World Baseball Classic 27- Everything Thread (IC)

[Sangti]

People in Sangti have no idea what to do now with the giant TV screens, after the Indios face another potential sweep at the hands of the Warriors. They could have decided to air the World Cup qualifiers at Aels instead. However, when they knew that the matches would not coincide with each other (except for instance that the match would go to extra innings), fans can watch both games and support both sides. The atmosphere was silent. Unlike the beginning of the semifinal series with Maklohi Vai, fans were neither thrilled nor excited. The match between Sangti and Milchama was a crucial one, lose, and Sangti would go home with fourth place, and worst of all, would take a big beating in terms of potential rankings. The Indios were targeting a Top 20 rank at the end of this edition, but a series of losses did not help. Five straight losses. Or six, including the tune up defeat to Free Republics before the third place match.

Their silence was broken in the second inning, when Antonio Luyaben scored a homer that sent him and Dale Decolongon into home plate. The noises got louder when the lead was extended courtesy of a homer by Romie Datu, and Benjamin Dimacuha scored a double RBI at the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the lead further.

The pitching lineup of Russel Lauchengco and Roochie Gosiengfiao worked wonders as they prevented Milchama from scoring in 7 and 2 innings respectively. They secured a shutout after Gosiengfiao struck out their fourth batter Davis Hitch. The fans erupted, but knowing the Indios' opponents are one game away from claiming third place, they would remain emotionless, and because the match between the Sangti and Aels followed immediately, with Aels leading 2-0.

[Maklohi Vai]

Result for Game 4 of the Third Place Series

Sangti                 3 0 0 0 3 3 0 4 0 13
Milchama               0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1  4

Series tied 2 games to 2

One more day, folks.

[Sangti]

A Call to Rise Up

The tables have turned.

After a mediocre performance by the Indios in the first two games in their series against the Warriors, they got back at their opponents with guns blazing. After a shutout in game three, the offensive floodgates opened, with Sangti scoring 13 runs and Milchama only scoring four. Three of the thirteen runs were scored at the first inning itself. Now, the series has been leveled, and both teams would want to take Game 5 to win third place.

I would say that the Indios now have momentum against the number two in the world, due to the nature of how they beat them. The four games between them had three runs as the biggest margin of victory. The games after that were very surprising at the least, for Milchama. The former World Baseball Classic champion were thought to sweep this series. But now, it's anybody's game now.

For the Indios, they have given it all, given that they went through two deciding games in the past three series. One against unranked Britonisea, and one against Kriegiersien. Milchama on the other hand, won one deciding game (against Zwangzug, the World number 1) and lost one. (against Strawbee, who swept Maklohi Vai to win this edition of the Classic.) This is the time for the Indios to show the world that the semis sweep by the Lumai was just a hiccup.

Now is the time to capitalize for the Indios. The momentum is with them, and they should never look back.

[Strawbee]

Champions!
Strawbee gets 6-5 win in game 4 to snatch the world baseball classic crown

Maklohi Vai            0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1  5
Strawbee               1 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 X  6

It was a tournament of miracles in the godly land of Saintland. (and then in the land of heavenly natural beauty, Maklohi Vai) Someone up there must love Strawberry as one would be hard pressed to point to any tournament champion more unlikely than the nation and team she represents. Ranked #21 in the world, seeded #22 in the playoffs, an 0-3 start to the tournament, a 4-4 group stage record, declared the definite underdogs in all but one of their playoff series, the margin of victory in almost all of their playoff games was 3 runs or fewer, and a finals matchup against host nation in their home stadium. 60 nations entered the World Baseball Classic 27 tournament but in the end only one team remained to be crowned the champions: and it was Strawbee. The team is named the Strawbee Baseball Legends, a nickname meant to replicate Allinlia's "all-stars" moniker in signifying that the team is a gathering of what the Strawbee government considered to be the best Strawbeean baseball players from many different domestic clubs. The Legends name is a constant source of humor for the sportswriters of various other nations who always put in in quotes and enjoy hinting at how inapplicable such a name is to Strawbee's national team. Perhaps they won't be so quick to laugh at it now.

Fittingly, a tournament so full of surprises ended with the most surprising result to this finals series: a 4-0 sweep by Strawbee. I will be one of the quickest to point out that you shouldn't let the sweep fool you into not realizing how close this thing was. None of the 4 wins by Strawbee exceeded 3 runs and 2 of the games were decided by only a single point. Game 4 in fact came right down to the final out, a leaping catch at the wall by the left fielder to strand 2. The world baseball classic trophy was presented by the very gracious Maklohi Vai tournament commissioner to manager Kevin Saran, who passed it off to Strawberry. She gave her interviews while the players popped the champagne in the locker room. As she entered theroom with the trophy she was immediately sprayed with champagne by the players mercilessly. She squealed and tried to hide herself behind the trophy but couldn't escape being soaked. Cheers and raucous laughter filled the room. It was a great moment as the team that had carried themselves with such seriousness and played with such a large chip on their shoulder for so long finally had nothing left to prove to anybody. A huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders and there was nothing left to do but to fool around, have fun, and enjoy the moment. At the time of writing this article the trophy is on a plane ride back to the nation of Strawbee. It has not left Strawberry's hooves since it was handed to her. If I learn that she spent the night with it I would not be surprised at all. Perhaps one day the players will get it back, you never know!

It's been a long, strange, thrilling ride through the tournament and I'd like to thank anyone who's still reading for joining me on it. When I started writing these way back during the team's international debut I never thought I'd be able to write about this moment. I have been highly critical and sarcastic toward Strawberry, the government, the nation of Strawbee, baseball fans, the Strawbeean nation team, the international sports media, every other participating nation, Manager Saran, and all of the teams players in these articles. With the team having won the world baseball classic for the Strawbeean people the team can probably get away with pretty much anything at this point. In this moment of positivity and all that garbage I feel that there is probably little point in me continuing to post anonymously. Thank you to everyone who has followed my ramblings, supported this team, and loves the game of baseball.

Until the next game!

-Carbon
Starting pitcher for the Strawbee National Team

[Maklohi Vai]

Result for Game 5 of the Third Place Series

Milchama               0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  3
Sangti                 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2

Milchama wins series 3 games to 2

Congratulations to Milchama on their third place finish, and commiserations to Sangti for a great tournament.

[Maklohi Vai]

OOC: I realized I never posted final stats for my team, so here they are 10 days late.

Maklohi Vai            0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1  5
Strawbee               1 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 X  6

Scoring Summary:
5th: Mae'ao hit a solo shot to left.
7th: Arnao led off the inning with a triple to right, and was quickly driven in by Moalna’akai Lai with a double. After two strikeouts, Ap'uto Roma'ai singled to send Lai home, and subsequently Iao Laina tripled Roma'ai in.
9th: Moalna’akai Lai hit a solo shot to center.

HR: Mae'ao 16, Moalna’akai Lai 4, Arnao 2, Iao Laina 1, Ap'uto Roma'ai 1, Ri'ino Uilnai 1, Wolo Rakinalmanai 1
RBI: Mae'ao 43, Wolo Rakinalmanai 14, Moalna’akai Lai 9, Arnao 8, Ri'ino Uilnai 8, Iao Laina 8, Ap'uto Roma'ai 7, Luimao Makai 2, Aonmai Rutulutoa 2, Koilani Ruputuo 2

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All time WBC Stats:
HR: Mae'ao 118, Arnao 17, Wolo Rakinalmanai 9, Moalna’akai Lai 6, Ri'ino Uilnai 5, Aputo Roma'ai 4, Iao Laina 4, Koilani Ruputuo 2, Luimao Makai 1
RBI: Mae'ao 264, Arnao 38, Wolo Rakinalmanai 34, Moalna'akai Lai 21, Aputo Roma'ai 19, Ri'ino Uilnai 18, Iao Laina 12, Koilani Ruputuo 11, Luimao Makai 3, Aonmai Rutulutoa 2, Rimai Lomukiwo 1