Led by Tony Donatelli the Blast earned a convincing 21-12 MISL Championship Series Game One road victory Thursday night over the Missouri Comets. Game Two is set for Saturday night at 1st Mariner Arena. Donatelli recorded at hat trick and Ptah Myers, Adauto Neto and Machel Millwood added two goals each while goalkeeper William Vanzela recorded 18 saves.

The Blast wasted no time scoring the first goal of the game as Donatelli knocked in a goal just 33 seconds into the match. Missouri’s Byron Alvarez tied the game at 2-2 but the tie was short-lived and the Blast jumped out to a 6-2 lead thanks to goals from Neto and Myers before the end of the first quarter.

Donatelli opened the second quarter with another first-minute goal and the Blast turned his goal into a four-goal scoring run that resulted in a 14-2 lead midway through the quarter. Rookie Lucas Roque scored next, followed by Millwood and a second goal from Neto.

The Comets fought back in the third quarter, outscoring the Blast, 6-2, and cutting Baltimore’s lead to 16-8. Milan Ivanovic opened the second-half scoring one minute before Myers scored his second goal of the game to keep the Blast on top 16-4. Ryan Junge and Lucas Rodriquez followed up with goals to continue the Comets scoring streak (16-8).

Millwood’s second goal came in the eighth minute of the final quarter to make it 18-8 but the Comets scored the next two goals, both with their sixth attacker on the field. Donatelli’s three-point goal with just 25 seconds remaining sealed Baltimore’s victory.

Game Two will take place Saturday night in Baltimore, with a deciding Mini Game to be played immediately following regulation, if needed. The Comets are no strangers to a Game One loss, having rallied in the Semifinals to beat the Milwaukee Wave in Game Two and again in the Mini Game.

2013 MISL Championship Series – Baltimore Blast vs. Missouri Comets

Game One: Blast 21-12

Game Two: Saturday, March 16, 1^st Mariner Arena – 7:35 p.m.

By the Numbers:

Baltimore Blast: First Seed, 21-5 regular season record, 3-0 Postseason record

Missouri Comets: Third Seed, 13-13 regular season record, 2-2 Postseason record

The Blast ended the regular season on a six-game win streak, en route to claiming the 2012-13 MISL regular season title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. With two wins over the Chicago Soul in the MISL Semifinals, the Blast have extended that win streak to eight straight games.

The team opened the regular season with nine straight home wins, a win streak that was broken by a 14-11 loss to this weekend’s opponent, the Missouri Comets. Prior to the first home loss, the Blast set a franchise record for most home wins to start the season (nine).

Veteran Adauto Neto led the Blast in the Semifinals with four goals and one assist for nine points; rookie Lucas Roque followed with four goals (eight points). Lucio Gonzaga will miss the Championship Series after suffering a knee injury Saturday night against the Soul.

The Competition

After losing Game One of the Semifinals, 12-10 in overtime to the Wave, the Comets fought back to win Game Two, 9-8 to tie the series. They went on to win the Mini Game, 5-4, to knock the Wave out of the postseason and advance to the Championship Series.

MISLNation

The MISL Championship Series can be seen live on the Internet at www.MISLNation.com.
Tickets

Tickets for Saturday’s home MISL Championship Series Game Two against the Comets are available by calling 410-73-BLAST or by going to www.TicketMaster.com.

Honorable Mention: Golf-PGA Tour Tampa Bay Championship (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel Saturday 1:30pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on NBC Sunday 1pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on NBC), Champions Tour Toshiba Classic (Saturday 2:30pm Sunday 3pm from Newport Beach, CA live on Golf Channel), LPGA Tour RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup (Thursday & Friday 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 4pm from Phoenix, AZ live on Golf Channel); Auto Racing: NASCAR Food City 500 (Sunday 12pm from Bristol, TN live on FOX); Tennis: ATP Tour WTA Tour BNP Paribas Open (Tuesday & Wednesday 1:30pm Thursday 1:30pm & 10pm live on Tennis Channel Friday 6:30pm & 9:30pm live on Tennis Channel 4:30pm & 11:30pm live on ESPN2 Saturday 3pm & 5pm live on ESPNNews 8:30pm live on Tennis Channel Sunday 3pm & 5pm live on ESPN2); College Football: Towson Pro Day (Tuesday Unitas Stadium), Maryland Pro Day (Wednesday Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium); Boxing: Timothy Bradly vs. Ruslan Provodnikov (Saturday 10:15pm from Carson, CA live on HBO); Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Selection Monday (Monday 7pm live on ESPN)

10. Rihanna (Tuesday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); P!nk (Thursday 7:30pm Verizon Center); Trapt (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head Live), Drive By Truckers (Sunday 8pm Rams Head Live); Better Than Ezra (Saturday 7pm Power Plant Live); Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (Wednesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Dr. John (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), Average White Band (Thursday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), Marshall Tucker Band (Sunday 7:30pm Rams Head on Stage); Finch (Thursday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Dropkick Murphys/Carbon Leaf (Friday 7am 9:30 Club), Citizen Cope (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club); George Thorogood & The Destroyers (Tuesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Slick Rick/Rakim (Friday 8pm Howard Theatre); Shamrockfest feat. Sublime with Rome/Virginia Coalition/Carbon Leaf (Saturday 12:45pm RFK Stadium); Sound City: Real to Reel soundtrack available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

You already know damn well I’ll be wandering over to see Better Than Ezra after the Blast game Saturday night.

Despite not particularly enjoying much of anything else in the genre, I really flipping loved “What It Is To Burn” by Finch. I’d go see this show.

Spending a day in the parking lot at RFK Stadium? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Unless Virginia Coalition is involved. (Sorry for the video quality.)

I legitimately CANNOT get enough Sound City in my life. Dave Grohl is a rock God, but you already knew that.

9. Lewis Black (Saturday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Bill Bellamy (Thursday-Saturday  Baltimore Comedy Factory); Pablo Francisco (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Life of Pi” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 25th Anniversary Edition” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Spring Breakers” and “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” out in theaters (Friday); Glenn Clark’s St. Patrick’s Day plans (Sunday parts unknown)

Yes. We ALL feel the same way about Jessica Rabbit. We just agree not to talk about it so that people don’t talk about us behind our backs.

We CAN however discuss the cast of Spring Breakers if you’d like.

And before we leave this part of the show, BANGERS AND EFFING MASH! ERIN GO BRAGH!

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