[Muppetus Galacticus]

The Semi Finals Get Under Way (All stats are postseason)

With the teams whittled down from 18 to just 4 in just three weeks, the stakes become higher and the nerves are frayed to breaking point.

First up were the NBA against MaxLB. The NBA swept the NLB and had some extra rest days to their advantage; but would it make them stale when action started again?

The rampant MaxLB side destroyed the TPL 3-1 scoring 25 runs in the last two games to their opponents 5. In round robin action the two teams are even at 1-1.

Cliff Hass (0-1 6.48ERA) took to the mound for MaxLB after looking for better luck than in his last playoff outing. Facing the TPL he struck out 18 batters but still collected the loss after the teams offense had a rare day being unable to keep up with their counterparts.

The starting pitcher for the NBA was Bill Powell. "Red" Powell (1-0 0.00ERA) has yet to lose a game in the World Cup and is the true leader of this teams pitching staff.

With the stadium packed and the players set it was time to play ball. It was MaxLB who got off to the better start when 2B Les Lamoreaux Jr. hit a 2-run homer (3) with 2 outs. After last night's game, Lamoreaux Jr. is now batting .545 with 3 homeruns and 17 RBIs and has become the fans' favourite of the World Cup.

In the top of the 3rd inning the game ignited when Hass loaded up the bases with walks before 2B Ryan Davies hit a bases clearing double to give his side the lead. "Pudge" Davies, 26, is also hitting extremly well in the playoffs with a BA of .571, 2 HR's and 7 RBIs.

MaxLB had an answer though and in the bottom of the inning CF Jimenez brought home Krom for just his 2nd RBI of the playoffs before Lamoreaux Jr. grabbed his 3rd RBI (17) of the game. The score now stood at 4-3 to MaxLB.

The NBA stuck with them though and in the very next inning they tied the game when SS Jolbert Vega hit a solo bomb (1) 445ft over the wall. Vega has struggled since the round robin stage with a shoulder injury and a BA below .100 Maybe this is his turning point.

MaxLB then turned on the afterburners and sent themselves surging ahead with RF Krom getting a homer (1) before Karem Jimenez scored the 3rd run out of the 4 he scored in the game and going 5 for 5. At the end of 5 the score was 6-4 to MaxLB. They then scored again in the 6th to make it 7-4.

Both sides would match each other by scoring a run each in the 7th to end the days scoring and give MaxLB an 8-5 victory and take the first game in the best of 5 series.

Cliff Hass kept his big arm on show for 7 innings striking out 11 and taking his record to 1-1 with an ERA of 6.46 after giving up all 5 NBA runs. Thomas Mctaggart picked up his 3rd save of the World Cup and only his 1st of the playoffs.

Bill Powell struggled at times as he threw 125 pitches in just 6.1 innings picking up the loss and taking his record to 1-1 with a 5.14ERA.

Tonight Paul Klein will be looking to lead his team to a 2-0 lead in the series when he takes to the mound for MaxLB. He gave up just 1 run in the win against the TPL and has completed all three matches he has started. He also has 2 shutouts and the NBA will have to work very hard to get anything off him.

Carlos Anthony is also 1-0 in these playoffs only giving up the 1 run. He also holds a win against MaxLB this year.

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The second semi-final was between the hot XBL and the tournament favourites the NBL. The NBL finished 9-1 in the round robin and made quick qork of the FLB 3-1, only dropping Game 2 in extra innings. Their starting pitcher yesterday was Jake Nahgler (1-0 1.13ERA).

James Stone was up on the mound for the XBL who had an horrific time against the C2C in Game 2 of that series. He lasted 2.1 innings giving 7 runs off 6 hits. The 18yr old is already something truly special but as the World Cup progresses we will just have to see if he can handle the big stage.

The game was tied after 1 inning with XBL's shortstop Jose Reyes hitting a solo homer (1) and Wendell Aldwin coming home for the NBL thanks to a wild pitch by Stone.

The XBL just exploded in the 2nd going 5-1 up with a solid effort through the batting order. Including RBIs from J.D. Closser (3), Rickie Weeks (4) and 2 from DH Alex Romero (6).

The NBL responded in kind again with 4 runs of their own in the 3rd with a two run single from RF Derek Ingram (4), a ground rule double RBI for Wendell Aldwin (5) and a a sacrifice fly for NBL catcher Zack Rozway (9).

The game was 5-5 going into the 4th when the XBL took the lead for the third time thanks to Jose Reyes' RBI (3) triple. The scored stayed like this until the 7th where both sides managed another run each including a Jack Cust 400ft homerun (2) for the XBL. Then in the 8th the XBL took the gap to 2 runs with another homer, this time from player of the geams Rickie Weeks (1).

Nahgler had a torried time, lasting just 3.2 innings and goving up 8 hits and 6 runs. His opposite number, James Stone, went 6.2 innings also giving up 6 runs but not before doing enough at the mound to get the W.

Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 7th save of the campaign and 3rd of the playoffs.

Tonight the teams clash again with P.J. Bevis (0-0 7.72) taking to the mound for the XBL after coming in for just over 2 innings of work against C2C a week ago.

His counterpart will the much feared Greg Rymon. So far in this World Cup he has pitched as good as anyone. In his other playoff match he gave up 11 hits and 4 runs and will be looking to get back on track tonight.