
Tournaments played: 3
Games played: 10
Homeruns: 0
Pitching record: 0-3
Innings pitched: 8.1
Complete games: 2
Runs allowed: 21
ERA (for standard 5 inning game): 12.96
Matt Ventimiglia:
Tournaments played: 8
Games Played: 33
Homeruns: 19
Homeruns/game: .57
Homeruns/tourny: 2.38
Pitching record: 7-6
Innings pitched: 63.1
Complete games: 10
Runs allowed: 62
ERA (for standard 5 inning game): 4.91
Toad's Finish top 4 in NY regional Playoffs
August 20, 2006
The Toad's would square off against the Dunskies in a best of 3 series in the NY regional playoffs. Dunskies, having the higher seed, would be the home team. The only runs they would score the first game were two runs walked in by Marmo. He would only give up one hit the first game, but the Toad's would fall 2-1.
Marmo pitched equally as well in the second game, and the game woudl be tied 1-1 in the fifth. Matt would have a walk off double of a slider on a 3-2 pitch to give the Toad's their first victory of the day, and bring the series to a deciding game.
Game three was another pitcher's duel, and Marmo would throw a shutout, and win 1-0. Matt would provide the only run with an infield single early in the game.
To get to the championship game and qualify for Texas, the Toad's would face Niff for the first time all year. Marmo kept dealing, and would supply the offense as well with a 2 run homer in the 2nd inning. With the game still being 2-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, Niff would get their second hit of the game, but unfortunately crack the ball. Marmo would be unable to find the zone or movement with the other ball, and the Toad's fell 11-3.
Only one homerun may have been hit by the Toad's in 4 games, but many triples and doubles were hit to the deepest part of the park by both members.
A season recap will follow shortly.
Toad's go 1-3 in last regular season NCQ
August 5, 2006
In the last NCQ of the season for the Toad's, they would go with a three man team of Chris Jenney, Mike Casale, and Matt Ventimiglia. Mike Marmo would show up for the final two games, and the team would play as a four man team for the first and only time all season. In the first game against Running Wiff Scissors, Mike Casale would provide the only hit for the Battle Toads, and they would lose 7-0. They would face Doom next in a classic battle that would be 9 innings long. a 6-2 lead was given up in the last inning. Down by one in the 6th inning, Casale would hit a long single to tie it. The ball landed just inches away form ending the game with two outs. The Battle Toads would win on an infield hit by Matt in the 9th inning. Their third game would be against the Rookies. Jenney, Casale, and Marmo would all pitch in the first inning, but Casale would suffer the loss, as the team went down 10-0. In the final game against the Wiffleholics, the team held a lead for most of the game, but the opponents would get to Mike Marmo late in the game, and the Battle Toads would fall to 1-3 on the day.
Tournament Breakdown:
Homeruns:
Matt - 2
Chris - 1
Pitching:
Chris: 1-1, 13IP, 14runs, 2CG
Casale: 0-1, .1IP, 6runs
Marmo: 0-1, 6.2IP, 12runs, 1CG
Toad's Manage just one win in second NY tournament
July 29, 2006
Mike Casale and Matt Ventimiglia would for the second straight week play in trhe NY region, representing the Battle Toads. In the first game, they would face Team Slimetime. It was a pitcher's duel throughout the whole game, until Matt hit a walk off two run homer to win it. In the second game, the Toad's would once against face Yahtzee, and lose 10-3. Matt would start the game, Mike Casale would finish it. In the last game, Mike Casale would pitch against the Screwballs, but lose 10-0.
Tournament Breakdown:
Homeruns:
Matt: 1
Pitching:
Matt: 1-1, 1CG, 7runs, 8IP
Casale: 0-1, 1CG, 13runs, 4IP
Toad's make home region debut, fatigue sets in
July 22, 2006
Also running the New York region this year, the Battle Toads would participate in the region's first NCQ of the year. They would have to face Speaker City, Yahtzee, Rookies, and Wiffleholics in RR play. In the first game, they would lose in an upset 1-0 over Speaker City on a walk off hit in the bottom of the last inning. The second game against Yahtzee was a quick 10-0 loss. Mike Marmo would show up for the third and fourth games. The Toads would take a 2-0 lead against the Rookies in the third game, but woudl lose 12-2 just a few innings later. Mike Casale made his pitching debut in the fourth game, and took a 1-0 lead into the last inning. The Toad's unfortunately would lose 2-1 in the last inning.
Tournament break down:
Homeruns: none
Pitching:
Matt Ventimiglia: 0-2, 11 runs, 7IP, 2CG
Mike Marmo: 0-1, 12 runs, 3IP, 1CG
Mike Casale: 0-1, 2 runs, 4 IP, 1CG
Battle Toads have another final four finish
July 15, 2006
Chris and Matt would travel to NJ for their final NCQ as the Battle Toads would once against play as a two man team. THey woudl draw Doom, Hitsom, and Thunder in a three game RR.
Chris would throw a one hit shutout against Doom, who did not have their full team, and the Battle Toads would win 19-0. In the second RR game, The Toad's would face Hitsom's ace Elvin Cortez. He would shutout the Toads, and Chris Jenney would receive his first loss on the hill of the year. Final score: 3-0. In a win or go home situation, the Battle Toads would beat Thunder 8-4 backed by the strong pitching of Matt.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Battle Toads would face 2004 NCT champions, Swingers. After a bases loaded walk in the top of the first by Chris to put the team ahead, Matt would hit a grandslam to tak ea 5-0 lead. The game would end up being a slugfest, but the Toad's would hang on to win 12-7.
The Battle Toads would find themselves in their second final four in three NJ tournaments. In their way was Hitsom. Matt looked sharp at first, but would lose control and the team was down 2-0. Chris would hit a two run homer to tie the game, but Matt couldn't hold it. After walking in another run, Chris took over on the hill, but the damage was already done. The Toad's would manage only one run in the last inning, and lose 5-3.
Tournament Stats:
Homeruns:
Matt - 6
Chris - 9
Pitching:
Matt - 2-1, 13.1 IP, 2 CG, 16runs
Chris - 1-1, 9.2 IP, 2 CG, 3 runs
Matt and Marmo Travel to NE
July 8, 2006
Matt and Marmo traveled to Burrilville Rhode Island to compete in New England's third NCQ. New England may not draw the most teams in the country, but their region could be the most competitive in the nation. As a two man team, the Battle Toads would start off against a new team, Money Shot. Matt would pitch and get the win, with Mike Marmo providing all of the offense. They would win 11-1 in three innings.
Their second game would be against powerhouse team Lights Out. Ace pitcher Nick T was on the mound. The Battle Toads managed some early runs against him. He would be replaced by Judd Dana, and the Battle Toads would win 19-1 in four innings. Both members hit several homeruns in this contest.
With a 2-0 record, the team needed to win one of the next two to make their way into the playoffs. In their way to stop them was the Rookies and Doom. Josh of the Rookies would dominate their game, with the Toads managing just one run in the last inning. Rookies won the game 7-1. In the contest against Doom, Doomm struck early and rallied well with the bats. The late game rally by the Toad's was cut short and they would lose 11-7 and finish the tournament 2-2.
Here is a tournament break down:
Homeruns:
Mike Marmo: 6
Matt Ventimiglia: 4
Pitching Stats:
Matt: 1-0, 7IP, 1CG, 4runs
Marmo: 1-2, 11IP, 1CG, 16runs
Marmo and Jenney play well as two man in NJ NCQ #3
June 17, 2006
The Battle Toad's would send Marmo and Chris to play in NJ NCQ #3. This would be both their first Fast Plastic Tournament of the year. Jenney would pitch the first game and win 6-5 in extra innings against the Dunskies. Mike Marmo would pitch against Team Slimetime, a new team with great pitcher. He would supply the power at the plate and pitch a shutout as well. The Final score was 3-0. In their last RR game, they woudl face OSR. Jenney would throw a no hitter and hit homerun to win the game 3-1. Their first playoff game was against GC Boys. Marmo would pitch the first inning and get the win. Chris would pitch the second inning. To get to the final four, they would have to play the Mud Ducks. DOwn 3-0, Marmo found the plate and coasted. He would also hit two homeruns to tie the game at three. He would wind up losing the zone in the seventh inning and the Battle Toad's would lose 10-3.
Tournament breakdown:
Homeruns:
Marmo: 5
Chris: 3
Pitching:
Chris: 2-0, 12IP, 2CG, 6 runs
Marmo: 2-1, 13 IP, 2CG, 10runs
Toad's have strong second tournament
June 13, 2006
In their second tourny of the year, their first wiffleup tourny, and Chris Jenney's first tourny, the Battle Toad's went an impressive 4-1. Mike Marmo pitched the first game, giving up one run. He helped his own cause with 2 solo homeruns. The Toad's won easily 4-1.
Chris Jenney pitched the next two games, not giving up a run. In the second game, he hit his first career homerun, and the Toad's won 1-0. In the second game, Matt hit a grandslam, his second homer of the tournament, and the Toad's won 6-0. With a forfeit in the last game, the Battle Toad's finished round robin at a perfect 4-0, and received a first game bye.
Matt was on the hill and would face the Syosset Studs. Two first inning runs put the Toad's down. The Battle Toad's would answer back with a solo homer by Matt, and a bases loaded walk by Marmo to tie it. In the seventh inning, Matt would walk in a run and give up a grand slam, and the team would lose a game by a score of 7-2. The team finished in the top 8 with over 60 teams.
Chris Jenney did not give up one run in his first two games ever, and Mike Marmo looked impressive as well with one run given up in five innings. The team as a whole showed some pop with six home runs hit in four games. Good luck to Marmo and Jenney this Saturday when they travel to New Jersey to play in their third NCQ.
Tournament breakdown:
Pitching:
Chris Jenney 2-0 (Section 39, N/A)
Mike Marmo 1-0 (Team Franks)
Matt Ventimiglia 0-1 (Syosset Studs)
IP:
Chris Jenney: 10
Mike Marmo: 5
Matt Ventimiglia: 7
CG:
Chris Jenney: 2
Mike Marmo: 1
Matt Ventimiglia: 1
Homeruns:
Chris Jenney: 1 (1)
Mike Marmo: 2 (2)
Matt Ventimiglia: 3 (6)
Toad's prepare for Wiffleup: Chris Jenney to make debut
June 9, 2006
The Battle Toads will enter their first tournament is almost two months on June 10th. The Wiffleup tournament will take place in Cantiague park, Hicksville.
Chris Jenney will make his wiffleball debut. Accompanying him will be Matthew Ventimiglia. Mike Marmo will be a game time decision as to whether he can play or not. If possible, look for the team to try to save Matt's arm for the playoffs, and get Jenney and Marmo some work in, with this being their first tournament of the season.
Jenney and Marmo will try and pitch the Toad's through the round robin. Each player will get innings on the mound. The lineup will have Matt leading off. Marmo will bat second in any games he plays in, and Chris will bat third. Lineup changes may be made game to game based on player performances and specific matchups.
Battle Toads have great first tournament
April 23, 2006
Going as a two man team in what could very well be the most stacked tournament of the year, Matt and first timer Michael O'mara were unsure of how they would do against such tough competition. For the Round Robin, they drew a New Team in the first game by the name of The Rising Sliders, Yahtzee, and Doom. Yahtzee and Doom had both beaten The PacMen years ago. The Battle Toads' had to win two games to make the playoffs.
Matt started the first game against The Rising Sliders. After putting up an 8 spot in the first, Michael O'Mara pitched the second. He earned the win after a 13-3 victory in two innings. The Battle Toads now had to win one of the next two games to advance to single elimination playoffs.
They're next game was against Yahtzee. Matt started and had a quick first inning. This was followed by the Toad's scoring two runs. Yahtzee's bats came alive in the second, hitting two homeruns and six runs in all. The Toad's responded in the bottom of the second with another run. The rest of the game went scoreless, until the bottom of the fifth, where the Battle Toad's needed three runs to tie. After leaving the bases loaded twice with less than two outs earlier in the game, they were able to manage those three runs in the sixth to tie. Matt struck out with an opportunity to win it, but held Yahtzee scoreless in the first extra inning. This set up O'Mara to get the game winning hit after a few walks and hits to start off the inning. The Battle Toad's won 7-6 in extra innings, and clinched a playoff birth.
Because they already got their two wins, the team planned to rest Matt's arm, and O'Mara got the start. In the top of the first, The Battle Toad's put up eight runs, which was highlighted by a grandslam by Matt, his second homerun of the tournament. With the score 8-6 in the second, it was O'Mara's turn to hit one out, a grandslam as well and his first homerun of his career. O'Mara got into trouble in the second and was taking out after straining his back because of the rain and slippery landing spot. Matt came in with the game tied at 12 each, and gave up two runs in four innings, and the Battle Toads won 14-13, after Doom ended the game with the bases loaded. The Toad's were 3-0 and would receive the three seed in the playoffs, as well as a bye in the first round.
The Toad's would have to beat Old School Risers, a top 16 team in the nation last year to make it to the final four. Old School was up to bat first and scored a run. Each team would manage one run in the next three innings, so the score was 2-1 in favor of the Risers. Matt lead off the bottom of the last inning with a game tying homerun, his third of the tournament. He then doubled in his next at bat. O'Mara's single made it first and third, and Matt hit a game ending single to bring the Toad's within one game of a championship matchup.
To get there they would have to face The Rookies. Matt's arm has nothing left, and O'Mara was still unable to pitch because of inury, and The Battle Toad's were no hit in the final game and lost 8-0.
The team played outstanding defense, turning five double plays in five opportunities. The team showed good power as well, hitting four homeruns, a triple, and several doubles in total. With a final four finish, the team will also accumulate either 22 or 21 FP3 points. Overall, it tournament was an awesome start to the season.
TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN:
Homeruns:
Matt - 3
O'Mara - 1
Pitching:
The Rising Sliders: W- O'Mara (13-3)
Yahtzee: W- Matt (7-6)
Doom: W- Matt (14-13)
Old School Risers: W- Matt (3-2)
The Rookies: L- Matt (8-0)
Toads WILL enter NJ NCQ #1
April 18, 2006
In breaking news, the Battle Toads will attend NJ NCQ #1. It will not be the same faces you will see during the summer however. Matt Ventimiglia will travel to NJ with Michael O'Mara. Chris Jenney, Mike Marmo, and Mike Casale will not be able to attend, so O'Mara will fill in. Brackets will be drawn on thursday, and it looks like it may rain on Saturday as well.
Battle Toad's schedule set
April 8, 2006
With the team finalizing the NY NCQ dates, there is now a clearer picture of what this season's schedule looks like for the Battle Toads.
The first NJ NCQ is on 4/22, which the team will not be able to attend. The team however is already making arrangements to make it to the 2nd NJ NCQ on 5/20. After that, the team does not anticipate to miss a NJ or NY tournament. The team also plans to attend either playoff in the NY or NJ region should they qualify.
The team also would like to enter the first LI Wiffleup tournament on June 10th, and would like to go to a NE NCQ if their dates do not conflict with the rest of the schedule.
This would allow the team to play up to 10 tournaments this year if they qualify for the playoffs.
New look PacMen for '06
January 1, 2006
After another inconsistent year, the team has decided to shuffle things around for next season. Frank Ventimiglia will no longer hold a full time role on the team due to other obligations. He will however still be on the roster as our fifth man. The team has turned the page from the one time team of Mike and Steve Bello, and Matt and Frank Ventimiglia. Mike Casale returns after his solid first full season of wiffleball. Matt Ventimiglia is also returning. Mike Marmo, having played in three tournaments in the last two seasons, will now become a full time member of the team. The PacMen have also picked up rookie Chris Jenney.
Below is a breakdown of each player (more information can be seen through the roster link):
Michael Casale: Biggest strength is versatility. Coming into the season with experience, a successful pitching record, and the best fielder on the team (a highly underrated aspect of the game) makes him very valuable. His already solid hitting will only get better after all of his at bats rookie season.
Matt Ventimiglia: His experience is his biggest quality. His better understanding of the game and knowledge of other teams and players will help the young team compete. He will start the season as the teams top hitter and pitcher, but with the expected development of the other players, he should end up the teams three pitcher and hitter.
Mike Marmo: In his short career, Mike has shown pitching dominance against well known teams. His clutch hitting in his only wiffleup tournament is another eye opener. By the end of the season, he will most likely be the team’s ace. His overall athletic ability should also prove to be an asset in the field.
Chris Jenney: The potential to be the team’s top hitter by the end of the season. When Frank was at his peak, Chris was consistently on his pitches. He also has the arm to be a dominant pitcher. From the start of the season to the end of it, Chris will show the most development.
Frank Ventimiglia: Obviously any tournament Frank comes to will benefit the team, but it appears that he will be mostly inactive for the season.
The team is once again very young, with no full time player 20. They do have the raw talent to compete. Look for the newer players to turn some heads.
The PacMen (if they decide to keep the name) will mostly play in the NY and NJ region. They now have a full pitching rotation (four deep) so they should be able to compete in every game. A trip to a NE region is not out of the question however. Wiffleup's will most likely be played just for fun.
The upcoming season should be nothing short of exciting.
2005 Recap
August 20, 2005
2005 Games Played by PacMen:
Tournament #1 (Matt Ventimiglia and Frank Ventimiglia):
Boppers (W 6-5)
State of Mind (W 9-1)
HitMen (W 11-0)
Kane Park (W 12-2)
Swingers (L 11-0)
Tournament #2(Mike Casale, Matt Ventimiglia, Frank Ventimiglia):
Wood N' Bats (L 6-3)
That's my Rubin (W 11-5)
Bulldogs (W 18-8)
Kane Park (L 7-0)
Tournament #3(Mike Casale, Matt Ventimiglia, Frank Ventimigliia):
Bang Bang (W 14-4)
Fighting Flanders (W 7-0)
Kane Park (W 21-1)
Mud Ducks (L 11-0)(
Tournament #4(Matt Ventimiglia, Jeff):
Screwballs (L 6-2)
Raging Sanitation (W 5-3)
Niff (L 18-8)
Tournament #5(Mike Casale games 2-4, Jay game 1, Matt Ventimiglia):
603 All-stars (L 11-0)
Tay's Team (W 6-4)
Dunskies (W 14-0)
In The Box (L 4-1)
Tournament #6 (Mike Casale games 1-3, Mike Marmo, Matt Ventimiglia):
Team Zip (W 1-0)
Team Ahhh (L 5-0)
Screwballs (W 3-0)
Syosset Studs (L 1-0)
Team Statistics:
Overall Record: 14-10
FP Record: 12-8
Wiffleup Record 2-2
Team ERA: 5.50 (for a 5 inning game) **Note-there are no errors in wiffle.
Runs Allowed: 113
Runs Scoreed: 137
Run Differential: +24
Home Runs: 14
HR's per game: 1/1.643
FP NYC NCQs entered: 3
FP NJ NCQs entered: 2
Wiffleups entered: 1
Individual Stats:
HR's:
Mike Casale - 1
Matt Ventimiglia - 8
Frank Ventimiglia - 4
HR's per game:
Mike Casale: 1/15
Matt Ventimiglia: 1/2.875
Frank Ventimiglia: 1/3.25
Runs Allowed:
Mike Casale - 25
Mike Marmo - 1
Matt Ventimiglia - 56
Frank Ventimiglia - 9
Innings Pitched:
Mike Casale - 19
Mike Marmo - 9
Matt Ventimiglia - 63
Frank Ventimiglia - 9
ERA:
Mike Casale: 6.58
Mike Marmo: .560
Matt Ventimiglia: 4.45
Frank Ventimiglia: 5.00
W-L:
Mike Casale (3-1)
Mike Marmo (1-1)
Matt Ventimiglia (7-5)
Frank Ventimiglia (3-1)
W-L Differential:
Mike Casale: +2
Mike Marmo: Even
Matt Ventimiglia: +2
Frank Ventimiglia: +2
Games Played:
Mike Casale: 15
Mike Marmo: 4
Matt Ventimiglia: 23
Frank Ventimiglia: 13
First WiffleUp in 2 years, finish 2-2
August 20, 2005
The three man team of Mike Casale, Matt Ventimiglia, and Mike Marmo would try their luck in Hicksville's Wiffleup.
Their first game set the theme of the day: intensity. Matt Ventimiglia was on the mound and the PacMen would face Team Zip. Mike Marmo would go 4-5 with two walks, a triple, and the game winning single in the bottom of the fifth after three consecutive singles to start the inning. Casale also had a great catch in foul territory to end the 3rd. Matt finished the game with a one hit shutout.
Game two was against Team AHHHH. Casale was on the hill and looked a little rusty, but after giving up one run in the 1st, settled down the next inning. Casale would also provide the team with their only hit that game. In the third, Team Ahhh managed a grand slam after walks and the game was lost 5-0.
After going 1-1, the PacMen would have to play the best team in their bracket, the Screwballs, and win to advance to the playoffs. Mike Marmo was ont he hill and worked between walks to pitch great in his first and only start of the season. Matt would supply the team with a first inning dinger to get the lead early. Mike Marmo would throw a one hit shutout and the PacMen won 3-0, finishing 2-1 in bracket play.
Their first playoff game would be against the Syosset Studs. Casale left and Marmo and Matt decided to split the game pitching. Matt started, pitching three shutout innings. Marmo would come in and do the same. The bats never got going, and the team was not able to get a hit. In the 7th with the bases starting full, the Studs walked in the game winning run.
The team finished 2-2 in their last tournament of the season. Great job by all the players, each coming up with timely hits and great defensive plays. Marmo and Matt would contribute two double plays in their errorless tournament.
Look for a season recap to follow shortly.
Tournament Breakdown:
Pitching:
Mike Casale: Team Ahhhh (L, 5-0).
Mike Marmo: Screwballs (W, 3-0), Syosset Studs (L, 1-0 in 7innings.)
Matt Ventimiglia: Team Zip (W, 1-0).
**Note- Matt pitched the first three innings against the Syosset Studs.
Hitting:
HR's:
Matt Ventimiglia- 1 (off of Team Zip.)
PacMen go .500 on the day
August 6, 2005
The PacMen drew 603 All-Stars from NE and Tay's Team (a one man team) in their last NY NCQ of the year. Playing as a two man team, Mike Casale missed the first game and the PacMen picked up Jay, a member of SOM last season. He pitched the first game against 603 and the PacMen lost 11-0 in two innings. The second round robin game saw Casale pitching the team to a 6-4 victory against Tay's Team. They finished RR 1-1 and would play an 0-2 team next. This game was won 14-0 in two innings, with both Mike and Matt hitting a HR. Their next game to make it to the final eight would be against ITB.
The PacMen faced one of, if not, the best pitcher in the country, Joe Nord. Mike was able to get one hit down the third base line, and a screaming line drive on it's way for a double which was caught. Matt managed two infield hits. Each player walked about 3 times.
In The Box managed four runs off of Matt and would win the game 4-1.
The PacMen earned a 7th seed bid to the NY playoffs next weekend, but rejected it due to family commitments. This concludes their FP season, as they also will reject their NCT invite. Matt and Mike will go to Wiffleup Hicksville on 8/20 with friend and second year player Mike Marmo. This tourny will fall on the same day as Summer Showdown.
Tourny Recap:
Hr's:
Mike Casale (1)
Matt Ventimiglia (1)
Pitching:
Jay: 603 All-stars (L 11-0).
Mike: Tay's Team (W 6-4), Dunskies (W 14-0).
Matt: In The Box (L 4-1).
PacMAN finishes 12th out of 16
July 30, 2005
With Frank and Mike unable to make the trip, Matt ventured to NJ by himself. He met up with tournament director's friend, Jeff, and the two lefties were ready to battle.
The PacMen drew Screwballs, Raging Sanitation, and Niff in the RR. Each player was only able to squander one hit in a 6-2 loss against the screwballs in 8 innings. The second game they were able to beat Raging Sanitation 5-3. After jumping up 5-0 in the top of the first against Niff, Matt's arm couldn't handle many more innings and they eventually lost 18-8.
The PacMen finished 1-2, missing the playoffs and finishing 12th in a field of 16 teams. Jeff hit the teams only homerun.
Next Saturday the full team will go to NY NCQ#3 and try and earn a playoff bid. They are currently holding onto the last playoff spot.
Pitching:
Matt (1-2) W: Raging Sanitation
L: Screwballs (8), Niff
Hitting:
HR:
Jeff (1)
*Matt failed to take the team's HR lead with Frank missing in the lineup.
What's Left?
July 25, 2005
With three tournaments in the books for the PacMen in 2005, this is the closest to what could be considered their mid way point. So how many tournaments are left exactly for the PacMen?
The team has already confirmed they will be attending the final NJ and NY NCQ's. Depending how they do in these last "regular season" tournaments, they may be eligible for each regions playoff tournament.
Should the PacMen earn a NCT (National Championship Tournament) bid, they would be invited to the "Tournament of Champions" on September 17th. This would be a tournament where teams who have not won their region but earned a NCT birth could play for free airfare to Texas.
There is also one Wiffleup tournament in Hicksville in August.
This means there are still six potential tournaments left for the PacMen to enter. Realistically, look for the team to enter three, maybe four tournaments. The PacMen are currently 9-4 on the season. A better win/loss differential could help the team in the Writer's Poll, as well as victories over more quality teams.
Team takes 5th out of 24 in NY NCQ #2
July 23, 2005
It was a great day for some wiffleball. Teams came from all over, the sun was out, and there was minimal wind. With another stacked tournament, the PacMen were able to draw two first time teams in the RR. Frank Ventimiglia would pitch both games, earning two wins. The first game was a 14-4 victory against two man team Bang Bang. The second was a 7-0 win against the Fighting Flanders. The team was in good shape to make a run in the playoffs.
After a bye, the PacMen would face the Kane Park Krusaders for the third time in as many tournaments. Matt got the nod. After giving up one run in the top of the first, the PacMen would win the game 21-1 due to Kane Park's fatigued arms. On to the round of eight.
If the team wanted to make it's first final four appearance in NY this season, they would have to get through the number fourth ranked team in the country, the Mud Ducks. The Ducks were without best player Tim Benson.
After giving up five straight walks, Matt found his groove and no hit the Mud Ducks for 3 2/3 innings. A two out single followed by a HR by the two lefty hitters in their lineup would give the ducks a 4-0 lead.
Offensively, the PacMen were each able to draw at least two walks (Frank had three) and lead off hitter Frank missed a HR twice by a foot or two.
By the top of the 6th, Matt had run out of gas and gave up seven more runs and the PacMen lost by run rule 11-0. The team had also been no hit.
With a good run differential, the team was able to finish the tournament fifth. They earned 2.5 playoff points and are currently tied with three other teams for the eighth NY playoff spot. A final four finish in the last NY NCQ could secure them a playoff spot, and a final eight showing would make things very close.
The team heads to NJ in a week. After some rest this past weekend, look for Mike Casale to pitch a few games in NJ. Mike has made some big strides so far in this wiffleball season.
Tournament breakdown:
Pitching:
Frank Ventimiglia - 2-0 (Bang Bang, Fighting Flanders)
Matt Ventimiglia - 1-1 (Kane Park W, Mud Ducks L)
Hitting:
HR's:
Matt Ventimiglia (3).
Frank Ventimiglia (1).
Notes: Matt has regained the lead for the second time this season for PaMen career HRs.
Health Update
July 12, 2005
For the fourth time in a year, Frank Ventimiglia strained his elbow on the hill. The latest advice given by Joe Nord of In The Box who had a similar injury is to go for ultra sound. This should break up any scar tissue in the elbow, allowing it to heal as he rehabs it on his own. Will Frank by ready by the end of the season?
In NY NCQ #1, Team Doesn't Find Groove on Hill or at Bat.
July 12, 2005
In their first tournament as a three man squad, the PacMen fell one game short from receiving playoff points for the NY region. With only two NY qualifiers left, this puts them into a deep hole.
Their first game was against tournament champs Wood N' Bats. Frank once against didn't last half a game before re-injuring his arm. Mike Casale would relieve for the last 3 innings, only giving up 3 runs in his season debut. The PacMen were unable to get any scoring aginst their number two pitcher until the last inning. Final score: 6-3.
The second game was against That's My Rubin, who would finish last in the tournament. Casale would start the game, and Matt would come into relief. Walks between the both of them would blow the 5 run lead they got in the top of the first. But the PacMen were able to handle their competition and won 11-5.
With a 1-1 record in round robin, they faced an 0-2 team in the first round of the playoffs, the Bulldogs. Mike Casale pitched. Final score 18-8. (Note- The only HR the PacMen would hit all tournament would be in this game by Frank, putting him back into first as career team leader.)
Next game was a rematch from NJ. PacMen vs. Kane Park. Kevin Kane pitched a gem, allowing no walks and only three hits to the PacMen. Matt started, giving up 7 runs in all, including a 3 run bomb to Nagy. Final score: 7-0. The PacMen failed to reach the elite 8.
Some important notes form this tournament:
-Defense was a huge let down for the PacMen. Two errors by Matt in the first inning of the first game could have prevented three runs from scoring. No double plays were turned all tournament.
-Mike Casale looked steller in the first game he pitched, but fatigued quickly. Look for him to come back stronger next tournament.
-Lastly and more importantly, the PacMen never got their bats going. Two XBH is all they would manage all tournament.
July 9th's stats:
Batting:
HR's: Frank Ventimiglia, 1 (22).
Pitching:
Frank - Wood N' Bats (L).
Mike - Bulldogs (W).
Matt - That's my Rubin (W), Kane Park (L).
The next tournament is July 23rd. If they go in with three healthy pitchers, look for the PacMen to be in full force.
PacMen Prepare for First NY NCQ
July 6, 2005
The tentative starting lineup has been announced for this Saturday's NY NCQ. Frank Ventimiglia will lead off with Matt batting second. Returning to the PacMen will be Mike Casale. Last season, in his only tournament, MC hit 4 HR's, including a Grand Slam in his first AB. Mike also will see innings on the mound. Mike's pitching role will be to close out blow out games, to pitch against weaker squads, and any games where the PacMen may have already clinched a playoff birth. This will help Mike to develop in his first full year, a luxery the PacMen can afford with a three man rotation.
As for the rest of the rotation, Matt's job will be to bring the team within two or three games of a championship, and Frank will finish the job. Also, look for Frank on the hill in any must win games.
Matt will travel to Deer Park today to practice with some players from Yahtzee, Go Fetch, and possibly the Mud Ducks. The team is also looking to get together for some BP before Saturday.
One last note, Mike and Steve Bello look doubtful for this Saturday, and most other tournaments.
FIrst Tournament in '05 a success.
June 26, 2005
"I believe this is their first tournament of the year. Will the Pacmen be rusty? I guess we’ll find out. If not they are a very solid team." - The Armpit
This is a quote straight from The Armpit's (an anonymous character who has kept the wiffle world up to date on the NJ region thus far) latest article, a preview of NJ's 3rd NCQ.
To answer his question, the PacMen WERE rusty. And it took them 5 1/3 innings to get the motor goin again. Facing the Boppers, new to tournament wiffleball, the only lead they saw the whole game was after Matt Ventimiglia's walk off HR in the 6th to win the game 6-5. Frank came into relief for Matt after he gave up 5 runs in 4 innings. Frank pitched great and got the win.
Their second of 3 round robin games was against number 10 team in the nation, State of Mind. After getting into the 2nd inning, Frank's arm felt tight and was immediately taken out. Matt came into relief and shut SOM out for 5 innings. Back to back errors in double play situations opened up a big inning the the PacMen, who won the game 9-1.
The last Round Robin game was against the Hitmen, also 2-0 after facing some tough competition. The PacMen were able to beat the Hitmen 11-0, with Matt throwing his first career no hitter. With this win, the PacMen clinched the two seed into the playoffs.
After beating the SWL all-stars in a play-in game (1 inning game), Kane Park was to face the PacMen in the first round of the playoffs. after taking the lead 2-0, Matt's arm started to give and the game was tied 2-2. With Matt also slumping, lead off hitter Frank was able to hit the ball frequently and far, hitting a HR and several XBH. Matt held the lead and the PacMen won 12-2 in 4 innings. The PacMen had clinched 3rd place.
With Frank's arm still tight, and Matt's arm hanging, the PacMen were forced to lob in the pitches to 2004 national champions, the Swingers, a very dissapointing way to end a great tournament for the PacMen. Swingers won 11-0 in 2 innings.
The PacMen took 3rd in their first tourny of the season. Look for them July 9th in NY. With some more arm strength and the same hitting, we hope to see the PacMen in a championship game sometime this year.
Here's some stats from NJ NCQ #3:
Pitching:
Matt Ventimiglia- 3-0
Frank Ventimiglia- 1-0
***Note***- the Swingers game will not be counted because lobbing the ball had to be done just to make the game official.
Hitting:
HR's
Matt- 3
Frank- 2
Matt and Frank are now tied for career HR's.
Game Recap:
1) The Boppers - W 6-5
2) State of Mind - W 9-1
3) Hitmen - W 11-0
4) Kane Park - W 12-2
5 Swingers - L 11-0
Good workout
March 26, 2005
Matt and Frank Ventimiglia traveled to Staten Island today to workout with State of Mind.
The day was successful. Frank got to pitch pain free for the first time since the beginning of last season. He looked great, giving the team a sigh of relief that his arm may finally be healed.
Matt also got to pitch, trying out some new pitches in preparing himself for his first season in the rotation. He was a bit erratic, but feels he will be ready for the season.
Both players also had some good hacks against State of Mind ace Danny Lanigan. Danny is also rehabbing his arm, so the PacMen know if they see him during the season, it will be a whoel different game.
The PacMen want to thank SOM for having them practice together, talk a little trash, and just talk some wiffleball. Playing indoors at this time of year was great.
Ranked
March 12, 2005
Fast Plastic's first issue of 2005 has the PacMen ranked 31st in the nation. Although we have been ranked in the player's poll and FP3, this marks the first time for us in the writer's poll. With 5 NY tournaments and 4 in NJ, there will be ample opportunities for the team to move up.
Schedule Up
February 7, 2005
The tentative 2005 schedule is up. There is a lot of wiffle for the PacMen this year, with 7 NY tournies and 4 NJ. 2 Wiffleup tournaments may also be added. This dates may be changed. More time is needed to know which tourny's the PacMen plan on attending.
PacMen add pitching depth- no new roster member
January 8, 2005
With the Pacmen's offseason being relatively quiet, their first and possibly last move, or decision, was made. Lefty Matt Ventimiglia will join the pitching rotation in 2005. How effective this could end up being for the team remaing unknown, although teammates seem excited at the thought of Frank pitching in the playoffs with little or no previous work in the day. When asked about his new promotion, Matt said, "My pitching role will be strictly to rest Frank's arm as much as possible. I most likely won't see many playoff games. I just hope I'm effective enough to give us a better shot at going deep into the playoffs."
With this new move, the team now has an ace, with three pitchers that can help them get through pool play. If any combination of Mike Bello, Steve Bello, or Matt Ventimiglia attend along with Frank Ventimiglia, the pitching staff should give them a good chance every tournament.
A look at PacMen's comptetition
October 23, 2004
Here is a look at how the teams that went to the nationals and the PacMen faced preformed:
In the Box- 2nd place, 8-1 (Pacmen lose 1-1 in forfeit in 5th)
Kane Park- 23rd, 2-3 (PacMen win 10-0 in 3 innings)
Stompers- 27th, 1-4 (PacMen win 16-6 in four innings)
State of Mind- 29th, 0-2 (PacMen win 17-3 in 3 innings)
There were thirty three teams that participate din the nationals.
FastPlastic now enters the offseason where there expect to be many movements of players, especially in the NY/NJ region. Will the PacMen
add a player? If so, who? And will this be enough to help them get to a championship game? Just like the team, you'll have to wait and find out.
2004 Recap
September 7, 2004
Below is a recap of the PacMen's 2004 wiffleball season, as they decline to enter the NYC regional playofffs on 9/11, where they would have been given the fifth seed.
Pitching- Mike Bello: 2-6, 29IP, 83Runs
Frank the Tank: 3-1, 17.2IP, 15Runs
Mike Marmo: 4-1, 11.1IP, 39Runs
Mike Casale: 0-0, 1IP, 0Runs
CG SHO- Frank: 2, Mike Bello: 1
*Note- Runs are not necessarily earned.
HR's- Matt Ventimiglia: 14
Frank the Tank: 7
Mike Casale: 4
Mike Bello: 1
Mike Marmo: 1
Game Recaps-
Niff: W 27-7 (W-Marmo) (3innings)
Young Kids: W 12-2 (W-Marmo) (2innings)
Mud Ducks: L 11-1 (L-Frank) (5innigs)
State of Mind: W 17-3 (W-Frank) (3innings)
Beers: W 18-0 (W-Frank) (2innings)
Kane Park: W 10-0 (W-Frank) (3innings)
In The Box: L 1-1 (Forfeit in top 5th, 2out)
Go Fetch: L 12-2 (L-Bello) (2innings)
White T's: L 23-21 (L-Bello) (CG)
Rabbid Woodpeckers: L 12-2 (L-Bello) (2innings)
Sac Attack: W 14-4 (W-Marmo) (3innings)
Forfeit (W)
Stompers: W 16-6 (W-Marmo) (4innings)
Forfeit (W)
Raging Storm: L 20-0 (L-Marmo) (1/3inning)
Running Wiff Scissors: L 5-1 (L-Bello) (CG)
Wiffaholics: W 1-0 (W-Bello) (CG)
If Doug Comes: L 8-7 (L-Bello) (CG)
Circles: W 5-3 (W-Bello) (3innings)
Running Wiff Scissors: L 17-11 (L-Bello) (5innings)
Great job in 2004 to all of the PacMen. Great feats were reached this year. Certain goals the PacMen look for in '05 are winning a tournament, being ranked in the Writer's Poll, and earning a birth to the NCT.
PacMen miss qualifying for Texas by one game
August 26, 2004
The PacMen finished the 2004 Fast Plastic season ranked 27th in the world, two spots out of earning a birth to Texas. If the PacMen would have beaten Running Wiff Scissors in NCQ#5 semi-final game, they would have finished 23rd in the standings. Since a trip to Texas was highly unlikely if they would have been invited, they are happy to see a great team in RWS get invited. They would, however, have enjoyed the recognition of being invited to the wiffleball national championship.
PacMen reach 3rd top four finish on the year
August 26, 2004
The PacMen finished 3rd on 8/21 in Staten Island, the last of the NYC NCQ's. They finished with a 2-3 record, with two losses to the Running Wiff Scissors, and an 8-7 upset to "If Doug Comes." The best game of the tournament came against the Wifflaholics. Early in the game, pitcher Mike Bello found himself with the bases loaded and nobody out. 3 strikeouts later, the threat was over. 2 double plays were also turned by the PacMen, including an inning ending webgem by pitcher Mike Bello. The game ended 1-0 in favor of the PacMen, with Mike Bello earning the game winning walk. Their second win of the tournament game against the Circles, where Matt had three homeruns and Frank had two. Frank and Matt eached finished the tournament with 3 dingers, with Mike also contributing one in the semi final game.
The semi-final game ended with the PacMen on the losing side of a 17-11 loss. After a one hour rain delay, with the mound and ball wet, neither pitcher could find the strikezone. The PacMen lossed once again to the RWS. For the 2nd straight tournament and third time of the season, the PacMen could not get passed the semi final finish.
Game notes: Pitcher Frank Ventimiglia reinjured his arm on the second pitch of the tournament. He is done for the season, and will get the wing checked out in the off season.
On a lighter note, the PacMen qualified for the regional playoffs on September 11th. Without ace pitcher, the PacMen are unsure if they will be attending or not.
PacMen form solid lineup for Saturday
August 18, 2004
The PacMen will be sending three of the four originals to NCQ#5 on Saturday. As of now, the lineup looks like it will be Frank, Matt, and Mike. Scuba Steve has yet to give a thumbs up or down, but looks doubtful. Pitching is still in question as Frank is dealing with tendonitis and Matt is stil comitted to baseball. Hopefully Mike and his arm will be up for the challenge.
After going to last tournament as a five man team, the PacMen felt like they did not get enough swings in, nor have as many at bats to adjust to the pitcher. A three man lineup, which would guarentee one at bat per inning, could increase the teams slugging percentage, and overall hitting. The team goal for this tournament is to make the championship game, which will be very challenging as many many good teams will be there. An update to the final roster will be posted before the tournament.
New Highest Ranking
August 11, 2004
After four NCQ's in the book for 2004, the PacMen are currently ranked 25th in the nation. If the season were to end today, the team would receive its first ever invite to the national championships. With one qualifier left, it seems that the PacMen will be on the bubble to maintain their top 25 status. A top four finish and good competition in the next tournament could secure a spot. Winning the next tournament would qualify them for the regional championship, where finishing top 2 in that tournament would also secure a spot in the nationals. Either way, a trip to Texas come October for the PacMen are unlikely.
PacMen Go Undefeated Until Wind Hits
August 1, 2004
Traveling to Staten Island with a five man team, unsure of the competition or how they would do with five batters in the lineup, the PacMen were able to walk away at the end of the day with a top four finish. Their first game was against first timers SacAttack, which they runruled 14-4 in three innings. After pitcher Mike Marmo found the strikezone, it was lights-out. Mike Casale started things off with a bang, hitting a HR (grandslam) in his first professional wiffleball at bat, a feat never accomplished before by a PacMan. Casale would go onto hit four homeruns in the tournament, the most ever by a PacMan in one tournament. With those four, he now sits in third place for career Hr's as a member of the PacMen.
The next game PacMen won on a forfeit.
Their third game would be against 2003 third place finishers in the nation, the Stompers. The PacMen struck hard, scoring 16 runs in just four innings. Leadoff hitter Frank the Tank went 4-4 with a walk, while two hitter Matt Ventimiglia went 5-5 with 2 Hr's and a double, with nine RBI's. Final score: PacMen 16, Stompers 6.
Their fourth and final round robin game was won once again as a forfeit. PacMen finished the round robin 4-0 and the two seed going into the four-team playoffs.
For the semifinal game, the PacMen were scheduled to face three seed Raging Storm.
The wind had been somewhat of a factor all day, but right before this game started the wind picked up like crazy, and it became almost impossible to throw a strike. As the higher seeded team, the PacMen were given home field advantage and took the field first. What happened next would have never been guessed by any team in wiffleball; The Raging Storm scored 20 runs in the top of the first inning, recording only one out. After any team is up by 20 runs, the game automatically ends. Needless to say, it was a sour way to end the tournament. The PacMen fell one game short of advancing to their first championship game, but did come out with their second final four finish of the season.
It was a well played tournament by all five members. Rookie Mike Marmo started every game, leading the team with his arm to the final four finish, and also hitting a HomeRun. First time player Casale also pitched two innings, giving up only one run, and hitting more Hr's then the rest of the team combined. Mike Bello, handling the four-hole in the order, batted over .350 for the tournament, with a triple that missed a HR by an inch or two. The Ventimiglia brother's also had a successful tournament at bat and defensively. The PacMen played errorless wiffle, a huge improvement from last tournament.
The PacMen look to improve next tournament, which would mean a game in the "ship," and break "The curse of the PacMen," as quoted by Mike Marmo.
PacMen Will Travel as 5 Man Squadron
July 30, 2004
The PacMen will be traveling to Staten Island tomorrow morning to compete in NYC NCQ#4 as a five man team. New pitcher Mike Marmo will be in control of the mound. AKA Freshmeat, Howie will be returning to the PacMen after being on the non-active list since May 31st, when he made his debut. The team is looking for him to lead with his arm and help the team average with his bat.
Newcomer Mike Casale will also be present tomorrow, making his PacMen and professional wiffleball debut. He may be called on to pitch against the less threatening teams, and his bat in practice has shown great potential thus far. Welcome to the PacMen MC.
Regulars Frank and Matt Ventimiglia will be present, with Mike Bello attending his second straight tournament. Frank will not be called on to pitch since his arm is still questionable. Hitting may make it or break it for the PacMen, and Matt can jump up to tie Frank with the team lead in HR's if he hits three bombs. Mike Bello will also provide pop in the lineup now that he has a tournament under his belt for the year and is seeing the ball better.
Tomorrow potential lineup is as follows: 1)Frank the Tank; 2) Matt Ventimiglia; 3)Mike Howie Marmo; 4)Mike Bello; 5)Mike Casale
An improvement will hopefully be seen from last tournament, where the PacMen went 0-3. Another top four finish for the PacMen would be huge. Good luck tomorrow boys.
PS- Cheech LoCascio will be unable to make this tournament for the PacMen and most likely the rest of this season, but states he would be extremely interested in joining the PacMen for the 2005 wiffleball season. Cheech and Cheech Jr. will dominate the mound for the PacMen come 2005!! Let's go PacMen!
PacMen in on 31st.....filled Roster?
July 26, 2004
The PacMen have confirmed a trip to Staten Island this Saturday. This will be NCQ# 4 for the NYC region of Fast Plastic. The PacMen look to rebound after an 0-3 showing their previous tourny.
The roster is still up in the air, but a lack of players is not an issue. Matt Ventimiglia and Mike Bello have already confirmed, with Tank and Scuba still on the bubble. Rookie Mike Marmo has shown interest in resuming his duties as a wiffler, and long time friend Mike Casale is looking to make his debut. To top it all off, the PacMen will be contacting future Hall of Famer Frank "Cheech" LoCoscio about coming out of retirement and bringing much needed leadership to the team. His arm would also be a huge addition, and his feared bat will add a lot of pop to the lineup.
The PacMen look to be making some noise this Saturday and jump up from their current 33rd season in the FP rankings.
More Wiffle for the PacMen
July 16, 2004
The PacMen have confirmed that Prowiffle is no longer sanctioned by Fast Plastic. This means these tournametns will no longer count towards FP standings and such. Previous tournaments will still be accounted for, but the last two Fast Plastic NY region tournaments will be held by different directors in different locations. The dates and place have not been set yet. All this means for the PacMen is that more tournaments will be around for the team to attend, should they be healthy for them. Prowiffle and FP tournaments will not conflict in dates. This means next year the PacMen may see up to 10 tournaments on the Island alone.
No NJ for PacMen
July 12, 2004
The PacMen will not be gracing NJ with their presence this Saturday. Matt has a baseball obligation while Frank will soon be going to a doctor to find out what the deal is with his arm.
PacMen go winnless on the day
July 10, 2004
Without ace pitcher Frank and number two pitcher Steve, The PacMen decided to try their luck on July 10th with Mike Bello on the hill. Mike, returning from action after a year and a half off, has not pitched more than 5 innings in professional wiffleball. I guess luck doesn't come through with these type of odds stacked up against you.
The PacMen had their first stop against Go Fetch, a top four team in the last tournament. A first inning two run homer by Matt Ventimiglia is all the PacMen could pull off offensively. A great hitting team, Go Fetch took care of the PacMen easily, winning 12-2.
The next opponent was the White T's. This game turned out to be a slugfest with the White T's coming through on a game ending double play. Final score: 23-21. Errors and poor at-bats was what lost this game for the PacMen. A huge error by Matt with the bases loaded would have gotten the PacMen out of the inning resulted in the opponent scoring 5 more runs.
With an 0-2 record, their first playoff game came against the 1-1 Rabbid Woodpeckers (formily Beer which the PacMen faced last tournament). Another two run HR by Matt gave the game a final score of 12-2. PacMen lose.
The 0-3 record doesn't give a correct gauge of how the PacMen played. It was worse than that. A total of 47 runs were given up, with around 15 of them being unearned. Errors coast them the game against the White T's, and poor at bats resulted in only two runs each of the other games. This being Mike's first tournament in over a year may be the PacMen's only (but still very weak) excuse.
It was a great way to spend a day however (or in our case, just a few hours) as are all wiffleball events, especially the Prowiffle's.
One last note: WHERE ARE YOU CHEECH? WE NEED YOU!
NO TANK OR SCUBA
July 6, 2004
If the PacMen decide to attend Prowiffle event #3 they will be without their ace pitcher Frank the Tank and three hitter Steve. Tank's arm has not fully recovered since last tournament and will also be in R.I. on vacation. Currently Mike Bello and Matt Ventimiglia are considering going just to gain a few points and, more importantly, to have fun. If they decide to go, they will need to find another pitcher quickly. There will be more wiffleball in late July for the PacMen to triumph in. Best of luck to the PacMen this Saturday should they decide to go.
PacMen surrounding themselves with the elite
July 5, 2004
With their steller performance in the last wiffleball outing, the PacMen jumped all the way from 51st in the nation, to 28th, according to the Fast Plastic Power Poll. This poll awards the top 25 teams a trip to Texas to play in the nationals. Whether they make the trip or not, the PacMen hope to attain "top 25" status and get an invitation to the most prominent wiffleball tournament in the world. Their results this saturday in Prowiffle #3 could help this cause. We all hope Frank's arm will be ready for action come this Saturday.
WiffleUp Champs- All Victims to the PacMen!
June 28, 2004
WiffleUp hosted it's first tournament in NY this saturday in Cantiague park. The PacMen were unable to attned due to Frank's rehabilitating arm. The tournament's top finishers were Wood N' Bats, Last Licks, and the Syosset Studs, respectively. Taking a brief look at the PacMen's short history, you may notice that these are all teams that have fell victim to PacMen wiffleball. Ironicly, they were all beaten by the PacMen on the same day.
First came Last Licks in round robin play. This was a pitchers duel, which Steve broke late in the game with a HR. Frank had a no-hitter broken up in the last inning. PacMen win 1-0.
After going 3-0 in bracket play in this tournament, the PacMen faced the Syosset Studs in the first round of the single elimination playoffs. Down 3-1 late in the game, Steve hit another huge HR, a three-run shot. PacMen win 4-3.
Next stop: Wood N' Bats (who were ranked 16th at the time). Easily summarized- Frank hits HR and tosses a shutout. PacMen win 1-0.
Although the PacMen were not present at the last tournament, there is no reason they could not have fared just as well as they had in their previous tournament.
Updating on Tank's arm, he now says it feels 100% percent doing everyday activities. He felt minimal discomfort throwing a baseball and a wiffleball. He has 13 days to get ready!.
New Player's Poll Ranking!
June 23, 2004
The newest player's poll has the PacMen ranked 10TH IN THE COUNTRY! I repeat: 10TH IN THE COUNTRY! Their surrounding teams include all-time greats such as Team Trenton, Shockers, Mass Murderers Row, and Cuatro. This past week, the PacMen included 4 4th place votes, 1 6th, 1 7th, and 1 9th vote. These votes are casted by other wifflers around the worls. This is a big jump from last week's poll, where the PacMen received one 8th place vote, giving them a40th overall rankging.
The FP3 poll shoudl be coming out soon, and with PacMen's recent top 4 finish, they may be seeing a drastic difference to where they are now ranked.
Updating on the golden arm, Frank no longer feels pain doing everyday activities, but throwing is still giving him some problems. It is improving with time however, which is very encouraging. As of now, Tank has 13 days to get ready for next tourny. Any doubt in the arm could result in the PacMen not entering next tournament. The PacMen are staying optomistic about the whole situatio
PacMen making a name
June 19, 2004
The madness began when the PacMen (playing as a two man team of Matt and Frank) were randomly selected to be in the only three team bracket in the tournament, while all other brackets would be consisting of four teams. While these brackets all had two teams advancing, only one team from our bracket would have the pleasure of advancing into the single elimination playoffs. The two teams accompanying us were the State of Mind (FP3 ranked 2nd, FP Writer's Poll ranked 10th), and the New York Beers.
First game: PacMen vs. State of mind. What you are about to read is not a typo. The PacMen run-ruled #2 ranked team 17-3 in just three innings. We were informed later that this was the first time State of Mind had ever been run-ruled. Besides the plethora of hits, web gems were being made in the field by Matt while Tank was taking his no-hitter into the last inning.
The second game came against the New York Beers. The PacMen took this game easily 18-0 in just two innings. The debacle at the plate was highlighted by a HR (2nd of the tournament) by Frank the Tank. Just like that, the PacMen made the playoffs.
The anxiousness was felt when the PacMan found out their first game would be against the Kane Park Krusaders (ranked 15th on FP3). If they produced a win here, it only got tougher as they would then have to face In the Box (4th in the NATION) if they wanted to make it to the championship.
The tone was set early with Frank the Tank getting out of a bases loaded jam with no outs in the top of the first inning. Keeping their bats at the plate hot, the PacMen managed 8 runs in the first inning, including a HR by Matt (his 2nd of the tournament). With a scoreless 2nd, Tank found himself again with bases loaded and non out. And once again, Tank found himself half an inning later getting ready to bat without having given up a run. In the bottom of the third, PacMen managed two more runs to run-rule the game in three innings, 10-0. Next stop: ITB.
As I am not a professional writer, it will be hard to put into writing how emotional the next game was. Having faced ITB last year and loosing 3-0, we knew what they had to offer, and they knew what we had to offer (well, sorta). The strategy was simple for the PacMen: whatever we had, was to be left on the field.
With a little adrenaline, a little wind, and a lot of heart, Tank made ITB look silly, as he struck out the first three batters of game. What better way to top that off than with a leadoff triple to get things going. At this point, the PacMen knew, that in the very least, they would not be dominated throughout the game. Unfortunately, we couldn't push that run across the plate.
Top 2nd: Legendary Tom LoCascio wiffs again. One out. Frank goes 0-2 on Mickey Hide, than throws him the first and last riser he would see from him. HR. ITB 1, PacMen 0.
With a scoreless 3rd and top 4, the PacMen were seeing themselves right on the pitches of Tom LoCascio, and were waiting for something to happen. That something came from Matt Ventimiglia, who smacked his third homer of the tourney over the left field fence. Tie ballgame.
The PacMen were hitting. Frank was making ITB look foolish. PacMen had the upper hand on the momentum. In the next two innings, what could go wrong for the PacMen to lose this one. With two outs in the top of the 5th, PacMan ace Frank Ventimiglia blows out his arm. A muscle strain in the elbow prohibited Tank anymore pitching or hitting. PacMen lose on forfeit, game tied 1-1 with two outs in the top of the 5th. This time the Tank didn't run out of gas, he simply shut down.
Although ending on bad terms, it was not a bad tournament all in all for the PacMen. Having not made it to the final 8 in their first tourney, they only saw themselves one run and 4 more outs away from advancing to the championship game. Much respect was gained as well, with some players asking to join our squad as the three man for the next tournament. The way they swung those bats is a sign of a very productive year for the PacMen. We wish Tank good luck on his recovery from his injury, and hope he will be ready for the next time they see ITB. Their is some business needed to be finished.
WTF Tourny Canceled
June 6, 2004
For Undisclosed reasons, the World Tournament Federation has canceled it's Cantiague Park tournament for July 24th and 25th. This tournament would have been the PacMen's first medium pitch yellow bat tournament. Unfortunately, it will now just be a weekend off for the PacMen.
BBQ for Bello
June 5, 2004
Mike Bello has recently informed the PacMen that he will be unable to play in the June 19th tournament due to former obligations made. This means the PacMen currently have two players confirmed for the second NYC NCQ, Matt and Frank. The team is still waiting on confirmations from other players however. Hopefully, at least a 3 man roster will be set come gameday. Hopefully the third man will also be some type of pitcher, to get the team through bracket play.
June 4th National Rankings are in
June 4, 2004
On Friday, June 4th, Fast Plastic launched its most up to date ranking system, which includes all teams nationwide. Even though only having played in 1 NCQ thus far, the PacMen were placed a respectable 50th out of 119 teams. Note that many of the teams currently ahead of us in the rankings have played in 2, possibly 3 tournaments. Even though our turnout at the first tourny would not have made Mrs. Pacman happy, the competition of the NYC region helped us to achieve as many points as we did (101 points). Also, the PacMen faced the Mud Ducks in the second round of the playoffs, who eventually won the whole tournament. All of these facts are taking into consideration and factored into a precise mathematical formula to give us all a precise ranking system.
As long as the PacMen show up at all four of the NYC NCQ's this year, they will get the points needed to finish top 50, possibly top 30 in the rankings. But this is not our goal. Winning, or even coming in second in such a competitive tournament as we play in, would have a huge impact in our point total, and possibly give us a little respect nationwide as well!
Tank asked to play for State of Mind
June 2, 2003
Ace pitcher of the PacMen, Frank the Tank, was recently asked to play in an upcoming NJ regional event with the State of Mind. State of Mind finished 2nd place in the nation in 2002. Unfortunately for Tank, the tournament was moved from June 5th to June 26th. The State of Mind was looking to pick him up as a much needed pitcher to their already excellent staff. Hopefully for Frank, he will be asked to play with them again in the future.
May 22nd Prowiffle tourny
May 31, 2004
The PacMen kicked off another year of wiffleball on May 22nd at Deer Park JHS. This will be the site of four more wiffle events this year.
The PacMen started things off right with a wopping 27-7 victory over Niff in just three innings. They continued to produce runs, winning their next game 12-2 in just two innings.
With a 2-0 record and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, they needed just two more wins to secure a final four result. Single elimination playoffs can be a doozie however.
Their winning ways came to an abrupt halt, with the Mud Ducks run-ruling the PacMen 11-1 in just five innings.
Although dissapointing to lose, facing the current #1 ranked team in the nation was an awesome learning experience which will only help the team to grow. They now know what it takes to play with the big boys and plan to prepare themselves for their next tournament on the 19th of June.
On a positive note, the newest member to play on the PacMen, Mike (Howie) Marmo (others may know him as freshmeat), had a very sucessful day. He smacked his first ever wiffle HR, and threw a no-hitter in his first game ever! Unfortunately, Howie has summer baseball obligations and will not be able to participate in anymore wiffleball until August.
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