The summer heat finally decided to show up on Sunday, and the bats heated up in turn. The day was notable for unusually fast moving games, a fence with a bad attitude, and two nailbiters between the Sheryl Crows and the RBI Steaks. The standings tell one story, our eyes see a...similar story. Debate amongst yourselves...
Power Rankings After Week Three
1. Bilabial Stops (6-0)
Last Week: #1
The short lineup isn't looking so short anymore. The Nyssens are raking just like in the good ol days, Bobby Vadnais hit another bomb, and the rest of the crew is hitting ho-hum home runs to all fields. Oh, and they gave up just one hit in each game of Sunday's doubleheader sweep of ISO Pale. They'll face perhaps their most challenging matchup yet this Sunday against 100% Real Juice in a rematch of the 2019 Championship Series.
2. 100% Real Juice (5-1)
Last Week: #3
The defending champs beat up on an undermanned Mighty Knucks team to separate themselves from the middle of the pack. Adam Brickett returned to the win column and Epo Olivares looked particularly filthy. Their showdown with the Bilabial Stops this Sunday could very well determine the regular season champion.
3. Sheryl Crows (4-2)
Last Week: #2
The Crows earned a hard-fought split against the RBI Steaks with both games being decided by a single run. Paul Rogers looked unhittable again, although control was an issue. Next up is West Coast Washout, another team that has mixed and matched pitching behind their ace. Expect a scrappy series from two teams looking to rise above.
4. West Coast Washout (3-3)
Last Week: #6
Karl Koch took the short mound and surprised everyone, allowing just one run on 8 hits and no walks in a complete game victory. WCW's bats finally came alive too, cranking out 30 hits in a sweep of the Wiffers. Their Sunday matchup with the Crows is a great opportunity to build on their best series so far this year.
5. RBI Steaks (1-3)
Last Week: #5
The Steaks showed great discipline against the Crows, eeking out five runs despite only one hit and pressing Paul Rogers before a late walkathon fell short. Big home runs and late heroics sealed their first season win in game two. Their pitching remains a big question mark with Nick Winn and Mitch Barham yet to play this season, but a more pressing question is which version of the Mighty Knucks will they see next week.
6. Mighty Knucks (3-3)
Last Week: #4
Nearly every team faces attendance issues at some point during the season. The Knucks certainly had theirs on Sunday, dropping both games to the Juice in excruciating three inning routs. Now at 3-3, Sunday's pivotal matchup against the Steaks will require them to show up and perform at a high level.
7. Wiffers (0-4)
Last Week: #8
Although they're 0-4, the Wiffers showed signs of life on Sunday, debuting a handful of capable hitters and swatting several home runs off of legitimate pitching. They face the similarly winless ISO Pale this Sunday - a great chance to gain experience and maybe even a win or two with the calendar still on their side.
8. ISO Pale (0-6)
Last Week: #7
The Bilabial Stops ran through Otto Par's squad, depriving them of much-needed at bats in two run-shortened games. They'll need practice reps and heads up play on Sunday to turn things around.
Quick reminder: An up-to-date schedule can be accessed by clicking "See Full Schedule" above the scores on the home page. Always feel free to email us if you're unsure about when you play or if something appears incorrect. Enjoy your week and we'll see you Sunday!
