Coca-Cola Field, Boston
Game 1: The Swifts are ready to pursue a second championship, sitting their captain Patches in game 1. Isabella is on the bench for the Pirates, as both teams rest high-scorers early. Delila got beat on a deflection at 204 for Atlantic, putting them in a weak position early on. Puff II didn't do any better with 200 for Boston, keeping things close in a slow start to the series. Steven fired back with 529 for the Pirates on the second attack, creating a much stronger lead. Gradley faltered at 361 for the Swifts, a decent but insufficient effort for this game situation. Klaus covered that damage with 368 for Atlantic, looking like he could have had more prior to a bad swing. Sweetheart failed to catch up with 313 for Boston, keeping them in range to make a late push. Max made a comeback less realistic, icing the Pirates offense with 556 individually for a total of 1657. Ice Cream crashed out at 199 for the Swifts, capping an ugly performance at 1073. Atlantic has an early lead in the series at 1-0.
Game 2: The Pirates look to strike again with Klaus on their bench, while the Swifts have Ice Cream out for game 2 as they look to ignite a lackluster offense. Delila poked 327 for Atlantic on this opening turn, a little better than the previous game. Patches got Boston going in a more positive manner this time, recording 529 to give them the initial lead. Isabella did not provide enough pop in her return to the lineup, falling at a weak 87 points for the Pirates. Puff II exploded forward with 807 for the Swifts, extending their lead greatly midway through the game. Steven did decently well with 379 for Atlantic, but they don't look all that threatening to catch up as a team. Gradley nabbed 467 for Boston on the response, still lacking his usual higher scoring offense. Max stayed solid at 366 for the Pirates, but they fell at a total of 1159. Sweetheart closed things out with 744 for the Swifts, a firm attack to seal their win at 2547. Boston has tied the series at 1 ahead of the first trip to Atlantic.
McDonald' Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic
Game 3: The Swifts looked better in game 2, and now sit Gradley for some rest, while the Pirates have returned Isabella to the bench for this game. Patches broke out with 1009 for Boston, slugging them into a significant lead on the first turn. Delila gained 408 for Atlantic, covering some of the damage on the hosts' first turn. Puff II slipped at 224 for the Swifts, weakening their lead a bit on a mediocre second attack. Steven couldn't find his form with only 73 for the Pirates, letting the visitors off the hook for the previous turn. Sweetheart went with 506 for Boston, providing a nice extension to their lead after the halfway mark. Klaus tried to play well with 473 for Atlantic, but they lost a little more ground late in the game. Ice Cream went with another 775 for the Swifts at the end, capping their offense at 2514 in another great attack. Max couldn't shake the troubles for the Pirates, his 227 causing them to lose at 1181. Boston gets a similar win to game 2, now leading the series 2-1.
Game 4: The Pirates are now trailing in the series, and they will put Steven on the bench, while the Swifts continue to cycle through the lineup with Puff II taking a seat in this one. Patches took a major step back with 311 for Boston, leaving them a bit exposed early on. Delila took a mild lead with 336 for Atlantic, just sticking the hosts in front after the initial turn. Gradley took over with a classic turn of his, smashing 762 to put the Swifts ahead more confidently. Isabella did alright with 376 for the Pirates, but they now trail by a noticeable amount at the midway mark. Sweetheart pummeled another 810 for Boston, making things look far too easy as the visitors get a huge extension on their lead again. Klaus had 635 for Atlantic in a brilliant and pacey turn that still managed to lose ground against the deficit. Ice Cream bowed out at 160 for the Swifts, giving them 2043 overall. Max had just 104 after a bad deflection for the Pirates, sticking them with another loss at 1451. Boston slowed a bit but still took care of business on the road, returning home ahead 3-1 in the series.
Game 5: The Swifts will give Ice Cream a rest in game 5 as they go for the Hutton Cup in the first of three potential chances, while the Pirates are running out of answers and sit Max this time. Delila failed to give Atlantic a strong base to start on, hitting just 148 to lead off the game. Patches flicked 368 for Boston to give them the initial lead. Isabella couldn't get a backhand on a mid-air deflection, adding a meager 41 for the Pirates on her turn. Puff II looked great with 695 for the Swifts, extending their lead great and putting a buzz in the crowd halfway through the game. Steven had a good turn going for Atlantic, but a missed swing and errant backhand knocked him out at 448. Gradley faltered with only 9 on his turn, sending a ball way too high as things gets interesting with a player each to go. Klaus failed to meet the deficit with 129 for the Pirates, leaving them in a loss at 766, their worst game of the postseason at the worst possible time. Under no pressure, Sweetheart delivered 420 for the Swifts, and the crowd exploded with happiness at the end of the turn that saw them win with 1492. Boston takes the Hutton Cup for the second time, the wire-to-wire best team in the league, with a 4-1 series win over Atlantic. Sweetheart was the Finals' best player, but Gradley took the overall playoff MVP honors.
That's all we've got for UPCL Cricket. An announcement on plans for the summer can be expected in a couple of weeks. Tournament play will take the focal point of the league for the next few months.
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