UPCL Cricket - Week 29 Part 3

We're back for the final segment of the day in a big day of UPCL Cricket. We begin this segment with...

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: This Southwestern Divisional/Cluster Derby has the Torpedoes in the fourth of a six-game home stand while the Spurs try to fix their road woes at the start of a four-game trip. Spice put the hosts on alert, using a reasonable pace and strong swings to score 684 for Victoria. Smudge just didn't have much of a response in her, ending on 318 for Infinity in a mild start. Yekaterina accidentally popped a ball off the knob of her bat, ending her turn at 218 for the Spurs. Solaris got some of the deficit back with 424 for the Torpedoes, making it a closer game at the halfway mark. B. Chapman also put in a dud effort for Victoria with only 209, a deflection to blame for her early exit. Whiskers poked a decent 370 for Infinity on her turn, putting them ahead by a single point, which leaves the decision to the final players. Wario didn't back off for the Spurs with 567, bringing them back into form at 1678. Mr. Snowman failed in the comeback attempt, bowing out at 225 as the Torpedoes lost with 1337. Victoria pulls off a huge upset to rise to 25-30, while Infinity drops to 33-26 with the loss.

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors play in their third of a four-game home stand, while the Tradewinds travel to meet them for this C-Line Derby. Tigerette had a strong showing at the start of this game, hauling in 543 to stake out a lead for Commerce. Twilight let Central down this time, contributing only 247 at the start as they will play from behind. Ice Cream had a bit of a stumble for the Tradewinds, putting up only 208 as their lead becomes a bit weaker. Dustin carved out some of the deficit with his 415 for the Warriors, keeping things close halfway through the game. Lionel once again cemented a Commerce lead, slugging 1639 in this appearance to do so while stunning the hosts at the same time. Mario had no answer for it for Central, collapsing with 57 in a pitiful outing from the rookie. Lorde also hit the ball well for the Tradewinds, striking with 515 at the end to ice their outing at 2905 total. Gizmo got beat on a deflection for the Warriors, his 232 confirming their loss at a final of 951. Commerce's big win takes them to 27-34, while Central drops down to 36-20 with the loss.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds won't even change out of their jerseys as they complete a doubleheader at home against their Urban Division rivals, the Union. Ms. Puppy didn't have her same instinct in this road match, picking up a middling 275 for Modernistic to lead things off. Tigerette answered with 552 for Commerce, giving them a noticeable, if not intimidating, lead. Daisy did managed to cover the deficit for the Union, but her 296 didn't give the visitors much margin for error. Ice Cream supplemented the Tradewinds lead pretty well with 503, a solid performance from the veteran. Puff I tried and failed to pluck the corner on her turn, dropping at 184 as Modernistic appears set to take a loss here. Lionel kept the Commerce offense consistent with 567 against his former team, helping the hosts to a stable lead. Strawberry tried a rally for the Union at the end, but her 487 came up short as they lost with 1242. Lorde kept her turn a bit shorter, wrapping up the Tradewinds win with 432 to give them 2054 total. Commerce is on a bit of a late surge, rising to 28-34, while Modernistic falls to 30-25.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: After meeting just five games ago, the Cascades and Wolves clash again in an Eastern Hills Divisional south of the first match. Juno had a solid first turn for Stonebridge, swinging her way to 428 for the visitors to build upon later in the game. Jasmine couldn't match it for Freedom, settling with 320 on her opening turn for a minor deficit to the hosts. The Wolves' Frosty cranked out an even 700 on a pacey and dangerous turn, putting a wrinkle in the hosts' comeback hopes. Stinky replied with 552 for the Cascades, doing his part to minimize the damage done. Cobalt seems to be petering out as the season progresses, with only 57 for Stonebridge in this poor appearance from the rookie. Roxy easily took advantage of the opportunity presented to her, rallying with 547 to give Freedom the lead before the final players come to bat. Prism didn't make it easy for the hosts, clobbering 795 for the Wolves to set their score at 1980, forcing the hosts to respond. Nikolai accidentally knocked a ball backward after missing it on his first swing, ending his turn at 443 and the Cascades' offense at 1862. Stonebridge gets the sweep to rise to 26-34, while Freedom sinks to 19-36.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes try to right their season in the fifth of a six-game home stand, while the Arrows also want a boost as they play the second of four straight on the road. Sally had good pace on her swings for Archtown, gathering 657 on the first turn for a strong start. Smudge continued her recent fade with only 271 for Infinity, putting them at an early deficit. Sleepy B. did even better for the Arrows, dealing with distractions and a cluttered pitch while pummeling 896 to extend their lead. Solaris fought back with some intent for the Torpedoes, grabbing 745 to mitigate the damage a bit. Ruby let the lead slip a bit for Archtown, getting cut down at a paltry 57 on her turn. Whiskers blasted 850 for Infinity on her turn, covering the deficit as the final players prepare to bat. Dusky shot back with 622 to bring the Arrows to 2232 overall, which forces the hosts to respond. Mr. Snowman failed to cover the deficit with 239 for the Torpedoes, leaving them at 2105 in the loss. Archtown took the intense win to go to 32-31, while Infinity drops down to 33-27 with the loss.

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The Knights return home for a pair of games now, while the Spurs play their second of a four-game road trip against a tough foe. Spice got caught, rather unexpectedly, on her backhand for Victoria, and she let the ball roll into her wicket to end her turn at 113. Kiwi fired back with 594 for Terrace City, using good pace and a strong swing to give her side a big lead. Yekaterina did a good job in covering the deficit, spraying 623 for the Spurs to retake a small lead. Jennifer belted 1030 for the Knights on the counterattack, boosting their lead at the halfway mark of the game. B. Chapman did just enough for Victoria to scrape back ahead, slashing 915 in a fierce turn for the visitors. Oreo produced a measly 51 for Terrace City, a terrible time for a bad swing as the game is close with a player each to go. Wario hit 466 for the Spurs in a solid turn, forcing the hosts to respond as his side closed with 2119. Stripes came up short with 160 for the Knights, a fifth straight home loss the result at a final of 1835. Victoria piles on here to get to 26-30, while Terrace City is 34-29 and becoming prone to infighting.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores return home for a single game, facing a Swifts team that has turned into a rip saw on the road. Patches put up a respectable 408 at the start for Boston, not wowing with pace or precision on her swings. Bear had a strong-looking turn going for Whitewater when a deflection cut him down at 287, giving his team a slight deficit. Puff II stayed very much in form for the Swifts, dishing out 854 to give them a stronger lead after the second attack. Twinkie III tried to hit over a dead ball, but spiked one swing right off of it, ending with just 39 for the Shores. Gradley showed no mercy to the hosts on his turn, clobbering 904 to pad the Boston lead once again. Marsell had no answer for this with 122 for Whitewater, the poor turn leaving them likely at an untouchable deficit. Sweetheart tapped only 239 for the Swifts, bringing their total to 2405 in what should be a comfortable win. Shaggy capped a pathetic team effort from the Shores with her 272, leaving them at 720 in the loss. Boston has six straight road wins to rise to 37-18, while Whitewater gets more isolated at 32-22.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union return home for the start of a five-game home stand, while the Pilots travel to begin a three-game road trip. Valencia got things going in decent form for Golden, batting 402 on the first turn of the game. Ms. Puppy didn't have her best pace in this appearance, causing a deflection to be detrimental as she finished with 245 for Modernistic. Dusty added a nice amount to the Pilots lead with her 481, giving their lead a decent boost. Daisy put the Union on her back with a big turn, covering the deficit with 695 to make things interesting halfway through the game. Strut did even better for Golden on the counterattack, regaining a large lead with his 769. Puff I let the visitors get away, taking some poorly-timed swings as she crashed out with only 90 for Modernistic. A. Charlton tacked on another 264 for the Pilots at the end to give them 1916 overall. Strawberry couldn't complete the comeback for the Union, ending on 280 to give them 1310 total in the loss. Golden's win carries them to 37-20, while Modernistic takes a knock down to 30-26.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks host their second of a five-game home stand, while the Tridents open up a three-game road trip against the expansion team. Precious made sure to establish Pronger early in the game, smacking 896 on the opening turn for a large lead. Peach had a solid turn going in response until she swung and missed a ball to end with 471 for North Modernistic. Zach didn't get as much for the Tridents, taking 352 to add to their still-strong lead. Luigi made a bit of an impact, using a perfectly weighted double-tap backhand to keep his turn going. He had 430 to cut into the deficit as the Nighthawks pull a bit closer. Spot got a bit distracted on his turn, but he still swatted 504 to pad the Pronger lead. Cheddar chipped away at the deficit for North Modernistic, scattering 632 to get them closer with a player each to go. Potter can only hope his 399 is enough for the Tridents, who rest at a final score of 2151. Bright did gain ground for the Nighthawks, but the deficit was too much, and his 463 left them short at 1996. Pronger takes a nervy win to get to 30-26, while North Modernistic slips down to 29-30.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The Sharpshooters need to right the ship right now, while the Arrows are starting to roll in the third of their four-game road trip. Sally seemed to have a good pace going, but it all fell apart with a mistimed swing, and she finished at 331 for Archtown. Chris answered with a solid 307 for Capital City, keeping things close at the start of the game. Sleepy B. couldn't find a good enough pace to help the Arrows, lightly padding their lead with 274 instead. Missy crushed 1188 for the Sharpshooters in response, giving them a huge lead with the excellent appearance. Archtown is heading in the wrong direction in this game, with Ruby bowing out after a bad backhand stopped her at 162. Her lookalike, Sprinkles, replied with a big 580 to extend the Capital City lead again as she stays in excellent form. Dusky tried a late rally with 640 for the Arrows, but they fell shot at 1407 in a brutal loss. Nicole tapped 192 for the Sharpshooters to seal their winning score at 2267. Capital City is up to 30-31 for the year, while Archtown slips back to 32-32.

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates are in desperate need of a home win, but the Swifts have been untouchable on the road lately, playing in the third of a five-game trip. Patches carved out 1031 for Boston right at the start of the game, not wanting to allow the hosts any breathing room. Delila only got a bit back for Atlantic, grabbing 329 on a typically acceptable turn. Puff II had the pace to put the game away for the Swifts, but a deflection stalled her at 383. Isabella actually lost a bit of ground with 363 for the Pirates, although they are far behind either way at the midway mark. Gradley launched another 886 for Boston on his turn, extending their lead to a likely unreachable level once again. Americus made a convincing counterattack with 733 for Atlantic, but they lost ground once again despite the nice effort. Sweetheart couldn't get her turn to connect, with a false start and then just 63 on the replay after a failed backhand. The Swifts close at 2363. Klaus did not complete the comeback for the Pirates, his 402 setting their losing final at 1827. Boston has won seven straight on the road to get to 38-18, while Atlantic is down to 33-27 with the loss.

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs and Volcanoes clash in the Burnt Red Derby, a Coastal Divisional, that will bring an end to Week 29. Starlight kept to her recent form, batting 433 for Pacific to open the game with a solid foundation. Panda kept Southern close with a crisply hit 416 on his turn, the deficit practically negligible at this stage of the game. Ms. Kitty brought a bit more firepower on the second attack, flicking 600 to pad the Volcanoes lead nicely. Hoppy couldn't keep her swing on target out of excitement, faltering at 64 as the Monarchs fall deep behind. Leonette couldn't settle one of her swings, sending it too high to end her turn at 184 as Pacific isn't out of danger yet. Pounce made only incremental progress for Southern on his turn, a deflected ball distracting him from the offering that downed him at 190. Chicky Phil provided a bit more support with 448 for the Volcanoes, sealing their score at 1665 total. Shannon only managed 186 for the Monarchs, leaving them at a loss with 856 total. Pacific gets the jump to 37-19, while Southern is down to 20-31 with the loss.

That's all for this week. @UnitedPCL on Twitter will have a standings update link and Players of the Week named by the end of the night.

UPCL Cricket - Week 29 Part 2

This is the first of two segments scheduled for today, and the middle of Week 29. We begin this batch with...

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves try to play spoilers to the Flames, who are trying to get back on track after a recent loss as they start a three-game road trip. Crystal saw an unfortunate deflection take her down at 96 for Queens in a frustratingly slow start to the game for the visitors. Stonebridge countered with 582 from Juno in a strong showing by the captain to establish the lead for the team. Paige didn't get all of it back for the Flames, but her 571 lightly covered the deficit facing her team. Frosty pummeled 735 for the Wolves in response, extending their lead significantly at the halfway mark. Violetta crumbled on a poor turn for Queens, with a paltry 20 that leaves them far behind. Cobalt did no better for Stonebridge, also hitting just 20, but he had the excuse of an unlucky deflection to write off his mistake. Max tried to start a rally for the Flames, but he stalled at 487 and the Flames lost with 1174 total. Prism contributed 368 for the Wolves, icing their winning total at 1705. Stonebridge shows well to rise to 24-34, while Queens drops back to the bubble at 29-24.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: The Spiders try to continue their upward march against the Sharpshooters, who are just trying to hang onto the bubble at this point. Chris set a high standard for Capital City this time out, smashing 674 with a great pace on the opening turn. Shadow didn't have too many problems for Web City, taking 543 to keep them within striking distance. Missy belted another 930 for the Sharpshooters to give their lead a huge boost with the crisply hit turn. Ted put up a good fight with 648 for the Spiders, but the deficit still grew before the midway mark. Capital City's comfortable lead shattered when Sprinkles had a terrible turn with a measly 6 points after a misplayed swing. Shiny led the charge for Web City to gain the lead, batting 546 to put them in the lead with a player each to go in a close game. Nicole did excellently for the Sharpshooters, swinging 855 to bring their final to a lofty 2465. Dani tried to bring the Spiders back into the game, but faded at 529 and left them short at 2266 in the loss. Capital City got a gutsy win to rise to 29-31, while Web City sinks to 27-28.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds play the middle of a three-game home stand against their Purple Derby rivals, while the Meteors begin a pair of games on the road. Mams didn't get much on her opening turn for Viewpoint Sound, rounding up 260 in a modest outing by the captain. Tigerette brought Commerce out of a bye week with a big performance, hitting 561 to establish their lead. Hoot had a bit too much follow-through on a swing, causing a double-hit that ended his turn at 122 for the Meteors. Ice Cream kept the Tradewinds offense balanced, nearly doubling it with her 552 that offered good support. Nibbles couldn't keep his swing down for Viewpoint Sound, ending up at a measly 20 on his turn. Lionel continues to be in the midst of a mini-slump for Commerce, picking up only 173 on this appearance. Dominic put in very little for a comeback attempt with a pathetic 24 for the Meteors, leaving them at 426 in an embarrassing loss. Lorde tacked on another 464 for the Tradewinds at the end to bring their winning total to 1750. Commerce decisively won for a 25-34 record, while Viewpoint Sound's late-season rally appears dead as they fall to 24-31.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows are back at home for a game, facing the Rockers, who start a pair of road games with their eyes on taking first place. Misty kept a fairly compact and steady swing on her turn for Westside, collecting 399 in a solid first turn for the visitors. Sally tossed her bat after her turn, with a poorly-hit third swing cutting her down at only 6 points for Archtown, who trail heavily. Goatee bashed 871 for the Rockers in response, extending their lead to a wide margin with the appearance. Sleepy B. tried to keep the Arrows competitive, rallying with 759 to mitigate the damage. Midnight added a bit more to the Westside lead with 449, trying to keep them in a comfortably strong position. Ruby lost ground for Archtown by adding only 305 to their offense, making a comeback more difficult this late in the game. Slinks bounced another 593 for the Rockers at the end of their offense, giving them 2312 in what should be a win. Dusky went on a modest rally with 584 for the Arrows, but it wouldn't be enough, leaving them short at 1654. Westside is the new league leader outright, going to 39-19, while Archtown dips down to 31-30, falling through the bubble a bit.

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors play their second of a four-game home stand against the Meteors, who hope to end this pair of road games better than they started it. Mams put up a more respectable 464 for Viewpoint Sound to give them a healthy lead at the start of the game. Twilight did even better, pummeling 799 for Central to open the game with them in the lead. Hoot got beat by a cruel deflection just as he made contact, ending his turn at 208 for the Meteors without covering the deficit. Dustin replied with 457 for the Warriors, using a composed backhand to keep the turn going early as he adds nicely to the lead. Nibbles didn't come all that close to covering the deficit for Viewpoint Sound with his mild 276. Mario had a rough turn, dealing with a cluttered pitch only to emerge with a low pace and ending at 243 for Central. Dominic seemed to have a decent pace, but he didn't score well, his 226 leaving the Meteors at 1174 in the loss. Gizmo tacked on 399 to ice the Warriors win at 1898 in a big showing. Central gets up to 36-19, while Viewpoint Sound is down to 24-32 after another crushing defeat.

Amazon Field, Golden: Both teams would like this win, but the situation is a bit more desperate for the Surfers, who are on the bubble, than it is for the second-tier Pilots. Pearl's Watermelon had no complaint about the deflection that ended her turn at 720, as several other deflections helped her get that far. Valencia put up a good fight for Golden with 659 in response, keeping the game close initially. Neopolitan got rattled when she took an offering on the hand for the Surfers, ending at 300 as their lead weakens. Dusty attacked the vulnerability without restraint, flipping 768 to give the Pilots a decent midgame lead. Boots made a costly mistake for Pearl, letting a ball get behind her bat and take out her wicket when she had only 99 points. Strut kept the Golden offense lethally efficient, ripping another 659 to pad the lead. Wings faltered with only 178 for the Surfers, sealing their losing score at 1297. A. Charlton kept a simple finish in the cards for the Pilots, her 200 giving them 2286 overall in the win. Golden rises to 36-20, while Pearl drops to 33-29 to make the last playoff spot more accessible to the teams in contention.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills try to keep a long home winning streak going when they bring in the Nighthawks for the road half of their doubleheader. Peach didn't quite have her swing at the start for North Modernistic, and when she found it, she didn't last long, bowing out at 147. Easter also caused a slow start for her side, with the Todavía captain only producing a meager 32. Luigi couldn't get much more for the Nighthawks, a deflection causing his turn to end at 227 in the low-scoring game. Sierra had no trouble with a cluttered pitch, slicing 567 to give the Stills the lead halfway through. Cheddar tied the score for North Modernistic with her 225, but they have one fewer player left to bat in the game. Sparkles regained the lead modestly with 314 for Todavía, giving them the advantage late in the game. Bright had only 266 for the Nighthawks, unable to force the hosts to respond as the visitors lost with 865. Bells capped the Stills' sixth straight home win with 680, giving them a final score of 1593. Todavía showed a bit more strength here to get to 33-25, while North Modernistic's young team fades to 28-29.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks open a five-game home stand with hopes of ending a losing streak, while the Arrows open their last four-game road trip. Sally put in a decent appearance for Archtown, leading off the game with 361. Peach had pace and intent on her swings for North Modernistic, but she ended at 320 after a technical error, electing to skip the replay chance. Sleepy B. made a rare misplay, popping a ball up and backwards, which she couldn't save on the second try, giving her only 45 for the Arrows. Luigi showed a bit of muscle for the Nighthawks with 707, giving them a sizable lead now. Ruby put a bit of a dent in the deficit with 448 for Archtown, trying to keep them competitive. Cheddar, while not her usual dangerous self, did well with 440 for North Modernistic to negate the most recent attack. Dusky fought back with 487 for the Arrows, but this only got them to 1341 in the loss. Bright picked up an extra 394 for the Nighthawks at the end, sealing their win at 1861. Both teams have even records, with North Modernistic at 29-29, and Archtown at 31-31.

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs open a three-game home stand with a Coastal Division match against a Waves team starting a three-game road trip with dim playoff hopes. Snuggle put in a good first attack for Oceanside, plucking 391 to get the visitors going in their Nightwave third jerseys. Panda attacked with a great pace at first, but cratered late, barely giving Southern the lead with his 423. Caitlin didn't help the Waves cause very well with 177, giving them a weaker second lead. Hoppy kept adding small increments to the Monarchs lead with 247, keeping the game close midway through. Celestia broke things wide open for Oceanside, crushing 1168 in a massive performance to give her side a huge lead. Pounce tried a rally in response with 515 for Southern, but it didn't even get them close. Dewey supplied another 521 in support for the Waves, bringing their total to 2257. Shannon came up short for the Monarchs as predicted, her 376 leaving them at only 1561 in the loss. Oceanside is up to an even record of 30-30, while Southern sinks to 20-30 with a busy schedule left.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: A bitter old rivalry in the Urban Division sees the Rockers end a pair of road games against the neighboring Union. Misty might have been a bit too cautious for Westside this time, unable to break out and ending with 266 at a slow pace. Ms. Puppy continued her crazy pace for Modernistic, slashing 776 to give them a large lead at the start of this game. Goatee showed more urgency for the Rockers, but didn't gain much ground with 256 in a quick exit. Daisy chose to accept 344 for the Union after a technical error, avoiding the risk of losing points on a potential replay. Midnight had an ill-advised change of her swinging angle, crashing down with a paltry 82 for the struggling Westside team. Puff I also failed to lock down the game for Modernistic, hitting a pathetic 25 on a bad swing that leaves a small chance of a rally against them. Slinks hauled in 592 for the Rockers at the end, setting their final at 1196 and forcing a small reply from the hosts. Strawberry answered the challenge with 324 for the Union, icing their win at 1469. Modernistic upsets their rivals to get to 30-24, while Westside drops to 39-20, and ends Urban Division play at 4-6.

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves close out a three-game home stand against their Eastern Hills rivals, the Cascades, who are making a one-off trip up north. Jasmine could have used a bit more pace on her turn for Freedom, chipping 319 in an acceptable outing for the visitors. Juno proved the point pretty well for Stonebridge, unleashing 624 for the lead as she maintains her recent form. Stinky was unable to cover the deficit for the Cascades, showing up a bit weak with only 206. Frosty effectively countered with 433 for the Wolves, pulling them farther ahead at the halfway mark. Roxy got stopped by a deflection at a poor 42 for Freedom, further weakening their comeback chances. Cobalt had a bit of a slip in his production with only 209 for Stonebridge, keeping their lead steady for now. Nikolai led the Cascades in offense with 353 after a replay for a real-world interruption, but they still lost with 920. Prism didn't best her direct opponent, but her 324 iced the Wolves win at 1590 total. Stonebridge gets the divisional win to rise to 25-34, while Freedom drops down to 19-35 with the loss.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds end a three-game home stand in the Industrial Derby against their bitter rivals, the Shores, who close up a three-game road trip themselves. Bear showed a bit of bite for Whitewater with 699 on the opening turn, pacing them to a nice lead so far. Tigerette had only 176 in response for Commerce in an off turn from the usually solid captain. Twinkie III cratered with a weak turn of 16 for the Shores after a couple of bad deflections doomed her. Ice Cream fired back against her close friend with 475 for the Tradewinds, cutting deep into the deficit facing the hosts. Marsell had a poor outing for Whitewater with 234, unable to bring their lead back to any position of strength. Lionel finally made the visitors pay for their lazy offense, blasting 1075 for Commerce to take a large lead with a player each to go. Shaggy had a decent pace on her counterattack, but her 361 was too little as the Shores lost with 1310. Lorde tapped another 273 for the Tradewinds to set their winning total at 1999. Commerce gets a jump up to 26-34, while Whitewater is concerned about peaking too early as they fall to 32-21.

That's all for the middle segment. Later in the afternoon, we will begin the last segment of Week 29, and it should be done tonight.

UPCL Cricket - Week 29 Part 1

We're off with another week of cricket action, with the playoffs soon approaching. No team has clinched yet, but that will likely soon change. We begin with...

HP Field, Midland: Two teams right next to each other and just below the top tier square off in the lead-off game this week, jockeying for a prime position in the playoffs. Bear looked a tad shaky at first for Whitewater, but he leveled off at 456 in a solid opening turn for the visitors. Shawn shot back with 736 for Midland, giving them the initial lead with an impressive attack from the captain. Twinkie III brought a bit more pace for the Shores with her 597, covering the deficit pretty well. Rainmane made up for a bit of a weaker pace with early poise and a long time at bat, ending on 682 for the Predators. Marsell tried to put together a comeback, but a deflection downed him at 60 for Whitewater, killing that hope. Leonardo didn't ease up much for Midland, tallying another 560 to pad their lead late in the game. Shaggy went with great pace, blazing 744 for the Shores, but they ended at 1857 in the loss. Fuchsia pummeled 785 at the end to keep the team balance strong as the Predators took the win with 2763. Midland pulls closer to their opponents at 36-23, while Whitewater has games in hand at 32-20.

Sprint Pitch, Victoria: The Spurs return from their week off to end a three-game home stand against a fully-focused Meteors team that will close out a six-game road trip. Mams had a bit of a down turn for Viewpoint Sound, only able to accumulate 256 to lead things off in this game. Spice took advantage of the opportunity for Victoria, drilling 812 on her turn to give the hosts a big lead. Hoot didn't cover the deficit for the Meteors, his 411 leaving them noticeably short. Yekaterina got out of position on a swing, sending it just out of play at 129 as the Spurs lead weakens halfway through the game. Nibbles managed to cover the deficit with 287 for Viewpoint Sound, but it's a very thin margin for their lead. B. Chapman recovered the lead for Victoria, but without any additional strength given the 283 she scored to do so. Dominic had only 105 for the Meteors, leaving them at a final score of 1059 in the loss. Wario tapped another 281 for the Spurs, bringing their final score to 1505. Victoria got by on the strength of their captain, improving to 24-30, while blurring the line between them and the next team up, the now 24-29 Viewpoint Sound.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The A-Line derby is next, with both teams needing a win to strengthen their positioning around the bubble. Delila looked pretty lively after a week off for Atlantic, hauling in a crisply hit 408 to open things up for the visitors. Sally lacked pace on her turn for Archtown, and while she had a decent swing, a deflection stalled her at only 129 for a weak start. Isabella went even bigger in the second attack for the Pirates, piling on 677 in an excellent appearance. Sleepy B. couldn't get the Arrows back in the game, falling at 120 as the deficit grows at the midway mark. Americus kept Atlantic on track with their offense, batting 495 to extend the lead once again. Ruby stayed in her recent form for Archtown, firing back with 509 to keep the deficit level at this late stage. Klaus also did well for the Pirates, his solid appearance resulting in an extra 488 to ice their score at 2068. Dusky came up particularly weak at 21 for the Arrows, leaving them with a pathetic total of 779. Atlantic rises to 33-26, while Archtown is only 30-29, losing ground against a competitive bubble.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills are back home for a pair of games, while the Eagles partake in their fourth of a nine-game road trip against a team nipping at their heels. Goldy didn't agree with the judgement that she was out at 153 for Everton, but she did not receive a replay for her argument. Easter crushed 1050 in response for Todavía, giving them a massive lead with her great appearance. Puff III attacked at a healthy pace, but a premature swing allowed a ball to sneak under her bat, cutting her turn off at 376. Sierra didn't boost the Stills' lead at all with 290, but they remain far ahead anyway. Kirstin pulled back a bit too far on one of her swings, resulting in an early exit at 217 for Everton. Sparkles decided to keep it even with 212, forgoing an optional replay after she lost a lot of pace making a save on her backhand. Blizzard also fell short for the Eagles, her 308 coming on a too-heavy swing that leaves the team in a loss at 1054. Bells tacked on another 506 at the end for the Stills, icing their fifth straight home win at 2058. Todavía is in form at a good time, rising to 32-25, while Everton takes a drop to 32-26.

Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors return home from their long road trip to face the Arrows, who are making a one-off trip for this game. Sally didn't overwhelm anyone, but 383 is a solid start for Archtown against a team of similar caliber to them. Mams couldn't keep Viewpoint Sound on pace, ending her turn at 179 in a poor start for the hosts. Sleepy B. showed a bit more pop for the Arrows on her turn with 501, extending their lead quite nicely with the second attack. Hoot managed to cover the deficit for the Meteors with his 723, the strong outing making things interesting. Ruby supported the Archtown offense pretty well, regaining a smaller lead with her 544. Nibbles fought back with 321 for Viewpoint Sound, but they are now behind with a player each to go. Dusky put up a nice 518 in protection of the Arrows lead, with their offense resting at a total of 1946. Dominic couldn't save the day for the Meteors, grabbing only 237 at the end as they close with 1458 in the loss. Archtown rises again to 31-29, while Viewpoint Sound's playoff hopes grow bleaker at 24-30, now outside of the bubble tier.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns host their Southeastern rivals in their first meeting this year, with the return match in Week 30. Shawn had a good game going for Midland at first, and could have kept it if he hadn't butchered a backhand to end at 473 in a reasonably good attack. Nightfur had seemingly no trouble in covering the deficit for Royal, bashing 775 to give the hosts a good lead. Rainmane only got about half of the deficit back with her 152 for the Predators, putting them in trouble. Jake had another terrible turn for the Crowns, with a pathetic 6 weakening their lead at the midway mark. Leonardo saved the day with 686 for Midland on his turn, pulling them ahead at a critical time in the game. Kayla got beat on a deflection for Royal, causing them to stay at a deficit when she hit only 112. Fuchsia rallied with 848 more for the Predators, hoping to solidify their lead as they finish with 2159. Hannah managed 423 for the Crowns at the end, but they still took the loss with 1316 total. Midland avoids the early scare to jump to 37-23, while Royal is 17-38 for the year.

Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents return home for a single game, while the Hummingbirds visit for the second of their three-game road trip. Princess formed a good attack for Tysini to begin this game, unleashing a well-paced 616 to give them a noticeable lead. Precious had to go to her backhand twice for Pronger, but only one of the plays succeeded, the other ending her turn at 562. Leandra countered with 481 for the Hummingbirds, adding a little more to their lead. Zach smashed 843 in response for the Tridents, doing enough to get them the mid-game lead. Charli barely covered the deficit going the other way for Tysini, collecting 320 to edge them ahead narrowly. Spot didn't do very well with 155 for Pronger going the other way, restoring a much smaller lead with his weak showing. Brownie made a push with 447 for the Hummingbirds on her turn, setting their final at 1864. Potter did enough with 467 for the Tridents, carrying them to the win at 2027 with the late push. Pronger rises to 29-26, while Tysini is 23-33 after the disheartening loss.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks come home for a one-off against the Crowns, who are traveling for a pair of games against expansion teams. Nightfur saw a couple of deflections early on cause her turn to fall apart at just 28 for Royal. Peach failed to inspire much confidence for North Modernistic, her poor turn coming to an end with only 155 for a modest lead. Jake chose to accept 304 for the Crowns after a technical error gave him the right to an optional replay. Luigi retained a small lead for the Nighthawks with 240, but he didn't make his opponent regret his decision. Kayla finally cut the game wide open, ripping 575 to give Royal a strong lead at a critical stage of the game. Cheddar wasted the chance to get North Modernistic back in the game, taking just 50 points in her worst home game of the year. Hannah is hoping 594 for the Crowns will keep their spoiler tour going, as they finish the game at 1501. Bright had nothing for the Nighthawks, his 54 giving them a pitiful final score of 519 in a fifth straight home loss. Royal gets a boost to 18-38, while dropping North Modernistic to 28-28.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders try to get their season back on track this time, but facing an Eagles team holding their own entering the fifth game of their nine-game road trip. Goldy led off with 488 for Everton in a strong first turn, showing pace but a bit of a shorter time at bat. Bianca got a bit more than half of it back with 264 for Southridge, but she's not fully rested even after a bye week. Puff III was livid to take only 72, screaming after a failed backhand caused the Eagles lead to weaken. Debby couldn't cover the deficit for the Defenders with 227, leaving them a bit short at the halfway mark. Kirstin also failed to pad the Everton lead, contributing only 104 as their offense struggles are beginning to get ridiculous. Stephanie finally gave Southridge a decisive attack with 632, putting them ahead with a player each to go. Blizzard had only 283 for the Eagles, far from enough to cover the deficit as they lose with 947 total. Hughbert hit a pathetic 21 to ice the Defenders win at 1144 in a low-scoring battle. Southridge gets the rise to 22-36, while Everton is getting into dangerous territory at 32-27 as the road trip fatigues them.

Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames need to snap a home losing streak against their Southeastern rivals, the Swifts, who are leading off a five-game road trip as they return from a week off. Patches couldn't get her swing off the ground, ending up taking a mild 272 for Boston in the lead-off role. Crystal put up a much stronger effort for Queens, drilling 872 to give them a sizable lead. Puff II managed to cover the deficit for the Swifts, striking 696 to keep things interesting. Paige didn't cover the current damage, but her 351 restored a smaller lead for the Flames halfway through the game. Gradley slugged a massive 1164 for Boston on his turn, putting them far ahead now with the stunning turn of events. Violetta got beat on a deflection for Queens, only claiming 304 as the hosts slip behind late in the game. Sweetheart kept the Swifts offense surging with 677 this time, leaving their final score at 2809 in a great performance. Max couldn't mount a comeback for the Flames, his 402 leaving them at 1929 in the loss. Boston is growing strong late in the season, jumping to 36-18 in a tie for second place, while Queens drops down to 29-23.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: Very little separates these two teams in the standings, as the Torpedoes host the third of a six-game home stand while the Knights end a pair of road games. Kiwi still seems a bit fatigued at this stage, hitting only 202 to begin for Terrace City in this game. Smudge capitalized on the opportunity to establish Infinity by knocking 759 to give them a firm lead initially. Jennifer provided an efficient counterattack with 780 for the Knights, covering the deficit for now. Solaris responded with 490 for the Torpedoes, a solid attack to keep them in the lead at the midway mark. Oreo couldn't keep up for Terrace City, her turn being cut off at 199 as the visitors once again find themselves at a deficit. Whiskers lined 816 for Infinity on the next turn, boosting their lead in a great moment as the hosts are primed for a win. Stripes again came up short with 256 for the Knights, leaving them at a final score of 1437 in the loss. Mr. Snowman bailed at 60 for the Torpedoes, keeping it simple as they won with 2125 total. Infinity is up to 33-25, while Terrace City takes a hit back to 34-28 with the loss.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The Blades have a chance to clinch a playoff spot if they can off the Sharks, who close out a four-game road trip to end this segment of play. Chelsea did alright with 348 for Eastside at the start, but she wanted more to make things tougher on the hosts. Snowball stayed true to her recent home form, gathering 584 to set Swordpoint ahead at first in this game. Taylor covered the deficit with 425 for the Sharks, but they are not in a safe spot quite yet. Dreamy crashed back with 515 for the Blades, giving their lead a bit more strength at the halfway mark. Niki kept Eastside in the game, slashing 726 on her turn to give them a noticeable lead, at least temporarily. Bandit tried to break out of his slump, but his 304 left Swordpoint at a minor deficit late in the game. Paps didn't ease up at all for the Sharks at the end, his 571 putting their final score at 2070. Stealth put the Blades on his back with 654 on a rally, but they lost with 2057, ending a seven-game home winning streak. Eastside pulled off the upset in narrow fashion, going to 24-35, while Swordpoint is 43-22.

That's all for this segment. Tomorrow is shaping up to be a big day, as I should end Week 29 with two segments publishing, if all goes well.