Wiffle Brief - June 23, 2026

SMBA WIFFLE BRIEF - JUNE 23, 2026

Gather round for the final night of 2026 SMBA Wiffle Ball.  We started the season with 16 teams and 151 players.  Twenty-eight games later we are down to the final three teams: the formidable fast-pitching, home run hitting, public defending Gideon's Soldiers; zero to hero team of the league, Spencer Fane's Benchwarmers; and 2024 Champs, Kutak Rock's McGlovens. It is going to be an exciting night of wiffle ball punctuated with the musical stylings of Judge Matt Hamner, serenading with a set on the patio at Mother’s Brewery.

GAME 29: BENCHWARMERS v. GIDEON'S SOLDIERS (Spencer Fane v. Public Defenders)

Two teams that have clawed their way up from the bottom of the league to battle it out to see who will play for the title tonight.

Benchwarmers: Doug Reynolds, Alden Smith, Alec Martinez, McKenzie Hatman, Jacob Sappington

Gideon's Soldiers: Scott Skocy, Sam Reed, Daniel Newell, Cory Guinn, Luke Dainty, Blake Burchard, Nathan Beaver

Top of the First

Soldiers at bat, Benchwarmers in the field, Martinez pitching.  Skocy first up - deflects off the sawhorse, those are tough to predict and catch.  But Sappington - fresh off the road from a depo in KC has energy to expend.  He scoops up the out. Reed flies out to right field.

Bottom of the First

Dainty pitching for Gideon's Soldiers. Reynolds at bat - ducks to avoid a pitch heading straight for his noggin.  Slightly dazed, he lines out to Newell. Smith up next with what has come to be known as one of his signature singles.  Picture this - he doesn’t really hit the ball and he doesn’t really bunt the ball. He somehow bats in a mysterious way causing the ball to dead drop within two feet of home plate. Effective?  Yes. Anticlimactical? Also Yes.

Soldiers 0, Benchwarmers 0

Top of the Second

Dainty singles. Burchard propels one to center, Reynolds sprints for the catch/ out. Beaver out, Skocy out.   

Bottom of the Second

Sappington triples. Reynolds hit by pitch to the ribcage. Clearly didn’t knock any wind out of him as he could be heard complaining as he took his base.  Smith – with another signature single. Exhilaration of loaded bases quickly crushed by three quick outs.

Soldiers 0, Benchwarmers 0

Top of the Third

Reed line drive caught out by Reynolds while Judge Hamner belts out “every rose has it’s thorn.”  Indeed.  Newell singles. Guinn caught out by Sappington. Dainty fires one  clean through the sawhorse - Reynolds tracks it down for the out.

Bottom of the Third

Three up, three down

Soldiers 0, Benchwarmers 0

Top of the Fourth

Burchard is out while Judge Hamner sings “that’s all right “cause we’re looking as cool as can be.”  Beaver explodes one into the densest part of the fence-clutching overgrowth. Hatman responds with an heroic catch as the ball descends through questionable vegetation.  Skocy singles, hit by pitch. Reed out.

Bottom of the Fourth

Martinez up and out while Judge Hamer pipes “Stop, children, what’s that sound, everybody look what’s going down.”  Sappington cannons a power shot – Skocy steps into the line of fire for the out.  Reynolds next and he slam a HOME RUN! Even more magnificent as it turns out fo be the only run of the entire game! (spoiler) Smith next with his signature single, but this time Dainty is prepared, sprinting for home to catch for the out.  

Soldiers 0, Benchwarmers 1.

Top of the Fifth

Fighters to the end, the soldiers go down swinging.  They leave the field as Judge Hamner belts out “Now I’m free, Free Fallin.”  Gideon’s Soldiers are indeed free.  They end the season in third place and go out with great attitudes and the best sign wielding cheering section in the league. Great run, soldiers - the defense rests – well earned.

Final Score:

Gideon’s Soldiers 0, Benchwarmers 1.

GAME 30: MCGLOVENS v. BENCHWARMERS (Kutak Rock v. Spencer Fane)

McGlovens: Joseph Reid, Colin Elliott, Trace Johnson

Benchwarmers: Doug Reynolds, Alden Smith, Alec Martinez, McKenzie Hatman, Jacob Sappington

Top of the First

Benchwarmers at bat, McGlovens in the field. Reid pitching. Three up three out.

Bottom of the First

Martinez pitching.  Reid fires one straight and center, Martinez extinguishes for the out. Bats have been sleepy all evening but suddenly wake up. Elliott triples. Johnson triples into the trees for an RBI – shout out to Sappington, who went for it with a full body sliding catch attempt. Intrepid.  Elliott walks. Johnson hits one to the center and is rewarded with a double, RBI and total chaos in the outfield. Reid triples, two RBI. Inning ends with some tallies on the board.

Benchwarmers 0, McGlovens 4

Top of the Second

Sappington triples. Reynolds steps to the plate and does it again! HOME RUN! 2 RBI.  Smith strikes out and strikes the backdrop. Reprimanded. Apology. Accepted. Hatman hits one a few feet from home. Reid nearly takes her out while racing in for the catch. She's uninjured and out.

Bottom of the Second

Strike out, catch out, bean ball, catch out.

Benchwarmers 2, McGlovens 4

Top of the Third

Sappington triples. Reynolds HBP. Smith hits to mid field, Reid catches him out. Hatman doubles, RBI. Unscheduled oral argument ensues.  Ruling upheld.

Bottom of the Third

On cue, as Judge Hamner crescendos “Rocketmaaannn…” Reid rockets one to left field where Sappington shuts it down. Out.  Extra points for drama all around. Martinez shuts down the inning pitching breaking balls that barely nick the backdrop on their decent. Respect.

Benchwarmers 3, McGlovens 4

Top of the Fourth

Sappington HBP. Reynolds steps to the plate and nonchalantly brings him home with ANOTHER HOME RUN! This one goes to the deepest part of the field. Two RBI. Smith is caught out. Summer Associate Hatman steps up and CRUSHES A HOME RUN!  Put that on your resume, girlfriend! Sappington slams one to left field, Elliott slides for the catch and the out. Benchwarmers take the field with the lead, chalking three runs this half inning. 

Bottom of the Fourth

Reid pops one high to Martinez on the mound. Out. Elliott is beaned again (is that two or three this game?) and takes base. Johnson hits to left, caught out by Sappington. Reid triples, RBI. Elliott walks. Johnson lobs one - Reynolds intercepts for the out and inning.

Benchwarmers 6, McGlovens 5

Top of the Fifth

Heading into the final inning with a one-point lead, the Benchwarmers are heating up.

Sappington triples into the grove of trees in left field. Reynolds takes a hit, refuses the base, and gambles for extra bags - and it pays off! HOME RUN, 2RBI!  Next up, Smith. Will he go for one of his signature mini hits? The crowd waits... the crowd watches…. and it's a HOME RUN. Wow. That was unexpected! Not entirely clear if this one went over the fence, but if not, it lodged deep enough into the overgrowth that no one is willing to certify.  Hatman hits to left field, Elliott catches her out.  Martinez is caught out. Sappington, again, triples into the forest.  Reynolds takes a hit to the knee, stays at bat - and turns pain into profit with a triple, RBI.  Smith steps back up after his earlier homer.  Was it a fluke? Are we gonna see another anticlimactical single?   And he delivers his rebuttal!  Smith clears the chain link fence with a boundary defying HOME RUN! 2 RBI. Spectators on both sides of the field got their money’s worth on that one. In case you lost count, Benchwarmers add six runs in this half inning.

Bottom of the Fifth

Reid triples. Elliott triples, RBI. Johnson caught out by Sappington. Reid flies out high to Sappington. Etc. Etc.  Game ends with Benchwarmers 12, McGlovens 6.  But wait, 2026 SMBA Wiffleball ain’t over yet!!!

The McGlovens have only lost one game – and this is “true double elimination."  Whatever that means. After a flurry of activity consensus is reached.  One more game between McGlovens and Benchwarmers will determine the 2026 Champs.

GAME 31: DÉJÀ VU CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - MCGLOVENS v. BENCHWARMERS

McGlovens: Joseph Reid, Colin Elliott, Trace Johnson

Benchwarmers: Doug Reynolds, Alden Smith, Alec Martinez, McKenzie Hatman, Jacob Sappington

Top of the First

McGlovens at bat, Benchwarmers in the field. Martinez pitching. Reid opens with a HOME RUN over the privacy fence.  Elliott triples. Johnson singles. Reid hits to Sappington for the out. Elliott hits to Martinez for the out. Johnson smacks one to triple territory in right field. Reynolds makes a valiant catch attempt but can't bring it in. Reid walks. Elliott triples into the shrubs. Johnson is out. Reid is out.  Nice momentum to start this final, final game of the season.

Bottom of the First

Reynolds up first and answers with a HOME RUN!  Smith singles. Hatman is out. Martinez is out.

McGlovens 5, Benchwarmers 1

Top of the Second

Martinez pitching. Three up, three down — the defense finds its footing.

Bottom of the Second

Sappington is out. Reynolds hits to Johnson and is out. Hatman's ball glances off the sawhorse and she's out.

Top of the Third

Johnson hits to mid-field, and Reynolds dives shoulder-first for the out.  Reid doubles off a double-bobble catch attempt. Up next, Elliott hits a HOME RUN, TWO RBI! Johnson is out to Reynolds. Reid hits - Sappington dives for the out.

Bottom of the Third

Reid pitching. Three up, three down.

McGlovens stretch their lead to 7, Benchwarmers 1

Fourth inning

Ups and outs and no change in the score

Top of the Fifth

Final at bat for the McGlovens, three catch outs by Sappington - still running on that post-depo adrenaline. 

Bottom of the Fifth

Sappington triples. Reynolds and Smith each hit by a pitch and the bases loaded. Hatman is out. Up next, Martinez, who SLAMS one to deep, deep left field — looks like a sure home run to everyone watching... everyone except Elliott, who runs it down and catches it for the out. Wow. Sappington is hit by a pitch. Reynolds is out and that's the ballgame and the season.

McGlovens 7, Benchwarmers 1

Ladies and Gentlemen your 2026 SMBA Wiffle Ball Champions - McGlovens!

Shout out to second place finishers Benchwarmers, who had a 100% loss rate in SMBA Wiffleball’s first three seasons but kept coming back and in 2026 won five of seven games.

Stick around because we are finishing the night with the 2026 Regi Martin Memorial Home Run Derby!