Professional Association of Southern Softball

[StLee]

PASS Results, May 11, 2012:
Virginia Beach 0 at Orlando 6
Houston 3 at Tampa 5
New Orleans 5 at Baton Rouge 15
Richmond 6 at Jackson 14
Dallas 6 at Savannah 2
Raleigh 8 at Miami 4
Nashville 4 at Louisville 6
Jacksonville 13 at Mobile 3
Birmingham 5 at Memphis 2


Game of the Day:
Atlanta 9 at Little Rock 10

The Razorbacks trailed 9-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, but rallied for a 10-9 win over the Arrows.

“The team rallied together and won one we probably shouldn’t,” Little Rock player-coach John Hubbard said.

With one out, Ronald Malone doubled, followed by a Ron Tinker single. Lindsay Wilson then singled Malone in to make it 9-5. George Ellis, the game MVP, then hit an RBI single to cut the Atlanta lead to 9-6.

With two outs, Jimmy Weese reached on an error by Atlanta’s player-coach Joe Jones to load the bases. Lawrence Rogers followed with a two-RBI single to make the score 9-8. The final two runs came on Chris Parker’s double for the 10-8 final.

“I blew it,” Jones said. “It’s all on me today.”

[StLee]

Pass Players of the Day, May 11, 2012:

Jason Church, Jackson, 5-6, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R


Jack O’Slattery, Baton Rouge, 2-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R


George Ellis, Little Rock, 5-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R


Big Day with Bat: Ellis 5-5

Who needs batting practice? George Ellis of Little Rock apparently doesn't as he battered Atlanta with a 5-hit outburst in today's game to lead his club to a 10-9 win.

He told the press after the game, "And I didn't even take BP today. I think I have been taking too many swings before game and decided to take a day off. Wow, this was really something. Will my name be in the record books now?"

Ellis hit a two-run home run off Bob Tillman in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, doubled in the 7th and hit an RBI single in the 9th.

This season Ellis is batting .451 with 23 hits, 2 home runs, 17 RBIs, 2 walks, .473 OBP and has scored 9 runs. He has played in 11 games.

[StLee]

May 12, 2012

Game of the Day: Raleigh at Miami

The Miami Whales got the offense it needed in the bottom of the eleventh inning to edge the Raleigh Cats 8-7 on Saturday.

Miami improved to 6-6 on the season thanks to Rory Cooke’s RBI single in the final frame, while the Cats fell to 7-5.

The Whales got off to a big start in the first inning. Ronald Boucher and Rafael Padilla led off with singles. With one out, Dan Hinkle singled in Boucher. Andrew Vaughn then hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. Following an RBI sacrifice fly by Hoyt Price, Pedro Marino hit an RBI triple. Cooke then hit an RBI single to give Miami a 5-0 lead.

Raleigh answered in the second and third innings to cut into Miami’s lead. Lou George singled in Doug Roberts, who had tripled earlier in the inning to make it 5-1 after two innings. In the third, Roberts hit his second triple, this time an RBI triple to score Joe Pallant from second.

The Cats continued their charge in the fifth. Jim Manning tripled and John Barton singled him in to make it 5-3 after five.

In the sixth and seventh innings, Raleigh was able to rally to tie the game. Following a George single, Brian Pearson hit an RBI double for a 5-4 deficit. In the seventh, Pallant doubled and Roberts singled him in to tie the score 5-5.

However, Miami answered in the bottom of the seventh, though the Whales had a chance to blow the game open. Boucher doubled, Padilla walked, and Joseph D’Abrichecourt singled to load the bases at the start of the inning. After Hinkle popped out, Vaughn hit an RBI groundout to make it 6-5. Hoyt Price then grounded out to leave two runners in scoring position.

Raleigh then tied the game in the ninth on a two-out rally. Barton doubled with two outs and then advanced on an error. Josh Alexander then hit an RBI single to tie the game 6-6 and send it to extra innings.

In the eleventh, the Cats took the lead. Following singles by Manning and Barton, Roberts hit an RBI double. Barton attempted to score but tripped up rounding third base, and he had to stay. After Alexander was walked, George and Skip Miller flew out to end the inning.

That is when the Whales answered to win the game. D’Abrichecourt and Hinkle were out to start the inning, but a two out-rally won it. Vaughn singled and Price doubled him home. After Pedro Marino walked, Cooke hit the game-winning single for the 8-7 final.

“Our stars didn’t have the best day,” Miami player-coach Hinkle said. “That didn’t matter, though, because some role players stepped up today. Hats off tom Raleigh, and double hats off to Rory Cooke and his clutch hit today.”

Players of the Game:

Doug Roberts, Raleigh, 4-6, 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI, R
Andrew Vaughn, Miami, 4-6, 2 RBI, 2 R
Rory Cooke, Miami, 3-6, GW 1B, 2 RBI,
Ronald Boucher, Miami, 3-6, 2B, 2 R
Joe Pallant, Raleigh, 3-6, 2B, 2 R

[StLee]

PASS Scores, May 12, 2012:

(Lee’s Note: Wow! Nearly a perfect day for my winning score hopes.)
Houston 9 at Tampa 5
Dallas 9 at Savannah 3
Myrtle Beach 7 at Charlotte 9
Virginia Beach 5 at Orlando 10
Nashville 14 at Louisville 10

Great Stroke: Taylor Gets 6 Hits

Nashville third baseman Spencer Taylor really lit up the Louisville Thoroughbreds with a 6-hit barrage today at Ballpark of Louisville -- a performance that sparked the Muskies to a 14-10 triumph.

He shrugged off the performance after the game and said, "Sometimes the ball finds outfielders, today the ball found some holes."

Taylor singled in the 1st, doubled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, doubled in the 7th, grounded out in the 7th, singled in the 9th and singled in the 10th.

Taylor currently has a .435 batting average with 27 hits, 0 homers, 6 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a .446 OBP.

Birmingham 5 at Memphis 10
Jacksonville 6 at Mobile 9
Atlanta 4 at Little Rock 3
New Orleans 7 at Baton Rouge 9
Richmond 5 at Jackson 10
Shreveport 11 at Austin 7

Jones Smacks 5 Hits for Fighters:
After the Shreveport 11-7 victory over Austin and his 5-hit day second baseman Brian Jones told BNN beat writers, "It really doesn't matter whether it's sandlot ball, high school or college ball, two hits in a game are very good... three or four hits even better... 5 or more are out of sight... and if it is in pro ball... it is really something special."

The 30-year-old player gained that distinction today at Austin Grounds with a spectacular 5 for 6 game against the Austin Bulls.

Fighters’ player-coach Drake Park spoke glowingly of Jones, telling BNN writers, "His swing is getting there. We want him to be quick with his swing, short and compact. We want him to be patient and go the other way when he can. Brian did that to perfection today."

Jones singled in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, hit an RBI triple in the 7th, doubled in the 8th and grounded out in the 9th.

Looking at his present stats, Jones has compiled a .351 batting average in 12 games with a .351 on-base percentage, while hitting no home runs and driving in three runs.

[StLee]

PASS Players of the Day, May 12, 2012:

John Jackson, Dallas, 3-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R


Orlando Franks, Dallas, 4-5, 3 RBI, 2 R


Jimmy Hall, Nashville, 5-7, 2B, 3 RBI, R

[StLee]

Feature Player, May 12, 2012:

We at Baseball News Network, Softball Edition, are interested in building the fan base of the Professional Association of Southern Softball (PASS). With that said, we need help from you! What is your favorite feature so far of our daily PASS newsletter? What new feature would you like to see added?

For now, we are discontinuing our “Reactions Around the League” section to begin a new “Feature Player” section. Our league is made up of the interesting alignment of white and blue collar men who take three months out of their work schedule to play professional softball. We are looking to give you more of a look into some of those players and build them up. In time, we hope you get to know our players and find your favorites.

Today’s feature player is Evan Guerehan, Houston. A 25-year-old from Town ‘n’ Country, Florida, Guerehan was the second overall draft pick by the Slammers in the inaugural draft.

Known for his ability to hit balls to the gap, the thin but scrappy right fielder was a two-year wonder in the Sunshine State Softball Organization for the (Tampa) Bay Bucs. There, Guerehan batted a league-leading .672 in 2010 with 20 doubles and was named the Rookie of the Year. He followed that up by batting .603 in 2011 with 18 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs.

In the off season, Guerehan is an accountant.

“People think I’m smart,” Guerehan said, “but I’m not that smart. I just really like numbers. That’s why I always loved baseball.”

As a child, Guerehan would constantly copy baseball box scores and create his own statistics in a large, bound Trapper Keeper.

“I loved that thing,” Guerehan laughed. “My teachers made me leave it at home because I was tallying baseball numbers instead of paying attention in science class or history class. I would only close my Trapper Keeper for math class because I knew all the answers there. I’m sure my teachers wished that was the time I was burying my nose in baseball numbers.”

Guerehan was such a sharp math student that he aced the math section of the SAT and got an academic scholarship to Florida Atlantic University. Although he did not earn a spot on the FAU baseball team, he was constantly seen at games and played intramural softball with his fraternity.

“We were known as the Multiple Scoregasms. Everybody had a lot of fun with that team name.”

[StLee]

At the time I worked on this dynasty, I was on summer break and thought I could steam through it. However, with a combination of taking on too much to not seeing the results I really wanted, I put this dynasty on the back burner.

I hate to leave this unfinished, though, so I will make an adjustment and switch to weekly recaps. I am still hashing out some plans to make a good dynasty. For a couple of months I have been writing a NCAA Football replay (2011 season, but with realignment) at another site. That dynasty finally gave me some ideas about how I want a dynasty to work.

So... for now, I will resume this dynasty. I will call it...

PASS Redux: Reduced Version

[StLee]

May 13, 2012

Today is a scheduled off day. Therefore, BNNSE will feature three players today.

Featured Player #1: David Crow, C, Memphis
19-35 (.543), 3 2B, 11 RBI, 7 R, BB
Currently leads the league in batting average

Featured Player #2: Michael Farley, LF, Austin
22-56 (.393), 9 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 15 R
Currently leads the league in extra base hits (15)

Featured Player #3: John Bender, 3B, Tampa
18-46 (.391), 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 9 R, 6 BB



----

May 14, 2012

Featured Game: Savannah (5-8) at Virginia Beach (7-6)


Top Players of the Game:
Horace Wiley, Savannah, 4-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R, BB
John McLean, Savannah, 4-6, RBI, R
George Leslie, Virginia Beach, 2B, 3-4, 2 RBI, R

PASS Results, May 14, 2012:

Tampa 3 at Dallas 6
Memphis 4 at Atlanta 6
Orlando 2 at Myrtle Beach 9
Baton Rouge 1 at Richmond 2
Charlotte 14 at Louisville 5
Mobile 2 at Raleigh 5
Austin 4 at Jacksonville 7
Jackson 5 at Nashville 2
Miami 8 at New Orleans 3
Little Rock 5 at Houston 3
Birmingham 6 at Shreveport 3

PASS Players of the Day, May 14, 2012:

Fred Garcia, Birmingham, 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R

Orlando Franks, Dallas, 4-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R


Ronald Boucher, Miami, 5-6, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R


Boucher 5-6 Against New Orleans

What a day for Ronald Boucher of the Miami Whales! A 5-hit hitting spree! That doesn't happen every day! He ripped New Orleans pitching apart at Buzz Ballpark and sparked the Whales to an 8-3 victory. He wrote his name in the record books, finishing his special day 5 for 6.

"I'm usually a first ball hitter," Boucher told BNNSE reporters in the postgame press conference. "I think pitchers think batters are going to let the first one go by, so they throw a high loopy pitch."

Boucher singled in the 1st, grounded out in the 2nd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, hit an RBI double in the 5th, singled in the 7th and singled in the 9th.

To date, Boucher has collected 23 hits for a .359 average. He has posted 2 home runs, scored 18 runs and driven in 10 runs.

[StLee]

May 15 results:
Little Rock 8 at Houston 7
Memphis 6 at Atlanta 2
Savannah 8 at Virginia Beach 6
Baton Rouge 8 at Richmond 4
Austin 12 at Jacksonville 13
Mobile 5 at Raleigh 12
Orlando 7 at Myrtle Beach 3
Charlotte 2 at Louisville 8
Jackson 4 at Nashville 12
Tampa 9 at Dallas 10, 11 innings
Miami 10 at New Orleans, 10 innings
Birmingham 0 at Shreveport 8

Top Players:
Dan Hinkle, Miami, 4/5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, BB
Hugh Franklin, New Orleans, 4/5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, R
Jimmy Hall, Nashville, 4/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R

May 16 results:
Myrtle Beach 15 at Savannah 13, 11 innings
Richmond 10 at Miami 7
Louisville 8 at Orlando 7
Virginia Beach 1 at Tampa 6
Charlotte 15 at Jackson 7
Atlanta 7 at Birmingham 4
Raleigh 16 at Austin 14
Houston 8 at Memphis 7
New Orleans 5 at Mobile 3
Little Rock 7 at Dallas 6
Nashville 11 at Baton Rouge 1
Shreveport 4 at Jacksonville 5

Top Players:
Brent Noble, Myrtle Beach, 6/6 3-2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB
Robert Ellis, Atlanta, 4/4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
Jimmy Hall, Nashville, 3/4 , 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R

May 17 results:
Louisville 10 at Orlando 1
Charlotte 16 at Jackson 3
Myrtle Beach 4 at Savannah 1
Richmond 7 at Miami 8
Dallas 7 at Little Rock 1
Raleigh 5 at Austin 11
Nashville 3 at Baton Rouge 2
New Orleans 10 at Mobile 2
Houston 3 at Memphis 2
Shreveport 14 at Jacksonville 13
Virginia Beach 11 at Tampa 2
Atlanta 6 at Birmingham 5

Top players:
Rusty Lewis, Jacksonville, 3/4, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Ray Bailey, Richmond, 4/4, 2-2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Mike York, Louisville, 5/5, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, R

May 18 results:
Mobile 8 at Richmond 7
Savannah 3 at Louisville 7
Baton Rouge 5 at Charlotte 10
Tampa 2 at Myrtle Beach 3
Little Rock 9 at Virginia Beach 10, 11 innings
Jacksonville 6 at Raleigh 7
Memphis 5 at Dallas 6
Austin 9 at New Orleans 3
Birmingham 6 at Houston 2
Orlando 5 at Jackson 3
Miami 10 at Nashville 1
Atlanta 13 at Shreveport 10

Top Players:
John Jackson, Dallas, 3/4, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
Greg Turner, Virginia Beach, 3/4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Ricardo Rojas, Mobile, 4/5, 2-2B, HR, 5 RBI, R

May 19 results:
Jacksonville 8 at Raleigh 6
Savannah 0 at Louisville 11
Baton Rouge 9 at Charlotte 6
Tampa 7 at Myrtle Beach 6
Little Rock 5 at Virginia Beach 9
Mobile 3 at Richmond 7
Memphis 13 at Dallas 6
Austin 10 at New Orleans 9
Birmingham 9 at Houston 10
Orlando 8 at Jackson 3
Miami 11 at Nashville 2
Atlanta 11 at Shreveport 3

Top Players:
Bruce Walsh, Memphis, 3/3, 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 R
Joseph D’Abrichecourt, Miami, 3/5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
Ron Lewis, Louisville, 4/4, 2-2B, RBI, 3 R

May 20 results:
Houston 13 at Atlanta 9
New Orleans 5 at Jacksonville 6
Shreveport 5 at Raleigh 2
Jackson 7 at Savannah 8
Louisville 6 at Tampa 7
Charlotte 2 at Miami 7
Memphis 9 at Virginia Beach 6
Mobile 3 at Nashville 4
Myrtle Beach 13 at Little Rock 3
Dallas 14 at Birmingham 7
Richmond 4 at Austin 6
Orlando 6 at Baton Rouge 4

Top Players:
Jeff Osborne, Myrtle Beach, 4/5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB
Orlando Franks, Dallas, 5/5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Allen Palen, Orlando, 3/5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

PASS Player of the Week:



Joseph D'Abrichecourt Wins PASS Trophy: Joseph D'Abrichecourt is respected by most Miami Whales fans for his no-frills style of play. The 29-year-old center fielder went about his business with vigor last week to grab the Professional Association of Southern Softball Player of the Week honors.

He compiled a .643 average (18-28) with 3 home runs, 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

For the year D'Abrichecourt has hit at a .453 clip with 26 RBIs, 7 home runs and 27 runs scored.

Updated Standings:



Weekly Power Rankings:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Houston Slammers (127.2, +)
2) Miami Whales (121.7, ++)
3) Louisville Thoroughbreds (116.7, ++)
4) Dallas Bandits (111.2, ++)
5) Jacksonville Buzzards (110.2, ++)
6) Orlando Kings (109.2, o)
7) Memphis Navigators (106.2, --)
8) Atlanta Arrows (105.2, ++)
9) Shreveport Fighters (105.2, --)
10) Raleigh Cats (104.2, --)
11) Myrtle Beach Dolphins (97.7, ++)
12) Virginia Beach Blue Claws (91.7, --)
13) Birmingham Gorillas (90.7, --)
14) Austin Bulls (89.3, ++)
15) Tampa Toros (87.3, o)
16) Jackson Jacks (86.7, --)
17) Nashville Muskies (86.3, -)
18) Charlotte Shamrocks (75.8, +)
19) Baton Rouge Rhinos (72.8, --)
20) Savannah Spikes (63.3, +)
21) Little Rock Razorbacks (60.3, o)
22) Richmond Robins (51.8, +)
23) New Orleans Buzz (47.8, o)
24) Mobile Hounds (39.4, --)

Wrap Up / Features:

The Jackson Jacks, who looked to be one of the top teams in the league after the first two weeks, had a cold week this week, going 0-6. They were leading the South Central Division coming into this week, but now they stand a game behind both Memphis and Atlanta.

Joseph D’Abrichecourt showed this week why he is considered one of the best players in PASS. He was a monster at the plate all week, and he should be in consideration for MVP when all is said and done. D’Abrichecourt’s great week helped his Miami Whales take over first place in the Southeast Division for now. Orlando and Jacksonville are right behind Miami, though.

In the Northern Division, Louisville did not have a great week, but the Thoroughbreds do have a one-game lead for the division. The Raleigh Cats have been a tough team to gauge so far, being up and down, but they may be there in the end.

Houston has been controlling the Southwest Division since the beginning, and nothing changed this week. The Austin Bulls got hot, winning four straight to finish the week, but it will be hard for them to ever catch the Slammers. The New Orleans Buzz remain cold despite having one of the league’s best all-around hitters in Terry Beatty. The Buzz lost three straight and sit seven games back of Houston.

[StLee]

Week of May 21-25 (Shortened because of mid-season break):

May 21 Results:
Charlotte 6 at Miami 5
Virginia Beach 8 at Memphis 4
Houston 10 at Atlanta 6
New Orleans 13 at Jacksonville 14
Louisville 5 at Tampa 13
Shreveport 7 at Raleigh 5
Jackson 12 at Savannah 4
Nashville 8 at Mobile 9
Myrtle Beach 10 at Little Rock 5
Dallas 9 at Birmingham 10
Richmond 10 at Austin 11, 10 innings
Orlando 1 at Baton Rouge 6

Top Players:
Lou Whittier, Jacksonville, 4/6, 2-2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 R
Jimmy Joseph, Richmond, 5/5 2-2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
John Snider, Jackson, 3/5, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R

May 22 Results:
Houston 17 at Shreveport 4
Birmingham 2 at Virginia Beach 11
Miami 8 at Orlando 5
Little Rock 6 at Louisville 5
Mobile 7 at Charlotte 6
Memphis 4 at Myrtle Beach 6
Jacksonville 16 at Richmond 6
Tampa 8 at Jackson 5
Austin 15 at Nashville 8
Atlanta 7 at Dallas 3
Raleigh 16 at New Orleans 1
Savannah 5 at Baton Rouge 4

Top Players:
John Bender, Tampa, 4/5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Ryan Greer, Austin, 3/5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, R
RJ Harper, Jacksonville, 3/6, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

May 23 Results:
Mobile 13 at Charlotte 3
Birmingham 11 at Virginia Beach 10
Miami 9 at Orlando 3
Little Rock 6 at Louisville 9
Jacksonville 14 at Richmond 8
Memphis 8 at Myrtle Beach 9
Tampa 13 at Jackson 9
Savannah 10 at Baton Rouge 3
Austin 10 at Nashville 3
Houston 10 at Shreveport 3
Raleigh 2 at New Orleans 10
Atlanta 6 at Dallas 7

Top Players:
Joseph D’Abrichecourt, Miami, 5/5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Michael Murdoch, Jackson, 3/5, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Ricardo Ramos, Birmingham, 4/5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

May 24 Results:
Richmond 5 at Raleigh 4
Baton Rouge 9 at Tampa 6
Jackson 4 at Little Rock 13
Charlotte 7 at Austin 3
Myrtle Beach 9 at Birmingham 11
Orlando 3 at Mobile 6
Louisville 10 at Memphis 5
Savannah 8 at Miami 3
Virginia Beach 10 at Atlanta 7
Nashville 11 at Jacksonville 2
Shreveport 8 at New Orleans 0
Dallas 7 at Houston 8

Top Players:
Brent Jackson, Louisville, 3/5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
John Hubbard, Little Rock, 2/4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB
Chase Nelson, Birmingham, 4/5, 2-2B, 3B, RBI, 3 R

May 25 Results:
Baton Rouge 11 at Tampa 12, 10 innings
Savannah 14 at Miami 20
Richmond 5 at Raleigh 6
Virginia Beach 5 at Atlanta 7
Nashville 10 at Jacksonville 6
Charlotte 1 at Austin 6
Louisville 1 at Memphis 4
Orlando 1 at Mobile 10
Jackson 8 at Little Rock 9
Myrtle Beach 10 at Birmingham 11, 10 innings
Dallas 0 at Houston 6
Shreveport 13 at New Orleans 14

Top Players:
Max Ramon, Tampa, 5/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Rafael Padilla, Miami, 6/6, 3 RBI, 4 R
Lucas Gilbert, New Orleans, 4/6, 3-2B, 4 RBI, 3 R

PASS Player of the Week:

There's nothing like being in the prime of your softball career -- and playing like it. Just ask Nathan Hill, the Myrtle Beach right fielder, who swung a sweet bat all week to not only aid his team, but also pick up the Professional Association of Southern Softball Player of the Week honors.

Hill piled up 17 hits in 31 at-bats, 3 home runs and 7 RBIs while hitting .548.

Currently Hill is batting .371 with 5 home runs and 18 RBIs.

Updated Standings:



Weekly Team Power Rankings:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Houston Slammers (150.0, o)
2) Miami Whales (117.5, o)
3) Birmingham Gorillas (108.0, ++)
4) Louisville Thoroughbreds (106.0, -)
5) Jacksonville Buzzards (105.0, o)
6) Austin Bulls (104.5, ++)
7) Tampa Toros (102.5, ++)
8) Atlanta Arrows (100.5, o)
9) Myrtle Beach Dolphins (99.5, +)
10) Virginia Beach Blue Claws (98.5, +)
11) Raleigh Cats (96.5, -)
12) Shreveport Fighters (94.5, --)
13) Memphis Navigators (87.0, --)
14) Dallas Bandits (86.0, --)
15) Nashville Muskies (84.5, +)
16) Mobile Hounds (82.0, ++)
17) Little Rock Razorbacks (75.0, ++)
18) Charlotte Shamrocks (74.0, o)
19) Orlando Kings (73.5, --)
20) Savannah Spikes (72.0, o)
21) Jackson Jacks (70.5, --)
22) Baton Rouge Rhinos (70.0, --)
23) New Orleans Buzz (59.0, o)
24) Richmond Robins (47.5, -)

Wrap Up / Features:

The Houston Slammers continued their dominance heading into the midseason break by winning every game this week. They have now won seven straight and look unstoppable. That’s why they are the #1 overall team in the weekly power rankings. Houston now has a five-game lead, and that could be tough for the rest of the Southwest Division to overcome in a 50-game season.

Miami is second in the power rankings, and they are a good, deep team. They are playing in the hottest division right now, though the Orlando Kings were cold this week, losing all of their games. The Southeast Division is also the tightest division, with four teams all within two games of each other.

The Northern Division is also tight. Louisville holds the lead by a game over Raleigh and Virginia Beach. Raleigh has not been good as of late, so they must get better if they want to win the division crown. The Cats were expected to be in contention for the title before the season began, and they still should take it all when things are said and done. Of course, Charlotte was supposed to challenge for the division, too, and they are just 10-14 at the break. The Shamrocks will have to pick it up not to finish towards the back end of the division.

In the South Central Division, Birmingham is trying to take control. It helps that they won three straight to finish out the week. Jackson continues to struggle. The Jacks have lost four straight and nine of their last 10. At this rate, Jackson is going to go from first place early in the season to dead last soon. Mobile and Little Rock are just a game back of the Jacks at 10-14.

[StLee]

May 28: No games for mid-season break

May 29 Results:
Houston 9 at Virginia Beach 11
New Orleans 10 at Richmond 7
Austin 13 at Orlando 14
Birmingham 6 at Louisville 12
Jacksonville 8 at Charlotte 5
Mobile 8 at Savannah 9, 10 innings
Atlanta 12 at Myrtle Beach 6
Miami 6 at Tampa 3
Memphis 7 at Jackson 5
Little Rock 5 at Baton Rouge 7
Raleigh 2 at Nashville 0
Dallas 10 at Shreveport 4

Top Players:
Allen Palen, Orlando, 5/6, 2-2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
Sean Washington, Virginia Beach, 3/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
John Jackson, Dallas, 4/5, 2-2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R

May 30 Results:
Atlanta 4 at Myrtle Beach 10
Mobile 6 at Savannah 5
Houston 8 at Virginia Beach 1
Austin 7 at Orlando 1
Birmingham 17 at Louisville 0
Jacksonville 6 at Charlotte 13
Miami 4 at Tampa 6
New Orleans 12 at Richmond 6
Memphis 15 at Jackson 12
Little Rock 7 at Baton Rouge 1
Dallas 1 at Shreveport 9
Raleigh 5 at Nashville 6

(Sigh…. Nearly half the games with a team scoring fewer than two runs. The MLB would love that!)

Top Players:
Jeff Osborne, Myrtle Beach, 2/3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB
Dave Bailey, Memphis, 5/6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Greg Burns, Birmingham, 4/6, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R

May 31 Results:
Miami 11 at Little Rock 1
Savannah 3 at Austin 8
Baton Rouge 3 at Memphis 11
Tampa 14 at Mobile 8
Charlotte 15 at Raleigh 11
Jackson 7 at Birmingham 10
Nashville 9 at New Orleans 3
Orlando 5 at Jacksonville 3
Louisville 6 at Atlanta 7
Shreveport 14 at Richmond 7
Virginia Beach 5 at Dallas 10
Myrtle Beach 6 at Houston 3

Top Players:
John Austin, Memphis, 5/5, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, 2 R
Peter Owens, Shreveport, 5/6, 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R
Hoyt Price, Miami, 5/5, 2-2B, 4 RBI, 2 R

June 1 Results:
Nashville 6 at New Orleans 8
Orlando 11 at Jacksonville 10
Shreveport 4 at Richmond 9
Louisville 8 at Atlanta 5
Charlotte 5 at Raleigh 9
Virginia Beach 4 at Dallas 5
Jackson 5 at Birmingham 10
Savannah 7 at Austin 15
Baton Rouge 4 at Memphis 9
Tampa 10 at Mobile 8
Miami 5 at Little Rock 2
Myrtle Beach 4 at Houston 9

Top Players:
Albert Goodyear, Austin, 4/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Charlie Mills, Tampa, 2/4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB
Doug Roberts, Raleigh, 4/5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

June 2 Results:
Atlanta 7 at Jackson 9
Dallas 8 at Myrtle Beach 11
Jacksonville 16 at Savannah 4
Raleigh 4 at Orlando 6
Houston 16 at Louisville 5
New Orleans 7 at Charlotte 5
Memphis 20 at Miami 17 (Yes!)
Austin 8 at Tampa 10
Birmingham 10 at Baton Rouge 5
Mobile 1 at Little Rock 9
Richmond 3 at Nashville 2
Virginia Beach 5 at Shreveport 6

Top Players:
Stan Herring, Jacksonville, 3/6, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
Michael Murdoch, Jackson, 2/3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Doug Johnson, Austin, 2/4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R

June 3 Results:
Mobile 5 at Little Rock 6
Memphis 6 at Miami 5
Raleigh 16 at Orlando 6
Houston 12 at Louisville 3
New Orleans 5 at Charlotte 3
Jacksonville 9 at Savannah 1
Dallas 2 at Myrtle Beach 4
Austin 5 at Tampa 10
Atlanta 16 at Jackson 13
Birmingham 2 at Baton Rouge 9
Richmond 6 at Nashville 4
Virginia Beach 6 at Shreveport 9

Top Players:
Michael Murdoch, Jackson, 4/5, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R
Max Ramon, Tampa, 4/5, 2-2B, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
Ryan Rogers, Atlanta, 6/7, 4-2B, 4 RBI, 3 R

PASS Player of the Week:

Star of the Week Awarded in PASS: It was announced today by the Professional Association of Southern Softball that Austin right fielder Doug Johnson had received the Player of the Week Trophy for his superlative play last week.

The Austin right fielder wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers, pounding them for a .560 average (14-25) with 2 home runs and 11 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.

Thus far this year Johnson is batting .420 with 4 home runs, 32 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

PASS Player of the Month:

Miami's D'Abrichecourt Bags PASS Top Batter for May: The vote is in and Joseph D'Abrichecourt, the 29-year-old center fielder for Miami, is the winner. Today he was honored with the Professional Association of Southern Softball Batter of the Month award.

In May, D'Abrichecourt wowed voters with a .447 average while posting up 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, 37 runs scored and a .462 on-base percentage.

Updated Standings:



Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Houston Slammers (141.0, o)
2) Memphis Navigators (119.0, ++)
3) Tampa Toros (119.0, ++)
4) Birmingham Gorillas (111.0, -)
5) Miami Whales (108.0, --)
6) Myrtle Beach Dolphins (106.0, ++)
7) Jacksonville Buzzards (104.0, -)
8) Shreveport Fighters (104.0, ++)
9) Raleigh Cats (97.0, +)
10) Atlanta Arrows (97.0, -)
11) Austin Bulls (96.0, --)
12) Louisville Thoroughbreds (92.0, --)
13) Orlando Kings (87.0, ++)
14) Dallas Bandits (86.0, o)
15) New Orleans Buzz (85.0, ++)
16) Little Rock Razorbacks (82.0, +)
17) Virginia Beach Blue Claws (75.0, --)
18) Nashville Muskies (73.0, --)
19) Baton Rouge Rhinos (69.0, ++)
20) Charlotte Shamrocks (65.0, -)
21) Jackson Jacks (63.0, o)
22) Mobile Hounds (62.0, --)
23) Richmond Robins (61.0, +)
24) Savannah Spikes (59.0, --)

Wrap Up / Features:

The South Central Division’s Memphis Navigators are the league’s hottest team, having won seven straight to spring them into a first-place tie with Birmingham. The Navigators were on a three-game losing streak before they took over this past week. Atlanta is two games back right now, but they are up and down. The rest of the division is at least five games back, including Mobile, which lost four straight to close out the week.

In the Southeast Division, the Tampa Toros are also hot. They have won five straight and now are tied with Miami for the division lead. This division remains really tight with Myrtle Beach and Jacksonville each a game back. Miami is supposed to be the best team in the division, but the Whales just cannot separate themselves from the pack, which drops them back three places in the power rankings this week from #2 to #5.

For the trifecta, the Northern Division also has a tie between Raleigh and Louisville at 16-14, which would be third at best in every other division. With the way the other divisions look, the winner of this division may be the only playoff representative and may be a quick exit. Still, there are 20 games to play, so one or more teams could get hot to end the season.

Houston is pulling away in the Southwest Division. They have won three straight and have a five-game lead over Shreveport. New Orleans has been a pleasant surprise of late. They have won three straight and 7 of 10 to pull out of the basement, which now belongs to Baton Rouge.

Jackson’s Michael Murdoch was not voted the Player of the Week, but he did have a great two-day performance against Atlanta on June 2 and 3. On June 2, his Jackson Jacks beat the Arrows 9-7, thanks to Murdoch’s performance. He was 2 for 3 with two homers, four RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. He topped that performance the next day, though Jackson fell 16-13 to Atlanta. On June 3, Murdoch was 4 for 5 with a double, two more homers, seven RBI, and three runs. On the season, the Jacks’ first baseman is 43 for 141 (.305) with 12 doubles and 12 home runs (tied for second in the league) with 47 RBI and 26 runs. It should be noted that he is a fly out king, thus his low average. Murdoch is one of those players who swings for the fence every time in softball, usually leading to outs but sometimes paying off. On June 2 and 3, his swings were almost all gold.

[StLee]

June 4 Results:
Little Rock 2 at Austin 6
Myrtle Beach 9 at Virginia Beach 8
Charlotte 16 at Richmond 12
Tampa 11 at Jacksonville 2
Baton Rouge 7 at Atlanta 3
Savannah 13 at Raleigh 6
Orlando 8 at New Orleans 5
Louisville 6 at Dallas 2
Miami 3 at Birmingham 7
Jackson 2 at Houston 3
Shreveport 3 at Nashville 4
Mobile 3 at Memphis 4

Top Players:
John Bender, Tampa, 5/5, 2B, 4 RBI, R
Greg Owens, Charlotte, 5/6, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
Robinson Lara, Louisville, 3/4, 2-2B, 4 RBI, R, BB

June 5 Results:
Mobile 3 at Memphis 9
Myrtle Beach 27 at Virginia Beach 4 (Yikes!)
Charlotte 7 at Richmond 8
Tampa 13 at Jacksonville 6
Baton Rouge 6 at Atlanta 12
Savannah 5 at Raleigh 2
Orlando 8 at New Orleans 4
Louisville 3 at Dallas 4
Miami 8 at Birmingham 7
Little Rock 7 at Austin 8
Shreveport 8 at Nashville 6
Jackson 4 at Houston 9

Top Players:
Andrew Vaughn, Miami, 5/5, 2-2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
Mike Brown, Myrtle Beach, 5/6, 3-2B, HR, 2 RBI, 4 R
Miguel Chavez, Myrtle Beach, 3/7, 2B, 5 RBI, 4 R

June 6 Results:
New Orleans 15 at Savannah 9
Raleigh 11 at Tampa 1
Richmond 9 at Orlando 10
Virginia Beach 10 at Louisville 0
Nashville 2 at Charlotte 8
Atlanta 5 at Miami 6
Austin 4 at Memphis 3
Houston 13 at Baton Rouge 6
Myrtle Beach 6 at Shreveport 5
Birmingham 10 at Mobile 6
Dallas 5 at Jackson 3
Jacksonville 10 at Little Rock 3

Top Players:
Chris Olson, Houston, 5/5, 2-2B, 3B, HR, Cycle, 2 RBI, 4 R
Ken Brown, New Orleans, 5/5, 4-2B, 4 RBI, 3 R
Graham Ruffin, Jacksonville, 5/5, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R

June 7 Results:
New Orleans 10 at Savannah 3
Atlanta 14 at Miami 3
Jacksonville 7 at Little Rock 8
Dallas 4 at Jackson 2
Houston 13 at Baton Rouge 3
Raleigh 11 at Tampa 7
Birmingham 5 at Mobile 6
Virginia Beach 7 at Louisville 5
Richmond 7 at Orlando 0
Nashville 1 at Charlotte 3
Austin 4 at Memphis 5
Myrtle Beach 4 at Shreveport 2

Top Players:
Anthony Barlow, Atlanta, 5/6, 2-2B, 4 RBI, 3 R
John Barton, Raleigh, 3/5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, R
Bob Chase, Houston, 3/6, 2-3B, 5 RBI, R


June 8 Results:
Shreveport 4 at Charlotte 1
Louisville 2 at Myrtle Beach 9
Mobile 3 at Atlanta 5
Jackson 11 at Virginia Beach 10
Savannah 15 at Richmond 6
Memphis 5 at Jacksonville 7
Little Rock 10 at Raleigh 14
Tampa 5 at New Orleans 8
Orlando 7 at Nashville 4
Baton Rouge 2 at Dallas 3
Miami 15 at Houston 4
Austin 11 at Birmingham 10

Top Players:
John McLean, Savannah, 5/6, 3-2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Michael Murdoch, Jackson, 4/5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Rory Cooke, Miami, 4/4, 3 RBI, 3 R

June 9 Results:
Shreveport 9 at Charlotte 3
Miami 12 at Houston 11
Tampa 5 at New Orleans 9
Jackson 8 at Virginia Beach 2
Savannah 6 at Richmond 7
Memphis 8 at Jacksonville 3
Mobile 10 at Atlanta 11
Louisville 9 at Myrtle Beach 6
Little Rock 0 at Raleigh 9
Baton Rouge 7 at Dallas 3
Austin 11 at Birmingham 16
Orlando 8 at Nashville 7

Top Players:
Terry Beatty, New Orleans, 3/4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Brent Jackson, Louisville, 4/5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Nick Elliott, Houston, 3/6, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

June 10: No games

Player of the Week:

This Week's Star Player is Barlow: There's nothing like being in the prime of your softball career -- and playing like it. Just ask Anthony Barlow, the Atlanta left fielder, who swung a sweet bat all week to not only aid his team, but also pick up the Professional Association of Southern Softball Player of the Week honors.

Barlow piled up 21 hits in 38 at-bats, 1 home run and 12 RBIs while hitting .553.

This season in 36 games Barlow is batting .404 with 2 home runs, 28 RBIs and has scored 42 times.

Updated Standings:



Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Houston Slammers (132.0, o)
2) Memphis Navigators (117.0, o)
3) Myrtle Beach Dolphins (115.0, ++)
4) Miami Whales (114.0, +)
5) Birmingham Gorillas (108.0, -)
6) Orlando Kings (108.0, ++)
7) Raleigh Cats (106.0, +)
8) Atlanta Arrows (105.0, +)
9) Shreveport Fighters (104.0, -)
10) Austin Bulls (101.0, +)
11) Tampa Toros (98.0, --)
12) Dallas Bandits (96.0, +)
13) New Orleans Buzz (93.0, +)
14) Jacksonville Buzzards (92.0, --)
15) Louisville Thoroughbreds (87.0, --)
16) Virginia Beach Blue Claws (72.0, +)
17) Charlotte Shamrocks (71.0, ++)
18) Richmond Robins (68.0, ++)
19) Jackson Jacks (68.0, +)
20) Baton Rouge Rhinos (67.0, -)
21) Savannah Spikes (65.0, ++)
22) Little Rock Razorbacks (64.0, --)
23) Nashville Muskies (59.0, --)
24) Mobile Hounds (50.0, -)

Wrap Up / Features:
Raleigh has been one of the hotter teams in the league, while Louisville has been cold. That means the Cats have overtaken the Thoroughbreds for first place in the Northern Division and have a two game lead. Richmond had a better week than they usually do and the Robins no longer have the worst record in the PASS. That distinction goes to Mobile, which has lost nine of its last 10.

In the Southwest Division, Houston was solid like usual, but the Slammers did get swept at home by Miami in what could be a championship preview. Still, Houston’s two bad games weren’t enough to dethrone them from being atop the power rankings. New Orleans had a solid week, winning four in a row and now 7 of 10 to push themselves to 13th in the power rankings, which is much better than when they were 23rd.

Memphis had a good enough week to take a one game lead over Birmingham in the South Central Division. Atlanta is two games back in what it a three-team race. Little Rock, Jackson, and Mobile are all just trying to avoid the cellar.

In the Southeast Division, Miami and Myrtle Beach are neck and neck. The two water mammal teams look to have more control, especially after Tampa dropped its last four games and sit two games back of the Whales and Dolphins. Orlando is also tied with Tampa, and Jacksonville is only three games back of first, so this division is the deepest and has the most intriguing race going into the final two weeks of the season.

[StLee]

June 11 Results:
Charlotte 8 at Orlando 9, 10 innings
Dallas 6 at Miami 7
Nashville 11 at Savannah 21
Tampa 9 at Richmond 7
Myrtle Beach 17 at Jackson 8
Raleigh 6 at Memphis 1
Houston 9 at Mobile 5
New Orleans 7 at Little Rock 2
Atlanta 6 at Austin 7
Jacksonville 5 at Birmingham 8
Virginia Beach 11 at Baton Rouge 7
Louisville 4 at Shreveport 1

Top Players:
Mark White, Savannah, 4/5, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R
Fred Garcia, Birmingham, ¾, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R
Greg Barnes, Savannah, 4/6, 2-2B, 4 RBI, 4 R

PASS News Release:
June 11, 2012 – The Professional Association of Southern Softball is enjoying its inaugural season. Unfortunately, fan interest has not been as high as we would enjoy; therefore, we must take money-saving efforts to ensure the long-term success of the league.

Following the 2012 season, we will evaluate the financial success of all 24 franchises and determine the future of those franchises. PASS may choose to relocate teams where interest is low, or, if no compromise can be made, void the contracts of those franchises that cannot gain enough gate intake to meet our financial demands.

June 12 Results:
Richmond 14 at Tampa 15, 10 innings
Nashville 12 at Savannah 3
Dallas 14 at Miami 5
Charlotte 8 at Orlando 5
Myrtle Beach 8 at Jackson 10
Raleigh 6 at Memphis 7
Houston 3 at Mobile 14
New Orleans 13 at Little Rock 1
Atlanta 17 at Austin 1
Jacksonville 9 at Birmingham 16
Virginia Beach 5 at Baton Rouge 16
Louisville 4 at Shreveport 2

Top Players:
Charlie Mills, Tampa, 4/5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, BB
Glenn Moore, Dallas, 3/6, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, R
Mark Davidson, Tampa, 4/6, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R

June 13 Results:
Little Rock 2 at Richmond 3
Jacksonville 7 at Atlanta 12
Savannah 4 at Charlotte 3
Baton Rouge 8 at Myrtle Beach 9
Miami 10 at Virginia Beach 4
Austin 6 at Houston 2
Mobile 2 at Dallas 3
Shreveport 9 at Orlando 6
Tampa 7 at Nashville 8
Birmingham 7 at Raleigh 5
Jackson 4 at Louisville 6
Memphis 14 at New Orleans 2

Top Players:
Gerald Robinson, Memphis, 3/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Rusty Lewis, Jacksonville, 4/5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Craig Carter, Atlanta, 3/5, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R

June 14 Results:
Jackson 16 at Louisville 2
Baton Rouge 5 at Myrtle Beach 4
Little Rock 3 at Richmond 10
Austin 6 at Houston 2
Shreveport 13 at Orlando 6
Miami 12 at Virginia Beach 7
Jacksonville 5 at Atlanta 10
Tampa 11 at Nashville 8
Mobile 5 at Dallas 6
Birmingham 4 at Raleigh 2
Savannah 2 at Charlotte 3
Memphis 0 at New Orleans 6

Top Players:
Curt Cobb, Jackson, 4/5, 4 RBI, 3 R
Mark Davidson, Tampa, 2/6, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Andrew Winston, Jackson, 4/5, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R

June 15 Results:
Charlotte 8 at Tampa 10
Orlando 5 at Savannah 12
Raleigh 6 at Atlanta 7
Houston 5 at Jacksonville 2
Myrtle Beach 16 at Miami 11
Richmond 3 at Memphis 4
Virginia Beach 10 at Mobile 6
Nashville 1 at Little Rock 6
Dallas 6 at Austin 7
New Orleans 5 at Birmingham 4
Louisville 3 at Baton Rouge 7
Jackson 5 at Shreveport 6

Top Players:
Dan Hinkle, Miami, 3/5, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R
Mike Brown, Myrtle Beach, 4/6, 2-2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
Brent Noble, Myrtle Beach, 3/5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, R

June 16 Results:
Houston 9 at Jacksonville 6
Richmond 2 at Memphis 1
Louisville 3 at Baton Rouge 4
Virginia Beach 10 at Mobile 8
Myrtle Beach 9 at Miami 5
Raleigh 12 at Atlanta 2
Orlando 2 at Savannah 11
Charlotte 6 at Tampa 10
Nashville 5 at Little Rock 7
Dallas 7 at Austin 6
Jackson 4 at Shreveport 5
New Orleans 3 at Birmingham 12

Top Players:
Orlando Franks, Dallas, 4/5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Max Ramon, Tampa, 4/4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R
Ricardo Ramos, Birmingham, 4/5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

June 17 Results:
Austin 13 at Virginia Beach 3
Shreveport 5 at Savannah 4
Tampa 6 at Orlando 3
Miami 7 at Louisville 3
Little Rock 6 at Charlotte 4
Mobile 6 at Myrtle Beach 9
Birmingham 4 at Richmond 5
Baton Rouge 7 at Jackson 12
Memphis 3 at Nashville 9
Jacksonville 9 at Dallas 16
Atlanta 7 at New Orleans 8
Raleigh 9 at Houston 3

Top Players:
Milo Reed, Dallas, 5/6, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 R
Lyndon Hankins, Myrtle Beach, ¾, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, R
Alexis Lowe, Dallas, 4/5, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R

Player of the Week:

Franks Wins PASS Player of the Week Trophy: Veteran Orlando Franks had a great week at the plate for the Bandits to capture the majority of votes for Player of the Week in the Professional Association of Southern Softball.

The 41-year-old Dallas first baseman built a .645 average on the strength of 20 hits in 31 at-bats, 3 home runs and 15 RBIs.

This year Franks is batting .482 with 9 home runs.

Updated Standings:



Wild Card Race:


Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Myrtle Beach Dolphins (120.0, +)
2) Houston Slammers (118.4, -)
3) Tampa Toros (114.8, ++)
4) Shreveport Fighters (113.7, ++)
5) Miami Whales (111.8, -)
6) Birmingham Gorillas (109.8, -)
7) Austin Bulls (107.7, ++)
8) Dallas Bandits (106.5, ++)
9) Memphis Navigators (102.7, --)
10) Atlanta Arrows (102.5, -)
11) Raleigh Cats (100.3, --)
12) New Orleans Buzz (99.1, +)
13) Louisville Thoroughbreds (81.9, +)
14) Orlando Kings (77.9, --)
15) Virginia Beach Blue Claws (76.5, +)
16) Richmond Robins (75.2, +)
17) Baton Rouge Rhinos (74.3, ++)
18) Savannah Spikes (74.3, ++)
19) Little Rock Razorbacks (72.2, ++)
20) Jackson Jacks (72.2, -)
21) Nashville Muskies (68.2, +)
22) Charlotte Shamrocks (64.2, --)
23) Jacksonville Buzzards (63.5, --)
24) Mobile Hounds (43.4, o)

Wrap Up / Features:

We have entered the final week of play, and while three divisions are still in a battle to the end, one division is all but wrapped up.

In the Northern Division, Raleigh seems to have taken control, but Louisville trails by just two games. The rest of the division seems to be out of the running. In fact, at 19-24, Virginia Beach has little chance to make a wild card spot. A 7-0 run and some help would be the only way they can get in. Of course, a 7-0 run and Raleigh and Louisville going ice cold could win the division for the Blue Claws. Richmond, Nashville, and Charlotte can all be completely eliminated from the playoffs with any combination of losses or Raleigh wins.

Houston of the Southwest Division is in the best position with a four-game lead with only seven to play. Shreveport has been red hot, winning their last five to creep within four games, but it would take a major collapse for the Fighters or Bulls to challenge for the division crown. Dallas is also in the middle of the wild card race along with Shreveport and Austin, only a game back of those two.

The Southwest division has three teams fighting and three teams out. Birmingham currently leads the division by a game over Memphis and two games over Atlanta. The Gorillas have been the best of the three in the last week, going 5-2 to take the division lead. Little Rock, Jackson, and Mobile have all been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

The most exciting division for the final week is definitely the Southeast Division. Myrtle Beach has a one-game lead over both Miami and Tampa. The Toros were hot all week, going 6-1 to creep up. Miami will have to be better than the 4-3 week they had last week if they want to take the division. At 21-22, Orlando still has a shot at a wild card, but they will need help.

[StLee]

Jacksonville 3 at Dallas 13
Birmingham 7 at Richmond 11
Tampa 4 at Orlando 3
Miami 9 at Louisville 3
Little Rock 6 at Charlotte 7
Mobile 9 at Myrtle Beach 10
Austin 4 at Virginia Beach 5
Shreveport 15 at Savannah 9
Baton Rouge 4 at Jackson 1
Memphis 1 at Nashville 2
Atlanta 0 at New Orleans 1
Raleigh 6 at Houston 7

Top Players:
Orlando Franks, Dallas, 4/4, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, BB
Arnold Spears, Savannah, 4/5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R
Drake Park, Shreveport, 5/6, HR, 3 RBI, 5 R

News and Notes:
Savannah officially eliminated from playoffs.