Today in the CBO
News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
8 July 2299 - McCort Makes CBO Debut with Masterpiece
Three years ago, he was just two months into a jail sentence for a crime of passion. Now, Vince McCort has made his CBO debut against the team he joined when he found himself in trouble.
In a seemingly effortless performance, Vince McCort of the Vault 81 Dwellers shot down the Oberland T-51s 3-0 on a 4-hit shutout.
"Vince was just locating so well and using his pitches," Vault 81 manager Jason Personhood said later. "He wasn't leaving anything over the plate."
McCort recorded 6 strikeouts and 1 walk in a strong outing.
"When he needed to make pitches, he elevated his game," Oberland manager Dirk Steadyhand said in his postgame comments to BNN. "We couldn't get a key hit off him."
McCort was originally signed by Oberland as an undrafted free agent. He was not drafted in the 2296 CBO Inaugural Draft due to "character problems," which included a fiery temper. McCort repaid that chance by murdering a man's pet mole rat and unintentionally killing the man.
After the game, McCort addressed his past. "I regret that day every day," he said. "It will always define me. But I worked hard in Parsons to be a better person and never react that way again. The chems certainly help. Still, I am a better me, and I went out to pitch today to show that people can change. Sure, I'll get heckled in road games, but I can use that for energy instead of rage."
8 July 2299 - Benton Rips Warwick for 5 Hits
No matter what the Warwick Mirelurks threw at him today, Bryan Benton hit it. He easily handled Mirelurks pitching, going 5 for 6 and helping the Gunners to a 15-12 triumph at The Homestead.
"The way I was swinging today, I think I could have closed my eyes and hit the ball," he told BNN reporters in the postgame interview.
Told of Benton's quip, Mirelurks skipper Old Man Langford said he "would take him up on that next time."
Bryan Benton singled in the 2nd, doubled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, struck out in the 7th, hit a GRAND SLAM off Danny Scorcher in the 8th and hit a two-run single in the 9th.
This season Benton is batting .343 with 54 RBIs, 44 runs scored and 10 home runs.
The Mirelurks' Melon Sanderson also had a day at the plate. He was 3 for 4 with two home runs, two walks, three runs, and four RBI.
8 July 2299 - Swatters Top Ninjas, 12-0, Behind Mannson
Diamond City starter X10-44 Mannson kept the Egret offense in check, while his team cruised to a win, 12-0. The win puts Diamond City at 47-20 this season.
It was a masterful performance from the popular Mannson, who notched 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings while allowing 2 hits. Mannson, who is tied for 8th in the SCA with a 1.19 WHIP, goes to 8-3 on the year with 110 strikeouts.
Said losing manager Kip Bomb: "Give the Swatters credit. They took advantage of our mistakes."
8 July 2299 - Shed Hurls Party Boys to Shutout Victory
Julian Shed scattered 7 hits over 9 innings, going the distance in the 8-0 Nordhagen Beach Party Boys victory over the The Slog Ghouls at Tarberry Field Forever. The 32-year-old Shed whiffed 2 and allowed no walks in the game.
"Not perfect today, but I'll definitely take it," Shed said later. "I made a couple mistakes but thankfully they didn't get all of them and the guys behind me cleaned things up."
Shed has made 14 starts so far this year and put up a 8-4 won-lost record with a 2.57 ERA. In 84 innings he has allowed 65 hits, walked 29 and struck out 63.
8 July 2299 - Church Excels, But Silver Shroud Win
The Fort Hagen Silver Shroud withstood an impressive performance by Starlight left fielder Jesus Church to defeat the Lady Killers, 9-7, at Hubris Comics Park. Church went 4 for 5 with a home run and 2 doubles, while adding 4 RBI and scoring once. Radscorpion Johnson picked up the win in relief for Fort Hagen, while Sneaker Sewell took the loss. Curtis Thriceshot was credited with the save. He has now successfully converted 20 of 22 save opportunities.
Bridgewater, Massachusetts-born Mark Miller came through in the clutch. In the bottom of the seventh, with runners on 2nd and 3rd and the Silver Shroud trailing 6-5, he hit a 2-run single to center to put Fort Hagen on top.
"We'll kick back tonight, then get set for the next one," Miller said.
With the win, Fort Hagen upped its record to 44-23.
With 1 hit at Hubris Comics Park today, Alec Bullets added another game to his hitting streak -- the Starlight second baseman has now hit safely for 30 games in a row. But the hitting feat wasn't enough for the Lady Killers today, as they fell to the Shroud.
"Frankly, I don't care about hits," Fort Hagen manager Mark Andersen said later. "I'll let him get 5 hits in 5 at-bats if it means we get a win."
Bullets flied out in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, struck out in the 4th, struck out in the 6th and struck out in the 8th.
Presently Bullets is batting .319 with 79 hits and 4 home runs. He has knocked in 35 runs and scored 50 times. His 30-game hitting streak is now the second-longest in CBO history behind Sunshine Tiding's Amari Nukes' 38-game streak in 2298.
Not to be outdone, Fort Hagen's Jim Tiller extended his consecutive-game hitting streak to 20 games today. The 21-year-old Silver Shroud first baseman collected 3 hits in 4 at-bats.
"Of course it's going to end," he said. "I'm just enjoying it until then."
Tiller flied out in the 1st, singled in the 4th, hit an RBI single in the 5th and singled in the 7th.
In the current season, Tiller has put up a .354 batting average with 99 hits, 15 home runs, 51 RBI and scored 50 runs.