Freejacks win Second Straight OLW Title
Champs defeat Riptide 2-1 in an epic championship series
There were nothing easy about the Freejacks second OLW Championship.
The defending champs won their second consecutive Griffiths Cup on Saturday, defeating the Riptide 2-games-to-1 in an epic championship series that was easily the greatest playoff series in Old Line Wiffle history.
The Riptide struck first in game 1, loading the bases and scoring on a RBI single by Jerry Hill. The Freejacks answered immediately, with Brett Caladie hitting the first pitch of the game from Riptide starter Chris Owen for an opposite-field home run.
The game stayed that way well past regulation, until Caladie touched Owen for an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to walk it off.
The second game also could not be decided in regulation. Mike Sidorov and Chris Owen traded zeroes into the 4th inning. Caladie came in to spell Sidorov in the 4th, but Caladie gave up an RBI single to Riptide captain Josh Smidt to give the tide a 1-0 win, tying the series at one.
Game 3 saw the MVP Caladie on the hill to start for the Freejacks, opposite two-time MVP Jerry Hill. Caladie was nearly untouchable, striking out 8 and tossing his 6th career no-hitter. In the bottom of the third, wildness caught up with Hill as he gave up a hit to Sidorov and issued three walks, including the championship-winning walk to Freejacks captain TJ Hannon.
With all three games ending in a walk-off, the 2026 Griffiths Cup finals were the first OLW Championship series to go to a deciding third game.
Congratulations to the Freejacks, and congratulations to both teams for a great season and an epic series.