MCSN: August 11, 2012

Cannon battled the Believas

Don't Stop, Believas

Week 7 Recap

Thu, Aug 23, 2012

Most expected a sleepy final day of the regular season as most seeds had been essentially locked up.

However, the Believas opened up more than just the day's games against a short-handed Cannon team that included Clarendon-park near-resident Samuel "the Shepherd" Baturoni as a sub.

The Believas set league records for hits (40) and runs in the 32-5 victory and every player had at least two hits and combined for at least 2 runs or RBIs. [Editor's note: previous high for runs was 26 in a playoff game by Rock Salt vs. In Focus Cowboys on Sep 8, 2007; previous high for hits was 33 last year by The Franchise vs. Minor Prophets on Jul 23rd.]

Baturoni, the ace pitcher for the Killer Beehs, could only wonder what this showing portended for his scheduled appearance later in the day against the might bats of the Transformers. Jonathon Chong accounted for the bulk of Cannon's offense with four RBIs.

The main attraction of the day followed as Pass the Plate needed to beat the Transformers by 15 runs to gain the top seed in the playoffs and avoid the Believas in the first round.

However, the Transformers built a quick 6-1 lead, which was momentarily cut to 7-5 after the top fo the sixth, but the Transformers answered with four runs of their own and after a quiet seventh inning, the Transformers emerged with a 11-6 win and the league standings were set in stone.

Ovi Tisler led the attack with four RBIs, while Steve Portokalis led Plate's attack with three RBIs. Pass the Plate was without star outfielder Lester "the Investor" Carter, who should be fresh for a playoff run.

The day's finale looked to be nothing more than a victory lap for the Transformers' perfect season, and perhaps an opportunity for them to try to beat the Believas' morning records.

But nobody gave the memo to the Killer Beehs, who jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after 2 innings.

The Transformers came unhinged for four runs in the third and it was all tied at four after three innings as Samwise Baturoni, who only hours earlier had been the victim of a record-breaking offensive output, continued to battle the big guns of the Transformers.

However, the Beehs just didn't have enough sting in their bats to match the Transformers, who despite one of their lowest offensive outputs of the year, still managed to win 9-5.

The Transformers' Ovi Tisler was the only player on either team to muster more than two RBIs.

“It's like a turnstyle here.”

- Umpire Rob Tong on the Believas scoring a record-smashing 32 runs

Thus concluded the seventh regular season of the MCSN.

The Transformers finished undefeated and staked their claim to the best team ever. Of course, nobody remembers regular season champs (see last year's Usual Suspects, who lost in the finals).

Next week, the slates will be wiped clean and everyone will start on an even footing, except for the Killer Beehs and Cannon who face each other in a play-in game to get to the four-team tournament.

Nevertheless, dreams will be dreamed, and shattered, on the grounds of Clarendon Park over the next two weeks.

Will the Transformers' age make them rusty?

Will Pass the Plate do it enough times to advance?

Can the Believas turn faith into works?

Can the Killer Beehs do more than contribute an abundance of puns to a lightly-read weekly news report?

Will Cannon ever light their wick?