BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
25 September 2316
CBO Association Championship Series Round Results
NCA - #3 Malden Grognaks vs #1 Easy Town Assaultrons
Game 1: Easy Town 9, Malden 4
Association Championship Series Game 1 Goes to Easy Town, Thanks to MacDonald
The Easy Town Assaultrons started the Association Championship Series in style, downing the visiting Malden Grognaks at Easy Town Field by a score of 9-4 to grab an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Assaultrons shortstop Stormin Normin MacDonald was 2-5 with a home run, while scoring 2 runs and driving in 2.
An inflection point occurred with no one out in the bottom of the fourth. That's when Assaultrons right fielder Topher Spark hit a fastball from Hry Caje for a 2-run home run. Just like that, Easy Town was up, 5-4.
"I felt good up there," said MacDonald. "I saw the ball well."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Easy Town Field in Easy Town.
Game 2: Easy Town 8, Malden 3
Easy Town Pins 8-3 Loss on Malden
Riding the 2-hit performance of right fielder Topher Spark, the Easy Town Assaultrons stopped the visiting Malden Grognaks, 8-3, in Game 2 of the Association Championship Series. Spark was 2-4 with 2 doubles, while scoring 2 and driving in 2 for the Assaultrons, who now lead the best-of-7 series, 2 games to 0.
A key moment came with two out in the bottom of the second. That's when Spark hit a cutter from Ahsoka Tano for a 2-run double, putting Easy Town up, 2-0.
Spark said afterward that his team has grown over the course of the season, adding: "It feels good when a plan comes together."
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday at Unstoppable Park in Malden.
Game 3: Malden 6, Easy Town 1
Malden Breaks Through for First Win in Association Championship Series; Now Trails 2-1
The Malden Grognaks have closed some of the gap between themselves and the series-leading Easy Town Assaultrons, winning, 6-1, at Unstoppable Park. Grognaks right-hander Beasty Boyd Hollen threw 7.0 innings of 1-hit ball. The win cuts the deficit facing the Grognaks to 2-1 in the best-of-7 Association Championship Series.
In his 88-pitch effort, Hollen allowed 1 run on 1 hit over 7 innings. He walked 2 and struck out 2.
"Beasty Boyd was doing a good job pouring in strikes," said Malden manager Chris Blizard.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Unstoppable Park in Malden.
Game 4: Easy Town 5, Malden 4
Almost There: Easy Town On Cusp of ACS Triumph After 5-4 Win
Riding the 3-hit performance of shortstop Stormin Normin MacDonald, the Easy Town Assaultrons got a road win against the Malden Grognaks, 5-4, in Game 4 of the Association Championship Series. MacDonald went 3 for 4 with 3 singles and a walk for the Assaultrons, who now lead the best-of-7 series, 3 games to 1.
Easy Town used the timely hitting of Bill Barnes to seize the win. The catcher stroked a 2-run single in the top of the ninth inning to put the Assaultrons on top, 5-4. It was his only hit in 5 at-bats, but it was a game-changer.
Easy Town manager Malik Christmasstory commended his team for exhibiting "no shortage of effort."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Unstoppable Park in Malden.
Game 5: Malden 7, Easy Town 0
Malden Wins at Home to Narrow Series Deficit to 3-2
Facing elimination, the Malden Grognaks were looking for a savior. For today, at least, Ahsoka Tano delivered.
At Unstoppable Park, the 34-year-old pitched a game for the ages to fend off the Easy Town Assaultrons and help the Grognaks close their deficit in the Association Championship Series. Tano threw a 9-inning, complete-game shutout in the 7-0 Malden win, striking out 5 and allowing 4 hits. The Grognaks now trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
Tano allowed no runs on 4 hits over 9 innings for the Grognaks. He walked 3 and struck out 5.
"Ahsoka pitched one heck of a game for us," said Malden manager Chris Blizard.
Game 6 is scheduled for Monday at Easy Town Field in Easy Town.
Game 6: Malden 10, Easy Town 9
Grognaks Clip Assaultrons, 10-9, in ACS Contest
In a crucial game, the Malden Grognaks put on their best show, beating the Easy Town Assaultrons by a final score of 10-9. Eden Babz went 2-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk, while adding 6 RBI and scoring once. Malden and Easy Town are now tied at 3 wins apiece in the best-of-7 affair.
Malden used a clutch at-bat from Floren Habern to capture the win. The center fielder hammered a 2-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to put the Grognaks ahead, 7-6. It was his lone hit in 4 at-bats, but it was a humdinger.
"It's the best feeling when you come through for your teammates," said Habern.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Easy Town Field in Easy Town.
Game 7: Easy Town 9, Malden 8
Easy Town Wins Association Championship Series
With a narrow 4-3 series win, the Easy Town Assaultrons have eliminated the Malden Grognaks and are Association Championship Series winners.
"We tried not to look ahead to the Sole Survivor Series, but we thought we'd be there for sure," said shortstop Stormin Normin MacDonald, who was named series MVP.
Easy Town won the final game by a score of 9-8, wrapping it up at Easy Town Field.
The bottom of the 7th made the biggest difference. Trailing 5-3, Albi Cannibal led of the inning with a solo home run off Gorgeous George Haney. With two outs and the bases loaded, J.J. Gray hit a first-pitch grand slam to give the Trons the lead, 8-5.
MacDonald's big series saw him hit .444 with a .531 on-base percentage. He had 1 home runs, drove in 9 RBI and scored 6 runs.
The Easy Town Assaultrons will play against the Quincy Granites in the next round. Quincy won their series against the Diamond City Swatters 4 games to 2. The Sole Survivor Series schedule will be announced after the Association Championship Series finishes.
SCA - #6 Quincy Gunners #4 Glowing Sea Rascorpions
Game 1: Quincy 4, Diamond City 0
Road Win Lifts Quincy to 1-0 Lead in ACS
Make Money and the Quincy Granites opened the Association Championship Series in brilliant fashion, traveling to Diamond City and shutting out the host Swatters at The Great Green Jewel, 4-0, to secure an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Money, the Granites left-hander, threw 8.0 innings of shutout ball.
Money, the Quincy left-hander, went 8 innings, allowing no runs on 1 hit. He collected 7 strikeouts.
"It takes a lot of things to win a ballgame," said Quincy manager Scrappy Barios. "It's usually not just one thing."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at The Great Green Jewel in Boston.
Game 2: Quincy 3, Diamond City 1
Quincy Extends Series Lead in Low-Scoring Affair
Leave it to the veteran.
The Quincy Granites got a great start from 36-year-old left-hander College Luckyman, as Quincy won the contest, 3-1, at The Great Green Jewel. Luckyman threw 7.0 innings allowing 1 run in the win, which allowed the Granites to grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.
Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Ramon Saldivar? The Quincy catcher had a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning to put the Granites on top, 3-1. For the game, Saldivar had 2 doubles and 1 single in 4 at-bats.
"We're one game closer to our goal," Quincy manager Scrappy Barios said later. "It isn't any more complicated than that."
The next game is set to be played for Wednesday, September 19th , 2317 at The Stone House in Quincy.
Game 3: Quincy 3, Diamond City 2
Granites Clip Swatters, 3-2, in ACS Contest
The Quincy Granites moved to within one game of the Sole Survivor Series, downing the visiting Diamond City Swatters at The Stone House by a score of 3-2. Granites right-hander Kid Boots Appling had a strong outing in which he threw 7.0 innings of shutout ball. The win gives the Granites a 3-0 advantage in the best-of-7 Association Championship Series.
The famously hardworking Appling handled the Swatters all day, notching 6 strikeouts in 7 innings while allowing 5 hits. Appling, who finished 2nd in the SCA in ERA with 3.33 in 2315, goes to 2-0 on the year with 16 strikeouts.
"We put some tough at-bats on some tough pitches," said Quincy manager Scrappy Barios.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at The Stone House in Quincy.
Game 4: Diamond City 5, Quincy 1
Diamond City Breaks Through for First Win in Association Championship Series; Now Trails 3-1
The Diamond City Swatters have closed some of the gap between themselves and the series-leading Quincy Granites, winning, 5-1, at The Stone House. Swatters right-hander Macho Lopez threw 7.0 innings of shutout ball. The win cuts the deficit facing the Swatters to 3-1 in the best-of-7 Association Championship Series.
Lopez, a native of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, was dealing all game. He kept Quincy hitters off-balance, while giving the Swatters 7 quality innings. Lopez threw 97 pitches, allowing 2 hits and striking out 9.
"The key at this level is throwing strike one," said Lopez. "Successful pitchers do it."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at The Stone House in Quincy.
Game 5: Diamond City 6, Quincy 1
Diamond City Wins to Cut Quincy Lead to 3-2
The Diamond City Swatters topped the Quincy Granites, 6-1, in Game 5 of the Association Championship Series. Most impressive was left-hander Dropper Millieu, who threw 7.0 innings of 4-hit ball. The win cuts Diamond City's deficit in the series to 3-2.
In the top of the fifth, Diamond City third baseman Hey Dentra Venski had a productive at-bat. With the bases empty and no one out, Venski stroked a solo home run to left-center. It made the score 1-0, Diamond City. For the game, he was 1-4 with a home run.
"Trying isn't good enough in this league," said Venski. "You've got to get results."
The next game is set to be played for Sunday, September 23rd , 2317 at The Great Green Jewel in Boston.
Game 6: Quincy 3, Diamond City 2
Quincy Moves on to Sole Survivor Series
After their 3-2 win today at The Great Green Jewel over the Diamond City Swatters, the Quincy Granites will advance to the Sole Survivor Series. Quincy won the series by a 4-2 margin.
Leading 2-1 entering the top of the 8th, a radstorm delay chased Swatters starter Beachboy Nut. Machine Beard came on in relief, allowing back-to-back singles to Pipewrench Mathis and Voodoo Sycamore before walking Downlow Uptown. Adavald Vigilant hit a sacrifice fly to tie it, and then Brad Hop doubled in the go-ahead run.
Leading the way for the Granites was catcher Ramon Saldivar, who had a spectacular series and was named MVP. He was 7 for 20 (.350) with three doubles, a run, and two RBI.
"I don't play differently in the regular season or playoffs. I just go out and do my best every game," he said. "It's certainly nice to play in the big game, but you can't let it get to your head and change your focus."
The Quincy Granites don't know who they will face in the next round. They will play the winner of the Easy Town Assaultrons - Malden Grognaks series. Easy Town leads the series 3 games to 2. The Sole Survivor Series schedule will be announced after the Association Championship Series finishes.
CBO Playoff Tree
