California 11-1 Drubbing of Pennsylvania Sets Up Showdown

California not only denies Pennsylvania a clinching win, but defeated them 11-1 to open the door to taking the Wild Card pool and advancing to the championship pool for six more games against Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida. Here are the standings and scenarios:

 

Wild Card Pool	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Pennsylvania	4	1	0	21	18
California	2	1	1	20	11
Venezuela	1	3	2.5	10	9
Dominican Republic	0	2	2.5	1	3

 If Pennsylvania wins their last pool game in Pittsburgh against California, they advance to championship pool because they finish 5-1 and the best California could then finish would be 4-2.

If California defeats Pennsylvania to complete the sweep then also sweeps the Dominican Republic, then they advanced with a 5-1 record to Pennsylvania's 4-2 mark.

If California defeats Pennsylvania to complete the sweep then splits with the Dominican Republic, they advance. We originally wrote this would come down to runs allowed, but a California sweep over PA would be the tie-breaker.

If California defeats Pennsylvania to complete the sweep then loses both games to the Dominican Republic, then Pennsylvania advances with a 4-2 mark while California is 3-3-. In that case the Dominican Republic could also sweep Venezuela to finish an identical 4-2 with Pennsylvania - but the first tie-breaker is head-to-head and they were swept by Pennsylvania so cannot advance under any scenario.