It's finally here. With last year's personal struggles and hindrances behind us, the UPCL takes a great step forward with the expansion of team rosters to five players. Today, the 46 players without a team, including 21 rookies, will find their teams for the upcoming year in the draft. The picks break down as such: two in the first round, none in the second round, one in the third round, twelve in the fourth round, and 31 in the fifth and final round. Once again, Random.org will be the provider of draft-related activities for us. We begin with...
The Southern Monarchs making the 1st overall pick, a compensatory pick awarded with Shannon's retirement from the league. With the #1 pick, the Monarchs selected a long-rumored arrival to the league and a celebrity presence in Avril Lavigne. The rookie is expected to be eased into the lineup due to health concerns, but the Monarchs now have some added clout on their roster.
Picking second overall, the Queens Flames use their compensatory pick awarded with Paige's retirement from the league. The Flames used the pick to select a sophomore, Hannah. This reverses the exchange last year when the Royal Crowns took Kayla from the Flames in the draft. Hannah spent her troubled rookie season with the Crowns, and will hope to find a better fit in the Southeast. A similar player to the departed Paige, Hannah will have moderate expectations with the Flames.
Moving to the third round, the Eastside Sharks have the #3 pick in the draft, acquired in their trade with the Commerce Tradewinds last night. The Eastside Sharks took Salmo with this pick, the former Lighton Prestige rookie trying out life in the east for his second season. Salmo did have promising moments last year, but the expert opinion is that the Sharks reached a bit this time as their rebuild is officially underway.
The fourth round begins with the #4 overall pick, belonging to the Stonebridge Wolves. The Wolves decided to dip into the rookie pool again after taking two last year in their inaugural season. This time, they came up with Hershey, a large player with some muscle that tracks well for cricket. The Wolves have shown no fear in grabbing rookies, as a reputation for strong development forms around the team. Hershey should thrive under the occasionally tough leadership of Juno.
Next up, the Viewpoint Sound Meteors hold the #5 pick in the draft. Their fourth round selection is Dani, the former Web City Spider. Dani is on her third team in three years, and fourth overall. The Meteors like her poised attitude, and view her as an upgrade on the departed Dominic. Dani tracks as a complementary piece in her fifth season, but a good year could give the Meteors a much-needed boost.
The North Modernistic Nighthawks are up for the #6 overall pick after Maplewood lost their selection in a trade last night. This will fill out the Nighthawks roster after they traded their fifth round pick for B. Chapman last night in a deal with the Victoria Spurs. Never ones to back away from the spotlight, the Nighthawks added their third celebrity by drafting Gal Gadot. The Wonder Woman herself joins Mushroom Kingdom residents Peach and Luigi on a star-studded team with expectations in its second season in one of the biggest media markets in the league.
The Lighton Prestige hold the #7 pick this year, looking to bounce back from their worst season as a team. The first of their two picks today is used to take Waluigi, who was released after a historically bad rookie year with the Maplewood Lumberjacks. The Prestige have a similar talent level on their roster, so the hope is that Waluigi will just be more comfortable with them after a speculative pick by the normally shrewd franchise.
The Commerce Tradewinds did most of their rebuilding last night with two players coming their way in the trade with the Eastside Sharks. They complete the job with the #8 pick now, using it to take the rookie Rosemary. The Tradewinds have had mild success with rookies before, but Rosemary is expected to be a decent contributor. She will likely split time with Niki as the fourth batter in cricket, and also should play just above league average in pool according to the scouts.
Picking in the #9 slot today are the Terrace City Knights, who have not taken a rookie in their previous two years. They'll break the trend this year, using the pick to add even more star-power to their team with Melissa Benoist. The Supergirl herself joins the Knights with little pressure for immediate performance with the likes of Kiwi and Jennifer around to help her acclimate. Her level-headed nature will also pair well with Oreo, with whom she will likely share time in cricket at the back of the roster.
The #10 pick belongs to the Pearl Surfers this time, who were reluctant to make two cuts. They hold out hope to get one of their former players back, but it won't be with this selection. Instead, they take Beth, who has spent the last four years in foreign leagues. The former Whitewater Shore played in Tournaments prior to the formation of the league itself, but has no experience in cricket, and will likely be eased into that sport. Beth is a unique addition to a team with a strong core and plenty of leadership.
Outside the top 10, the Harrison Specters are up for the #11 pick, selecting Rudolph, a rookie. Rudolph is not a young player by any means, but this is his first year in the league. He is cautious and heady, but also determined, a good trait to balance out the many personalities on a Specters team facing a pivotal year in their second era.
Right after them, the Specters' biggest rivals, the Web City Spiders, hold the #12 pick this year. The Spiders are looking to get another rookie this year, and preferably one with high expectations to lift them out of their years-long struggles. Instead, they pick up the former Pacific Volcano Jack, who fits into the big and strong identity the Spiders are aiming for. Jack and Ted should combine well in the middle of their lineup, playing a similar style to each other.
Picking 13th this year, the Todavía Stills hope to avoid resigning a player like they did last year. They'll do just that with their first of two picks today, taking the former Stonebridge Wolf, Prism. After a decent rookie year, Prism found herself as a close-call cut by the Wolves, and she will look to prove them wrong with the Stills, who routinely challenge as a top team in both sports.
Finishing off the fourth round, the Capital City Sharpshooters will make the #14 overall pick, their first of two today. The Sharpshooters used this pick to take Pauline, a Mushroom Kingdom celebrity and the Mayor of New Donk City in the upcoming Super Mario Odyssey game. The Sharpshooters have long wanted a celebrity player, and Pauline tracks similarly to the overwhelmingly successful introduction of her peers last season. The rookie is a welcome addition to the Sharpshooters.
The fifth and final round will get underway with the #15 pick to be taken by the Stonebridge Wolves, who want another tough-minded player. They think they have a hit by drafting the slight-built but aggressive Russian, Vladimir Vasilyev. A rookie, Vladimir should fit into the Wolves roster perfectly, as the second-year team successfully scouts and drafts to their identity again.
The #16 pick belongs to the Viewpoint Sound Meteors, who use it to select Vincent Sullivan, just one pick after his close friend was selected. The Meteors have a mishmash of personalities and skills on their team now, with the hopes that some of them will spark the team to success despite an apparent lack of chemistry.
After their franchise-altering trade of Fluffina to the Torpedoes last night, the Maplewood Lumberjacks still have the #17 pick to add to Whiskers and the returning Gabe to fill out the roster. This pick turned into the rookie Summer, who represents a fresh start for the team with the departure of their captain. Summer is considered a more sensitive player who focuses on finesse, but she will have to find her spot quickly to avoid a repeat of last year for the Lumberjacks.
The rebuilding process for the Eastside Sharks continues with their first of two picks in this round. This #18 pick is their natural selection, which will be used on Cubby, the former Maplewood Lumberjack returning as a Legacy player. Cubby had a middling pair of years with the Lumberjacks, but a reunion with his close friend Graham could unlock the best of him for the Sharks, who are not being critically acclaimed for their selections.
The Victoria Spurs use the pick acquired from the North Modernistic Nighthawks in their trade that sent B. Chapman the other way. The #19 selection results in Sage, a highly-hyped rookie by name only. Sage is a very old rookie, finally making her first appearance in the league, and the Spurs are considered highly for taking her as a more poised complement to Spice. While lacking in strength and force, the Spurs are certainly one of the most thoughtful and analytical teams in the league now.
Trying to counter their rivals' big acquisition, the Lighton Prestige are on the clock for the #20 overall pick. Instead, the Prestige appear to be this year's home for second chances with the addition of former Capital City Sharpshooter Nicole, who joins her fourth team in six years. The Prestige can't expect many accolades for reaching on both of their picks after letting a solid veteran in Twinkie I walk away for nothing.
The Victoria Spurs are back to fill out their roster with their natural selection, the #21 overall pick. This time, they didn't get as much praise, taking Strawberry right ahead of her former team's pick. Strawberry may benefit from the stronger leadership from Spice, who plays more effectively in a similar style to the one-time Union player and long-time Trident.
The Modernistic Union will avoid any reunions now, using the #22 pick to take the rookie Kodiak. The rookie tracks as a fairly average player, providing solid depth behind Ms. Puppy and Daisy as the Union hope to get at least a small bump up the standings. Minor praise for making a safe choice greets the Union this time.
The Eastside Sharks use the second pick acquired from the Tradewinds in a trade last night, drafting 23rd overall here. They prefer a rookie in this situation, but they'll get Gizmo, whose entire career had been with the Central Warriors up to this point. Gizmo has long toed the line of acceptability in his play, but now that his Warriors career is truly over, the change of scenery and a fresh start may do the veteran good.
The Southern Monarchs hope to lead off the second half of the draft with as much of a surprise as they did at the start. They want a solid veteran with the #24 pick, but surprisingly get Dominic, who was part of their initial team in 2012 under the Reyes Del Sur name. This is the second time Dominic has spent non-consecutive years with the same team, previously doing so with the Atlantic Pirates in 2014 and 2016. His career has also seen him in Web City and Viewpoint Sound.
Another Coastal team goes next, as the Oceanside Waves use the #25 pick they acquired from the Southridge Defenders last night after trading Caitlin. The Waves take a positively-reviewed rookie in Josie, who may have some trouble adjusting to the climate of Oceanside but should address their need for a more powerful presence in the offense in cricket particularly.
The Terrace City Knights have the #26 pick, and are hoping for one rookie in particular at this point after passing on her earlier. They won't get what they want, but the rookie Quincy is a solid pick at this stage in the draft. He is expected to be slightly above average in pool with a highly cerebral style, and should fit well in the competitive environment the Knights have created in just over two years.
The Pearl Surfers get one more chance for a reunion with the #27 pick. Their selection is an interesting one, failing to reunite with Wings but selecting his brother Bright instead. Bright most recently played for the Nighthawks, and also spent time with the Torpedoes and Hummingbirds previously, and now will provide the muscle for a Surfers team best known for placement more than power.
The Surfers' rivals are back for their natural selection at #28, as the Oceanside Waves select Jason V. The gentle giant rookie may also have to adjust a bit to Oceanside's climate, but he is similar in strength to Josie as the Waves have successfully bulked up with two rookies in two picks.
The Halloween Derby teams are back, beginning with the Harrison Specters with the #29 pick. With the pick, the Specters selected Mitchell, clearly throwing caution to the wind with attitude concerns. With both Lexi and Mitchell on the team, and a feisty Twinkie II as the captain, the Specters will have to take a loose approach to management as the players figure things out themselves.
Their rivals, the Web City Spiders are up next with the #30 pick. The Spiders are hoping for another big and strong player, since leadership is lacking in the remaining available picks. Instead, the Spiders reunited with Sugar, who spent 2015 and 2016 with the team after departing the Eastside Sharks. Sugar spent 2017 with the rival Specters, but has returned to where she had her greatest success.
The Queens Flames have the chance for a reunion as well with the #31 pick. The Flames chose not to follow that route, instead taking the last hyped rookie on the board in Briana Livilotti. The youngest sister of the Livilotti family, Briana will have high expectations immediately as she looks to fill the void left by Paige's departure. The Flames have a very young team this year, with three of their five players holding less than two years of service.
The first of eleven teams returning only their roster from 2017 is up with the #32 pick, which belongs to the Tysini Hummingbirds. This time, they take Paps, as they show no fear in reclamation projects, having succeeded in those for the last three years. Paps' one-year tenure with the Sharks did not go well, but he historically played solidly for the Tridents for four years. Tysini is a great landing spot for such a player looking to return to past glory.
The Midland Predators thought about a cut earlier, but backed off, making the #33 pick their only selection today. With it, they take the former Atlantic Pirate Americus, who spent a good couple of years with that team. Americus joins a successful Predators team where she should split time with Leonardo and Fuchsia at the back of the lineup.
The Freedom Cascades were one of three teams to be forced to save all of their players, making the #34 overall pick their only selection. They used the pick on the former Terrace City Knight, Stripes, who has also spent time in Web City and Viewpoint Sound. Stripes matches the Cascades' aggressive style, although maybe to a more extreme level than the rest of the roster, but the pick is generally praiseworthy.
The Whitewater Shores go next with the #35 pick, looking for a player a bit more aggressive than Shaggy to pair up at the back of the roster. They selected Katharine McPhee, a rookie, who doesn't quite fit the bill for what they wanted, but who is expected to be league average at a minimum, making this a good pick for the Shores.
The Todavía Stills are the last team with a chance to make a reunion happen, as they ponder their choice at the #36 spot. They went with Anton, a rookie who does not seem to be on course for a successful league career. The Stills have managed to get the best out of players before, but this is a curious direction for the franchise to take in the now-official post-Sparkles era.
The Atlantic Pirates look to replace Americus with the #37 pick in the draft. They would be happy with about half of the players left on the board. They feel pretty good about getting Max this deep, as the former Flame and Lumberjack spent multiple years in both locations. Max should at least match production from what Americus provides as he splits time with the returning Steven early in the year.
The Capital City Sharpshooters hold the #38 pick, and have plenty of options after going big in the fourth round. They elected to make a similar pick this time, adding the former Commerce Tradewind Lorde, who had a decent rookie season before a sophomore slump last year. Lorde seems poised for a career renaissance, and Capital City has enough depth to help her ease into it.
The Archtown Arrows retained their entire roster for a third consecutive year, but will add a player this time in the hopes of breaking out of mediocrity. They used the #39 pick on Wild Thing, a journeyman Legacy player most recently with the Whitewater Shores in 2016. Wild Thing is best at pool, and will likely start on the bench in cricket, playing sparingly until he proves himself.
The Golden Pilots are another team forced to save their whole roster, and they hope to added one of the veterans remaining on the board with the #40 pick. They did just that, grabbing the former Todavía Still, Sparkles. She spent her entire career with the Stills, returning to them in the draft last year before leaving for good this year. Sparkles has a bit of pop, and will split time with A. Charlton at first in cricket.
The Westside Rockers are next in line, looking to add a competitive player to their roster with the #41 pick. They picked up the last Legacy player with the pick, taking the former Pearl Surfer Cowzart. His one year with the Surfers did not go well due to high expectations, but he will have it easier with a Rockers team that has a very established top-four.
The Swordpoint Blades get the next pick, and they don't have much differentiation on their list for the remaining players. They used the #42 selection on the rookie Jason N., after having success on the rookie market last year with Bandit. Jason N. will challenge Bandit and Stealth for playing time in cricket, and could be a sleeper Rookie of the Year pick in pool.
The Pronger Tridents get the next look, and are interested in the last remaining rookie on the board with the #43 pick. They followed up that interest with action, drafting the last remaining rookie in Lize, who will not play much cricket early in the year due to a shoulder injury. When she gets going about a month into the season, she is expected to be another good choice for the Tridents after succeeding on both rookie selections last year.
The Boston Swifts have an interesting choice to make at the #44 pick, with a very intriguing option left on the board for them. The chance didn't come to pass, as the Swifts went with the former Commerce Tradewind, Ice Cream, who had spent her whole career with that team. Ice Cream joins a tight group in Boston, as the Swifts look to return to title competition with her in the fold.
The Central Warriors get to make the last decision in this draft, choosing between two veterans left on the board. The Warriors elected to go with the career Pearl Surfer Wings, giving the big veteran a chance to fill Gizmo's spot on the team and compete with Noelle and Mario for playing time in cricket at the Premier level.
The final player went to the Pacific Volcanoes at the #46 slot. That player was the career Lighton Prestige member Twinkie I, who now unites with a Starlight-led squad up the coast a bit. The two feisty veterans should keep the Volcanoes in a competitive form for 2018, as the Volcanoes look for a big follow-up to an excellent 2017.
That's all for the 2018 UPCL Draft. Over the weekend, I will be working on aligning all of my documents and creating the jerseys for the players who have switched teams. With any luck, the Heart of the Game Cutthroat Tournament will begin on Monday.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
UPCL Trades, Draft-Eligible Players, and Draft Order
First, the big news around the league. Tonight marked the trading window for UPCL clubs, and while some expected big players stayed quiet, others made a huge splash. Four trades were completed, while a couple of others fell apart. Most notably, the Southern Monarchs and Queens Flames retained their compensatory picks. The Royal Crowns, also in a bit of a roster jam, decided to handle their business in house, so they were active in rejecting deals only. The four trades that were completed were:
The Oceanside Waves send Caitlin to the Southridge Defenders for the #25 overall pick, a fifth round selection. The Waves had decided to move on from Caitlin one way or another due to ideological differences, and found a willing partner in the Defenders, whose reputation for player development should aid Caitlin's fourth season greatly. In return, the Waves continue to search for the elusive right mix of players for sustained success, as the usually relaxed management begins to feel some pressure.
Another minor trade saw the Victoria Spurs send longtime veteran B. Chapman to the North Modernistic Nighthawks for the #19 overall pick, a fifth round selection. The Spurs have dangled Chapman on the trade market in both offseasons where trading has been allowed, and they found a taker this time. The Nighthawks add a veteran presence to a relatively young team, while the Spurs will try their rebuild on the fly with two selections in tomorrow's draft, looking to continue their development pedigree that began with Yekaterina two years ago.
Two teams that were expected to make waves were the Eastside Sharks and the Commerce Tradewinds. In this case, the Sharks packaged Taylor Swift and Niki in exchange for the #3 and #23 overall picks, in the third and fifth rounds respectively. The Sharks made the decision to trade Taylor after the dramatic shift in her public image earlier this month, with which they chose to "exclude themselves from the narrative" regarding their celebrity player. To make the deal more palatable for a rebuilding Tradewinds team, a solid third-year player in Niki was added, and the Tradewinds retain the #8 overall pick in the fourth round as well. The Tradewinds would make a later attempt to trade with the Crowns, but the deal was rejected.
The blockbuster trade of the night featured the Infinity Torpedoes, who solved their oversized roster problem by shipping out an expendable star in Whiskers alongside Legacy player Gabe in a two-for-one deal with the Maplewood Lumberjacks, who sent their now-former captain Fluffina the other way. This looks like a deal where both teams will improve, although the Torpedoes would have preferred to keep Whiskers had a trade not been so urgent to make. Instead, Fluffina will try her comeback campaign in Infinity, while Gabe's return to the league also sees him play for the team that originally drafted him, a homecoming of sorts for the cerebral veteran.
The players eligible for selection, alphabetically listed, are as follows (former team in parentheses).
Americus (Atlantic)
Anton (Rookie)
Avril Lavigne (Rookie)
Beth (Whitewater, Legacy Player)
Briana Livilotti (Rookie)
Bright (North Modernistic)
Cowzart (Pearl, Legacy Player)
Cubby (Maplewood, Legacy Player)
Dani (Web City)
Dominic (Viewpoint Sound)
Gal Gadot (Rookie)
Gizmo (Central)
Hannah (Royal)
Hershey (Rookie)
Ice Cream (Commerce)
Jack (Pacific, Legacy Player)
Jason N. (Rookie)
Jason V. (Rookie)
Josie (Rookie)
Katharine McPhee (Rookie)
Kodiak (Rookie)
Lize (Rookie)
Lorde (Commerce)
Max (Queens)
Melissa Benoist (Rookie)
Mitchell (Rookie)
Nicole (Capital City)
Paps (Eastside)
Pauline (Rookie)
Prism (Stonebridge)
Quincy (Rookie)
Rosemary (Rookie)
Rudolph (Rookie)
Sage (Rookie)
Salmo (Lighton)
Sparkles (Todavía)
Strawberry (Modernistic)
Stripes (Terrace City)
Sugar (Harrison)
Summer (Rookie)
Twinkie I (Lighton)
Vincent Sullivan (Rookie)
Vladimir Vasilyev (Rookie)
Waluigi (Maplewood)
Wild Thing (Whitewater, Legacy Player)
Wings (Pearl)
The Official Draft Order is as follows
The Oceanside Waves send Caitlin to the Southridge Defenders for the #25 overall pick, a fifth round selection. The Waves had decided to move on from Caitlin one way or another due to ideological differences, and found a willing partner in the Defenders, whose reputation for player development should aid Caitlin's fourth season greatly. In return, the Waves continue to search for the elusive right mix of players for sustained success, as the usually relaxed management begins to feel some pressure.
Another minor trade saw the Victoria Spurs send longtime veteran B. Chapman to the North Modernistic Nighthawks for the #19 overall pick, a fifth round selection. The Spurs have dangled Chapman on the trade market in both offseasons where trading has been allowed, and they found a taker this time. The Nighthawks add a veteran presence to a relatively young team, while the Spurs will try their rebuild on the fly with two selections in tomorrow's draft, looking to continue their development pedigree that began with Yekaterina two years ago.
Two teams that were expected to make waves were the Eastside Sharks and the Commerce Tradewinds. In this case, the Sharks packaged Taylor Swift and Niki in exchange for the #3 and #23 overall picks, in the third and fifth rounds respectively. The Sharks made the decision to trade Taylor after the dramatic shift in her public image earlier this month, with which they chose to "exclude themselves from the narrative" regarding their celebrity player. To make the deal more palatable for a rebuilding Tradewinds team, a solid third-year player in Niki was added, and the Tradewinds retain the #8 overall pick in the fourth round as well. The Tradewinds would make a later attempt to trade with the Crowns, but the deal was rejected.
The blockbuster trade of the night featured the Infinity Torpedoes, who solved their oversized roster problem by shipping out an expendable star in Whiskers alongside Legacy player Gabe in a two-for-one deal with the Maplewood Lumberjacks, who sent their now-former captain Fluffina the other way. This looks like a deal where both teams will improve, although the Torpedoes would have preferred to keep Whiskers had a trade not been so urgent to make. Instead, Fluffina will try her comeback campaign in Infinity, while Gabe's return to the league also sees him play for the team that originally drafted him, a homecoming of sorts for the cerebral veteran.
The players eligible for selection, alphabetically listed, are as follows (former team in parentheses).
Americus (Atlantic)
Anton (Rookie)
Avril Lavigne (Rookie)
Beth (Whitewater, Legacy Player)
Briana Livilotti (Rookie)
Bright (North Modernistic)
Cowzart (Pearl, Legacy Player)
Cubby (Maplewood, Legacy Player)
Dani (Web City)
Dominic (Viewpoint Sound)
Gal Gadot (Rookie)
Gizmo (Central)
Hannah (Royal)
Hershey (Rookie)
Ice Cream (Commerce)
Jack (Pacific, Legacy Player)
Jason N. (Rookie)
Jason V. (Rookie)
Josie (Rookie)
Katharine McPhee (Rookie)
Kodiak (Rookie)
Lize (Rookie)
Lorde (Commerce)
Max (Queens)
Melissa Benoist (Rookie)
Mitchell (Rookie)
Nicole (Capital City)
Paps (Eastside)
Pauline (Rookie)
Prism (Stonebridge)
Quincy (Rookie)
Rosemary (Rookie)
Rudolph (Rookie)
Sage (Rookie)
Salmo (Lighton)
Sparkles (Todavía)
Strawberry (Modernistic)
Stripes (Terrace City)
Sugar (Harrison)
Summer (Rookie)
Twinkie I (Lighton)
Vincent Sullivan (Rookie)
Vladimir Vasilyev (Rookie)
Waluigi (Maplewood)
Wild Thing (Whitewater, Legacy Player)
Wings (Pearl)
The Official Draft Order is as follows
- Southern
- Queens
- Eastside (via Commerce)
- Stonebridge
- Viewpoint Sound
- North Modernistic
- Lighton
- Commerce
- Terrace City
- Pearl
- Harrison
- Web City
- Todavía
- Capital City
- Stonebridge
- Viewpoint Sound
- Maplewood
- Eastside
- Victoria (via North Modernistic)
- Lighton
- Victoria
- Modernistic
- Eastside (via Commerce)
- Southern
- Oceanside (via Southridge)
- Terrace City
- Pearl
- Oceanside
- Harrison
- Web City
- Queens
- Tysini
- Midland
- Freedom
- Whitewater
- Todavía
- Atlantic
- Capital City
- Archtown
- Golden
- Westside
- Swordpoint
- Pronger
- Boston
- Central
- Pacific
Monday, September 25, 2017
Hutton Cup Finals: Pacific Volcanoes VS. Everton Eagles
This is it for the tumultuous 2016-17 UPCL season. The final game action is the Hutton Cup Finals, which will be a best of seven series played all in one day. At the end, one team will earn the trophy and the offseason will officially kick off. We begin with...
Game 1: Verizon Field, Pacific. The first two games are out on the coast, with the Volcanoes playing host as the regular season champions with home field advantage. Goldy made a reasonable start with 410 for Everton in the lead-off role, hoping to establish their offense early in the game. Starlight took a minor step back from her recent production levels for Pacific, only able to take 243 on the hosts' first turn in this game. Puff III showed up with even more strength for the Eagles, slapping 756 to boost their lead. Ms. Kitty made a good counterattack with 668 for the Volcanoes, keeping them within striking distance. Kirstin stumbled quite a bit with a low pace and just 149 points for Everton, weakening their lead. Leonette just edged Pacific ahead with 416 on her turn, setting up a close finish to the first battle between these teams. Blizzard made a decent effort with 371 for the Eagles, giving them a final of 1686. Chicky Phil couldn't get the Volcanoes going at the end, bowing out with a pitiful 37 to leave them at 1364 in the loss. Everton has a 1-0 series lead early on, putting the regular season champions on notice.
Game 2: Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes have some work to do now after dropping the series opener on their own field. Goldy crushed a much more intimidating 1099 for Everton at the start of this game, setting them up for success with the strong performance. Starlight accidentally tipped a ball backward, and she couldn't recover in time, ending on 168 for Pacific in a poor start. Puff III ran a highly effective second attack with 631 for the Eagles, padding their lead quite a bit. Ms. Kitty made a small dent in the deficit with her 748 for the Volcanoes, trying to keep them in the fight. Kirstin came up a bit flat after a decent start to her turn, closing with 298 for Everton in a small addition to their lead. Leonette added some more pressure with 742 for Pacific, her strong attack pulling them closer with a player each to go. Blizzard took a small stumble with 177 for the Eagles, leaving them at 2205 total for the game, far from a safe mark. Chicky Phil attacked with force, rallying to 594 for the Volcanoes that secured a win for them at 2252 total. Pacific's furious comeback tied the series at 1 before the series shifts to the east.
Game 3: Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles just got a taste of the dangerous Volcanoes offense, and will need to be better at locking games down at home. Starlight's struggles with scoring continued on the road, with just 30 points to lead things off in poor form for Pacific. Goldy had a much more respectable start for Everton, slicing 480 to give the hosts a nice lead early on. Ms. Kitty wasn't able to cover the deficit on her turn, tapping 348 as the Volcanoes scuffle again. Puff III had a sloppy appearance for the Eagles this time out, only able to take a meager 65 points as their lead weakens. Leonette covered the deficit with 192 for Pacific, but not by a wide margin as the game remains low-scoring. Kirstin took a middling 200 in response for Everton, restoring their small lead ahead of the final players' turns. Chicky Phil applied some pressure with 416 for the Volcanoes this time, ending their offense at 986 for the game. Blizzard thought she had enough with 240 for the Eagles, but in the end, they had 985, losing by a single point that could change the direction of the series. Pacific has to feel blessed to get this win and the corresponding 2-1 series lead.
Game 4: Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles need to swallow the heartbreak quickly, as the Volcanoes will take the recent narrow win as motivation. Starlight found her offense to lead off this battle for Pacific, hammering 800 for a strong start for the visitors. Goldy made up about half of the initial deficit with 396 for Everton, but they've got work to do after being rattled at the end of the last game. Ms. Kitty fired back with 1016 for the Volcanoes, her big performance extending the lead significantly. Puff III answered with 499 for the Eagles, a strong turn but also not enough to keep the deficit steady at the midway mark. Leonette had a rocky turn for Pacific with only 184 points added to the offense, weakening their lead. Kirstin did her part well for Everton with 416, trying to pull them closer late in the game. Chicky Phil shot back with 585 for the Volcanoes at the end, setting their final at 2585, a lofty mark. Blizzard took an embarrassing 12 for the Eagles at the end, leaving them with 1323. Pacific's win here sends them home on the brink of the championship at a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5: Verizon Field, Pacific. The Volcanoes have a chance to sweep the cricket season if they can pick up one more win at home against the Eagles. Goldy attacked with pace for Everton early on, but an errant hit downed her at 225, a mediocre performance on the whole. Starlight saw her offense deflate a bit again for Pacific, but her critical backhand touch kept her turn going until she ended at 299. Puff III offered a far more imposing effort for the Eagles in attack with 571, giving them a nice lead. Ms. Kitty offered up a stronger counterattack for the Volcanoes, her 679 restoring their lead halfway through the game. Kirstin covered the deficit for Everton with 486 on her turn, a strong performance from the sophomore. Leonette couldn't quite keep up for Pacific, her 298 putting them behind by just a handful of points with the final players' turns left. Blizzard offered a stern challenge with 431 for the Eagles, putting their final score at 1713. Chicky Phil couldn't secure the game for the Volcanoes, falling at 305 instead as they lost with 1581 this time. The Eagles can't be counted out yet, as this win brings the series to 3-2 in favor of Pacific.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles won their first of up to three must-win games, earning a trip back home for this game 6 against the Volcanoes. Starlight saw her offense fail her again this time, taking a weak 112 for Pacific in a lackluster start to this critical game. Goldy responded with a massive performance, crushing 1123 for Everton to give them a large lead immediately. Ms. Kitty shot back with 666 for the Volcanoes, doing her part to pull them closer after a rough first turn. Puff III did fairly well to fight off most of that damage with 619 for the Eagles, maintaining their lead at the midway point. Leonette chipped in with 411 for Pacific on her turn, but it's not considering a threatening effort from the veteran. Kirstin had a bit of a tumble with 192 for Everton, weakening their lead slightly with a player each to go. Chicky Phil made one late rally with 504 for the Volcanoes, leaving them short at 1693. Blizzard kept it fairly simple with 423 at the end, sealing the Eagles' win at 2357. Everton has fought hard to this point, tying the series at 3 to set up the grandest of finales for this year.
Game 7: Verizon Field, Pacific. The season, the series, and the Hutton Cup's destination all come down to this single game, as the two foes break their 3-all tie for the championship right now. Goldy floated 455 for Everton to open the game, a serviceable performance from the captain. Starlight didn't cover the deficit for Pacific at first, but her 359 kept it closer than most of the starts in this series. Puff III covered that damage easily, although the deflection that ended her turn overshadowed a remarkable pace she had going for the Eagles. Ms. Kitty didn't do as well for the Volcanoes with 308, allowing the deficit to grow at the midway mark. Kirstin made a hefty contribution to the offense for Everton with her 627, padding their lead quite nicely at this stage of the game. Leonette charged back with 755 for Pacific, as if this series could end any other way than a close battle between the final players in the final game. Blizzard didn't get a whole lot out of her turn with 256 for the Eagles, who end at 1699 overall and will wait to see how the hosts respond. Chicky Phil came up short at 96 for the Volcanoes, their 1518 ending their title hopes. The Everton Eagles lift the Hutton Cup with a 4-3 series win.
Interviews
Hutton Cup MVP and Eagles captain Goldy: "It feels great to be able to bring this city, this team, a championship. I was here in those early years where we could barely score any points and we were constantly getting run over, and I'm glad the team stuck by me, allowed me to be the core of this team for our championship. Obviously, our depth is one of our strengths, and while the middle of this season was tough, we got hot when we needed to and maybe surprised some of our opponents here. We're never done when others think we are, and that's what makes being an Eagle so great."
Puff III: "I really enjoy playing a spark-plug role with this team. I thrive under pressure, and I'm so excited to see everything fall into place to make this championship possible. I think Goldy and I especially do a great job of setting the table, making it easier for the players behind us to contribute in a comfortable environment. I obviously had my best year this year. To end with the Hutton Cup makes it that much sweeter, and I love my teammates and what we've built here."
Blizzard: "I remember when the Eagles drafted me after I got cut by the Blades two years ago, and I thought 'they're good at pool, but cricket's never been good.' Now, I've seen a regular season title and a Hutton Cup in my two years here, and I'm really happy to be a part of it. We have a good group here, and it'll be great to get Cleo back in the fold next season. This team stays so composed, we always fight back, and while our regular season wasn't great, we did what we had to here to get ourselves at the Premier level for next year, where we can be in a good position to defend this title. I look forward to enjoying this championship, but also for next year and years beyond."
Kirstin: "It's my first year here, and coming here after kind of a messy rookie year with the Monarchs... I really learned to be a professional. I appreciate the confidence of management to bat me third, even though I didn't show much last year in that role with Southern. Having a veteran like Blizzard behind me, a captain like Goldy, they both know how to have patience when things aren't going right. Puff [III] and I are a bit more relaxed, and she had an amazing year. Just being surrounded with talent like this, every single game, it's a pleasure. Best way to end the year."
Now, for the bad news. The UPCL season is done, after facing so much adversity. It's been a long 14 months to get to this point. The recent boost in cricket activity is going to have to give way to a prolonged absence from action, both to let the players and let myself rest. As of now, I would expect preseason action to begin in the first week of November, and the regular season should get going around the middle of the month. For the rest of this week, we'll have silence on here until Thursday, when the trading window opens. Deals are being negotiated currently, but all will be announced come Thursday, ahead of the draft tentatively scheduled for Friday. A list of players available for selection should be published following the trading window on Thursday. The early part of the week will be contained to mostly administrative tasks, and potentially the formation of the schedules for the upcoming cricket season and such things as cue allocations for pool. This may happen this week, or it could be put off until later. When pool resumes next Monday, it will be with the Cutthroat mini-tournament. You'll see some of this stuff in action as it happens.
Game 1: Verizon Field, Pacific. The first two games are out on the coast, with the Volcanoes playing host as the regular season champions with home field advantage. Goldy made a reasonable start with 410 for Everton in the lead-off role, hoping to establish their offense early in the game. Starlight took a minor step back from her recent production levels for Pacific, only able to take 243 on the hosts' first turn in this game. Puff III showed up with even more strength for the Eagles, slapping 756 to boost their lead. Ms. Kitty made a good counterattack with 668 for the Volcanoes, keeping them within striking distance. Kirstin stumbled quite a bit with a low pace and just 149 points for Everton, weakening their lead. Leonette just edged Pacific ahead with 416 on her turn, setting up a close finish to the first battle between these teams. Blizzard made a decent effort with 371 for the Eagles, giving them a final of 1686. Chicky Phil couldn't get the Volcanoes going at the end, bowing out with a pitiful 37 to leave them at 1364 in the loss. Everton has a 1-0 series lead early on, putting the regular season champions on notice.
Game 2: Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes have some work to do now after dropping the series opener on their own field. Goldy crushed a much more intimidating 1099 for Everton at the start of this game, setting them up for success with the strong performance. Starlight accidentally tipped a ball backward, and she couldn't recover in time, ending on 168 for Pacific in a poor start. Puff III ran a highly effective second attack with 631 for the Eagles, padding their lead quite a bit. Ms. Kitty made a small dent in the deficit with her 748 for the Volcanoes, trying to keep them in the fight. Kirstin came up a bit flat after a decent start to her turn, closing with 298 for Everton in a small addition to their lead. Leonette added some more pressure with 742 for Pacific, her strong attack pulling them closer with a player each to go. Blizzard took a small stumble with 177 for the Eagles, leaving them at 2205 total for the game, far from a safe mark. Chicky Phil attacked with force, rallying to 594 for the Volcanoes that secured a win for them at 2252 total. Pacific's furious comeback tied the series at 1 before the series shifts to the east.
Game 3: Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles just got a taste of the dangerous Volcanoes offense, and will need to be better at locking games down at home. Starlight's struggles with scoring continued on the road, with just 30 points to lead things off in poor form for Pacific. Goldy had a much more respectable start for Everton, slicing 480 to give the hosts a nice lead early on. Ms. Kitty wasn't able to cover the deficit on her turn, tapping 348 as the Volcanoes scuffle again. Puff III had a sloppy appearance for the Eagles this time out, only able to take a meager 65 points as their lead weakens. Leonette covered the deficit with 192 for Pacific, but not by a wide margin as the game remains low-scoring. Kirstin took a middling 200 in response for Everton, restoring their small lead ahead of the final players' turns. Chicky Phil applied some pressure with 416 for the Volcanoes this time, ending their offense at 986 for the game. Blizzard thought she had enough with 240 for the Eagles, but in the end, they had 985, losing by a single point that could change the direction of the series. Pacific has to feel blessed to get this win and the corresponding 2-1 series lead.
Game 4: Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles need to swallow the heartbreak quickly, as the Volcanoes will take the recent narrow win as motivation. Starlight found her offense to lead off this battle for Pacific, hammering 800 for a strong start for the visitors. Goldy made up about half of the initial deficit with 396 for Everton, but they've got work to do after being rattled at the end of the last game. Ms. Kitty fired back with 1016 for the Volcanoes, her big performance extending the lead significantly. Puff III answered with 499 for the Eagles, a strong turn but also not enough to keep the deficit steady at the midway mark. Leonette had a rocky turn for Pacific with only 184 points added to the offense, weakening their lead. Kirstin did her part well for Everton with 416, trying to pull them closer late in the game. Chicky Phil shot back with 585 for the Volcanoes at the end, setting their final at 2585, a lofty mark. Blizzard took an embarrassing 12 for the Eagles at the end, leaving them with 1323. Pacific's win here sends them home on the brink of the championship at a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5: Verizon Field, Pacific. The Volcanoes have a chance to sweep the cricket season if they can pick up one more win at home against the Eagles. Goldy attacked with pace for Everton early on, but an errant hit downed her at 225, a mediocre performance on the whole. Starlight saw her offense deflate a bit again for Pacific, but her critical backhand touch kept her turn going until she ended at 299. Puff III offered a far more imposing effort for the Eagles in attack with 571, giving them a nice lead. Ms. Kitty offered up a stronger counterattack for the Volcanoes, her 679 restoring their lead halfway through the game. Kirstin covered the deficit for Everton with 486 on her turn, a strong performance from the sophomore. Leonette couldn't quite keep up for Pacific, her 298 putting them behind by just a handful of points with the final players' turns left. Blizzard offered a stern challenge with 431 for the Eagles, putting their final score at 1713. Chicky Phil couldn't secure the game for the Volcanoes, falling at 305 instead as they lost with 1581 this time. The Eagles can't be counted out yet, as this win brings the series to 3-2 in favor of Pacific.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles won their first of up to three must-win games, earning a trip back home for this game 6 against the Volcanoes. Starlight saw her offense fail her again this time, taking a weak 112 for Pacific in a lackluster start to this critical game. Goldy responded with a massive performance, crushing 1123 for Everton to give them a large lead immediately. Ms. Kitty shot back with 666 for the Volcanoes, doing her part to pull them closer after a rough first turn. Puff III did fairly well to fight off most of that damage with 619 for the Eagles, maintaining their lead at the midway point. Leonette chipped in with 411 for Pacific on her turn, but it's not considering a threatening effort from the veteran. Kirstin had a bit of a tumble with 192 for Everton, weakening their lead slightly with a player each to go. Chicky Phil made one late rally with 504 for the Volcanoes, leaving them short at 1693. Blizzard kept it fairly simple with 423 at the end, sealing the Eagles' win at 2357. Everton has fought hard to this point, tying the series at 3 to set up the grandest of finales for this year.
Game 7: Verizon Field, Pacific. The season, the series, and the Hutton Cup's destination all come down to this single game, as the two foes break their 3-all tie for the championship right now. Goldy floated 455 for Everton to open the game, a serviceable performance from the captain. Starlight didn't cover the deficit for Pacific at first, but her 359 kept it closer than most of the starts in this series. Puff III covered that damage easily, although the deflection that ended her turn overshadowed a remarkable pace she had going for the Eagles. Ms. Kitty didn't do as well for the Volcanoes with 308, allowing the deficit to grow at the midway mark. Kirstin made a hefty contribution to the offense for Everton with her 627, padding their lead quite nicely at this stage of the game. Leonette charged back with 755 for Pacific, as if this series could end any other way than a close battle between the final players in the final game. Blizzard didn't get a whole lot out of her turn with 256 for the Eagles, who end at 1699 overall and will wait to see how the hosts respond. Chicky Phil came up short at 96 for the Volcanoes, their 1518 ending their title hopes. The Everton Eagles lift the Hutton Cup with a 4-3 series win.
Interviews
Hutton Cup MVP and Eagles captain Goldy: "It feels great to be able to bring this city, this team, a championship. I was here in those early years where we could barely score any points and we were constantly getting run over, and I'm glad the team stuck by me, allowed me to be the core of this team for our championship. Obviously, our depth is one of our strengths, and while the middle of this season was tough, we got hot when we needed to and maybe surprised some of our opponents here. We're never done when others think we are, and that's what makes being an Eagle so great."
Puff III: "I really enjoy playing a spark-plug role with this team. I thrive under pressure, and I'm so excited to see everything fall into place to make this championship possible. I think Goldy and I especially do a great job of setting the table, making it easier for the players behind us to contribute in a comfortable environment. I obviously had my best year this year. To end with the Hutton Cup makes it that much sweeter, and I love my teammates and what we've built here."
Blizzard: "I remember when the Eagles drafted me after I got cut by the Blades two years ago, and I thought 'they're good at pool, but cricket's never been good.' Now, I've seen a regular season title and a Hutton Cup in my two years here, and I'm really happy to be a part of it. We have a good group here, and it'll be great to get Cleo back in the fold next season. This team stays so composed, we always fight back, and while our regular season wasn't great, we did what we had to here to get ourselves at the Premier level for next year, where we can be in a good position to defend this title. I look forward to enjoying this championship, but also for next year and years beyond."
Kirstin: "It's my first year here, and coming here after kind of a messy rookie year with the Monarchs... I really learned to be a professional. I appreciate the confidence of management to bat me third, even though I didn't show much last year in that role with Southern. Having a veteran like Blizzard behind me, a captain like Goldy, they both know how to have patience when things aren't going right. Puff [III] and I are a bit more relaxed, and she had an amazing year. Just being surrounded with talent like this, every single game, it's a pleasure. Best way to end the year."
Now, for the bad news. The UPCL season is done, after facing so much adversity. It's been a long 14 months to get to this point. The recent boost in cricket activity is going to have to give way to a prolonged absence from action, both to let the players and let myself rest. As of now, I would expect preseason action to begin in the first week of November, and the regular season should get going around the middle of the month. For the rest of this week, we'll have silence on here until Thursday, when the trading window opens. Deals are being negotiated currently, but all will be announced come Thursday, ahead of the draft tentatively scheduled for Friday. A list of players available for selection should be published following the trading window on Thursday. The early part of the week will be contained to mostly administrative tasks, and potentially the formation of the schedules for the upcoming cricket season and such things as cue allocations for pool. This may happen this week, or it could be put off until later. When pool resumes next Monday, it will be with the Cutthroat mini-tournament. You'll see some of this stuff in action as it happens.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Hutton Cup Playoffs: Semifinals, Games 4-7
We're here today to wrap up the third round of the Hutton Cup. After this, just one series will remain. We begin today in...
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles look to get back on track after dropping their first home game of the series to the Predators, who would like to take a firm grip on the series here. Shawn provided a solid opening turn for Midland this time, taking 457 to start the game favorably for the visitors. Goldy had to make a save after a ball deflected under her bat, but this only temporarily saved her before she ended at 274 for Everton. Rainmane crippled the Predators' lead when she had only 135 on her turn, leaving them vulnerable. Puff III replied with 784 for the Eagles on her turn, the big performance giving them a lead. Leonardo couldn't cover the deficit with 304 for Midland, the middling turn not helping his team get back in the game. Kirstin clobbered another 992 for Everton on her turn, successfully padding their lead quite nicely. Fuchsia gathered a mild 327 for the Predators at the end, sealing their loss at 1223. Blizzard made a quick exit with 224 to ice the Eagles' winning total at 2274. Everton took a big win here to retie the series at 2, guaranteeing at least one more home game for the team.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers are on their last breath at this point, as the Volcanoes look to add to a seven-game winning streak if they can get the sweep in this series. Starlight made a good start for Pacific, lining 487 for the visitors to establish them in good form early on. Misty couldn't keep up with 259 for Westside, the slow start a dire concern given how the other games have gone. Ms. Kitty couldn't maintain control for the Volcanoes, bowing out with a sloppy 149. Goatee couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, as a deflection cut her turn short at 55 for the Rockers. A double deflection prevented Leonette from doing much damage for Pacific, instead stalling her at just 204 as the game is still in reach of the hosts. Midnight couldn't cover the deficit for Westside, but she did accept 417 after a technical error ended her turn, pulling the hosts slightly closer. Chicky Phil will have to hope 513 is enough for the Volcanoes, as he ended there to put them at a final score of 1353. Slinks made a large push with 462 for the Rockers, but her slow pace and frequent need for backhand saves kept the hosts at a loss with 1193. Pacific takes the series in a 4-0 sweep.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators come back home needing two of three, but the Eagles are in the same position minus the home-field advantage. Goldy slugged 1532 for Everton on her opening turn in this game 5, giving the visitors a humongous lead initially. Shawn got about a quarter of it back with 407 for Midland, unable to damage the deficit very much this time. Puff III shot back with 384 for the Eagles, doing well to keep their lead mostly stable so far. Rainmane had an occasionally bold swing in attack for the Predators, but her pace crumbled late and she ended with 395. Kirstin took it easy with 272 for Everton, going at a slow pace as there is little fear of the hosts making a comeback this time. Leonardo made progress with 598 for Midland on his turn, but they remain far behind with a player each to go. Blizzard contributed 385 at the end for the Eagles, sealing their final score at 2573 in what should be another win. Fuchsia made a big push with 632 on her turn, but the Predators still lost with 2032 overall. Everton now has a 3-2 series lead and the inside edge as they head home for the next game.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: After a quick trip, the teams have switched venues for game 6, as the Predators will fight to stay in the playoffs in this game. Shawn took some big swings for Midland this time, his high pace helping quite a bit to score 740 in a bold start for the visitors. Goldy played a dangerous game at times for Everton, but she managed to corral 399 to start the hosts off at a bit of a deficit. Rainmane had trouble keeping her pace higher, slipping out of the game at 338 for the Predators. Puff III made minimal progress for the Eagles, striking 375 to keep them barely in range at the halfway mark. Leonardo made a disaster of his turn for Midland, taking a measly 12 points to leave them vulnerable. Kirstin got beat by a deflection at 249 for Everton, unable to cover the deficit on this turn as a close finish is coming up. Fuchsia didn't do all that well for the Predators with 160 on her turn, leaving them at 1250, not a great position for them to be in. Blizzard launched 742 for the Eagles at the end of the game, completing the comeback to give them a win with 1765. Everton takes the series 4-2 and earns a surprising trip to the Hutton Cup Finals against the Pacific Volcanoes.
That's the series we'll go with on Monday at some point. We will likely start that series at 1 PM Pacific time on the September 25. Expect radio silence this week from the UPCL, and some exciting stuff near the middle of next week in advance of the draft.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles look to get back on track after dropping their first home game of the series to the Predators, who would like to take a firm grip on the series here. Shawn provided a solid opening turn for Midland this time, taking 457 to start the game favorably for the visitors. Goldy had to make a save after a ball deflected under her bat, but this only temporarily saved her before she ended at 274 for Everton. Rainmane crippled the Predators' lead when she had only 135 on her turn, leaving them vulnerable. Puff III replied with 784 for the Eagles on her turn, the big performance giving them a lead. Leonardo couldn't cover the deficit with 304 for Midland, the middling turn not helping his team get back in the game. Kirstin clobbered another 992 for Everton on her turn, successfully padding their lead quite nicely. Fuchsia gathered a mild 327 for the Predators at the end, sealing their loss at 1223. Blizzard made a quick exit with 224 to ice the Eagles' winning total at 2274. Everton took a big win here to retie the series at 2, guaranteeing at least one more home game for the team.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers are on their last breath at this point, as the Volcanoes look to add to a seven-game winning streak if they can get the sweep in this series. Starlight made a good start for Pacific, lining 487 for the visitors to establish them in good form early on. Misty couldn't keep up with 259 for Westside, the slow start a dire concern given how the other games have gone. Ms. Kitty couldn't maintain control for the Volcanoes, bowing out with a sloppy 149. Goatee couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, as a deflection cut her turn short at 55 for the Rockers. A double deflection prevented Leonette from doing much damage for Pacific, instead stalling her at just 204 as the game is still in reach of the hosts. Midnight couldn't cover the deficit for Westside, but she did accept 417 after a technical error ended her turn, pulling the hosts slightly closer. Chicky Phil will have to hope 513 is enough for the Volcanoes, as he ended there to put them at a final score of 1353. Slinks made a large push with 462 for the Rockers, but her slow pace and frequent need for backhand saves kept the hosts at a loss with 1193. Pacific takes the series in a 4-0 sweep.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators come back home needing two of three, but the Eagles are in the same position minus the home-field advantage. Goldy slugged 1532 for Everton on her opening turn in this game 5, giving the visitors a humongous lead initially. Shawn got about a quarter of it back with 407 for Midland, unable to damage the deficit very much this time. Puff III shot back with 384 for the Eagles, doing well to keep their lead mostly stable so far. Rainmane had an occasionally bold swing in attack for the Predators, but her pace crumbled late and she ended with 395. Kirstin took it easy with 272 for Everton, going at a slow pace as there is little fear of the hosts making a comeback this time. Leonardo made progress with 598 for Midland on his turn, but they remain far behind with a player each to go. Blizzard contributed 385 at the end for the Eagles, sealing their final score at 2573 in what should be another win. Fuchsia made a big push with 632 on her turn, but the Predators still lost with 2032 overall. Everton now has a 3-2 series lead and the inside edge as they head home for the next game.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: After a quick trip, the teams have switched venues for game 6, as the Predators will fight to stay in the playoffs in this game. Shawn took some big swings for Midland this time, his high pace helping quite a bit to score 740 in a bold start for the visitors. Goldy played a dangerous game at times for Everton, but she managed to corral 399 to start the hosts off at a bit of a deficit. Rainmane had trouble keeping her pace higher, slipping out of the game at 338 for the Predators. Puff III made minimal progress for the Eagles, striking 375 to keep them barely in range at the halfway mark. Leonardo made a disaster of his turn for Midland, taking a measly 12 points to leave them vulnerable. Kirstin got beat by a deflection at 249 for Everton, unable to cover the deficit on this turn as a close finish is coming up. Fuchsia didn't do all that well for the Predators with 160 on her turn, leaving them at 1250, not a great position for them to be in. Blizzard launched 742 for the Eagles at the end of the game, completing the comeback to give them a win with 1765. Everton takes the series 4-2 and earns a surprising trip to the Hutton Cup Finals against the Pacific Volcanoes.
That's the series we'll go with on Monday at some point. We will likely start that series at 1 PM Pacific time on the September 25. Expect radio silence this week from the UPCL, and some exciting stuff near the middle of next week in advance of the draft.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Hutton Cup Playoffs: Semifinals, Games 1-3
We'll begin the two Hutton Cup semifinals series today. We lead off with...
HP Field, Midland: The Predators just barely advanced yesterday, and they'll take on the surprisingly effective Eagles for this series, beginning with this game 1. Goldy had a decent attempt at the start for Everton, but her lack of pace held her back at 290 to lead off for the visitors. Shawn put Midland ahead by a slight margin with 455 on his opening turn, the hosts enjoying an early advantage. Puff III struggled with a missed swing late in her turn, crashing out at 264 after a promising set of early swings. Rainmane added 399 for the Predators on her turn, stalled only by a failed backhand play that could have extended her turn. Kirstin followed the form of her Everton teammates, unable to gain pace as she fell with 125. Leonardo paddled 496 for Midland on a strong turn, extending their lead one more time. Blizzard had a pathetic 113 for the Eagles on her turn, sealing their losing score at 792 total, a drastic downturn from their performances in the last series. Fuchsia didn't go quietly for the Predators, tallying 731 at the end to bring their final score to 2081. Midland holds a 1-0 series lead after a dominant win in this game.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes are set to start their third series now, taking on a Rockers team that has shown some strong efforts in the previous two rounds. Misty led off with a big appearance for Westside, smashing 848 to give the visitors a confident lead right from the start. Starlight struggled for Pacific in this game, taking 286, but unable to fight off multiple offerings at a time. Goatee provided a solid second attack for the Rockers, hitting 416 to pad their lead well. Ms. Kitty made some minor progress with 551 for the Volcanoes, cutting into the deficit slightly at the halfway mark. Midnight stumbled with a paltry 63 for Westside, destabilizing their lead at a critical point in the game. Leonette slugged a huge 1009 for Pacific on her turn, covering the deficit by a wide margin. Slinks tried to produce a counterattack for the Rockers, but she chipped a ball out of play at 327, sealing the Rockers' loss at 1654. Chicky Phil matched it with 327 of his own for the Volcanoes, giving them a total of 2173 in the win. Pacific didn't start well, but a strong finish gives them a 1-0 lead in the series.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators return to action for a second home game, looking to double their series lead over the Eagles, who want more offense in this game. Goldy had a more imposing turn in this game with 562 for Everton, establishing her team much more effectively this time around. Shawn took a stumble with just 80 points for Midland this time, a poor hit leading to his early exit. Puff III responded with 397 for the Eagles, a sturdy addition to their lead on the second attack. Rainmane made an absolute mess of her turn, swinging too early and proving unable to recover before the ball went out of play to cut her down at 92 points. Kirstin had a bad swing that floated out of play to end her turn at 157 for Everton, weakening their lead a bit. Leonardo clubbed 824 for Midland on his turn, going to great lengths to close the deficit significantly before the final players' turns. Blizzard fired back with 801 for the Eagles at the end, giving them 1917 total in what should be a win. Fuchsia had only 122 for the Predators, letting them fall at 1118 total in the loss. Everton returns home feeling successful with the series tied at 1.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes got off to a good start in the series, and they hope to repeat that here in game 2 against the Rockers. Misty had a decent opening turn going for Westside, but a high flick cut her turn short at 186, not a strong start from the captain. Starlight saw fairly similar results for Pacific, attacking with pace until an errant swing did her in at 208 to give the hosts a small lead. Goatee tried to correct the course for the Rockers, but she ended early too with 177 in a poor outing. Ms. Kitty provided a respectable 464 for the Volcanoes on her turn, giving them a more confident lead halfway through the game. Midnight wasn't able to cover the deficit for Westside, bowing out at a middling 272 as the deficit is likely to grow. Leonette made a small gain with 312 for Pacific, as the hosts hold the lead with a player each to go. Slinks picked up 314 for the Rockers, but that left them at 949 total in the loss, in which they never really got off the ground. Chicky Phil made things look good at the end for the Volcanoes with his 846, setting their final score at 1830 in the win. Pacific leaves home with a 2-0 series lead, a wholly successful start to the series for the #1 seed.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles now get a chance to host the Predators in game 3, with the winner here having the inside edge for the rest of the series. Shawn put in a big rally at the start with 799 for Midland, getting the visitors established with a nice lead. Goldy gathered up 528 in response for Everton, a strong performance that mitigates the early damage against her team. Rainmane got out of a tough jam with a false start, but she had a mild 231 on the second try to weaken the Predators' lead. Puff III let the visitors off the hook with an accidental touch that flipped a ball out of play after a deflection, ending her turn at just 66 for the Eagles. Leonardo didn't have the strongest of efforts for Midland with 312, adding lightly to their lead. Kirstin failed to make up any ground for Everton this time, taking only 253 as the hosts remain behind late in the game. Fuchsia knocked another 647 for the Predators on their final turn, icing their score at 1989. Blizzard tacked on 361 for the Eagles at the end, only bringing them to 1208 total in the loss. Midland made up for a home loss with a road win, pulling ahead at 2-1 in the series.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers lost both their road games today, but game 3 is at home for them as they try to get back in the series against the Volcanoes. Starlight showed no fear in a road appearance, lining 680 for Pacific to give them a large lead early in the game. Misty shot back with 866 for Westside on her turn, giving the hosts the slight lead initially. Ms. Kitty kept the pressure on for the Volcanoes, slicing 583 on her turn to regain a smaller lead. Goatee had a bad play for the Rockers, swinging and missing early to end at 133, putting the hosts at a small deficit. Leonette kept Pacific in a balanced position with 516, padding their lead at the same time. Midnight couldn't correct her swing in time to save a ball that she deflected into her own wicket, ending at 122 as it appears Westside will lose again. Chicky Phil capped a fairly balanced effort by the Volcanoes with 570 of his own, setting their final score at 2349. Slinks crashed out with 37 for the Rockers, giving them a pitiful 1158 in the loss. Pacific has dominated another game to take a stranglehold 3-0 series lead.
That's all for today. Tomorrow, whatever is left of the semifinals will be played through, anywhere from three to eight games. We are set to play the finals on Monday.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators just barely advanced yesterday, and they'll take on the surprisingly effective Eagles for this series, beginning with this game 1. Goldy had a decent attempt at the start for Everton, but her lack of pace held her back at 290 to lead off for the visitors. Shawn put Midland ahead by a slight margin with 455 on his opening turn, the hosts enjoying an early advantage. Puff III struggled with a missed swing late in her turn, crashing out at 264 after a promising set of early swings. Rainmane added 399 for the Predators on her turn, stalled only by a failed backhand play that could have extended her turn. Kirstin followed the form of her Everton teammates, unable to gain pace as she fell with 125. Leonardo paddled 496 for Midland on a strong turn, extending their lead one more time. Blizzard had a pathetic 113 for the Eagles on her turn, sealing their losing score at 792 total, a drastic downturn from their performances in the last series. Fuchsia didn't go quietly for the Predators, tallying 731 at the end to bring their final score to 2081. Midland holds a 1-0 series lead after a dominant win in this game.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes are set to start their third series now, taking on a Rockers team that has shown some strong efforts in the previous two rounds. Misty led off with a big appearance for Westside, smashing 848 to give the visitors a confident lead right from the start. Starlight struggled for Pacific in this game, taking 286, but unable to fight off multiple offerings at a time. Goatee provided a solid second attack for the Rockers, hitting 416 to pad their lead well. Ms. Kitty made some minor progress with 551 for the Volcanoes, cutting into the deficit slightly at the halfway mark. Midnight stumbled with a paltry 63 for Westside, destabilizing their lead at a critical point in the game. Leonette slugged a huge 1009 for Pacific on her turn, covering the deficit by a wide margin. Slinks tried to produce a counterattack for the Rockers, but she chipped a ball out of play at 327, sealing the Rockers' loss at 1654. Chicky Phil matched it with 327 of his own for the Volcanoes, giving them a total of 2173 in the win. Pacific didn't start well, but a strong finish gives them a 1-0 lead in the series.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators return to action for a second home game, looking to double their series lead over the Eagles, who want more offense in this game. Goldy had a more imposing turn in this game with 562 for Everton, establishing her team much more effectively this time around. Shawn took a stumble with just 80 points for Midland this time, a poor hit leading to his early exit. Puff III responded with 397 for the Eagles, a sturdy addition to their lead on the second attack. Rainmane made an absolute mess of her turn, swinging too early and proving unable to recover before the ball went out of play to cut her down at 92 points. Kirstin had a bad swing that floated out of play to end her turn at 157 for Everton, weakening their lead a bit. Leonardo clubbed 824 for Midland on his turn, going to great lengths to close the deficit significantly before the final players' turns. Blizzard fired back with 801 for the Eagles at the end, giving them 1917 total in what should be a win. Fuchsia had only 122 for the Predators, letting them fall at 1118 total in the loss. Everton returns home feeling successful with the series tied at 1.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes got off to a good start in the series, and they hope to repeat that here in game 2 against the Rockers. Misty had a decent opening turn going for Westside, but a high flick cut her turn short at 186, not a strong start from the captain. Starlight saw fairly similar results for Pacific, attacking with pace until an errant swing did her in at 208 to give the hosts a small lead. Goatee tried to correct the course for the Rockers, but she ended early too with 177 in a poor outing. Ms. Kitty provided a respectable 464 for the Volcanoes on her turn, giving them a more confident lead halfway through the game. Midnight wasn't able to cover the deficit for Westside, bowing out at a middling 272 as the deficit is likely to grow. Leonette made a small gain with 312 for Pacific, as the hosts hold the lead with a player each to go. Slinks picked up 314 for the Rockers, but that left them at 949 total in the loss, in which they never really got off the ground. Chicky Phil made things look good at the end for the Volcanoes with his 846, setting their final score at 1830 in the win. Pacific leaves home with a 2-0 series lead, a wholly successful start to the series for the #1 seed.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles now get a chance to host the Predators in game 3, with the winner here having the inside edge for the rest of the series. Shawn put in a big rally at the start with 799 for Midland, getting the visitors established with a nice lead. Goldy gathered up 528 in response for Everton, a strong performance that mitigates the early damage against her team. Rainmane got out of a tough jam with a false start, but she had a mild 231 on the second try to weaken the Predators' lead. Puff III let the visitors off the hook with an accidental touch that flipped a ball out of play after a deflection, ending her turn at just 66 for the Eagles. Leonardo didn't have the strongest of efforts for Midland with 312, adding lightly to their lead. Kirstin failed to make up any ground for Everton this time, taking only 253 as the hosts remain behind late in the game. Fuchsia knocked another 647 for the Predators on their final turn, icing their score at 1989. Blizzard tacked on 361 for the Eagles at the end, only bringing them to 1208 total in the loss. Midland made up for a home loss with a road win, pulling ahead at 2-1 in the series.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers lost both their road games today, but game 3 is at home for them as they try to get back in the series against the Volcanoes. Starlight showed no fear in a road appearance, lining 680 for Pacific to give them a large lead early in the game. Misty shot back with 866 for Westside on her turn, giving the hosts the slight lead initially. Ms. Kitty kept the pressure on for the Volcanoes, slicing 583 on her turn to regain a smaller lead. Goatee had a bad play for the Rockers, swinging and missing early to end at 133, putting the hosts at a small deficit. Leonette kept Pacific in a balanced position with 516, padding their lead at the same time. Midnight couldn't correct her swing in time to save a ball that she deflected into her own wicket, ending at 122 as it appears Westside will lose again. Chicky Phil capped a fairly balanced effort by the Volcanoes with 570 of his own, setting their final score at 2349. Slinks crashed out with 37 for the Rockers, giving them a pitiful 1158 in the loss. Pacific has dominated another game to take a stranglehold 3-0 series lead.
That's all for today. Tomorrow, whatever is left of the semifinals will be played through, anywhere from three to eight games. We are set to play the finals on Monday.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Hutton Cup Playoffs: Quarterfinals, Games 5-7
We are guaranteed five games today, and as many as twelve, although that many seems unlikely as we bring the second round of the Hutton Cup to a close. We begin with four game 5s, the first in...
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots and Predators, Southeastern rivals, battle it out in a tied series as both teams look for the inside lane heading toward the finish. Shawn had a tough time getting started for Midland with 126 on his opening turn, letting early pace give way to bad game management. Valencia slugged a massive 1601 for Golden on their first turn, giving them a mammoth lead. Rainmane pulled the Predators back into the fight with 1150 on her turn, a strong response for the visitors. Dusty took a stumble at 54 on a bad hit for the Pilots, allowing their lead to shrink drastically. Leonardo kept the Midland attack at a high pace with 688, covering the deficit with the big performance. Strut made a bit of a mess near the end of his turn, but he restored Golden's lead with 656 this time out. Fuchsia had just 60 for the Predators at the end, their comeback dying in a loss at 2024. A. Charlton easily provided 576 at the end to cap the Pilots' winning total at 2887 in the high-scoring game. Golden has this win, and will travel again leading the series 3-2.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes took a pair of road games yesterday, and now the Warriors are the road team, fighting for their playoff lives going forward. Twilight lined 433 for Central to open the scoring in this game in decent form for the visitors. Starlight kept close but had trouble with her pace for Pacific in this appearance, taking 340 to minimize the deficit early on. Dustin lacked an explosive presence for the Warriors this time, adding a mild 312 to their lead. Ms. Kitty made very minor progress for the Volcanoes with 339 on her turn, cutting into the deficit slightly at the midway point. Mario popped a ball straight up and couldn't corral it on his backhand, ending with 176 as Central becomes quite vulnerable. Leonette took care of business for Pacific, belting 856 on her turn to give them a huge lead with a player each to go. Gizmo forced the hosts to respond by hitting 695 for the Warriors to give them 1616 total. Chicky Phil went simple at the end, with 133 for the Volcanoes enough to give them the win at 1668. Pacific wins the series 4-1, the first team to punch their ticket to the semifinals, and they finally look like the regular season champions again.
Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The Blades lost twice yesterday, putting them in an unfavorable position as they return home on the brink of elimination against the Rockers. Misty had her worst game of the playoffs this time, poking a sorry 25 for Westside after a bad swing. Snowball took advantage of the chance to establish Swordpoint as leaders, slicing 639 for a big lead at the start. Goatee pulled back just a bit too much on one of her swings, ending at 128 as the Rockers see the deficit worsen. Dreamy didn't provide a devastatingly effective attack, but she added 324 for the Blades to pad their lead. Midnight exploded with 956 for Westside, quite suddenly putting them in the lead with her deficit-covering effort. Bandit covered the deficit, but not by much, as he took 242 in a mediocre performance. Slinks didn't get much done for the Rockers with her 160, leaving them at 1269, which will force the hosts to respond. Stealth chipped in with 336 for the Blades on his turn, sealing their win at 1541. Swordpoint stayed alive for another game, but they're still down 3-2 in the series with a road game next on the slate.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores have to stop their skid now if they want to play another game against the suddenly-surging Eagles. Goldy attacked with pace early in the turn, but a long swing ended her turn at 144 as she lifted a ball out of bounds. Bear countered effectively with 560 for Whitewater at the start of the game, giving the hosts a nice lead. Puff III slammed 673 in response for the Eagles, her big attack covering the deficit by a noticeable amount. Twinkie III blew the lead away for the Shores, stumbling at 152 to give them a slight deficit halfway through the game. Kirstin tacked on another 551 for Everton, as the visitors make up for their slow start with a potent mid-game attack. Marsell had only 193 for Whitewater on the response, making their comeback less likely as the final players come to bat. Shaggy couldn't save the Shores with only 319 on her turn, giving them a losing total of 1224 to seal their elimination. Blizzard nearly had a brilliant backhand, but she got tangled up and ended at 36, giving the Eagles 1404 in the win. Everton advances on a 4-1 series win, making an improbable run into the semifinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers get another chance to advance, this time playing host to the Blades, who hope to build off their momentum from the last game. Snowball had a shaky start for Swordpoint this time, unable to find her swing just right and ending on a poor 176. Misty just barely put Westside ahead on her turn with 184, getting a ball stuck on her bat before a poor swing ended her turn. Dreamy couldn't set the Blades apart this time, wasting a good pace with a bad swing that ended her turn at 144. Goatee got the offense on track with 719 for the Rockers this time, giving them a large lead in the middle of the game. Bandit almost assuredly ended Swordpoint's season with a poor turn, taking a measly 28 after a deflection ended his turn. Midnight put in a wonderful effort to secure the lead for Westside with 824, a huge boost to the hosts on the brink of advancing. Stealth tried to rally for the Blades, but his 328 was far from enough as they lost with 676. Slinks accepted 227 for the Rockers at the end as a technical error ended her turn, and they took the win with 1954. Westside advances to face the Pacific Volcanoes in the semifinals after this 4-2 series win.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators once again find themselves behind when returning home, while the Pilots could get past their Southlands rivals with a win here. Valencia maintained good form for Golden to lead off this game with 579 for the visitors. Shawn couldn't even manage to get half of it back for Midland on his turn, a middling 268 holding the hosts back early on. Dusty gave a good supporting run with 432 for the Pilots, doing well on her turn to pad the lead. Rainmane kept the deficit steady on her turn, contributing 416 to an increasingly desperate Predators team that trails at the halfway mark. Strut kept the Golden offense both efficient and balanced, carving out 490 more for their lead. Leonardo made one frantic push with 710 for Midland, helping them close the deficit a bit before the final players come to bat. A. Charlton had a rough game with 256, leaving the Pilots at 1757 total, far from a safe mark. Fuchsia gave the Predators new life with her 457, saving the day as they win with 1851 total. The series is tied at 3, somewhat shockingly sending it back for a game 7 in Golden.
Amazon Field, Golden: The only Game 7 of the round is between the Southlands rivals, and will be the final game played for the quarterfinals. Shawn was mostly stymied again for Midland in this game, beginning the scoring with a modest 299 despite a fairly long turn. Valencia picked a bad game for a downturn in offense, taking only 193 after an awkward hit, giving Golden an early deficit. Rainmane had a solid 391 for the Predators this time, adding a bit to their tight lead. Dusty covered the deficit with 562 for the Pilots, including a wonderful backhand to keep her turn alive in the middle. Leonardo couldn't step up with a backhand of his own, bowing out at 149 as Midland falls into a dangerous position. Strut barely retained the lead for Golden, a deflection cutting him off at 92 to create a very close finish to the game. Fuchsia played a solid turn with 392 for the Predators, giving them a total of 1231 to challenge the hosts. A. Charlton let a swing get away from her, ending on 185 to send the Pilots packing at 1032. Midland played with fire for the entire series, but emerged with a 4-3 series win, earning the right to host the Everton Eagles in the semifinals.
That's all for today. Tomorrow, games 1-3 of the Hutton Cup Semifinals will be played for both series, with the leftovers played on Friday. Despite a busy weekend ahead, the Finals are still on track for Monday.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots and Predators, Southeastern rivals, battle it out in a tied series as both teams look for the inside lane heading toward the finish. Shawn had a tough time getting started for Midland with 126 on his opening turn, letting early pace give way to bad game management. Valencia slugged a massive 1601 for Golden on their first turn, giving them a mammoth lead. Rainmane pulled the Predators back into the fight with 1150 on her turn, a strong response for the visitors. Dusty took a stumble at 54 on a bad hit for the Pilots, allowing their lead to shrink drastically. Leonardo kept the Midland attack at a high pace with 688, covering the deficit with the big performance. Strut made a bit of a mess near the end of his turn, but he restored Golden's lead with 656 this time out. Fuchsia had just 60 for the Predators at the end, their comeback dying in a loss at 2024. A. Charlton easily provided 576 at the end to cap the Pilots' winning total at 2887 in the high-scoring game. Golden has this win, and will travel again leading the series 3-2.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes took a pair of road games yesterday, and now the Warriors are the road team, fighting for their playoff lives going forward. Twilight lined 433 for Central to open the scoring in this game in decent form for the visitors. Starlight kept close but had trouble with her pace for Pacific in this appearance, taking 340 to minimize the deficit early on. Dustin lacked an explosive presence for the Warriors this time, adding a mild 312 to their lead. Ms. Kitty made very minor progress for the Volcanoes with 339 on her turn, cutting into the deficit slightly at the midway point. Mario popped a ball straight up and couldn't corral it on his backhand, ending with 176 as Central becomes quite vulnerable. Leonette took care of business for Pacific, belting 856 on her turn to give them a huge lead with a player each to go. Gizmo forced the hosts to respond by hitting 695 for the Warriors to give them 1616 total. Chicky Phil went simple at the end, with 133 for the Volcanoes enough to give them the win at 1668. Pacific wins the series 4-1, the first team to punch their ticket to the semifinals, and they finally look like the regular season champions again.
Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The Blades lost twice yesterday, putting them in an unfavorable position as they return home on the brink of elimination against the Rockers. Misty had her worst game of the playoffs this time, poking a sorry 25 for Westside after a bad swing. Snowball took advantage of the chance to establish Swordpoint as leaders, slicing 639 for a big lead at the start. Goatee pulled back just a bit too much on one of her swings, ending at 128 as the Rockers see the deficit worsen. Dreamy didn't provide a devastatingly effective attack, but she added 324 for the Blades to pad their lead. Midnight exploded with 956 for Westside, quite suddenly putting them in the lead with her deficit-covering effort. Bandit covered the deficit, but not by much, as he took 242 in a mediocre performance. Slinks didn't get much done for the Rockers with her 160, leaving them at 1269, which will force the hosts to respond. Stealth chipped in with 336 for the Blades on his turn, sealing their win at 1541. Swordpoint stayed alive for another game, but they're still down 3-2 in the series with a road game next on the slate.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores have to stop their skid now if they want to play another game against the suddenly-surging Eagles. Goldy attacked with pace early in the turn, but a long swing ended her turn at 144 as she lifted a ball out of bounds. Bear countered effectively with 560 for Whitewater at the start of the game, giving the hosts a nice lead. Puff III slammed 673 in response for the Eagles, her big attack covering the deficit by a noticeable amount. Twinkie III blew the lead away for the Shores, stumbling at 152 to give them a slight deficit halfway through the game. Kirstin tacked on another 551 for Everton, as the visitors make up for their slow start with a potent mid-game attack. Marsell had only 193 for Whitewater on the response, making their comeback less likely as the final players come to bat. Shaggy couldn't save the Shores with only 319 on her turn, giving them a losing total of 1224 to seal their elimination. Blizzard nearly had a brilliant backhand, but she got tangled up and ended at 36, giving the Eagles 1404 in the win. Everton advances on a 4-1 series win, making an improbable run into the semifinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers get another chance to advance, this time playing host to the Blades, who hope to build off their momentum from the last game. Snowball had a shaky start for Swordpoint this time, unable to find her swing just right and ending on a poor 176. Misty just barely put Westside ahead on her turn with 184, getting a ball stuck on her bat before a poor swing ended her turn. Dreamy couldn't set the Blades apart this time, wasting a good pace with a bad swing that ended her turn at 144. Goatee got the offense on track with 719 for the Rockers this time, giving them a large lead in the middle of the game. Bandit almost assuredly ended Swordpoint's season with a poor turn, taking a measly 28 after a deflection ended his turn. Midnight put in a wonderful effort to secure the lead for Westside with 824, a huge boost to the hosts on the brink of advancing. Stealth tried to rally for the Blades, but his 328 was far from enough as they lost with 676. Slinks accepted 227 for the Rockers at the end as a technical error ended her turn, and they took the win with 1954. Westside advances to face the Pacific Volcanoes in the semifinals after this 4-2 series win.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators once again find themselves behind when returning home, while the Pilots could get past their Southlands rivals with a win here. Valencia maintained good form for Golden to lead off this game with 579 for the visitors. Shawn couldn't even manage to get half of it back for Midland on his turn, a middling 268 holding the hosts back early on. Dusty gave a good supporting run with 432 for the Pilots, doing well on her turn to pad the lead. Rainmane kept the deficit steady on her turn, contributing 416 to an increasingly desperate Predators team that trails at the halfway mark. Strut kept the Golden offense both efficient and balanced, carving out 490 more for their lead. Leonardo made one frantic push with 710 for Midland, helping them close the deficit a bit before the final players come to bat. A. Charlton had a rough game with 256, leaving the Pilots at 1757 total, far from a safe mark. Fuchsia gave the Predators new life with her 457, saving the day as they win with 1851 total. The series is tied at 3, somewhat shockingly sending it back for a game 7 in Golden.
Amazon Field, Golden: The only Game 7 of the round is between the Southlands rivals, and will be the final game played for the quarterfinals. Shawn was mostly stymied again for Midland in this game, beginning the scoring with a modest 299 despite a fairly long turn. Valencia picked a bad game for a downturn in offense, taking only 193 after an awkward hit, giving Golden an early deficit. Rainmane had a solid 391 for the Predators this time, adding a bit to their tight lead. Dusty covered the deficit with 562 for the Pilots, including a wonderful backhand to keep her turn alive in the middle. Leonardo couldn't step up with a backhand of his own, bowing out at 149 as Midland falls into a dangerous position. Strut barely retained the lead for Golden, a deflection cutting him off at 92 to create a very close finish to the game. Fuchsia played a solid turn with 392 for the Predators, giving them a total of 1231 to challenge the hosts. A. Charlton let a swing get away from her, ending on 185 to send the Pilots packing at 1032. Midland played with fire for the entire series, but emerged with a 4-3 series win, earning the right to host the Everton Eagles in the semifinals.
That's all for today. Tomorrow, games 1-3 of the Hutton Cup Semifinals will be played for both series, with the leftovers played on Friday. Despite a busy weekend ahead, the Finals are still on track for Monday.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Hutton Cup Playoffs: Quarterfinals, Games 3 and 4
We're on for the new day of cricket action, as the teams on the road yesterday get a chance to host a pair of games today. We begin with...
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers earned a split yesterday, and they hope to do that or better against the Blades beginning with this game 3. Snowball had some noticeable struggles with pace for Swordpoint at the start of the game, only producing 357 on the opening turn. Misty did better than doubling that for Westside, smacking 728 right at the start to put the hosts ahead early on. Dreamy countered with a strong 623 for the Blades on her turn, covering the deficit with her performance. Goatee reclaimed the lead for the Rockers with her 407, losing a bit of their leading margin at the halfway mark. Bandit brought Swordpoint back into the lead with 311 on his turn, but the separation continues to decrease between the teams. Midnight made a small gain with 337 for Westside, adding a bit to their lead before the final players take their turns. Stealth met the challenge with 400 for the Blades at the end, setting their final score at 1691 to force the hosts to respond. Slinks had a weaker outing than yesterday with 345, but she sealed the win for the Rockers at 1817. Westside pulls ahead at 2-1 in the series with this win.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators lost twice on the road yesterday, and they'll look to reverse their fortunes when they host the Pilots today. Valencia had a pretty good first turn for Golden this time, batting 463 to establish the visitors at a good mark. Shawn answered with a similar performance to his opponent, with 433 for Midland at the start to create a close game early on. Dusty made a more aggressive push for the Pilots in the second attack, rallying with 576 to strengthen their lead. Rainmane made a huge counterattack with 791 for the Predators, covering the deficit for a mid-game lead. Strut did pull Golden ahead again with 361 on his turn, but they are not in a safe position at this stage of the game. Leonardo went with 320 for Midland to protect their lead, setting up a rather competitive finish between the teams. A. Charlton came up a bit weak with 271 for the Pilots, forcing the hosts to reply but leaving her team at 1671 overall. Fuchsia did enough with 157 for the Predators to give them the win at 1701. Midland's gutsy finishing effort gets them a win, but Golden can't be discouraged at a 2-1 series lead.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles earned a road split yesterday, and hope that their higher comfort at home can get them ahead of the Shores. Bear had a good pace going for Whitewater, but a mishit ball caused him to exit prematurely at 295, giving the visitors a middling start. Goldy wasted a great opportunity to put Everton ahead, only able to wrangle 175 for the hosts in a low-pace turn. Twinkie III managed just a mediocre 260 for the Shores on her turn, padding their lead lightly. Puff III bested her sister and put a dent in the deficit with 339 for the Eagles as the teams tangle in a low-scoring battle. Marsell seemed to be doing well for Whitewater until he flicked a ball too high to end at a weak 160, leaving them vulnerable. Kirstin finally punished the visitors for their lack of offense, belting 697 for Everton to put the hosts well ahead with a player each to go. Shaggy countered with 591 for the Shores at the end of the game, forcing a response from the hosts as her team ends with 1306 total. Blizzard kept it simple with 240 for the Eagles at the end, giving them the win with 1451. Everton has a 2-1 series lead now.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors are back at home looking to damage the regular season champions, as the Volcanoes have to deal with a hostile road environment. Starlight put in a decent first turn for Pacific, dodging disaster early before a bad swing cut her down at 411. Twilight couldn't get her offense going for Central, ending up with a paltry 87 on a rough first turn for the captain. Ms. Kitty did even better for the Volcanoes on the second attack, padding their lead with her 495. Dustin tried a double-hit for the Warriors after navigating a dead ball quite well, but he didn't connect properly and fell with 260. Leonette got beat as her quick swing met a wicked deflection to end her turn at just 39 for Pacific. Mario pummeled 824 for Central in an amazing rally, pulling the hosts ahead with a player each to go. Chicky Phil fought back with 913 for the Volcanoes on his turn, giving them 1858 overall after a brilliant counterattack. Gizmo couldn't pull the Warriors back again, falling at 224 to seal their losing score at 1395. Pacific is back to holding a series lead at 2-1 with this win.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The teams have just enough time to switch uniforms before going again for the first of four pivotal game 4s to close out this post. Starlight showed a bit more ferocity on her opening turn this time, crisply striking 873 to get Pacific out to a great lead. Twilight also performed better than in last game, but with only 314 for Central this time, it's not a helpful improvement. Ms. Kitty tried to attack with pace as well for the Volcanoes, but ended with an ugly 64 to damage their lead. Dustin took full advantage of the opportunity with 819 for the Warriors, putting them ahead at the midway mark. Leonette responded with full force for Pacific, blasting 967 to restore their lead with the big performance. Mario kept things relatively close with 561 for Central, using big swings to keep his team in the fight as the final players step up to bat. Chicky Phil had a critical mistake with a bad swing to hit just 69 for the Volcanoes, putting their final at 1973. Gizmo got split between a low and a high offering, and ended up with 32 to give the Warriors a loss at 1726. Pacific's successful road trip today sees them head home with a 3-1 series lead.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles picked up a win earlier, and now they try to double their fortunes at home with another game against the Shores. Bear attacked with great pace for Whitewater, but his relatively short time at bat resulted in 470 points to lead things off. Goldy fired back with a lower pace but better precision, pounding 736 to give Everton the initial lead. Twinkie III stayed in step with her captain pretty well, doubling their offense with her 479 for the Shores. Puff III easily outplayed her sister, ripping 894 for the Eagles to give their lead a great boost at the midway mark. Marsell popped a decent 424 for Whitewater on his turn, but the visitors remain significantly behind. Kirstin hammered another 858 for Everton this time, giving them a likely untouchable lead in a dominant performance. Shaggy had a good game going, but her exit at 394 left them off-target at 1767 total in another tough loss to a surprisingly resilient opponent. Blizzard tallied another 686 for the Eagles at the end, icing their winning score at 3174. Everton has turned on the offense to full blast as they'll leave home ahead 3-1 in the series.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers have the edge in this series right now, but the Blades have kept things close throughout the three previous games. Snowball has had trouble avoiding just acceptable performances, taking 344 for Swordpoint in another such effort here. Misty covered the deficit with 454 for Westside, the modest leading margin not a point of concern for the hosts right now. Dreamy had no problem in covering the deficit with 384 for the Blades, keeping things interesting so far. Goatee got beat with a deflection over her bat, ending on 259 to put the Rockers just behind at the halfway mark. Bandit made a brutal rookie mistake when he spiked a ball accidentally for his second touch, and then his backswing deflected another ball into the wicket to end his turn at just 9 points for Swordpoint. Midnight made good use of her turn in a counterattack with 504 to restore a sizable lead for Westside late in the game. Stealth did force a response with 532 for the Blades, leaving them at 1269 total. Slinks chipped 519 for the Rockers at the end, sealing their win at 1536. Westside will head on the road carrying a 3-1 series lead after a successful day at home today.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators won earlier today, and look to even the series in the day's finale against the Pilots, who return to their usual road uniforms in hopes of a change in fortunes. Valencia got caught for a technical error and chose to accept 314 rather than try for more for Golden at the start. Shawn did well with 439 for Midland to give the hosts the early lead by a small margin. Dusty fought back quite well with 529 for the Pilots, giving them a second chance at the lead. Rainmane lost a bit of the lead with 436 for the Predators on her turn, but they remain narrowly ahead at the halfway point. Strut may have given the game away with a paltry 21 for Golden on this turn, creating the potential for a large deficit against the visitors. Leonardo mounted a strong attack with 520 to give Midland a nice lead late in the game. A. Charlton had only 183 for the Pilots, leaving them at 1047 in the loss. Fuchsia again went with a simple finish with 169 for the Predators, icing their win at 1564. Midland has tied the series at 2 after another big win at home, but they need to steal one on the road to have a chance in the series.
That's all for today's games. Tomorrow, I can guarantee five games to be played, but there will likely be more than that, and as many as 12.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers earned a split yesterday, and they hope to do that or better against the Blades beginning with this game 3. Snowball had some noticeable struggles with pace for Swordpoint at the start of the game, only producing 357 on the opening turn. Misty did better than doubling that for Westside, smacking 728 right at the start to put the hosts ahead early on. Dreamy countered with a strong 623 for the Blades on her turn, covering the deficit with her performance. Goatee reclaimed the lead for the Rockers with her 407, losing a bit of their leading margin at the halfway mark. Bandit brought Swordpoint back into the lead with 311 on his turn, but the separation continues to decrease between the teams. Midnight made a small gain with 337 for Westside, adding a bit to their lead before the final players take their turns. Stealth met the challenge with 400 for the Blades at the end, setting their final score at 1691 to force the hosts to respond. Slinks had a weaker outing than yesterday with 345, but she sealed the win for the Rockers at 1817. Westside pulls ahead at 2-1 in the series with this win.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators lost twice on the road yesterday, and they'll look to reverse their fortunes when they host the Pilots today. Valencia had a pretty good first turn for Golden this time, batting 463 to establish the visitors at a good mark. Shawn answered with a similar performance to his opponent, with 433 for Midland at the start to create a close game early on. Dusty made a more aggressive push for the Pilots in the second attack, rallying with 576 to strengthen their lead. Rainmane made a huge counterattack with 791 for the Predators, covering the deficit for a mid-game lead. Strut did pull Golden ahead again with 361 on his turn, but they are not in a safe position at this stage of the game. Leonardo went with 320 for Midland to protect their lead, setting up a rather competitive finish between the teams. A. Charlton came up a bit weak with 271 for the Pilots, forcing the hosts to reply but leaving her team at 1671 overall. Fuchsia did enough with 157 for the Predators to give them the win at 1701. Midland's gutsy finishing effort gets them a win, but Golden can't be discouraged at a 2-1 series lead.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles earned a road split yesterday, and hope that their higher comfort at home can get them ahead of the Shores. Bear had a good pace going for Whitewater, but a mishit ball caused him to exit prematurely at 295, giving the visitors a middling start. Goldy wasted a great opportunity to put Everton ahead, only able to wrangle 175 for the hosts in a low-pace turn. Twinkie III managed just a mediocre 260 for the Shores on her turn, padding their lead lightly. Puff III bested her sister and put a dent in the deficit with 339 for the Eagles as the teams tangle in a low-scoring battle. Marsell seemed to be doing well for Whitewater until he flicked a ball too high to end at a weak 160, leaving them vulnerable. Kirstin finally punished the visitors for their lack of offense, belting 697 for Everton to put the hosts well ahead with a player each to go. Shaggy countered with 591 for the Shores at the end of the game, forcing a response from the hosts as her team ends with 1306 total. Blizzard kept it simple with 240 for the Eagles at the end, giving them the win with 1451. Everton has a 2-1 series lead now.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors are back at home looking to damage the regular season champions, as the Volcanoes have to deal with a hostile road environment. Starlight put in a decent first turn for Pacific, dodging disaster early before a bad swing cut her down at 411. Twilight couldn't get her offense going for Central, ending up with a paltry 87 on a rough first turn for the captain. Ms. Kitty did even better for the Volcanoes on the second attack, padding their lead with her 495. Dustin tried a double-hit for the Warriors after navigating a dead ball quite well, but he didn't connect properly and fell with 260. Leonette got beat as her quick swing met a wicked deflection to end her turn at just 39 for Pacific. Mario pummeled 824 for Central in an amazing rally, pulling the hosts ahead with a player each to go. Chicky Phil fought back with 913 for the Volcanoes on his turn, giving them 1858 overall after a brilliant counterattack. Gizmo couldn't pull the Warriors back again, falling at 224 to seal their losing score at 1395. Pacific is back to holding a series lead at 2-1 with this win.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The teams have just enough time to switch uniforms before going again for the first of four pivotal game 4s to close out this post. Starlight showed a bit more ferocity on her opening turn this time, crisply striking 873 to get Pacific out to a great lead. Twilight also performed better than in last game, but with only 314 for Central this time, it's not a helpful improvement. Ms. Kitty tried to attack with pace as well for the Volcanoes, but ended with an ugly 64 to damage their lead. Dustin took full advantage of the opportunity with 819 for the Warriors, putting them ahead at the midway mark. Leonette responded with full force for Pacific, blasting 967 to restore their lead with the big performance. Mario kept things relatively close with 561 for Central, using big swings to keep his team in the fight as the final players step up to bat. Chicky Phil had a critical mistake with a bad swing to hit just 69 for the Volcanoes, putting their final at 1973. Gizmo got split between a low and a high offering, and ended up with 32 to give the Warriors a loss at 1726. Pacific's successful road trip today sees them head home with a 3-1 series lead.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles picked up a win earlier, and now they try to double their fortunes at home with another game against the Shores. Bear attacked with great pace for Whitewater, but his relatively short time at bat resulted in 470 points to lead things off. Goldy fired back with a lower pace but better precision, pounding 736 to give Everton the initial lead. Twinkie III stayed in step with her captain pretty well, doubling their offense with her 479 for the Shores. Puff III easily outplayed her sister, ripping 894 for the Eagles to give their lead a great boost at the midway mark. Marsell popped a decent 424 for Whitewater on his turn, but the visitors remain significantly behind. Kirstin hammered another 858 for Everton this time, giving them a likely untouchable lead in a dominant performance. Shaggy had a good game going, but her exit at 394 left them off-target at 1767 total in another tough loss to a surprisingly resilient opponent. Blizzard tallied another 686 for the Eagles at the end, icing their winning score at 3174. Everton has turned on the offense to full blast as they'll leave home ahead 3-1 in the series.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers have the edge in this series right now, but the Blades have kept things close throughout the three previous games. Snowball has had trouble avoiding just acceptable performances, taking 344 for Swordpoint in another such effort here. Misty covered the deficit with 454 for Westside, the modest leading margin not a point of concern for the hosts right now. Dreamy had no problem in covering the deficit with 384 for the Blades, keeping things interesting so far. Goatee got beat with a deflection over her bat, ending on 259 to put the Rockers just behind at the halfway mark. Bandit made a brutal rookie mistake when he spiked a ball accidentally for his second touch, and then his backswing deflected another ball into the wicket to end his turn at just 9 points for Swordpoint. Midnight made good use of her turn in a counterattack with 504 to restore a sizable lead for Westside late in the game. Stealth did force a response with 532 for the Blades, leaving them at 1269 total. Slinks chipped 519 for the Rockers at the end, sealing their win at 1536. Westside will head on the road carrying a 3-1 series lead after a successful day at home today.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators won earlier today, and look to even the series in the day's finale against the Pilots, who return to their usual road uniforms in hopes of a change in fortunes. Valencia got caught for a technical error and chose to accept 314 rather than try for more for Golden at the start. Shawn did well with 439 for Midland to give the hosts the early lead by a small margin. Dusty fought back quite well with 529 for the Pilots, giving them a second chance at the lead. Rainmane lost a bit of the lead with 436 for the Predators on her turn, but they remain narrowly ahead at the halfway point. Strut may have given the game away with a paltry 21 for Golden on this turn, creating the potential for a large deficit against the visitors. Leonardo mounted a strong attack with 520 to give Midland a nice lead late in the game. A. Charlton had only 183 for the Pilots, leaving them at 1047 in the loss. Fuchsia again went with a simple finish with 169 for the Predators, icing their win at 1564. Midland has tied the series at 2 after another big win at home, but they need to steal one on the road to have a chance in the series.
That's all for today's games. Tomorrow, I can guarantee five games to be played, but there will likely be more than that, and as many as 12.
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