World Baseball Classic 47 Everything Thread

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:38 am

It would be easy, they said. The Casaran prepares you for the worst, constantly putting you in 50%-chance-to-win games. Be successful there, and the team has so much experience at the highest level, they'll breeze to the quarterfinals. And here we are: Newmanistan 2, Ko-oren 2, and we're at a 50% chance to lose this series 3-2. That would be the second consecutive poor cycle after winning the WBC just before that. Still with the remnants of the awesome world ranking from that edition of the WBC, how far have we fallen. At least, if we go far in this Classic we can brush off the last one as just one poor outing. If we go out early again, that's a trend. Winning the WBC was an anomaly and then some, in that case.

Newmanistan  2  0  1  0  0  1  3  0  0   7R 16H 1E
Ko-oren      0  0  1  0  0  1  2  0  1   5R 11H 1E in 3:03

Brands versus Lee. Both teams started at the top of their rotation again. You can save up pitchers here, but if you never reach that second round, what good has your thriftiness been? Both pitchers fell apart fairly quickly, and against all odds the focus shifted to the offence. The pitcher battle dominated headlines, but then Brands gave up five hits in the first two innings, and Lee gave up seven across the first four. Not that bad, but when the first switch to the bullpen came, the Rockets started leaking runs and hits. Defensively, it wasn't so bad from either side, but Ko-oren was not prepared well enough for the running onslaught. Sorenson and McCreary kept getting to first base, and once they were there, they were there to stay. Stealing bases was one problem, but running cleanly to the next base on even the weakest hit in the infield was another, and it wasn't long until Viera was exchanged for Henrique Toca. This didn't help much, for the Rockets held on to their lead, winning 7-5 to upset the Dragonflies.

Ko-oren      2  0  3  1  0  0  3  1  1   11R 19H 1E
Newmanistan  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0   1 R 2H  1E in 2:41

Revenge was the name of the game for the second meeting. Back to the regular starting fielders, Gavreau defended the Ko-orenite pride and he did very, very well. Replaced by Lambirthingun, Hoga and later Ozawa, the Ko-orenite pitching was back to doing what it did all Casaran: rarely if ever giving up hits. Runs were even harder to come by, but through a combination of walks, a steal and a hit, Hassler did round the bases for Newmanistan's sole run. The Dragonflies, meanwhile, were getting the better of Burke, Phillips, and Payne, getting at least a run against each of them. Burke was quickly relieved, giving up five runs in just the first three innings. Hits were coming from everywhere, and leaving two on base after most innings saved Newmanistan from giving up even more.

Newmanistan  0  2  1  0  0  1  1  2  0   7R 18H 1E
Ko-oren      0  1  1  0  0  0  1  0  1   4R 5H  1E in 3:14

Both teams were now prepared from one another, even if they couldn't stop the score from going up over a combined 10. There were no big innings, which makes it even worse: once again, pitching just couldn't keep hits contained to any single bad spell. The Rockets' 18 runs on the day made things even worse, revenge for game 2 but not surpassing Ko-oren's 19 from a day prior. The woman of the day was probably Brewster, though there were a few contenders. Brewster bat in four runs, including a home run to get herself in. The longest game so far was caused by a lot more stoppages, the pitchers trying to get at least some control of the game back - by making the batters wait as long as possible.

Ko-oren      0  0  3  0  0  2  1  0  2   8R 11H 1E
Newmanistan  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  1  0   2R 1H  1E in 2:52

It was Newmanistan's to win, ahead 2-1 in the series and only one more win necessary from the two final games. The series is going back and forth, one team completely overpowering the other one, and now it was the Dragonflies' turn to dominate. Norwood was the Rockets' most complete pitcher to date, going through all first five overs and only having one bad time in that span. It was her colleagues that completely lost the plot, Wolcott failing to pick up on steal attempts, and Timmerman completely incapable of getting necessary outs. The pendulum looked to swing back in Newmanistan's favour in the eighth, one run, zero outs, and three on base, but somehow Igarashi powered through after getting himself in this precarious position. Eleven pitches later, he collected three strikeouts, more than worthy of a mention. Ko-oren would likely have won this one anyway, but it could've been much, much closer.

Now on to the fifth game, with Matsuda versus Courville, but if this series has taught us anything, it's that this series will be decided by a game that features more than 8 runs, at least. Whoever gets to shut down the other team for at least a few innings is closest to winning the crucial fifth game - but it's the hitters we're looking to in order to decide the winner. Brewster has shone once this series, can she do it again? Will the infield finally pick up Sorenson and McCreary?

by **Drawkland** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:52 pm

Tonight I don't have time for an RP ...
even though I probably need to.
nevertheless, please accept this humble offering.

Totally irrelevant it may be,
only I can never let it go.

Though it was 6 cycles ago ...
history cannot be forgotten.
really nothing can top this level of improbability,
even losing the world cup 7-1,
except perhaps The Great Pond's run.

On Corps, my friends .... On Corps.

by **Free Republics** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:43 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Round of 16 Game 5 Cutoff presented by Federation Post! Federation Post: Rain or Shine, We Always Deliver!

Round of 16 Game 5

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Newmanistan  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1
Ko-oren      1  0  0  1  0  0  0  2  X   4

Ko-oren wins series 3 games to 2

Team Name           1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
A Mushroom Kingdom  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1   2
Banija              2  0  0  3  1  0  1  0  X   7

Banija wins series 3 games to 2

Team Name            1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
The Greater Nordics  2  0  0  3  1  0  0  0  1   7
Drawkland            1  0  0  0  1  0  1  1  0   4

The Greater Nordics wins series 3 games to 2

WBC 47 Quarterfinals (starting tomorrow night)

#1 Ko-oren v. #14 Liventia @ Church of Technicology Stadium, Tarita, Quartona (park factor: 96)
#2 Banija v. #12 The Greater Nordics @ Horn Field, Goldberg, Nejax (park factor: 117)
#4 Free Republics v. #10 Cassadaigua @ Federation Post Park, Shottsburg, Shostistan (park factor: 107)
#6 Nova Anglicana v. #9 Ethane @ RepublicSoft Stadium, New City, Orlandiana (park factor: 82)

by **Tornado Queendom** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:50 pm

We're honestly glad we lost, because now we can focus more on spreading the NS MACHINE BROKE virus.

Also, some fans and players in the games involving the Tornado Queendom have gotten infected with the virus.

by **The Sherpa Empire** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:29 pm

After the Sherpa Empire was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic, everyone was upset. A twii.tur war broke out that went something like this:

NAMRI PATEL: Maybe if Kami Akunjee spent as much time worrying about his pitching as he does about the budget, we'd still be in it.

KAMI AKUNJEE: If you can do better, take the mound and show us what you've got.

SARANG OLI: If you were watching the game, you might have noticed it was tied when I pulled Akunjee. Moron.

PATEL: You know I can get you both fired.

AKUNJEE: Wanna bet?

OLI: I'm probably going to lose my job anyway. May as well lose it for a good cause.

KHUMBU GM KALDEN WANG: I'm not firing Akunjee. He's our best pitcher.

PATEL: I can get YOU fired.

WANG: Wanna bet?

OLI: Keep digging, Namri. It's been too long since I had a good laugh.

PATEL: That's because you're a grouchy old man with no sense of humor.

AKUNJEE: He's got you there, Sarang.

OLI: Too bad it's the only intelligent thing that's ever come out of his mouth.

The next day, Patel announced that Oli would not return next year as manager of the national baseball team. The Sports Department was considering several possible replacements. Patel also tried to get Akunjee fired, or at least traded away from the national capital. When the Doctors' GM Kalden Wang refused to cooperate, he attempted to get Wang removed. This drama would drag on for some time, lasting well beyond the end of the WBC and into the regular season, getting stupider and stupider as neither Patel nor Akunjee nor Wang was willing to back down. There were protests in the streets outside Syangboche and the Ministry of Culture as the fans wanted to have their say. It finally ended when Patel threatened to make the Icefall Doctors move to Kathmandu, whereupon the Ministry of Culture fired him and issued a formal apology to Wang, Akunjee, and the fans.

by **Banija** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:56 am

Banija wins decisive Game 5 to advance to WBC Quarterfinals while the Western Banijan Baseball League takes form

WBBL Commissioner and OCB Baseball Division Executive Vice President Kamoyo Chikondi sits at a press conference following Banija's Game 5 win at the World Baseball Classic

GOLDBERG, NEJAX, FREE REPUBLICS- The Banijan national baseball team has survived. Going down two games to none, this team had their backs against the wall in more ways than one, facing an early elimination from a tournament where they expected to be ascending to the realm of the best nations to play this sport. But, of course, this team kept their heads in the game, stayed calm, and they battled back, with players putting in unbelievably clutch performances, to battle from the brink of elimination to win the series, 3-2, and advance to the World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals, to take on the Greater Nordics. It was an unbelievably tough road for the Banijans to even get to this point, and yet, here we are- in our second straight WBC Quarterfinals. That's not a bad place to be in, for a generation that is quickly becoming Banija's golden generation in terms of baseball.

We know what happened in Games 3 and 4. Duta Condé dominating A Mushroom Kingdom batters in Game 3, making sure that he got plenty of swings and misses, and allowing just a single earned run across 7 and 1/3 innings, allowing a belaugered bullpen to rest, as they would be called upon to pitch major innings for the rest of this series. And we know what happened in Game 4, when Assan Condé pitched three innings of relief, earning the win in a 5-4 comeback win, highlighted by a Yakuba Kah two run slam in the 8th inning. This team has faced down the barrel of an early elimination, and they twice avoided it, forcing a decisive, winner-takes-all Game 5. The chance to set your rotation up perfectly for the next series, out the window. All that mattered in this game, was getting 27 outs, and not allowing their opponents to do the same. Considering that we had four close games in this series, we expected that the fifth could be an all-time classic.

Banta Jawara had lasted just a pair of innings in Game 2 against A Mushroom Kingdom, and was not originally scheduled to start a Game 5. But when Assan Condé was called upon to finish Game 4, Ousman Kakay was going to have to trust his #2 starter. And when Banta Jawara took the mound, there was nerves. Would the disastrous start from Game 2, that put Banija on the brink, materialize once again? The answer, was no. We got the Banta Jawara of old- the one who cleverly mixed in high speed and off speed pitches, the right-handed veteran who has championship DNA, being the brother of former NSCF champion and present Champions Bowl winner, quarterback Isaka Jawara. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, adn that is exactly what he did. Ousman Kakay, however, was not going to take any risks. He told us after the game, that the plan was to get Jawara through the lineup twice, no matter what, and hand it to his bullpen. The do-or-die was managed well- tightly scripted.

It helped Jawara, of course, that after a 1-2-3 first inning, he got almost immediate run support from the Banijan bats. Jawara was facing against A Mushroom Kingdom ace pitcher, Shane Shelton, and the goal was to ensure that the pitcher was chased from the game early. Leashes were always going to be tight in a decisive Game 5, and getting the starter chased early is a good way to do that. When Assan Mansaré led off with a single to right field, for example, Ousman Kakay showed his commitment to getting runs by bunting him into scoring position. It was the 1st innign of the game, and they were already playing small ball. He assumed runs would be at a premium- let's get them when the opportunity was given, and trust our pitching staff to hold the lead. Sohna bunted him to second, and a Jonkong Sillah single brought Assan Mansaré home to give the Banijans a 1-0 lead. Yakuba Kah, the Game 4 hero, doubled down the right field line on the next at-bat, as Sillah scored all the way from 1st to give the Banijans a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st, making Shelton work and giving Jawara a cushion. Shelton was able to pitch out of the jam, but still- a 2-0 lead early in the rubber match is not a bad thing.

Jawara continued to work his way through the lineup, as unbeknownst to him, he was basically on a tight, two times through the lineup leash. But he only allowed a single run in five innings of work, pitching excellently in the circumstances. He had two walks, one in the 2nd and one in the 5th, both issued with two outs. His only allowed run was a fourth inning solo home run by Blake Bareshell. In the bottom of the fourth, Banijan bats broke things open, chasing Shelton from the game, and forcing A Mushroom Kingdom to dip into their bullpen early. They left the 4th inning with a 5-1 lead, the Banijans finally asserting their talent advantage in this series. The final score of the game was 7-2, although our opponent's second run wasn't until the 9th. While Banta Jawara could have kept going, only throwing 68 pitches through 5 innings, like we said, it was clear that Kakay had his pitching scripted. Ensa Suso went 6 up and 6 down to take care of the 6th and 7th, and although he could have stayed in, Kakay brought in Sarjo Touré to pitch the 8th, and then Demba Baturu, in a non-save situation, to pitch the 9th. He knew the pitchers he wanted to use, and when he wanted to use them, and each went up and performed excellently.

A great series win for Banija, a great comeback. Assan Condé's great pitching performance in Game 4, alongside Yakuba Kah's game-winning home run in that same game, will stand out, but the team's resilience, their self-belief, after shockingly going down 0-2, bodes well for this team. They were challenged, they were punched in the mouth at the beginning of the knockout stages, but they stayed upright, punched back, and survived. While close games defined Games 3 and 4, they looked to finally get into form in Game 5, a mix of great pitching and early runs ensuring that the result of Game 5 was never in doubt from the word go. They kept pouring it on, not giving A Mushroom Kingdom any chance to breathe, and ensured their second straight trip to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.

Of course, since they went to Game 5, their rotation isn't exactly optimal. The Greater Nordics have stuck with a 5 man rotation for the knockout stages, so there's is. It will be an entertaining series, between teams with contrasting styles. Duta Condé, who pitched brilliantly in Game 3 of this Round of 16 series, will get the ball in Game 1 of the Greater Nordics series, pitching against Jon Isaksson. Assan Condé will pitch Game 2, Banta Jawara is scheduled for Game 3, Suntukung Kandeh is scheduled for Game 4, and Assan Condé is scheduled for Game 5, the last two if necessary. Of course, Assan Condé's relief appearance in Game 4 will prevent him from pitching Game 1, but he can potentially pitch twice in this series. But, of course, there is strength all across the Banijan rotation.

These teams have contrasting styles. The Greater Nordics are known for their powerful lineup, which will present a challenge to Banijan hitters. And the series will be played at Horn Field, which is known as a hitters ballpark. The spacious ballpark goes almost 450 feet to straightaway center, meaning that our outfielders will certainly be getting a workout. And, of course, they don't use a Designated Hitter- so for Games 2 and 4, Banija's pitchers will be expected to bat, and Lama Ouattara, who is known as a defensive liability, will have to play third base. This will certainly be a challenge for the Banijans to overcome. Can we win this series? Well, the question is up in the air. Anything can happen in the Classic, and this series promises to be close and tightly contested. The Greater Nordics will put pressure on the Banijan defense, and on Xaaf Geele who is catching. Who knows if we can win? But know this- the Banijans will go out there and battle, and although as slight favorites to advance, they won't take anything for granted. Get ready for a fun one folks in Nejax, as a spot in the semifinals is the prize for the winner of this best of 5.

And, as always, go Banija!

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- Professional baseball was promised to Banija, and the call was finally answered, and the league will be formed after the 47th World Baseball Classic. It is clear that there is talent in the country- the current 'golden generation' of players taking the the national team to the semifinals of the last classic, and a 2nd place finish in the Casaran table of the first stage of the 47th World Baseball Classic. There are many questions that need to be answered by fans, however. Where will the teams be? When will they form? What players will play? We'll answer all of those questions in the coming days, as the Classic rolls around.

#1 How many teams are there, and where will they form?

This will, of course, be a franchise based professional baseball league. There is popularity for the sport within the country, as more and more youngsters look to play the game at a young age. This generation of Banijan players is the first to really grow up playing baseball in an era where playing the sport was common, and look at the talent that we have. But to maintain interest, there needs to be an outlet to support professionals, and this, of course, is it.

There will be 10 teams in the league's inauguaral season, and they will be located mostly on Banija's West Coast. While franchises do not have names yet, there will be a team from Busukuma, three teams from the Kitara Region(Busembe, Sisonke, and Kabakono), as well as six teams from the Moravica Region(two in Istria, two in Herzegovina City, one in Kosactus, and one in Iziarad). All 10 teams will be privately owned, and while there were applications from elsewhere in the country, Chikondi and co. decided to keep the league focused on the sport's heartland in the country, the West Coast, to ensure financial stability before expanding throughout the rest of Banija.

#2 What players will be playing in this league?

It will be a combination of a draft, and free agency. There will be three eligible pools of players, and the draft shall reflect this. The draft will be snake draft, and it will be a random lottery. To make it fair, there will be lotteries for each section of the draft. The first pool of players will be from the Banijan national team. 20 draft picks for 21 eligible players from the Banijan national team. Of course, the national team has four players who are currently playing college baseball. The national team player who does not get picked will fall into the next pool of players.

The benefits of this pool, according to the Western Banija Baseball League, is to ensure that there is competitive balance, while ensuring that each team has a chance to grow market share and popularity within their own market, by having a pair Banijan national team players to serve as, at the very worst, faces of their respective franchises. It will certainly be interesting to follow- the possibility of a pitching duel between Assan Condé and Banta Jawara? Getting to see Tairu Sesay as a starter, as opposed to simply seeing him as what he normally is, a long reliever?

The second pool of players, will be the foreign player pool. The WBBL will open up registration as a free agent into the league via this pool, targetting players who participated in World Baseball Classic 47, though certainly not limited to that, and they will be able to be drafted by WBBL squads. Of course, it is a risk- the WBBL could be embarrassed, and have no foreign players ask to play. But Chikondi told us that he was confident that he could get at least a few, citing the competitiveness of Banija's other leagues, and the general passion that Banijan sports fans have. There, of course, will be a new lottery to determine the draft order for this part of the draft, and it will also occur in snake order.

The last pool of players fro the draft, will be the amateur draft. Drafting players from college. Any player who is a junior or senior in the past season of college baseball can declare themselves eligible for the draft. The league will require two years after high school graduation for a player to play in the league, unless they have played in a World Baseball Classic. If they have done so, then there is just a simple age floor of 17 to enter the draft. Of course, there are plenty of Banijan college players, and there will be a third lottery for this section of the draft. This, of course, will allow teams to fill out their rosters, and will certainly be the largest section of the draft. After that pool, teams are eligible to sign free agents wherever they find them, from former athletes in Banija to others abroad.

#3 Is 10 teams the final number for this league?

It is doubtful that 10 will be the final number for this baseball league. Of course, when the league is limited to the far west plus Busukuma, there are only so many teams that can play. But the WBBL, while being a western league, will attempt to make inroads in central and Eastern Banija. Each team will be required to play at least two home games outside of the home regions of the league(Kitara, Moravica, National Capitol Region), with Chikondi saying that the rule was similar in spirit to Ko-oren's gridiron league requiring each team to play a home game in a rural area. So the teams will be showcased throughout Banija, and presumably, they will be able to serve as sparks for potential expansion.

How much they will expand to, and where they will expand to, is the question of the day. But the answer is this- they will certainly not rest at 10. Hoima seems like a sensible choice- it is not that far from Busukuma, and while calling it Western is certainly criminal, it is also criminal to call Busukuma western, and here we are. Of course, the league would never rest at 10 teams. Maybe they could possibly expand a bit more, or even create a second league, an Eastern league? Baseball is not that popular outside of western Banija, and it shows in the ratings, as soccer is most certainly king, but it's one of those things where it can become at least decently popular.

That is the basic position of this league. In the next edition of this magazine, we'll talk about one of the issues that is sure to engulf Banijan baseball- whether the creation of a professional league means that the OCB should spin off its baseball division and allow it to create an independent federation, like it did for hockey.

PSA: If anyone wants to send any players to play in the WBBL, send them to me by the end of the WBCs for me to include them in the draft! Thank you very much!

by **Ko-oren** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:09 pm

"Anyway, I really loved playing D&D so often this past week. The Dragonflies going to game 5 did wonders for our RPG nights, but I'm really down for a quick 3-0 series because on top of D&D as well as watching the game right after I've got zero time to myself..."

"No worries, we're playing Liventia next, so there's definitely a chance of a quick 3-0 series. A loss."

"I would look at our record versus them in the Casaran, but for some reason, we didn't play them. We hung out in the top 10 or so all along and then they went down to 14th for some reason."

"Going 2-6 in the final eight games does that to a team. Brutal. No clue what they changed, but then they went 3-0 against Abanhfleft even if we had so much trouble against them. It's either luck, or they've found some turnaround factor somewhere that we're going to drop some games to."

"So what do you think our ceiling is? We're the first seed, which counts for something, but then we kind of no-showed against Newmanistan for a game or two."

"I'm guessing this is the end for us. Quarterfinal it is, which isn't bad but not great either."

"We're losing in the final. We're beating Liventia 3-1, then Banija 3-2, everyone's hype because we're beating these crazy good teams not just in the Casaran but also in the knockouts, we're saying this is a different team and last Classic was a fluke and we're just going to the big one twice in three cycles, and then we drop to Nova Anglicana 4-1 or so in the final."

"It sounds so boring if you say it like that."

"If only, right."

"Anything else before we start playing? Game is an hour away, we can get a Misa Mustangs game in if you guys want."

"Banija is getting a professional baseball league."

"Didn't they already?"

"Nah man, amazing national team but zero money in the sport beyond that so far."

"That's insane."

"Crazy. Just shouldn't be possible."

"Anyway, the draft is open to foreign players, and I'm putting my name down as a joke. No way these teams can stake out hundreds of names from countries they have only seen on tv."

"Still care for a Misa Mustangs game?"

"Hell no, I'm going to enter in this Banija draft. Might take a while to fill out the entire form."

"So I brought the entire D&D set for nothing? I just finished setting up the diamond and the defence. Here's your character sheets, and I even finished calculating your XP from the first couple of games. You're both starters for the Mustangs."

"Dude, I'm really into D&D, but right now I'm making some crucial steps into my nearly abandoned real life baseball career... Crap, it asks for my experience playing baseball in my own country... professionally. Anyone have the full list of lower league teams? There's no way they'll accept my form if I say I played for like the Katashi Giants."

"Yeah... I thought it was right here?"

"That's what I thought... zero team lists."

"Which ones do you remember from the top of your head?"

"Let's see... The number one minor league is from right here... so those should be the Kijolaoi Kings, the closest one to Katashi. Then... let's see, going by island? Kamisulava, Lejana, Vurusen, Aviansola all have teams and they're from Leleia. Selesi island has Minamigi and Furune, then Etena has Tomagi and Enkumo, and Alara has Teraoka, Tanajovana... and that's eleven. What's the twelfth?"

"Esalosava or Morivate?"

"Morivate! The actual real life Mustangs. How could we forget?"

"Any of these Yoshima teams should do, if they see our Japanese names they'll probably expect we've played for teams from Yoshima anyway. No need to overthink it, include a bunch of other teams and then get found out because one of the Banijan selectors has once worked as a scout for like the Constillán Conquistadores and then your entire web of lies unfurls. No thank you. Three years' experience for... the Enkumo Energy. And that's it, no need to create intricate lies that fall apart too quickly."

"You done with your form yet?"

"Almost, I hope. Position? Outfield. Easiest position to bluff my way through."

"Good one, I went for set-up pitcher."

"Ooh, that's good too..."

"And... I'm done! Let's play some D&D!"

"... I just finished putting everything back in the box..."

by **Free Republics** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:06 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Quarterfinals Games 1 and 2 Cutoff presented by Dr. Spice. Dr. Spice: 32 flavors, 32 times better taste than cola!

Quarterfinals Games 1 and 2 Results

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Liventia   2  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   2
Ko-oren    0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren    3  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   3
Liventia   1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0   2

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Team Name            1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 Total
The Greater Nordics  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0   2
Banija               0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1  0  2   4

Team Name            1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija               1  1  3  0  0  0  1  0  0   6
The Greater Nordics  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0   2

Banija leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua     0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1
Free Republics  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Free Republics  1  1  1  0  1  1  0  0  0   5
Cassadaigua     0  0  0  0  0  1  1  1  1   4

Series tied at 1 game apiece*

*Games 1 and 2 scorinated by Zwangzug

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane          3  1  1  1  2  2  0  0  1   11
Nova Anglicana  0  2  1  0  3  0  1  0  0   7

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 Total
Nova Anglicana  0  1  0  0  1  2  1  0  3  1   9
Ethane          1  0  2  1  0  0  1  3  0  0   8

Series tied at 1 game apiece

by **Banija** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:49 am

Banijans rounding into form as they take commanding 2-0 series lead against The Greater Nordics in the WBC Quarterfinals

Banijan players celebrate Jonkong Sillah walkoff home run in 10th inning of Game 1

GOLDBERG, NEJAX, FREE REPUBLICS- Against A Mushroom Kingdom, the first two games of the series were utterly disastrous for the Banijans. Our ace, our best pitcher and the team's leader, Assan Condé, lost a pitcher's duel, and then in Game 2, our #2 starter lasted just 2/3s of the first inning as we had our bullpen pitch 8.1 innings en route to a loss. The Banijan bullpen was worn down, the team was facing the brink of elimination, and they would need some players to step up, and fast. Ousman Kakay ensured that the players in this team would go out there and keep their faith, and keep their own confidence in their skill levels. That confidence was maintained, and that faith was rewarded. It would be Duta Condé who would dominate the opposing lineup in Game 3, and while A Mushroom Kingdom were 6 outs away from eliminating the Banijans in Game 4, clutch hitting by Yakuba Kah and great pitching by Assan Condé, who pitched three scoreless innings in relief on just three day's rest, saw them survive, while we then really rounded into form by controlling Game 5. The pitching in Game 5 was tightly scripted- Banta Jawara went through the lineup twice, as planned, and did it in five full innings. Then Ensa Suso, Sarjo Touré, and Demba Baturu closed out the game. It was an excellent performance, though of course, you wouldn't tightly script the pitching schedule like that in anything but a winner-take-all, where you can't worry about tomorrow.

Could that momentum, storming back from 2-0 down to win the series, 3-2, carry over to this series? Because, of course, the way the 5 game series went, with Assan Condé pitching in relief in Game 4, and Banta Jawara pitching Game 5, the Banijan rotation was scrambled. So it would be Duta Condé, the Game 3 hero, who would come on to pitch Game 1 of this series. While obviously, you don't want to start your #3 starter in Game 1, that's the way the ball has bounced here, and he was matched up against Greater Nordics staff ace no less, this doesn't mean Banija was operating at a disadvantage. Duta Condé has always been clutch in the knockout stages, and his career in the knockout stages shows that. Last classic, he started a trio of Game 3s. IN the Round of 16, he earned a win after allowing 4 earned over 6.1 innings. In the quarterfinals, he earned a win after allowing 2 earned over 6.0 innings. In the semifinals, he allowed 2 earned over 6.2 innings, and lost. In the Third Place Game, he had the same line as he had in the semifinals, though he did not receive a decision. And of course, in the Round of 16, he earned a win after allowing just a single earned run over 7.1 innings. He has pitched 33 career innings in five starts in the knockout stages, and has a career ERA of 3.00, as well as a 3-1 record.

So Duta Condé would certainly be ready for this moment. And that he was. Unfortunately for him, he struggled early. Ludde Knutsen, the switch hitting first baseman, was the second batter he faced. Condé unfortunately left a breaking ball hanging, and he smashed the ball to the gap in right-center field. Duwa Sohna chased after it, but it went all the way to the wall, which is 419 feet away from home plate. Knutsen went standing up with a triple in the spacious ballpark, and already, Condé would have a challenge. Sometimes, he takes time to settle into a game- why he's not somebody you'd ever want to bring out of the bullpen, for example. While he got MacWilliam to strike out, it would be a two out single from Oscar Christiansen that would bring Knutsen home, and give The Greater Nordics a 1-0 lead. They also came off a hard fought series with Drawkland, as that went five games deep as well. Nobody had any advantage in terms of rest or rust in this series- and both teams were brimming with confidence after grinding out series victories that went 5 games deep. The game wouldn't see any scoring again until the bottom of the third inning. A leadoff single by Xaaf Geele saw him get on base, and then while the shorstop would strike out, Duwa Sohna smashed a ball to straightaway center field. A RBI triple for the Banijan center fielder with 1 out saw the Banijans tie the game at 1. Of course, Jon Isaksson was able to strand the runner, but still- the game was tied.

It was a pitching duel from that point forward. Jon Isaksson and Duta Condé each in a groove, each dominating the lineup of the other team. It was clear that this would be a close, low-scoring game, and some team would need to do something. Duta Condé lasted 7 strong innings, allowing just 1 earned run, bringing his career ERA in the knockout stages to 2.70. And, of course, getting another no decision. It was the 8th inning, in a one run game, where the game would really get interesting. Ousman Kakay brought in Jebel Darboe to start pitching, and things did not go well for him. With the bottom of the order leading off, the #9 hitter, Designated Hitter Josefine Kron, hit a line drive over the head of leaping second baseman Jibril Mansaré into right center field for a base hit. Now, of course, The Greater Nordics are known for their aggressiveness on the basepaths, and this was an opportunity for them to take that extra base. Darboe had a pair of pickoff attempts to try and keep Kron honest, but to no avail. On the first pitch, Kron jumped, and she flew across the basepaths. Geele had a decent throw, but it was just a beat too late. Kron had taken second, and now was in scoring position with just nobody out. Jebel Darboe then allowed an infield single to Soren Vang, who looked to be attempting to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but who beat out the throw to first herself, to make it runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out.

Foday Kandeh was brought on, to turn around the pair of switch hitters coming up to the plate. Kandeh got lift on a fly ball from Knutsen, and the ball was caught deep in right field. Frion tagged up from third, and the throw went into second. The spacious outfield meant that Sillah, even with his big arm in the outfield, didn't have a chance to get him out. The game was 2-1. Kandeh forced MacWilliam to ground into a double play to end the inning, but still- they were trailing, 2-1. But with the heart of the Banijan order at the plate, and Isaksson tiring, this was the opportunity for the Banijans to strike. A first pitch fastball to Jonkong Sillah was right over the heart of the plate, and he crushed it into left-center field, giving his side a leadoff triple. Isaksson was then taken out, but it was too late. While Yakuba Kah struck out, it would be a Cyper Kandeh sacrifice fly that would bring home the tying run. From there, it became a battle of wits between the bullpens. With a pair of lefties and a switch hitter coming up in the 9th, Ousman Kakay decided to get a second inning out of Kandeh. Rarely used in the round of 16, he came up clutch in this situation, allowing a lone walk but otherwise strangling their opponent's hopes of scoring in the 9th. The Greater Nordics bullpen, however, matched him, and they went to the 10th, still tied at 2 runs a piece. Ousman Kakay brought on Gibril Sowe to face the bottom of the order, and he did that well, going 3 up and 3 down in the 10th, to give the offense a chance to win it.

And that did not take long. Assan Mansaré led off the inning, and he had hit a hard single back up the middle, for a base hit. Duwa Sohna laid down a perfect bunt for him, to advance him to second with the heart of the order coming up. Assan Mansaré is Banija's most aggressive baserunner as well, so the situation was looking positive. And with Jonkong Sillah up, they would have to get outs. The Greater Nordics huddled, and they brought the infield in. Prevent Assan Mansaré from advancing, at all costs. But it ended up not mattering. Sillah laid off the first pitch, a called strike. But the second pitch was right where he likes it- a little bit up, and a little bit in. He swung, and got the barrel of the bat on the ball. He got all of it, send it down the left field line and back into the corner, with the ball just barely coming on the right side of the foul pole for a walkoff home run. Unbridled joy from the Banijans and their fans, as they took a 1-0 lead in the series for their fourth consecutive win in this tournament.

They were in for a new challenge in Game 2- for the first time, they would be using traditional rules. Aka, they would not get to make the use of their DH. Lama Ouattara would have to play third base, Lalo Diene would be taken out of the lineup, and the pitcher would have to bat. Fortunately for the Banijans, however, it meant the return of our ace, Assan Condé, to the mound to face Saara Omdahl. While Game 1 was close, and tight throughout, the same cannot be said for this one. Now, we must realize, that Assan Condé entered this game pitching on normal rest, although his previous appearance was on three day's rest. That was on three day's rest, yet, but he pitched 3 innings. Three high stress innings, of course, coming out of the bullpen and closing a game, rather than starting one, but it all feels the same on your arm, even if it's more taxing mentally. But that meant that Assan Condé had a relatively fresh arm for Game 2. That's an advantage you don't want Assan Condé to have if you're an opponent, and Banija's ace took full advantage of it.

It didn't matter that he went 0-4 from the plate, with four strikeouts. He absolutely tore through the Greater Nordics lineup. The Banijans knocked Omdahl out of the game early, as she lasted only 2.1 innings and allowed 5 earned runs in that time. They made The Greater Nordics dip into their bullpen early, and Assan Condé, with all that early run support, although he looked sloppy early, ensured that late, he would be dominant. Our team was up 5-2 at the end of the third, and that was it for scoring for the Greater Nordics. Assan Condé got the next 8 batters he faced to retire after the third inning, and that was en route to an 8 inning, 2 earned run performance. Absolutely dominant here in the knockout stages. He honestly could have gone the full distance, but Ousman Kakay did not want his back end relievers to get rusty. Sarjo Touré came in and pitched the 9th inning, earning the save.

Now, it is the Banijans who have The Greater Nordics on the brink of elimination, being up 2 games to none. But Ousman Kakay said that the team's approach does not change. "We have to take things a game at a time here, and our approach cannot change. We know how quickly a 2-0 lead can evaporate- we don't have to look that far into the past to understand how that works. They are a team that is aggressive, that is talented, and that has high ambitions for this tournament, same as us. This series is not over until the final out is recorded, and we have to have that mentality. Banta Jawara pitched great in Game 5, and his arm is going to be fresh- I expect him to be at the top of his game here in this closeout game. Let's go out, close out this series, and get back to a place where we feel we belong- the World Baseball Classic semifinals."

Tomorrow's pitching matchup will be interesting. Banta Jawara against the southpaw, Enra Wolff, as the Banijans try to close out this series. And if we lose, of course, then we'll have to play another game with a pitcher hitting, though that pitcher will be Suntukung Kandeh. Jawara, interestingly, is leading all Banijan pitchers in starts, as he will be making his third start of the tournament in this Game 3. Can he close out this series like he did in the last series against A Mushroom Kingdom? We'll find out, soon enough.

by **The Greater Nordics** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:45 am

GNTV World Baseball Classic Report
We have made it to the Quarterfinals! That is much better than last time. We got off to a hot start in the first few series but we cooled off a little bit. We made the Round of 16 and won a thrilling and exciting series that went to five games. The Quarterfinal series against Banjia has not gotten off to a good start so far as we are 0-2 and heading into a must win situation if we want to stay alive. We lost game 1 in a walk off and game two was not great for us at the plate. Hopefully our bats can get hot and we can do what we do on the basepaths. No matter what happens, the country is proud of the team for making it this far!

by **Ko-oren** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:12 pm

Cross-pollination and Viewing parties for Liventia, game 3

This is more of a general notice, but following soccer's booming transfer market, other leagues in Ko-oren are slow to follow. But follow they do. Cricket's T20 league, consisting of 12 teams of which 6 consistently have problems to fill a roster with quality players, is looking to attract some of the bigger names from countries that our own national team regularly play. Those are only plans, so far. The baseball league has taken action, allowing some 15 players to take part in Banija's up and coming professional league - provided they are selected in the long and arduous draft process. In return, four of Banija's college players (playing university-aligned baseball is a normal process over there) have eschewed their own national league in favour of the ever-moving Ko-orenite league.

Xaaf Geele, Assefa Mulugeta, Aman Teklu, and Ensa Suso, four players of national team fame, will fly home with the Dragonflies at the conclusion of the World Baseball Classic, to be put on rosters in the KBL as soon as they land, in time to practice for next season. Meanwhile, all other draftees are getting ready, draft boards are being completed, as the first part of the 22nd official season commences. The Ferrovente Whales are on the clock to take their first prospect, either from amateur competitions or minor leagues, followed by the Arakura Knights. Big-market Katashi Giants are next, but neither of these three teams are likely to take the new Banijan superstars - they will receive a protected status and should land with some teams in the top 6 of last season, but the teams that take them will lose draft picks in the first (and possibly second) round if they take any of the four-man contingent. A small price to pay in order to secure the signing of a more or less guaranteed contributor.

Back to the present: the Dragonflies are still appearing in the quarterfinals of the WBC, back after a single cycle's absence. Viewing parties are organised by the municipalities of all large baseball-minded cities and towns, with multiple big screens set up across Katashi. All Yoshiman towns over 35000 population are in, as are several larger settlements in Finisterre. For the rest of Ko-oren, there are multiple universities with Yoshiman and Finisterran student bodies that are in on the quarterfinals, led by the Université de la Côte Austral in Aminey (home of the Aminey Wanderers), the Université de l'Amandine in Étouille (home of the Amandine Challengers), and the Schemerdrechtuniversiteit of Intermare Admirals fame. Places in Amillon, Sterrenwolde, Straudum, Dartha, and all of the four capital cities are also putting the event in the spotlights.

by **Liventia** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:23 pm

Amidst Olympic success, Liventia's baseball teams feels forgotten
NEVEREND— Did you know Liventia's baseball team are in the last eight of the World Baseball Classic, their fifth straight WBC playoff appearance since returning to international play? No?

Well, you're not alone. Except for the baseball die-hards, most of Liventia's sporting attention has been on Neverend, joint-host city of the ongoing 14th Winter Olympics.

And what an Olympics! Ten gold, eight silvers, five bronzes; comfortably Liventia's most successful return from a Winter Olympics since it last hosted the 8th Winter Games, and there's still four days to go. Oh, where were we? Baseball? Right.

That, exactly, is the problem facing the WBC team. They've been forgotten by the bulk of the country, regular fans and casual sporting observers alike.

"When we're the only team in action, or if it's us and the cricket team, we get almost equal coverage," the team's designated hitter Dermot Rowntree complained.

"But forget about that this tournament. We haven't had a single slice of reporting in the papers; there's no-one out here in the Free Republics for the playoffs because everyone has assigned all their reporters to Neverend and Yeaddin; and if we're lucky we get a 30-second spot on the TV sports news.

"We feel forgotten about. We could make the semis of the WBC, and no one will notice or care, because whoop-de-doo, we're leading the Olympic Games medal table at a home Games."

The Baseball Federation of Liventia, perhaps fearing a rebuke from the Liventia Olympic Association, distanced itself from Rowntree's comments.

"We respect what Dermot has had to say about this issue, but we believe Liventia's sporting landscape is diverse and all Liventian sporting success is celebrated equally," a spokesperson responded in an email to queries.

"The Federation congratulates its winter sport colleagues at the Olympic Association for their successful Olympic Games so far and sincerely hope for continued success for both them and us," he concluded.

For its part, the LOA deferred all media enquiries back to the Baseball Federation of Liventia.

by **Free Republics** » Fri Nov 01, 2019 4:10 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Quarterfinals Games 3 and 4 Cutoff presented by Music Video Channel. Music Video Channel: We Actually Play Music Videos!

Quarterfinals Games 3 and 4 Results

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Liventia   0  0  1  1  1  1  0  0  0   4
Ko-oren    0  0  1  0  0  5  0  1  X   7

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren    0  1  0  0  1  0  2  0  0   4
Liventia   0  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0   2

Ko-oren wins series 3 games to 1

Team Name            1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
The Greater Nordics  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0   1
Banija               2  0  1  0  1  0  4  0  X   8

Banija wins series 3 games to 0

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua     1  1  0  1  1  1  0  0  1   6
Free Republics  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   1

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Free Republics  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  5  0   7
Cassadaigua     0  0  1  5  0  1  2  2  X   11

Cassadaigua wins series 3 games to 1*

*Free Republics vs Cassadaigua scorinated by Zwangzug

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane          0  0  0  6  4  1  0  1  0   12
Nova Anglicana  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  1   3

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Nova Anglicana  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0
Ethane          0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  X   1

Ethane wins series 3 games to 1

WBC 47 Semifinals (starts Sunday)

#1 Ko-oren v. #10 Cassadaigua @ BearOil Park, Petrograd, Plymouth (park factor: 102)
#2 Banija v. #9 Ethane @ AllMartDome, Reco, Jolarus (park factor: 96)

by **Ko-oren** » Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:09 am

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Liventia   2  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   2 R 4H 0E
Ko-oren    0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1 R 2H 0E in 2:52

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren    3  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   3 R 7H 1E
Liventia   1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0   2 R 2H 0E in 3:03

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Liventia   0  0  1  1  1  1  0  0  0   4 R 8H 0E
Ko-oren    0  0  1  0  0  5  0  1  X   7 R 9H 1E in 2:53

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren    0  1  0  0  1  0  2  0  0   4 R 6H 0E
Liventia   0  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0   2 R 3H 0E in 2:16

The Dragonflies survive and go to the semifinals with a 3-1 series win over Liventia. The crazy back-and-forths with Newmanistan have not left an impression, both teams go back to solid defence, good pitching, decent adjustments, and a gameplan that doesn't break down in the first four to five innings. The opponent called for that too: Liventia is a well organised team, but do favour offence over defence and therefore are a great match with our own low-scoring mindset.

Game 1 - Bastable vs Brands, Liventia's short Ro16 vs Ko-oren's marathon Ro16
Liventia had some turnaround between their last game and this one, waiting safely in the hotel for the other Round of 16 series to finish, and seeing which opponent would show up for them next. Ko-oren, meanwhile, had some nervous moments in a 5-game series and it took until the very last pitch to finally confirm their quarterfinal berth. For now, the marathon series did Ko-oren better than Liventia's long rest (spoiler), even if it was Liventia who won the first game. In a low scoring matchup, all runs and hits falling inside the first three innings, it was a vast difference from our previous series. Bastable shut down the top three of the batting order, and we knew we were in for a long evening. In all of the Round of 16, either Ritsushima, Esumi, or Peredo managed to reach first base somewhere in the first innings - and here they were dispatched without a problem. Things got worse quickly as Brands gave up two runs, coming on three hits total. Stelfox and Grainger reached base, Farquharson advanced them, and Rowntree would eventually get them home. Textbook inning for them, but a horrid start for the Dragonflies. At least the political issues (of not appearing under the name 'Greenblues' and refusing to play outside of Yoshima prefecture) have been invisible since the knockouts have begun, but the simmering issues could come to boiling point if relations within the team worsen - and they worsen with bad results. Liventia couldn't continue on with their first inning form, and the Dragonflies couldn't make a stand (outside of scoring on the second inning).

Game 2 - Metson vs Gavreau, Liventia to take a massive lead or Ko-oren to equalise
More of the same in game 2: out with the hit-happy stance and back in with calling tight and precise pitches. This time, Liventia took the lead in the first inning again, Grainger coming home on an error by Lema, but otherwise well played by the Red and Gold to get Grainger in this position in the first place. Revenge was quick and sweet, Ritsushima walking to first, Esumi hits a single, Peredo joins the bunch on a walk as well, and Lema and Vamada sacrificed themselves to get the trio round the bases. Ahead of this game, Metson was hyped as the best pitcher in this entire series, but his game fell apart early. He regained control of the game in later innings, but the damage was done. On the other side, Gavreau kept mixing in very sloppy throws with a lethal rhythm of unhittable strikes. On one such messy attempt, Farquharson stole third base, then came home on the next pitch. Gavreau was pulled, Lambirthingun, Cevocalu, Hoga and Ozawa finished the rest of the game, each time starting off very well but tapering off quickly as well. A five-pitcher game is odd even to Ko-orenite standards, but it led to a win, so that's all that counts in the end. Again, neither team allowed a hit beyond the fourth inning.

Game 3 - Mansell vs Utada
In this one, both teams burned through their top pitchers and resorted to very good, though not superhuman throwers. That said, Mansell remains a popular figure in Liventia with amazing value for his team, despite his age. Utada was something very different, the only factor in a declining Teragaseki team trying to stop the team from sliding all the way down to 12th. Add that to a bullpen that's been out there for a couple of nights on incredible concentration, and this game was the first one that resembled more of the Ko-oren vs Newmanistan series. 17 hits combined, 11 runs in all - that's more than the previous two nights combined. Interestingly, both starters held up very well this time. The bullpens handed out walks everywhere, giving Liventia a run in four different innings and giving Ko-oren one huge spectacular 5-run inning that won us the game - on the first home run of the series. Viera launched the ball across centre field, into the stands (but only barely), for a three-run homerun that complemented a good 2-run start. Up 2-1, it was Ko-oren's series to lose (with the first seed status and all), so honestly it could only get worse from here.

Game 4 - Vann vs Akija, matchpoint for Ko-oren
Turning around the series from that initial loss, and now facing a pitcher that knows how defeat feels, it really was Ko-oren's to lose now. Akija, from the Katashi Giants, was not much better off. This was a game between two very talented pitchers stuck on pretty mediocre teams, waiting for better times to come (or a better team to give them a contract). This game was over in no time. Once a first out had been drawn, the second and third were never far away (and both teams displayed a few double plays as well). Runs were finally distributed equally along the game, Vann and Akija both giving up a single run before being pulled. Their replacements couldn't turn the tide, either. Laidler had his first appearance of the series, while middle relief Cevocalu had been dragged out for the third time (though one occasion was a very short showing). Now Ko-oren built their single run into four total, a sum that wasn't to be bested: once Ozawa and Horne were in, we were back to the easy 1-2-out cadances of earlier in the series. Ko-oren won 4-2, and the series finished on 3-1 overall, for the second semifinal appearance in three cycles. The Dragonflies have shown to be able to win high-scoring, hit-first games as well as shut-down, low-scoring affairs. Next up is Cassadaigua, a team that's at least as complete as us, standing in the way of our second WBC trophy - and we are standing in the way of their fourth.

by **Banija** » Sat Nov 02, 2019 10:16 pm

Banija baseball complete Quarterfinal sweep behind dominant Banta Jawara- will face off with Ethane in WBC Semifinals

The 'man of many hats' Kamoyo Chikondi after an Olympic Committee of Banija meeting

RECO, JALARUS, FREE REPUBLICS- Banija v. Ethane at the World Baseball Classic. At this point, the matchup should honestly be penciled in. For the fourth time in the last six World Baseball Classics, these two will be asked to play a knockout series against each other- though this upcoming one, of course, has higher stakes than all those games preceding. A play-in series matchup in WBC 42 ended in a 3-2 series win for Banija, a Round of 16 matchup ended in a 3-2 series win for Ethane, and in WBC 46, it was Banija who would triumph, 3 games to 2. The number of high stakes series against each other, and the closeness of these games, makes Ethane one of Banija's biggest rivals in the sport.

Of course, we have to talk about how the Banijans, who struggled entering the knockouts of this tournament, are now red-hot. They are in quite the mood after completing a three game sweep of the Greater Nordics, that was punctuated in absolutely stellar fashion. A dominating 8-1 victory saw the Banijans lead from the word go, putting a pair of runs on the board in the 1st inning, adding runs throughout, and delivering the backbreaker with a 4 run 7th inning. Banta Jawara had 7 strong shutout innings to lead the way. Suntukung Kandeh pitched the 8th and the 9th. Frankly, Jawara probably could have finished the game, but since Kandeh hadn't pitched since Game 4 of the Round of 16, and now wouldn't pitch until Game 4 of the semifinals, Ousman Kakay wanted to make sure his 4th starter threw some pitches so he would not have almost a two week layover between pitching appearances, and get rusty.

Him not being used to relief allowed the first run, but he had a strong finish to the game. And now, of course, Ethane. Banija has had a chance to set its rotation- since because of the sweep, that will mean that they have sat for the better part of the week, in order to get ready for the World Baseball Classic semifinals. It will be a very interesting series between this pair of opponents who are extremely familiar with each other. What will be the key? It will come down to starting pitching. The 10th ranked side won games 3 and 4 in dominating fashion against Nova Anglicana thanks to starting pitching, allowing just 4 runs across the last 18 innings of that series. Banija's starters will need to be absolutely on top of their game if they are to win this series. They will be asked to log long, quality innings, because Ethane's pitchers are capable of making runs in this series available at a costly premium. But if our pitchers can stick to their game, and hold their nerve in the team's second consecutive WBC semifinal, then the opportunity is there for Banija to take our first ever trip to the final of the World Baseball Classic. And who wouldn't want that, right?

As always, go Banija!

Baseball Governance and the Olympic Committee of Banija- should they be separated?

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- In the midst of the backdrop of the 47th World Baseball Classic, and the formation of the Western Banija Baseball League, there is a big question that has been occupying the higher-ups at the Olympic Committee of Banija. That is- how should Banijan baseball be governed? Of course, to adequately answer this question, we need to dive into its current governance model, and the general sports governance models within the Kingdom of Banija.

Present-Day Sporting Governance

Within the Kingdom of Banija, sports governance is set out at multiple levels for adult sports. There are four original sporting governance groups. The first, of course, is the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group. Representing 59 major colleges and universities within the country, it is the primary governing body for varsity collegiate sports within the country. It is the body in which all of the major universities in the country, that have varsity sports teams, and is the ultimate authority of collegiate sports within the country, no matter the sport. So, for example, college soccer in this country is not touched by the Royal Banijan Soccer Association- it is governed directly by the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group(BCSG). They have ultimate authority over college soccer. They, as the ultimate body, must give its approval for other, smaller collegiate sports bodies to form. And while there exists one recognized association(the Junior College Athletic Federation of Banija, or JCAFB, which governs for junior and community colleges), other associations have existed in the past, though they usually get swallowed by the BCSG.

The second, of course, is the Olympic Committee of Banija. It is the ultimate governing authority of adult sports within the country, with three notable exceptions- all college sports, the entire sport of soccer, and the entire sport of ice hockey. Anytime you see a Banijan national team competing outside of the pair of aforementioned sports, from basketball, to gridiron, to lacrosse, to baseball, and anything in between, the team is sponsored and chartered by the Olympic Committee of Banija, or OCB. The OCB does not distinguish between actual Olympic and non-Olympic sports, when they decided to govern a sport. Every sport under its guidance has its own division, and is ran by an Executive Vice president. It is, obviously, an immensely powerful governing body, that receives oversight but is largely self-governing.

The third major sporting governance body in the country, is the Royal Banijan Soccer Association. It is the only single sport governing body to have been around since independence. There is a very distinct difference, of course, between the RBSA and the OCB- the word royal in front of it. Upon its formation, the Isebantu was the formal head of the organization, and if there was none, the head of the organization would be appointed by the Kabaka himself. Of course, now the RBSA operates much more like governance in constitutional monarchies- the Isebantu is simply a figurehead, and the Executive Chairman of the organization, presently Robel Ezera, is the actual leader of the organization. They are the chief governing body of soccer at all levels, except, crucially, collegiate soccer, which is the exclusive domain of the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group. They have regional bodies governing youth soccer, and they charter Banija's five professional leagues(one national in the first tier, four regional in the second), and are generally well respected around the multiverse, having organized half of two different World Cups, and holding a seat on the Executive World Cup Committee.

The fourth major governance body, of course, is the Commonwealth Games Council of Banija, which, as you guessed it, governs Banija's participation in the Quebecois Commonwealth Games. Those four are the most important, and pretty much the only major, sports governance bodies within Banija. As for others, there is also the Banijan Hockey Federation, spun off from the Olympic Committee of Banija to 'fully focus' its resources on the Greater Banijan Hockey League, which has been a success, both financially and, most importantly, on the ice. There are former independent organizations, like the former Banijan Gridiron Association, which was spun off and then brought back into the OCB fold, as well as the Lacrosse Federation of Banija, which was brought back into the OCB fold a little under 10 years ago.

What is the proposal for Banijan baseball?

The proposal for Banijan baseball is simple- for the OCB to spin off the baseball division of the OCB, and allow the sport to makes its own body. Supporters of this, including Kamoyo Chikondi, the present Executive Vice President of the OCB's Baseball Division, as well as the Vice President of the World Baseball Council and COmmissioner of the incoming WBBL, believe that this is how to enhance the sport. "The sport can clearly stand on its own two feet within Banija." Said Chikondi when he contacted him for this article. "We have a growing player base, tremendous growth of interest in terms of spectactors, and now, starting a professional league, we are a fully grown sport. It is time for this sport to be able to stand on its own two feet. Hockey did it- why can't baseball?"

Detractors, however, point to funding issues. One OCB economist, who is anonymous for this article as he was not allowed to speak on the issue, said creating an independent baseball federation would be 'financially disastrous' for the sport. "Baseball in the country is going to be reliant on getting consistent funding. Only the OCB can guarantee that funding. What if the WBBL goes belly-up? You see them only competing in the western part of the country, can a sport with regional appeal flourish enough to survive on its own? The OCB can provide adequate support." Chikondi, of course, is seen by many to have his own, powerful ambitions. The spinning off of baseball into his own federation would undoubtedly increase his own power- he would not have to answer to the OCB's Executive Council, nor seek them for approval. As the presumed Chief Executive of any potential Banijan baseball organization, he would be a primary beneficiary of this move.

But is it right for the sport? Can a BBF, or whatever name Chikondi comes up with, survive? It's fate will be, understandably, tied to the fate of the WBBL. The launching of professional baseball in Banija will be a key moment. If the WBBL can thrive, then they will be fine. But if not? Then this gamble will be an unnecessary risk by Chikondi. Of course, this is a lot of backroom dealing while the national team is in the midst of a fiercely competitive World Baseball Classic. There are no answers to these questions yet, but we are sure they will come out as prep for the WBBL continues to take shape.

by **Free Republics** » Sun Nov 03, 2019 5:47 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Semifinals Games 1 and 2 Cutoff presented by Pizza Slut! Pizza Slut: Our Waitresses are even Hotter than our Pizza!

Semifinals Games 1 and 2 Results

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua  0  1  3  0  1  0  0  0  1   6
Ko-oren      0  0  2  5  2  0  0  1  X   10

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren      0  0  0  1  1  1  1  3  0   7
Cassadaigua  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  3  0   3

Ko-oren leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane     0  0  0  0  0  0  2  0  0   2
Banija     1  0  0  0  1  1  1  0  X   4

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija     4  0  3  2  1  0  2  3  3   18
Ethane     0  0  1  4  0  1  1  1  2   10

Banija leads series 2 games to 0

by **Ko-oren** » Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:27 pm

"Hey guys, game 3 starts in a few hours, let's get a game of D&D in."

"I'm game!"

"Me too..."

"Are you guys done with applying to Banija's pro league? Did you get in?"

"No clue, there's nothing that implies I did. Then again, applications are open for months, so there's no guarantee I ever hear from it again."

"So, after you were done filling out the form, I packed up the game again. Anyway, I was thinking, how is the game so far for you?"

"Well, if this is the pace, it's going to take ages until we get to the second season, and that's no guarantee to play in a professional league with team names we actually recognise, let alone creating some sort of legacy within this game. And that implies we have to stay together on the same team for the rest of our careers?"

"There is actually a way to speed up the game. It's pretty much rolling on some tables to generate a score for the game and a statline for the both of you."

"If that means we only play the meaningful games and not every single at bat we're involved in, that's just fine. Especially because one of us is on base for a long time, and the other pitches so both halves of the inning are played out in full..."

"And our games have all been very similar. It's so hard for one game to be distinctive from the last."

"Then again, that's baseball for you. Every sport, if played every day, is going to provide a very similar experience."

"Except for the Banija game yesterday. Providing we don't implode, we're going to face the Orange menace again. But damn, 28 runs in one game? Is that possible within D&D?"

"Uh, actually, yes..."

"I mean, are we going to remember that game at any point?"

"I suppose so? I mean, in other RPGs, you'd remember that one session where you slashed through three goblins in a single turn. Or that clutch shot where you take out the bank robber in a frontier town to cash in a wanted poster for big money, with a single shot from a bad six-shot revolver?"

"Yeah, I think I would..."

"So you would remember your first homerun, or that one game where you both combine for a shutout and three plus runs batted in?"

"I suppose I would. Still, I'd love to only play the big games, or the meaningful moments, and focus on the character more than just another at-bat."

"Can do. We're here to have fun, not slog through boring statistic after boring statistic. We could even switch to a team management game."

"Is that all in the rules?"

"You don't know half about what's in the rules. There's options for just playing as a scout, where you can focus about storylines for players and places. There's options for playing just as a manager, or a coach. Basically, the ruleset is really good at generating players, teams, statistics, and results. What you do with those is up to you."

"Instead of a player, can I play as a coach?"

"As in how? In the current game?"

"Sure, I mean, I could retire having played three games at the very lowest level, then work my way up?"

"Are you really sure that's a good idea? How about a few in-game years at every level?"

"That would work too, I think..."

"Right, so it's 6-4, you're at a deficit. Uchidame, you've struck out on two occasions already. Hilario, you've allowed four runs to turn a lead into a deficit. Basically, things are not right. The manager is angry, and things haven't gone great in the last week. What do you do? Hilario is still pitching, and Uchidame is still in the lineup."

"Maybe playing scenarios is a good idea too?"

"As in 'You're Ethane, it's 12-7, five runs behind in the second game of the WBC semifinals. What do you do?' kind of thing?"

"I would allow 6 more runs and get blown out..."

"Too soon man"

by **Banija** » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:36 pm

Banija on the brink of the WBC Championship Series after offensive explosion in Game 2

Banijans celebrate a home run in 18-10 victory over Ethane

RECO, JALARUS, FREE REPUBLICS-It is the fourth time in six World Baseball Classics that we are facing Ethane in a Best of 5 series in the knockout stages of the sport's most prestigious tournament. And for the first time, we find ourselves up, 2 games to none, having Ethane on the brink of elimination. A pair of absolutely wild games as Banija and the Dragonflies seem to be separating themselves as the absolute class of this World Baseball Classic. If all goes well, this chaotic tournament will end up in a fairly reasonable place- the #1 and #2 teams from Casaran play meeting in the Best of 7 championship series. At the most chaotic of tournaments in the most chaotic of formats, chalk coming through to rule, once again, would certainly be an ironic ending. But, of course, it would set up an absolutely stellar series between the Kingdom of Banija and Ko-oren.

When was the last time the World Baseball Classic was #1 v #2, in terms of knockout stage seeds? This has always been a tournament where chalk, famously, would never get you anywhere, and that was true here. Last year, the championship series was the #1 seed against the #3 seed, with the co-hosts and WBC bluebloods Newmanistan shockingly getting upset 3 games to 2 by Liventia in the Round of 16. IN WBC 45, it was 10th seeded Ko-oren defeating the top seed, Newmanistan, for the championship in Ko-oren. In WBC 44, second seeded West Phoenicia defeated a fifth seeded Nova Anglicana for the championship. In WBC 43, second seeded Newmanistan won a title against 4th seeded FFR. In WBC 42, it was 3rd seeded Super Llamaland and 13th seeded Darmen. You'll have to go back to WBC 41, in Equestria, for the last time the top two seeds entering the knockout stages both made the championship series, when second-seeded Newmanistan defeated top seeded Super Llamaland for the world title. This is a not a tournament where you have chalk often, and with both Banija and Ko-oren both on the brink of the finals, chalk may rule once again.

Anyways- let's get to it. What happened in these pair of games? Well, in Game 1, it would be the ace, Assan Condé, who would take the mound for the Banijans. Coming off of plenty of rest from the previous series, he knew that he had a long leash, and he went out and attacked Ethane's batters. He got some early run support, when a one out home run from Duwa Sohna, just the second Banijan batter of the game, gave his side a 1-0 lead here in this crucial semifinal, the stage where many a Banijan dream, in many a sport, has gone to die. But just like last year, Assan Condé gave an exceptionally strong start. With the 1-0 lead early to give him confidence, and a whole large number of Banijan fans having traveled from the Kingdom to support this baseball team, he delivered an absolutely dominant performance on the mound. He carved through the Ethane lienup, using a lot of fastballs to try and power his way past Ethane hitters, while engaged in a pitcher's duel with his opposite.

The Banijans used the art of the solo home run to continue building on their lead. Cyper Kandeh led off the bottom of the fifth inning with another long shot, showcasing Banija's ability to go yard- not something this team is known for. But, of course, they earned their run in the 6th to extend the lead to 3-0. Assan Mansaré led off with a single, and he was able to steal second base, just beating out the throw from Ethane's catcher. Ousman Kakay, trying to give his ace some insurance, some protection, staying aggressive in the game's middle innings. Of course, when you get to this stage, especially since we fell here last year to a more talented Cassadagan side, your decisions are going to be more heavily scrutinized as a manager, and Ousman Kakay was always going to go for it here. It paid off- even though Sohna, the home run hitter from the 1st inning, struck out, it would be Sillah hitting the ball all the way to the wall for a RBI double, to give the Banijans a 3-0 lead and finally knock Ethane's starter out of the game.

Assan Condé, after getting through the Ethane lineup with very little resistance through six innings(allowing just a 3rd inning single and a 5th inning walk), started to have trouble his third time through the Ethane lineup. The heart of the order led off the 7th for Ethane, the 3-4-5 hitters, and Assan Condé, although only allowing two baserunners all game, had to work to get to this point- he entered the inning having already thrown 102 pitches. But Ousman Kakay kept his starter in the game, trying to get one more inning out of him so he could skip the middle relievers and go straight to the back end of the bullpen. Unfortunately, this did not go according to plan. The #3 hitter for Ethane had a base hit, and Assan Condé allowed a single to the cleanup hitter, which allowed the #3 hitter to get to third base with nobody out, and bring the tying run to the plate. After a talk at the mound, Assan Condé was left in to face the #5 hitter. A deep flyout, where Duwa Sohna had to make quite an impressive diving catch on the warning track, saw both runners tag up, and saw the end of the night for Assan Condé, who was responsible for the runner on base. Gibril Sowe, the middle reliever, came into the game, with a runner on 2nd and only one out. Gibril Sowe immediately allowed a double on the first pitch, which saw the runner score and the Banijans lead go from 3-0, to just 3-2. There was no messing around from Kakay. After just one batter, Sowe was withdrawn from the game, and Kakay would entrust the last 8 outs of this one to the back end of his bullpen.

Sarjo Touré then came in. The setup man, Banija's preferred 8th inning reliever, was going to be asked to pitch in the 7th, and get more than his customary three outs before he handed the ball to Baturu. And that is exactly what he did. With the tying run in scoring position, force at no bases, and just one out, Sarjo Touré came and slammed the door in the face of the Ethane rally. He struck out the first hitter he faced, though it took him 7 pitches, working to a full count, to get the hitter to swing through that third strike. The next hitter, on an 0-2 count, had to chase a slider away, and it was a nasty pitch that got him to strike out as well. Sarjo Touré yelled to the crowd, and the Banijan half roared in approval of their setup man. With the team up 3-2 in the 7th inning, it would be the Designated Hitter, Lama Ouattara, who would give the team an insurance run. He hit the ball over the short fence in right field, just 325 feet to the corner, as the lefty hit the foul pole to double Banija's lead. And that was all the insurance that the Banijans would need. Sarjo Touré pitched a perfect 1-2-3 8th inning, with three straight groundouts to Lalo Diene, and it would be Demba Baturu who would slam the door in the 9th inning. Although Banija's closer allowed a leadoff single in the 9th, he ended the inning with a strikeout, a pop-up, and the last out of the game was an easy ground out to the Banijan first baseman, Yakuba Kah.

Sarjo Touré's key performance was praised by Ousman Kakay after the game. "Sarjo Touré coming in, when our team was in trouble and frankly, on the ropes of squandering our lead, and slammed the door in the faces of our opponents. I cannot be more complimentary of him. The pitching performances that we got today, were absolutely fantastic. Ethane stayed in the game, they fought their way back and hit us with a punch so hard that we almost fell over, but we stayed up. This team did not get rattled. This team stays focused, does not let the pressure of the moment get to them, and we were able to go out and win Game 1. Winning game 1 is always crucial in a short series, in a best of 5- it puts you in the driver's seat to take control of the series, and it helps relieve you from feeling the serious stresses of pressure. We will be in a good spot when Banta Jawara takes the mound tomorrow, and hopefully we can continue to stay focused, and stay energized, and not get rattled by the bright lights that are now upon this team."

Game 2 of this series was an absolute stunner. 28 runs between the two teams- but fortunately, it was Banija who set a team WBC record for runs scored, putting 18 runs on the the scoreboard in a wild 18-10 win over Ethane. This is not how this one was scripted- Ousman Kakay expects Banta Jawara to go out and log him a lot of innings, though he knew that he'd probably need to get work in from the middle relievers. But Banija's bats were alive, and Ethane's pitchers simply could not get outs. We'll start in the first inning. Assan Mansaré led the inning off, with a single. It would be Duwa Sohna who would bat second, and he got on base as well, singling to right field, a single that brought Assan Mansaré to third base. Jonkong Sillah, Banija's #3 hitter, was able to earn a walk. Bases loaded, nobody out, already for Ethane- a high pressure situation. They could feel their chances at a WBC championship series appearance slipping away already. But, the pitcher opposite was able to get Yakuba Kah to strike out. Banija's first baseman was taking huge hacks, of course, in this situation. But Cyper Kandeh took advantage of the situation. He hit the ball 411 feet to left center field, well over the wall and gone. A towering grand slam all of a sudden gave Banija a 4-0 lead early in this game, one that they would never look back from.

The Banijans would knock Ethane's starter out in just the third inning, asking the bullpen opposite to log quite a few innings for the rest of this game. It was 6-0 in the top of the third when Ethane's starter was finally pulled, and it was 9-1 at the end of the top of the fourth inning. The Banijans were running away with this. But Banta Jawara started to struggled. He's been up and down in these knockout stages, and in the fourth inning, things went poorly for him. He allowed 3 runs while not recording an out in the inning, allowing 5 consecutive hits to allow Ethane to score three runs while he was on the mound. He eventually had to be taken off, in favor of Tairu Sesay. Seesay allowed the runner he inherited to score, but did not allow any more, as the Banijans led, 9-5. Seesay pitched well in the fifth inning, and in the 6th, he handed the ball to Gibirl Sowe. Sowe allowed a run in the 6th to make it 10-6. Slowly, but surely, Ethane was fighting their way back into this game?

But the Banijan bats woke up once more. While Jebel Darboe and Foday Kandeh each allowed a run in the 7th and 8th, Banija's bats were absolutely explosive on this day. We scored 8 runs between the start of the seventh inning and the end of the ninth inning- absolutely wearing down the arms of the Ethane Bullpen. Of course, the Banijan bullpen also pulled a full shift, with Sarjo Touré, who had gotten 5 outs the night before, the only member of the bullpen to not pitch in this game for the Banijans. Of course, Demba Baturu only threw two pitches, coming in for Ensa Suso in the ninth inning when he was struggling to put the game away. What a wild, crazy, firecracker of a game that was. And yet, the Banijans came out victors. We lead the series, 2-0, and we sit on the brink of our first ever appearance in the World Baseball Classic championship series.

Who will be asked to take us there? Duta Condé, who started Game 1 of the Quarterfinal series after the rotation had to be scrambled to survive our Round of 16 series with A Mushroom Kingdom, will get the ball with an opportunity to close out the series. And behind him, Suntukung Kandeh, who hasn't made a start since the Round of 16, though he pitched a pair of innings in the closeout game of the Quarterfinals sweep against The Greater Nordics. The pressure is greater than ever. Winning the last game is always the hardest. Ethane, of course, wasn't supposed to be here- they have nothing to lose. Can the Banijans punch their ticket to Gem of the Oceans Stadium tomorrow night?

by **Free Republics** » Mon Nov 04, 2019 6:27 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Semifinals Games 3 and 4 Cutoff presented by Mingle! Mingle: The App that Gets You Laid!

Semifinals Game 3 Results

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   2
Ko-oren      0  0  1  2  0  1  0  0  X   4

Ko-oren wins series 3 games to 0

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane     0  1  1  0  0  0  0  0  0   2
Banija     1  1  1  1  0  0  1  0  X   5

Banija wins series 3 games to 0

Third Place Series

#9 Ethane v. #10 Cassadaigua @ Nail Frolov Colosseum, Santangiago, Perotutia (park factor: 151)

Finals

#1 Ko-oren v. #2 Banija @ Gem of the Oceans Stadium, Republica, Republica District (park factor: 100)

Host Note: The Third Place Series and Finals will both start on Wednesday November 6th. Tomorrow is an off day (and election day for those who live in the US).

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:47 am

The Dragonflies cut the semifinals short and see Banija do the same thing - three games in, both teams are 3-0 and we have another chapter to a budding inter-regional rivalry. The Banija-Ko-oren rivalry certainly isn't very old, with only a handful of meetings between the two in various sports, but whenever these teams meet, it's a game for the ages and a result that matters. A lot.

These nations most frequently meet in the NSCF, in a conference long dominated by two Banijan programmes - but now that the Salamantic Universities have joined them, at least there is some competition for them. Both nations are peaking in the rankings at around the same time in baseball, but also in gridiron, the national team game as well as the college format, and even in soccer (where Ko-oren just beat Cosumar for third place in the AOCAF. Yes, the Dragonflies have won a knockout soccer game. Yes, the Dragonflies have won a knockout soccer game against Cosumar). So, effectively, the countries don't meet often, but when they do, there's usually a trophy on the line. And it won't be different in the World Baseball Classic.

The hegemony from just a couple teams, Newmanistan, Super-Llamaland, Schiltzberg, has been broken for a while. It only seems dead and buried now, with Newmanistan losing to us in the Round of 16, and the other two not even appearing in the Casaran stage. In the void left by the trio, several teams are trying to create a hegemony for themselves. The Free Republics, Cassadaigua, and West Phoenicia are at the forefront of this - and let's not forget that even though the Rockets have had a poor Classic, they are far from a bad team and they're in the mix to compete for a title once again in WBC 48. Another team, and this sounds a little odd, that could join those ranks, is the Dragonflies. We've appeared in two WBC finals across the past three Classics - that has to count for something. One factor that's not on our hand is the historical factor. The Dragonflies have only been among the Multiverse's top teams for a very, very short time. Before the title, our only claim to fame was a fourth place in what's pretty much a prehistoric WBC by now.

Ko-oren have reached the final by beating a lot of very good teams. Not to toot our own horn, but we've faced Cassadaigua (3-2), Liventia (3-1), and Newmanistan (3-0), and before that we've topped the Casaran stage and faced many more infamous contenders. Banija has gone through almost the same fixtures in the Casaran stage as the runners-up, then went up against A Mushroom Kingdom (3-2), the Greater Nordics (3-0), and Ethane (3-0). Not exactly the same kind of opposition, but the way they've handled them by going 9-2 in the process (0,818 winning percentage in the finals versus 'only' 0,719 in the Casaran). You don't often see a team that does better in the knockouts than in the group stage. Ko-oren, meanwhile, was 0,750 in the Casaran (24 from 32) and is 0,750 in the knockouts (9 from 12). A stable performance.

Something that's easily glossed over is the refusal of the team to play outside of Yoshima in the Casaran stage. The great results, combined with how fast the knockouts have gone by, have obfuscated the issue a little bit. Our national soccer team, going through something similar, self-destructed and as a result we've heard about nothing else until the team started winning again. Our baseball team has fought to a #1 status in the group stage through insane play at home, and defended that status all the way into the final. It's hard to argue with the politics and divisive issues if they're contributing to the best team we've ever seen. Sure, it'll carry on through the regular season, which has 6 teams from Yoshima and six from the rest of the country, and baseball's landscape will be different forever - but a lot of that is easily forgotten with another strong showing against Banija. Popularity for Yoshiman independence is at an all-time high, and sports are one way to acquire more support, and even the coaching staff isn't immune. Manager Koyo Watanabe focused on the Banijan rivalry first and foremost, hitting coach Miramontes (from Finisterre, so not from Yoshima) drew a parallel to beating Cosumar in the AOCAF... and pitching coach Oshita was on the microphone for longest, stressing how Yoshima's orange beats out Ko-oren's green and blue, and similar divisive remarks. Whether it'll come to a climax remains to be seen, but now is not the time to blow up the team over politics. It's finals time, and nothing else matters now.

by **Banija** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:13 am

One versus Two- Why this championship series is a fitting end to this Casaran Classic

Banijans celebrate Game 2 semifinal victory over Ethane

REPUBLICA, REPUBLICA DISTRICT, FREE REPUBLICS- The World Baseball Classic's two clear-cut best teams are meeting in the WBC Championship Series. That much, of course, is not really up for dispute. The Casaran format for the World Baseball Classic made for an interesting, if different, tournament- the constant matchups of good teams against other, high quality good teams. There would be no taking series off, there would be no easy wins for anybody in this format. You would be constantly battle tested, and that would allow the best teams to rise. And this format did just that, although it had some great casualties. There were just two teams that finished the 32 game group stage with less than 10 losses- first place Ko-oren, the WBC 45 champions who went a stunning 24-8, and the second place Banijans, who finished just a lone game behind the Dragonflies, at 23-9. And although both struggled mightily in the Round of 16, with both trailing in their 1st round playoff series against less favored opponents, and Banija particularly going down 0-2, they both fought off those challenges to come roaring into this championship series. Both teams emphatically swept their semifinal opponents to set up this matchup, with Banija in particular entering in red-hot form, as the winners of 9 games in a row.

Both Banija and Ko-oren have separated themselves from the pack here in the Free Republics, and they are going to be fiercely battling for how to separate themselves from each other, after this series is over. The ever-growing rivalry between Ko-oren and Banija when they met competitvely, for the first time, in the most popular sport in both countries- soccer. The knockout stages to AOCAF LIX saw the Dragonflies and the Kadongo Kamu drawn against each other in front of a crowd that numbered near 100,000 spectators, and it would be the Ko-orenites who would knock the Banijans out of Atlantian Oceania's most prestigious tournament. But while that was the o=previous showcase between the Banijan/Ko-oren sporting rivalry, surely now one that will be eclipsed by the championship series of a World Baseball Classic. The meetings are growing. There is the World Bowl 36 Quarterfinal, where Banijan dumped out Ko-oren 8-7 by outplaying them at their own game, and moreso, did that exactly on their own turf. The political and economic connections are developing between the two Atlantian Oceania nations as well, with a Ko-orenite business, Loro Language Schools, taking over foreign language instruction at University of Loyola-Busukuma, for future members of the Puritan Mormon church, as well as Banija's future diplomats, and even the grandsons of the Kabaka himself. Not to mention, with dozens of Banijan engineers taking foreign language classes at those schools in Ko-oren, these countries are growing more exposed to each other at a personal basis. And with Ko-oren's Salamantic Universities this past season being the first foreign school to beat a Banijan team in Celestia Conference play since NSCF 14, and the recruiting battles that will surely happen in each other's countries between the pair of Moravican schools and the Salamantic Universities, will only exaceberate that.

But baseball, surely is the foundation of this rivalry. Why do we say this? We are going to measure Banija in our own modern era of baseball(WBC 41-present). It is Ethane who has been our most common opponent, with four knockout stage battles between us(WBC 42, WBC 44, WBC 46, WBC 47). However, it might be the Dragonflies, in these past two World Baseball Classics, whom the Banijans most measure themselves against. Why? Well, take World Baseball Classic 46. In WBCs 41-45, the Banijans were a team that was briefly on the rise, but then, seemed to hit a wall. They went to the knockout stages in three consecutive tournaments, 42-44, but their only series victory was a play-in series victory in WBC 42. They could not get even to the quarterfinals, and were quickly becoming a perpetual bubble team. Just barely good enough to get to the knockout, but not nearly good enough to do anything once they are. Not bad enough to be taking the first plane home, but not good enough to be in the middle of any discussions about who will make a deep run, and nobody even thought they had the right pieces to even make a Cinderella run.

In WBC 46, of course, it all changed when Raymond Cloutier, the long-time manager from Ethane, was fired after five classics in charge. His replacement, naturally, was Ousman Kakay. A former player on the bronze medal Olympiad team, he had high expectations for Banijan baseball. Who was in their group, as they made it a mission to fly above their usual station in this sport? It was a group of death. Perennial baseball powers Schlitzberg, and the defending champions, Ko-oren. It would not be an easy road for the Banijans. But a sizzling start to the tournament saw six matchups against Ko-oren, and of course, even in the face of that competition, the Banijans came in with lots of confidence, and ambition, taking after their new manager. "I operate off of a system that you must believe that you are good enough to win all of your games.' Said Ousman Kakay. "We have a special squad, we have a talented squad, and to pull ourselves up in this sport would be a special accomplishment. Even if we were quiet about it, it was clear- Ko-oren was the goal. They are from Atlantian Oceania, they would be our measuring stick."

Shockingly, even as the Pot 3 side in this group against the defending champions and the perennial powers, Schlitzberg, the Banijans actually won this group. They went for it, and they stunned both the defending champions and the baseball world at-large, when we went 5-1 against Ko-oren and actually won this group. That kind of performance, against the elite of the elite, was what showed the Banijans were ready to make the jump from bubble team, to true contender. Of course, we know what happened next in that tournament. A 3-1 series victory over Ethane, a 3-1 series victory over co-hosts The Sherpa Empire, before finally falling to the stronger Cassadaigua side in the semifinals, by the same 3 games to 1. But it was set- the Banijans had taken their shot at the top, and with the vast majority of players certainly ready and capable of returning to the national team, the question then became this- was that WBC 46 run a cinderella run, or did they truly deserve to be mentioned as contenders?

We rose 14 spots in the WBC rankings, from 21st to 7th, after that bronze medal. And now, of course, we showed in the Casaran Classic that we truly did belong to be numbered among the contenders. WE had an absolutely incredible Casaran stage, and it was our best WBC 'group stage' performance to date. We took on the best teams that the multiverse has to offer, and one by one, we continued to play excellent baseball against the best of the best. It was great preparation for the challenges of the knockout stage. In fact, this team even had control of the top spot in the Casaran table for a significant amount of time, ultimately finishing in second, behind one team- and you already know who that is. Ko-oren was one game better than Banija during the Casaran stages- but the margins were so slim. Even when the Banijans met Ko-oren in this tournament, there wasn't much to seperate them. They split their four game series, 2-2, and each won a game at home and a game away from home. Once again, Ko-oren proved to be the measuring stick- and considering how we fared against them, and finished just behind them in the Casaran table, we looked to be in the same class. But Ko-oren is elite- they have a trophy. We don't have a trophy, therefore, we are not in that category- yet.

These two teams, the top two in the Casaran stages, even had similar knockout stage paths to get here. Both surprisingly, struggled mightily in the Round of 16 of this tournament. Banija almost fumbled it away entirely straight out of the gate, immediately going down 2 games to 0 to an unranked A Mushroom Kingdom. Ko-oren was playing a #16 seed, though they could be forgiven, considering their #16 seed they played was Newmanistan- never an easy out at this tournament. But still- both teams in the fights of their lives. Ko-oren went down 2 games to 1, Banija went down 2 games to none. Both had to stave off elimination against a hungry underdog, and force a Game 5. And both have been in cruise control since. Ko-oren has won 8 of its last 9 games, including a sweep in the semifinals, while Banija has won 9 in a row, including back-to-back sweeps in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Ko-oren's overall record in this classic is 33-11, while Banija's is 32-11. They have been close to equal throughout WBC 47. And who is the final hurdle for our national team to finally claim a trophy? None other than Ko-oren.

Once again, Ko-oren is the measuring stick. "There are different classes of teams in sports, and we went to keep rising." Said Ousman Kakay. 'We are no longer under the category of occasionally good- our performance in this classic, alongside our bronze medals in The Sherpa Empire, firmly give us contender status, at least for the time being. Ko-oren is at an elite status, however. They have that trophy. They have that ring. They are in Atlantian Oceania, our nations compete fiercely against each other in sports on multiple fronts. And in this sport, we are going to become more intertwined. We have four players on the national team, when this tournament is over, who will be on the first flight to Ko-oren. There are a host of Ko-orenite baseball players who will be plying their trade in the WBBL. They are a team that we see as our rival, and a team whose equal we strive to be." Of course, we cannot be their equal, or be in their class, the class of baseball's elite, without paying admission- and the price of admission into that club is winning a WBC title. Consecutive semfiinal appearances is great, of course, but without that trophy, we'll never be elite. We aren't elite in international gridiron as we sit without a trophy, and the same applies to lacrosse and basketball. We get that trophy, we can become elite. Nothing more, nothing less.

Of course, easier said than done. And as the team that has been the measuring stick for Banija in the last two tournaments, our victories against them in WBC 46 launching us to our first ever semifinal, and now, just a step behind them in the race to be declared the best in the multiverse. Their manager, Koto Watanabe, commented on the rivalry. ""We aren't blind to what's going on in other sports, so we know that this will add fuel to the fire. First of all, it's great to have a country, in Atlantian Oceania, that's so close to us in our sports endeavours, so I hope we'll stay each other's equals for a while. Second, we're here to pummel them into the ground. We've got a second WBC to win."

The Pitching Coach, Naomichi Oshita, had a decidedly controversial take on this. '"I'm wondering if this is a better rivalry than Ko-oren versus Yoshima in a couple of years from now. Let it be known that if we win here, it's not the green and blue of Ko-oren but the orange of Yoshima that celebrates here." It does, of course, reflect the development of the sport in each country. Yoshima being the dominant baseball region, even if it has some separatist tendencies. And of course, the WBBL standing for the Western Banijan Baseball League, reflecting the much larger popularity of the sport on the Western Coastlines than it is out East. It's certainly going to be an interesting series, a great series. Who will win the Best of 7? Who knows? But both teams will be well rested, both will have their rotations perfectly set, and the fireworks will be great. While we won't predict a winner, we of course root for Banija's rise into baseball's elite by bringing home our first ever World Baseball Classic championship. As always, go Banija!

by **Free Republics** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 5:16 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Finals Game 1 Cutoff presented by Victory Shoe Company! Victory Shoe Company: The Official Shoe of Champions!

Third Place Series Games 1 and 2

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua  0  0  1  0  3  0  1  0  0   5
Ethane       3  1  0  2  1  0  2  2  X   11

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane       1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1
Cassadaigua  2  0  4  1  0  3  1  0  X   11

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Finals Game 1

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija     0  1  0  1  2  0  1  0  2   7
Ko-oren    0  1  0  1  0  3  1  0  0   6

Banija leads 1 game to 0

NOTE: The finals will alternate "home" and "away" on a 2-3-2 basis.

by **Banija** » Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:31 am

Banija wins Game 1 of the WBC 47 Championship Series in dramatic fashion to take 1-0 series lead in the best of 7

Jonkong Sillah has decisive swing in top of the 9th inning

REPUBLICA, REPUBLICA DISTRICT, FREE REPUBLICS- The championship series of this classic was always going to be tight, and entertaining. The tournament's clear cut two best sides were meeting, and with both sides, and pitching staffs, well rested, we thought that we'd see a series of pitcher's duels. Game 1, met some of those expectations. It was tight, and certainly entertaining. The crowd was certainly into the game, with sections of orange and black for the Banijans, while Ko-oren green and blue was filling their own sections at the gargantuan Gem of the Oceans stadium, seating nearly 100,000 for this matchup. And, of course, their fair share of locals were here as well, rooting for a good game, for a chance to witness history. And with Assan Condé taking the ball for the Banijans, and Kasper Brands taking the ball for the Dragonflies, the expectations of the best of pitcher's duels might be met on this night.

Both pitchers had relatively easy first innings, with Brands and Condé both going 1-2-3 to start the game. But it was the second inning, where the bats would start to wake up for both sides. The Banijans, as the lower seeded visiting team, started to work its way through Brands. While Yakuba Kah could not figure Brands out, he did hit the ball hard, though an outstanding diving catch by Roibén Peredo on the line drive robbed him of a double. But it would be Cyper Kandeh that would start the rally. Cyper Kandeh, as the next batter, singled up the middle for a base hit. Lama Ouattara, the Designated Hitter turned third baseman for this series, slapped the ball into the gap at Gem of the Oceans Stadium. Cyper Kandeh, who was already running on contact, would sprint his way around the bases. Ouattara was doing his thing as well. Kandeh, with his slight head start because it had been a hit and run, was able to score all the way from 1st on the double, with the throw from the Ko-oren relay man landing just late. And with that, it was 1-0 to the Banijans. Jibril Mansaré added to his troubles by walking, putting men on 1st and 2nd with just one out. However, Brands is the ace of the Dragonflies staff for a reason. He got Xaaf Geele to pop up, and then, with 2 outs, Assan Condé struck out on three pitches.

The damage was limited, but it was there- the score was 1-0 to the Banijans. But Ko-oren would quickly respond. And they wouldn't need to string together hits like the Banijans did in the top half of the inning. Joshinobu Vamada, the Katashi Generals right-fielder, was going to make sure that he did this himself. Vamada took a 2-0 fastball and lifted it well over the fence in right field, to make a 1-0 Banijan lead disappear, just like that. Both aces had already leaked from the dam- Brands allowing 3 baserunners, and Assan Condé allowing the long ball. Regardless, it was 1-1, and the game was level. Of course, in the fourth inning, these two teams would each score once, again. A solo home run by Cyper Kandeh to lead off the 4th inning, who scored his 2nd run of the game, gave the Banijans a 2-1 lead. However, the Dragonflies were able to string together a series of hits in the bottom of the 4th. A double by Jasuviro Esumi, followed by back-to-back singles from Roibén Peredo and Sabino Lema, tied the game at 2 runs a piece with nobody out, and two on. It was all Assan Condé could do to prevent the damage from increasing- having to labor the rest of the inning, though he ultimately struck out the side to keep the game tied at 2 runs a piece.

Ko-oren would be forced to dip into their bullpen early, in the fifth inning. Assan Condé led off the inning for the Banijan bats- he, naturally, struck out in 3 pitches, the second time he had done so that game facing Kasper Brands. But the Banijan bats would work to give the Banijans the lead for the third time in this game. Assan Mansaré singled to center field to start the one out rally for the Banijans. The shortstop getting on base, and the Banijans would begin to put pressure on the Dragonflies. Duwa Sohna, after an 11 pitch at-bat with Brands, eventually earned a walk, to put men on 1st and 2nd with just one out, and Banija's best hitter, Jonkong Sillah, up at the plate. Sillah would work Brands as well. He fouled off the first 5 pitches in the at-bat, putting himself deep into an 0-2 count. Unfortunately for him, a nastly Brands slider saw him strike out, swinging, to have two outs in the inning. But then, Yakuba Kah came up to the plate. The first baseman got a 3-0 count, and so Brands was forced to throw a strike. Yakuba Kah, pulled the ball down the right field line, just barely fair. Everybody was running around the bases, and Mansaré would score easily. Sohna would score all the way from first, just barely beating the throw, as the 2 out, 2-run double gave the Banijans the lead. Once Cyper Kandeh walked on five pitches, Koto Watanabe walked up to the pitchers' mound. Brands, Ko-oren's ace, was done. Not the greatest start- 4.2 innings, 4 earned runs. Moises Carballar was brought on to stop the bleeding, and get out the lefty, Ouattara. After working his way to a 3-2 count, a brilliant breaking ball caught Ouattara swinging, and the damage was done. But still- 4-2 to the Banijans, and Brands was knocked out of the game early. Ko-oren would be forced to get 4+ innings, at least, out of their pen.

In the fifth, Banija's starter mowed down the Ko-oren lineup. But it was the 6th inning where Assan Condé would get into trouble. It would be Esumi leading off the bottom of the 6th for Ko-oren, and he was ready for this matchup. Esumi took a 2-0 pitch and, having doubled already on the afternoon, hit a line drive to the gap in right-center field. He hustled around the bases, clearly trying to stretch two bases into 3- putting pressure on the Banijan defense. Jibril Mansaré was the cutoff man, and not expecting Esumi to keep running, had to rush a throw into Ouattara at third base. The throw, while just barely in time, was off line. Putting pressure on the defense, of course, is a strategy that can pay off, and it did here, giving the Dragonflies a leadoff triple to start this inning. The pressure was on- would Banija's ace be able to fight it? And, of course, a man on third with the 3-4-5 hitters coming up, is never good. Gibril Sowe started to warm up in the bullpen, while the veteran pitching coach Yakuba Borussa visited the mound. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. While Peredo struck out, a Sabino Lema fly ball to left field was deep enough to allow Esumi to tag up and score. The score was 4-3, the game ever tightening, and now, 2 outs. Assan Condé was at 111 pitches. With nobody on, Ousman Kakay would want his ace to finish the inning, to have a smooth 9 outs for this bullpen to get. Vamada, the left hander, would be the last hitter Assan Condé would face. Unfortunately, Assan Condé walked him, putting a runner on 1st with 2 outs. Ousman Kakay came out to get his ace. Gibril Sowe came on to face Viera. Sowe's first pitch was a breaking ball that did not break- it simply hung out. Viera took full advantage of it. He blasted the ball into the 5th row in left field, and just like that, the Dragonflies led for the first time on the night, 5-4. Half of the crowd going bonkers. Assan Condé had a final line of 5.2 innings, 4 earned runs, with a no decision. Gibril Sowe, of course, on hook for the loss. And now, the Banijans trailing, the game script being flipped.

Sowe was able to get the final out of the inning, getting Tevi Kagulazaka to ground out quite routinely to second base. But the damage was done- the Banijans were trailing the best pitching staff in the World Baseball Classic, and it was getting later in the game. But the Banijans were not going to roll over. They were going to show grit and determination, in the face of what was happening. In the 7th, we got back on the board, with Duwa Sohna hitting a solo home run. He hit his home run against Roman Sotolongo, to tie the game at 5. But unfortunately, Foday Kandeh could not hold the lead in the 7th. Henrique Toca, pinch hitting for Ko-oren reliever Sotolongo, hit a base hit to start the bottom of the seventh. Fouquet hit a single to move him up to 2nd, players on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. With a pair of right handers due up, Kandeh was taken out for Jebel Darboe. Darboe got Dragonflies leadoff hitter Ritsushima to hit a ground ball up the middle, leading to a 4-6-3 double play. Two outs, and Toca on third base. Darboe left in to face Esumi, who had been dominating Banijan pitching on the day. Esumi hit a RBI single up the middle, giving him a single, double, and triple on the day, just a home run shy of the cycle. Toca scored, and the Dragonflies led, 6-5. Darboe was able to get Peredo to strike out to end the inning, but still.

That meant the Dragonflies could turn to the back end of their bullpen. Koyo Igarashi was called upon to pitch the 8th, and although he allowed a two out single, ultimately, no runners got into scoring position, and nobody scored. Xaaf Geele was the last out of the inning, a simple pop-up. And even with the Banijans trailing by a run, rather than leading by one, Sarjo Touré, the Banijan setup man, was called upon to pitch the 8th anyways. All the middle relievers were used at that point. He went 1-2-3, and the game went to the 9th. The veteran closer, Varunobu Ozawa, was called upon to get the last 3 outs of Game 1. With Banija's pitcher up to bat, nobody in their right mind thought Sarjo Touré would touch a bat, and he didn't. Ousman Kakay called upon Jabril Saidykhan to pinch hit. Jabril Saidykhan, coming off the bench, to face Ozawa. IT was a determined at bat. Fortunately for Banija, Saidykhan was able to hit a bloop single to left field, the ball barely landing between the left fielder and shortstop. Fairly lucky, the speedster, Lalo Kuyateh, was brought on as a pinch runner.

Ozawa would be left to face the rest of the Banijan lineup. Assan Mansaré could not do any damage against the Dragonflies closer, getting the count to 2-2 but ultimately striking out looking on a fantastic slider. Duwa Sohna, who had hit a home run just two innings prior, could not do anything either. Kuyateh is a guy who likes to run, but Ko-oren's catchers are world class. Running against Tevi Kagulazaka is a fool's errand, even for the fastest of runners. Kagulazaka's reflexes are quick, and he throws the ball with stunning pace and accuracy off of a steal attempt. Therefore, Kuyateh could not run, although he would of course still be a danger on the basepaths. Sohna, as the next hitter, popped up. But of course, to keep Kuyateh honest, they had to keep throwing heat. Even the best of catchers could not catch somebody stealing when an offspeed pitch is thrown, so two and four seam fastballs were the norm in this inning for Ozawa. When Jonkong Sillah came up, as the last Banijan hope, people thought hope was lost.

A pair of outside fastballs made the count 2-0. But when a fastball was called for inside, Ozawa left it hanging a little too much over the middle. Sillah's eyes popped open. He swung, and smashed the ball the other way. It was an absolute no doubter. 415 feet, hit the other way, over the right field wall. Banija's best hitter, when the Banijans were just 1 out from losing Game 1, had suddenly turned a game from where all hope seemed lost, to an extremely late Banijan lead. Fans dressed in orange started jumping around, letting out the loudest of cheers. All the watch parties at home were going absolutely crazy. Sillah had just stolen a possible victory from the jaws of defeat. When Banijan pitching was all out of sort, when both Assan Condé and the middle relievers got continuously pounded for a lot of the game, the Banijans were still here, scrappily fighting their way to the lead.

Demba Baturu came on in the bottom of the 9th, and he slammed the door shut. 1-2-3 inning, with a strikeout, followed by a popup, followed by another strikeout to win Game 1 for the Banijans. And what a game it was. Back and forth, plenty of lead changes, great entertainment, and great hitting. Ousman Kakay spoke to reporters after the game. "Wow, what a game that was." He said. "It was a great advertisement for everything that is great about baseball- this sport, this game, is a fantastic one. It can be wildly entertaining, especially when the stakes continue to rise, and the unexpected happens. Brands vs. Assan Condé was supposed to be a pitcher's duel- and it was not. People got to starters, veterans scored, rookies scored, and when the pressure was on, both teams played brilliantly. But our boys prevailed on this night, and that cannot be taken away from them. But this is just one game- this is a long series, a Best of 7. There is plenty of series left to be played, and we've gotta be ready for tomorrow night."

After that classic, who knows what tomorrow will bring us? Banta Jawara vs. Gus Gavreau is the pitching matchup. Jawara has had an up and down time in the knockout stages. He lasted just 2/3s of an inning in Game 2 of the Round of 16, and after great performances in Game 5 of the Ro16 and Game 3 of the Quarterfinals, he struggled again in Game 2 of the Semifinals, only lasting 3+. Which Jawara will we see? Will he pitch up to his full potential? Or will the pressure get to him, once again? It will be an entertaining matchup, certainly. A pitcher's duel, once again, has to be the expectation, but in a championship series between these two teams, almost anything can go.

As always, go Banija!

by **Free Republics** » Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:17 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

This is your Finals Game 2 Cutoff presented by DA Sports! DA Sports: The Originators of Surprise Mechanics!

Third Place Series Games 3 and 4 Results

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 Total
Cassadaigua  1  0  3  3  1  0  0  0  0  0   8
Ethane       0  0  3  0  4  0  1  0  0  1   9

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane       0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0
Cassadaigua  1  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  X   2

Series tied at 2 games apiece

Finals Game 2 Result

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija     0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1  2   4
Ko-oren    0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0

Banija leads series 2 games to 0

by **Banija** » Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:07 am

Banta Jawara dominates Dragonflies as he leads Banija to 4-0 shutout victory over Ko-oren

Banta Jawara throws a pitch in Game 2 of the WBC Championship Series

REPUBLICA, REPUBLICA DISTRICT, FREE REPUBLICS- We've mentioned this a few times in this magazine, but Banta Jawara, normally a stalwart in what is well-known as a domination Banijan pitching staff, has been up and down in the knockout stages of this World Baseball Classic. Across these four starts, his ERA has been a stunning 6.51, an ERA that you would not have expected from the guy who is pining to be the ace of the Banijan rotation, and likely will be a top pick when the inaugaural WBBL draft happens just after the end of this tournament. Of course, while the ERA is a lot higher than where it should be, it is because he has had a string of up and down performances in these knockout stages. In Game 2 of the Round of 16 series, with the Banijans already down 1 game to 0, he got bombed by A Mushroom Kingdom. He allowed 5 earned runs in just 2/3s of an inning, and he had to be taken out of the game way early. The Banijans, of course, ended up losing that game, and found themselves on the brink of elimination against the unranked, upstart side from A Mushroom Kingdom.

When Assan Condé was called upon to pitch three innings of relief in Game 4 of that series, just to see the series tied at 2 games to 2, Banta Jawara was asked to pitch, once again, in the decisive, do-or-die game 5. And he showed that he had recovered from the pillaging that he had been on the receiving end of in Game 2 of the series. He allowed just a lone earned run through 5 innings, as he made his way through the lineup twice in the eventual 7-2 victory for the Banijans, that pushed us over and into the tournament's quarterfinals. It seemed, at that point, that the Game 2 start was just a blip in the radar- nothing much to read into, these kind of things happen all the time, even the best pitchers have off days. When Jawara took the mound in the closeout game of the Quarterfinals, Game 3, his dominant performance of 7 shutout innings saw the return of the dominant starter. And so when Jawara got the ball in Game 2 of the semifinals, many expected another dominant outing. Instead, he was chased after 3+ innings, allowing 5 earned runs in a wild, shocking 18-10 victory over Ethane.

So the question of which Jawara we would get was certainly relevant. Was it the one who had no control, and whose bad innings led into disastrous outings, like we saw in the Round of 16 and in the semifinals, or would it be the Jawara we got in the Game 5 matchup of the Round of 16, and the quarterfinals? Fortunately for Ousman Kakay, and for our fans and the team, it was a vintage Banta Jawara that we got on the mound on this day. And fortunately for people who are fans of great pitching, what we had on this day was a pitching masterclass, from both sides. The pitcher's duel that we were promised in Game 1 of this series came to fruition for a good portion of this day. Banta Jawara was facing off against Gus Gavreau, the veteran left hander from the Arakuwa Knights. Both knew that they wanted to be on top of their game for the series upcoming, as the Banijans wanted to continue their hot streak and take a commanding 2-0 series lead, while Gavreau wanted to make sure that the series went back to being level, this time at 1 game a piece, and continue to show that there was not much to separate this pair of Atlantian Oceania baseball teams.

So when Gus Gavreau took the mound in the top of the 1st, he started mowing down Banijan batter after Banijan batter. And when Banta Jawara did the same in the bottom half of the inning, he started mowing down Ko-oren hitter after Ko-oren hitter. The result? An epic pitcher's duel with the stakes essentially through the roof, with so much on the line for both teams. Both pitchers came through. Neither team even got a baserunner until the 3rd inning. In the top of the third inning, it would be Xaaf Geele who had a 1 out single, who got the first hit and base-runner of the game for either side. In the bottom half of the inning, it would be Gus Gavreau himseflf who would break up Banta Jawara's near perfect start so far in the game, when he slapped a single the opposite way to right field for a base hit. Right over the head of the second baseman, it was the first time in this series so far that a pitcher on either team had reached base. Of course, in both instances, the door was quickly slammed shut, so it was 0-0 after 3 innings.

Banta Jawara finally got some run support on his side in the top of the 4th inning. Duwa Sohna led off the inning, so the 2-3-4 hitters were up to the plate. It was clear, considering the way both pitchers were dealing at that point, that runs were going to be at a premium in this game, much more of a premium than in Game 1 just the night before. Sohna finding the gap on a 2-0 fastball was a blessing for the Banijans, as he stood up at second base after a leadoff double. With a runner in scoring position for the first time in the game, Ousman Kakay had the hitters that he wanted up- the 3-4-5 hitters in the order were next for the Banijans, and they would be tasked with bringing Sohna home. Gavreau, however, faced them down with no fear. Jonkong Sillah, the 9th Game 1 hero, struck out swinging on a 1-2 curveball down in the dirt. The next batter, Yakuba Kah, popped up to first base. Would Gavreau strand the Banijan center fielder? Cyper Kandeh came to the plate, batting fifth. After taking a fastball for strike one, he hit a breaking ball that went just over the head of Dragonflies second baseman Oscar Viera for a base hit. Sohna, who was running on contact, was always going home. He had gotten a good jump from second base, and the throw from right fielder Joshinobu Vamada was into second base, not having a chance at getting Sohna out. The game was 1-0, to the Banijans.

Banta Jawara and Gus Gavreau continued their pitcher's duel. IT was a duel so good, in fact, that neither team even got a runner in scoring position again until the 8th inning. Gus Gavreau basically had one bad pitch the entire night, the one that led to the leadoff double for Duwa Sohna, but otherwise, he was carving his way through a team that had just scored 7 runs the night before. And good thing he was- Ko-oren's bullpen had logged 13 outs the night before. They needed the rest, they needed their starter to go deep, and that's exactly what he was doing. Banta Jawara was matching him however, pitch for pitch. Both pitchers were absolutely dominant through 7 innings, with Gavreau giving up just one run, while Jawara had given up none. We got to the 8th inning, however, and in that inning, plenty of starters are known to wear down. The same thing happened to Gus Gavreau. Xaaf Geele led off the inning for the Banijans. He had hit a single to right field. Of coursse, in a one run game, and only their second time all game getting the leadoff hitter on base, Kakay had a decision to make. Would he ask Banta Jawara to bat, so he could leave his sizzling starter on the mound? Or would he reach for a pinch hitter, and turn the game to the back end of the bullpen?

He showed enormous faith in his starter to leave him on the mound. The third baseman moved in, expecting the sacrifice bunt. There was only one way Jawara could lay this one down. He laid down an absolutely perfect sacrifice bunt down the right field line. Geele, of course, was running on contact with this bunt, and there was no play at second base, as Jawara was thrown out at first. But still- moved a runner into scoring position for only the second time all night, with just one out. Helping his own cause, huh? Assan Mansaré, the leadoff hitter, came up to the plate. The shortstop, maybe as a sign of Gus Gavreau tiring, hit the ball to right field, and got a lot of the ball. It even looked like it was going over the fence- but it would be right fielder Joshinobu Vamadam, who would leap and reach over the wall to bring the ball back into play. A home run robbed by the excellent Dragonflies defense, although Geele, in a spate of great baserunning, was able to tag up. Two outs, runner on third. Gus Gavreau was on 99 pitches. Did they leave him in to face Sohna? After a mound conference, Gavreau was left in to face one last batter.

Sohna, who had scored the game's only run at that point, contributed once again, big time. He hit a sharp ball down the third base line, which was dived upon just around the foul line, but deep behind the bag by Dragonflies third baseman Sabino Lema. It would be an incredibly tough play to try and get the ball across the diamond in time. He got up, and threw a dart across the infield to the Ko-orenite first baseman. It was ruled out on the field. However, via instant replay from a challenge by Ousman Kakay, the call was overturned, showing that Sohna, who slid headfirst into first base(the desperation of a championship series, eh?) got his hand onto the bag, just barely before the throw got there. Hard, scrappy baserunning, ruled an infield single, and now a 2-0 lead for the Banijans. Of course, that was the end of the night for Gavreau, who got a standing ovation from the stadium. 7 and 2/3s, 2 earned runs, just 4 hits and no walks given up on the night. A brilliant performance. Virovaru Janagimoto was brought on to face Jonkong Sillah, and he got the Game 1 hero on the first pitch, a routine fly out to center field. Still- the Banijans led, 2-0.

Banta Jawara came on for the 8th inning. His pitch count was getting up there- 94 pitches thrown entering the inning. And yet, he felt he could give one last inning to the cause. And he did. After allowing a leadoff single, he convinced Kakay to allow him to stay on the mound, and he pitched brilliantly. Getting a Ko-oren batter to strike out, then getting Henrique Toca, a pinch hitter for Ko-oren's pitcher, to strike out as well. And lastly, getting Ko-oren's leadoff hitter to pop up, therefore stranding the runner at first base. He would not pitch the 9th. When the inning ended, he let out a shout and pointed to the skies, getting a hefty cheer from the fans in orange. And that meant the Banijans led, 2-0, entering the 9th inning. Those looking for insurance runs would get them. Yakuba Kah led off the inning with a single, and while Cyper Kandeh struck out, Lama Ouattara put some insurance runs on the board. He hit the ball well into the second deck down the left field line at Gem of the Oceans Stadium, doubling the Banijan lead from 2-0 to 4-0, and basically ending the Ko-oren resistance. As it wasn't a save situation, Sarjo Touré came on and slammed the door in the faces of the Dragonflies. The setup man struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th, therefore giving the Banijans the win, and a 2-0 lead in the series.

There is a day off, and then, Games 3, 4, and 5 will be played three nights in a row. The Banijans find themselves two games from a WBC championship- but of course, nothing has been won yet. "Don't talk to me about anything besides Game 3." Said Ousman Kakay. "Ko-oren is a former champion, and the Casaran stage's #1 team for a reason- they will fight back against any and all odds. Being up 2-0 is nice, but this game won't effect the next one." And he is right, of course, on that narrow point. The next 3 games, of course, will be played under Banija's preferred rule settings, which means that both teams will use a designated hitter, rather than having the pitcher hit. Duta Condé will face Senzo Utada on the mound in Game 3. Duta Condé has had a good classic so far. With Banija's tournament on the line in Game 3 of the Round of 16, he pitched like an ace, and the team has not lost since, winners of now 11 straight. Can he put Banija on the brink of our first WBC title? Or will Utada put Ko-oren right back in this series, by outpitching his counterpart?

It will surely be an entertaining one here in Republica. As always, go Banija!

World Baseball Classic 47 Everything Thread

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