UPCL Cricket: Playoffs Semifinals - Days 1 and 2

We're beginning the third round of the playoffs with doubleheaders at the homes of the better seeds. We begin with...

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: Game 1. Starlight did very well with her 491 for Pacific, opening the game in good form. Snowball blew that out of the water with a massive 808 for Swordpoint to give them the initial lead. Ms. Kitty stumbled a bit in her turn, taking only 231 for the Volcanoes as she was unable to cover the deficit they faced. Dreamy added a bit more to the Blades lead with her 391, putting them in a position of strength at the halfway mark. Jack rallied back with 646 for Pacific, putting them slightly ahead with the big effort. Shawn posted 320 for Swordpoint, giving them a smaller lead before the final players come to bat. Leonette pulled in 470 for the Volcanoes in the end, forcing a response from the hosts as they close with 1838. Stealth couldn't do it, struggling with pairs of balls as he hit only 105 for the Blades, giving them a loss with 1624. Pacific's depth carried them to the 1-0 series lead they now enjoy.

Nike Field, Commerce: Game 1. These teams built a big rivalry as they tangled near the top of the standings, with the Tradewinds getting the edge despite the split matches between them. Patches had her worst start to a round in this appearance, taking 267 for Boston. Tigerette answered with 391 for Commerce to put them ahead at the start. Puff II had only 69 for the Swifts, keeping them behind in this game. Ice Cream punished the mistake quite thoroughly, smashing 678 for the Tradewinds on her turn to boost their lead. Gradley gave Boston some hope, pummeling 784 for Boston to cover the deficit. Lionel pretty much wiped away all the progress, scoring 672 for Commerce to restore a hefty lead for them. Sweetheart pulled in 441 for the Swifts, but this wasn't enough, and they lost with 1561 total. Lorde tapped 256 for the Tradewinds, icing their win at 1997. Commerce leads the series 1-0 in what's certain to be a tight series.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park: Game 2. Despite earning the season sweep in the regular season, the Blades find themselves trailing the Volcanoes in the series. Starlight fell off her earlier pace a bit with only 279 for Pacific this time around. Snowball also regressed a bit, but she smacked 600 for Swordpoint to begin with another lead. Ms. Kitty had a stronger answer this time, pounding 471 to cover the deficit for the Volcanoes. Dreamy stumbled with only 124 for the Blades, and they find themselves behind at the halfway point. Jack missed his chance to put Pacific farther ahead, hitting only 223 as their lead looks a bit small. Shawn lifted 463 to put Swordpoint back ahead as the game has gotten a bit wild. Leonette picked up 218 for the Volcanoes, forcing a small response as they finish up with 1191. Stealth again made a mess of things, taking a 50% penalty for a false start and then scoring only 16 on the valid turn. Had he not been penalized, the Blades would have won, but they instead narrowly lost with 1179. Swordpoint's fans booed as they left the pitch, and Pacific will head out to the coast with a 2-0 series lead to work on at home.

Nike Field, Commerce: Game 2. This series guarantees to be close and gritty, where no lead can be taken for granted. Patches did about the same this time with only 271 for Boston. Tigerette didn't do as well this time, with only 157 for Commerce as they start from behind. Puff II hit a solid 376 for the Swifts, adding nicely to their lead. Ice Cream shot back with 466 for the Tradewinds, cutting deeply into the deficit to make the game close as it reaches half-completion. Gradley carved out 392 for Boston to give them a fairly standard lead at this stage of the game. Lionel saw an iffy deflection cut him down at 115 for Commerce, hurting the hosts' comeback chances drastically. Sweetheart swatted 500 more for the Swifts, putting their final score at 1539. Lorde fell with 233 for the Tradewinds, and they suffered a loss with 971. Boston has tied the series at 1 before heading home, while the Tradewinds are once again playing with fire.

We could be back later tonight with the next two games for each series.