[j.tom]

PLAYOFFS BEGIN IN SOUTH AFRICA; CONTINUE IN SOUTH AMERICA - WWoB News -- 01.19 - 01.25.60




It is crunch time, the first round of the BZL and GCL playoffs are underway, and the SAL playoffs get started this week, so let's get straight to the action.


Worldwide News

01.19

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia goes up 2-0 over Fortaleza behind RHP Aires Samico's 🇧🇷 6 shutout innings, Salvador evens their series with Rio with a 7-2 drubbing.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Both Semifinales series knotted at 1 after Ibague's walkoff sac fly, Maracay LHP Robert Ortiz's 🇨🇴 8 shutout innings.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- With 3 games to go in the regular season, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein are locked in, Pretoria needs one more win, while Kimberley and Durban race for the final playoff spot.




01.20

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Travel day in the BZL and GCL, so South Africa is center stage today. Pretoria clinches a playoff spot with a win over Durban + a Kimberley loss.




01.21

Liga Brasil -- The venues flip for Game 3 of the Semifinais, with Fortaleza earning their first win of the series over Brasilia behind a big day from C Ximena Russel 🇧🇷. Rio goes up 2 games to 1 on the league's only above .500 team.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Pitchers step up big time in Game 3, with Ibague, Cucuta, and Maracay all getting excellent performances from their starters. Maracay, however misses out on a win.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Durban will enter the regular season finale tied with Kimberley, thanks to a Diamante loss and a walk-off single by Indringers 2B Abu Akrama 🇿🇦.





01.22

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia spoils a great starting pitcher performance by Fortaleza to go up 3-1, Salvador even with Rio after Marcelino Feij 🇧🇷, signed 12 days ago, goes 3-4.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Maracay gets another strong pitching performance and this time, they capitalize to even the series with Cucuta. Ibague goes up 3-1 on Guayaquil.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- On the final day of the regular season, Durban and Kimberley both pick up wins, setting up a tiebreaker tomorrow for the league's final playoff spot.




01.23

Liga Brasil -- Fortaleza stays alive, Rio pushes Salvador to the brink behind a great showing by RHP Ruben Martinez 🇧🇷.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Ibague ends Guayaquil's season, while Cucuta draws closer to Serie Gran Colombia, taking a 3-2 lead over Maracay. OF Juan Garcia 🇨🇴 is named Semifinales MVP for Ibague.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- On the final day of the regular season, Durban beats Kimberley for the final playoff spot tiebreaker, behind two home runs by 3B Tyler Ben Bella 🇿🇦.





01.24

No big news today. Off-day in BZL, GCL, SAL.



01.25

Liga Brasil -- Rio completes the stunning upset to knock out Salvador, while Ivo Susano's 🇧🇷🇯🇵 4-4 night and game-tying homer in the bottom of the 9th sends Brasilia to Serie Brasil.




Liga Gran Colombia -- In game 6, from the 4th inning on, Maracay pitchers give up a zip code (31222 - Somapura, Sri Lanka) and their season ends in an 11-3 defeat. Somehow Cucuta SS Jordan Duran 🇨🇴 wins series MVP, despite going 3-25.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- No big surprises in Games 1 of the SAL's Halfenstryde (Semifinal). Gqeberha wins a nailbiter over Durban, while Bloemfontein rides 7.2 no-hit innings by RHP Zoubeir Runihara 🇿🇦 to a walk-off, extra-inning win.





Top Performances by Day

01.19


01.20


01.21


01.22


01.23


01.24


01.25




Standings / Playoff Brackets (As of 01.25)

Latin League



Liga Brasil



Liga Gran Colombia



Suid-Afrikaanse Liga