Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes took a series lead in game 3, and now rest Shelley, while the visiting Pirates put Steven on the bench after his lackluster performance. Delila's turn ended early with a deflected swing cutting her down at 174, giving Atlantic a slow start to an important game. Smudge fired back with 566 for Infinity, immediately finding good form to set her side ahead. Isabella gained 409 for the Pirates to lightly cover the deficit on a solid second attack. Fluffina slammed 879 in response for the Torpedoes, greatly extending their lead at the midway point. Klaus could not make a breakthrough for Atlantic, falling at 407 as the visitors remain behind. Solaris offset that damage with 463 to preserve the large Infinity lead heading into the final players' turns. Max fell with a pathetic 75 for the Pirates, sealing their loss at 1065. Mr. Snowman tapped 409 for the Torpedoes to ice their win at 2317. Infinity has found a groove at home, leading 3-1 as the series shifts back to Atlantic.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns pulled off an upset in game 3, and will sit Jeremias for rest now, while the Swifts choose to rest Sweetheart after her rough outing. Patches had an unusually bad showing with a measly 36 for Boston, a terrible start for the favored side. Kayla exploited the weakness rather easily with 807 on Royal's lead-off turn, giving the hosts a massive lead. Puff II got beat on a deflection at 297 for the Swifts, unable to come anywhere near the deficit. Jake fired back with 464 for the Crowns, extending their lead a little bit halfway through the game. Gradley made a more cutting attack with 664 for Boston, attempting to get them back in the game. Nightfur picked up 368 to keep Royal's lead quite large with a player each to go. Ice Cream couldn't save the Swifts with 298 on her turn, leading them to a losing total of 1295. Cassie made a campaign for more playing time with 711 for the Crowns at the end, capping their win at 2350. Royal has tied the series at 2, and has won 24 straight games at home across all competitions.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Southeastern rivals return to Boston, where the Swifts sit Ice Cream and the Crowns give their captain Nightfur her first game off in the playoffs in game 5. Kayla took a step back from recent efforts with 428 to start Royal off in this game. Patches couldn't catch up with 295 for Boston, her half-cautious approach creating lower pace and offense to lead off for the hosts. Jake tried to work exclusively with pace for the Crowns, falling at 209 to weaken their lead. Puff II fumbled a bouncing offering, and the next one took her out at 126 as the Swifts are beginning to crumble. Jeremias put up 355 for Royal, a mild return from the surprising star. Gradley carved out 808 for Boston to get them back in the game, his steady presence giving them a lead with a player each to go. Cassie sent 14 straight to the 6s, grabbing a quick 470 for the Crowns to force a response from the hosts to their final of 1462. Sweetheart had a nervy finish at 297 for the Swifts, but they did get the win at 1526. Boston is operating on their thinnest margins of the year, leading the series 3-2 on the way back to Royal.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates are in must-win mode as of game 5, with Max on the bench this time, while the Torpedoes look to clinch with Mr. Snowman on the bench. Smudge sliced 336 for Infinity in a bit of a poor start for the visitors. Delila picked up 394 on a false start replay for Atlantic, putting them narrowly ahead after the initial turn. Fluffina pounded 529 for the Torpedoes, doing her part to build a better lead on the second attack. Isabella countered with 703 for the Pirates, keeping them ahead halfway through the game on a great turn. Solaris covered the deficit with 391 for Infinity, but their ability to keep up with the hosts is being tested. Steven kept things steady with 375 for Atlantic, setting up a close finish between these two teams. Shelley failed to keep the challenge going, ending at just 21 points as the Torpedoes lost with 1277. Klaus scooped 256 to ice the Pirates win at 1728, keeping the series going. Atlantic's biggest test awaits them in Infinity, as the Torpedoes return home still ahead 3-2 in the series.
Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: After some time for travel, the Torpedoes return home with Shelley on the bench, while the Pirates sit Klaus for this must-win game 6 on the road. Delila set the tone with 573 for Atlantic on their opening turn, a great performance on the road from the captain. Smudge faltered with 311 for Infinity to start the hosts offense a bit lower. Isabella faltered a bit at 292 for the Pirates, potentially leaving their lead exposed. Fluffina took full advantage of the weakness, striking 690 for the Torpedoes on the second attack to gain a lead. Steven slipped in with 295 for Atlantic, enough to cover the deficit by a small amount. Solaris had just 160 for Infinity this time, a terrible time to lose his form as the hosts are ahead by one point heading into the final players' turns. Max came up clutch with 828 for the Pirates, icing their offense at 1988 with a fantastic outing. Mr. Snowman fell short at 184 for the Torpedoes, leaving them in another loss at 1345. The series heads east one more time, tied at 3 and awaiting the decisive game 7.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns elect to put Jake on their bench for a must-win game 6, while the Swifts are sitting Puff II due to her diminishing returns recently. Patches had another weak start for Boston, taking only 304 this time as the visitors struggle to set the tone. Kayla pulled Royal ahead on 523 on their first turn, creating a modest lead. Gradley attacked with 603 for the Swifts, a fearsome second attack to pull the visitors ahead. Jeremias knocked 464 for the Crowns to regain a small lead at the midway point of the game. Sweetheart crumbled at 17 for Boston after a sloppy turn that saw a deflected ball take her out of the action. Nightfur did not do as well as planned in her return, falling at 84 for Royal to leave the game very much up in the air. Ice Cream did force a response from the hosts with her 368, icing the Swifts offense at another low mark of 1292. Cassie took 238 for the Crowns, giving them a total of 1309 in a very narrow win. Royal has tied the series at 3 with a 25th straight home win, sending the series back to Boston for game 7, which is next.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Crowns sit Cassie after a down effort last time, while the Swifts have Sweetheart on the bench in this win-or-go-home battle for both sides. Kayla drilled 511 for Royal to lead things off, putting a lot of pressure on the hosts right away. Patches got unlucky with some deflections draining her pace, but a scoop swing ultimately doomed her at 368 for Boston. Jake accepted 401 rather than risk a good turn on an optional replay after a technical error, padding the Crowns lead a little. Puff II turned things around with 860 for the Swifts, a great appearance in her return to the lineup to build a lead. Jeremias couldn't get much going with 319 for Royal, barely covering the deficit as the visitors are in a vulnerable spot. Gradley popped 496 for Boston, not his best turn but enough for a supple lead. Nightfur couldn't force a response with 364 for the Crowns, leaving them in a heartbreaking loss at 1595. Ice Cream rallied with 490 as the stadium rocked for the Swifts' win at 2214. Boston, led by Gradley once again, took the series 4-3 to book a spot in the Hutton Cup for the second time in three years.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Semifinals come down to this game 7, with the Pirates choosing to sit Steven while the Torpedoes bench Solaris. Smudge got a little too aggressive on her swing, falling with 224 for Infinity in a tough start for the visitors. Delila answered with 584 for Atlantic on their first turn, behind the chants and cheers of a raucous home crowd. Fluffina got shut down at 78 for the Torpedoes, fueling the crowd's excitement as the initial lead holds up. Isabella dampened the excitement a bit by hitting just 129 for the Pirates, although their lead remains noticeable. Shelley charged forward with 647 for Infinity, covering the deficit with a nice performance. Klaus regained the lead on 408 for Atlantic, setting up an intense finish to a great series. Mr. Snowman had a poor 176 for the Torpedoes, leaving them at 1125 while forcing a tiny response from the hosts. Max produced a mere 230 for the Pirates, but it might as well have been a record, as the crowd exploded with joy to see their team win on 1351. Atlantic took the series 4-3, winning three straight to do so, and Delila has led her team to the Hutton Cup Finals against the Boston Swifts.
We'll have Boston v. Atlantic tomorrow, likely with games 1 and 2 in the morning and the rest in the afternoon to crown a champion.
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