THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 2, 2029

2029 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Cain Spanks Stars 7-0, Vipers Survive
On the verge of being swept, Valmara was desparate for a win in game four of the Ruthlandian Final 4 and they got it... the Vipers pounded Glenn Tackett for 7 runs in the second inning and got a great job from Carroll Cain on the mound and walked away with a 7-0 victory.

In razor-sharp fashion Cain (3-1/1.06) scattered 8 hits, fanned 4 and issued only 2 free passes... leading the Vipers 13-hit attack were RF Gerry Kazmarek (.300) and 2B Alec Leclerc (.244), who both collected 2 hits and batted across 2 runs... C Floyd Randolph (.200) and LF Benny Hooper (.316) also chipped in with 2 hits apiece... Tackett (3-1/3.79) suffered his first loss in the postseason... Valmara shelled him for 7 runs and 7 hits in one and two-thirds innings.

Tycobbian Union

Reds Even Up Series, Gaudet Wins 6-4
Like Valmara, Rolling Hills got all the runs they needed in one inning to whip Ginza 6-4 in game four of the Tycobbian Union Final 4 at Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills and even up the series at two games each... 11 Reds went to the plate in the second frame and 7 of them got base hits... when the smoke cleared Rolling Hills had run up a 6-1 lead and that was good enough... Errol Gaudet (4-0/1.88) chalked up his fourth straight win in the playoffs by weathering 10 hits and 3 runs in 7 and two-thirds innings with one walk and 4 Ks... Bobby Morris (3.24) came in in the eighth and got his third save, but was somewhat shaky as he allowed a run on 3 hits in an inning and a third... Ginza starter and loser Hollis Pace (1-3/7.06) was hit hard for 6 runs and 8 hits in just one and two-thirds innings... Pace, a 21-game winner, has not been effective in the playoffs.

Rolling Hills garnered 10 hits and were led by RF Bobby McConnell (.292) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... LF Pat Webb (.333) and 2B Derek Kristensen (.364) also collected 2 hits each... the Ninjas wasted a lot hits - they had 13 in all... three Reds double plays played a big role in the win... RF Sadaharu Uchiyama (.447) paced the Ninjas with 3-5, including a homer and a double... Uchiyama scored twice and batted in 2 runs... 3B Kurt Holstein (.538) and 2B Howard Winston (.316) added in 2 hits apiece.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 3, 2029

2029 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

It's Over! Stoner Shocks Valmara In 5 Games
Nobody gave them much of a chance against Valmara, but the Stoner Stars still shocked them in five games in the Ruthlandian Final 4... the eighth-seeded Stars finished off the fourth-seeded Vipers 6-4 in game five at home at Nonnac Stadium, coming back from a late-inning 4-2 deficit... in the bottom of the seventh back-to-back RBI doubles by LF Kevin Fisher (.343) and 2B Norm Murdoch (.178) tied the game up at 4-4, then the winning run came in on an error by 1B Ron Freiberg.

Winning pitcher Raul Hidalgo (2-2/2.57) survived 12 hits, managing to get out of several jams... in a complete game, Hidalgo was touched for only 4 runs, walked only 2 and whiffed 5 Vipers... Chris Phillips (1-3/3.86) got hung with the loss, allowing 5 runs and 8 hits in 7 innings... Phillips was behind 5-4 when he departed.

Stoner had 10 hits and was led at the plate by Fisher, catcher P. J. Blake (.273) and SS Benny Webster (.262), all with 2 hits each... Fisher had 3 RBIs, highlighted by a 2-run homer in the third frame ... topping the Vipers were 2B Alec Leclerc (.283) with 3 base hits... four players chipped in with a pair of hits apiece: 3B Amos Gallagher (.364), C Floyd Randolph (.220), RF Gerry Kazmarek (.324) and Phillips (.500)

Reds Gain Upper Hand, Rout Ninjas 11-5 In Game 5
Like they say, "It ain't over, til it's over"... Ginza had everything its way for the first 6 and a half innings... the Ninjas built up a 6-0 lead, but it quickly went to the wayside when Rolling Hills exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the seventh, then added 3 more in the eighth to overwhelm them 11-6, despite being outhit 19 to 15... the game five win gave the Reds a 3-2 edge in the Tycobbian Union Final 4... the winner will play the Ruthlandian champ, the Stoner Stars, who amazed everyone by qualifying for the Pro Cup Finals.

C Tony Brinkerhoff (.444) smacked 3 hits, scored 2 runs and batted in one to lead the Reds... four players had 2 hits each: CF Scotty Yiska (.300), RF Bobby McConnell (.310), 2B Derek Kristensen (.385) and 3B Jeff Booker (.333)... Yiska and Kristensen drove in 2 runs apiece... Ginza's best bats were 3B Kurt Holstein (.611) and LF Jiro Yamazaki (.382), both with 4 hits in 5 tries.

It really wasn't a good day to be on the mound with a grand total of 34 hits... Reliever Sal Jordan (1-0) faced only one batter and got credit for the win... Jordan got the last out in the top of the seventh... Ninja starter and loser Louis Plooster (1-2/4.96) was pelted for 11 hits and 8 runs in his 6 and two-thirds innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 4, 2029

2029 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Tycobbian Union

Ginza Ties Reds, 7th Game Tomorrow
The Ginza Ninjas are still in the running in the Tycobbian Final 4... playing game six in the friendly confines of Ninja Stadium they forced a seventh and deciding game with a 5-2 triumph over the Rolling Hills Reds... Ryuji Kanedo continued his postseason brilliance with a sterling performance... in the Pro Cup playoffs Kanedo is 4-0 with a super-low 1.29 ERA... the 24-year-old right-hander tossed 7 innings and yielded just one run and 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and no walks... two relievers Ken Kichita and Bud Van Buren finished up for him... Kichita faced 3 batters in the eighth and struck out 2 of them... After Kichita gave up a base hit, Van Buren came in a got the third out in the inning... though he was tagged for 2 hits and a run in the ninth Van Buren got the save... McGraw Christianson (0-1/3.77) went the route and lost, yielding just 5 hits, but allowing 5 runs... he fanned 6 and issued a couple of walks.

The Ninjas drew first blood in the last of the third via an unearned run... Kaneko (.100) singled in the first run of the game, driving RF Hideo Kojima (.235) from third after he was safe on an error by 1B Johnny O'Rorke... the Reds evened the score in the top of the fourth when singles by 1B Billy Christianson (.196) and LF Pat Webb (.321) put runners on the corners... Christianson scored when C Tony Brinkerhoff (.417) hit into a twin-kill... in the fifth Ginza snapped the tie on Kojima's solo homer and Sadaharu Uchiyama's (.426) 2-run double, increasing the lead to 4-1... the Ninjas added another run in the eighth on 3B Kurt Holstein's (.591) bases-empty home run... the Reds got the last run on 2 walks and an RBI double by SS Tony Ptacek (.148).

Holstein had 2 hits and 2 runs to lead the Ninjas at the plate... Rolling Hills had 9 hits with CF Scotty Yiska (.315), Christianson and 2B Derek Kristensen (.414) each collecting 2 hits.

Two 21-game winners will go to the mound in tomorrow's series finale... Errol Gaudet (21-13/3.38) will start for the visiting Reds and Hollis Pace (21-13/2.79) will be on the hill for the hometown Ninjas... Pace has been atrocious in the Pro Cup playoffs with a 1-3 record and a lousy 7.06 ERA, Gaudet has been superb with a 4-0 mark and 1.88 ERA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 5, 2029

2029 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Tycobbian Union

Reds Upset Favored Ninjas, 6-2 Win in Game 7
Thank goodness for Errol Gaudet... the 35-year-old ace of the Rolling Hills Reds hurled the game of his life when he whipped the favored Ginza Ninjas 6-2 in the decisive seventh game in the Tycobbian Union Final 4 and sent the Reds into the Pro Cup championship against the Stoner Stars of the Ruthlandian Union... Gaudet (5-0/1.91) racked up another victory, holding the Ninjas to 2 runs and 6 hits in 8 and two-thirds innings... Gaudet fanned 3 batters and walked just one... and needed a little bit of help from Alfonso Gonzales, who wrapped up the league crown by nailing down the save in the ninth.

The Reds battered Ninja pitching for 12 hits and were led by SS Tony Ptacek (.200) with 2 hits, a triple and a 2-run homer, 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs... 3B Jeff Booker (.321) scored twice and popped 2 hits... CF Scotty Yiska (.322) also hit one out for the Reds... LF Jiro Yamazaki (.385) and CF Cotton Cornwall (.229) paced Ginza with a pair of hits each... Hollis Pace and Errol Gaudet matched zeros for 4 frames... then Pace weakened and gave up 3 runs in the next 2 innings... Pace (1-4/6.67) left in the sixth after permitting 3 runs on 6 hits... he struck out 7 and walked 2 in defeat.

The 2029 IPA Pro Cup Series is slated to start next Tuesday in Stoner at Nonnac Park. The Stars have the homefield advantage and will host the first two games of the best-of-seven series. Then it will shift to Rolling Hills for games three-five, and if necessary, return to Stoner for the final two games.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 8, 2029

Stars And Reds Meet For Island Crown
Two unsung, unheralded and unexpected teams are in the Pro Cup Finals this year. Rolling Hills was the 5th seed in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Pro Cup poll, while Stoner was rated last and seeded 8th. Most baseball analysts see this title series as a toss-up.

Scouting:
Rolling Hills Reds - TU (83-71) - hits and scores well, very strong pen, excellent defense, question mark is starters.

As a team the Reds batted .302 in the playoffs with 8 homers and scored 71 runs in 12 games, finishing with an 8-6 record in the first two rounds, winning both series 4 games to 3. On the hill Rolling Hills had a 3.22 team ERA and gave up 9 homers.

Errol Gaudet (5-0/1.91) and Johnny Brown (2-0/3.78) are the Reds top postseason pitchers so far. At the top of Rolling Hills postseason hit parade are C Tony Brinkerhoff with a .404 BA, 9 RBIs and 12 runs scored, along with CF Scotty Yiska with a .322 BA, 8 RBIs and 7 runs. LF Pat Webb chipped in with a .304 BA, 5 RBIs and scored 10 times.

Scouting:
Stoner Stars - RU (85-69) - hits and scores well, very good defense, but mediocre pitching.

The Stars hit .265 for average in the playoffs, scored 43 runs and had 10 home runs, posting an 8-4 mark with a 3.31 ERA. Stoner won both its preliminary series by four to two margins. Glenn Tackett (3-1/3.79) and Raul Hidalgo (2-2/2.57) are the best pitchers. Top bats belong to 3B Jeff Henderson (.348/2/4/6) and LF Kevin Fisher (.343/1/3/8). 1B Fletch Fowler has hit 3 homers with 8 RBIs and 7 runs scored, while batting .267 for average.

Forecast:
Rolling Hills in six games... too much hitting and pitching.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 9, 2029

2029 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Reds Edge Stars 2-1, Gaudet Wins Pro Cup Opener
Favored Rolling Hills captured the Pro Cup opening game 2-1 on the road behind the superlative pitching of Errol Gaudet (6-0/1.77)... he continued his postseason brilliance with his sixth victory, stopping the Stoner Stars on 3 hits, while fanning 3 and walking just one... Gaudet outdueled Raul Hidalgo (2-3/2.45), who was outstanding, too... Hidalgo struck out 10 Reds and walked none, while permitting 6 hits.

Rolling Hills struck first in the opening frame when 1B Billy Christianson (.233) was tripled in by LF Pat Webb (.305)... RF Neil Mooney (.289) evened it for the Stars in the last of the fifth with a solo homer... the Reds won it in the ninth on another single by Christianson and a triple by 2B Derek Kristensen (.389)... Christianson led the Reds at the plate with 2 hits and 2 runs scored.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 10, 2029

2029 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Reds Win Again, Outshine Stars 2-1 Again
For the second successive game the Rolling Hills Reds again tamed the Stoner Stars 2-1 in game two of the IPA Pro Cup Finals to take a two games to none lead in the series... the Reds got another excellent mound performance from left-hander Johnny Brown, who halted the Stars on just 4 hits to cop his third playoff victory without a loss so far... for the second straight day Stoner got a masterful mound outing, this time from Glenn Tackett (3-2/3.43)... he was only tapped for 2 runs on 7 hits with no walks and 2 Ks.

Reds 2B Buffy Kowalczyk (.425) got the ball rolling with a triple in the top of the third... Johnny Brown's (.231) deep liner brought Kowalczyk home to snap the scoreless tie... Rolling Hills tallied the eventual winning run on CF Scotty Yiska's (.313) one-run smash in the fifth... it was Yiska's third roundtripper this postseason... Stoner got close in the seventh when Greg Bruce (.077) walked, stole second and came across on SS Benny Webster's (.245) base hit.

Game three is set for Rolling Hills' home field, Midtown Base Ball Grounds. If necessary, games four and five will be played there, too.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 11, 2029

2029 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Reds Near Sweep, Sock Stars 7-5 In Game 3
Playing at home and hosting its first-ever Pro Cup game, Rolling Hills ripped Stoner for 7 runs in the fourth inning and then held on for a 7-5 triumph to take a huge 3-0 lead in the IPA Pro Cup Finals... one more win for the Reds and they will claim the first Pro Cup in the team's history.

The Reds took advantage of Travis Wallace's wildness to do big damage in the decisive inning... Wallace walked 4 and forced in the first run of the game... 3B Jeff Booker (.288) got the RBI... then he hit SS Tony Ptacek (.188), plating another run... pitcher McGraw Christianson (.333) singled in run number 3... the big hit of the inning was delivered by RF Bobby McConnell (.283), a bases-loaded double, that made it 6-0... but the Reds weren't finished yet... 1B Billy Chrisianson's (.239) two-bagger plated run number 7 and put Rolling Hills far ahead at 7-1.

Two doubles by Paul Sundquist and Norm Murdoch cut the lead to 7-2 in the top of the fifth... in a late rally, the Stars got even closer with 3 in the eighth on 3B Jeff Henderson's (.309) 2-run homer and back-to-back doubles by Greg Bruce (.235) and Benny Webster (.245)... but that was as close as they could get... Bobby Morris (0-2/2.53) relieved starter McGraw Christianson in the eighth and got the last 4 outs for his 4th save in the playoffs... in a shaky outing Christianson (1-1/4.50) notched the win, going 7 and two-thirds innings, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, walking 4 and striking out 8... Wallace (2-1/6.57) lost it as he was knocked out after 3 and two-thirds innings... Wallace walked 4 and was shelled for 7 runs on 5 hits... Stoner's bullpen did well, holding the Reds scoreless on one hit after the fatal fourth frame.

The Stars outhit the Reds 10 to 6, led by LF Marty Berrigan (.533) and RF Greg Bruce (.235), each with 3 hits... while McConnell and McGraw Christianson got 2 hits apiece to pace Rolling Hills.

In game four tomorrow afternoon in Rolling Hills, first-game starters Errol Gaudet (21-13/3.38) and Raul Hidalgo (19-13/3.10) go back it again. Gaudet led the Reds to a 2-1 win in the first encounter. Gaudet is 6-0 with a brilliant 1.77 ERA in 7 postseason starts... Hidalgo is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 5 playoff starting assignments, all complete games.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 12, 2029

2029 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Rolling Hills Sweep Stoner In Pro Cup
Dominant pitching and timely hitting combined to bring the Rolling Hills Reds their first Pro Cup in history and they did it in grand style, going unbeaten in the Finals... the Reds swept Stoner in four straight... finishing the Stars off 6-3 in game four at historic Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills.

The Reds ace Errol Gaudet set an IPA Pro Cup record with his 7th postseason victory... Gaudet (7-0/1.71) stopped Stoner on one run and 6 hits in his 7 innings, fanning 3 and issuing no walks... He turned it over to his bullpen with a 5-1 lead... Tom Pierson was the only effective reliever out of three... Pierson came on in the ninth after Alfonso Gonzales and Bobby Morris were tagged for 2 runs and 4 hits in the eighth... Pierson blanked the Stars in the ninth and got his first save of this postseason.

Rolling Hills racked up 12 hits in the win, led by RF Bobby McConnell (.294) with a homer and a double... McConnell hit a 2-run blast in the 4-run first, which the Stars never recovered from... 3B Jeff Booker (.314) added in 3 hits for the Reds... topping the Stars were 2B Norm Murdoch (.224) with 3-5 and RF Neil Mooney (.286) with 2 RBIs.

Reds manager Matty Christianson was estatic after winning his first Pro Cup. "Gaudet was beyond compare in the playoffs... what a postseason he had...Errol carried us pitching-wise... offensively it was everybody... we had a different hero everyday... it was a great team effort."

Losing skipper Benny Stern lamented, "Our offense was no match for the Reds pitching... Gaudet and Brown were outstanding in the Finals against us... we just ran up against a fine team... but I'm not gonna hang my head in shame... my Stars had a super run and with a few well-placed hits in the first three games we could still be playing... it really hurt to lose 2-1, 2-1 and 7-5."

THE ISLANDIAN TIME
Sunday, October 14, 2029

Gaudet Unanimous Choice For Pro Cup MVP
No doubt about it, Rolling Hills 35-year-old ace Errol Gaudet is this year's IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. The lanky 6 foot 5 inch soft-throwing right-hander sparked the Reds to their first Pro Cup crown in history and broke the record for playoff wins with a 7-0 record and a brilliant 1.77 ERA in 8 starts. Duncan Welch of Eastshore and Skeets Hobart of Wynnamac held the old record with 6-0. Welch did it in 2022 and Hobart in 2008. Gaudet got all the first place votes and was elected unanimously. During the regular season Gaudet was 21-13 with a 3.38 ERA. An 11-year IPA veteran, he has posted a career 217-127 mark and a splendid 2.80 ERA.

Four of Gaudet's teammates received votes in The Islandian Times MVP poll. Right fielder Bobby McConnell was a distant second in the balloting. McConnell batted .294 in the playoffs and led the Reds with 10 RBIs. Third baseman Jeff Booker came in third with a .314 batting average, 9 RBIs and 8 runs scored. Number four was catcher Tony Brinkerhoff with a .324 BA, 12 runs scored and 9 runs batted in. Finishing fifth was center fielder Scotty Yiska, who hit .284, drove in 9 runs and scored 9 times.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 15, 2029

IPA PICKS RU AND TU ROOKS
The Islandian Pro Alliance picks its top newcomers this week, naming Jimmy Willard of Forest City Lumberjacks the top rookie in the Ruthlandian Union and Victor Suarez of the Turon Typhoons the best rookie in the Tycobbian Union.

Willard sparked the Lumberjacks to a third-place finish in the RU West. The 22-year-old righty registered a 20-16 mark and a 3.38 ERA in 39 starts. Willard fanned 228 batters in 301 innings and walked 87.

Runner-up in The Islandian Times poll was young shortstop Timmy Robinson, who batted .274 with 14 homers, 35 doubles and 3 triples. Robinson batted in 84 runs and scored 71, while playing quality defense for the RU South champions.

Number three in the poll was Elnora's fine freshman southpaw Jeremy Sellers. He posted a 12-6 mark with a remarkable 2.33 ERA after moving into the starting rotation in June, helping the All-Stars wind up in third place in the RU East pennant race.

The Tycobbian Rookie of the Year Suarez ended up with an 18-14 record for the last place Typhoons. Suarez struck out 196 in his 283 innings and notched a solid 3.34 ERA.

Ozarka Reliever Brady Bell was second in the rookie balloting. He chalked up a 7-6 record in 57 relief appearances with an exceptional 1.79 ERA and 16 saves. The Naturals will use him in the starting rotation next season. Ozarka wound up fifth in the RU East this year.

Left fielder Forest Orr came in third place in the voting. Orr led the Luxora Zorros to third place in the TU North with a .316 batting average, 11 homers, 59 RBIs and 87 runs scored in his first IPA season.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 16, 2029

Dillinger, Starr Named Golden Bat Winners
In The Islandian Times poll Waleska's wonderful outfielder Loco Dilliger and Tuckanarra's very talented first sacker Lynn Starr were named this year's Golden Bat honorees in the Ruthlandian and Tycobbian Unions respectively. The award is given annually to the best overall batter in each league. It was the second straight year that Dillinger has captured the honor, while it is the first time for Starr.

Dillinger paced the Westerners to second place in the RU South this season with an impressive .344 batting average, 41 homers, 141 runs batted in and 119 runs. The 29-year-old Dillinger led the IPA in home runs and RBIs and was runner-up in runs scored. He just missed a Triple Crown when he wound up second in hitting in the Ruthlandian Union. Herm Taylor of Crystal Lake nabbed the batting title with a .356 BA. Lorne Evans of the Southport Sun Sox took the IPA run-scoring title with 129.

Crystal Lake's fine first baseman Josh George took second place in the poll with a great season. The 24-year-old George was a big part of the Crushers wrestling the RU South away from powerful Waleska this year. He batted .324 with 44 doubles, 15 triples, 19 roundtrippers, 100 RBIs and 109 runs, while playing in all 154 games.

In the third spot in the balloting was another Crystal Lake Crusher, the top hitter in the IPA this season, George's teammate Herm Taylor, who boasted the best average in the IPA. Taylor won his second batting title with a .356 average with 44 doubles, 12 triples, 8 homers, 81 runs batted in and 102 scored.

Tuckanarra first baseman Lynn Starr, long overshadowed by his pitching brothers, Quinn and Glynn, finally emerged this year and grab some of the postseason spotlight by being heralded as the Tycobbian Golden Bat winner. Starr was a prime reason the Blue Jays captured another TU East title. The 31-year-old Starr had a marvelous season, hitting .335 in 154 games with 36 doubles, 14 triples, 27 homers, 126 RBIs and 110 runs.

Chicopee's young 25-year-old left fielder Sakima Shaman also had a fine season and was the Golden Bat runner-up. Shaman batted .325 with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 31 home runs, 116 RBIs and 101 runs for the third-place Braves.

Lorne Evans had another standout season for the Southport Sun Sox and winded up third in the best bat voting. Evans compiled a .310 average with 34 homers, 93 RBIs and an IPA-leading 129 runs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 17, 2029

Best IPA Hurlers Selected, Whitaker and Chylak
This year's top twirlers have been proclaimed in the Islandian Pro Alliance. In a poll released today by The Islandian Times Kilkenny's superb right-hander Dave Whitaker and Hartsdale's Lou Chylak came away with this year's Golden Arm Awards.

Whitaker copped the Ruthlandian Award with a 21-15 record for the Cats, who came in second in the RU North pennant race this year. Whitaker chalked up an impressive 2.39 ERA with 216 Ks in 305 innings pitched with 5 shutouts.

The number two votegetter was Killara Bardo of the Wynnamac Sundowners. The 22-year-old right-hander was 22-9 for the year with a 2.56 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 253 innings. Bardo made 33 starts and put up 3 shutouts for the second place Sundowners. They were the runner-up in the RU East. Bardo tied Sugar Valley's Benny McConnell for the most wins in the RU this season.

Third place went to young Ryan Janssen of the LaGrange Sports. Janssen was 19-12 in his third IPA season with a great 2.39 ERA and 7 shutouts. Janssen fanned 244 in his 290 innings. Teams only batted .220 against him. The Sports were third in the RU North standings.

The Tycobbian Golden Arm Award went to Hartsdale's Lou Chylak, an important ingredient in the Hellcats first-place finish in the TU North. Chylak rang up a 22-11 mark with a 2.52 ERA.

He edged out Mackie McGinnity of the Colchester Elites, the third-place club in the TU South. McGinnity stood out with a 23-7 record and tied with Southport's Dan Pascioni for the most victories in the IPA. McGinnity whiffed 225 batters in his 308 innings and made 38 starts. The 24-year-old fired 5 shutouts in his third year in the league.

Southport's youthful Don Pascioni was 23-9 for the year with a strong 2.71 ERA and 22 complete games in 39 starts. At 22 he has already logged five seasons in the league. Pascioni and McGinnity paced the IPA with 23 wins each. The Sun Sox battled for the pennant in the TU South, but came out second to winning Ginza.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 18, 2029

Dillinger And Starr Win Again, Take IPA MVP Honors
Fresh off being acclaimed the Golden Bat Award winners, Waleska's Loco Dillinger and Tuckanarra's Lynn Starr added to their laurels, the leagues coveted Most Valuable Player trophies.

Dillinger made it a very special season for him as he has now taken the Ruthlandian Union MVP and Golden Bat Awards for the second season in a row. The 29-year-old slugger also came very close to winning the prestigious Triple Crown. Winding up second in the batting race deprived him of that honor. Dillinger led the Westerners to a second-place spot in the RU South by batting .344, 12 points behind the leader, Herm Taylor of Crystal Lake. Dillinger topped the IPA with 41 homers and 141 runs batted in and led the RU with 119 runs. In his career Dillinger has hit .315 with 237 homers and 786 RBIs in just 7 seasons.

Dillinger's main competition for the MVP trophy was Josh George and Herm Taylor, who also contended for the Golden Bat. George was a vital cog in Crystal Lake's RU South pennant. In fact the Crushers whipped Waleska for the title. George, just 24, ripped pitchers for a .324 BA, drove in 100 runs and scored 109 times in his fourth year in the IPA.

Taylor won the RU batting crown for the second time in his 7-year tenure in the IPA. He also nabbed it in 2024 with a .355 BA. This season Taylor won it with a .356 mark. The 28-year-old center fielder scored 102 runs and batted in 81 wit 44 doubles, 12 triples and 8 homers. Lifetime Taylor is batting at a .327 clip. He was in third place in The Islandian Times MVP poll.

The Tycobbian MVP was Tuckanarra's tremendous first baseman Lynn Starr, who had an outstanding year with a .335 BA, 36 doubles, 14 triples, 27 home runs, 126 RBIs and 110 runs. Starr has been rock-solid in his 8 seasons with the Blue Jays, posting a .311 career average with 235 homers and 818 RBIs. He has been a 3-time All-Star. The Blue Jays won the TU East for the second year in a row.

Starr had to beat out two fine pitchers for the MVP honor. Second in the polling was Hartsdale's Lou Chylak, this year's TU Golden Arm recipient. Chylak paced the Hellcats to a the TU North flag with 22-11 record and a 2.52 ERA.

A hard-throwing portsider Don Pascioni was third in the TU MVP poll. Pascioni topped the IPA with 23 wins, tied with Mackie McGinnity of Colchester. The 22-year-old Pascioni led the Southport Sun Sox to the runner-up spot in the TU South. He chalked up a 23-9 mark with 2.71 ERA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 19, 2029

Top Defenders Win Golden Gloves
Not every player can swing a big bat or influence the game on the mound, so they do it with their Golden Gloves. The IPA today announced the 2029 Golden Glove performers for the Ruthlandian and Tycobbian Unions. Good glovemen take pride in their defensive skills. They know they make a difference in winning and losing. Even on days when they don't get a hit, they can make a difference with their gloves.

The RU announced its Golden Glove Award honorees. Todd Nasso of the Ancona Red Elephants was named for the third time in his career, while Roger Lanier of the St. John Crusaders picked up his second Gold Glove. All the rest are first time recipients.

P Walter Noland (Rocky Rapids) (12-22/4.18) 1.000 FA
C Floyd Randolph (Valmara) (.264/23/87/66) .997 FA/1 PB/27.7 % RTO
1B Roger Lanier (St. John) (.325/17/78/100) .996 FA
2B Jesse Clayton (Kilkenny) (.212/9/40/51) .990 FA
3B Ross Whittier (St. John) (.246/8/54/38) .981 FA
SS Todd Nasso (Ancona) (.258/27/83/90) .982 FA
LF Hal Granders (Colfax) (.278/2/37/84) .992 FA
CF Jim Crabtree (Ancona) (.222/12/53/85) .984 FA
RF Pettis Pentleton (Elnora) (.309/5/49/87) .991 FA

The Tycobbian Union only had two repeat performers. Joe DeLucca won for the third time in his career and Lorne Evans snagged his second Gold Glove.

P Mike Kierkegaard (Colchester) (16-12/3.37) 1.000 FA
C Durward Anderson (Hartsdale) (.280/2/47/75) .994 FA/3 PB/31.1% RTO
1B Billy Christianson (Tuckanarra) (.300/15/94/106) .995 FA
2B Jay Hagedorn (Summerland) (.268/4/46/61) .991 FA
3B Freddy Franks (High Mesa) (.277/19/52/81) .978 FA
SS Jed Turchin (Tuckanarra) (.308/12/90/77) .965 FA
LF Dennis Hartwig (Oxford) (.298/26/99/87) .989 FA
CF Joe DeLucca (Summerland) (.276/9/55/84) .998 FA
RF Lorne Evans (Southport) (.310/34/93/129) .993 FA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 20, 2029

Kilkenny And Fairfax Skippers Named IPA Best Managers
Two managers lifted teams up from deep in the second division and propelled them into pennant contenders were honored as the IPA Managers of the Year. Rusty Denicola was selected the Ruthlandian Union Manager of the Year for improving his Kilkenny Cats from seventh to second in the RU North. The Cats rose from a 63-91 record to 82-72 and challenged division champ Valmara for the pennant. The Tycobbian Manager of the Year, Fairfax's Dane Wesner, took a last-place club and almost won the TU North crown, but fell one game short, losing out to Hartsdale in a single-game playoff. The Frogs went from a poor 69-85 mark last season to 84-71 this year. It was the first time either skipper has been honored as the leagues' best manager.

Denicola outpolled Sugar Valley's Gibby Bobkins and Forest City's Joe Judlin for the honor. Bobkins was the runner-up in The Islandian Times poll. The Rattlers climbed up from fifth to first in the RU East, going from 72-82 in 2028 to 88-66 this year. Judlin brought the Lumberjacks in third in the RU West. Forest City was in the cellar last year with a 66-88 mark. The 'Jacks were a much-improved 80-74 in 2029.

The Frogs' Wesner got strong competition from Hartsdale's Kendry Moulton, who was second in the poll and Andy Jefferson of the Hillsboro Blazers, who came in third. Moulton guided the Hellcats to the TU North title, moving up from third the previous season. The Hellcats went from 78-76 to 85-70. Jefferson turned the Blazers around from a sixth-place club (70-84) into a second-place team (81-73) in the TU East.

IPA season 30 will begins soon.

I'll begin work on it tomorrow.

It may take a few days to work on the rosters for the coming year.

Thanks for following the IPA.

Much appreciated.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 18, 2030

IPA All-Stars Chosen For 30th Game
Teams have been selected for the 30th IPA All-Star Game slated for the Midtown Base Ball Grounds this Wednesday afternoon in Rolling Hills, home of the defending Pro Cup champion Reds. The visiting Tycobbian Stars will feature 19 players that have been honored more than one time, led by Crash Davis with 13 appearances in the mid-summer classic. Mahaska's Bucky O'Brian is an 11-time performer and James Couch of Ozarka has been named 7 times in his career. Ruthlandia has only 12 of the 30 players, who have previously participated in the game. Two Waleska Westerners Roy Hobbs and Loco Dillinger are back again. Hobbs was selected for the 15th time and Dillinger appears for his 5th time. The TU Stars have a decided edge in the series with a 20-9 mark in the annual affair. Last season they whipped the RU Stars 7-6. Matty Christianson will be at the helm of the Tycobbian Stars, while the Ruthlandian Stars will be guided by Stoner's Benny Stern. Christianson led Rolling Hills to the IPA Pro Cup title last season in a sweep over Stern's Stars.

The roster for the Ruthlandian Union is:

SP Razzy Angelis (ANC) (12-4/1.94)
SP T. D. Burnham (CL) (12-5/2.69)
SP Arnie Cason (CL) (12-6/2.22)
SP Jon Cruise (CFX) (12-6/2.26)
SP Terry Richards (WLK) (12-3/1.94)
SP Wes Weaver (SV) (10-2/1.72)
SP Smoky Rogers (CFX) (10-6/2.28)
SP Bobby Fleetfoot (CFX) (11-3/2.84)
MR Dallas Casey (SV) (3-1/1.99/12 saves)
MR Lefty Frizzell (GC) (1-2/1.50/11 saves)
C Les Leslie (WYN) (.273/16/48/34) (.992 FA/3 PB/42.4% RTO)
C Floyd Randolph (VLM) (.281/8/41/31) (.997 FA/2 PB/33.3% RTO)
C Derek Roman (BP) (.307/9/39/34) (.995 FA/3 PB/36.7% RTO)
1B Cayman Kettermann (ETS) (.317/12/55/41) (.993 FA)
1B Chris Charbonnier (LAG) (.328/15/49/38) (.990 FA)
1B Roger Lanier (STJ) (.336/5/39/40) (.993 FA)
2B Carl Bentley (CL) (.348/9/48/34) (.975 FA)
2B Matt Boyd (ELN) (.309/10/42/40) (.988 FA)
3B Leevi Viru (VLK) (.324/11/42/42) (1.000 FA)
3B Johnny Doyle (SV) (.263/21/48/38) (.988 FA)
SS Dino Manale (CFX) (.354/2/26/42) (.967 FA)
SS Larry Romney (ETS) (.281/6/33/36) (.988 FA)
SS Olari Ojastu (VLK) (.302/7/27/42) (.977 FA)
LF Wes Marlowe (GC) (.278/15/50/41) (.959 FA)
LF Loco Dillinger (WLK) (.288/15/40/46) (.980 FA)
CF Brad Maddox (STJ) (.356/2/31/45) (.982 FA)
CF Thomas Hall (GC) (.313/17/43/51) (.983 FA)
CF Vasco Aguilar (VOL) (.306/11/47/48) (.979 FA)
RF Roy Hobbs (WLK) (.333/19/63/42) (.982 FA)
RF Sonny Oliver (VOL) (.350/10/46/42) (.992 FA)


The roster for the Tycobbian Union is:

SP Quinn Starr (TUC) (11-4/2.06) (.902 FA)
SP Frank Blair (EP) (10-5/2.17) (.944 FA)
SP Chris Landry (BL) (9-4/2.30) (.926 FA)
SP Joe Foley (EP) (10-3/2.56) (.931 FA)
SP Scotty Ellison (SUM) (10-4/2.62) (.933 FA)
SP Jody Gentry (BSC) (10-5/2.63) (.946 FA)
SP Sam Tate (OZK) (10-3/2.91) (.909 FA)
SP Glenn Hamilton (DC) (10-5/3.10) (.917 FA)
MR Don Sawyer (BSC) (2-0/0.22/14 saves) (.875 FA)
MR Matt Reeves (CHI) (0-0/1.67/12 saves) (.875 FA)
C Tony Brinkerhoff (RH) (.337/12/53/35) (.997 FA/2 PB/17.5% RTO)
C Crash Davis (KEN) (.284/6/36/40) (.991 FA/2 PB/32.0% RTO)
C Bucky O'Brian (MAH) (.281/16/53/38) (.985 FA/4 PB/18.5% RTO)
1B Steve Burns (CCH) (.370/15/38/51) (.990 FA)
1B Johnny Scott (HAR) (.350/9/51/43) (.993 FA)
1B George Jenkins (OZK) (.341/13/49/41) (.992 FA)
2B Tetsu Tanaka (EP) (.336/19/60/56) (.971 FA)
2B Yancy Duvicque (TUR) (.366/2/23/40) (.978 FA)
3B Taro Mori (GIN) (.356/2/21/47) (.975 FA)
3B Michael Page (TUR) (.351/16/48/39) (.829 FA)
3B Franky Franks (HM) (.280/6/43/34) (.983 FA)
SS Jed Turchin (TUC) (.356/12/49/44) (.975 FA)
SS James Couch (OZK) (.313/4/29/55) (.976 FA)
LF Sakima Shaman (CHI) (.344/8/22/42) (1.000 FA)
LF Carroll Candy (LC) (.332/9/34/32) (.984 FA)
CF Cotton Cornwall (GIN) (326/15/56/47) (.983 FA)
CF Dusty Rogan (RH) (.303/12/51/50) (.984 FA)
RF Lorne Evans (SPT) (.389/30/70/61) (.992 FA)
RF Babe Hankins (KEN) (.339/7/51/51) (.992 FA)
RF Cleve Belton (CCH) (.293/18/49/45) (.992 FA)

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 18, 2030

2030 Ruthlandian North Mid-Season Recap

Ancona Surprise Leader In RU North
Vaunted Valmara has several serious challengers in the Ruthlandian North this season... the Vipers have won the last four years and six of the last seven seasons... the surprise team is the Ancona Red Elephants... a fifth-place club in 2029, they are atop the division by 3 games over LaGrange and 4 up on Valmara and Ranford... Taranto is fifth, just 5 games out.

Surprise team/Best Pitching: Ancona
much-improved with a .270 BA (10th) and 3.26 team ERA (5th)... appears to be a serious title contender... mound corps sparked by All-Star Razzy Angelis (12-4/1.94)... vets Kyros Halkias (6-7/3.23) and Vince Arndt (5-8/4.08) must step it up in last half of season... Lonnie Quick (4-3/3.26) must continue to pitch well... bats have to continue to produce... free agents Jimmy Howell (.358), Jerl Coleman (.291) and Koora Nawajuk (.284) have made a huge difference in the team... veteran stars Todd Nasso and Alekos Kotas are having subpar seasons... 33-year-old Nasso had 16 homers and 45 RBIs, but is batting only .239... lifetime Nasso has compiled a .285 BA... 32-year-old Kotas' power numbers are way down... Kotas has only 3 homers and 24 RBIs... in his career Kotas has averaged 25 home runs and 100 RBIs.

Second place LaGrange has two quality starters in Alex Gillespie (10-6/2.40) and Ryan Janssen (8-8/3.44), plus the booming bats of All-Star Chris Charbonnier (.328 BA/15 HR), Russell Watkins (.288/15 HR) and Randall Hawson (.285/14 HR)... the Sports should hang tough in the second half and give Ancona and Valmara a run for the money.

Defending Champion: Valmara
Offense down slightly for the third-place Vipers (tied with Ranford)... pitching suffering... rose up from 3.05 to 3.75 ERA... lost starter Clem Carmouche (6-3/3.92) for the season... Carmouche averages 13 wins a season in his 14 years in the league... other starters struggling: Carroll Cain (5-5/4.31) and Teddy Lem (6-9/3.79)... top bats belong to Gerry Kazmarek (.332 BA/8 HR), All-Star Floyd Randolph (.281 BA/8 HR) and Teddy Szymanski (.255 BA/13 HR)... best pitcher is second-year man J. B. Boutin (9-5/2.92)... for Vipers to defend division title, Cain and Lem must have good second halves.

Best Hitting Team: Ranford
the fourth-place Bulls are batting .288 (2nd), but are 10th in scoring and lack HR power, ranked 29th with just 46 homers... lots of good swingers in the lineup with Percy Whitehead (.355), Terry Kerr (.330), Sonny Statum (.328) and Elton Graff (.313)... less than average on the mound with a 3.81 ERA (21st)... only 7-year vet Sam Hart (10-6/3.29) is having a good season... lackluster pitching will doom the Bulls.

The fifth-place Taranto Tars are within striking distance of first place, trailing by only 5 games, but don't have the staying power of the other clubs... the Tars will be without their top hitter Greg Murphy for six weeks... Murphy was hitting .318 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs when he was injured in early June... Filippo Villano (.331) is the only reliable bat left in the lineup... not much in the way of pitching either, except for Paulie Pieroni (7-6/2.96) and inconsistent Laz Tomassini (11-7/4.20).

Sixth in the RU North standings are the Far Mountain Redhawks, 7 games off the pace of first place Ancona... the Redhawks have decent pitching with the likes of Jakob Wagner (8-5/2.94) and Jeff Cooper (8-10/3.76), but they have trouble putting runs on the scoreboard... Ryan Mizell is the top bat with 12 roundtrippers, 43 runs batted in and a .263 BA... Johnny Becker is batting .310 with 5 homers and 33 RBIs.

Next-to-last Glasco has woeful pitching (4.27 ERA-31st) and is just average at the plate with a .258 BA (18th) and 60 HRs (16th-tied)... Donnie Young (.353), Warren Steele (.325) and Eddy Martin (.299) sports the best bats on the club, while the hurlers are paced by Sam Gilmore (7-7/3.46) and Darien Russell (10-8/4.79).

Most Disappointing: Kilkenny
sunk to the cellar after being runner-up to Valmara last year... thrived with a brilliant 2.67 ERA... up to 3.46 this year.... Christy Cane (2-9/4.99) had been lousy, down from 16-13 and a 2.61 ERA last year... ace Dave Whitaker has fallen from 21-15 and 2.39 to 4-6 and 3.06 this year... offense is pathetic with a .233 mark (32nd), but the Cats hit with some power (65 HR-6th)... top performers at the plate are Ronnie Rousell (.289/16/43) and Garris Aiken (.255/14/37).

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 18, 2030

2030 Ruthlandian South Mid-Season Recap

Crushers Top Super-Tight RU South
Only 3 games separate first place and fourth place in the super-tight Ruthlandian South pennant race... Crystal Lake has a narrow one-game lead over runners-up Waleska and Grand City with fourth-place St. John just 3 games off the pace... in fact only 2 teams in the division seem to be out of the race this year... fifth-place San Dimas is only 7 games behind and sixth-place Valka trails by just 8 games... a hot streak or two could put them right back in the chase.

Defending Champ and Best Offense: Crystal Lake
The Crystal Lake Crushers won the flag last year, dependent on strong hitting and fairly good pitching... same thing this year with a .288 BA (1st) and a 3.42 team ERA (8th)... highest-scoring club in the RU with Herm Taylor (.314), All-Star Carl Bentley (.348), Tommy Trent (.332) and Sterling Hall (.359) in the batting order... biggest shortcoming is its bad bullpen (5.83 ERA)... three fine starters with All-Stars Arnie Cason (12-6/2.22) and T. D. Burnham (12-5/2.69)... also lost stalwart Duncan Welch (19-14) to South Fork via free agency... but got a revitalized Ben Garvik (11-5/3.14) to replace him... Garvik couldn't make the roster last year after two poor seasons in a row, but after a year off, he's back and the best he has ever been.

For the ninth successive year Waleska is one of the top three teams in the standings and will surely contend for the division flag... the team is hitting .272 (7th) and is 4th in scoring... excellent pitching, too, with a 3.02 ERA (3rd)... superstar All-Stars Roy Hobbs (.333) and Loco Dillinger (.288) still lead the offense... All-Star Terry Richards (12-3/1.94) and Wild Bill Butler (9-5/3.96) again head up the mound staff.

Most Improved Team: Grand City
The Grand City Cybercats started the season with a great 21-7 April, but have cooled off considerably... still they are tied for second, only a game out... lost two starters to injury... the Cybercats feature power hitting with 80 home runs (2nd) and are 3rd in scoring... paced by All-Star Thomas Hall (17 HR), All-Star Wes Marlowe (15 HR) and Mick Langston (16 HR)... pitchers Danny Denver (12-20/4.04) and Charley Chishom (11-5/2.98) will miss the entire season... free agents Kip Day (10-8/4.11) and Billy Ray (6-7/3.45) have been good replacements... All-Star reliever Lefty Frizzell (1-2/1.50/11 saves) has solidifed the bullpen.

Improved offense has moved St. John up from the second division... the fourth-place Crusaders boast a .284 team BA (3rd) and are ranked 2nd in scoring runs... top hitters are All-Star Brad Maddox (.356), All-Star Roger Lanier (.336), Leon Clendennon (.323) and Joey Daigrepont (.317)... needs help in the pitching corps... signed free agent plum, Loris Plooster (4-7/4.59), but he fractured his elbow in June and will be lost for the year... 3.86 team ERA (22nd) is the the big problem... Jeremy Vincent (6-2/2.70) and vet Don Baillie (9-5/4.14) are carrying the club, along with reliever Nelson Hawthorne (4-2/1.66/6 saves).

Best Pitching: San Dimas
If fifth-place San Dimas can find some hitting, the Rancheros could move up in the standings... they are ranked 4th in pitching with a 3.06 ERA with good starters and quality relievers... Miguel Valdes (10-6/1.95), Joaquin Lima (8-6/2.96) and veteran Shannon White (9-7/3.58) lead the way on the hill... Ramon Escobar (.281) and Gregg Mathis (.277) are the most reliable bats.

Best Defense: Valka
The season started well for the Valka Blackhawks with a 17-11 mark, but they faltered in May... now the Blackhawks have slipped to sixth place... pitching is the dilemma with a 4.17 team ERA (29th)... Villem Arumaa (7-5/4.10) is the best of the lot... Valka can hold its own at the plate with a .262 BA (13th) and is ranked 7th in runs and 9th in homers with 64... All-Star Leevi Viru (.324), All-Star Olari Ojastu (.302) and Jaak Pajukivi (.310) are the Blackhawks best threats... the Blackhawks are the best fielding club in the IPA with a superb .987 FA.

The Claxton Diamonds and the Belair Beach Sunbirds are already way back in the pennant hunt and don't appear to be capable of contending this season... the Diamonds are in seventh place and 12 games behind, while the Sunbirds are in the basement and 16 games out of first place... Claxton has good starting pitching with a 3.20 team ERA (6th), led by Jarno Berkman (4-2/1.96) and Freddi Hahn (6-7/2.87)... but the bullpen is bad with a 4.20 ERA (28th)... the Diamond offense is batting only .250 (26th)... home runs supply most of the scoring with 70 (5th), pace by Pete Banks (17 HR) and Ivan Krause (15 HR).

Belair Beach ranks near the bottom in almost everything with a .250 BA, 51 homers and a 4.07 ERA... free agent Fernando Melendez (7-1/3.06) and vet Daniel Ferguson (6-9/2.78) are solid starters, but have little help... 8-year standout Kees Draeger is the only run producer... Draeger has 11 homers, 35 RBIs and a .286 batting average.