BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
27 September 2303
SCA Play-In Series: #5 FHE Yao Guai vs #4 Diamond City
Game 1 - FHE 3 at Diamond City 4
Swatters Rally Past Yao Guai for 1-0 Series Lead
The Diamond City Swatters slipped past the FHE Yao Guai by the score of 4-3 today at The Great Green Jewel in the first game of the Play-in Series. The Swatters had to overcome a strong outing from Yao Guai starting right-hander Tristan Marble, who threw 7.0 innings of 6-hit ball in the loss. With a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series, the Swatters will have two chances to close out the Yao Guai.
The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Diamond City third baseman Allen Bishop, facing Yao Guai closer Tom Mannequin, had a run-scoring sacrifice fly. It gave the Swatters the 4-3 win.
The Swatters began the inning trailing 3-2. Pinch hitter Cody Grime doubled to lead off and then moved to third on Michaelangelo Sandifer's pinch-hit single. CF Witcher Craft then singled in Grime to tie the game, as well as moving the winning run to third with no outs. Bishop then came up and drove a deep fly to center field to allow Sandifer to score the winning run.
"It's great to see the crowd jacked up," Bishop said. "I came up to the plate with one thing in mind, get the ball in the air."
Marble and Diamond City starter Sheng Kawolski had a pitcher's duel in what turned out to be a short outing for both key pitchers. Marble allowed just one run, a solo shot by 2B Jim Synthseeker, in the 2nd inning. Kawolski allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings. The Swatters pinch hit for him in the bottom of the 5th, ending his night on just 87 pitches.
Craft and 3B Allen Bishop each had two hits for the Swatters and each drove in a run. Bishop also scored once. FHE's 2B Jonathan Abern had three hits, including an RBI single. RF Joe Rathman had two hits, including an RBI triple in the 4th.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at The Great Green Jewel in Boston.
Game 2: FHE 9 at Diamond City 6
Shoemaker Blasts Swatters, Yao Guai Take Game 2, 9-6
With catcher Tyler Shoemaker leading the charge, the FHE Yao Guai got a road win over the Diamond City Swatters, 9-6, in Game 2 of the Play-in Series today. Shoemaker was 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk, while scoring 2 times and driving in 3 at The Great Green Jewel to help FHE force a 1-1 tie in the best-of-3 series.
For the second straight game, the 9th inning made the difference. Diamond City sent RP Mike Pond to the mound to begin the 9th, tied 6-6. C Tyler Shoemaker led off by reaching on an error by SS Chris Milteer, a defensive replacement for Teddy Sturgeon. Joe Rathmann then hit a single to move the go-ahead runner to third. Pond then threw a wild pitch, scoring Shoemaker, before eventually walking LF Po Greenzone. 1B Bryan Assman then followed with an RBI single to make it 8-6 FHE. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Pond hit CF Kyle Whale to score another run for the 9-6 final.
The game was full of offense with 23 hits among the two teams. FHE was led by 3B Joel Mutfruit, who went 3 for 4 with a double, a walk, a run, and an RBI. 2B Jonathan Abern, Shoemaker, and Rathmann all added two hits. Shoemaker was 2 for 3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored, and three RBI.
Diamond City also had four players with two or more hits. C Jason Watts was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI. CF Witcher Craft, RF Waze Waiting, and 2B Jim Synthseeker each added two hits. Waiting hit a solo shot in the 7th.
Neither starter had a good game but both ended with a no decision. FHE starter Josh Hugs allowed five earned runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings. DC's x10-44 Mannson allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts in just 3.1 innings. The Swatters sent six pitchers to the mound.
"We're one win closer to our goal," Rathmann said in postgame remarks.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at BosCom Circle at FHE.
Game 3: Diamond City 7 at FHE 0
Play-in Series Goes the Distance, Diamond City Prevails
The Diamond City Swatters and FHE Yao Guai hooked up in a classic Play-in Series that went right down to the wire.
In the end, it's Diamond City heading off to the Association Semifinal, after a 7-0 win at BosCom Circle tonight earned the 2-1 series win. The Swatters' City Moore shut down the FHE offense for the second-straight time this week, allowing no runs on three hits with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings. RP Raul Esparza pitched the final three shutout innings for the save.
Outside BosCom Circle, whether they were supporters of Diamond City or FHE, many fans talked about how it was a series they would never forget.
Witcher Craft played the hero for the Swatters in the series, as his MVP performance included a .500 batting average, with a .533 on-base percentage. He also had 1 home runs, 2 RBI and scored 3 runs. In Game 3, he was 3 for 4 with a home run, a walk, three runs scored, and an RBI. 3B Allen Bishop, C Jim Watts, and SS Teddy Sturgeon all added two hits apiece. Watts and Sturgeon both doubled to round out the Swatters' extra-base hits in the game.
The Yao Guai were able to produce only seven hits in the game. 3B Joel Mutfruit was the only player with multiple hits, going 3 for 4. 1B Bryan Assman had their only extra-base hit, a two-out double in the 8th inning.
The Diamond City Swatters will play against the Roxbury Rad Sox in the next round. Roxbury had a bye in the Play-in Series. The Association Semifinal schedule will be announced after the Play-in Series finishes.
NCA Play-in Series: #5 Sunshine Tidings Chemists vs #4 Fort Hagen Silver Shroud
Game 1: Sunshine Tidings 3 at Fort Hagen 4
Home Field Advantage: Falcone, Fort Hagen Open Play-in Series with Win
The Fort Hagen Silver Shroud powered past the visiting Sunshine Tidings Chemists, 4-3, in the opener of the Play-in Series at Hubris Comics Park today. Fort Hagen right fielder Gargoyle Falcone was 2 for 3 with a home run. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2, to lead the charge. The Silver Shroud now lead the series 1-0.
Tutton Gatekeeper, who is a two-time All-Star, aided the Fort Hagen cause with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh. For the game, the third baseman was 1 for 2.
The 7th started out with the Shroud trailing 3-2 and Mike Rubric on the mound for the Chemists. LF Ginger Rogers led off with a single but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. 1B Jim Tiller then doubled and moved to third on Falcone's single. Gatekeeper then tied the game with his sacrifice fly. With two outs and a runner on first, C Stuart Cosrantino doubled in Falcone to give the Silver Shroud their first lead, 4-3.
"We did enough to win," said Gatekeeper.
Fort Hagen's Derek Green was credited with the win. In 7.0 innings, he gave up three runs, two earned, on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts. He allowed a two-run home run to Sunshine Tidings 3B Danny Jacomet in the 4th inning.
Rubric pitched all eight innings for this team, allowing four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Hubris Comics Park in Boston.
Game 2: Sunshine Tidings 6 at Fort Hagen 3
Silver Shroud Hammered by Pickpocket, Drop Game 2 to Chemists
With first baseman Skyler Pickpocket leading the charge, the Sunshine Tidings Chemists got a road win over the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 6-3, in Game 2 of the Play-in Series today. Pickpocket went 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, and a walk. He scored 3 runs and drove in 2 at Hubris Comics Park to help Sunshine Tidings force a 1-1 tie in the best-of-3 series.
The game was all tied up in the top of the ninth, until Pickpocket delivered big-time for Sunshine Tidings, stroking a dramatic run-scoring double off RP Kevin Marsh. The game-changing hit put the Chemists on top, 4-3.
Marsh started the inning by walking CF Ricky Ticky Laughy. Pickpocket then doubled to take the lead. After Marsh intentionally walked standout rookie Baktu DaWell, Marsh was able to get the next two batters out. With two outs and two on, C Red Sone hit a two-RBI double to score both runners, giving the Chemists a 6-3 lead heading into the game's final half inning.
"We were able to get some things going offensively, especially in the 9th when we needed it," said Pickpocket. "Now we need to get one at home."
All three Shroud runs came via home run. 1B Jim Tiller hit a solo shot in the 2nd and LF Ginger Rogers added a two-run homer in the 6th. Both came off Sunshine Tidings starter Brian Bridges.
Fort Hagen's Mike Cartrette, returning from injury but activated for the playoffs, allowed three earned runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings. He threw 85 pitches in the game.
The Chemists' Sone was 4 for 4 with a double, a walk, and two RBI in the game. He is now 6 for 8 in the first two games with three doubles.
The next game is set to be played for Sunday, September 27th, 2303 at ArcJet Systems Stadium in Sunshine Tidings.
Game 3: Fort Hagen 7 at Sunshine Tidings 2
Fort Hagen Takes Play-in Series in Deciding Game
Mark one up for the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud.
In the crucial final game, they put away the Sunshine Tidings Chemists 7-2 at ArcJet Systems Stadium to win the Play-in Series, 2-1 and advance to the Association Semifinal.
The Silver Shroud showed some power in the deciding game, hitting three home runs and adding a double and triple in the seven-run barrage. They took control of the game in the top of the 4th inning, trailing 1-0.
With Chemists' SP Bill Sarnacki on the mound, CF Ben Pawlak hit a one-out single. After LF Ginger Rogers walked, 1B Jim Tiller singled to load the bases. Fort Hagen manager Belch Melcher then pulled a surprise move, sending in David Driftwood in as a pinch hitter for RF Gargoyle Falcone who had been hot throughout the series. Driftwood rewarded Melcher by hitting a bases-clearing double, giving the Shroud a 3-1 lead.
"It's only the right move when it works," Melcher said. "[Fort Hagen hitting coach] Bryce [Crump] told me to go for it. I explained to Gargoyle that it was a matchup I had to take advantage of. Drifty [Driftwood] owns Sarnacki."
Although his team came up short, Sunshine Tidings's Red Sone was named the series MVP, with many of the league media feeling the series would have been over much sooner if not for his contributions.
"Sone did a lot to keep Sunshine Tidings in it, no doubt about that," said Melcher. "He deserves the MVP, but we deserve the series."
The Silver Shroud will play against the County Crossing Bloodbugs in the next round. County Crossing had a bye in the Play-in Series. The Association Semifinal schedule will be announced after the Play-in Series finishes.
