It's down to the final round, and we had some very exciting games, with one of the championship games going almost to the final out of the last game on Sunday night.
Championship Bracket|
AZ SnakePit 6, Alabama Slammers 3
The Fighting Amish 4, Mizzoula Osprey 5
5th/6th place: Lil Bitches 4, Phoenix Platypi 6
Consolation Bracket
Blonde Streaks 9, Los Wailoracles 1
Ignatius J. Rallies 3, Bad Wolf 6
11th/12th place: Lady Gaga Regatta 5, Sofa King Juiced 4
Championship Bracket|
AZ SnakePit 6, Alabama Slammers 3
In a upset, #3 seed AZ beat #2 Alabama, riding the offensive output from Sandoval and Willingham, who combined for seven home-runs and 18 RBI. The Slammers made some managerial miscues, such as dropping Gio Gonzalez, who would have given them two W, 10 K and a sub-two ERA. Instead, he got his second W for SnakePit. Valverde got three Saves, and Alabama's McCarthy led all players here with a W and 8 K.
The Fighting Amish 4, Mizzoula Osprey 5
The Amish gave the Osprey a real run for their money - a single Run from Rafael Furcal in the Sunday night game would have given that category and overall victory to the #4 seed. However, he couldn't get past second, so R ended tied at 38 apiece, giving Mizzoula the win. The Amish had Hitter of the Week Hamilton (four HR, 10 RBI) and got a W + 19 K from Greinke, but top seeds Osprey got four HR from Santana and Braun, plus two W by Niemann.
5th/6th place: Lil Bitches 4, Phoenix Platypi 6
Questions about their name aside, the Platypi took fifth-place, edging Lil behind Pitcher of the Week Harrison, who gave them two Wins and 13 strikeouts. Putz saved three for them. Lil had their offense working, with Beltre notching four HR and Beltre three, but a team ERA of 5.31 was too much to overcome.
Consolation Bracket
Blonde Streaks 9, Los Wailoracles 1
Blonde had no problems disposing of Los, and the #8 seeds cruised into the consolation final. They came one Save short of blanking the #9-ranked Wailocracies with a team ERA of 1.89. Verlander got two W + 12 K, and Hamels fanned 15. Murphy (Blonde) was the only hitter with a two HR week. Carpenter had a W + 11 K for Los.
Ignatius J. Rallies 3, Bad Wolf 6
#7 ranked Bad will join Blonde in the consolation bracket decider, taking advantage of a weak Ignatius offense which could muster only one home-run this week. Pujols and Montero each had more than that for the Rallies, who also got two Wins from Weaver and 12 K by Lee. Gallardo got a W and 13 K for #11 seed Rallies.
11th/12th place: Lady Gaga Regatta 5, Sofa King Juiced 4
Lady pipped Sofa, and so the #12 seeds finish 11th, with the #10 seeds ending in #12th. Saves ended tied at two, and that was enough for the Regatta, for whom Aybar's eight Runs and three homers were crucial. Craig homered twice for Sofa, while Hudson (Lady) and Dempster (Sofa) each struck out ten batters.
Playoffs Round 3
Championship Bracket
AZ SnakePit (#3 seed) vs. Mizzoula Osprey (#1)
3rd/4th place: Alabama Slammers (#2) vs. The Fighting Amish (#4)
Consolation Bracket
Blonde Streaks (#8) vs. Bad Wolf (#7)
9th/10th place: Ignatius J. Rallies (#11) vs. Los Wailoracles (#9)
The final round of games covers the rest of the regular season, running about a week and a half. Having knocked off the #2 seeds, SnakePit are already assured of their best ever finish; can they inflict the first defeat on the Osprey since Week Seven of the regular season, back in May? The other spots in the final standings are also set to be decided.