Like all HWSA tournaments, Monday’s pool play games were filled with great baseball, some surprises, and lots of excitement from teams looking to lay the groundwork for their path to the championship. Here’s a brief look at Monday’s pool play games.
What’s at Stake
During Monday’s pool play games, teams jockey for position to get the best seed possible going into the next round: qualifying games. Sixteen teams will advance to the qualifying round, or Q-games. Teams who win their Q-game matchup will head to Division 1 to fight for the right to be the first team to take home the all-new Hendricks Cup as national champions. But there are several hurdles teams must overcome between Monday and a Division 1 berth. Teams with two losses in pool play head to Division 3. Teams with two wins however, will have to be beaten twice by their Q-game opponent.
Falcons, Storm Cruise through Pool Play
The Houston Falcons (2017 HWSA Champions) and Carrollton Storm won both their games in convincing fashion, securing the #1 and #2 Q-Game seeds respectively. The Storm gave up only one run during pool play, while the Falcons turned in two shutouts.
Angels, Stampede Survive Extra Inning Scares
The Dallas Angels (defending champions, 2019) survived a late onslaught by the Richmond Patriots, winning 6-5 on a walk-off base hit in 8 innings. The Charlotte Stampede (2019 runner up) also narrowly stayed undefeated, outlasting the Springdale Hornets 7-6 in 9 innings.
Jaguars, STL Patriots, and Warriors all undefeated
The Tulsa Jaguars, St. Louis Patriots, and Raleigh Warriors all won both their games to secure the #3, #4, and #7 seeds. A win on Tuesday will secure their berth in Division 1.
Q-Game “Replays” and what that means for each team
The top sixteen teams from pool play are seeded for their Q-games based on record and runs allowed. This year, the top 7 teams are undefeated. That means they have a special advantage going into their Q-game matchup. If an undefeated team beats a team with one loss in their Q game, the undefeated team automatically advances to Division 1. However, if a one loss team beats an undefeated team, then they will have to replay the same matchup again on Thursday in a winner-take-all rematch for a division 1 berth. It pays big dividends to win both of your games on Monday.