UPCL Cricket - Week 13 Part 3

We're back for the last segment of what might be the quickest week in league history. We begin with...

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Hummingbirds open a three-game home stand against the Surfers, who are in their second of three straight on the road. Watermelon got off to a fairly good start with 456 for Pearl, her best in a few road games. Princess didn't correct her swing as it inched closer to out of bounds range, and this finished her turn at 345 for Tysini, who will start from behind. Neopolitan stayed hot with 703 for the Surfers in this game, extending their lead quite a bit. Leandra had a decent game going, but fell apart rapidly, and closed with only 271 for the straggling Hummingbirds. Boots provided a nice boost with 396 for Pearl, keeping them in control of the game. Charli had 320 for Tysini on her turn, allowing the game to slip a little farther away. Wings tacked on another 399 for the Surfers, giving them a grand total of 1954. Brownie chipped back with 418 for the Hummingbirds, but they took the loss with 1354. Pearl's win lifts them over .500 again at 13-12, while Tysini is very bad at 7-16.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The Blades currently hold second place, but want to charge forward against an inconsistent Wolves side. Juno refused to take it easy, serving up a crisp 592 for Stonebridge in the opening salvo. Snowball covered the deficit well with 620 for Swordpoint, giving them a small advantage early on. Frosty faltered at 145 for the Wolves, leaving them vulnerable this time. Dreamy stayed on top of that with 256 for the Blades, but she didn't provide as much as they wanted, so the lead remains small at the midway point. Cobalt was a bit more firm for Stonebridge, batting 401 to put them noticeably ahead for now. Bandit stood his ground for Swordpoint with 466 on his turn, giving a slight boost to the lead before the final players come to bat. Prism covered the deficit with 263 for the Wolves, but just barely, and they ended with 1401 total. Stealth replied with 305 to give the Blades a win with 1647. Swordpoint has won seven in a row now, going to 20-8 as the first 20-win team, while Stonebridge is 11-19 with the loss.

Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents play in their fourth of an eight-game home stand, while the Waves wrap up a four-game road trip here. Snuggle had a very strong opening rally, swatting his way to 608 for Oceanside in their Nightwave jerseys. Precious had a down game for Pronger, picking up only 269 to start their offense with. Caitlin's backhand flick only delayed the inevitable end of her turn, as she got two more swings off before ending with 145 for the Waves. Zach pulled the Tridents ahead in a spectacular turn, lifting 672 to give them the mid-game edge. Oceanside's offensive collapse continued with only 176 from Celestia, leaving them just short of covering the current deficit. Spot surged Pronger forward with 664, pounding with precise accuracy at the 6s on his turn. Dewey had only 270 for the Waves, leaving them at 1199 in the loss as their road offense evaporated this game. Potter was poor with 39 for the Tridents, but they had already won and finished with 1644 total. Pronger heads up to 12-10, while Oceanside falls back to 15-14.

Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes try to join the 20-win ranks as they host the Commerce Tradewinds, who have cooled a bit as they start a four-game road trip. Tigerette took awhile to find her swing for Commerce, and couldn't stay consistent, ending on 270. Starlight answered with a solid 425, not her best outing, but enough for Pacific to take the initial lead. Ice Cream essentially matched this with 423 for the Tradewinds, giving the visitors another chance. Ms. Kitty had a slow start before earning a technical replay, and was a better hitter but not good either way, scoring 231 as the Volcanoes fall slightly behind. Lionel fired back with 521 for Commerce, making a statement that the hosts need to respond to quickly. Leonette got some back with 416 for Pacific on her turn, but they remain slightly behind with a player each to go. Lorde had a pitiful 63 for the Tradewinds, leaving them in limbo at 1277. Chicky Phil did just enough with 296 to give the Volcanoes the win with 1368. Pacific is now 20-9 on the year, rising again up the ranks, while Commerce falls to 9-15.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Predators look to shake off a little rust against the lowly Hummingbirds. Shawn got off to a poor start for Midland with only 190 on his turn, setting them a bit low to start the game. Princess got stuck in a position where a backhand was her only option, and she sent it too high, ending with 511 to put Tysini ahead early on. Rainmane had a bit of an errant swing on her turn, ending at 232 as the Predators remain mired in a scoring slump. Leandra had a weak turn, taking a meager 112 for the Hummingbirds as their lead loses some steam at the halfway mark. Leonardo dug in to grab 500 for Midland on his turn, getting them back in the fight. Charli blew things open with 870 for Tysini on her turn, charging the hosts forward to a big lead with a player each to go. Fuchsia had only 295 for the Predators at the end, sticking them with a loss on 1217 total. Brownie tacked on 513 for the Hummingbirds, giving them a final score of 2006. Tysini's win brings them up to 8-16, while Midland falls to 16-13 in the loss.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin a six-game home stand with a doubleheader of Urban Division teams, the first being the Westside Rockers. Misty churned out 603 for Westside on her opening turn, a good start for the visitors. Valencia showed some annoyance with distractions on her turn, ending at 535 to keep Golden in range. Goatee had some struggles with pace for the Rockers, but stayed around long enough to get 472 to pad the lead with. Dusty put the Pilots firmly in charge on her turn, slugging 1742 to build up a likely insurmountable lead at the midway mark. Midnight spiked 575 in response for Westside, but they are in a lot of trouble after Dusty's turn. Strut cracked out another 719 for Golden on his turn, extending the lead to almost assure a victory for the hosts. Slinks provided 551 for the Rockers, and they ended with an otherwise excellent 2201, but also a loss. A. Charlton collapsed, overwhelmed early at 24 points, giving the Pilots a final of 3020 in the win. Golden is up to 15-8 after the big win, just a half-game behind the 16-8 Westside as Golden appears ready to take first-tier status.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots host a much weaker foe to end the doubleheader in their second of six straight home games, with the Union trying to provide a surprise. Ms. Puppy opened with 510 for Modernistic in a solid turn for the visitors to begin the game. Valencia just put Golden ahead with 552 on her turn, giving the hosts a narrow lead initially. Daisy covered the deficit with 380 for the Union, keeping the hosts pinned back a bit. Dusty stepped up again for the Pilots, smacking 743 to give them a stronger, although not unbeatable, lead halfway through the game. Puff I covered the deficit for Modernistic, displaying confidence and a good swing in scoring 512 to keep the game interesting. Strut slapped 463 for Golden, doing his part to keep the visitors at bay before the final players take their turns. Strawberry came up just short with 343 for the Union, giving them a final of 1745 in a loss. A. Charlton had 457 for the Pilots to bring them to a final of 2215 in the win. Golden has reached the top tier at 16-8, while Modernistic is 8-17.

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters end a three-game home stand while bringing in the Wolves, who are in the fourth of five straight on the road. Juno was a bit off target on her turn, ending at just 160 as Stonebridge will start from a low point. It's still better than what Sydney did for Harrison, as a deflection stalled her turn with only 36 points. Frosty was better in the second attack for the Wolves, rallying for 441 to give them a stronger lead. Twinkie II made quite a bit of progress with 506 for the Specters, cutting deeply into the deficit at the halfway mark. Cobalt had a rough turn with 288 for Stonebridge, a modest amount that leaves them slightly vulnerable. Lexi couldn't quite cover the deficit, ending at 271 for Harrison in a difficult turn thanks to poor pitch conditions. Prism flipped 432 for the Wolves, giving them 1321 for their final score, which isn't safe but might be enough in this scoring environment. Sugar bashed 1019 for the Specters, completing their comeback in a big way to grab the win with 1832. Harrison is 8-20 now, while Stonebridge drops to 11-20.

HP Field, Midland: The Predators play their 20th home game against the Blades, who are challenging for first again. Snowball went unusually modest in her scoring, taking 382 for Swordpoint to lead things off in this game. Shawn didn't meet the challenge against his former team, beginning with 319 to put Midland slightly behind early on. Dreamy was better for the Blades, ripping 648 to give them a better second lead with a strong performance. Rainmane's in a bit of a slump, hitting a measly 24 after a bad-angled swing took her out of rhythm for the Predators. Bandit pummeled another 880 for Swordpoint on his turn, with the rookie doing well to boost the lead much more. Leonardo tried a rally with 609 for Midland, but they remain far behind without much time to fix it. Stealth chipped 193 after a controversial false start replay went in his favor, and the Blades ended with 2103 total. Fuchsia stumbled and crashed with a paltry 39 for the Predators as they lost with 991. Swordpoint gets up to 21-8 on the year, while Midland falls to 16-14 in a rough patch of their season.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The Sharpshooters look to make a statement against the well-rested Meteors. Mams popped a reasonable 472 to get Viewpoint Sound going in good form at the start of the game. Chris pushed Capital City slightly ahead initially, giving them 535 as their foundation for offense. Hoot didn't do so well for the Meteors, ending on a poor 120, which puts the visitors in a vulnerable position. Missy drilled 1104 for the Sharpshooters in response, extending their lead to a significant margin at the halfway point of the game. Nibbles did well in taking 448 for Viewpoint Sound, but they remain in a deep hole at this stage. Sprinkles tripped up at 75 for Capital City, weakening their lead slightly with a player each to go. Dominic, somewhat surprisingly, blitzed with 774 for the Meteors, giving them 1814 as their final, which forces a response from the hosts. Nicole was good enough for the Sharpshooters, tacking on 200 to give them the win with 1914. Capital City jumps to 17-10 on the year, while Viewpoint Sound goes down to 7-13.

AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves are back home briefly, facing a more confident Sharks team leaving home after their first win in their new building. Chelsea found a groove during her optional replay after a technical error, lining 657 for Eastside to start them off well. Snuggle fell short with 384 for Oceanside, all on a mandatory replay after he played through a technical error. Taylor slipped up at a paltry 21 for the Sharks, making their lead significantly weaker. Caitlin managed to get the Waves into a tiny lead with 307 on her turn, making it a close game. Niki clobbered 710 for Eastside on her turn, restoring a significant lead for the visitors. Celestia added one point to the Oceanside lead, edging her mark out by that margin with 711 on a spectacular turn. Paps sprayed 215 for the Sharks on his turn, leaving them at 1603, a vulnerable mark that the hosts could top. Dewey blew up with 818 for the Waves, sending the hosts far ahead on a win with 2220. Oceanside improves to 16-14, while Eastside plummets to 9-17.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks end their cluttered week against a struggling Rockers side in this Urban Divisional. Misty gave Westside a very slow start, producing a weak 64 points to begin. Peach was comparatively tame for North Modernistic, working her way to 441 to give the hosts a lead. Goatee fired back with 593 for the Rockers, unfazed by their slow start to the game. Luigi was clearly intimidated, ending on a sad 96 for the Nighthawks, which sends them to a deficit at the midway mark. Midnight supplied 388 for Westside on her turn, adding nicely to their lead in what's expected to be a close finish in the game. Cheddar cut lightly into the deficit with 407 for North Modernistic, setting up a battle between the final players for the game. Slinks didn't make it easy, swatting 490 for the Rockers to bring their final to 1535. Bright fell short at 122 for the Nighthawks, leaving them well short at 1066 in the loss. Westside defends their first-tier status, going up to 17-8, while North Modernistic slips again to 17-15 after a rough week.

That's all for the games this week. We may play a bit of cricket tomorrow, but the primary focus will be the opening of the Tournament A-level competition First Round.

UPCL Cricket - Week 13 Part 2

We're in the middle segment of the week, and we begin with...

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: Two of the worst teams in the league will get a chance to move up in this meeting. Chelsea has been good on the road recently, and never better than today, smashing 1119 at the start to set Eastside on the right path immediately. Nightfur's rough home play continued with a poor 113 for Royal in this game. Taylor tallied another 434 for the Sharks on a solid turn from their star player. Jake covered some of the deficit in a strong turn for the Crowns, gathering 576 to get a little closer at the halfway mark. Niki stumbled to only 45 points for Eastside in a weak outing for the sophomore. Kayla couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, ending with 112 for Royal as they appear set to see their skid continue. Paps batted 672 at the end for the Sharks, bringing their big total to 2270 in what should be a win for the visitors. Hannah had just 128 for the Crowns, capping their loss at 929 in another bad team effort. Eastside cruised to victory to go to 8-16, while Royal's skid is now ten games long as they sit with a 6-16 record.

Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents and Swifts square off in a battle of teams of even strength so far. Patches started off with incredible pace, but lost control later and ended up with 562 for Boston in the opening attack. Precious had some troubles with deflections, but they didn't end her turn. Instead, a missed swing cut her down at 530, putting Pronger just a touch behind. Puff II did decently for the Swifts, batting 375 to keep their lead somewhat steady. Zach supplied the Tridents with 529, doubling their offense to give them a marginal lead at the halfway mark. Gradley tried and succeeded at covering the deficit, posting 519 as Boston challenges their hosts effectively. Spot didn't get his bat back quickly enough, scraping a ball into his stumps to end with 112 and set Pronger behind with a player each to go. Sweetheart went big at the end for the Swifts, ripping 623 to bring them to 2079 overall. Potter saw his swing split between two balls after a bounced offering, and he ended at 361, leaving the Tridents short at 1532. Boston's win carries them to 13-10, while Pronger drops to 11-10 in the loss.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades have struggled recently, but not more than their visitors, the Crowns. Nightfur had a reasonably good appearance for Royal, tallying 433 to open the scoring in acceptable form. Jasmine put together her best home effort of the season, smacking 830 to give Freedom a big lead initially. Jake just managed to cover the deficit despite a perfectly good turn, adding 424 to the Crowns score in the second attack. Stinky had a stunted offensive performance with 176 for the Cascades, making things a bit close at the halfway mark. Kayla didn't get as much of a boost as she liked, ending on a solid 319 for Royal as the team balance slides a bit. Freedom pulled away a bit more with 598 from Roxy, a fantastic appearance that saw her show off plus command. Hannah had a paltry 155 for the Crowns, leaving them well short with a loss at 1331, their eleventh in a row. Nikolai made a quick exit on 33 for the Cascades, giving them 1637 in the win. Freedom is back in the right direction at 8-11, while Royal drops again to 6-17.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores host the second in a three-game home stand against the Eagles, who are just hanging onto top-tier status after a fall from grace. Goldy was a little chaotic, but also effective in scoring 572 for Everton to give them a solid start to the game. Bear kept it fairly close for Whitewater, lining 486 on his opening effort. Puff III absolutely belted 986 for the Eagles on her turn, giving them a formidable lead with her amazing pace. Her sister, Twinkie III, tried mimicry for the Shores, but ended at 456 after hitting an elevated offering awkwardly. Kirstin's slump continued with a meager 82 for Everton in this game, leaving their lead a bit vulnerable. Marsell shrunk the deficit fairly well with 410 for Whitewater, giving them a chance depending on how the final players perform. Blizzard had only 20 for the Eagles, getting beat by a fast-paced ball early on to give them 1660 as their final. Her sister Shaggy also collapsed, taking a measly 39 as the Shores suffered a heartbreaking loss at 1391. Everton is back on track at 18-9, while Whitewater slips to 8-10.

FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks still seek their first win in their new stadium, bringing in Eastern Hills rivals in the Diamond Gems to try to settle it. Smokey laid a good foundation for Diamond, paddling his way to 472. Chelsea couldn't settle a ball on her backhand quickly enough, getting taken out at 288 by the next offering as Eastside starts from behind again. Citrus didn't help the Gems much, faltering at 102 as their lead weakens in the second wave. Taylor flipped 476 for the Sharks, giving them the edge at the midway mark. Pedey had a misplay where he missed an offering, and while offered a technical error replay, he chose to accept 395 for Diamond to restore a small lead. Niki kept pace well for Eastside, cobbling together 385 to sustain the lead with a player each to go. Rosalina hit 472 for the Gems in the end, getting finished by a pair of deflections to leave the visitors at 1441, forcing the hosts to respond. Paps broke the curse with 376 for the Sharks, giving them their first home win on 1525. Eastside is now 9-16, while Diamond's heavy schedule has weighed them down at 10-20.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Each team has big reasons for wanting the win in this battle between talented sides. Capital City got off to a dream start thanks to 958 from their captain Chris, setting the tone quite well. Watermelon scooped up 894 in response for Pearl, keeping the game close initially with a great counterattack. Missy didn't last very long for the Sharpshooters, taking just 36 on her turn as their lead destabilizes. Neopolitan did enough to claim a lead for the Surfers, slicing 456 in a decent turn to put them ahead. Sprinkles covered the deficit in a turn filled with risky swings, working her way to 465 to give Capital City a chance. Boots had a rare misstep, stumbling with a meager 80 as Pearl falls behind again late in the game. Nicole had a modest 367 for the Sharpshooters against her first team, leaving her current team at 1826. Wings barely lifted the Surfers ahead in the end, scoring 418 to produce their final of 1848 in the narrow victory. Pearl jumps to 12-11 in the win, while Capital City is clearly second tier at 16-10.

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Predators come off a bye for a two-game road trip, first facing the last-place Specters, who are trying to leave the basement. Shawn picked up a decent 375 for Midland, taking awhile to find a comfortable swing. Sydney was going well for Harrison, but she hit a ball awkwardly and ended abruptly at 289, putting the hosts a bit behind. Rainmane added a lot of support with 794 for the Predators, going at a slow but steady pace to build their lead up. Twinkie II quickly answered with 595 for the Specters, doing her part to mitigate the damage. Leonardo had a few odd bounces, and the last one took out his wicket, ending him at 253 for Midland as their lead loses a bit of strength. Lexi went big with 721 for Harrison, putting them in the lead late in the game with her big performance. Fuchsia has slowed from her early-season pace, falling with 84 as the Predators lost with 1506. Sugar tacked on 344 for the Specters at the end, giving them a final of 1949 in the win. Harrison's win gets them to 7-20 on the year, while Midland falls to 16-12.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks' sixth game of seven this week is at home against the Surfers, who embark on a three-game road trip through the western regions. Watermelon has recently been shaky on the road, evidenced by her scoring 267 for a soft lead for Pearl. Peach dug up enough strength to rattle off 807 for North Modernistic, giving them a supple first lead. Neopolitan fired back very well for the Surfers, carving out 907 on her turn to cover the deficit handily. Luigi did enough with 457 for the Nighthawks, covering the deficit to give them a small lead at the halfway mark. Boots didn't get much done for Pearl, falling at 287 as they are in a vulnerable position. Cheddar broke out with 939 for North Modernistic, potentially doing enough to secure the game. Wings had only 112 for the Surfers on his turn, sending them to a loss with 1573. His brother, Bright, capped the Nighthawks win with 352, giving them a final of 2545. North Modernistic pulled out of their nosedive to get to 17-14, while Pearl is backtracking to 12-12.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union have a tough task on hand, as the first-place Torpedoes look to extend that lead in their second game of three in a road trip. Smudge made a critical mistake, rushing a swing that went out of bounds to leave her with 179 for Infinity. Ms. Puppy was doing fine until a ball arced over her bat to take out her wicket, leaving Modernistic a step behind at 167 to start with. Solaris blasted 1066 for the Torpedoes, giving them a significant lead after the second attack. Daisy had a decent pace going before an errant swing sent her down at 224 for the Union. Whiskers didn't provide much support for Infinity, ending on 147 in a mostly low-scoring game so far, save for Solaris. Puff I chipped away at the deficit with 568 for Modernistic, trying to make the game a bit closer at the end. Mr. Snowman added a solid 501 for the Torpedoes, giving them 1893, which should hold up. Strawberry rallied for 580 for the Union, but the rally came up short when they ended with 1539. Infinity has strengthened their grip on first place at 18-7, while Modernistic is 8-16, unfortunate to face such a tough opponent.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: A losing streak will end here, be it the eleven-game Crowns skid or the five-game slide for the Spiders. Nightfur started off with a mild 314 for Royal, giving them an acceptable opener. Shadow had no trouble coming up with an answer for Web City, knocking 837 to give the hosts a lead. Jake couldn't cover the deficit for the Crowns, falling out of rhythm and then getting taken out at 351 in rapid succession to end his turn. Ted kept the damage low, sustaining the Spiders lead with his 288 to bring the game to half-completion. Kayla did well for Royal, covering the deficit with her 503 as the game has gotten a bit close. Shiny exacerbated the depth scoring issue for Web City, hitting only 169 as they are now vulnerable with a player each to go. Hannah provided a sharp challenge with 439 for the Crowns, giving them a final of 1607 that will force the hosts to reply. Dani had only 152 for the Spiders in the end, leaving them with a loss on 1446. Royal's eleven-game losing streak is history as they go to 7-17, while Web City's skid is now six games long with a record of 10-18.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders' next game is also against their Southeastern rivals, the Pilots, but Golden will play four games between now and next week's return match. Valencia did well with 467 for Golden to begin the scoring. Bianca saw a high-arcing ball absolutely dive-bomb at her wicket, stalling her turn at 39 for Southridge. Dusty showed no mercy for the Pilots, hammering 980 to extend their lead to lofty heights. Debby didn't get far with her response for the Defenders, picking up 272 as they remain far back at the halfway point. Strut kept Golden on the right track with a simple 424 on his turn, padding the lead a little bit. Stephanie tried a rally for Southridge, quickly smacking 668, but the hosts remain far back late in the game. A. Charlton tapped another 264 for the Pilots, setting their final score at 2135 in what should be a win for the high-offense visitors. Hughbert chipped 416 for the Defenders at the end, but they lost with 1395. Golden soars to 14-8 with the win, knocking Southridge down to 14-15 as well.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds make a short stop at home between road trips to face the slumping Spiders in this segment's finale. Shadow was forced onto his backhand after a bounce, and this brought him down with 450 to start the game well for Web City. Tigerette couldn't quite match her fellow captain, but she got very close with 447 for Commerce. Ted clobbered 810 for the Spiders, working efficiently to give the visitors a better second lead. Ice Cream held on for awhile before a reaching swing ended her turn at 375 for the Tradewinds, putting them in a hole. Shiny did well with another 466 for Web City, padding their lead nicely with the effort. Lionel failed to stage a comeback effort for Commerce, bailing on a bad swing at 339 as the hosts are in deep trouble. Dani iced the Spiders' offensive effort with her 314 to give them 2040 as their final. Lorde tried to make a comeback, but fell short with 495 for the Tradewinds, giving them 1656 in the loss. Web City's six-game losing skid ends with them going to 11-18, while Commerce slips to 9-14.

That's all for this post. @UnitedPCL on Twitter has been active this week with all the games played, and we've got more coming today.

UPCL Cricket - Week 13 Part 1

The season is over 1/3 done, and a gaggle of teams populates the top ranks. We begin the first segment of week 13 with...

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: Expansion rivals and Urban Divisional foes meet in a stellar first game of the week. Peach had a decent pace until a late fade cut her down at 376 for North Modernistic, an acceptable start from the captain. Kiwi faltered with only 115 for Terrace City, setting the hosts behind at the start. Luigi answered with a sharp 597 for the Nighthawks, boosting their lead in the second attack. Jennifer broke free for the Knights, blasting 936 on her turn to cover the deficit and give the hosts a small lead. Her former teammate with the Shores, Cheddar, shot back with 677, keeping her good road play up to help North Modernistic regain a lead. Oreo produced a solid 535 for Terrace City, but they've fallen slightly behind with a player each to go. Bright got beat by a weird deflection, falling with only 176 as the Nighthawks close with a vulnerable 1826. Stripes hammered 694 for the Knights to win with 2280 in a critical division game. Terrace City lifts up to 17-8, sectioning the top tier as the top seven teams, while North Modernistic falls to 15-11. Both are 3-2 against the Urban Division.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders end a four-game home stand by bringing in the straggling Cascades in their one-off road appearance. Jasmine got knocked down by a tough deflection, ending with a poor 124 for Freedom. Bianca tried a backhand for Southridge after a bouncing ball went high, but she knocked it out and ended with a solid 441. Stinky had only 152 on his turn, failing to cover the deficit as the Cascades have put in another poor effort so far. Debby countered effectively for the Defenders, adding 481 to their lead at the midway mark. Roxy got some back for Freedom, but she ended her turn abruptly as a ball just got behind her swing, giving her 519 in the appearance. Stephanie needed two replays before she had a turn stick, and she made it work with 736 for Southridge, putting them even farther ahead. Nikolai got jammed and ended with a paltry 37 for the Cascades, giving them 832 in the loss. Hughbert ended on an errant backhand, giving him 296 and the Defenders a winning final of 1954. Southridge is 14-13, while Freedom drops again to 7-11.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows continue in the second of a four-game home stand against the Flames, who ride a six-game road winning streak into town. Crystal carved out quite a turn, including a backhand hold-and-flick to keep her going until she ended at 712 for Queens. Sally tried a high-pace game for Archtown, which lasted briefly until she went out at 128. Paige couldn't pull back on a ball that bounced weird, ending at 253 as she lightly hit it out, but the Flames still lead. Sleepy B. cut into the deficit pretty well, batting 519 for the Arrows. Violetta restrengthened the Queens lead on her turn, churning out 687 in a strong performance from the rookie. Ruby covered that and a bit more, swatting 807 for Archtown to shrink the deficit a little more before the final players come to bat. Her brother, Max, flipped 312 for the Flames, giving them 1964 as their final score, far from a safe mark. Dusky couldn't keep up, ending on a meager 112 as the Arrows take the loss with 1466. Queens improves to 17-11 with the somewhat tight finish, while Archtown drops to 12-18.

Verizon Field, Pacific: A well-rested Volcanoes side has a chance to enter a tie for first, but the road-strong Swifts stand in their way. Patches got split at the end of her turn, as she hit low and a ball went high, giving her 599 for Boston to start the game. Pacific's Starlight was a bit better in her opener, paddling 650 to put the hosts narrowly in the lead. Puff II saw a ball get stuck on her bat, causing her to bow out at only 122 for the Swifts. Ms. Kitty added a solid 351 for the Volcanoes, giving their lead a bit more strength at the halfway mark. Gradley did well for Boston to get 424, covering the deficit, but not by much. Leonette struggled badly with placement for Pacific, and ended up coming up short with 125, giving them a tiny deficit with a player each to go. Sweetheart added some punitive damages for the Swifts, bashing 687 to give them a final 1832. Chicky Phil had only 272 for the Volcanoes, leaving them at 1398 in the upset loss. Boston gets a critical win in the Generations Derby, taking them to 12-10, while Pacific cycles to the bottom of the tier at 18-9.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes return home after a perfect road trip, with the chance to gain a share of second place if they can topple the Wolves. Juno had an alright start to the game, picking up a modest 282 for Stonebridge. Smudge was better in opening with 543 for Infinity, giving the hosts a noticeable lead from the get-go. Frosty couldn't cover the deficit for the Wolves, taking only 176 in a down turn for the veteran. Solaris answered well with 450 for the Torpedoes, keeping them in charge halfway through the game. Cobalt hauled in 552 for Stonebridge on his turn, covering the deficit just barely to keep the visitors in the game. Whiskers gave Infinity a smaller lead, putting up 289 in a passable outing from the veteran. Prism tipped a ball over her wicket, ending her turn with 159 and giving the Wolves a losing score of 1169. Mr. Snowman iced the Torpedoes win with 227 individually for a final of 1509. Infinity enters into a three-way tie for second with a record of 16-7, while Stonebridge slides to 11-18 for the year.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows play the third of four straight at home, meeting a determined Defenders side trying to stay in the playoff hunt. Bianca paced the Southridge attack fairly well, starting things off with 535 for the visitors. Sally couldn't match that for Archtown, continuing a trend of mediocre offense with 271 on this turn. Debby nearly matched Bianca for the Defenders, effectively doubling their offense with 513 from the captain. Sleepy B. let the opposition get farther away, ending on 332 in a decent turn marred by one bad swing at the end for the lagging Arrows. Stephanie got stuck in an unenviable spot, with a high-arcing ball and a regularly-pitched on landing on opposite sides of her bat at the same time, ending her effort at a paltry 45 for Southridge. Ruby lined 499 for Archtown on her turn, covering the deficit just barely as it will be up to the final players to decide this one. Hughbert didn't get as much as he wanted, taking 348 to leave the Defenders at a vulnerable 1441. Dusky completed the comeback win for the Arrows, posting 405 to give them the win with 1507. Archtown's surprise win gets them to 13-18, while Southridge falls back to 14-14.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The high-octane Nighthawks take on the slumping Everton Eagles, who badly need to stop the slide. Goldy had a bit of a nervy start, but she corrected course to smack 646 for Everton, a strong opener. Peach, somewhat surprisingly, couldn't catch up, producing 487 for North Modernistic to start with. Puff III shot back with power for the Eagles, tallying 615 to pad their lead as they've made a good base. Luigi got knocked down early by a deflection, with his 148 drastically hurting the Nighthawks' chances of a comeback. Kirstin had only 225 for Everton, potentially weakening their lead a little bit just after halfway. Cheddar made progress positively for North Modernistic, striking 592 to shrink the deficit to a workable amount with the final players coming to bat. Blizzard picked a great time to go crazy for the Eagles, crushing 1044 to give them 2530 as their final in a likely victory. Bright had no touch for placement, taking a measly 83 as the Nighthawks crashed to a loss with 1310. Everton is 17-9 now, while North Modernistic is 15-12 in a rough start to a busy week.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Nighthawks quickly change and head south to face their bitterest rivals, the Union, who are fresh off a bye week. The Nighthawks are in line for the sweep. Peach stepped up for North Modernistic, drilling 625 to set them up well to begin the game. Ms. Puppy belted 939 for Modernistic in response, as the hosts will put up quite a challenge. Luigi had another turn end in deflected heartbreak, with a score of only 66 this time after his two-touch play went awry for the Nighthawks. Daisy didn't fare much better, opting to play a backhand that she flipped out of bounds to end on only 108 for the Union. Cheddar kept up her good road play with 529 for North Modernistic, covering the deficit as well. Puff I had a rough turn, chipping 229 for Modernistic to set up a close finish between the rivals' final players. Bright went with 470 for the Nighthawks, a strong outing to set them at 1690 overall, but it's too close to call right now. Strawberry rolled over with 195 for the Union, leaving them short with 1471 in another home loss. North Modernistic may have corrected their tailspin in getting to 16-12, while Modernistic drops to 8-14.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: It's a meeting between Coastal rivals, as the Surfers try to stay above the bubble while the Volcanoes try to regain ground amid the top-tier teams. Starlight came up a bit disappointing for Pacific, taking a mere 176 on the opening attack. Watermelon did well to give Pearl a lead, providing a steady attack with 416 for the initial advantage. Ms. Kitty showed ease in covering the deficit for the Volcanoes, tallying 735 in a wonderful appearance. Neopolitan didn't have a strong finish, looking shaky as she bailed with 312 for the Surfers, leaving them at a deficit. Leonette had a decent outing with 416 for Pacific, providing a nice boost to their lead. Boots cranked out 699 for Pearl, getting them back in the game with a player each to go. Chicky Phil refused to go down without a fight for the Volcanoes, pummeling 856 to give them a final of 2183, which will be tough for the hosts to match. Wings couldn't bring the Surfers back, ending on 256 to give them a losing score of 1683. Pacific improves to 19-9 on the year, while Pearl slips back to 11-11.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are feeling fatigue this week, facing the white-hot Torpedoes. Smudge let a swing get away from her at the start, ending on 308 for Infinity in a sub-par initial attack. Peach did well in response with 639 for North Modernistic, doubling up her mark for the early lead. Solaris tried to get tricky with a backhand, but he missed the swing, ending on 529 as he covered the deficit lightly for the Torpedoes. Luigi's luck with deflections has been unbearably bad this week, as he once again got played and ended with 225 for the Nighthawks, giving them a slight lead at the halfway point. Whiskers provided a decent 361 for Infinity, hoping that it will be enough to maintain a lead. It was, for now, as North Modernistic's Cheddar had an uncharacteristically bad game with only 192 points added to their score. Mr. Snowman performed when he needed to, rallying for 801 to give the Torpedoes a final of 1999. Bright couldn't make a hot pace last, ending at 208 as the Nighthawks fell with 1264 to his first team. Infinity has won eight straight to get to 17-7 and first place in the league, while North Modernistic is 16-13 with the loss.

Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames try to stay hot against a vengeful and inspired Union side that only lacks consistency. Ms. Puppy showed that lack of consistency, coming up flat with just 66 for Modernistic in the first turn of the game. Crystal didn't do any better, taking only 105 for Queens after getting slightly distracted. Daisy burst out with 606 for the Union, one of her better performances to get the scoring back on track in this game. Paige set the Flames far ahead with an epic outing, blasting 1242 in a show of pure excellence at the midway mark. Puff I nearly covered the deficit for Modernistic, breaking out with 591 after earning a false start replay on her failed first try. Violetta showed good placement skills for Queens, but the turn was short-lived as she fell with 300, weakening the lead a bit. Strawberry gave the Union a small chance, hitting 416 to bring them to 1679 as their final, forcing a response from the hosts. Max met the challenge with 297 for the Flames, icing their win at 1944. Queens is now 18-11 for the year, still a shock to the fans, while Modernistic falls again to 8-15.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows lead the league in games played as they end a four-game home stand against a staggeringly tired Nighthawks side. Peach had two false starts before settling in to hit 455 for North Modernistic at the start. Sally came up a bit low again for Archtown, with 272 this time keeping them in range. Luigi added another 327 for the Nighthawks, padding their lead a little bit with his solid outing. Sleepy B. showed a rare bit of fatigue for the Arrows, hitting only 66 as they watch the deficit grow at the halfway point. Cheddar slipped a bit from her recent standards, but her 332 provided a nice boost for North Modernistic at this stage of the game. Ruby fired back with 744 for Archtown, getting them back into the game with a massive performance that leaves the final players to decide it. Bright poked 317 for the Nighthawks, giving them 1431 overall, which could be topped. Dusky met the challenge with 467 for the Arrows, carrying them to victory with 1549 overall. Archtown is 14-18 on the year, and still deep in the playoff hunting pack, while North Modernistic continues to slide to 16-14.

That's all for this segment. The next one could be coming tonight or tomorrow.