WorldWide Federation

[jlangjr]

The Africa Cup kicked off the 2016 international calendar with a display of high-stakes baseball across five divisions.
The race for the 15 playoff spots was a study in consistency and close-shave tiebreakers:

1. Algeria (15–3) and Egypt (14–4) established themselves, with Sudan (11–7) securing the third spot.
2. Niger (16–2) dominated the group, while South Sudan and Ghana both scratched out 11–8 finishes to advance in tiebreaker games.
3. Ethiopia (15–3) led a competitive pack including South Africa (14–4) and Angola (13–5).
4. The defending champions, Nigeria, sent a message to the rest of the continent by going a perfect 18–0. Cameroon (14–4) and Uganda (13–5) followed.
5. Tanzania (16–2) and Chad (11–7) claimed their places, while Guinea (11–8) beat Cape Verde in a tiebreaker games to clinch.

The 15-team playoff served as the gauntlet for the Africa-Asia-Europe Conference (AAEC).

x - advance to Africa Cup Quarterfinals
q - qualified for AAEC

Table
x - Nigeria 37-5
x - Egypt 32-10
x - Algeria 31-11
x - Ethiopia 28-14
q - Tanzania 26-16
q - Chad 24-18
q - South Africa 23-19
q - Cameroon 21-21
Sudan 19-23
Niger 16-26
Guinea 14-28
Uganda 14-28
South Sudan 11-31
Angola 10-32
Ghana 9-33

The knockout rounds pitted the continent's most storied programs against one another. Nigeria continued their surgical precision with a 2–0 series sweep over Egypt to reach the finals. On the other side of the bracket, Ethiopia pulled off a gritty 2–1 upset over Algeria to earn their shot at the title.

In a back-and-forth championship series, the experience of the Super Eagles proved too much. Nigeria secured a 2–1 victory over Ethiopia, successfully defending their crown and heading into the AAEC as the undisputed top seed from the continent.

WBC Qualified & Africa Cup Champion: Nigeria (2)

[jlangjr]

The opening pool play kicked off on January 1, 2016!

Division 1: Great Britain (24–3) set the gold standard, leading a group that saw Italy, Belgium, and Poland advance. Division 2: Ukraine (25–5) became the story of the opening round, riding a 16-game winning streak into the playoffs alongside Denmark, Spain, and Andorra. Division 3: In a tight clash, Wales (25–2) narrowly edged out the Netherlands (22–5), with Romania and the Faroe Islands securing their spots. Division 4: Finland (21–6) survived a dogfight, beating out Greece by a single game. Kosovo and San Marino rounded out the qualifiers. Division 5: France (24–3) dominated the final group, bringing Scotland, Germany, and Bulgaria into the next round.

The field was whittled down to 20 teams competing for 12 spots to represent Europe in the Africa-Asia-Europe Conference (AAEC). The qualification round saw massive upsets, including the collapse of the 25-win Ukraine squad and the rise of Greece and Bulgaria.

The Qualifiers

• Group A: Great Britain won the group with Belgium also advancing. Germany secured the final AAEC spot from this group.
• Group B: Spain, France, and the Netherlands all finished with 5 wins at the top of the group. While the Netherlands was the "odd man out" in the tiebreakers, all three headed to the AAEC.
• Group C: This group was won by Italy with 6 wins. Historical rivals Scotland and Wales tied at 5 wins, but Wales advanced based on tiebreaker rules.
• Group D: This is where Ukraine’s dream ended, finishing at the bottom of the group with only 3 wins. Bulgaria and Poland both advanced with 5 wins each, and Greece grabbed the final AAEC spot.

The Knockout Stage
The knockout stage was a masterclass in grit by Great Britain. Despite every series going the distance, the British squad displayed an uncanny ability to win the "big one."

• Quarterfinals: GB outlasted France in a tense 2–1 series. Wales defeated Bulgaria, while Italy took down Poland and Spain moved past Belgium.
• Semifinals: GB survived the Spanish rotation with another 2–1 victory.
• Grand Finals: In a classic matchup against Italy, Great Britain secured a 2–1 series win, hoisting the EuroCup trophy and entering the AAEC as the continent's #1 seed.

WBC Qualified & EURO Champion: Great Britain (2)
Runner-up: Italy
3rd Place: Spain, Wales

[jlangjr]

Division 1: The USA (25–2) was a force of nature, joined by Honduras, Bahamas, and Greenland in the next round.

Division 2: El Salvador (21–6) narrowly beat out Sint Maarten (20–7) for the top spot. Anguilla and Aruba also punched their tickets.

Division 3: The Dominican Republic (23–4) asserted their dominance. While Trinidad & Tobago and Nicaragua cruised, the final spot saw a three-way tie between Curaçao, Bermuda, and the Netherlands Antilles, with the latter securing the bid.

The Shock: Former WBC winner Martinique suffered a historic collapse, going 6–21, tied for the worst record in the entire tournament.

Division 4: Mexico (23–4) made quick work of the group, followed by Dominica, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, and Haiti.
The double-elimination bracket was a story of two titans on a collision course and a "Miracle on the Mound" from the lower seeds.

The USA Juggernaut: The Americans were surgical. They swept Curaçao and Honduras, survived a 2–1 scare from El Salvador, and then dismantled the Dominican Republic 2–0 in the Winners' Semifinals to sit comfortably in the NAC Finals.

The DR’s Gritty Run: The Dominican Republic swept through Aruba and Anguilla before surviving a 2–1 thriller against a surging Trinidad & Tobago. After falling to the USA in the Winners' bracket, they had to fight through the Losers' bracket.

The Honduras Resurgence: After an early loss to the USA, Honduras went on a tear in the Losers' bracket. They swept Greenland, El Salvador, and Trinidad & Tobago (sending T&T to a 4th-place finish). However, their run ended in a heartbreaking Game 3 loss to the DR in the Losers' Semifinal 2, earning them a respectable 3rd place.

The DR entered the finals hoping to avenge their earlier loss, but the USA rotation was simply too deep. The Americans secured their second straight series sweep over the DR (2–0), reclaiming their status as the kings of North America.

NAC Champion & WBC Qualifier: USA (2)
NAC Runner-up: Dominican Republic
NAC 3rd: Honduras
NAC 4th: Trinidad & Tobago

The top 16 nations from the NAC have officially secured their spots for the Great American Conference: USA, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico, Haiti, Nicaragua, Dominica, Anguilla, El Salvador, Aruba, Greenland, Sint Maarten, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Bahamas, Curaçao.

[jlangjr]

Brazil wasn't able to compete in this addition due to internal political issues in Brazil.

Peru finished at the top of the standings, followed closely by the perennial threats Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela. The final four spots in the eight-team bracket were claimed by Chile, Ecuador, French Guiana, and Guyana, setting the stage for a high-stakes knockout round.

Peru continued their hot streak with a sweep of Guyana, while Argentina clinically dismantled Ecuador. Colombia 5 games against French Guiana to keep their title hopes alive.

The semifinals were defined by endurance. Chile pushed the top-seeded Peruvians to the absolute limit, forcing a legendary Game 7, where Peru SS Eddy Hernandez hit a walk-off 10th in solo shot. Eddy hasn't played professional since Phoenix in 2014. Peru eventually survived, but the exhausted squad would have to face a surging Colombia, who had just dispatched Argentina 4–2 in a hard-fought series.

Colombia, riding the momentum of their previous series, continued their pattern of winning in six games. They neutralized the Peruvian bats and secured a 4–2 series victory, hoisting the South America Cup and clinching their spot in the World Baseball Classic.

SAC Winner & WBC Qualified: Colombia (2)
SAC Runner-up: Peru
SAC 3rd: Argentina, Chile

2017 gac qualifiers: Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, French Guiana, and Guyana

[jlangjr]

Everything from here is now happening in real-time. And the China India beef has boiled over to a head.

[jlangjr]

Introducing the Indian Premier League! The will begin play May 1, 2016. The league was secretly formed in November 2015 between the 4 India teams Mumbai Directors, New Delhi Metropolitan Club, Bengaluru Royal Challengers and Hyderabad Pearls. They have recruited 4 more teams: Dhaka Mammoths, Karachi Seafarers, Kolkata Knight Riders, Ahmedabad Merchants.

They have moved in secret, not informing the BFA until they were ready. The teams drafted in January and informed the BFA on draft day they would not be competing in the league anymore. BFA is looking for new owners, but currently will play 2016 season with 4 teams.

North: New Delhi Metropolitan Club, Dhaka Mammoths, Karachi Seafarers, Kolkata Knight Riders
South: Ahmedabad Merchants, Mumbai Directors, Bengaluru Royal Challengers, Hyderabad Pearls.

Postseason Format:
The two Division Winners and two Wildcards advance to a Best-of-7 playoff series.

The Draft & Lottery:
The IPL has claimed exclusive rights to the India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan draft regions.
To ensure parity, the bottom four teams enter a Flat Lottery (each receiving one ball) to determine the top pick.

Baseball Federation of Asia:
The BFA was blindsided. On draft day in January, they weren't just losing players; they were losing their foundation. With the departure of the India teams to the IPL, the BFA is down to a 4-team League for the 2016 season.

The Standings: With only four teams remaining, the BFA has abandoned divisions for the 2016 cycle.

The Ladder Playoff: In a bid to keep the season competitive, all four teams will qualify for a Ladder-Style Playoff (4th plays 3rd, winner plays 2nd, etc.). In the first season, it will only be 3 teams as the league hopes this is not permanent.

The Talent Gap: Having been stripped of the India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan draft regions, the BFA must now look toward internal development and other international markets to fill their rosters.

Expansion Goals: The league office has confirmed they are aggressively seeking new ownership groups to stabilize the league and return to an 8 or 12-team format by 2017.

[jlangjr]

Ahmedabad Merchants: Named to honor the city’s centuries-old reputation as a global hub for the textile trade and commerce, the "Merchants" identity celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat.

Dhaka Mammoths: This name draws inspiration from the prehistoric ancestors of the Asian elephant, symbolizing a "heavyweight" presence in the league and a nod to the deep natural history of the Bengal delta.

[jlangjr]

Kolkata Knight Riders: Adopting the mantle of a classic "protector" archetype, the Knight Riders brand represents a fusion of noble tradition and the high-energy, named after current IPL T20 team.

Karachi Seafarers: A direct tribute to Karachi's status as Pakistan’s premier port city, the "Seafarers" name evokes the maritime heritage and the adventurous, outward-looking nature of the Arabian Sea coastline.

[jlangjr]

The AL East was the center of the baseball universe this year. The Miami Gators (74–47) and the defending champion Chicago Blue Collars (73–48) spent the entire summer in a literal dead heat. Miami narrowly secured the Table Championship by winning a tiebreaker over Chicago. This marks the first Table trophy in Gators history, signaling their official arrival as a premier AL franchise. Despite losing the tiebreaker, Chicago’s 73 wins easily secured Wildcard 1. Having already clinched a GAC spot via their previous dominance, their focus shifted entirely to a repeat run. The Phoenix Serpientes (60–60) crawled to a division title at exactly .500, while the Washington Grays (67–53) quietly secured the second Wildcard spot, entering the bracket as a longshots.

The "Best Two Teams" narrative evaporated the moment the first pitch of the semifinals was thrown. The Serpientes channeled the desert heat, neutralizing the Chicago bats to take the series 4–2. The defending world champions were sent home earlier than anyone predicted. In the other semifinal, the Washington Grays pulled off an equally stunning 4–2 upset over the Table-champion Miami Gators.

With the "Big Two" eliminated, the ALCS featured a battle between the .500 Serpientes and the Wildcard Grays. It wasn't even close. Washington rode a wave of momentum that Phoenix couldn't touch, completing a dominant 4–0 sweep to hoist the Bracket Trophy.

Bracket Champion: Washington Grays
Table Champion: Miami Gators

Despite the postseason chaos, the American League is sending a formidable trio to the Global Assembly of Champions:
Washington Grays (Bracket Winner)
Miami Gators (Table Winner)
Chicago Blue Collars (Last Year's Winner)

[jlangjr]

While the "Great Secession" to the IPL left the BFA in a state of existential crisis, the Pacific Division stepped up to ensure the league's remaining season was a display of power. With the India Division goone, the Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (SORE) seized the opportunity to turn the BFA into their personal kingdom.

Shanghai left no room for doubt. Finishing at 74–46, they secured the Table Championship by a massive 10-game margin.

The Top Seed: Shanghai (74–46)

The Contenders: The Beijing Guardian Lions (64–56) played solid baseball but couldn't keep pace with the Red Eagles' rotation. The Guangzhou Rams (58–62) grabbed the second wildcard spot.

he Guangzhou Rams proved they were built for playoffs. In a 7-game series, the Rams shocked the 64-win Beijing Guardian Lions, winning 4–3 and punching their ticket to the Finals. The Rams’ momentum ran directly into the Shanghai buzzsaw. The Red Eagles, rested and playing with home-field advantage, neutralized the Guangzhou bats. Shanghai took the series 4–2, completing the "Double" and asserting their status as the undisputed kings of the BFA.

Bracket Champion: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (2)
Table Champion: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles

Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles are the only BFA team headed to GAC.

[jlangjr]

The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League proved one thing: experience is the ultimate currency. While the four expansion teams (Dhaka, Karachi, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad) brought the hype, the "Original Four" from the BFA era absolutely dominated the standings, turning the first IPL postseason into an exclusive reunion.

The New Delhi Metropolitan Club (77–43) stood alone at the top of the mountain, securing the first-ever IPL Table Championship. Their North Division dominance was matched in the South by the Mumbai Directors (74–46), but the real story was the razor-thin margin between the top four.

1. Table Champion: New Delhi Metropolitan Club (77–43)
2. South Division Winner: Mumbai Directors (74–46)
3. Wildcard 1: Bengaluru Royal Challengers (73–47)
4. Wildcard 2: Hyderabad Pearls (69–51)

The expansion teams struggled to find their footing against the established rotations of the "Big Four," leaving the playoff bracket to the veterans.

If the regular season belonged to New Delhi, the postseason belonged to the spoilers. In a stunning turn of events, both division winners were sent packing in the opening round. After New Delhi took Game 1, the Hyderabad Pearls ignited. They rattled off four straight victories, dismantling the Table Champions 4–1 in a defensive masterclass. In the South, the Bengaluru Royal Challengers (RCB) didn't just beat Mumbai; they erased them. In four agonizingly close games, RCB completed the 4–0 sweep, proving that their "Wildcard" tag was a formality.

The final series was a war of attrition. Hyderabad opened with three consecutive wins, each decided by exactly 3 runs, showcasing a bullpen that refused to crack under pressure. RCB managed to claw back a 6–5 victory in Game 4 to avoid the sweep, but the Pearls finished the job in Game 5 with a clinical 3–2 win.

Bracket Champion: Hyderabad Pearls (2)
Table Champion: New Delhi Metropolitan Club

With the IPL now established as a premier global power, the Global Assembly of Champions has expanded to a 6-team format to accommodate the new hierarchy. Representing the IPL on the world stage will be:
Hyderabad Pearls (Inaugural IPL Bracket Winners)
New Delhi Metropolitan Club (IPL Table Winners)

[jlangjr]

The 2016 Global Assembly of Champions (GAC) featured the best teams from the AL, BFA, and the new IPL. The format started with a six-team race for seeding. The top two teams earned a bye, while the rest had to play an extra round.

Last Year's Champion: Chicago Blue Collars
BFA Table Champion & BFA Bracket Champion: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles
AL Table Champion: Miami Gators
AL Bracket Champion: Washington Grays
IPL Table Champion: New Delhi Metropolitan Club
IPL Bracket Champion: Hyderabad Pearls

The Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (SORE) were perfect in the opening pool, going 5–0 to take the top seed. The defending champion Chicago Blue Collars (CBC) went 3–2 to grab the second bye. Hyderabad, Washington, and New Delhi all tied at 2–3, while Miami finished last at 1–5.

The Quarterfinals
Miami vs. Hyderabad: In Game 3, Hyderabad was up 7–4 in the bottom of the 9th. Miami was down to their last out when Liuz Lesiak hit a huge 2-run home run to tie the game at 7! Miami later won on a walk-off double by Cy Davis. Hyderabad eventually figured out the Miami pitching and won the series 4–2.

Washington vs. New Delhi: This was a wild series. In Game 5, New Delhi was down 7–4 in the 9th. With two outs and two strikes, Tadesa Samy hit a 3-run home run to tie it. They won in the 11th on a bases-loaded walk by Jay Sadasivam. Washington won Game 6 to force a Game 7, but New Delhi dominated the final game 10–3 to move on.

The Semifinals
Shanghai vs. New Delhi: This was a high-scoring fight. Shanghai won Game 1 by 9 runs, but New Delhi tied the series at 2–2 after a walk-off play by Dharmasimha Parameswaran. Shanghai took over after that, winning Game 6 with a massive 17–9 score to reach the Finals.

Hyderabad vs. Chicago: The Pearls stunned the defending champs. They beat Chicago 16–0 in one game and took a 3–1 series lead. Chicago tried to stay alive with an 11th-inning win in Game 5, but Hyderabad finished them off with a 10–2 blowout in Game 6.

The Hyderabad Pearls came out swinging in Game 1. They looked sharp and focused, taking a 7–4 win to put the pressure on early. But the Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (SORE) weren't going to roll over. In Game 2, the fans were treated to a classic. With the game on the line, Shanghai’s Ji-an Cao stepped to the plate and crushed a walk-off home run, tying the series 1–1 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Game 3 was a heartbreaker for Shanghai. They held a 4–2 lead late in the game and looked ready to take control of the series. However, the Pearls showed why they were the IPL champions. Hyderabad put together a relentless string of singles against the SORE bullpen, scoring three runs to steal a 5–4 victory.

That win broke the dam. In Game 4, Hyderabad was unstoppable. They dominated from the first inning to the last, coasting to a 13–2 blowout. Suddenly, the Pearls were up 3–1 in the series and just one win away from the trophy. With their backs against the wall in Game 5, Shanghai turned to their ace, Rio Douthwaite. He delivered a masterpiece, pitching a 6–0 complete-game shutout to keep the Red Eagles alive. It was a gutsy performance that gave China hope. But in Game 6, the Pearls were ready to finish the story. Their pitching was too strong and their defense was too tight. Hyderabad took an early lead and never looked back, winning 5–1. As the final out was recorded, the celebration began. The Hyderabad Pearls had won the series 4–2 to become the world champions.

GAC Champion: Hyderabad Pearls
GAC Runner-up: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles
GAC 3rd: Chicago Blue Collars, New Delhi Metropolitan Club

[jlangjr]

The BFA is not letting the Indian teams departure slow them down. To replace the four teams that left for the IPL, the league is expanding immediately with four new franchises across East and Southeast Asia. These countries were award teams based on their performances in International tournaments.

There is no expansion draft, with half the league being new, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. The new teams will have to build their rosters from scratch using free agents and new talent. To keep things simple, the BFA has removed divisions. The regular season will be one big table, and only the top 3 seeds will make the playoffs.

The league is going back to its classic Ladder style with 8 teams again. In the Semi-Final the #2 seed plays the #3 seed in a Best-of-7 series. To reward the higher seed, the #2 team starts with a 2-0 lead in the series. In
the BFA Finals the winner of the Semi-Final moves on to face the #1 seed. This will be a standard Best-of-7 series to crown the champion.

The Draft Lottery is still disabled for now as the BFA looks for even more owners to join for future seasons.

The new expansion teams:
Bali Barongs
Chengdu Tao
Tokyo Shoguns
Manila SunKings

[jlangjr]

Bali Barongs
The Barong is a beloved lion-like creature from Balinese mythology known as the "King of Spirits." In local culture, the Barong represents the force of good and acts as a guardian who protects villages from dark magic and chaos. I really want to find a new logo for this team.

Chengdu Tao
This name honors the city’s history as the birthplace of Taoism. Mount Qingcheng, located right near Chengdu, is where the philosopher Zhang Ling founded the religion nearly 2,000 years ago.

Manila SunKings
This identity is a bright tribute to the tropical heat of the Philippines and the iconic sun on the national flag. The sun's eight rays on the flag represent the first provinces that rose up for independence, making it a deep symbol of liberty and new beginnings. The SunKings aim to be a beacon of hope for Filipino fans in the BGA.

[jlangjr]

Tokyo Shoguns
This team pulls its name from the powerful military commanders who ruled Japan for centuries. The Shoguns were famous for their strict discipline and their ability to unify the country through strength and strategy. This team will attempt to emulate them thru baseball.

[jlangjr]

The 2017 Great American Conference saw a massive change to its structure. Instead of the top four teams moving on, the top six out of eight teams now advance to Pool Play II.

Instead of a triple round-robin with four pools of three, the league changed the format for its 18 teams. They split into two pools of nine. Teams played a triple round-robin of 24 games in 27 days. The top four teams from each pool advanced to a Best-of-7 bracket. The top nine overall qualify for the World Baseball Classic (WBC). USA & Colombia have already qualified, so they will be skipped over.

Pool Play I

• Division 1 - USA wins the group at 20-1, finishing on a 17 game win streak, ending the final game with 1-0 18 inning match with 17-4 Mexico who got second. Peru goes 15-6, Venezuela 14-7 and advance. Honduras, Dominica also qualify at 7-14 and 5-16. St. Vincent & The Grenadines and the Dominican Republic go 3-18 and are eliminated.
• Division 2 - Chile wins at 17-4, Nicaragua, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, Greenland, El Salvador all advance after win 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 games. Curacao goes 8-13, but is eliminated. 4-17 French Guiana is eliminated as well.
• Division 3 - Argentina wins the group at 20-1, finishing on a 14 game win streak. Colombia comes second. Three island nations in Bahamas 11-10, Haiti 10-11, and Sint Maarten 8-13 advance. Ecuador 8-13 beats Guyana 7-14 on the final day to earn their spot and eliminate Guyana. Anguilla went 4-17

Pool Play II
The 18 surviving teams were split into two pools of 9 for a grueling 24-game sprint in just 27 days.

• Pool A - South America takeover. Peru, Argentina, Chile all 18-6. Venezuela in 4th at 17-7. Honduras finishes 12-12 in 5th. 6th belongs to Aruba who finished with a 9-15 record.
• Pool B - Mexico, USA, Colombia start 16-2, 16-1, 15-2. They finish USA 23-1, Mexico 21-3, Venezuela 17-7. Greenland goes 11-13 to advance as well on a crazy qualification. El Salvador is 9-15 in 5th place and Bahamas is 6th with a 8-14 record.

With 4 extra sports open, each pools 5th and 6th will also qualify for the WBC.

In the Quarterfinals Greenland takes on Peru. Chile battles Mexico. Venezuela v USA. Colombia plays Argentina.
Peru runs over Greenland, winning game 4, the sweeper, 20-2. USA beats Venezuela in all four games, scoring seven runs three times and nine once. Colombia beats Argentina 4-1 after losing game 1 3-2 on a walk-off single. Chile jumps Mexico with three straight 2-run wins, 6-4, 4-2 (2). Mexico pitching would put the team allowing one run over the next three games as Mexico tied the series up. In game 7 Mexico 1B Francisco Perez hits a solo home run to break the tie and Mexico would win with that.

In the Semifinals USA plays Peru and Mexico gets Colombia. USA goes up 2-0. Mexico keeps it 1-1 after a tying it in the bottom of the 8th and then RF Jose Aguilera hits a walk-off home run. Mexico takes that momentum into a 3-1 series lead. Peru staves off elimination in game 4 to make it 3-1. After 16 innings Peru breaks and the USA win 1-0! USA and Mexico both win in 5. See you in the Americas Cup

The battle for the Americas Cup is between neighbors the USA and Mexico. USA wins 4-3. USA 2B Kevin Bartosh hits a solo shot to tie it at 2 in B8. Mexico gets a leadoff walk then single but after a double play they would need another hit to take the lead in the 12th 3-2. They got it from MEX RF Emilio Esparza. In the bottom of the inning a solo shot on the second pitch by CF Sean Hoppe tied it up. Robby Spears hit a double and would score on two singles to take game one, 4-3. Game Two was USA 3 Mexico 1 for most of the game, but after USA hit a 3 run bomb, they took a 6-1 lead going into the 9th inning. After a first pitch 6-3, Mexico got a single, but quickly a strikeout for their second out. A HBP and single loads the bases. On a full count another single scores two, 6-3. A double scores another, and a singles brings in the tying run after a play at the plate! 6-6! On to the top of the 10th where Aguilera hits a solo shot to take the lead 7-6. Mexico would hold that and tie the Americas Cup at 1 game a piece. USA takes game 3 4-2. Game 4 is 1-1 entering the bottom of the 9th. USA brings in Mike Cromer, MEX SS Edgar Sandoval steps in and hits the walk-off, series-tying home run on the first pitch Cromer throws. Mexico takes games 5 5-4 to make the series 3-2 in their favor for the first time. USA uses five pitchers to beat Mexico 5-0 in game 7 to win their second Americas Cup.

gac Champion & Americas Cup Winner: USA (2)
Runner-up: Mexico
3rd Place: Colombia, Peru

The gac gets to send ten teams to the WBC. Since USA and Colombia have already qualified, the other six Quarterfinalists + four more teams will qualify for the WBC. Greenland, Peru, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina all qualify for the WBC. The four extras will go to the next best teams teams in Pool Play II. Honduras & Aruba from Pool A and El Salvador & Bahamas from Pool B will head to the WBC!

[jlangjr]

Pool Play

• Division 1 - Indonesia dominates with a 18-2 record. Egypt 13-7 and Thailand 11-9 were the middle class. The Philippines 8-12 won their last 5 in a row and beat Cameroon 7-13 in the final game to get the final spot. Wales is also eliminated at 3-17.
• Division 2 - Ethiopia ends Pool Play on a 12 game heater. They go 16-4. Algeria and Iraq get second with 12-8 records. Spain is just a game behind them for the final spot. Australia goes 7-13 and Greece goes 2-18 but it wasn't enough to advance/
• Division 3 - Japan goes 17-3 and sits on top, but Pakistan goes 16-4 and Nigeria goes 14-6. This division was quite top heavy, but The Netherlands at 5-15 was enough to advance. Iran and Israel both only won 4 games and were eliminated.
• Division 4 - Bangladesh goes 18-2, while the rest compete at the same level. Tanzania finishes 11-9 in second. Syria and Afghanistan go 10-10 and qualify for the next round. Scotland and Bulgaria fail to advance.
• Division 5 - China goes 19-1, winning their final 14. France follows them at 15-5. After that, South Africa and Poland tie with 8-12 records. Belgium and Chad are eliminated
• Division 6 - India wins the group with 18-2 record. Italy takes second at 13-7, with GB at 12-8. Vietnam finishes at 10-10 to take the final spot in the group. Germany and Myanmar are eliminated.

The Qualifiers
The AAEC gets 9 spots for the WBC and Nigeria, Great Britain and China have already qualified for the WBC. So it is likely getting 3rd is important this year

• Pool 1 - China no hits The Netherlands in 1-0 win in Game 10, they are 10-0 and currently on a 24 game win streak. The finish 15-0 and their win streak is at 29 now. France also advances at 10-5, losing to China 3 times and 1 to Egypt and rival The Netherlands once a piece. Egypt went 6-9 to get 3rd place.
• Pool 2 - Pakistan starts 13-0, until India beats them. They both advance, Pakistan with a 14-1 record in first and India with a 13-2 record, only losing those games to each other. Italy goes 7-8 to finish 3rd.
• Pool 3 - Bangladesh is 13-2 and dominating this group, losing both their games in the first 6.Ethiopia advances at 9-6 over Great Britain at 8-7, but they already qualified by winning THE EuroCup 2016.
• Pool 4 - Indonesia starts 9-0 and finishes 13-2 only a game up on second place Nigeria 12-3. Japan and Vietnam both go 7-8 but Japan has the head to head tiebreaker.

With China and Nigeria making the quarterfinals that means there are three spots open for the WBC, after the 6 other quarterfinal teams. Since Great Britain finished 3rd and already qualified then all other 3rd place finishers will qualify.

In the Quarterfinals we get India China, the way the bracket ended up since India got second to Pakistan. Pakistan still gets France. Nigeria v Bangladesh and Ethiopia plays Indonesia.
China dominates India and takes the series 4-1, but shutting India out 3 times. Pakistan sweeps France! Bangladesh handles Nigeria with a 4-2 victory. Indonesia comes back from down 2-1 to win 4-2 and advance.

In the Semifinals after taking game 2 to tie the series at 1 each, Pakistan would lose 3 straight times to China. They are setting this tournament ablaze! Indonesia beats Bangladesh in 3 1-run games and another 2 run game. A +5 run diff in 4 games is impressive for a sweep.

In the AAEC Finals Indonesia wins game 1, China wins game 2. Indonesia takes a 2-1 series lead, China takes game 4. Game 5, Indonesia enters the bottom of the 9th, up 6-5 on China. After three runners reach CF Ji-an Cao hits a walk-off Grand Slam to send the AAEC Cup to China, their first!

AAEC Champion: China
Runner-up: Indonesia
3rd Place: Bangladesh, Pakistan

The teams headed to the 2018 WBC are:
These teams pre-qualified China - ASIA, Great Britain - Euro, Nigeria - AFR.
Japan, Italy, Egypt all advance as 3rd place in their Qualifiers Pool.
India, Pakistan, France, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Indonesia qualifiy.

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The Washington Grays won the AL East with a 72-48 record. The San Francisco Seals had a record of 67-53, which was the mark for the second wildcard. The Hill Country Skyhawks 76-45 and Seattle Aquasox 75-46 needed a tiebreaker game to decide the West Division title, the Table Championship, and the #1 seed. The Skyhawks won that game 10-4, while the Aquasox moved to the first wildcard spot.

In the first semifinal, the Aquasox beat the Grays 4-3 to tie their series at one game each. Washington won the next game back at home to take the lead. In a following game, the score was tied 3-3 from the 5th inning until the 10th, when Seattle hit a double to win 4-3 and tie the series again. In the next matchup, Seattle tried to rally with a run in the 9th, but they lost 3-2 to fall behind in the series. Washington finally won the series 4-2 after a high-scoring 10-9 victory to advance to the ALCS.

In the second semifinal, San Francisco won a close 3-2 game at home to tie their series with the Skyhawks at 1-1. The Skyhawks won the next game 6-4 after the teams combined for five runs in the 8th inning. In Game 4, Hill Country led 3-0 in the 9th before a three-run home run tied the game for the Seals. After two outs, San Francisco hit a single and a triple to take a 4-3 lead. In the bottom half, a pinch-hit single brought Andy Romero to the plate with two outs. On a 1-2 count, Romero hit a two-run walk-off home run to give the Skyhawks a 3-1 series lead, game win probability chart below. Joel Burns clinched the series in the next game, pitching 8.1 innings with 5 hits and 0 earned runs in a 4-1 win.

The ALCS between the Washington Grays and Hill Country Skyhawks started with a dominant performance by Mike Cromer. He pitched 8.2 innings of shutout ball with 10 strikeouts to give the Grays a 7-0 win. Hill Country tied the series in the next game 3-2 thanks to a solo home run by Khalig Khorasani in the 8th. Game 3 was a marathon that was tied 3-3 after three innings and 4-4 after ten. In the top of the 15th, Ricky Montijo hit a solo home run and Mohamed Boudiaf added a two-run shot to give the Skyhawks a 7-4 win.

Hill Country won the next game 7-4 again, this time in nine innings, behind two home runs from Nozomu Muraoka to take a 3-1 series lead. In the final game, the Skyhawks were down 2-1 in the 9th before a sacrifice fly tied it up. Ricky Montijo then hit a single to score the game-winning run. They held on in the bottom of the 9th to win 3-2 and take the series 4-1.

Bracket Champion: Hill Country Skyhawks (5)
Table Champion: Hill Country Skyhawks (6)

The Washington Grays will also qualify for the GAC. Since the Skyhawks won the table and the bracket, Washington gets the bid as the highest finisher in the bracket that had not already qualified.

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The Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles won the BFA Table Championship with a dominant 91-29 record, the most wins ever for a team in the BFA. The Beijing Guardian Lions finished as the first wildcard at 86-34, while the Guangzhou Rams took the second wildcard spot with an 85-35 record. At the trade deadline, these three teams were in complete control, sitting 11 games ahead of the rest of the league with winning percentages over .700. In contrast, the 17-win Manila SunKings and 6-win Tokyo Shoguns were already eliminated, with Tokyo notably losing over 50 straight games between their fourth and fifth wins.

In the semifinals, Beijing entered with a two-win advantage due to their higher seeding, giving them a 2-0 headstart over Guangzhou. The Rams took Game 1 with an 8-0 shutout to pull the series to 2-1, but the Guardian Lions answered with a 5-2 win to move within one game of the finals. Beijing then closed out the series 4-1 as SP Manny Cuevas pitched 6 innings of 3-hit, shutout ball with 8 strikeouts in a 4-0 victory.

The BFA Finals featured the Beijing Guardian Lions against the Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles. Playing in front of their home crowd, Shanghai took Game 1 with a 9-1 win behind SP Rio Douthwaite, who went 7 innings and allowed only 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 9. Shanghai then took a 2-0 series lead with a 9-4 win after jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the first three innings. Beijing fought back in the next game, winning 5-4 thanks to a solo home run by SS Anirudhh Majunath in the bottom of the 8th. The Guardian Lions kept the momentum going with a 3-0 win to tie the series at 2-2.

Rio Douthwaite returned to the mound for Shanghai in Game 5 and delivered another gem, going 7 innings with 3 hits and 8 strikeouts in a 3-0 shutout win to give the Red Eagles a 3-2 series lead. Heading back to Shanghai for Game 6, SP Billy Beech threw 8 innings of 5-hit, shutout ball with 5 strikeouts. Shanghai won the game 6-0 and the series 4-2 to secure the double.

Bracket Champion: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (3)
Table Champion: Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles (2)

Since the BFA now gets two teams invites to the GAC, both the Shanghai Ossen Red Eagles and the Beijing Guardian Lions will head to the tournament.

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The Bengaluru Royal Challengers won the IPL Table Championship with an impressive 83-37 record, marking their first table title in the IPL. The Hyderabad Pearls finished as the first wildcard at 71-49, while the Mumbai Directors took the second wildcard at 68-52. In the North, the New Delhi Metropolitan Club won the division with a 59-61 record. Despite finishing below .500, New Delhi held off three expansion teams to ensure all four original BFA teams made the postseason. At the trade deadline, Bengaluru had been 55-26, while the Dhaka Mammoths led the North at 40-42 before falling behind New Delhi.

In the first semifinal, the Hyderabad Pearls dominated the New Delhi Metropolitan Club. The Pearls took Game 1 with a 6-2 victory and followed it up with a 10-6 win to go up 2-0 early. Returning home, Hyderabad won 5-2 and finished the series with a 7-2 victory to complete the sweep.

The second semifinal between Mumbai and Bengaluru was a seven-game thriller. Bengaluru took a 2-0 lead after winning the first two games 5-1 and 9-3. Mumbai fought back at home in Game 3, winning 3-0 behind SP Kanakraj Suryanarayanan, who threw 7 innings of 1-hit ball with 9 strikeouts. After Bengaluru took a commanding 3-1 lead with a 12-2 win in Game 4, Mumbai stayed alive with a 3-1 victory. Back in Bengaluru for Game 6, Mumbai won 4-3 in 13 innings after an RBI single by CF Jenebere Omorede. In the deciding Game 7, the score was tied 8-8 in the 11th until LF Kenbede Nyemba hit a two-run home run, his second of the day, to give Mumbai a 10-8 win and a 4-3 series comeback.

The IPL Finals featured the Mumbai Directors against the Hyderabad Pearls. Mumbai took Game 1 after Pearls SP Cheung Ou left a 1-1 tie following 8 innings of 1-run ball. Against the bullpen, 1B Ka-fei Wu hit an RBI single to give Mumbai a 2-1 win. The Directors then took a 2-0 series lead with a 4-1 victory. In Game 3, SP Suryanarayanan threw 6.1 shutout innings in a 9-1 Mumbai blowout. Hyderabad avoided the sweep in Game 4; down 4-2, Shamshad Dar hit a two-run double to tie it and later hit a two-run home run to secure a 6-4 win. The Pearls take a win 4-1 over the Directors to make it 3-2. Mumbai closed the series in Game 6, winning 4-1!

Bracket Champion: Mumbai Directors (2)
Table Champion: Bengaluru Royal Challengers (2)

The Bengaluru Royal Challengers, Mumbai Directors and the Hyderabad Pearls will advance to the GAC. Since the Pearls had already clinched a spot from winning last year, the Directors qualify as the Bracket Champs and RCB as the Table Champion.