Weekend Wrap Ups

The weekly updates will be archived here for the 2009 MSL Season.

Wild Weekend! Wave Crash World Series Party!

The old adage "survive and advance" in tournament play was definitely aprapos this weekend. Teams not only had to beat the competition on the field, but they also had to survive the blistering temperatures that made the playing conditions difficult at best. In the end, two teams punched the final two tickets to Milwaukee for the 2009 GSWS.

Both the Wild and Wave will be representing the MSL at the GSWS for the first time ever! The Wild join the Clippers as the C Division representatives and the Wave join the Vipers in the D Division. Congratulations to the Wild and Wave!

In the C Division, there were eight teams vying for the a single berth to the GS World Series. Despite entering the tournament as the fifth seed, the Wild used solid defense, speed, and timely defense to win four straight games to secure the second C Division berth.

The Wild opened play against the fourth-seeded Legal Eagles and things looked a bit ominious for the Wild after they fell behind 10-6 after two innings. Instead of folding, the Wild outscored the Legal Eagles 10-0 to knock them into the losers' bracket.

Other first round games saw the Knights defeat the Toros, Dragons slip past the Shockers, and Venom advanced due to a forfeit by the Justice League.

The Wild played the top-seeded Venom in the second round and immediately knocked them on their heals with nine runs in the top of the first inning. Venom tried to respond and had the tying runs on the base when the game ended in a 12-10 Wild victory.

In the other second round games, the second and third-seeded Dragons and Knights were locked in a tight game. The Dragons took a 7-3 lead but the Knights outscored them 8-0 the rest of the way to advance with an 11-7 win.

In the losers' bracket, the Legal Eagles held the Justice League scoreless in a 7-0 win while the Toros outscored the Shockers 13-3.

Knowing another loss would knock them out of the tournament, the top two seeded teams needed a win to keep their WS hopes alive. Venom lead the entire way as they handled the Toros 11-4 while the Dragons used an offensive outburst to eliminate the Legal Eagles 19-4.

The Wild and Knights were matched up in the winners' bracket, and a win meant they were in the championship game - one win away from Milwaukee. A loss meant they would have to meet the winner of the Venom/Dragons game and win three straight games to win the tournament. The Wild struck first by taking a 5-0 lead after two innings and they would never relinquish the lead in a 6-3 win. In fact, that was a common theme all day long for the Wild as they only trailed one time all day and that was after two inning in their first-round game.

Hoping they would meet each other in the championship game, the Dragons and Venom were now meeting to stay alive and advance to play the Knights. Venom scored in every inning and the Dragons could only muster two runs in the first and last inning to falll to Venom 11-2.

Now, there were only three teams left and the Knights and Venom playing to see who would advance to play the Wild in the championship game. The Knights jumped out early with four runs in the first inning and never trailed in a 6-1 win over Venom to knock out the top seeds.

Entering the championship game, the Knights knew they had an uphill climb because they not only had to double dip the Wild, but they had to overcome playing in the heat while the Wild were well rested. The Knights took an early 2-1 lead before the Wild exploded for nine consecutive runs to take a 10-2 lead. Instead of folding, the Knights fought back and scored five runs in the top of the fifth to pull within 10-7. However, it was the Wild's weekend and they were not going to be denied as they ran off six consecutive runs to take an insurmountable 16-7 lead and ended up winning the game 16-9. After the last out was made, the Wild celebrated on the field as their dreams of Milwaukee were realized.

While the road to Milwaukee was not as long in the D Division as it was in the C Division, it was no less arduous. The Incredibles and Wave squared off in a best-of-three showdown. The Incredibles were 1-0-1 against the Wave during the regular season so they seemed to have the slight edge coming into Sunday's games.

In the first game, the Wave and Incredibles matched each other with three-run first innings. The Wave scored four runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth to take a 9-3 lead. The Incredibles scored four runs in their last at bat and came up short in a 9-7 loss. Like the Knights, the Incredibles knew they would have to win two games in a row against the Wave to advance to Milwaukee.

The Incredibles never trailed in the second game as they outscored the Wave 19-9 to set up a winner-take-all game. The Incredibles used that momentum in the third game as they took a 9-4 lead after four innings. In the last 11 innings of play, the Incredibles outscored the wave 28-13, and it appeared that they were going to ride that wave of momentum all the way to Milwaukee. Unfortunately for them, the Wave had other plans.

The Wave scored four runs in the fifth inning to inch to within one run. The Incredibles didn't score in the bottom half of that inning and both teams were scoreless in the sixth inning. Down to their last three outs, the Wave need one to tie and two to take the lead. Instead, the Wave exploded for seven runs in their final at bat to take a 15-9 lead and secure their first ever berth to the World Series.

Congratulations to all the teams who participated in this weekend's GSWS Qualifying Tournament. Also, good luck to the Force, Hellcats, Hellraisers, Clippers, Wild, Vipers, and Wave at the 2009 GS World Series!

Week 9 (Make Up Games for Week 5)

Hellcats Punch Ticket to Milwaukee, Join Force

For the fourth year in a row, the Hellcats have won the B Division and will be representing the MSL at the GSWS in Milwaukee. The Hellcats (12-1) join the Force (9-1) as the only two teams to qualify for the GSWS.

On Sunday, the Hellcats outscored the Outlaws (2-10) 30-3 in sweeping a doubleheader. The Hellcats then received a win because the Hellraisers (5-7) forfeited the game due to not enough players. The Force also received two wins due to forfeits as well.

Heading into the final week of play, the Hellraisers maintain a sizeable lead for second place in the division over the Outlaws. If either team is to garner the second berth to the GSWS, they will have to win the post-season tournament.

The Force (9-1) were suppose to play two games on Sunday but received forfeit wins over the Hellraisers and Outlaws.

Clippers Continue to Sail Along, Rainbow Warriors Win!

In a season in which the C Division grew from three teams to fifteen teams in one year, many felt that experience would be a key ingredient to be successful in the most competitive division in the MSL. The Clippers (15-1) and Venom (13-2-1) have proved this theory true by translating their C Division experience into division leaders.

The Clippers carry a 13-game win streak into the final weekend of play. On Sunday, the Clippers won two contested games against the Predators (9-7) and the streaking Wild (10-6). The Clippers magic number is down to one and a victory on Sunday will ensure them the division championship and an automatic bid to the GSWS in Milwaukee.

Venom took care of their business on Sunday by defeating Bud Light (7-9) and Xtremes (1-15). The equally hot Venom have won seven games in a row, but they know that they need some help from the Clippers' opponents to win the C Division. Venom face two difficult opponents in the Wild and Bam Bams, two teams with 10-6 records, on Sunday.

The Dragons (13-3) are one team that defies the experience theory. The Dragons moved up from the D Division and added a few new players to the mix to become instant C Division contenders. On Sunday, the Dragons won a thrilling extra-inning game against the Predators in their first game. The win set up a showdown with the Wild who came into Sunday's play with a six game win streak. The Dragons jumped out to a 6-0 lead before the Wild scored nine unanswered runs to take a 9-6 lead. Heading into their last at bat, the Dragons knew they needed to score at least three runs to keep any hopes of a division title alive. Well, the Dragons did better and scored nine runs before registering an out to win 15-11. The Dragons need to win both their games on Sunday combined with losses by the Clippers and Venom to have any chance of winning the division.

The Knights (12-4) and Legal Eagles (12-4) find themselves tied for fourth place heading into the final week of play. The Legal Eagles started a new win streak on Sunday by defeating the Toros (8-7-1) and AssistHers (2-13-1). Like the Dragons, the Legal Eagles moved up from the D Division and have had a very successful rookie campaign in their new division.

The Knights started the day tied for third place with an outside shot at the division championship; however, the upstart Bam Bams (10-6) vanquished those dreams. After rallying from a 6-0 deficit by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at seven, the Knights would give up a run and found themselves trailing 8-7 heading into their final at bat. However, it was the Bam Bams who made clutch defensive plays to seal their victory. The Knights ended the day with a 15-2 victory over the Rainbow Warriors (2-14).

After beating the Knights, the Bam Bams extended their win streak by narrowly defeating the Justice League (0-15-1). The much-improved Justice League have been playing division contenders very close of late and were in position to win their first game of the season after they rallied from a 10-5 deficit to take an 11-10 lead. Unfortunately for the Justice League, it wasn't to be as the Bam Bams rallied for the second straight game by scoring the winning runs in their last at bat.

In their second game of the day, the Justice League and Rainbow Warriors played a spirited game in which there were four lead changes. The Rainbow Warriors would score four runs in the third to break open a 8-8 tie for a 12-8 win and their second win of the season.

The other two teams that won games on Sunday were the Shockers (4-12) and Bud Light. The Shockers defeated the AssistHers 7-0 and Bud Light beat Xtremes (1-15) 15-5.

Showdown Sunday: D Division Title to be Determined

Like the C Division, the D Division is still up for grabs heading into the last weekend of the MSL season. None of the top contenders play each other this weekend so each team will have to rely on another team to knock off a rival.

The Vipers (14-2) control their own destiny this Sunday when they play two games against Bering (3-11). The Vipers extended their win streak to four games by defeating Splash (7-9) and Herricanes (5-11) this past Sunday.

The Incredibles (12-2-2) are nipping at the Vipers heals while remaining a game and a half back of the division leaders. With wins over the Dream Team (5-10-1) and Black Sheep (3-11) on Sunday, the Incredibles have won or tied their last ten games. To win the division, the Incredibles will need help from Bering and then beat the Swallows (7-9) twice.

The other team contending for the division title is the Wave (12-3-1). After beating the Black Sheep and Bering on Sunday to push their win streak to four games, the Wave will need to win both their games on Sunday and need losses by both the Vipers and Incredibles.

On team that is peaking at the right time is the Warriors (10-6). On Sunday, the Warriors beat the Splash and Bering to push their win streak to four games. While they cannot win the division, they have improved as the season progressed and now are a formidable opponent.

The Swallows (7-9) turned their fortunes around by winning both games on Sunday. The Swallows exploded for 32 runs in victories over the Herricanes and Dream Team.

Week 8 (Make Up Games for Week 4)

Hellcats Close in on Division Crown; Hellraisers in Second

The Hellcats (9-1) are closing in on their fourth consecutive B Division championship with victories over their division rivals on Sunday. After jumping out to a 9-3 lead, the Hellcats thought they were coasting to another win over the Outlaws (2-8). In the bottom of the third, the Outlaws exploded for 10 runs, capped off by a towering home run that gave them a 13-9 lead. However, the Hellcats were not going to be denied as they sent 18 batters to the plate in a 13-run fourth inning in a 22-13 win. The Hellcats used another big inning, this time a nine-run inning, to secure a 14-7 win over the Hellraisers (5-6).

The gap between the Hellraisers and Outlaws shrank the last few weeks with the Outlaws winning the last two contests and moving a game and a half out of second place. This time, the Hellraisers used a nine-run fourth inning to beat the Outlaws 13-6 and widen their lead for second place. Each team has five games left.

The Force (7-1) was in action this Sunday as they upped their win streak to four games. After blowing out the Outlaws 17-2, the Force struggled early against the Hellraisers before scoring eight consecutive runs to coast to a 13-6 win.

Plot Thickens in C Division; Clippers Control Their Destiny

The Clippers (13-1) have the luxury of being the only team in the C Division that controls their own destiny in this ultra competitive division. With wins over the Xtremes (1-3) and Justice League (0-13-1), the Clippers up their win streak to 11 games and widen their divisional lead. The path to the division crown will not be easy as the Clippers face three teams in the top half of the division in the next two weekends.

The Dragons (11-3) and Venom (11-2-1) both played the Legal Eagles (10-4) this weekend, a team that was ahead of them in the standings. The Legal Eagles were arguably the hottest team in the division as they brought a 10-game win streak into the weekend's play. All three teams knew they needed to win both their games on Sunday because the Clippers had already won both of their games.

The Dragons and Legal Eagles played first, and a Dragons' win meant that the two teams would be tied in the standing. After falling behind 1-0, the Dragons used timely hitting to score seven consecutive runs and played stellar defense in a 12-2 win. In their second game, the Dragons fell behind early against a hard fighting AssistHers (2-11-1) team before eventually winning 14-3. The Dragons have now won three straight games and find themselves tied for third place.

By the time the Venom played the Legal Eagles, they had already beaten of the Justice League 19-0, and they knew a win meant they would be alone in second place. Like the first game, the Legal Eagles scored first but would give up a big bottom of the inning and could not recover. In the end, the Venom was too much as they outscored the Legal Eagles 8-2 to take sole possession of second place.

Another team that had a big weekend was the Knights (11-3) who have quietly moved into a tie for third place with the Dragons. In their first year as the team, the Knights have come together nicely as a team and have found their stride as the season progressed. In their first game, the Knights were hoping to avenge a 21-0 pasting the Toros (7-6-1) put on them a few weekends ago. This time the Knights jumped out to 7-0 lead after one inning and cruised to an 11-6 win. The Knights' second game was a matchup against another team with a winning record, the Predators (9-5). Like their first game, the Knights scored first and never trailed in a 14-7 win. The two wins bump the Knights' win streak to five games.

Sitting at 4-4 after four weeks of play, the Wild (10-4) were a team facing growing pains after reforming after a year's absence from the league. Something started click as the Wild began to use their hitting and speed to win six games in a row and now find themselves in the thick of a close division race. On Sunday, the Wild scored 31 runs in wins over the Shockers (3-11) and Rainbow Warriors (1-13). The Wild can play the role of spoiler as they still have games against three of the top four teams in the standings.

Bud Light (6-8) is the other team to finish the weekend with a 2-0 record. After starting the season hot, Bud Light suffered a seven-game losing streak before getting back to their winning ways this weekend with a 14-4 win over AssistHers (2-11-1) and a close 8-7 win over the Bam Bams (8-6).

Speaking of the Bam Bams, they used a rare triple play to beat the Shockers 10-1. The Predators also won a game this weekend with a 9-2 win over the Xtremes. Finally, the Toros (7-6-1) rallied to defeat the Rainbow Warriors 13-10 and continued a streak of four weeks with at least one win.

While they might not have a win to show for it of late, teams at the bottom of the division have shown a competitive spirit that speaks volumes of their character. These teams continue to contest each game, play hard, and have fun.

Vipers, Wave, and Warriors Win Two

With two wins on Sunday, the Warriors (8-6) join the Vipers (12-2), Incredibles (10-2-2), and Wave (10-3-1) as the only teams with a winning record in the D Division. The Warriors continued their strong play of late by beating the Splash (7-7) and Bering (3-11).

The Vipers also won both their games on Sunday and continue to lead the division. The Vipers held off a Splash rally to win 10-8 In their first game and then scored four runs in their last at bat to break open a tie game and beat the Herricanes (5-9) 6-2.

The Incredibles actually lost some ground on the first-place Vipers after a determined Dream Team (5-8-1) rallied for three runs to tie the game 9-9. In their second game, the Incredibles exploded for 15 runs in a victory over the Black Sheep (3-11).

After dropping two games the weekend before, the Wave needed to right the ship if they were going to keep pace with the division leaders. The Wave was swinging a hot bat on Sunday as they scored 30 runs in wins over the Black Sheep and Bering (3-11). The Wave now find themselves percentage points behind the second-place Incredibles.

After managing a tie against the Incredibles, the Dream Team used a 10-run second inning to beat the Swallows (5-9). After dropping a close game to the Vipers, the Herricanes would score four runs in their last at bat to rally past the Swallows 5-4. .

Week 8

Hellcats Back on Winning Track, Outlaws Surging

The Outlaws (2-6) started the season slowly, but they have found their stride midseason. After dropping the first five games of the season, the Outlaws have won two out of their last three games. The day didn't start well for the Outlaws as they dropped a 20-6 decision to the Hellcats (7-1). However, they won their next game against the Hellraisers (4-5) 14-3.

After dropping both a game to the Hellraisers last weekend, the Hellcats started a new winning streak with victories over the Outlaws and Hellraisers. Despite their recent woes, the Hellraisers are still in second place with eight games to go for each team in the B Division.

Shockers Win Two; Top Teams Streaking

Last weekend, the Shockers (3-9) tried to play spoiler as they lost two tight games to two teams contending for first place. This Sunday, the Shockers won both their games by beating the Rainbow Warriors (1-11) and Xtremes (1-11). This was the team's first weekend sweep ever.

Another team that won both their games on Sunday is the Wild (8-4). After an up-and-down start, the Wild find themselves amidst a four-game win streak. The Wild scored the winning run in their last at bat in both games. In their first game, the Wild were down 9-0 to the Bam Bams (7-5) before scoring 10 consecutive runs to close out the game. In their second game, they scored the last four runs of the game to upend the Toros (6-5-1) 7-6.

There was no change on the top of the standings as the Clippers (11-1) won both their games on Sunday. By beating the Rainbow Warriors and AssistHers (2-9-1), the Clippers upped their win streak to nine games.

The Legal Eagles (10-2) kept pace with the Clippers to lift their win streak 10 games. The Legal Eagles scored early and often before the Justice League (0-11-1) made a big-time rally that fell just short. Down 14-8, the Justice League scored five runs before making the last out at the plate to deny the tying run from scoring. The Legal Eagles' second game was a key game against the Predators (8-4) who were both tied for second place entering the game. The Legal Eagles scored the first nine runs to run away with a 12-4 win.

With two wins on Sunday, the Venom (9-2-1) now find themselves alone in third place. The Venom defeated the Predators 10-8 and AssistHers 7-2 to push their win streak to three games.

The Knights (9-3) are the other C Division team to win both their games on Sunday. The two victories pushed the Knights back into contention in a two-way tie with the Dragons (9-3).

Other teams that won a game on Sunday include the Dragons, Bam Bams, and Toros.

Vipers Back in First; Incredibles Closing In

There is probably no hotter team in the D Division than the upstart Incredibles (9-2-1). Their first game on Sunday was a matchup against the first-place Wave (8-3-1) and the Incredibles dispatched of the Wave 11-3. Their second game was much closer as they had to rally from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Warriors (6-6) 6-5. The game was tied 5-5 before the Incredibles scored the winning run in their last at bat. With two victories on Sunday, the Incredibles push their win streak to eight games, and they now find themselves in second place.

The one team the Incredibles are looking up to in the standings are the Vipers (10-2). After falling out of first place for the first time last weekend, the Vipers won both games this weekend and find themselves in a familiar place in the standings. After dropping the Dream Team (4-8) 10-3, the Vipers played the Wave for first place in the division. In a very tight game, the Wave took a 2-0 lead before the Vipers scored four runs in the fourth inning for a 4-2 victory.

The Splash (7-5) also had a good weekend as they beat Bering (3-9) and the Black Sheep (3-9). The weekend sweep bumped the Splash up in the standings as they now find themselves in fourth place.

Despite dropping a game to Splash, both Bering and the Black Sheep were victorious in their other game. Bering won a game for the second straight weekend as they defeated the Swallows (5-7) 10-6. The Black Sheep, which won two weekends ago, also defeated the Swallows 9-6. As the season progresses, both these new teams have demonstrated vast improvement while competing with heart and hustle.

There may not be a more spirited team out there than the Dream Team. After being big winners at Jocks In Dresses the night before, they were also winners on the field as well as they defeated the Herricanes (4-8) 12-10.

The Warriors are the other D Division team that won at least one game on Sunday. Despite dropping a heartbreaker to the Incredibles, the Warriors defeated the Herricanes to salvage a weekend split.

Week 7

Wave Crash Party, Now in First Place

The Vipers (8-2) have been in first place since Week 1 of the 2009 MSL season; however, that all changed on Sunday. With two wins on Sunday coupled with a Vipers' loss, the Wave (8-1-1) now find them admist a four-game win streak and in first place of the D Division.

In their first game, the Wave received a forfeit win over Splash (5-5) and then followed that up with a 10-6 win over the Dream Team (3-7). The Wave now hold a small lead over the Vipers heading into this weekend’s showdown between the two teams.

Another team nipping at the Wave’s heals are the Incredibles (7-2-1). With wins over the Vipers and Bering (2-8) by a combined 32-4, the Incredibles may be the hottest team in the D Division. The Incredibles put their six-game win streak on the line when they play the first-place Wave in the first game of the day for both teams.

The Warriors (5-5) also won both their games on Sunday as they beat both the Swallows (5-5) and Dream Team. The Warriors move into a tie for fourth place with the Swallows.

Teams that split their games over the weekend include the Vipers, Swallows, Herricanes (4-6), and Bering (2-8). The Herricanes defeated the Black Sheep (1-9) while Bering rallied to beat the Herricanes.

Hellraisers Beat Cats; Outlaws Win!

The Hellcats (5-1) entered the weekend as the only undefeated team in the B Division but that all changed after the Hellraisers (4-3) rallied for a 14-13 victory. The Hellraisers took a 9-4 lead after three innings; however, they found themselves down 13-10 with only three outs left. The Hellraisers rose to the occasionin their last at bat with a base-loaded single to score the winning run.

In their second game, the Hellraisers played an undermanned Outlaws (1-5) team. Things look promising after the Hellraisers took an 8-2 lead but then the Outlaws ‘ bats woke up. The Outlaws took a 14-9 lead and were three outs from winning their first game of the season. Like their first game, the Hellraisers responded and scored five runs to tie the game. Hoping to force extra innings, the Hellraisers fortunes quickly changed as the Outlaw’s first batter scored on an inside-the-park home run to lift the Outlaws to victory.

The Force (5-1) were in action this weekend and looked like the dominant A Division team that they are. After starting slowly, the Force scored 11 consecutive runs to avenge an earlier loss to the Hellcats with a 12-2 win. In their second game, the Force defeated the Outlaws 11-7.

This Sunday, the three B Division teams will play each other while the Force has off.

Legal Eagles and Clippers Continue Hot Streaks

The season hit the midway point for the C Division and the standings are still very crowded at the top. With six teams within two games of the top spot in the division, things look to stay hotly contested until the last weekend of play.

The Clippers (9-1) pushed their win streak to seven games and maintained their division lead with an 11-6 win over Bud Light (4-6) and a 6-4 extra-inning victory over the Shockers (1-9).

Despite their win streak, the Clippers may not be the hottest team in the division. That honor goes to the Legal Eagles (8-2) who haven’t dropped a game since Opening Day. Like the Clippers, the Legal Eagles defeated Bud Light and the Shockers to continue their winning ways.

The Dragons (8-2) and Predators (8-2) both pushed their win streaks to three games and find themselves in a three-way tie with the Legal Eagles for second place and only a game behind the Clippers. The Dragons scored 32 runs in victories over the AssistHers (2-7-1) and Justice League (0-9-1). The Predators were also swinging a hot bat on Sunday as they defeated the AssistHers 15-3 and Justice League 10-0.

Venom (7-2-1) started the day in second place but now find themselves behind four teams in the standings thanks to the Knights (7-3). The day began ominously for the Knights after they were pasted 21-0 by the Toros (5-4-1). Not wanting to lose anymore ground and stay within striking distance of the division leaders, the Knights needed to beat Venom in their second game. The Knights built an early four-run lead but Venom responded and tied the game with one inning to go. The Knights scored two runs and then played great defense to hold Venom scoreless in their last at bat to seal the victory. In their second game, Venom beat the Xtremes (1-9).

The Toros used the momentum of their third-place finish at the Lone Star Classic to sweep both games on Sunday and push their league record over .500. After beating the Knights, the Toros narrowly defeated the Xtremes 7-6.

The Wild (6-4) look to make a second half surge by winning both their games on Sunday by outscoring the Bam Bams (6-4) and Rainbow Warriors (1-9) by a total of 37-11. The Bam Bams are the only other team in the C Division to win a game on Sunday as they defeated the Rainbow Warriors. They are now tied with the Wild in the standings.

Looking ahead to this Sunday’s games, one win streak will come to an end when the Legal Eagles and Predators collide in a matchup of second place teams. In their second game, the Predators face Venom in a game between teams separated by only percentage points. The Toros face two teams ahead of them in the standings when they play the Wild and Dragons on Sunday. Also, one team will likely win their second game of the season when the Shockers and Rainbow Warriors play on Sunday. Like the weather, things are really heating up in the C Division.

Week 6

Hellcats Sweep; Hellraisers Split

With two wins on Sunday, the Hellcats continued their fast start and improved to 5-0. The Hellraisers (3-2) were looking to even the season series against the Hellcats and things looked promising after they jumped out to a 5-1 lead. However, the Hellcats responded with consecutive eight-run innings and turned a four-run deficit into a 19-7 win. In their second games, the Hellcats beat the Outlaws (0-5) 16-1.

The Hellraisers and Outlaws played a tight game that the Hellraisers eventually won 11-10. After falling behind 7-2, the Outlaws scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game. After letting a lead slip away in the first game, the Hellraisers responded this time with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Outlaws rallied fell short when they only scored three runs the next inning.

Clippers Sail Into First; Rainbow Warriors Win!

With rain in the weekend forecast, the season's only match-up between the Clippers and Venom was in jeopardy. Thankfully, the fields were dry and the weather was cool, and these conditions made for a perfect day for softball.

Venom entered Sunday's game with the Clippers with a percentage lead over four teams, including the Clippers. However, it would be the Clippers that ended the day on top of the C Division. In a game that had a play-off atmosphere, the teams entered the fourth inning tied 6-6. However, it was the Clippers (7-1) superb defense that would hold Venom (6-1-1) scoreless for the last three innings to squeak out a 9-6 win. There was no letdown in their second game as the Clippers beat the Toros (3-4-1).

While the Clippers-Venom showdown may have been the lead story on SportsCenter that night, there were plenty of big games in the intensely competitive C Division. The Legal Eagles (6-2) started the season with two losses on Opening Day; however, that is the last time they would lose in league play. On Sunday, they had the formidable task of playing two one-loss teams, the Dragons and Predators.

After falling behind 6-0, the Legal Eagles scored 11 consecutive runs to take a five-run lead. The Dragons (6-2) responded with five runs to send the game into extra innings. The Legal Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the extra frame for a 14-13 win. Riding the emotions of their extra-inning win, the Legal Eagles once again rallied to beat the Predators (6-2) 13-10.

The only other C team to win both their games on Sunday was the Bam Bams (5-3). After beating the Shockers (1-7), the Bam Bams faced the once-defeated Knights. After scoring 12 runs in the first two innings, the Bam Bams coasted to a 13-9 win to drop the Knights to 6-2.

The Rainbow Warriors (1-7) got their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the AssistHers (2-5-1). Despite being in the most competitive division in the MSL, the Rainbow Warriors have competed each week and finally pulled out a well-earned victory.

Teams that won a game on Sunday include Venom, Dragons, Predators, Bud Light (4-4), Wild (4-4), Toros, AssistHers, and Rainbow Warriors. Teams with consecutive game win streaks include the Legal Eagles (6), Clippers (5), and Bam Bams (2).

After four weeks of play (with weeks 4 and 5 postponed due to rain), the Clippers are in first place followed closely by Venom. After those two teams, there are several two-loss teams in close pursuit, including the Dragons, Knights, Legal Eagles, and Predators. The Bam Bams are the only other team over .500.

Vipers Swallowed Whole; Bering Wins First Game!

While it may be a completely revamped Vipers (7-1) team that finished third place at last year's NAGAAA World Series, they are still a formidable team that entered the weekend undefeated. However, that all changed when they faced the Swallows (4-4). Each team entered the game with different results in their first game. The Vipers edged the Warriors (3-5) 12-11 while the Swallows fell to the Wave (6-1-1) 13-7. However, it was the Swallows that jumped out to an early lead that they never relinquished in a 9-5 victory over the Vipers.

The Wave benefited from the Swallows' victory as they swept their two games and pulled within percentage points of the first place Vipers. Besides defeating the Swallows, the Swallows also defeated the Warriors 10-5.

With two wins on Sunday, the Incredibles (5-2-1) increased their win streak to three games and now find themselves in third place. The Incredibles beat the Splash (5-3) and Herricanes (3-5).

Bering, like the Rainbow Warriors in the C Division, are in their first year of existence. Dropping their first six games did not dampen the spirits of Bering as they continued to compete and have fun each game. In a rematch with the Black Sheep (2-6), Bering ended up on the winning side this time with a 14-1 victory.

The only other D Division teams to win a game on Sunday were the Dream Team (3-5) and Black Sheep.

After four weeks of play, the Vipers hold a slim lead over the Wave. The Incredibles and Splash are close behind should either team falter.

Weeks 4 and 5 Were Rained Out

Week 3

Venom Alone on Top; Shockers Win

After three weeks of league play, the contenders are rising to the top in the C Division. After sweeping both their games on Sunday, Venom (5-0-1) are the only unbeaten team in the division. In their first game, Venom was matched up against the previously undefeated Dragons (5-1). In their only game of the season against each other, Venom took a 6-1 lead going into the top of the sixth inning. In their last at bat, the Dragons closed the gap to 6-4 but stranded runners in scoring position to end the game. Venom coasted to an easy victory in their second game with a 19-0 win over the Shockers (1-5). Speaking of the Shockers, this newly formed team won their first game by defeating Justice League (0-5-1) 5-0.

After Venom, there are four teams tied for second place with 5-1 records, including the Clippers, Dragons, Knights, and Predators. The Clippers defeated the Knights 12-5 to knock the Knights from the undefeated ranks. In that game, the Clippers used a nine-run fourth inning to break open a tight game. The Clippers held off a late AssistHers’ (1-4-1) 6-3 in their second game. Despite losing their first game, the Knights also defeated the AssistHers 9-5 in their second game of the day.

Two teams that moved up from D Division also find themselves in second place. The Dragons opened the day with an emphatic 21-0 win over Justice League before dropping a close game to Venom. The Predators extended their win streak to three games by winning both their games on Sunday. The Predators opened the day with a 10-5 win over the Rainbow Warriors (0-6) before winning a tight game against the Toros (2-3-1). Both the Dragons and Predators have been impressive so far in this early season for teams moving up a division.

The Legal Eagles are another team that has been impressive of late. After being one of the top D Division teams the last few years, the Legal Eagles got off to a rocky start the first week by dropping both their games. However, they have run off four straight wins, including wins over the Wild (3-3) and Bam Bams (2-4) on Sunday. The Legal Eagles lead 13-1 before the Wild scored 11 runs in their last two at bats to trim the lead to 13-12. In their second game, the Legal Eagles lead big 13-3 after one inning. After the Bam Bams rallied to tie the score 15-15, the Legal Eagles scored two runs in their last at bat to win 17-15.

After dropping their first three games of the season, Bud Light are on a roll after winning three straight games. Bud Light defeated the Toros 8-4 and then scored the winning run in their last at bat to defeat the Rainbow Warriors 8-7. Currently, Bud Light are tied for fourth place with the Wild with a 3-3 record. After their rally came up short against the Legal Eagles, the Wild rallied for six runs in the top of the fifth to beat the Xtremes (1-5) 12-10.

Several teams with winning streaks include Venom (5 games), Legal Eagles (4), Clippers (3), Bud Light (3), and Predators (3)

Vipers Defeat Wave in Undefeated Matchup; Swallows, Splash Win Two

Like the C Division, Sunday saw two undefeated teams play each other for sole possession of first place.  Perennial power Vipers (6-0) held off a late rally from the Wave (4-1-1) to win 11-9. Down 5-2 after one inning, the Vipers scored five in the second inning and never relinquished the lead. In their second game, the Vipers started slowly but scored seven runs in their last two at bats to defeat the Dream Team (2-4).

After winning their first four games, the Wave did not able to win either game on Sunday. After dropping their first game, the Wave played a tough 15-15 game with the Incredibles (3-2-1). After scoring four runs in the sixth inning, the Wave could not hang on to the lead as the Incredibles matched their run production in the bottom of the inning. Despite going winless on Sunday, the Wave still find themselves in sole possession of second place.

After winning both their games on Sunday, the Splash (4-2) are now in third place. The Splash scored 37 runs in victories over the Black Sheep (1-5) and Bering (0-6).
After tying the Wave, the Incredibles defeated the Warriors (3-3) 15-10 for fourth place. Just behind the Incredibles are the Warriors and Herricanes (3-3). The Warriors won their second game of the day by defeating the Herricanes 16-5.

The Swallows are only one of three teams to win both their games on Sunday in the D Division by defeating the Black Sheep and Swallows. The two victories raised the Swallows’ record to 3-3. Besides the Swallows, only the Vipers (6 games) and Splash (2) currently have multiple game win streaks.

Week 2

Hellcats Sweep; Hellraisers, Force Split

Despite only scoring 14 runs in two games, the Hellcats (3-0) won both games on Sunday with pitching, defense, and timely hitting. In their first game, the Hellcats beat a short-handed Force 7-6 with two runs to tie the game in the sixth and a run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. In another tight and well-played game by both teams, the Hellcats broke open a 4-1 game with 3 runs in their last at bat to beat the Hellraisers (2-1) 7-1.

The Force opened the day with a 16-1 win over the Outlaws (0-3), and they are now 3-1 against the B Division teams. Also, the Hellraisers ran their season record to 2-0 against the Outlaws with an 11-4 victory.

After two weeks of play, the Hellcats (3-0) have a half-game lead over the Hellraisers (2-1).

There are no A or B Division games next weekend as the Force and Hellcats are traveling to Phoenix to participate in the Saguaro Cup.

For complete results in the A and B Division, visit the A Division and B Division pages.

Dragons and Knights Now 4-0

After two weeks, only the Dragons and Knights (both 4-0) are the only undefeated and untied teams in the wild C Division. In their first game, the Knights beat the previously undefeated Legal Eagles (2-2) 12-1 and then hung on to beat the Rainbow Warriors (0-4) 14-10. This is an impressive start for a first-year team in the biggest division in the MSL.

The Dragons and Clippers (3-1) squared off in a game between two teams that won both their games on Opening Day. While the Clippers got off to an early lead, the Dragons answered with an eight-run fourth inning and held on for a 10-8 victory. The Dragons carried that momentum into their second game and beat the Shockers (0-4) 13-0. Meanwhile, the Clippers rebounded with a 9-7 win over Bud Light (1-3) to lift their record to 3-1. The only other one-loss team is the Predators (3-1) who lost to the Bam Bams (2-2) before beating the Wild (2-2) in the last game of the day.

The only other team in the C Division without a loss is Venom (3-0-1). After tying the Toros in their first game of the season, Venom has won three straight. Down 6-5, Venom reeled off 10 runs to beat the Legal Eagles 15-10 in their first game and then won convincingly 17-2 against the Rainbow Warriors (0-4).

Speaking of the Toros (2-1-1), the “comeback kids” rallied from another big deficit to shock the Wild 14-13. This is the second week the Toros had to overcome a six run or more deficit to win a game in their last at-bat.

The AssistHers, Bam Bams, Bud Light, and Xtremes all won their first games of the season. The Bam Bams bounced back from two losses on opening day to win both of their games on Sunday, including wins over the Toros and Predators. Bud Light used a 12-run outburst to break open a close game and defeat the Shockers 18-3 for their first victory of the season. Xtremes built an early 9-3 lead to beat Justice League (0-3-1) 11-5. The AssistHers (1-2-1), new to the MSL, won their first game by defeating the Xtremes 6-2. In their second game, they tied Justice League 6-6. Of the eight teams that moved up last year from the D Division, seven have already won a game in their new division.

Teams that ended Week 2 with winning streaks of more than a game include Dragons (4), Knights (4), Venom (3), and Bam Bams.

For complete results in the C Division, visit the C Division page.

Vipers, Wave Tops in D Division

Like the C Division, there are only two undefeated teams in the D Division. The Vipers and Wave (both 4-0) continued their early-season hot streak with another 2-0 weekend in league play. The Wave lead the entire way to beat previously unbeaten Dream Team (2-2) 13-2. However, the Wave had to rally to beat Splash (2-2) 9-3. The Vipers played in the afternoon and they knew they had to win both games to keep up with the Wave. After handily beating the Black Sheep (0-4) 17-0, the Vipers had to rally with four runs in their last at bat to squeak past the Incredibles (2-2) 12-8.

After dropping both their games on Opening Day, the Herricanes (2-2) and Warriors (2-2) won both their games in Week 2. The Herricanes’ bats were hot on Sunday as they scored 32 runs to beat Bering (0-4) and the Black Sheep. The Warriors beat Dream Team 11-2 in their first game and rallied to upend the Swallows (1-3) 9-7.

The Incredibles and Swallows each split their games on Sunday. The Incredibles used a 26-run first inning to beat Bering 36-4 while the Swallows got their first win of the season by defeating splash 9-8 with a two-run rally in their last at-bat.

Teams that ended Week 2 with winning streaks of more than a game include the Vipers (4), Wave (4), Herricanes (2), and Warriors (2).

For complete results in the D Division, visit the D Division page.

Week 1

The 30th Anniversary of the MSL started in ominous fashion as dense fog hung over the fields like a scene from a Stephen King movie. However, after a 45 minute delay, the season was underway. Teams played until 12 noon and then all eyes turned to Field 1 for the Opening Day Ceremonies. The theme of the ceremonies was about fellowship and honoring those who have made the MSL so special for the past 30 years. Jerry DeSalle and Jerry Chaffin (two of the three Jerry’s who laid the foundation for this league) threw out the first pitch to the latest Jerry Award winners in a symbolic passing of the torch. Commissioner Bill Sansom talked about the league’s history and also discussed the highlights over the years.

During the ceremonies, all the teams stood on the field in what was a sea of colors as teams donned their new jerseys (thank you Clippers). During this anniversary year, membership in the MSL has reached an all-time high of over 550 members!

A big “thank you” goes out to the Opening Day Committee for a great job of decorating and coordinating such a memorable day.

Upper Division: Force Take Care of Business; Hellcats, Hellraisers Win

The Hellraisers and Outlaws kicked off the competition in the upper divisions after the Opening Day Ceremonies. Each team had several new faces, but it was the Hellraisers who jumped on the Outlaws early and cruised to a 16-7 win. In their second game, the Hellraisers kept things close against the Force for the first four innings. However, the Force put up a big inning in the fifth for a 16-11 win.

The Hellcats kicked off their 2009 season against an old rival in the Outlaws. The Outlaws took a two-run lead in the top of the sixth inning, but the Hellcats responded with three runs of their own for a 10-9 win.

In the Force’s second game, they found themselves in a battle in which they trailed for most of the game. Down two runs after the Hellcat’s last at bat, the Force responded with four runs for a 10-8 win. The big blow was a clutch three-run home run that ended up being the difference in the game.

For complete results in the A and B Division, visit the A Division and B Division pages.

C Division: New Teams Flex Their Muscles

There was much excitement and anticipation in the newly revamped C Division. While teams and pundits predicted who were the “top” teams, nobody really knew which teams would rise to the occasion.

One team that did rise to the occasion was the Toros. After squeaking past the AssistHers, a team new to the MSL, the Toros rallied from a big deficit to tie Venom 16-16. Venom, one of the two remaining C Division teams from last year and a 2008 GSWS representative, shook off their first game and handily defeated the AssistHers. In other morning action, the Legal Eagles and Knights kicked off their inaugural season in the C Division with two wins.

After the ceremonies, the competition and the weather heated up. The Clippers, Dragons, Predators, and Wild would all win their first two games to create an early six-team log jam atop of the division. Of these six teams, the Legal Eagles, Dragons, and Predators are playing in their first season in the C Division after moving up from the D Division.

For complete results in the C Division, visit the C Division page.

D Division: Vipers, Wave, Splash, and Dream Team Win Two

In the D Division, the Vipers are hoping to build on their third-place finish at last year’s GSWS. Despite losing several players to the C Division, the Vipers got off to a good start by winning both of their games. The Wave scored 27 runs in their two victories, and the Splash and Dream Team won both their games as well. The newly formed Black Sheep and the Incredibles split their games and both find themselves with a 1-1 record after a week of play.

For complete results in the D Division, visit the D Division page.