If it’s Pfingston weekend you can bet the X-Presidents will be in Austria. The Chief Executives excitedly returned to Attnang-Puchheim for the fourth time. Last year ended poorly, as thunderstorms and poor play washed away the X-Presidents’ chances to defend their 2019 title. This year’s sqaud returned with humbler ambitions, but was determined to leave their mark against a strong tournament lineup. Newcomers (Alley), (Harris), and (Creeden) joined an experienced team with lots to prove in this years edition. The weather was perfect and great baseball on display for the large crowds throughout the weekend. Every game would be close and most went down to the wire.

In the first game of the tournament, the Chief Executives squared off against a young team from the ElbAkademie in Germany. FDR (Schaller) got the start and had a comanding performance. After a few early walks led to a couple runs, FDR settled in and overpowered the German hitters. He struck out 8 in a 5 inning complete game, yielding only 1 earned run and 2 hits. Meanwhile, the offense got an early lead with power from an unlikely source. John Quincy Adams (Harris) known primarly for his pitching prowess crushed a first inning home run in his very first X-Presidents’ at bat. He led the offense going 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs. Polk (Dullnig) collected a hit, a steal, and 2 runs. Wilson (Creeden) and Filmore (Senn) also chipped in hits. The X-Presidents secured a win in game one, winning 5 to 2.

The X-Presidents match up against the home team Athletics in the Saturday evening night game. The stands were full and loud, it was a perfect night for a fantastic game. The X-President kept the game one momentum going with two runs in the top of the first. Cool Calvin Coolidge (Mitchell) got the start despite missing all spring due to injury. He did not miss a beat and began mowing down the A’s. In the top of the 5th up 2-1, the Chiefs’ offense look for a spark. A single by Hayes (Sedin), an error and a walk loaded the bases. Once again it was Adams (Harris) who delivered. His two out single drove in 2 runs and gave the X-Presidents some insurance going into the bottom of the 5th with time expiring. Coolidge had been cruising, but a single, an error and a wild pitch gave the A’s a run. After a 2 out walk and Coolidge clearly gassed the Chief Executives turned it over to Washington (Steffen) to close out the game. Unfortunately, the first batter hit a dribbler up the third base line that loaded the bases and the next batter hit a ground ball that just snuck through the hole between third and short. With the winning run on third, Washington used his great change up to pop up the next batter and send the Chiefs into extra innings. From there the Chief’s and A’s battled late into the night. Niether team was able to score. With both teams getting runners to third, the pressure mounted. In the top of the 7th, the Chiefs finally pushed a run across when Johnson (Bonfiglio) came through with a clutch 2 out drive to left. Unfortunately, the A’s answered with a run of their own, much to the delight of the delirious home crowd. Washington, pitch masterfully for three innings, but sadly the offense failed to score in the 8th and the A’s managed to coax a bases loaded full count walk off walk to win the game 6 to 5.

In the third game, the X-Presidents were put in an extremely tough position. After playing late in the night on Saturday, the Chief Executives were forced to immediately turn around and face off against Vindija Varazdin at 9:00am on Sunday. For once, the X-President’s weren’t the most hung over team playing the early morning game. The X-Presidents helped themselves to three straight walks to start the bottom of the 1st inning. A wild pitch, two errors, and an RBI ground out later and the X-President’s were up 4-0. In the 2nd inning, two more walks and a Hayes (Sedin) single loaded the bases and knocked the Croatian starter out of the game. Eisenhower (Siemers) cashed in a run with an RBI walk, but an double play ended the threat. Adams (Harris) took the early morning start and cruised through the first two innings, but began to run into trouble in the third inning, especially after catcher, and 2022 X-President’s MVP, Polk (Dullnig) was forced to leave the game after a scary injury. Several walks, several errors, some wild pitches and two balks, brought the Croatian team all the way back to tie the game 5 to 5. Neither team scored in the 4th inning as time expired, so once again, the Chiefs went to extra innings. Unfortunately, in the top of the 5th, walks once again plagued X-Presidents’ pitching and Vindija pushed across 5 runs to take a large lead. However, the Chief Execs never quit. Filmore (Senn) singled to lead off the inning and Coolidge (Mitchell) followed with a double. With one out Wilson (Creeden) hit a sharp ground ball that ate up the short stop. That plated a run to bring the Chiefs back within 2 runs. The next batter, Washington (Steffen) was hit by a pitch and Hayes walked which put the tying run at second with still only 1 out. Sadly, the offense could not come through. The X-Presidents fell 10 to 8.

After missing the playoffs, the X-Presidents had one final challenging game for 5th place against our Canadian neighbors The North. The X-President’s struck first. After The North’s hard throwing righty struck out the first two batters to start the game, (Eisenhower) Siemers beat out a slow chopper and took third when Adams (Harris) lace a single up the middle. Adams moved to second on the throw. Then hot hitting Coolidge (Mitchell) drilled a 0-1 slider right past the pitcher to drive in two. Washington (Steffen) got the start on only a day’s rest, but used his deep repertoire to stimie the Canadian hitters. The North especially struggled with Washington’s sinking changeup throughout the day. In the first, the North got some help from the defense when the leadoff hitter’s fly ball to left was lost in the sun, a passed ball allowed him to move to third, and a sac fly allowed him to score. The North followed that with a walk and a double to tie the game. From there, both the North’s pitcher and Washington settled in a traded zeros. In the bottom of the 5th, The North managed to get another run across on another dropped fly ball. In the top of the 6th, the X-Presidents were determined not to go quietly. Adams drew a 1 out walk and once again Coolidge delievered a line drive single to center. The X-Presidents got some luck when the North’s second baseman threw away a potential double play allowing Adams to tie the game. Washington set the North down in the bottom of the 6th and for the third time this tournament the X-Presidents went to extra innings. In the top of the 7th, the X-Presidents were unable to capitalize and in the bottom of the 7th an errant pick off immediately put a runner at third and sadly four pitches later one final passed ball gave the win to the North 4 to 3. Washington to his credit pitched brillantly, going 6+ innings, only giving up 2 earned runs on 7 hits.

The results weren’t what the X-Presidents hoped for, but each game was an exciting challenge that went down to the wire. The X-Presidents will return to Finkstonball in 2024 and you can be sure they will be looking to win it all.