Look Sports Media – Following their first-ever defeat in the NLC 2025 Spring Playoffs, Los Ratones (LR) faced Venomcrest Esports (VNC) in a best-of-five Fearless Draft. The match saw VNC aggressively target LR top-laner Simon "Baus" Hofverberg, systematically eliminating his signature champion picks. VNC’s strategy, revealed through a series of targeted bans and picks, neutralized six of Baus’s most frequently played champions in the opening game alone, leaving many wondering if the Swedish top-laner could adapt. This included popular picks like Jax, Gragas, Sion, and Galio, along with Vi and Volibear, picked by LR in the same game. Only Poppy (banned by LR) and Cho’Gath (known for Baus’s high death count on the champion) remained untouched.
However, Baus, renowned for his unconventional strategies, responded with a surprising pick: Vi, his joint fourth-most played champion. This bold choice, coupled with mid-laner Tim "Nemesis" Lipovšek’s unconventional Swain pick, which was initially overshadowed by the draft chaos targeting Baus, proved to be a masterstroke.
Despite the relentless pressure from VNC, Baus and LR secured the first game and ultimately swept the series 3-0. This victory propels them forward in the lower bracket, where they will face the winner of Bulldog Esports and Verdant. A successful run through the gauntlet will see Los Ratones advance to the NLC finals in Copenhagen, Denmark, where they’ll face either Nord Esports (their recent conquerors) or Ruddy Sack. The road to redemption, and the NLC title, is far from over for Baus and Los Ratones.
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