BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
22 September 2304
NCA Play-in Series: #5 Sunshine Tidings vs #4 Fort Hagen
Game 1 - Easy Town 11 at Fort Hagen 10
Silver Shroud Hammered by Squirrel, Drop Game 1 to Assaultrons
Easy Town right fielder Dan Squirrel rose to the occasion at Hubris Comics Park, leading the Assaultrons to a Game 1 victory over the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud. Squirrel was 4 for 6 with a home run and 3 singles, while scoring 3 times and driving in 2 as the Assaultrons won, 11-10, to seize a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 Play-in Series.
The Assaultrons took the lead for good in the top of the 6th right after the Shroud had a four-run 5th to take the lead, 8-6. Facing reliever Radscorpion Johnson, Sean Samuels of Easy Town led off with a double. Following a Squirrel fly out, Lannie Tykeson singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Dog Prairie then hit a first-pitch, three-run homer for the 9-8 lead.
"If you want to be considered a good team, these are the kind of games you have to win," said Easy Town manager Tim Haysneedle.
Neither starting pitcher was impressive in the shootout. Assaultrons starter Good Company Schiller was shellacked for eight earned runs on 10 hits with a walk and a strikeout in 4.0 innings in the no-decision. Fort Hagen's Matt Hope allowed five earned runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Johnson was the losing pitcher.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Hubris Comics Park in Fort Hagen.
Game 2: Easy Town 6 at Fort Hagen 2
Assaultrons Cruise to Association Semifinal with Sweep
The Easy Town Assaultrons are on to the Association Semifinal after a convincing series win over the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud.
Easy Town wrapped up the series sweep with a 6-2 win in the last game, to take the series 2-0.
Star player Lannie Tykeson pitched and batted the Assaultrons to victory. He pitched 7.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts to earn the victory. Aaron Geneva pitched the final 1.2 innings. Tykeson was also 2 for 5 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI.
"We expected to win and we executed the way we needed to," said Dan Squirrel, who was named series MVP.
For the series, Squirrel hit .545 with a .545 on-base percentage. He had a home run, drove in 2 RBI, and scored 4 runs.
Questions surrounding the decision to pitch ace Derek Green in the regular season closer instead of saving him to pitch Game 1 cropped up for Fort Hagen. Green was set to start Game 3, which now will not be.
"This is all on me," Silver Shroud manager Belch Melcher said. "I mismanaged the pitching rotation at the end of the season. It's my fault."
Starters Matt Hope and X10-44 Mannson combined to allow nine earned runs on 16 hits in just 7.1 innings pitched in the two games.
The Easy Town Assaultrons 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.
SCA Play-In Series: #5 Atom vs #4 Diamond City
Game 1: Atom 4 at Diamond City 1
Road Win Lifts Atom to 1-0 Lead in PiS
The Atom Cats powered past the hometown Diamond City Swatters, 4-1, in the opener of the Play-in Series at The Great Green Jewel today. Atom starting pitcher Deedee Martinson threw 5.1 innings of shutout ball, to lead the charge. The Cats now lead the series 1-0.
Atom used the timely hitting of Earthbound Bussey to capture the win. The center fielder stroked a 2-run double in the top of the seventh inning to put the Cats on top, 4-0. It was his only hit in 4 at-bats, but he made it count.
"Things broke our way today and that's great," Cats manager Fourth Wall said. "It's important, though, to stay focused and not pat yourself on the back too much. We aren't done yet."
Diamond City starter Sheng Kawolski, who has among the worst run support in the CBO, suffered the loss. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 7.0 innings. He left the game without the Swatters having scored a run. Kawaolski also had Diamond City's only extra-base hit at the time of being replaced by Crater Landlubber as a pinch hitter in the 7th. Witcher Craft ended up with an RBI double later in the 7th.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at The Great Green Jewel in Boston.
Game 2: Atom 6 at Diamond City 4
Atom Sweeps into the Association Semifinal
The Diamond City Swatters were simply overmatched by the Atom Cats in the Play-in Series.
The end result was a sweep, as Atom has cruised to the Association Semifinal, with the final win coming at The Great Green Jewel by a score of 6-4.
Trailing 4-2 entering the top of the 6th, the Cats finally got to Diamond City starter City Moore. Deer Quickwalker led off with a double, followed by an RBI double by Jeremy Schoolboy. Wth two outs, Peter Tatoeater hit a two-run home run to put Atom up for good, 5-4.
"We're clicking and running on all cylinders at the moment," said Garrett Machine, who was named MVP of the Play-in Series. "We're a dangerous team when we play like this."
For the series, Machine hit .500 with a .500 on-base percentage. He had a home run, drove in 1 RBI, and scored 2 runs.
Scruffy Taguchi did not have his best game but still earned the win. In 5.0 innings, he allowed four earned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Both Chris Van Benschoten and Oren Gep took him deep.
The Atom Cats 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.
