A few tiebreaks required to decide the final composition of this year’s Lincoln Cup. They were as follows:
- GAL Champion: Sandy Springs Hitmen and Savannah Sand Gnats tied at 62-43: Sandy springs won 6-5 in 17 innings! Savannah still go through as the WC.
- INL Champion: Evansville Triplets and Gary Steelers tied at 60-45: Gary won 7-4.
- MDL Champion: Frederick War Hawks and Rockville Regals tied at 71-34: Frederick won 2-0.
- SDL: Sioux Falls Canaries and Watertown Bombers tied at 56-49: Sioux Falls won 10-4 (first time Watertown hasn’t won).
And some countbacks were also needed:
- FLL Wildcard: St. Petersburg Pelicans and Cape Coral Hammerheads tied at 58-47: St. Petersburg 9-6 head-to-head.
- PAL Wildcard: Chester Bobcats and Lancaster Red Roses tied at 58-47: Chester 8-7 head-to-head.
- WAL Wildcard: Bellingham Stevedores and Kirkland Crawdads tied at 62-43: Bellingham 8-7 head-to-head.
The defending champion Ketchikan Bootleggers are not here, finishing 3 games back of Wasilla in the AKL, but runner-up New Rochelle is. And just 3 teams – Georgetown Baptists (KY); Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM); Cranston Rays (RI) – remain undefeated in their league’s championship in the 4 seasons to this point. My former side Honolulu won the HAL easily and are back for their third crack.
Just while I have a moment, here is how the teams I chose Butte over went this season (last season in brackets):
- MEL: Bangor Lumber Barons 46-59, 21 GB (35-70, 32 GB)
- RIL: Pawtucket Slaters 34-71, 43 GB (31-74, 51 GB)
- SDL: Rapid City Monuments 52-53 4 GB (44-61, 26 GB)
- VTL: Montpelier Green Mountain Boys 47-58, 12 GB (44-61, 16 GB)
Finally, West Virginia’s Parkersburg Marblers had the best overall record for the season, an astonishing 83-22.
Here are the first round matchups:
64-St. Petersburg Pelicans (FL) v 1-Parma Progressives (OH)
63-Chester Bobcats (PA) v 2-Parkersburg Marblers (WV)
62-Brockton Shoemakers (MA) v 3-Sterling Heights Howlers (MI)
61-Flint Wolverines (MI) v 4-Yonkers Seahawks (NY)
60-Savannah Sand Gnats (GA) v 5-Kent Comets (WA)
59-Bellingham Stevedores (WA) v 6-Newark Colonials (NJ)
58-Canton Terriers (OH) v 7-St. Charles Canucks (MO)
57-Gastonia Flyers (NC) v 8-Norwalk Humpbacks (CT)
56-Cicero Statesmen (IL) v 9-Newport News Swabbies (VA)
55-Irvine Griffins (CA) v 10-Cranston Rays (RI)
54-Irving Broncos (TX) v 11-Hattiesburg Guards (MS)
53-Woodbridge Brawlers (NJ) v 12-Chula Vista Terrapins (CA)
52-Virginia Beach Captains (VA) v 13-Dallas Navigators (TX)
51-New Rochelle Huguenots (NY) v 14-Frederick Warhawks (MD)
50-Sioux Falls Canaries (SD) v 15-Pembroke Pines Seals (FL)
49-Winooski Wild Onions (VT) v 16-Salem Lumberjacks (OR)
48-Cheyenne Coyotes (WY) v 17-Georgetown Baptists (KY)
47-Fargo Buffalo (ND) v 18-Honolulu Seahawks (HA)
46-Gary Steelers (IN) v 19-Tucson Cowboys (AZ)
45-Summerville Pines (SC) v 20-Madison Bulls (WI)
44-Bentonville Trotters (AR) v 21-Ankeny Apostles (IA)
43-Provo Aggies (UT) v 22-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM)
42-Lakewood Archers (CO) v 23-New Orleans Honey Badgers (LA)
41-Butte Mountaineers (MT) v 24-Idaho Falls Spuds (ID)
40-Hastings Kool Kids (NE) v 25-Spring Valley Stardust (NV)
39-Dover Dobbins (DE) v 26-McCandless Moose (PA)
38-Sandy Springs Hitmen (GA) v 27-Moore Resolutes (OK)
37-Wasilla Wintermen (AK) v 28-Olathe Wheat Kings (KS)
36-Hoover Appalachians (AL) v 29-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC)
35-Duluth Dukes (MN) v 30-Concord Graniteers (NH)
34-Auburn Decapods (ME) v 31-Elgin Blackhawks (IL)
33-Fall River Indians (MA) v 32-Clarksville Frontiersmen (TN)
Back in a day or two with all the action.
Here's our squad for the Big Dance