Gunless returns to LA Guerrillas starting lineup

The LA Guerrillas have benched Kris “Spart” Cervantez in favour of Peirce “Gunless” Hillman after the team’s 0-2 start to the Call of Duty League Stage 3 Major qualifiers.

The CDL Stage 2 champions racked up back-to-back losses against OpTic Texas and Minnesota RØKKR to put themselves at an early disadvantage in the qualification for their title defence. With Gunless now fully recovered from the illness that kept him out of the Stage 2 Major, the team has chosen to put him back into the starting lineup. 

Spart benched for Gunless

Expectations were muted for the LA Guerrillas heading into the Stage 2 Major. With Gunless sidelined by illness, the team was forced to play their substitute, Spart. However, the Guerrillas made a defiant lower bracket run all the way to the team’s first title of the CDL era. During the tournament, Spart had a top-20 K/D of 1.03. Especially in Search and Destroy rounds, he marked a top-10 K/D of 1.28

However, with Gunless’ illness persisting, Spart was required to stay in the lineup for the opening week of Stage 3 qualification. It was a poor showing by the Guerrillas, who were swept in both matches. Spart had the joint fifth-worst K/D of the opening week at 0.78.

On May 17, the Guerrillas officially announced that Gunless was well enough to return to the starting lineup.

The Guerrillas’ official stance is that Gunless is retaking his place in the starting lineup, not replacing Spart because of poor performance. However, it remains to be seen if LAG can turn the Major qualification around. LA have three matches remaining to boast their standing ahead of the Stage 3 Major, which begins on June 2.

Gunless will make his official return when the Guerrillas face the 0-1 Florida Mayhem on May 20. LA’s other match in the second week of qualifying sees them take on the 0-2 Paris Legion on May 22.

Header: LA Guerrillas