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When these teams met in week three the Aces won 5-3 and 5-2. The games were very different in how they came those results, though. In game one, the Wicked Aces built a 5-0 lead against Brandon Corbett, but the Balls scrapped their way back against Evan Bischoff to make it 5-3 in the fifth before Austin Bischoff came in to close it down. However, in game two it was the Balls who got to Austin first to take a 2-0 lead. The Aces held the Balls scoreless after that, though, and rallied back to tie it in the third, then take the lead in the fourth. Since then, the Aces have kept steady rolling. They made it to 10-0 before being dealt their first loss last week in a split with El Diablos. On the season they are averaging 13.6 RS per series, having managed double digits in four of five series played (excluding forfeit wins over the Ducks). They are second in average as a team, .314, and third in slugging, .514. On the flip side, they have allowed only 9 runs all season. The most surrendered in any series are the five given up to their opponents this week, Holy Balls. At 0.88 their team ERA is best in the league by a staggering 1.82! Their staff is also second in strike outs per game, averaging 12.6, and walks allowed per game, 4.5. Meanwhile, at 1.4, they are first in hits surrendered.
Holy Balls have played this whole season hovering around the .500 mark after facing strong pitching through the first three weeks of the season, culminating with the sweep by Whiteford. This past week saw them finally climb out from that limbo to four games over .500; yes, helped out by two forfeit wins. The Balls are not excited about getting their wins over the Warriors that way, but they are not letting it dampen the mood of the clubhouse either. Fueled by the recent signings of David Castle and Andrew Piasecki, as well as a shakeup in the starting rotation - Nick Braden in, Corbett out - the Balls confidence is soaring. In their five games leading up to the forfeits their offense scored 53 runs, more than doubling their production on the year. Something that has been there all season for Holy Balls is the rock solid pitching of Chris Paquin. His 6 wins are the second most in WSEM. His 1.87 ERA is fourth among pitchers who have thrown in more than two games. He has allowed just 19 BB in 29 innings, and he has managed to defeat the dangerous El Diablos twice. Lockdown pitching is no stranger to the Wicked Aces, either; in fact they have made their name by it. Evan Bortmas and Austin Bischoff are back-to-back in ERA at numbers two and three: 0.31 and 0.56, respectively (Add them together and you are still sub-1.00!). Additionally, both are second and third in KpI, as well. Austin is hurling 2.67 strike outs per inning, while Evan is right on his tail with 2.63. Two of these three are running away with the All-Star voting for pitchers in the Ringler Division; perhaps what we see out of them Sunday could influence who ends up with that starting job in August - you know, in addition to all that stuff about playoff seeding , pennants, etc. The Aces bring in the 2-0 lead in the season series, a two game lead in Ringler (three over the Balls), and have rolled through their season so far with an unfaltering gait. The Balls have come on strong in recent weeks, are out to show they can do more than just hang with the first place Aces, and that they do not need forfeits to climb the ranks. Poolside Park, which has also seen a pair of forfeits this season, finally gets to showcase its real opening day as the venue for these two teams to make their second half statements. |
| Field of Make-believe | Pervis Memorial | Poolside Park | |||
| 6/21 | 6/23 | 6/23 | |||
| IS | 2|5 | DU | 3|1 | HB | 0|2 |
| KF | 12|15 | EL | 0|11 | WA | 3|1 |
| Unavailable Pitchers: 1 Game: Matt (BW), Morris (DU), C. Phillips (EL), Mundel (IS), M. Brannan (KF), TBD (WW), A. Bischoff (WA) 2 Games: N/A |
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A good week for the house in week 8, as the best Pickers broke even at 3-3. Rich and Chris posted that number, but came to the result from opposite ends before their lock. Chris was 1-3, but his lock of Holy Balls minus the 10.5 runs against Belgian pulled him back even. Rich was 3-1, but busted his lock on Mark Brannan over 11.5 Ks against Belgian to lose the advantage. David also got burnt by his lock: 2-2 going in, but doubling down on Belgian +10.5 against Balls has him finishing last at 2-4. Alex gains a tiny step against David by posting a 2-3 record last week; he did not play his lock, and neither bold pick of Aces to sweep El Diablos or over 3 steals in the Westside/Islanders series were kind to him. Two picks of note: 1) Westside @ Balls series result was wiped off the board due to forfeits, and 2) everybody missed in the Ducks @ Islanders series by going with the split. Short and sweet week now in week 9, just three series. Two high Over/Unders set, and both see picks made in unison across the board. The variation comes in where the locks are set and the Marquee series point spread. Common sense may tell you to put your potato chips where Rich and Chris put theirs on that one. David is the only one double-y confident with his pick of Aces to cover in that one, though. Rich is playing his big chips on the over 22.5 runs in the Isles @ Friday series, while Chris and Alex both go big on the under 46.5 Ks in Ducks @ Els. |
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 David (14 - 22) |
 Richard (23 - 14) |
 Alex (11 - 22) |
 Chris (19 - 18) |
 @  Series Point Spread: WA -6.5 |
Wicked Aces -6.5 |
Holy Balls +6.5 I know better than to count on the balls but I have to make up ground after my horrible last week. |
Wicked Aces -6.5 |
Holy Balls +6.5 Braden takes Austin deep... Again! |
 @  Total Runs Scored: Over/Under 22.5 |
Over |
Over |
Over We're going to light up that crazy field. |
Over Everyone scores a run on the Islanders but Linebrink. |
 @  Total Ks: Over/Under 46.5 |
Under |
Under It's time for the Anas platyrhynchos to nut up or shut up. |
Under Lock IT! |
Under Sombrero and foul pole falls on Pearson's head. |
