BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, GBRL, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
30 September 2305
NCA Semifinal: #5 County Crossing Bloodbugs vs #1 Sunshine Tidings Chemists
We predicted that County Crossing would pull off the upset in this series, but we did not predict that it would be a sweep, which in itself was surprising. Probably of no surprise is that LF Babs Rooth stepped up when it counted most and played again as the top player in this semifinal matchup. The Bloodbugs now return to the NCA Final as they did last season when they beat Nordhagen Beach in five games.
Game 1: County Crossing 6 at Sunshine Tidings 0
Road Win Lifts County Crossing to 1-0 Lead in ASF
Gavin Eviritts and the County Crossing Bloodbugs opened the Association Semifinal in brilliant fashion today, traveling to Sunshine Tidings and shutting out the host Chemists at ArcJet Systems Stadium 6-0 to secure an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. Eviritts, the Bloodbugs right-hander, threw 8.0 innings of shutout ball.
The Chemists had trouble solving Eviritts, who surrendered no runs on 5 hits over 8 innings.
"Feels good to get the job done," Eviritts said after the game.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at ArcJet Systems Stadium in Sunshine Tidings.
Game 2: County Crossing 7 at Sunshine Tidings 6
County Crossing Tops Sunshine Tidings Again, 7-6
A sweep is in sight.
The County Crossing Bloodbugs overcame a spirited performance by Sunshine Tidings center fielder Ricky Ticky Laughy to knock off the Chemists, 7-6, at ArcJet Systems Stadium in Game 2 of the Association Semifinal. Laughy belted 2 home runs, while adding 3 RBI and scoring twice but could not will the Chemists to victory. County Crossing now sits on a 2-0 advantage and has its eyes on sweeping the best-of-5 series.
County Crossing used a clutch hit from Cy Thompson to get the win. The shortstop drilled a grand slam home run in the top of the ninth inning to put the Bloodbugs ahead, 7-6. It was his only hit in 5 at-bats, but it was a game-changer.
"Nice win for us," said Thompson. "Now we'll go after the next one."
Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at Beantown Brewery Stadium in County Crossing.
Game 3: Sunshine Tidings 3 at County Crossing 7
Bloodbugs Move on to Association Championship
The County Crossing Bloodbugs had all facets of their game going and have swept the Sunshine Tidings Chemists in the Association Semifinal.
County Crossing now heads off to the Association Championship, after wrapping up the series with a 7-3 win.
Babs Rooth was named MVP, as he put up a .500 batting average, with a .538 on-base percentage. He had 2 home runs, drove in 4 RBI and scored 5 runs. In Game 3, he was 2 for 3 with a home run, two runs scores, and two runs driven in.
The County Crossing Bloodbugs don't know who they will face in the next round. They will play the winner of the Easy Town Assaultrons - Nordhagen Beach Party Boys series. Easy Town leads the series 2 games to 1. The Association Championship schedule will be announced after the Association Semifinal finishes.
NCA Semifinal: #3 Easy Town Assaultrons vs #2 Nordhagen Beach Party Boys
This was a great matchup of two teams that battled all season for the top spot in the Brotherhood League. We picked the Party Boys to win in four games, but instead they went the distance. The Boys now enter their sixth overall NCA final in the past seven seasons, as well as their second-straight against County Crossing and third matchup overall. Each team won the final once versus the other.
Game 1: Easy Town 9 at Nordhagen Beach 1
Road Win Lifts Easy Town to 1-0 Lead in ASF
The Easy Town Assaultrons started the Association Semifinal in style today, winning on the road against the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium by a score of 9-1 to take an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. Assaultrons pitcher Lannie Tykeson excelled. He threw 9.0 innings of 4-hit ball.
Tykeson was effective for Easy Town, seldom allowing the Party Boys to square up a pitch. The left-hander tossed 96 pitches over 9 innings. He limited Nordhagen Beach to just 1 run on 4 hits.
"I felt we were ready to go," said Easy Town manager Tim Haysneedle. "Our pregame was pretty good."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium in Winthrop.
Game 2: Easy Town 2 at Nordhagen Beach 4
Mart Blasts Assaultrons, Party Boys Take Game 2, 4-2
Nordhagen Beach first baseman Dustin Mart produced all the offense the Party Boys would need today in the club's 4-2 win over the Easy Town Assaultrons.
Mart went 2-4 with a home run, while adding 4 RBI and scoring once, while Nordhagen Beach moved into a tie in the Association Semifinal. The Party Boys and Assaultrons are now even at 1-1 in the best-of-5 series.
The game turned with no one out in the bottom of the fourth when Mart, who finished 2nd in the NCA in home runs with 29 in 2300, hit a grand slam home run. It propelled the Party Boys into the lead, 4-2.
"It was a good effort all around," said Mart.
Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at Easy Town Field in Easy Town.
Game 3: Nordhagen Beach 3 at Easy Town 4
Assaultrons Clip Party Boys 4-3 in ASF Contest
The Easy Town Assaultrons moved to within one game of the Association Championship today, downing the visiting Nordhagen Beach Party Boys at Easy Town Field by a score of 4-3. Assaultrons left fielder Sean Samuels did some major damage. He went 2 for 4 with a triple and a double. He drove in 3 runs and scored once. The win gives the Assaultrons a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-5 Association Semifinal.
Samuels contributed in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on 1st and 2nd, he hit a 2-run triple. It was one at-bat among others that helped Easy Town get the win.
"We ground out the win," said Samuels. "That's all that matters."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Easy Town Field in Easy Town.
Game 4: Nordhagen Beach 3 at Easy Town 1
Nordhagen Beach Win to Pull Even With Easy Town
The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys and the Easy Town Assaultrons will take the Association Semifinal to a decisive 5th game. In a must-win situation today, the Party Boys beat the Assaultrons 3-1 at Easy Town Field to force the series into what will essentially be a one-game playoff. Nordhagen Beach left-hander Beachboy Nut had a big role in the win. He threw 7.0 innings allowing 1 runs.
The Party Boys got a gift in the top of the fourth inning, when they were leading 1-0. With one out and the bases loaded, Beachboy Nut reached on an error by the center fielder, driving in 1 run. It made the score 2-0, Nordhagen Beach.
"We're all about heart and hustle on this team. That's what wins ballgames," Nut told the Nordhagen Beach News.
Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium in Winthrop.
Game 5: Easy Town 2 at Nordhagen Beach 9
Party Boys Prevail, as Association Semifinal Goes to the Wire
The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys and Easy Town Assaultrons put on a classic Association Semifinal that was in question until the final game.
In the end, Nordhagen Beach won the deciding contest by a score of 9-2, to take the series 3-2.
Jonathan Angelou of the Boys earned Game MVP honors after going 2 for 4 with a home run, a walk, two runs, and four RBI.
"It doesn't get much tighter than that. To win a series in the last game is a thrill," said Dustin Mart, who earned series MVP honors for Nordhagen Beach. "Our guys are breathing a little easier now."
For the series, Mart hit .250 with a .286 on-base percentage. He had 2 home runs, drove in 5 RBI and scored 3 runs.
The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys will play against the County Crossing Bloodbugs in the next round. County Crossing won their series against the Sunshine Tidings Chemists 3 games to 0. The Association Championship schedule will be announced after the Association Semifinal finishes.
SCA Semifinal: #3 Jamaica Plain Red Rockets vs #2 University Point
We thought this would be the best series of the playoffs, but it was tied for the easiest as the #2 seed Deathclaws swept their Minutemen League rivals. The Claws have now reached the SCA Final in four of the past five seasons. Last season, the Rockets won this 2 vs 3 matchup.
Game 1: Jamaica Plain 1 at University Point 14
Tarberry, Deathclaws Wallop Red Rockets in Game 1 of ASF
The University Point Deathclaws started the Association Semifinal in style today, downing the visiting Jamaica Plain Red Rockets at Gwinnett Brewery Park by a score of 14-1 to grab an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. Deathclaws left fielder Ed Tarberry went 3-4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk, while scoring 2 and driving in 5.
In the bottom of the second, Tarberry had one of his most important at-bats: a 3-run home run off Digger Vadim that staked the Deathclaws to a 4-1 lead.
"There was a kid in the stands with a sign that said 'University Point Deathclaws (probably) 2305 Sole Survivor Series Champions'," Tarberry told reporters after the game. "I told him, 'Premature, but I like the confidence.'"
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Gwinnett Brewery Park in Boston.
Game 2: Jamaica Plain 4 at University Point 5
Cocoa, Deathclaws Sink Red Rockets Again in Game 2
The University Point Deathclaws moved to within one game of the Association Championship today, downing the visiting Jamaica Plain Red Rockets at Gwinnett Brewery Park by a score of 5-4. Deathclaws first baseman Barker Cocoa did some major damage. He was 3 for 4 with a home run and a double. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. The win gives the Deathclaws a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-5 Association Semifinal.
The game turned with two out in the bottom of the seventh when Cocoa, who led the SCA in OPS with 1.170 last year, hit a run-scoring double. It propelled the Deathclaws into the lead, 5-4.
"I got everyone together and told them they did great today," University Point manager Woody Lumpkin told BNN reporters after the game. "But I warned them that even if we make it out of the Association Semifinal, it's only going to get harder."
Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at Red Rockets Stadium in Jamaica Plain.
Game 3: University Point 7 at Jamaica Plain 5
Deathclaws Dominate, Sweep Association Semifinal
The University Point Deathclaws made it look easy and are heading to the Association Championship.
They have ousted the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets in a sweep, the final win coming by a 7-5 score, clinching the 3-0 series win.
RF Tomas Jones of the Claws was Game MVP, going 2 for 3 with a home run, two walks, a score, and three RBI.
"Everything's clicking for us right now," said Ed Tarberry, who was named MVP for the series.
Tarberry hit .583 with a .571 on-base percentage. He added 1 home runs, drove in 7 RBI and scored 3 runs.
The University Point Deathclaws don't know who they will face in the next round. They will play the winner of the Roxbury Rad Sox - Egret Ninjas series. That series is tied at 1 game each. The Association Championship schedule will be announced after the Association Semifinal finishes.
SCA Semifinal: #4 Egret Ninjas vs #1 Roxbury Rad Sox
This was the easiest series to predict. Roxbury was 12-0 against Egret in the regular season and held the largest record gap (24 games) in CBO playoff history. Everything pointed to the Rad Sox making it to their third-straight SCA Final. Instead . . .
Shock! Awe! Miracles! The Ninjas pulled off the biggest upset in CBO playoffs history, reaching the SCA Final for the first time in franchise history in their first trip to the playoffs other than in 2296 before the NCA and SCA existed. That season, Egret was defeated as the #5 overall seed by #4 Abernathy in the first round of the playoffs.
Game 1: Egret 2 at Roxbury 8
Home Field Advantage: Williams, Roxbury Open Association Semifinal with Win
The Roxbury Rad Sox started the Association Semifinal in style today, downing the visiting Egret Ninjas at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury by a score of 8-2 to grab an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. Rad Sox left fielder Bloatfly Williams went 2-3 with a home run and a walk. He scored 2 times and drove in 2.
The Rad Sox picked up the win with a combination of good hitting and good pitching.
"Every team in baseball loses," Ninjas manager Butterfly O'Keefe said. "We're in the playoffs and we still have the same guys that got us here. We'll bounce back."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury in Roxbury.
Game 2: Egret 13 at Roxbury 1
Pickle, Ninjas Wallop Rad Sox in Game 2 of ASF
With right fielder Rick Pickle leading the charge, the Egret Ninjas got a road win over the Roxbury Rad Sox, 13-1, in Game 2 of the Association Semifinal today. Pickle went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk, while adding 4 RBI and scoring once at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury to help Egret force a 1-1 tie in the best-of-5 series.
With no one out in the top of the seventh, Jace Nightwatch barreled up a slider from Jack Arasmith. The result was a 3-run home run, putting the Ninjas in front, 11-1.
"We'll relax tonight and enjoy this win," said Pickle.
Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina in Egret Tours Marina.
Game 3: Roxbury 7 at Egret 5
Ninjas Hammered by Connexx, Drop Game 3 to Rad Sox
The Roxbury Rad Sox moved to within one game of the Association Championship today, downing the Egret Ninjas on the road at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina by a score of 7-5. Rad Sox second baseman Chris Connexx hit 2 home runs. He drove in 6 runs and scored twice. The win gives the Rad Sox a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-5 Association Semifinal.
Connexx had a clutch at-bat in the top of the ninth for the Rad Sox. Coming up with runners on 1st and 2nd and Roxbury trailing 5-4, he hit a 3-run home run.
"We've got a great group of guys," Connexx said, "and we're having fun right now."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina in Egret Tours Marina.
Game 4: Roxbury 2 at Egret 5
Raucous Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina Crowd Propels Ninjas to 5-2 Victory; Series Tied at 2
The Egret Ninjas and the Roxbury Rad Sox will take the Association Semifinal to a decisive 5th game. In a must-win situation today, the Ninjas beat the Rad Sox 5-2 at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina to force the series into what will essentially be a one-game playoff. Egret left-hander Tup Mallory had a big role in the win. He threw 7.0 innings of 6-hit ball.
Rick Pickle delivered a run-scoring double for Egret in the bottom of the seventh. The right fielder went 3 for 4 in the game, including 1 home run, 1 single, and 1 double. He scored 1 run and batted in 2.
Pickle told a Egret Bulletin reporter that he was "more than satisfied" with the win.
Game 5 is scheduled for Friday at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury in Roxbury.
Game 5: Egret 5 at Roxbury 3
Association Semifinal Goes the Distance, Egret Prevails
With a narrow 3-2 series win, the Egret Ninjas have eliminated the Roxbury Rad Sox and are Association Semifinal winners. Egret won the final game by a score of 5-3, wrapping it up at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury.
1B Joe Mahaney was the game's hero for the Ninjas, going 2 for 4 with a home run, a run, and three RBI. Jace Nightwatch and Guru Bean each drove in a run in the deciding 8th inning.
"We tried not to look ahead to the Association Championship, but we thought we'd be there for sure," said right fielder Rick Pickle, who was named series MVP.
Pickle's big series saw him hit .381 with a .435 on-base percentage. He had 3 home runs, drove in 9 RBI and scored 4 runs. That fourth run scored proved to clinch the series for the unlikely Ninjas.
The Egret Ninjas will play against the University Point Deathclaws in the next round. University Point won their series against the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets 3 games to 0. The Association Championship schedule will be announced after the Association Semifinal finishes.
Playoff Tree
