UPCL Cricket: Week 14 Part 1

Welcome to a new week, the last one before the league takes a Thanksgiving break. We begin with...

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Surfers come to the Northeast seeking a sweep against a vulnerable Arrows side. Watermelon wasted no time in announcing Pearl's arrival, crushing 2810 to end the game before it even really began, the second highest individual score of the season thus far. A series of poor bounces saw Sally produce a meager 56 for Archtown. Neopolitan tacked on 550 for the Surfers, as if they needed any more offense. Sleepy B. faltered with 120 for the Arrows, leading to some jeering from the audience. Wings posted another 505 for Pearl as they run up the score. Ruby took on 160 for Archtown, who are mailing in the rest of the game. Wings smashed 885 for the Surfers, giving them 4750 total, the third-highest team score of all time, in a guaranteed win. Dusky's 64 ended the Arrows' efforts at 400 even in their fourth straight home loss, and the defeat by 4350 points is one of the most lopsided games in UPCL history. Pearl's merciless victory sent them to 19-9, ready to challenge for the throne if the Everton Eagles falter any more. Archtown is down to 9-11 with the type of soul-crushing defeat that can haunt a team for months.

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: Speaking of the Eagles, they have a chance to get on track against a formidable foe in an East Division game. Goldy righted the ship with a strong 810 for Everton right off the bat. Delila outpaced that with 1277 of her own for Atlantic, as two MVP candidates go nose to nose. Puff III slipped with 152 for the Eagles, leaving them in a dangerous spot. Amber posted 348 for the Pirates, extending their lead effectively. Cleo's recent slump continued with her producing a meager 82 for Everton, allowing the deficit to grow again. Americus tallied another 397 for Atlantic, padding the lead some more. Blizzard blasted 1357 for the Eagles, doing the seemingly impossible and forcing a response out of the hosts as the visitors close with 2401. Dominic's 152 was far from enough, and the Pirates took the loss with 2174. Everton is back in business, going to 23-4, while Atlantic suffers a heartbreaking defeat to drop to 17-11, ending a six-game winning streak.

Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Swifts look to complete a sweep of their Center Division rivals, the Rockers, after taking care of business in Westside a few weeks ago. Misty took too long on a backhand attempt, allowing the next ball to take out the wicket and end her turn at 53 points for Westside. Patches pulled off a chopping save for Boston, but she missed the incoming ball, and ended up scoring 235 for her troubles. Goatee nearly covered the deficit, but her follow-through came up a bit long on her last swing, and the out-of-bounds ball brought her down at 181 for the Rockers. Puff II did poorly in adding 139 to the Swifts lead, keeping things close halfway through the game. Midnight helped Westside break through, hitting 328 for the visitors to make things more interesting. Gradley had just 80 for Boston, putting them in danger late in the game. Chicky Phil carelessly took out his own stumps, ending at 135 for the Rockers, which made their total 697 in the low scoring game. Sweetheart came through with 360 to give the Swifts a win on 814 points. Boston snapped a three-game home losing streak to improve to 20-11, while Westside drops to 7-15 with a third straight loss.

Capital City SuperCenter: The Arrows get their first shot at redemption against a very similar team. Sally continued to excel on the road, smashing 992 for Archtown to lead things off. Chris couldn't handle the poor pitch conditions, ending with 289 for Capital City. Sleepy B. maintained the lead with 296 for the Arrows. Missy managed a measly 64 for the Sharpshooters, allowing the deficit to grow again. Ruby poked 272 for Archtown as they remain firmly in control of the game. Sprinkles got jammed and scored only 160 for Capital City, with the game likely out of reach for them. Dusky tacked on 387 to give the Arrows a likely victorious final of 1947 in a redemptive effort. Dani hit a pathetic 81 for the Sharpshooters, giving them the loss with 594. Archtown is now 10-11, passing the now 10-12 Capital City side.

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Lumberjacks look to shake their road woes with a short trip north to face their Northeast region rivals. Fluffina pounded 780 for Maplewood, setting a sharp tone early on. Twilight took only 368 back for Central, leaving a noticeable deficit. Bryant cranked out another 566 for the Lumberjacks, extending their lead very well. Dustin got a large portion of it back, scoring 492 for the Warriors, who trail at the halfway point. Diddley faltered with 122 for Maplewood, leaving the door ajar for the hosts. Noelle took advantage of the opportunity, drilling 500 to get Central much closer with a player each to go. Cubby made a strong backhand save, but a bouncing ball fooled him into swinging and missing, giving him 248 to give the Lumberjacks a final of 1716, which is far from safe. Gizmo couldn't complete the comeback, falling with 211 to leave the Warriors short at 1571. Maplewood gets a much needed win to go to 12-10, ending a four-game road losing streak, while Central has lost six of their last seven at home in dropping to 17-14.

Nike Field, Commerce: Last week, the Tradewinds topped the Swifts in Boston. Now, Center Division rivals meet as both teams hit the halfway point in their season. Patches hauled in 476 for Boston, only after a mandatory replay and a false start on her first two attempts. Tigerette misplayed an odd bounce, scoring just 162 for Commerce. Puff II added 312 for the Swifts, keeping the lead safe. Ice Cream had another iffy outing with 160 for the Tradewinds, as they are uncharacteristically poor in this game so far. Gradley tapped 241 for Boston, as the visitors continue to walk a fine line between controlling the game and being vulnerable. Lionel couldn't close the gap with only 271 for Commerce. Sweetheart stayed level with 265 for the Swifts, giving them a final of 1295 in a bold approach to the game. Lorde rallied for 659 for the Tradewinds, but came up just short at 1252 overall. Boston reaches 21-11 at their halfway point, winning their twelfth straight road game. Their midseason report is here. Commerce is 22-10 now, snapping a long winning streak with the loss. You can read about how they're doing halfway through the season here.

The Intel Pitch, Diamond: The Monarchs continue right along as if they aren't already taxed enough with a heavy schedule. Panda began with a poor 63 for Southern. Smokey dug himself a hole going onto his backhand, and he never got out of it, botching the play and giving Diamond only 42 points. Shannon suffered a bad bounce, ending her turn at 80 for the Monarchs in an embarrassing game so far. Citrus brought some semblance of offense to the game, pulling in 471 for the Gems. Kirstin managed only 146 for Southern as their offensive woes continue. Pedey absolutely destroyed with 1166 for Diamond, likely securing the victory for them a bit early. Nicole took 177, giving the Monarchs only 466 in their loss. Cassandra iced the Gems win with 560 to put them at 2239 overall. Diamond continues their fight in the middle of the pack, with the win putting them at 14-14, while Southern is down to 10-23, spiraling toward the basement of the league again.

HP Field, Eastside: These teams will meet again in two league weeks for the return match in Capital City. Chris chopped 434 for Capital City to open the scoring. Graham faltered with only 117 in response for Eastside. Missy added 179 for the Sharpshooters as the scoring begins to slow. Chelsea popped 606 for the Sharks, giving them the lead halfway through the game. Sprinkles slipped with 54 for Capital City, putting them in severe danger now. Taylor produced 472 for Eastside, building up their lead a bit more as the final players step up to bat. Dani couldn't handle a weird start, but hung on just long enough to make it official with 16 points, giving the Sharpshooters a loss on 683 total. Niki tapped a modest 319 to give the Sharks 1514 in their win. Eastside is up to 15-12 with a decisive victory, while Capital City floats at 10-13, which is dangerously close to giving them a steep deficit.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Gems have stumbled recently on the road, while the Eagles look to mitigate the damage to their home record. Smokey didn't get full contact on a ball, and ended up pulling it back to the stumps, scoring 155 for Diamond on the miscue. Goldy did virtually the same thing, ending up with 117 for Everton. Citrus ripped 523 for the Gems, only ending when she was too slow to use her backhand, deflecting a ball out of bounds. Puff III pummeled 859 in response for the Eagles, giving them the lead halfway through the game. Pedey struck 352 for Diamond, covering the deficit this time around. Cleo barely restored any lead for Everton, taking only 108 on a poor turn. Cassandra had 301 for the Gems, forcing a response from the hosts as the visitors close with 1331. Blizzard left no doubt with 497 for the Eagles, icing their win at 1581. Everton gets to 24-4 with the close win, while Diamond is down to 14-15 on a fourth straight road loss.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Blades set out east looking for a sweep after beating the Cascades in Swordpoint a few weeks ago. Snowball had a few close calls en route to scoring 400 for Swordpoint in the opening attack. Jasmine reached in too quickly on a cluttered pitch, allowing a ball to get behind her and end her effort at 154 for Freedom. Dreamy had just 245 on the counter for the Blades, struggling with pace a bit. Stinky smashed 984 for the Cascades, pulling them into the lead with a fantastic performance. Shawn got beat badly, swinging and missing to end at 122 for Swordpoint as they face a large deficit. Roxy lifted 401 to pad the Freedom lead late in the game. Stealth's 429 marked an improvement for the Blades' road form, but they still lost on 1196 overall. Nikolai had a meager 64, sealing the Cascades' winning total at 1603. Freedom gets the season split here, going to 14-13, while Swordpoint drops a third straight game in falling to 18-8, entering a tie for second place.

Amazon Field, Golden: Segment one ends with the Pilots seeking revenge for a loss in Tysini a few weeks ago. Princess carved out 583 for Tysini very easily. Valencia didn't protect the ground well, allowing a ball to sneak under her bat and sink her at 96 for Golden. Leandra racked up another 341 for the Hummingbirds, and looked hungry for more if she hadn't taken an awkward swing that completely missed the incoming ball. Dusty is slumping again, taking only 16 this time off an odd deflection as the Pilots are in serious trouble. Charli plastered another 538 for Tysini, keeping their attack incredibly sharp. Strut had a respectable 336 for Golden, masking how poorly the game has gone for the hosts. Bright contributed 368 for the Hummingbirds, icing their score at 1830. A. Charlton contemplated a comeback for the Pilots, piecing together 580, but they fell with 1028. Tysini successfully earned a sweep, jumping to 20-10, while Golden is now 15-12 and firmly in the third tier of teams.

I apologize for the delay. A wicked wind storm struck the region and knocked out power, halting league operations. The schedule should be only mildly affected by this situation, and all is back to normal. I anticipate part 2 going live this afternoon or evening.

Midseason Report: Commerce Tradewinds

The Commerce Tradewinds didn't need a lot of change, although they decided to cut their losses with Midnight after two years of service, turning to celebrity rookie Lorde to fill the slot. This move has proven beneficial for both sides, with Midnight working well with the Westside Rockers while Lorde dazzles for the Tradewinds in her first season. The Tradewinds are currently in 4th place on a 22-10 overall record. They are strong regardless of venue, going 10-4 at home and 12-6 on the road thus far. Also to their benefit, they have a lot of division games left, having played to a 5-2 record in the weak Center Division already. With 13 more division games, the Tradewinds have a good chance of maintaining their spot.

The team as a whole produces 1697 points per game in a massive onslaught of offense many opponents cannot keep up with. Their longtime captain Tigerette is central to much of this, accounting for 512 points per game, good for 30% of the offense at a consistency rate just over 1.5. This often buries opponents early, but right behind Tigerette is the loyal Ice Cream, who produces another 411 per game herself. Because of Tigerette's hefty offense, Ice Cream clocks in with only 24% of the offense, but at a consistency of about 1.7, making her a steady force in the middle of the lineup. Lionel produces similar results, scoring 412 a game for 24.5% of the offense and a consistency just under 2.0, making the Tradewinds middle duo one of the best in the league. At the rear is Lorde, who scores almost 362 per game as a rookie, with a consistency near 1.6. Lorde only accounts for 21.5% of the offense, but she's not often asked to do much beyond holding down the fort. With a potent offense and a consistent team, the Tradewinds are in little danger of relinquishing their playoff position, and they could be poised for special things in the postseason.

Midseason Report: Boston Swifts

The Boston Swifts liked what they saw last season, and made no changes to their high-offense lineup from last season. The results, likewise, have stayed very much the same as they were last season. The Swifts occupy 6th place in the league on a 21-11 record at the midpoint of their season. At home, the Swifts are a paltry 6-8, but they make up for this with a massive 15-3 road record currently supported by a twelve-game winning streak on the road. Playing in the Center Division, the Swifts have taken care of their business very effectively, owning a 10-4 record against the division, soft as it may be at times.

The Swifts make their money off of being high-scoring, and this season, that means they average nearly 1505 points per game as a team. The offense begins with the longtime captain, Patches, who scores 451 per game at about a 1.8 consistency measure, a remarkable level for such a high average. Patches accounts for 30% of the team's offense, doing more than her fair share for the benefit of the team. Behind her is her fellow Club Reality partner, Puff II, who is at nearly 414 points per game, but with only 1.2 in consistency, atoning to her more wild nature. Puff II clocks in with 27.5% of the offense, making her and Patches a useful 1-2 punch. Gradley, the youth of the team, is next, and he contributes 360 per game, good for 24% of the offense and at a consistency of nearly 2.0, an unheard of level of reliability. The back of the lineup is Sweetheart, who is in the midst of a down year for cricket. She is scoring 279 points per game at a 1.5 consistency, which is not so great when producing just 18.5% of the team offense. Still, the Swifts have no reason to worry. Being ten games over .500 and a strong road team will likely carry them into the playoffs easily, and a deep run is definitely possible.

UPCL Cricket: Week 13 Part 3

As this week comes to a close, we'll see our first team reach half-completion for the season, in this first game between...

Microsoft Pitch at Del Sur: The Monarchs hit the halfway point on their year with the second game in their fierce Spanish rivalry, with the Monarchs in line to sweep after beating the Stills on their own turf. Easter led off with a resounding 663 to give Todavía a strong start. Panda hit a paltry 232 for Southern, giving them the first deficit. Sierra creamed a massive 810 for the Stills, extending their lead to rarefied air. Shannon equalized the damage for the Monarchs, going at a slower pace but still producing 810 to keep things steady. Leonardo fired back with 1015 for Todavía, giving them an even stronger lead this time around. Kirstin kept Southern looking competitive, tallying 657 for the hosts as the deficit grows a bit. Sparkles drove 520 for the Stills, giving them a final of 3008 (one might call the hosts two thousand and late, if one is a Black Eyed Peas fan) in what they expect to be a win. Nicole scooped up 487 for the Monarchs, but they suffered defeat with 2186, their ninth straight home loss. Todavía gets the season split with their rivals, going to 14-13, while Southern is 10-22 at the halfway mark. Click here to read the Monarchs midseason report.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders are looking to avoid a sweep as they bring in the Lumberjacks. Fluffina had a crisp 451 for Maplewood right at the opener. Boots walked a dangerous line very well, getting a ball to stop short of the stumps by millimeters, while she continued on her way to producing 677 for Southridge. Bryant managed only 144 for the Lumberjacks as they find themselves in a troublesome position. Debby added a modest 254 to the Defenders lead, which is solid at the halfway mark. Diddley faltered with 199 for Maplewood, again failing to cover the deficit. Southridge pulled away with 711 from J. Garcia likely cementing the lead. Cubby's 133 sent the Lumberjacks to an official loss with 927, their fourth straight loss on the road. Shaggy kept it simple with 80 for the Defenders ending their game at 1722 in the win. Southridge gets a jump to 10-18 on their fourth straight win, while Maplewood is down to 11-10 on a sheltered schedule.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The Spiders travel with their sights set on a season sweep of the Blades. Shadow drilled 735 for Web City very quickly to give them a good opener. Snowball took one off the back end of her bat, and she was stopped at 66 for Swordpoint in a disappointing appearance. Rainmane had only 199 for the Spiders, doing well enough to maintain the lead. Dreamy faltered with 36 on a double-tap situation for the Blades, as the hosts seem doomed in this game. Sugar added 304 for Web City as they continue to cruise toward victory. Shawn's 336 brought a measure of a respectability to Swordpoint, although they are still significantly behind. Shiny pounded 760 to give the Spiders a final of 1998, which should be good enough to secure the season sweep. Stealth had a measly 69, with the Blades losing on a pathetic 507 to snap a five-game home winning streak in embarrassing fashion. Web City surges to 10-12, while Swordpoint is 18-7, but with a much more tenuous grip on second place in the league after another bad loss.

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The Surfers' busy week continues with a trip up north from their last stop in Royal to face the expansion-side Knights for the first time. Watermelon was a bit too aggressive on her backhand, scoring 253 after bouncing a ball out of bounds for Pearl. Her older sister Kiwi botched her turn for Terrace City, taking a meager 80. Neopolitan calmly rallied for 674 to give the Surfers a more stable lead. Jennifer got some back with 417 for the Knights, keeping them at the edge of being in range. Wings got a favorable bounce to the back 4s off a ball on the pitch, allowing him to finish his turn at 735 for Pearl. Oreo pulled in only 108 for Terrace City, as they remain far back. Cowzart struck 335 to give the Surfers a final score of 1997, which should be enough to take the win. Stripes made a massive comeback attempt, scoring 690 for the Knights, but they dropped the game with 1295 total. Pearl gets back on track with a quality victory to go to 18-9, while Terrace City is slipping again at 18-13.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Sharks look to complete a sweep after beating the Stills at home three weeks ago. Graham fell face-first with a challenging start, ending at 32 for Eastside after never fully recovering. Easter levied 582 for Todavía, giving them the initial lead. Chelsea launched 886 in response for the Sharks, giving them at least a temporary lead. Sierra restored a lead for the Stills, clubbing 568 in a skillful performance to bring the game to half-completion. Taylor barely covered the deficit with 292 for Eastside, putting them in a vulnerable position late in the game. Leonardo tapped 200 for Todavía, giving them another narrow lead as the final players step up to bat. Niki pulled in 327 for the Sharks, producing their final score of 1537 and forcing a response from the hosts. Sparkles couldn't do it, with her narrow bat save erased when she skied the next ball to give the Stills 42, and a losing total of 1392. Eastside escapes with the season sweep to move to 14-12, while bumping Todavía back to 14-14 in a highly competitive match.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Hummingbirds gave the Warriors their most recent home win four weeks ago, with the rematch likely to be a fierce battle between the highly ranked sides. Twilight swatted a solid 359 for Central to get things going. Princess got cut down by a bad bounce, ending her turn at 81 for Tysini. Dustin grabbed just 144 for the Warriors, leaving their lead a bit vulnerable. Leandra pulled the Hummingbirds into the lead, slamming 543 in an effective showing. Noelle flicked 343 to restore a minor Central lead. Charli slugged 869 to create a massive lead for Tysini late in the game, putting a lot of pressure on the visitors. Gizmo's 240 brought the Warriors to 1086, taking a loss with the small final. Bright tacked on 416 to give the Hummingbirds a winning score of 1909. Tysini gets the critical win and a season split, moving to 18-10, while Central drops to 17-13 with another tough loss for the defending Hutton Cup champions.

Sprint Pitch, Victoria: The Hummingbirds make a short trip south for the second game in their back-to-back, against a Southwestern rival in one of the league's most bitter derbies. Princess saw a ball bounce off her hands to end her turn at 25 for Tysini when it went out of bounds. Spice managed only 232 for Victoria, keeping the scoring low early on. Leandra wrangled 621 for the Hummingbirds, giving them a more confident second attack. B. Chapman let the Spurs fall behind, taking only 213 in a poor showing. Charli slapped a cool 519 for Tysini, extending their lead well again. Yekaterina's 115 let the game get away from Victoria, as they are quite far behind with the final players up to bat. Bright iced the Hummingbirds offense with 388 individually for 1553 overall. Kavan had a weak 192 for the Spurs, and they suffered a loss with 752. Tysini swept their hosts for the season, jumping to 19-10 overall, while Victoria slides back to 8-17 with the defeat.

Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Eagles have had a long wait since their first home loss of the season at the hands of the Spiders, but they're back in action against a mediocre Meteors side. Goldy faltered with only 67 for Everton, ending on a rough bounce. Mr. Snowman slapped 739 for Viewpoint Sound, giving them a huge lead early on. Puff III rushed her final swing, a big mistake that gave her a meager 60 for the Eagles. Mams didn't do much better, scoring a pathetic 84 for the Meteors on her turn. Cleo saw a bad deflection end her efforts as well, producing only 64 for Everton in a suddenly low-scoring affair. Zach carved out 641 for Viewpoint Sound, likely wrapping up a huge upset win for the hosts. Blizzard's 51 sealed the loss for the Eagles at 242 total, harking back to the previous two seasons when the Eagles were a low-scoring team. Kelly capped the Meteors victory with 390 from herself for 1854 overall. Viewpoint Sound sits at 10-13 after the impressive beatdown, while Everton is reeling at 22-4 now, with the threat of a collapse in full force.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Force meets force, as the Swifts have a chance to sweep the surging Spiders, placing their ten-game road winning streak on the line as motivation. Patches belted 758 for Boston to give them a wonderful opening attack. Shadow got stalled at 36 for Web City after taking a bad angle on a ball. Puff II reacted too slowly to a deflected ball, giving her only 161 to add to the Swifts lead. Rainmane couldn't make a rally out of her turn, falling with 144 for the Spiders. Gradley cranked out 811 for Boston, giving their lead a lot more strength later in the game. Sugar had a solid 432 for Web City, but it only created a minor dent in the deficit. Sweetheart posted 508 to give the Swifts 2238 in what should be their eleventh straight road win. Shiny tried to get fancy with two backhand attempts, but she was cut down with 384 for the Spiders, giving them 996 in the loss. Boston continues to be the toughest road team, jumping to 19-11, while Web City drops to 10-13 with the brutal loss.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Another good road team is up, with the Waves facing a similarly sheltered Rockers side. Snuggle led off with a reasonable 320 for Oceanside, giving the visitors a solid base. Misty spared no mercy in striking 684 for Westside to establish a significant lead early on. Bells fired back with 587 for the Waves, keeping the attack up. Goatee managed only 124 for the Rockers, putting them in trouble at the halfway mark. Alyssa drilled 788 for Oceanside against her former team, extending the lead for the visitors. Her replacement, Midnight, put up just 215 for Westside, as the game is getting out of hand for them. Pounce scored a low 63 for the Waves, giving them a solid final of 1758. Chicky Phil's 112 fell short of the mark, leaving the Rockers with 1135 in the loss. Oceanside continues to dominate the road, going to 10-13 to snap a three-game losing streak, while Westside is down to 7-14.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The week ends with a Center Division battle between uninspiring teams. Southridge had a weak start with Boots posting only 207. Bear fired back with 375 for Whitewater, staking them out to the initial lead. Debby stumbled with 28 for the Defenders, putting them in serious danger. Twinkie III extended the Shores lead well with a strong showing of 700 points. J. Garcia sliced 297 for Southridge, an average performance as they continue to trail in the game. Cheddar got shut down at 46 for Whitewater, leaving them slightly vulnerable with a player each to go. Shaggy only had 113 for the Defenders, confirming their loss with a total of 645 in a rough game. The Shores finished with a total of 1553 after Wild Thing contributed 432 at the end. Whitewater's division win gets them to a record of 10-20, snapping a six-game losing streak, while Southridge is down to 10-19 as their four-game winning streak ends.

Standings update up next, and expect cricket action to fill the week, along with maybe a bit of pool as well.

Midseason Report: Southern Monarchs

After a basement finish last season, the Monarchs made only a minor tweak to a previously successful roster, shipping out former captain Shawn in the free agent draft, who was picked up by the Swordpoint Blades. Nicole was also dangled in the draft, but retained on the team's fourth round pick to accompany the rookie Kirstin for this year's roster. The season started reasonably well, but the wheels fell off, especially at home, and the Monarchs enter their halfway point at 30th in the league. The Monarchs are 10-22 overall, including an abysmal 1-12 at home. This is only partially offset by a 9-10 road record. In the West Division, the Monarchs are 6-7, a little over two-thirds through the divisional slate.

Statistically, the team is pulling in 1298 points per game, with an understandably better road output than home. The captain, Panda, is hitting 311 for the season, with a 1.3 consistency mark and a reasonable 24% of the offense. Behind him is the retained Shannon, leading the team with 372 points per game and remarkable stability between home and road games. At over 1.5 in consistency and about 28.5% of the offense, Shannon is the clear star of the team. Behind her, the rookie Kirstin clocks in with 333 points per game and about a 1.5 consistency rating as well, accounting for 25.5% of the team offense. Closing out games is Nicole, with just a 280 average, far from sufficient in the current league climate. Nicole has a consistency of 1.5 as well, but her lack of explosiveness troubles the team, and her 21.5% share of the offense is not good enough either. With the weak offense and myriad home troubles, it is unlikely for the Monarchs to jump over 14 teams to get into the playoffs, and deep cuts to the roster may be in order again for a second straight year.

UPCL Cricket: Week 13 Part 2

The middle section of this week gets going with an unimposing match with...

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: Two teams below the red line try to gain a little leverage. Bear labored through a mild start, rallying to 1168 for Whitewater in a methodical opener. Slinks swatted 780 in response for Harrison, marking good games for both embattled captains. Twinkie III stumbled with 76 for the Shores, leaving them vulnerable. Twinkie II recovered much of the deficit with her solid 375 for the Specters. Cheddar held them off with 542 for Whitewater, restoring the bulk of the lead. Sydney supplied 404 for Harrison, but they still trail heading into the final players. Wild Thing hit 321 to send the Shores to their final of 2107, which is not truly safe. Brownie's best home effort of the season clocked in at 587, lifting the Specters to the win with 2146 total. Harrison's win snaps a six-game losing streak to get them to 12-16, while Whitewater has now lost six straight, falling to 9-20.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Arrows get a soft landing spot as they find their travel groove. Sally unleashed 838 for Archtown, setting a high bar immediately. Smudge bounced 392, only stopping when she narrowly missed the corner on her last hit, which went slightly out of bounds for Infinity. Sleepy B. ended on a bad swing, barely grazing the ball to deflect it into the stumps, giving the Arrows an extra 291 for their offense. Shelley made it a fairly close game with her 766 for the Torpedoes. Ruby clubbed 631 to make a more credible lead for Archtown as the game reaches its later stages. Gabe saw a series of deflections ending at his wicket bring him down with 353 for Infinity, creating a deficit for the hosts. Dusky got shut down on a deflection early on, with just 20 to put the Arrows at a total of 1780. Whiskers submitted 344 for the Torpedoes, getting them to 1855 to topple her former team. Infinity has strung four straight wins at home to get to 8-15 on a five-game overall winning streak. Archtown is back under .500 at 9-10 with the loss.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The West Division gets a turn in the spotlight here. Panda got beat on a swing-and-miss, with his reach-back too slow to stop his turn from going final at 177 for Southern. Acorn had an average showing, putting up 312 for Lighton to give them a modest lead. Shannon rocked 695 for the Monarchs, putting them on more stable ground. Spirit grabbed 472 in response for the Prestige, keeping things relatively close halfway through the game. Kirstin picked up only 82 for Southern on a poor showing. Twinkie I shrunk the gap a bit with a mild 137 for Lighton, setting up a final showdown. Nicole lined 532 to give the Monarchs a final score of 1486, which is a solid total. Lydia failed under the pressure, with her 64 sending the Prestige to a loss with 985. Southern gets a rare win to move to 10-21, while Lighton is down to 14-11 on the division loss, with a 2-4 division record now.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The struggling Flames head north to meet the sheltered Lumberjacks. Crystal picked up 277 in a modest effort for Queens. Fluffina put Maplewood very narrowly ahead with her 295-point appearance. Kayla snagged 384 for the Flames, giving them a better second effort. Bryant smacked 550 to pull the Lumberjacks to a bigger lead halfway through the game. Max chipped 215 for Queens, barely covering the deficit. Diddley faltered with 193 for Maplewood on his turn, failing to get a solid rhythm that leaves the game up for grabs with a player each to go. Paige scored just 232 for the Flames, forcing a response as they finish with 1108. Cubby drilled 364 to bring the Lumberjacks to a winning core of 1402. Maplewood has won five straight at home, going to 11-9 overall, while Queens drops to 6-19 on a four-game road losing streak.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic. The Union look for a sweep after beating the Stills in Todavía in week 3. Easter put up a crisp 376 for Todavía, a reasonable start for the beleaguered team. Juno had 276 for Modernistic, a decent showing that has the hosts a little bit behind. The Stills got only 161 from Sierra, putting them in a vulnerable position. Ms. Puppy chopped 242 for the Union, keeping things close at the halfway point. Leonardo gave Todavía a bit of breathing room again, lining 384 to build up a lead. Chimpy looked ready to break out for Modernistic before falling with 240, putting them in danger late in the game. Sparkles went big with 537 for the Stills, giving them a final of 1458. Puff I almost made the comeback, going for 584 for the Union, but they lost with 1342. Todavía gains the season split by going to 13-13, while Modernistic's sixth straight loss has them at 8-16 on the year.

AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Warriors will try to avenge embarrassment by traveling to the coast for a rematch with the Waves. Twilight's slump continued, as she had only 186 for Central in this appearance. Snuggle replied with a huge 807 for Oceanside, giving them a strong lead early in the game. Dustin kept the Warriors in range, slamming 615 for the visitors on his turn. Bells got stuck at 64 for the Waves after a bad swing, typical for their poor home performances. Noelle capitalized with 532 for Central, giving them at least a temporary lead. Alyssa fired back with 560 for Oceanside, making it close as the game hurtles to the finish. Gizmo handled a messy pitch well, pulling in 456 to bring the Warriors to a total of 1789. Pounce threw away another game for the Waves, with his 115 leaving them short at 1546. Central gets a much needed win to end their four-game losing streak, improving to 17-12, while Oceanside is 9-13 after the loss.

Verizon Field, Pacific: West Division heavyweights face off in this critical match. Princess began with 590 for Tysini, setting a strong tone early on. Starlight took 407 for Pacific, as they will trail slightly to begin with. Leandra tacked on 568 to keep the Hummingbirds in control of the game. Ms. Kitty shot back with 517 for the Volcanoes, helping them to hold on in the high-scoring game. Charli faltered with 216 for Tysini, leaving their lead a bit exposed at this stage of the game. Jack dented the deficit significantly, hauling in 359 to get Pacific much closer with a player each to go. Bright botched his turn, scoring 48 to leave the Hummingbirds at 1422 after taking out his own wicket. Leonette posted 248 to give the Volcanoes 1531 in the win. Pacific has taken four straight wins at home, going to 18-8 while riding an eight-game winning streak, while Tysini drops to 17-10 after squandering the chance to pass a division rival.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Sharpshooters look to complete a sweep after beating the Surfers back home last week. Chris got duped by a rolling ball, but only after collecting 481 to base Capital City's offense on. Watermelon continues to slump, scoring a meager 69 for Pearl this time out. Missy took only 82 for the Sharpshooters, deriding the poor pitch conditions as a major reason. Neopolitan hit 249 in response for the Surfers as the offense has dried up a bit. Sprinkles had just 99 for Capital City, and the players are displaying a serious amount of unrest over the conditions. Wings had an outburst after ending with only 24 for Pearl, causing more tension. Dani's 272 got the Sharpshooters to 934, which may suffice in the climate of this match. Cowzart's 96 put the Surfers at 48 in the loss. There is a chance of Wings receiving supplemental discipline for his outburst. Capital City moves to 10-11 while Pearl is 16-8 after suffering a sweep from the Sharpshooters.

Tridents Park sponsored by Ford, Pronger: The Surfers make the jaunt across the map for the second game in a doubleheader. Watermelon led off with a respectable 287 for Pearl, giving them a safe base. Strawberry made it very close at the start, raking in 285 for Pronger to put the teams in a dead heat. Neopolitan rallied for 560 for the Surfers, creating a larger advantage. Hoot couldn't keep up, scoring 298 for the Tridents as they slip behind at the halfway point. Wings hauled in 472 for Pearl, extending their lead well. Precious took 208 for Pronger, as the fall behind a bit more with a player each to go. Cowzart poked 258 to leave the Surfers at 1577 total. Paps had two replays for various reasons, but his third turn went just as poorly, with his 64 ending the Tridents' hopes at 855. Pearl gets off a recent road skid to go to 17-8, while Pronger is down to 11-14, ending a five-game home winning streak.

Ebay Center, Queens: The worst team in the league hosts a team with an occasionally potent offense. Acorn sliced 414 for Lighton to open the scoring in good form. Crystal kept Queens in range, pounding 408 in a confident response. Spirit crushed 869 to extend the Prestige lead significantly in a wonderful effort. Kayla only went for 178 for the Flames, putting them at a steep deficit halfway through the game. Twinkie I ripped another 512 for Lighton, putting their lead at a safe level for this game. Max tallied a solid 280 for Queens, but they continue to flounder well behind the visitors in this game. Lydia dropped another 824 to give the Prestige a likely victorious final score of 2619. Paige, the one-time Prestige player, put up 352 against her former team, giving the Flames a losing total of 1218. Lighton continues to play well in going to 15-11, while Queens is 6-20 on the year.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Surfers stay busy with this meeting in the urban southeast area. Watermelon couldn't get the bat back quickly enough, producing just 176 for Pearl in a poor start to the game. Frosty got out of her rut with 445 for Royal, giving them a noticeable advantage early on. Neopolitan fired off 675 for the Surfers to make a battle out of the game. Jake kept the Crowns in range, taking 319 to mitigate the damage. Wings churned out 612 in a sloppy appearance that ended up working out with good staying power for Pearl. Marsell did not let Royal fade away, smacking 890 to make it interesting late in the game. Cowzart misplayed on his turn, taking only 69, which sent the Surfers to a loss with 1532. Nightfur kept it quick with 80 for the Crowns, sending the home fans into a frenzy with their first win in twelve games. Royal goes to 7-17 with the pressure-releasing win, a huge upset over the now 17-9 Pearl squad.

Part 3 to follow with standings update tomorrow. The goal is to complete Week 14 by the end of the week before taking the Thanksgiving week off.