World Baseball Classic 41 - Everything Thread

[Super-Llamaland]

TIGERS-ETHANE GAME ONE: LIVE BLOG!
Marco Herrera, LSN Baseball

We all know what happened the last time these two titans of international baseball met, at WBC38: despite being predicted to win the series, the Tigers were unable to get the job done, bowing out in the quarterfinals to the young underdog side - who would go on to win the entire thing. Ethane are considerably more experienced now, but the Llamaneans are the best they've been in a while, picking up a title of their own at WBC40. But make no mistake, this is an incredibly dangerous team - who had to beat Schiltzberg to get here - and the Tigers cannot take the Red Kites lightly if they want to repeat.

TOP 1 - CONFIRMED LINEUPS:

Ethane: CF Cortez, RF Gibson, 3B Phelps, 1B Perry, LF Dixon, C Richardson, 2B Brock, SS Wood, SP Alexander
Super-Llamaland: CF Frandsen, C Rasmussen, LF Gunnlaugson, RF Russo, 3B Novak, 1B Mortensen, 2B Hao, SS Kästner, SP Zheng

A fairly standard lineup for Ethane, and one that's carried them very far in the past - Drawkian manager Angus Lockie certainly knows what he's doing. For the Tigers' part, switch-hitter Cameron Mortensen has replaced Nick Rousseau at first base due to the latter's weakness against lefties, while a minor injury to Markus Wright puts Frandsen as the leadoff man - and gives Dominik Kästner his first taste of the WBC playoffs.

Zheng throws the first pitch - a fastball strike to Rene Cortez - and we're off!

MID 1 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - A very straightforwards inning from Justin Zheng, who has completely shut down the Red Kites so far. After striking out Cortez on four pitches and Gibson on three, Zheng needed six pitches to retire Randy Perry - but got him to foul out to Mortensen on a perfectly-pitched shuuto.

END 1 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - But Trent Alexander has been just as good. Gudjon Frandsen worked a seven-pitch leadoff walk - never a good sign - and eventually stole second, but Alexander was able to retire Rasmussen, Gunnlaugson, and Lucien Russo with ease.

END 2 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - Another very calm inning. Both pitchers are absolutely on top of their game tonight, and runs will be very hard to come by.

END 3 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - Still nothing going on. In fact, Gudjon Frandsen (who walked in the bottom of the first inning) remains the only player to even reach base so far. Justin Zheng has been brilliant - as usual - but Alexander has been his equal so far.

BOT 4 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - But it might not stay scoreless for long! Although Ethane still hasn't gotten a baserunner, the Tigers are seriously threatening Trent Alexander right now, with Sofia Rasmussen getting the first hit of the game from either side - a line-drive single into right field - to lead off the inning. One single isn't too bad on its own, but Isak Gunnlaugson flew out to deep center-field, Lucien Russo has singled to right, putting runners on the corners with just one out. Royal Canterlot Stadium is shaking with excitement right now.

END 4 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - Alas, nothing comes of it, as Alexander recovers to strike out Emery Novak and induce a weak groundout from Cameron Mortensen. We've played four innings - some more interesting than others - but we're still scoreless.

TOP 5 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - But it almost just became 1-0, Red Kites! Justin Zheng made a mistake to Randy Perry, leaving a hanging breaking ball in the middle of the plate, and the Ethanian first baseman reacted accordingly, smashing a deep fly ball into the right-center gap. Unfortunately for Ethane, Gudjon Frandsen was there to make a brilliant leaping catch at the wall, keeping the perfect game - and shutout - alive.

MID 5 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 0 - But it's just died, as Dixon singled to left field for Ethane's first hit of the night. Still, Zheng managed to strike out the remaining two batters to end the threat.

BOT 5 - ETHANE 0, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - The Tigers have struck first! James Hao managed to draw a walk from Alexander - and Dominik Kästner really came up in the clutch in his first-ever playoffs start, hitting a line-drive double to right-center to score Hao. Kästner was a little overeager, and Gibson made a perfect throw to nail him at third - but the fact remains that it's Super-Llamaland who have scored first in this series.

TOP 6 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - Rene Cortez has just hit an inside-the-park home run! It's a tie game here in Canterlot, and Justin Zheng is fuming! Canterlot is one of the bigger stadiums in international baseball in terms of field size, and it really showed here. Zheng tried to go outside with the shuuto with a 1-2 count, but left it a little too close to the strike zone and Cortez was able to rip one down the right-field line. Lucien Russo got to the ball as quickly as he could, but was already near the wall in foul territory when he picked it up. Although the Tigers did nothing wrong on this play, Cortez is the fastest player on this team, and was able to just barely beat out the throw to tie things up!

END 6 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - We've played six of the nine innings tonight, and although the game got off to a slow start, things have seriously picked up. Zheng and Alexander got off to very strong starts, but both might be beginning to falter. It's anyone's game right now, but I still think the Tigers could easily win this.

TOP 7 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - Justin Zheng leaves to a standing ovation from Tigers fans. He's done very well, but won't get the decision tonight. His final line? 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 8 K/0 BB, 94 pitches. Another good start from the Pocono City ace. The right-handed reliever James Brennaman will come on to try to retire Perry and Dixon.

BOT 7 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - He does so successfully, after which reliever Donald Bailey comes on for Ethane and retires Novak, Mortensen, and Victoria Radovic (pinch-hitting for Hao) in order. The game is still tied with just two innings to play.

MID 8 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - Although Trevor Gonsalves and Anthony Beauregard are both warming up in the bullpen, it's Brennaman who Laurent Mårtensson sends out to pitch another inning. It proves a wise decision - the Cyclones relief ace strikes out Richardson, gets Brock to ground out to Cameron Mortensen, and strikes out Wood. A great performance for Brennaman, who will definitely be pinch-hit for in the bottom of the inning.

BOT 8 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - The Tigers are seriously threatening to take the lead here in the bottom of the eighth inning! Pinch-hitter Nicolas Rousseau led things off with a line drive to left field that Dixon apparently lost in the lights, resulting in a two-base error, and Gudjon Frandsen sacrificed him to third. With just one out in the inning and the infield in, the Llamaneans have a great opportunity to score here. They cannot let it go to waste.

END 8 - ETHANE 1, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - Incredible defense from the Red Kites to keep things even! Sofia Rasmussen managed to make contact, hitting a ground-ball that the shortstop Wood had to dive to stop. But Wood was able to field the ball cleanly and quickly throw to home, nailing Nicolas Rousseau at the plate!

TOP 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - And the momentum has swung to Ethane's side, as they take the lead in the top of the ninth! Anthony Beauregard couldn't get the job done against pinch-hitter Phillip Lewis, who despite not exactly having a reputation as a power hitter, managed to send a first-pitch fastball into the left-field seats. The Tigers are in serious trouble now!

MID 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - Mårtensson keeps the young reliever, and Beauregard is able to strike out the side. But the Tigers are suddenly down a run - and they'll only have three outs to get it back. It'll be the 31-year-old closer Mark Jones to try to finish Super-Llamaland off here in game one.

BOT 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - The Tigers are down to their last out, as Lucien Russo has struck out and Emery Novak's deep fly ball to left was just a few feet short of the wall. The bases are still empty, and it looks like Ethane will be taking a 1-0 series lead.

BOT 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 1 - But they've suddenly rallied back! Cameron Mortensen drew a walk, and Victoria Radovic has given Tigers fans hope again with a single to right. Suddenly, the Tigers have put runners on the corners with two outs!

BOT 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - DOMINIK KÄSTNER HAS TIED THE GAME! ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE ALL EVEN HERE IN CANTERLOT PARK! Mark Jones tried to intimidate the rookie shortstop by going inside, but Kästner knew better than to change his approach. When, on the second pitch, Jones mixed things up with an outside changeup, the Derrierton star was more than ready to attack it, ripping a single into right field and tying the game.

END 9 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - Jones strikes out Rousseau, and we're still tied at two apiece after nine innings. It's extras time!

MID 10 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - Trevor Gonsalves has no problems keeping the Red Kites off the board in the tenth inning, retiring Perry, Dixon, and Richardson.

END 10 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - But neither does Red Kites reliever Patrick Bell, who works around a leadoff single from Gudjon Frandsen to finish off Sofia Rasmussen, Isak Gunnlaugson, and Lucien Russo without much noticeable difficulty.

TOP 11 - ETHANE 2, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - Gonsalves is in serious trouble, and so are Super-Llamaland's chances of winning tonight. With nobody out in the inning, Ethane has put runners on second and third with a single from pinch-hitter David Washington and a hard-hit double to straightaway center field from the shortstop Wood. Philip Lewis, Rene Cortez, and Abel Gibson are due up for the Red Kites, and new reliever Jason Van Dijk and his Tigers find themselves in a very precarious position.

MID 11 - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - Ethane has retaken the lead here in the top of the eleventh inning! Jason Van Dijk did well to strike out Lewis and get Cortez and Gibson out. But Rene Cortez's flyout was just a little too deep to center-field, and Washington was able to tag up and score from third. One run wasn't even remotely close to the worst case scenario, and Van Dijk should be commended for keeping things under control. But the Tigers are once again three outs away from dropping game one.

BOT 11 - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 2 - Bell comes back for a second inning. He'll face Emery Novak, a pinch-hitter, and Victoria Radovic. The next two to bat would be Dominik Kästner and Nicolas Rousseau, after which the Tigers would get the top of their order back up to the plate.

BOT 11 - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 3 - EMERY NOVAK HAS TIED THE GAME ONCE AGAIN!! On the eighth pitch of his battle against Patrick Bell and with the count full, Novak was able to turn on a fastball and send it just over the wall just left of center! The Tigers have clawed their way right back into this one!

BOT 11 - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 3 - Eric Mitchell has come on for Bell, but he's not exactly faring any better. Pinch-hitter Carsten Riviera hit a booming double to left, Victoria Radovic walked, and although Dominik Kästner grounded into a fielder's-choice, the Tigers suddenly have runners on the corners with one out. It's a situation they've failed to convert into a run twice - but can they do it now with the game potentially on the line?

BOT 11 - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 3 - It'll be the lefty reliever Frank Phillips to face Rousseau, who is notoriously bad at hitting lefties. But Laurent Mårtensson has not taken Rousseau out, despite his past struggles - in all his years on the national team, he has never hit a home run off a left-handed pitcher. But the Tigers only need a single.

FINAL - ETHANE 3, SUPER-LLAMALAND 6 - NICOLAS ROUSSEAU HAS TAKEN PHILLIPS DEEP ON THE FIRST PITCH! WITH ONE SWING OF THE BAT, THE FIRST BASEMAN HAS WON THE TIGERS GAME ONE!

That's all for our coverage of the game tonight - and what an incredible game this has been, with the Tigers coming back from one-run deficits twice in the last three innings and scoring four runs in the eleventh with their backs up against the wall. A full recap will be posted in the morning, but for now, good night and thank you for following the game with us!

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

BLOWN CALL ROBS ROCKETS

by Brianne Henry,

After cruising through the tournament to this point, the Rockets now find themselves down two games and suddenly on the brink of elimination. They can thank the umpiring crew for the loss in the first game. In perhaps the worst call that I have ever seen made at this level, the third base umpire ruled that Ponies left-fielder Trevor Armistad caught a fly ball from Stephanie Reynolds on a diving catch bid that was clearly a trap. It came with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 8th, with the Rockets trailing 5-4, and would have driven in at least two, with the potential for more to come. Because there seemed to be no way the ball was caught, Armistad would double up Brittany Morgan at second, since like everyone, she clearly saw the ball bounce. It was not the best start Courtney Duvall has had, but the team should have bailed her out. Three Rockets were ejected following the play, including manager Ashley Stevens, someone that I have never seen so irate in my life. Reynolds and Morgan were also ejected after they too, said their piece.

Animosity towards the umpiring crew continued into the second game, as in the top of the first inning, Jennifer Hughes screamed at the umpire for a missed called strike three, and got herself ejected after throwing just 13 pitches. In this case, the missed call was not at all as blatant, and could be seen as a judgement call, but Hughes would not have anything of it. In the fifth, on another missed called strike three, this one on what would have been the third out of the inning and the Ponies only scoring one run, manager Stevens stormed out of the dugout, and was tossed within fifteen seconds. This would not stop her, however, as she carried on the argument for several minutes. Two innings later, Brittany Morgan found herself ejected arguing a called strike three, that appeared to be nothing different then the calls the Rockets didn’t get previously.

The missed calls in the second game could be seen as going either way, and most will understand that it is not like the Rockets to be so adamant with the umpiring staff as they were in second game. If it wasn’t for the first game, then I would find myself being far more critical of the way they acted, and especially Hughes getting tossed after only throwing thirteen pitches. But after what happened in the first game, on what was obviously a blown call, and everyone knows that (I even spoke with a Ponyville beat writer who acknowledged that he would be pissed too), the Rockets felt that there may have been carry over into the second game. Unfortunately, the team is now faced with elimination, and something is going to have to give for this team. Somehow, they are going to have to find it within themselves to look past this, and make this series comeback.

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

TDDROH Sports chat

Unicorns get a good start in Quarterfinals

World Baseball Classic 41
Quarterfinals - Games 1 & 2 Results

#4 Scootalove City vs. #12 Anthor

Game 1

Anthor                 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  2
Scootalove City        0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 X  3
Scootalove City leads 1-0

Game 2

Anthor                 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  4
Scootalove City        0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3  5
Scootalove City leads 2-0

Scootalove City is doing great, leading Anthor by two games. Anthor and Scootalove City have both worked hard to get here, but in my opinion, Scootalove City worked harder.

Let's get into the game. The excellent pitching gave the bats a much needed and well deserved break. Trevor Murphy only gave up three hits during the first three innings, that's including the home run in the third.

John Johnson redeemed himself from the forth to the seventh, he didn't let Anthor get any hits. Alex Tremblay was the last pitcher that game, he allowed two hits, one being a double, another being the rbi that Cameron Taylor got. Other then that, sold pitching. Muffinus Cute got a three run homer in the 6th inning, the only scoring runs in the game that the Unicorns got was enough to win.


Game two went well. Didn't start so well, Trevor Murphy let a grand slam happen in the second off of a wild pitch. Was replaced by Paul Mins in the third. Thankfully, from that point on, thanks to Roger Brown in the 5th to the 8th and, Amalthea " The Last Unicorn" Beagle in the last inning, Anthor got no hits.

Stuart "Super" Nova got the three run homer in the bottom of 9th to get the win.


Overall, good games, just need to keep up the pressure to win the Quarterfinals all together. Please no dramatics this time like in the round of 16.

It ended great, but you guys really put it to the last possible moment to win the the round of 16.

[Cassadaigua]

Sitting in the Stands,
by Lori Thompson, Baseball Fan

I am just like one of you. I am a fan of the Cassadagan baseball team with no other connections to them, or to any other media source. That is, until I won a contest with the Concord Heights Times to send me to Whitetail for the entire series against the Nova Anglicana team. When I won the contest, I was thrilled, as you would expect. I was excited for the chance to go see these games, and to write this piece in the middle of the series.

I had never been to Equestrian States, but I heard so much about it. I know way back in time their nation and our nation were co-hosts for a World Cup, and if that happens there has to be a good relationship between the governing sporting bodies of the countries. I have heard about some of the countries in the world that are truly unique, and Equestrian States is a must-visit for any Cassadagan. There is a true love for the horse in Cassadaigua, it is a beautiful and majestic animal but at the same time, peaceful and loving. It is our national animal, and our team’s have gotten the nickname of the Fillies for good reason. In Equestrian States, as everyone knows, some magical and special happens, and these wonderful animals have human like qualities. You see it right away, as a young pegasus greeted as soon as we got off of our plane. I guess Whitetail is one of the cities in Equestrian States where foreigners don’t visit as much but they were very welcoming. My family met up with an Earth Pony family, and they suggested this wonderful restaurant. I was a little unsure, would I like that same type of restaurant they did, but in the end I don’t think I have ever had a more wonderful meal. The staff seemed extra excited to have some extra business for the World Baseball Classic and really wanted to showcase their food and overall quality, and I could not have been any more impressed.

Even at the hotel, things were great. They are a little more prepared for human visitors, and suggested that I book into a certain type of room that is designed better for humans instead of equine guests. Again, the food was fantastic!

On to the stadium, the place was packed, but a little more what I was expecting. There were fans from our nation of course as well as Nova Anglicana, another nation with a rich history that is going to make sure their voices are heard. Once the game started, it was just like any other baseball game, and I was thrilled with the way we played. Maddie Polanco has done such a great job with this team. After winning the first game, the second game was a true roller coaster of emotions.

Bottom 1st, Up 2-0. All good.

Top 4th, Crap, they tied it. Still too early to get too worked up.

Bottom 7th: Back in front, 3-2. Come on bullpen, don’t let us down!

Top 8th: I said, don’t let us down. 3-3. Damn!

End of 12th: Oh boy, this is gonna be a long one.

Top 14th: Nooo! When I said I wanted it to end I didn’t mean I was ok with us losing!

Bottom 14th: Yes!!! Play on, all night if we need too!

Bottom 17th: And it’s outta here. Walk off HR! Jessica Greene gets it done!

I was surprised, but maybe I shouldn’t be, of how many of the neutral fans from Equestrian States watched the whole thing, as well. What a game. We’re up 2-0, and maybe we’ll be playing each other in the next round. Looks like it right now, but anyone would be foolish to doubt those Rockets. Still, we won’t complain if they get knocked out!

[Ethane]

Explosive News: Sports
World Baseball Classic 41

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---

Tie up against the Tigers
Sam Heath - Sports Commentator

Ethane find themselves equal with Super-Llamaland after 2 games of their 5 game series.

The Red Kites, after their lacklustre performance in the groups - their performance the worst of all top-placed teams in their respective groups - somehow managed to squeeze past Schiltzberg in the first round of playoffs, winning the 5-game series in the fifth game. The series against the World Number 1 was tight, with both teams taking one game apiece in the first and second/ third and fourth games, but it was the Red Kites who managed to pull out ahead in the final game of the series.

Schiltzberg took the initiative early on with a confident performance in the first inning, putting 2 home runs up on the scoreboard. A further run came in the fourth inning to consolidate their position and assert themselves as the leaders in this game. They were showing Ethane who was the boss - who was number 1 in the world, who was the four-time champion of the World Baseball Classic - and the Red Kites were almost toeing the line in obedience, the pitcher unable to prevent the flow of Schiltzbergan runs.

However, they were unable to keep up their dominance for too much longer and suppress the fire in the Ethanians which had been dormant, waiting to explode. The problems began when Schiltzberg's main pitcher was starting to get tired in the sixth inning. He slipped the Red Kites a run, allowing them to gain a foothold on the scoreboard. This inspired confidence in the Ethane national team; this match was not over yet.

Schiltzberg tried to prevent further concessions of home runs by replacing the tiring pitcher with one of the team's pitchers from the bullpen, but this did nothing but worsen the situation. The Red Kites were able to score another home run in the second inning, placing them at only a 1 run deficit with 1 full inning left in the game. This was going to be a tight finish.

The difference came in the role of the pitcher in the final inning. Ethane's pitcher was well disciplined - the bullpen had delivered for the Red Kites, preventing the Schiltzbergans from placing another run on the board, which would have made the total even harder to beat. However, Schiltzberg's pitcher struggled under pressure in the final inning and was unable to prevent the runs from Ethane's bullpen. The bases were loaded with only 1 out left. However, the batter was able to knock a double, allowing Ethane to score the 2 runs required for victory and send the Red Kites through to the next round of the playoff, knocking Schiltzberg out at the earliest moment in the playoffs for a long time, possibly ever.

This marks an end to the Schiltzbergan dynasty over the World Baseball Classic. Long did they hold dominance over the field and over the game, but the diversification and expansion of baseball has allowed different challengers to rise up, new and old, and challenge the dominant order. Just before the Schiltzbergans were able to achieve a record 5 World Baseball Classic victories.

Now, the Red Kites are in yet another tight playoff battle against Super-Llamaland, another team vying for that 5th World Baseball Classic title along with Newmanistan - an old timer who has returned to fight again.

The first game against Super-Llamaland was a tightly fought affair, with both team's pitchers controlling the runs for most of the game. It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth inning that either team scored a home run, with Dominik Kästner hitting a line-drive double to right-centre to score Hao, who had already walked. The Red Kites were quick to respond though, with Rene Cortez hitting a home run inside-the-park, just able to make it round all the bases.

The Red Kites took the lead in the top of the ninth through Phillip Lewis, who sent a fastball into the seats to the left of the field. They were vying for that win - if they could finish this inning with one more run on the board than the Tigers, then they would hold a strong position in the series having won the first game. However, Dominik Kästner was able to get a home run in on the final out to send the first game of the series into extra innings.

Rene Cortez's flyout in the top of the eleventh allowed Washington, who was already at third base, to send it home and add another to the Ethanian total, giving the Red Kites the lead for the second time in a match-deciding inning. However, Patrick Bell was unable to keep up the pressure on Emery Novak, who sent a fastball into the crowd left-of-centre.

Eric Mitchell came on to replace Bell, but he was unable to prevent the Tigers building up their base presence with a man on every corner. Rousseau hit Phillips deep, sending the ball for a home run. The Tigers scored 4 home runs on Phillip's first pitch to Rousseau, handing them the victory in what should have been a much tighter match according to the score, had it not been for that last inning slip up by Phillips.

The Red Kites were able to provide a much more assertive and dominant performance in the second game of the series against Super-Llamaland. Despite the Tigers getting off the starting blocks quicker, scoring a home run in the bottom of the first inning, it was the Red Kites who fared better overall earlier on. Ethane were able to score 6 for the scoreboard in the third inning, placing themselves firmly as the match leaders. One run apiece in the second inning allowed the Red Kites to keep up that five-run lead, but another 2 home runs in the top of the fifth stretched that lead to 7 runs, putting the Red Kites firmly out in front and a shoe-in to victory in this particular game. Victory was not certain at this point (we can all remember the grand slam against Drawkland in the final inning of their series against Scootalove City) but victory was very likely.

Super-Llamaland tried to offer a fightback of sorts in the eighth inning, but were able to only offer up a solitary run as the Ethanian pitcher easily quelled their rebellion. A further run in the top of the ninth by the Red Kites added insult to injury, firmly cementing their 7 run lead. The Tigers were unable to offer any fight up in response, giving the Red Kites the victory in the second game of the series, tying it up after 2 games.

At this point, it is hard to predict who will come out victorious in this series. Both teams are strong contenders in a regular WBC season, not just in this particular matchup but also for the title. However, it is clear that the Tigers had the better group performance out of the two teams - shown in the difference in seeding: Super-Llamaland held the best record for a team finishing top in their group, Ethane had the worst record. Based on stats alone, the Tigers will come out victorious. It is known that the Red Kites tend to do better when they are the underdogs - as they certainly are in this series - and the team does have a proven record against Super-Llamaland. However, I still think that the Tigers do have the edge in this matchup.

I'm not ruling out the possibility of an Ethanian victory in this series - it is more than just possible. However, to win the Red Kites would need to put in a better performance than the Tigers would need to put in to win - Super-Llamaland is the better team. And because of that, Super-Llamaland is likely to be the team progressing from this matchup. And potentially the first team to win 5 World Baseball Classics - a team that wasn't at first considered as likely to be the first to that achievement, but now has a very good shot at doing such.

---

Another Argument

It hurts when you fight,
You get stubborn, go low,
Can't let go, You hold your pain close,
Not wanting to let it go.

'I can't forgive them!', you say to yourself.
That memory constantly cycling through your head -
A never-ending reminder on your bookshelf
of thoughts. You just wish they would stop dead.

Some things are better left unsaid,
Like your wish for them to drop dead.
But maybe you just misread.

See, love is the only thing that overcomes hate,
They didn't mean wrong, they don't know how much it hurt you.
Both of you remember - it is never too late,
Courage goes a long way - an apology or even just a
discussion about your feelings, how you're hurting -
to getting you through.

[-Anthor-]

Three canvas bases
perfectly placed.
Home plate and the mound
perfectly placed.
The chalk laid down
in a perfect line.
The infield dirt
raked perfectly fine.

Then the teams take the field
and we're reminded again
it's a perfect game
played by imperfect men.

[Equestrian States]

Equestrians Seek Sweep of Unraveling Newmanistan, Semifinal Berth
by Crazy Bats

PONYVILLE - The Equestrian States national baseball team took their qualifying group by storm with the exception of one team: third-ranked Newmanistan. Against the other four teams in Group 1, the Equestrians compiled a remarkable 19-5 record that was admittedly boosted by dreadful play by tournament newcomers Oridiana and New Jarwel, the latter of which lost 21 consecutive games during the 30 game campaign. However, the one team which the Phoenixes' magical run failed to materialize victory against was the Newmanistani Rockets, against which the Equestrian States won just one game. Many of those games were hard-fought contests and the Equestrians were only blown out by their superior opponents once, but in the end the Rockets were simply the better team in the series and deservedly won the group.

Now the Equestrians and Newmanistanis are facing each other once again, this time in the tournament's quarterfinals. Entering the series, most respectable pundits would've predicted an easy Newmanistan victory despite the Equestrians holding a clear home-field advantage as tournament hosts, but they have thus far been wrong.

In the series' first game, the Phoenixes were the clear benefactors of a blown call. Star Equestrian left-fielder Trevor Armistad just missed a spectacular diving catch on a Stephanie Reynolds line drive, but the umpire ruled the play a catch despite it being a clear trap on instant replay, denying the Rockets a two-run single. Armistad, realizing that the umpire had called a catch, then threw over to shortstop Celina at second base to double-up Brittany Morgan and end the inning and the threat.

The Rockets went ballistic after the play was over, with two aforementioned Newmanistani players as well as manager Ashley Stevens being ejected from the game. They were right to be upset with the blown call, but their passionate reactions did them more harm than good in the long run. High tensions carried into the second game of the series where three separate outbursts would result in three more ejected Rockets, including a second early shower in a two-day span for Ashley Stevens. This time the calls weren't quite so clear cut, though the Newmanistanis might take exception to that assessment of the plate umpire's strike zone.

Now, after two games where the Rockets' hotheadedness were on full display, the Phoenixes hold a 2-0 lead over the initially heavily-favored Newmanistani side. If the Rockets can't keep their tempers in check in game 3, the Equestrian States could be looking at a truly stunning sweep of a team which held aspirations of a record-breaking fifth World Baseball Classic title. Local fans hold fond memories of the tournament's 25th edition in which the Equestrians, also that year's hosts, reached the semifinals in their best outing to-date, and will be out in force tomorrow night hoping to see the reborn Phoenixes duplicate that year's magic and then some.

[Equestrian States]

World Baseball Classic 41
Quarterfinals - Games 3 & 4 Results

#1 Super-Llamaland vs. #8 Ethane

Game 3

Super-Llamaland        1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  3
Ethane                 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 X  5
Ethane leads 2-1

Game 4

Super-Llamaland        0 0 1 0 0 4 0 3 0  8
Ethane                 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3  5
Series tied 2-2

---

#2 Newmanistan vs. #10 Equestrian States

Game 3

Newmanistan            3 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0  6
Equestrian States      1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1  4
Equestrian States leads 2-1

Game 4

Newmanistan            1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0  4
Equestrian States      0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  2
Series tied 2-2

---

#3 Cassadaigua vs. #6 Nova Anglicana

Game 3

Cassadaigua            0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0  2
Nova Anglicana         0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 X  4
Cassadaigua leads 2-1

Game 4

Cassadaigua            0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0  6
Nova Anglicana         0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0  4
Cassadaigua wins 3-1

---

#4 Scootalove City vs. #12 Anthor

Game 3

Scootalove City        2 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0  7
Anthor                 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0  6
Scootalove City wins 3-0

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

TDDROH Sports chat

The Scootalove City Unicorns win series against Anthor 3-0 get into semifinals for the first time ever.

World Baseball Classic 41
Quarterfinals - Games 3 & 4 Results

#4 Scootalove City vs. #12 Anthor

Game 3

Scootalove City        2 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0  7
Anthor                 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0  6
Scootalove City wins 3-0

They did it. The Scootalove City Unicorns got the sweep needed to beat Anthor. They won't be playing tonight, they will be spending the day training and resting. There opponent yet to be determined, but it could be Cassadaigua in the semifinals with them as they also won yesterday against Nova Anglicana 3-1.


But again, we don't know yet. That was just speculation.

Focusing on the positives, no matter what happens during the semifinals they are guaranteed 4th place no matter what happens next.

But, they could do way better, if they focus they have the power to win it all, win first place and become champions.


But, on to the game itself.

Pitching was ok, Sam Lam was on good roll for the first two innings, but our defence was kinda sloppy for the 3rd to 6th.This mostly could be beacuse they were using there energy on the offense.

From the third on to the sixth, Alex Tremblay did his best but couldn't really handle it.

Amalthea " The Last Unicorn" Beagle shut them down for the rest of the game.

Muffinus Cute got a two run homer in the first, driving home Stuart 'Super' Nova. Zeek Donald also got in double home run in the fourth.

The winning run was an RBI from Stuart 'Super' Nova getting a double in the seventh, bringing home Dan Herpus.

The post game celebration was this time marked by a surprise glomp from Doofy Uincorn glomping Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and Stuart 'Super' Nova.

Today is practice and resting for the team. They will need it the upcoming semifinals.

Good luck Unicorns.

[Ethane]

Explosive News: Sports
World Baseball Classic 41

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---

''The Great Upsetter''
Sam Heath - Sports Commentator

World Baseball Classic 38. The Red Kites comfortably won their group over Gregoryisgodistan by 15 points. However, their performance placed them in only the sixth seed. Nothing special. Nothing to suggest the Red Kites would do something remarkable this edition. Just a bog-standard performance from Ethane, slightly better than they have had before and much better than the previous WBC, but still nothing winning or shocking.

Until the playoffs. It's almost as if someone flicked a switch, and the team came alive. They found another level - a level which they had never come near reaching before - and were able to sustain that throughout the playoffs.

They easily dispatched of Nassau-Hessen across 2 games, winning the first game with 13 runs to 6, and the second game 7 runs to 4. This wasn't exactly a surprise - the radical style of Ethanian baseball easily overpowered Nassau-Hessen's gameplans, sending the Red Kites through to the next round of the playoffs - and to what many experts assumed would mean a huge defeat against the powerhouse Super-Llamaland. If you looked at all the stats in the run-up to the game, no one could blame you for betting on an easy win for Super-Llamaland. They were a proven side - 3 times World Baseball Classic champions, a more developed and mature side with a decent institutional structure at home for baseball development, and a much better group series performance than the Red Kites. On paper, it was clear which was the better side.

But Ethane's performance is very relevant in light of the game the Red Kites are going into tonight - 2 games each in a 5 game series against Super-Llamaland for a semi-finals spot.

You see, what the stats say, and what is down on the paper doesn't always translate to what actually happens in real life, when the pressure mounts and the players actually take their position on the field, ready to bat. All that matters then is the mentality and the willingness and the skill of the players out on that field. How much they want the win. What it says on paper is irrelevant to those players out there, playing with their hearts on their sleeves.

And for sure, the radical Ethanian style of baseball, going against norms, paid off. Inconsistency can let the Red Kites down, but when they perform they overachieve.

The Red Kites narrowly lost their first game against Super-Llamaland in the 38th World Baseball Classic, just as they lost the first game against the Tigers in the current WBC. However, the Red Kites were able to pull it back in the second game with a strong performance, much like they did in the second game of the current tournament. Unlike World Baseball Classic 38, the current edition has 5-game series in the playoffs, rather than the three-game series playoffs that graced us in Newmanistan. That does add an extra dynamic to the game - the series are slightly longer so are therefore slightly more challenging for the teams.

However, the scenario is much the same. In both iterations of the World Baseball Classic, The Red Kites and The Tigers were tied up going into the final game of the playoff series. The question is: does the flame within the Red Kites team still burn strong? Are they ready to kill a giant yet again? Or is this series the one where they slip up?

Maybe we should not be looking at the current game against Super-Llamaland in comparison to our previous matchup in the playoffs in World Baseball Classic 38. Maybe instead we should look back to our previous game in this iteration of the World Baseball Classic, and compare that to our victory against them in World Baseball Classic 38. Of course, I am speaking about Schiltzberg: number one team in the world, humilated by the Red Kites in the playoffs yet again.

This encounter with Schiltzberg was much earlier in the playoffs than our previous encounter. In World Baseball Classic 38, the Red Kites met Schiltzberg in the semi-finals. It appeared likely upon the meeting that the dominant team would be Schiltzberg, and that they would progress on to the final and win their 5th title, being the first team in World Baseball Classic history to do so. That is not how the narrative ran in the game though. While Schiltzberg was clearly the better team on paper, much like the previous game against Super-Llamaland that edition, the radical style of Ethanian baseball took the number one by surprise - the Red Kites played at a level they had never reached before to squeak a narrow victory.

In comparison to that game, this edition's series was slightly tamer. There was no position in the final for the winner. Schiltzberg wasn't near a fifth championship (Super-Llamaland this edition is, however). Both teams had underperformed to what they were expecting. Yet both teams still pushed each other to the brink in a fascinating match-up. Games in which the Red Kites are in are always amazing to watch because they always seem to be nail-biters and go down to the final game in the series in most cases.

But in great similarity to the series match-up World Baseball Classic 38, the Red Kites came out the narrow victor after a tense battle against the (ex)number-one team in the world. You have to remember that the previous time the two teams met up, Schiltzberg had only been beaten by Super-Llamaland in the playoffs so the Red Kites victory was a surprise to all. This edition, it was less of a surprise but it was still a surprise as Schiltzberg, as always seems to be the case with the Red Kites, were the much better team according to international ranking systems.

If you take the two Schiltzbergan games in comparison, and then apply that to the current game against the Tigers, then it is clear that the Red Kites are once again in the right mindset for a massive push. They are obviously in the 'giant-killer' (as Schiltzberg so kindly put it a few editions back) mentality in this edition, and a hungry for success. Yet they also find themselves up against a hungry team of Tigers who desire to be the first team to win 5 World Baseball Classics.

It all hinges on the fifth game in the series. It is going to be a close game. It will be tense. It will be nail-biting stuff. It is massively hyped in Ethane. All eyes will be glued to the TV for the duration until a winner is announced.

The question is, can Ethane do what has been done before? Can the Red Kites live up to their title? Will Ethane be 'The Great Upsetter' once again?

---

Storm Season

Howling as it rushes through the trees,
The wind shaking the autumnal leaves
Off their branches. 'Tis the season
Of gloomy weather, of darkness.

The shower is at full power,
Pelting us like a water cannon, we cower
In shelter, trying and failing to avoid
Getting soaked through to the bone.

Lashing against us - they both combine
to create a monster pushing you from behind.
You have no choice. It forces you
Forward, blowing you as if you were a paper kite.

Another tidal wave crashes over the sea wall,
The spray like fireworks, shooting up into the sky.
It makes you fall.
Your clothes soaked through, can you even get any wetter?
You're shivering - you need to go home and change your sweater.

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY, PART V

by Taylor Larson,


The umpiring was a lot better in the third and fourth games of the series, and I think we are all grateful for that. Manager Ashley Stevens made a statement to Rockets fans the morning after the game 2 loss, concerning her being ejected in back to back games, and the overall six Rockets players being ejected in the games. Brittany Morgan was also tossed in both games. Here was Ashley’s statement,

“I want to apologize to the fans out there for what was on display for the opening two games of the series with Equestrian States. I have complete respect for that team, and for the fans of the host nation who come here to watch the best baseball teams in the world. A nation with a history as glorious as Newmanistan’s should be one of the leaders in looking like a distinguished nation of the tournament. However, that was not the case in the first two games. In such a major tournament like this, you can’t afford to have calls go against you, and when they were as blatant as they were in the first game, it is infuriating. Still, we have to do a better job of accepting that there will be calls like that made from time to time. Two of my players followed my lead, and got tossed as well and I take the blame for that. Even worse, we allowed these thoughts to continue into the second game. Jennifer (Hughes) got ejected way to early for arguing a call, and then both I, and later Brittany (Morgan) were ejected as well. It is not acceptable for a nation of our stature to have so many ejections. The WBC President’s Office has notified me that I, and Brittany Morgan will be suspended for a game if we get tossed one more time in this series. That is the right thing for them to do, but we don’t need them to say that. We have become unraveled, and its cost us. We must do better for the next game. We are still alive in this!”

Indeed they are. In Games 3 and 4, the Rockets did not see anyone be ejected, and got two strong outings from their starting pitchers: Breanne Burks in game 3, and Jessica Gray in game 4. In interesting news, the Rockets announced that they will be skipping over Kaitlyn Carroll’s turn in the rotation and will put their #2 pitcher, Jennifer Hughes, back on the mound to start. Hughes was ejected in game 2 after only throwing 13 pitches, so she will be completely fresh. Courtney Duvall is on standby, and will be used if needed. She would be pitching on three days rest, and it would seem to be an option to put her in, but the Ponies have hit her fairly well, so Stevens may be smart to not have her go on short rest. Carroll will also be available. Hannah Lee, who pitched the majority of game 2 after the Hughes ejection, is the only pitcher (other then Burks and Gray), seen as unavailable for the game 5 showdown.

Alright, well you probably saw the title of this article, and now got really confused because I hadn’t started talking about the alternative history yet. Well, now its time. Can the six-time champion Rockets get another title? Will Schiltzberg actually get to 4? Will the legend of The Great Pond be eliminated or strengthened? Let’s get on with it!

WBC 34: The 34th Classic is hosted by Saintland, and it marks there return from a three-classic hiatus. The six-time champions end up in one of the easiest groups that one could possibly comprehend, Group 2, as the classic returns to the three game series and longer format that we are used to seeing today. Sadly, I noticed that there were not a lot of press releases for this tournament. In context, there have already been over seventy more such releases in the current tournament then there were in the entirety of the 34th Classic. The Rockets are hardly tested in the group stage, and cruise to a 24-6 record, and the top seed in this tournament. In the first round, I cannot see conceivable way that the nation of Alastonia could have handled the Rockets, so its off to the second round against Cosumar, who the Rockets also dismiss. Ack, hold on. This host had to re-seed as the rounds went on, making my job tougher. Instead the top-seed Rockets now have to meet the #15-seed Super-Llamaland. What the heck are they doing so low? Actually, they just swept Schiltzberg. Anyway, sorry Tigers fans, I’ve given you the benefit of the doubt in other Classics, but this time, the Rockets eliminate you! After that win, the Rockets go to semifinals against #14-seed Patistan. All of these other upsets are making it easier for the sky blue, so its on to the finals. Now before I tick off Cosumar fans, nah, nevermind, there are none reading. (Probably). Its off to the finals against Gregoryisgodistan. In five games, Newmanistan eliminates the Bat Slaves and now brings the title count to seven!

WBC 35: Whenever anyone thinks about the 35th Classic, hosted Nova Anglicana, the first thing that pops up is QUACK! That’s right, the mighty Ducks of The Great Pond and their improbable run to the finals. Would things have been different, with the Rockets looking to repeat as champions? The Rockets get a tough group assignment here, unlike their good fortunes in the prior Classic, in Group 3 with up and coming South Yerfilag, and Saintland. This Classic only sees a total of 78 press releases. What was the sports media doing in this era? In that light, I don’t really have a ton of sympathy for others who lost out when The Great Pond was rolling, and in a way it was almost appropriate. The group is rough, and the Rockets go 10-5, but lose the first place tiebreaker to Saintland. This gives the Rockets a #9-seed, but they go on to eliminate #8-Frenline Delpha. Nova Anglicana, the #1-seed, is upset in the first round by Jeckland. Guess them losing early has never changed. The Rockets have had success against Jeckland in prior tournaments, but here they are unable to go so. Jeckland eliminates Newmanistan, and they continue the momentum by eliminating Schiltzberg in the next round. Now, even though Schiltzberg won this series for real, the actual momentum that Jeckland had after upsetting us, lifted them to a level that was unparalleled, and they won that series to advance to the finals against The Great Pond. The Quack Attack wins. The greatest nation ever, The Great Pond, is the champion!

WBC 36: Okay, relax Schiltzberg fans. This is satirical and I’m having fun. Maybe, you’ll get that title in this Classic, which is hosted by Chromatika. Good to see them hosting this! The Rockets are drawn into Group D, where they have solid opposition in the form of Equestrian States, and Ethane, as well as Nassau-Hessen. This classic also saw the debut of West Phoenicia, who has gone on to become one of the better nations in the World. International media sources increase their participation notably, but still a figure that lags behind the current Classic. A 20-10 group stage is good, but it only is good enough for second place, behind Ethane. Newmanistan is the #9-seed, and disposes of the #8-seeded Nova Anglicana in the first round, and prepares to meet Super-Llamaland, who enjoys the top seed. Think about all the times now that we have run into them in all these other classics. In an intense five-game series, the Rockets are defeated by the Tigers. Their second straight pre-mature exit. Schitlzberg gets the title.

WBC 37: Now, the final Classic before our return. Though it’s going to make people say, “Well, Taylor, you should go through to the current Classic, because the Rockets would not be unseeded in Classic #38.” That’s probably a good point. But Newmanistan was in those Classics, so this will be the ending point. The tournament is co-hosted by Frenline Delpha and the little known nation of Ilyseum. The Rockets end up in Group G, with the biggest threats being Kaboomlandia (yeah, that football country), and Abanhfleft. We have a 21-9 qualifying session, and end up playing Drawkland in the first round. The Rockets sweep Drawkland, but were trailing in each of the games by at least five runs through six, and came back to win all of them. Next up is Schiltzberg. It’s our first ever meeting, and again, the Rockets bow out way to soon. Schiltzberg wins their second title in a row, and third overall.

Next up, we return to Newmanistan, and it’s no longer alternative history. Thank you for reading. Go Rockets!

[Super-Llamaland]

ROOKIES CARRY THE LOAD IN GAME FOUR WIN
Douglas Stone - LBC Sports

Almost nothing had been going right for the Tigers since their marathon game one victory over Ethane, as the Tigers just couldn't get anything going in 10-3 and 5-3 losses to the Red Kites of Ethane in games two and three of their quarterfinal series. The injuries of first Maddie Wagner and then Markus Wright, whose knee injury has continued to keep him out of the starting lineup - and then Lucien Russo, who was scratched from game four with neck problems, had hurt Super-Llamaland dearly, and there were concerns as to whether or not a crippled Tigers team would even be able to win one of the remaining games.

With their backs up against the wall once again, something needed to change. Natalie Wu and Matthias Gilson-Engen had both been disappointing in their starts, and the offense that had scored the second-most runs of any team in qualifiers (192, corresponding to a 6.40 ERA for opposing pitchers) had gone completely silent. So Laurent Mårtensson took a chance and radically changed the starting lineup. James Hao, who'd been hitless in games two and three, had been replaced with City of Dinschria's Victoria Radovic, while 21-year-old Dominik Kästner slotted into the leadoff spot with Markus Wright still out and Gudjon Frandsen looking completely unconvincing in his short time leading off. With August Bendtner returning to the rotation due to Wagner's injury and Megan Sjöberg filling in for the injured Russo, the Tigers had four players with a combined eleven playoff appearances in the starting lineup.

It was a massive gamble on Mårtensson's part, and it was widely expected that Ethane would blow them out of the water. But despite the injuries and complete loss of morale, things just clicked for the Tigers. It all got started in the top of the third inning, when Victoria Radovic doubled in Megan Sjöberg to put Super-Llamaland up 1-0. Unfortunately, things wouldn't be as easy as they seemed, and after August Bendtner cruised through the first eight batters of the night, a walk to the Red Kites' starting pitcher followed by Tigers-killer Rene Cortez's RBI triple and an RBI single off the bat of Abel Gibson put Ethane up 2-1 and a new hole in the dugout courtesy of Bendtner.

But luckily for the young pitcher, who Mårtensson nearly pulled immediately before deciding otherwise, he was able to calm down almost immediately, and the top of the sixth saw the score remain 2-1 Ethane. Still, there were signs of hope as Sofia Rasmussen singled to left-center to lead off the inning before Isak Gunnlaugson sent the crowd into a frenzy with a two-run home run to right, putting the Tigers back on top. But they weren't finished yet - after Rousseau's groundout and Emery Novak's strikeout, it was the bottom of the order to reignite the rally. Megan Sjöberg singled to right-center and stole second before scoring on a hard-hit double down the left-field line off the bat of Victoria Radovic. Gudjon Frandsen then tripled in a run before Bendtner, inexplicably batting for himself, struck out to end the threat.

But it would be more than enough, especially after a three-run home run off the bat of Sofia Rasmussen gave the Llamaneans some valuable insurance runs and Bendtner completed eight innings of sublime pitching (8 IP, 2 ER, 12 K, 3 BB, 5 H) to give the bullpen some valuable rest. Although Aurelio Gomes had some troubles finishing the game off, Jason Van Dijk was more than able to cover for him, and the Tigers escaped with a 8-5 win and a series tie.

Next up, what could be Super-Llamaland's final game of this Classic if they lose - but a game that could take them to a second consecutive semifinals appearance if they win. Justin Zheng will take the mound, and the Tigers will need their ace to carry them through game five and past Ethane. Markus Wright will be forced to sit out yet again, while Lucien Russo's status is still undecided. The game will be tonight at 7:30 PM local time - make sure to catch it and support your Tigers as they continue their quest for a fifth title!

[Super-Llamaland]

LAURENT MÅRTENSSON: "I WILL CARRY THIS TEAM MYSELF IF I HAVE TO"
Alyssa Zhao, LSN Baseball

There are just thirty minutes until tonight's decisive game five between Ethane and Super-Llamaland, and the Tigers are suddenly beginning to show very large cracks. With reports that even Justin Zheng has been unable to avoid the recent string of injuries, with the ace pitcher feeling shoulder soreness before tonight's big game, things are looking grim for a team already missing key starters Wagner, Wright, and Russo. But Laurent Mårtensson, although more reserved than usual, still expressed his trademark confidence in an ongoing press conference -

DS: Doug Stone, LBC Sports. The Tigers have gone through a lot of injuries, what effects have those had on team morale and your performances on the field?
LM: I've got to be honest with you, they've definitely hurt us. Maddie Wagner's our second starter, Markus Wright our shortstop and leadoff man, Lucien Russo our right-fielder and cleanup hitter...those are major parts of our team, and when they're hurting, we're hurting too. But it says a lot about us that we've been able to keep it close without all of these players. It says that although we might need them later, we don't need them to get out of this quarterfinal series. We can fight through it and do that on our own. Team morale's still high, and I'm confident that even though we'll miss them dearly, we'll be able to pull through.

MH: Marco Herrera, LSN Baseball. Mr. Mårtensson, this team has some rough history against Ethane, will that have an effect on your players tonight?
LM: I don't see why it would. These are consummate professionals, they know exactly what they're doing, and they can stay focused on that target of a fifth championship no matter who they play. These guys were out there beating Schiltzberg and Newmanistan last Classic. This is something they should be able to handle. And, listen, Mr. Herrera - if they can't do the job, I will personally drag this team into the semifinals. I'm confident that my coaching staff and I have the advantage in terms of in-game strategy and baseball knowledge. We will not back down from anyone.

No matter who's playing for the Tigers tonight, one thing's very clear. Their manager is not going to back down from any challenge. Laurent Mårtensson is exactly who I want running this team right now, and we should all remind ourselves how lucky Super-Llamaland is to have him.

[Super-Llamaland]

Laurent Mårtensson walked out to the umpire, fiddling with the card in his pants pocket as he did so. He took it out before handing it to the umpire, glancing over it one last time to make sure he hadn't missed anything -

1. SS Dominik KÄSTNER
2. C Sofia RASMUSSEN
3. LF Isak GUNNLAUGSON
4. 1B Carsten RIVIERA
5. 3B Emery NOVAK
6. RF Megan SJÖBERG
7. 2B Victoria RADOVIC
8. CF Gudjon FRANDSEN
9. P Justin ZHENG

He turned around and walked back to the dugout. "I sure hope this works," he mumbled, and then he was back in his foxhole, ready to go to war.

[Cassadaigua]

Maddie Polanco took a seat in the luxury box to watch the Equestrian States take batting practice, but she could not take her eyes off her phone to see what was happening with Super-Llamaland and Ethane. As much as she wanted to show support for her homeland in that series, she needed to be here to watch the Equestrian States vs Newmanistan crucial game 5. For this game has meaning, as it is Cassadaigua’s next opponent. She couldn’t rest all that much, as reporters knew who she was.

Maddie smiled and waved, and gave a short interview to each of the Equestrian Sports Programming Network, and to The Rocket Report, but other then that she did not really want to be bothered. In those interviews, there were the standard questions of who she preferred to face in the next round. She would tell them that she did not have a preference, and while they wanted to hear something else, that was actually true. She did not have a preference. At this stage of the tournament, everyone is dangerous. That sounds cliche, but was true. Either you have the Ponies, at home, with all the momentum in the world of knocking off West Phoenicia and Newmanistan in back to back series, or you get the four-time champion and #2-seeded Rockets of Newmanistan, who would be riding high as they would have come back from a 2-0 deficit. Either way, someone dangerous awaits. She wasn’t here to root for one of them, she was here to scout. Several of her players joined her, but it was optional. And not optional in a “yeah, it’s optional. But you still better be here.” type way. It truly was optional. Her players were professional and any valuable information would be passed along after the game.

She wanted to scout the best she could, but she wished she could be watching the Tigers. She picked up her phone, and sent a text to her friend Laurent Martensson, “Good luck!”

[Ethane]

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World Baseball Classic 41

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---

Outperforming Drawkland
Sam Heath - Sports Commentator

Remember that nation that pipped us to second place - and a qualification place - in the 37th World Baseball Classic. They had to win all 3 games and we had to only win 1 to get us through. And they won all 3 games and we lost all 3, knocking us out of the WBC. Remember that?

Remember that we also stole their manager after that World Baseball Classic. Great guy he is. Dumped Drawkland for the obviously better team.

I bet Drawkland regret the decision to let him go now. Why, you may ask. I will answer in questions, which will make it clear why Ethane is the better team.

Who has the higher international rank?
Who has constantly outperformed the other team in terms of seeding and group performance since World Baseball Classic 37?
Who has defeated Schiltzberg - the best team in the world as of the start of this WBC - twice and Super-Llamaland once, and is tied up with Super-Llamaland again?
Who has reached the semi-finals more times?
Who has reached the finals more times?
Who has won the World Baseball Classic more times?
Which is the better team?

The answers to all these questions are very clear, and explain why we made the right decision, and Drawkland made the wrong decision.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Nice grand slam Drawkland. Nice composure under pressure. Sure shows the signs of a top quality team.
Here's hoping we go out and perform well against Super-Llamaland today, and make it to yet another semi-final in the World Baseball Classic.

this was meant in jest

[Equestrian States]

World Baseball Classic 41
Quarterfinals - Game 5 Results

#1 Super-Llamaland vs. #8 Ethane

Game 5

Ethane                 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2  3
Super-Llamaland        0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2  5
Super-Llamaland wins 3-2

---

#2 Newmanistan vs. #10 Equestrian States

Game 5

Equestrian States      0 1 0 3 0 0 0 1 3 0  8
Newmanistan            0 1 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 1  9
Newmanistan wins 3-2

---

Semifinals Matchups

#1 Super-Llamaland vs. #4 Scootalove City
at Ponyville Park (cap. 32,000) in Ponyville

#2 Newmanistan vs. #3 Cassadaigua
at Royal Canterlot Stadium (cap. 55,000) in Canterlot

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

WHIRLWIND GAME LEADS TO CASSADAIGUA

by Brianne Henry,

They survived. Somewhere in the stories of all the great teams, there is a part where they faced adversity along the way, and overcoming it showed their character. If the Rockets win this title, then the series with the Equestrian States will serve as that chapter. In a crazy series that saw the sky blue lose the first two games, they rallied to win the final three. The third win of those three, was a roller coaster of emotions. Winning will set up a series with Cassadaigua, but first, we need to talk about this crazy game.

Jennifer Hughes gets the start, and throws a 13-pitch first inning, almost fittingly, and things are off to a good start, but the Rockets are unable to score as well. In the top of the second, the Ponies get on the board as Celina connects with an RBI double down the field line to bring in Starcloud, who had a very good series, and the home crowd was cheering with the 1-0 lead. Thankfully, we get the run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Michelle Covington, who had been kind of quiet in this series thus far, so it was good to see her contribute. After two, we were all tied at one, and the Rockets would go ahead in the third. After Jennifer Hughes was retired to lead off the inning, Hannah Bates and Lexi Alcorn hit consecutive singles, and the successfully executed the double steal. Though Brittany Morgan struck out, Mallory Harris came up to the plate and finished the job with a simple single up the middle, and with the speed of the two baserunners, that would lead to two runs.

The fourth inning got a little wild, and it did not start well for Jennifer Hughes and the Rockets. The Ponies scored three times, highlighted by a 2-run double off the bat of Starcloud to take a 4-3 lead. They threatened for more in the inning, and with the bases loaded and two outs, we began to see Courtney Duvall warming up in the bullpen. Fortunately, the Rockets would get out of this as Hughes got Matt Jackson to pop out to Michelle Covington to end the threat. Still, the damage had been done, and as the Rockets began to come to the plate in the bottom of the inning, Duvall continued to warm up. Manager Ashley Stevens said that she would use Courtney, and it seemed as though that was about to happen. However, it would not, as the Rockets put a five-spot on the board in the bottom of the inning. Stephanie Reynolds led off the inning with authority, blasting a solo home run over the left field fence to tie the game at 4. Michelle Covington then singled, but would be erased on a double play. This led to the bases being empty, and two outs, and the #9-spot coming up. It was a tough decision for Stevens here, knowing that she would have to take out Hughes. In a stunning move, she told Jennifer to go up there and hit. Duvall had sat back down in the bullpen. Hughes did not make a strong contact with the ball, but its slowly rolling down the third base line made for a tough play, and Matt Jackson may have underestimated the speed of the Rockets pitchers as she beat it out for an infield single. That hustle would be rewarded as it was up to Bates and Alcorn again, and they hit consecutive doubles, followed by a Brittany Morgan single to make it 7-4, then Harris stepped up and doubled herself to make it 8-4. The inning ended on a play at the plate as Rachel Carey singled to follow, but Harris was caught at home for the third out.

Newmanistan would get one more inning out of Hughes, before turning it over to Kaitlyn Carroll, the number five starter would have normally started today. Carroll was strong, and contained the Ponies until the 8th. She would pitch that inning as well, as after conceding one run, that would be the end of her day. In the 9th, and with the team up 8-5, closer Shannon Spencer came in to close the game and series out. We should have known better that things would go according to plan. This has been a wild series, and the Ponies made sure they were not going to go down quality. Even more amazing in their point of view is that the entire rally came after Spencer got the first two outs of the inning. With their backs against the wall, the Ponies showed their heart, and tied the game. It could have been more, but the Rockets too were going to be resilient. With runners on the corners, Celina hit a hard shot that appeared to be destined for the gap in left center. But Lexi Alcorn, fittingly of the Thoroughbreds, showed the Ponies fans the speed of a thoroughbred, and that it is not only good for stealing bases. She tracked it down, laid out in a stretched dive, and came up the ball, and didn’t need to trap it. The inning was over, but the damage was done, and we were all tied up.

Newmanistan was unable to score in the bottom of the 9th, but thankfully Meghan Girardi came in to shut down the host nation in the top of the 10th. The bottom of the 10th seemed to be heading the same way, as the Ponies got the first two outs of the inning with the #9 spot coming up. Stevens sent in young Kenzie Magee to pinch hit. Kenzie had played sparingly, and mostly against the bottom teams of the qualifying group. When this series started, and we asked you who the hero of the series would be, Magee’s name would not have been part of the conversation. But it was a crazy series. A wild series. And the hero? Someone unexpected. The 2-1 curveball didn’t curve all that well, and Kenzie got all of it. As the ball traveled, Magee and the Rockets could not believe their eyes. Kenzie could hit homeruns, so it’s not as if that was a shocker, but knowing that they had won the series overcame them with joy, and even moreso that it had been a player who played in less then a third of the games since the Classic began, would get them over the hump. The celebration began, and the Rockets were moving on. This series taught us a lot, but now, they have made it to the semifinals. “I wanted to do something,” Kenzie said, “You know when you pinch hit with this team, if you get on base, you got those two speedsters coming up, so anything is possible regardless of the outs. I saw the pitch well. Probably not what they wanted. Watching the ball travel, it took a second for it to sink in what happened. I knew that it was a walk off, but to put it into perspective that it was also a series walk off in a series where we were down against the hosts, that took a moment.”

Up next, is Cassadaigua. No, you didn’t just fall into Taylor’s alternative history series. Rockets vs Dagans for a berth in the finals. Super-Llamaland and Scootalove City await on the other side. The last time we played Cassadaigua was the playoff series in World Baseball Classic 19, on our home turf, when Cassadaigua eliminated us. The ending of that game showed the respect that each team began to have each other, as legendary coach Christina Sanders, who had announced her retirement pre-tournament, would manage her final game. At the end of the game, Cassadaigua gave Sanders the game ball and congratulated her, saving their own celebration for the dugout. It is true that it would be Newmanistan’s last game in the classic until re-appearing for World Baseball Classic 38. Expect a tough series, they are playing well, just like we were used to back in the day, and talent-wise, this is nothing different then the “teenage classics” that the two nations dominated. Naturally, each of us wants to be in that final before the other one. I can’t wait.

On the other half of the bracket, it’s Super-Llamaland and Scootalove City. This series will be exciting as well as the Tigers look to win their fifth title against the Unicorns, who pulled off the greatest individual game comeback that I have ever seen in the fifth game against Drawkland. The semifinals have three giants, and one aspiring nation, so to speak, but also, it has three nations who started World Baseball Classic 38 (or 39) as unranked nations, despite prior histories.

With Jennifer Hughes pitching game 5, our rotation is a little out of whack, so here is the plan for the series:
Game 1- Courtney Duvall
Game 2- Breanne Burks
Game 3- Jessica Gray
Game 4 (if needed)- Jennifer Hughes
Game 5 (if needed)- TBD

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

TDDROH Sports chat

Mini update:Semifinal Matchup confirmed

Semifinals Matchups

#1 Super-Llamaland vs. #4 Scootalove City
at Ponyville Park (cap. 32,000) in Ponyville

#2 Newmanistan vs. #3 Cassadaigua
at Royal Canterlot Stadium (cap. 55,000) in Canterlot

Well, after all this time we are here. The Semifinals for WBC 41 are here tonight.

Scootalove city and Super-Llamaland will be playing ball in Ponyville Park tonight.

This time, they are going against a much more tougher Unicorns team. We lost 3-1 last time, but we still won a game.

Let's do better that this time, let's go all the way and win this thing.

[Super-Llamaland]

CANTERLOT, Equestrian States

They'd been so close. So. Close! So close to a second straight semifinals trip, to showing that the Tigers were not a fluke, to showing that their WBC40 victory truly signified that they were the world's best team. Ethane had been down to their final strike after an absolute gem from Justin Zheng (7 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 12 K/1 BB) had kept them down the entire game. With the Tigers holding a 3-1 lead with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the ninth, Brittany Zhen only had to retire Lee Dixon to end the game.

But Dixon managed to flare a base-hit down the left-field line to reach first. Zhen then walked Richardson, putting runners on first and second with two out. With the lefty Chad Brock up, Mårtensson brought in specialist reliever Cameron Bourne. But although Bourne whipped two fastballs past Brock, bringing Ethane down to their last strike for the third time in the inning, his third offering - a changeup that didn’t do much except float - was driven into right-center, scoring both runners. Bourne retired the shortstop Wood, but the damage had been done. The Tigers had been one strike away from the semifinals. Now, extra innings were looking increasingly likely.

Before that, though, the bottom of the ninth still needed to be played. It was the closer Mark Jones on to shut the Tigers down for an inning, going up against Radovic, Frandsen, and a pinch-hitter. After one pitch, he was a third of the way there, with Radovic fouling out off a hard inside fastball. But the Llamanean fans had gone wild anyways, not because of the foulout, but because the injured Lucien Russo had stepped into the on-deck circle. Frandsen did much better, working a nine-pitch at-bat before bunting down the third-base line and beating out the throw to first, bringing up the star outfielder.

Jones’s first pitch was deposited over the left-field wall. 5-3, Tigers. They were rolling on once again.

SEMIFINALS STARTERS:
Game 1: Axel Florentssen
Game 2: Natalie Wu
Game 3: Justin Zheng
Game 4*: August Bendtner
Game 5*: Axel Florentssen

[Super-Llamaland]

WRIGHT OUT UNTIL FINALS
Douglas Stone, LBC Sports

PONYVILLE, Equestrian States -- The Tigers' injury woes had seemingly been coming to a close, with Justin Zheng and Lucien Russo both expected to be ready to go for Game One of the team's upcoming semifinal series. But these issues were exacerbated last night, when Laurent Mårtensson announced in a press conference that Markus Wright would be out for the entirety of the semifinals due to bruising in his knee suffered during practice, saying that it was "still very possible that Markus could come back for the finals" but that his status was still uncertain.

Wright becomes the second long-term loss, following in the footsteps of Maddie Wagner - whose hand injury has ruled her out for the remainder of the finals. While Dominik Kästner and Victoria Radovic have both shown that they have what it takes to step in for the Cyclones shortstop, the leadoff man's speed, on-base abilities, and defense will be sorely missed no matter who fills in for him.

Mårtensson has indicated that it'll be Kästner to directly substitute for Wright in the semifinals, showing a lot of trust in the rookie. The 21-year-old performed admirably against Ethane, but is still a relative unknown - and his performance could decide the series.

[Cassadaigua]

Why Everyone Will and Won’t Win,
by Kelsey McInnis, Concord Heights Times

There are four teams remaining in the World Baseball Classic. Two have won the championship four times, and one is looking to duplicate that. The other does not have the same type of resume but pulled off one of the most stunning come from behind victories that I have ever seen. It’s an intriguing quartet as we are joined by Newmanistan and Super-Llamaland, and Scootalove City not to be overlooked. I have taken a look at each of these four teams, and prepares this synopsis of why each nation will win the title, and why they won’t win. Let’s start with the other series.

Nation: Super-Llamaland

Why They Will Win WBC 41: No one in this tournament has the experience that the Tigers have. The Rockets have won it four times as well, but you have to go way back to the last time they won it, which is even longer then us by the way, so they can’t retort that comment. Super-Llamaland has four recent titles, which of course include the last one. If you threw that one out though, they still have the richest recent history. It’s a similar roster that wants to become the first ever five time champion. They know they need to do that quickly as well, because others are close to being able to achieve that. They have been a gritty team, fighting past a game side from Ethane, the World Baseball Classic 39 champion. It was a fantastic group stage for them, and they have carried that into the playoffs. No reason to believe it will stop.

Why They Will Not Win WBC 41: Injuries. It seems like after every game or two, a new Tiger is going down, and you can only have others step up into bigger roles so much. After losing Maddie Wagner, they now lost Markus Wright, who will be replaced on paper, but still they are not Wright. Everyone who is part of an international team like this is a star, so dealing with injuries is always easier at this level, but when you come this far, you need to have your stars ready to go. It will catch up to them.


Nation: Scootalove City

Why They Will Win WBC 41: Did you watch game 5 of the Drawkland series? I hope you have at least watched the highlights, because that was simply amazing. Every championship team has that one moment on their journey to the title that they look back on, and certainly that result was a true classic. It can make you think that they are the team of fate. It would also be a storybook ride for them to be the team that prevailed over the three others here, who have eleven combined Classic titles. There is no pressure on them, everyone expects that one of the more well known nations is going to win the championship, so they can just go out there and have fun.

Why They Will Not Win WBC 41: The Unicorns are too dependent on the long ball. They remind me of Tocrowkia or Taeshan, the nations that had the superstar sluggers in the middle of the lineup, but everything seemed to go through them. You can win like that during the group stage, or in the playoffs against good but not great teams. Eventually, you will run into pitching that is better at keeping the ball in the park, and that exposes a home run dependant team like Scootalove City. They will not be able to eliminate two of the three teams remaining to win a title.

Nation: Newmanistan

Why They Will Win WBC 41: Like Super-Llamaland, Newmanistan is looking to become the first team to win five titles, but Rockets fans are just looking to win a title. It has been an eternity since they last won a championship, and they have never been as close as they are right now. Well, they were at this stage last year, too, but having an additional year of experience will help. They faced a lot of adversity, including in Game 1 against Equestrian States where they were on the short end of probably the worst call of the entire Classic so far. After being rattled in the second game, they recovered and prevailed over what was a great performance by Equestrian States on their home turf. Newmanistan has a balanced offense, which is very similar to the Rockets teams of the past that have been successful, with their usual great pitching. They seem to be healthy at this time.

Why They Will Not Win WBC 41: Newmanistan got rattled in the first two games against Equestrian States, and that tells me that they feel the pressure. They have a hard group of fans who want to see them win their fifth title and are not cutting them that much slack. The Rockets have held up, but they started to show chinks in the armor. The other three teams remaining are more capable of exposing that and taking advantage of it.


Nation: Cassadaigua

Why They Will Win WBC 41: Parallels to Super-Llamaland in WBC 40. Even without mentioning Maddie Polanco. Last year, on Cassadagan turf, they knocked off two four-time champions, Newmanistan, and Schiltzberg on their way to a fourth title of their own. That takes into consideration us, as a three time champion. Now look at us. We beat Schiltzberg in the group. One four-timer done. We can beat Newmanistan. Second four-timer done. Then, we can beat Super-Llamaland. Third four-timer done, to become a four-timer ourselves. Now, I’ll mention Maddie Polanco, and the influence that she has had in adapting the Cassadagan roster to thrive in the way the current game is played. I have never seen so much reliance on sabermetrics in my life, but it has worked! This is been a vintage Cassadaigua tournament too, with us not being the main headliner, but just lurking there, never going away, then being there at the end.

Why They Will Not Win WBC 41: Because I just jinxed us by writing this article.

[Drawkland]

Drawkland National Sports Network Offices

Original Broadcast Footage Snapshot

Title: I'm Never Watching Baseball Again

[Equestrian States]

World Baseball Classic 41
Semifinals - Games 1 & 2 Results

#1 Super-Llamaland vs. #4 Scootalove City

Game 1

Scootalove City        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Super-Llamaland        0 1 0 1 0 5 0 0 X  7
Super-Llamaland leads 1-0

Game 2

Scootalove City        0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Super-Llamaland        0 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 X  6
Super-Llamaland leads 2-0

---

#2 Newmanistan vs. #3 Cassadaigua

Game 1

Cassadaigua            0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0  3
Newmanistan            0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 X  4
Newmanistan leads 1-0

Game 2

Cassadaigua            2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0  6
Newmanistan            0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Series tied 1-1

[Super-Llamaland]

TIGERS ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT OF #5, #14
Alyssa Zhao - LSN Baseball

Women have played an increasingly large role in national team baseball, with the likes of catcher Sofia Rasmussen and former first baseman and ex-coach Maddie Polanco (now manager of Cassadaigua's national team) providing vital contributions to the Tigers. It's important to remember where this all began - because Super-Llamaland's national teams weren't always integrated. For that reason, in a widely applauded move, the Llamanean Baseball Association (LBA) announced that they would be retiring usage of the numbers 5 and 14 from the national team to honor Megan Peterson and Brittany Hendrickson, the first two women to play for the national team.

While the presence of women on the national team now is fairly normal, and women have been playing an increasing role in the LBL as well, this wasn't always an easy decision. In fact, the LBA's and manager Chris Evans' decision to bring women onto the national team was highly controversial at the time. Although gender equality movements had made significant progress in sports, many felt that team chemistry might be compromised on such a high-pressure stage as the World Baseball Classic at home. But despite criticisms, Llamanean baseball moved forwards with the plan to invite two women to play for the Tigers.

Megan Peterson and Brittany Hendrickson seemed the natural choice, and luckily for the LBA, both accepted almost immediately. Peterson, a 23-year-old center-fielder for BC Ruby Falls, had put up a .306/.364/.465 slash line while stealing thirty-five bases and playing nearly-perfect defense, while Hendrickson had gone 16-3 with a 2.27 ERA - making both solid candidates. And, although many remained lukewarm to the idea, both endeared themselves almost immediately to fans of both genders, with Peterson proving a vital part of the WBC30 starting lineup and Hendrickson winning Game Four of the WBC30 finals before joining the starting rotation at WBC31.

A third woman, Emily Pierce, joined the national team for WBC31, and women have been integral players in the team's return to relevance after WBC32. None of it could've been done without Peterson and Hendrickson, and LSN Baseball salutes the LBA for recognizing that. While nobody currently wears #14, #5-wearer Sofia Rasmussen has recognized this as well, saying that she'd be more than happy to give her number up for WBC42.

---

SF Game 1
Scootalove City        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Super-Llamaland        0 1 0 1 0 5 0 0 X  7

FLORENTSSEN (W, 1-0): 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 10 K/3 BB (GS 80)
BOHR: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K/0 BB

SF Game 2
Scootalove City        0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Super-Llamaland        0 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 X  6

WU: 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 K/2 BB (GS 39)
GILSON-ENGEN (W, 2-0): 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 K/0 BB
HONG: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB
ZHEN: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 K/0 BB
BOURNE: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB