Week 3: March 25-April 5, 2025
March 26: Tsapna SP
Tupae Epofemi is out for the season with a torn labrum, suffered in the final game of last week's series vs. Lutrul. Epofemi was off to a rough start, which will now be fossilized on his baseball card.
Nokir BC (10-10) @ Killitash Bayside (9-11), March 26
Shesho Shyfoneyi (1-1, 3.66) vs. Tsai Reyolafa (2-2, 2.60)
Nokir: 1B Porafi, 3B Laliusha, RF Pake, LF Rishisite, C Punisha, 2B Piso, SS Taeka, CF Ketunri, P Shyfoneyi
Bayside: SS Rekesu, 3B Oechikesho, 2B Ketsekiriti, C Mowakei, RF Lela, CF Shocheye, 1B Farneli, LF Solari, P Reyolafa
000 001 041 . 6 8 1
100 001 002 . 4 7 0
W: Nimfai Lalo (1-0) L: Tytsasha Rima (0-2) S: Filashe Tynipea (6)
While this game did not draw the opening-night-of-the-week feature (that went to Keleri/Spirits), it is the series that caught my eye the most in round 5, with this being the first EL matchup between these two nearby clubs. The vibe between these two is like that between the Dodgers and the Angels, but with the colors reversed. They've only played each other a handful of times in history, pretty much only in the 2023 season, when both were in the Second League. I imagine there are quite a few Nokir fans who are living in Killitash (not as many vice versa, but certainly some) and get an easier commute to this game.
The game was a strong pitcher's duel most of the way, with Killitash also ahead most of the way thanks to an early RBI single from Shutsichei Lela. Nokir's Feshori Laliusha tied it with a 6th-inning single but the lead was taken right back by a homer from Showila Oechikesho.
Reyolafa struck out one batter to open the 8th inning, then departed... but the game immediately went south for Bayside after that. Tytsasha Rima only retired one of the six batters he faced, being charged with all four runs in the Nokir 8th. Hekopa Ketunri and Toyeseshi Shocheye traded homers in the 9th to provide for the final score.
PotG: Bayside SP Tsai Reyolafa - 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 K/3 BB
Round 5
.....Kupore 2-3 Meka - 12-7, 1-4, 2-5, 6-5, 2-10
.....Keleri 2-3 A.Spirits - 7-3, 2-4, 8-5, 3-4, 1-10
...Westline 3-2 Muni - 3-1, 9-1, 3-8, 5-3, 5-8
......Nokir 4-1 K.Bayside - 6-4, 8-3, 11-8, 3-4(10), 11-6
Otahel City 1-4 Akashemo - 1-10, 2-1, 2-4, 3-4, 0-1
.....Semyof 3-2 BK Kepmem - 2-0, 1-2, 3-2, 2-3, 8-3
..Amnanache 4-1 Sh.Eagles - 2-5, 3-2(10), 6-4, 7-4, 12-0
...Pasataki 4-1 Lutrul - 5-0, 4-2, 4-3, 6-8, 5-0
Mighty Oaks 2-3 National - 7-10, 2-6, 8-3, 2-4, 2-1
.....Tsapna 4-1 Cheshek - 7-4, 8-7, 10-9, 2-6, 5-1
Tsapna 8, Cheshek 7: A very exciting game that saw Tsapna score 4 runs in the top of the 9th to come from behind and win. This series might be looked back upon as the moment they got their season under control, as a loss would have dropped them to 6-16. Cheshek's star catcher
Epencho Posheni left the game with a hammy strain, which will sideline him for a month or so.
The end of this round of games coincided nicely with the end of March. Here are the monthly awards:
Batter of the Month:
National CF Solo Sipet - .388, 11 HR, 25 RBI, 21 R. The guy can do it all - he currently ranks in the top 3 of all 3 Triple Crown categories, hitting even better than his MVP 2024 season thus far.
Pitcher of the Month:
Amnanache SP Soralone Merefife - 4-0, 1.47 ERA, 30.2 IP in 5 starts, 25 K/5 BB. A very unlikely winner, but can't say he doesn't deserve it. Amnanache's #5 starter and a 16-year-old rookie, Merefife has very valuable secondary stuff despite his lackluster velocity.
Rookie of the Month:
Amnanache SP Soralone Merefife. Shouldn't be a surprise based on the above line, though Semyof's Ferenasi Penuere and Sarlo Narupu were right there with him in both races. Cheshek 3B Tarki Noraha also merited consideration - this rookie crop feels pretty strong.
Round 6
..Sh.Eagles 1-4 Pasataki - 2-5, 1-3, 1-9, 5-6, 3-2
....Cheshek 1-4 Otahel City - 2-3, 10-5, 0-4, 1-5, 0-4
..K.Bayside 2-3 Keleri - 3-9, 3-6, 3-6, 8-1, 7-6
.......Muni 0-5 Nokir - 1-11, 3-4, 5-19, 4-8, 4-13
...National 4-1 Amnanache - 7-4(12), 2-5, 4-3, 8-3, 3-1
..A.Spirits 4-1 Mighty Oaks - 0-9, 7-5, 2-1, 11-1, 10-5
..BK Kepmem 1-4 Tsapna - 4-9, 10-6, 6-9, 2-5, 0-5
.....Lutrul 2-3 Kupore - 5-1, 5-10, 5-6, 2-7, 6-4(10)
...Akashemo 0-5 Westline - 5-9, 1-12, 2-4, 1-8, 2-8
.......Meka 1-4 Semyof - 1-2(10), 0-1, 1-6, 2-15, 5-3(10)
Cheshek 10, Otahel City 5: A three-homer night for Cheshek SS
Setsinak Rusipfa. One of the more unlikely 3-home-run-hitters, Rusipfa only hit 5 HR all of last year (though in fairly limited playing time) and had just one entering this game.
Standings..........W..L
-- 
.....National.. 23 7
-- 
.......Semyof.. 21 9
+1 
.....Westline.. 20 10
+7 ........Nokir.. 19 11
+7 
.....P.Galaxy.. 18 12
+2 
....Amnanache.. 16 14
-4 
..Mighty Oaks.. 16 14
-3 
.........Meka.. 16 14
-- 
.......Keleri.. 16 14
+6 
....A.Spirits.. 15 15
-5 
......Cheshek.. 14 16
-5 
.........Muni.. 14 16
-3 
.......Lutrul.. 13 17
+5 
.......Tsapna.. 13 17
+2 
.......Kupore.. 13 17
-3 Killi.Bayside.. 12 18
-2 
.......Kepmem.. 11 19
-----------------------------
-- 
..Otahel City.. 11 19
-5 
....Sh.Eagles.. 10 20
-- 
.Akashemo Utd... 9 21
National continues to roll, having not yet lost a series, but 4 teams had even better weeks than they did in going 8-2 or better - Westline, Nokir, Pasataki, and suddenly surging Tsapna.
Week 4's schedule is below - I'm looking out for a couple of classic competitive rivalries (not derbies), with Nokir going to Pasataki and Semyof facing the Oaks. Round 8 has a potential title clash in these early stages with Westline vs. Semyof matching the two teams in Ransu with title aspirations.
Round 7:
Lutrul vs. Shunna Eagles
Shunna Municipal vs. Aroketsil Spirits
Otahel City vs. Westline
Killitash Bayside vs. Cheshek
Meka vs. National
Nokir vs. Pasataki Galaxy
Amnanache vs. Keleri
Semyof vs. Mighty Oaks
Akashemo United vs. BK Kepmem
Kupore vs. Tsapna
Round 8:
Pasataki Galaxy vs. Amnanache
Tsapna vs. Otahel City
BK Kepmem vs. Nokir
Mighty Oaks vs. Kupore
National vs. Akashemo United
Cheshek vs. Shunna Municipal
Aroketsil Spirits vs. Lutrul
Keleri vs. Meka
Westline vs. Semyof
Shunna Eagles vs. Killitash Bayside