Nuka News Update
All the news you need about Bradberton and Nuka World
by Evan Guy
NUKA SERIES PREVIEW
Quartz Star Force
Cherry Ghoulrillas
Team vs Team (Season Series: Cherry 9, Quartz 3)
Game 1 Lineups
Analysis and Predictions
While the Star Force whipped up on the rest of the NWL, they struggled mightily in head-to-head games with the Cherry Ghoulrillas. The teams first met twice in May. In the first series at Cherry, the Ghoulrillas got a three-game sweep, winning 5-0, 2-0, and 3-2. When they went to Quartz, the Ghoulrillas again won the series, losing 3-2 before winning 6-4 and 1-0.
Following the midseason break, the teams met the next time in June at Cherry. There, the Star Force finally won the series with a 4-3 win and 4-3 loss before taking the series with a 6-1 score in the rubber match. Their last face-off was two weeks ago in Quartz where the Ghoulrillas made their final playoff push with another sweep, winning 9-8, 2-1, and 3-0.
Quartz will need to win all three ace matchups with Laurence Crash (10-4, 1.11) taking on Justin Hodges (13-5, 1.57) to have its best chance. The Star Force's second pitcher, Justin's older brother, Kyle Hodges (6-1, 1.55) who also is the backup catcher, will also need to show what he has against Cherry's Chris Shields (7-4, 2.21). Mike Horne (2-4, 3.02) may have the most difficult task when he faces off against Cherry's Travis Campbell (9-9, 2.95).
Quartz has relied on the managing skills this season of Nick Caudill, who came to the Nuka World League following a successful run in the Boston Youth Development League with the North Charles Bank Goonies where he won three straight championships from 2296-2298 and five overall. He is a tactician who can best be defined as unconventional where he will try two-out bunts and running everyone on the bases, even catchers. Fortunately, that has aided the Star Force, leading the NWL in stolen bases (57) and second in Base Running (+7.5). Time will tell if he is just as aggressive in the Nuka Series.
In the opposite dugout, Cherry already has its own legend with success at a higher level, Mack O'Shea. O'Shea was the manager of The Slog Ghouls, where he won a CBO crown as one of the few full-time managers in 2296 and then won the Brotherhood League in 2297. In 2298, his team dropped to 3rd place in the league, missing the playoffs, and he was fired. Unlike Caudill, O'Shea is a meticulous, conventional manager who relies on the old ways of doing things. He is a control freak, so he requires everyone in the organization does what he says when he says to do it, making him offputting to some of the less serious personalities. Still, he gets results, relying on aggressive play calls without risky ones.
On offense, the Star Force will need to find a way to hit on the Cherry pitching. Spot Needlewind was the team leader with just a .254 average. Bell Clark and Billy Downtown both provided some power. The Star Force are 4th in runs (282) and home runs (69), but they must find more success to win the series.
For the Ghoulrillas, Andre Garden is their definitive star, hitting .244/19/66 to lead his team in all three categories. A down day by him means an almost sure loss for the Ghoulrillas, so Quartz may want to pitch around Garden and see what Rich Calvey (.196/4/23) and Roberto Cuevas (.167/8/32) can do. Leadoff Moonlight Graham (.249/13/32) is also dangerous, helping Cherry eke out a few more of their NWL-leading 300 runs.
In the end, our small staff at Nuka News has pounded out the numbers and scenarios, and we have this one going one way, all Cherry. We have the Ghoulrillas winning it four games to one, with our expected results:
Cherry 2 at Quartz 0
Cherry 4 at Quartz 1
Quartz 3 at Cherry 4
Quartz 2 at Cherry 1
Quartz 0 at Cherry 3
Series MVP: Travis Campbell (2-0, 1 ER)