THE ISLANDIAN TIMES

Around the Town in the IPA

LAGRANGE SPORTS

Owner/GM: Foxy Jemison
Manager: Quincy Peterson

LaGrange, with 65,000 residents, is found in the sparse and craggy foothills of the Appian Mountains in northeastern Ruthlandia. LaGrange is a very modern and up-to-date town with its main industries being silver and gold mining (some of the world’s richest reserves) and forestry and associated paper production industries. LaGrange was the second settlement in the country, populated by French Acadians during the 1850’s gold rush. Cajun French and English are spoken here.

The LaGrange Sports Baseball Club was the second amateur team in Ruthlandia (Marston was the first) and the town is now the home of the LaGrange Sports of the Islandian Pro Alliance, named in honor of the original Sports. LaGrange plays in the Ruthlandian North Division.

They play their games at the new state-of-the-art Sports Stadium, which has the town’s impressive skyline visible in the distance beyond the outfield walls. There’s a lot of fine food, fun, and frolic at Sports Stadium with great Cajun food and great Cajun music at every game. A Zydeco band plays at every game. At the seventh inning stretch, “Take me out to the ballgame” is sung first in Cajun French and then in English. And throughout the game Cajun yells of “aaahh-eeeee” (exclamation of joy) and “laissez le bon temps rouler” (“let the good times roll”) can be heard cheering the home club to victory.

Mouthwatering Cajun cuisine can be sampled at the concession stands. Seafood and okra gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish pies are in abundance along with the most delicious bread pudding, café brulot (orange and spice flavored coffee) and crème brulet (superb custard dessert) in the world, too, mes amis (“my friends”).

The LaGrange Sports are owned by one of the all-time great sluggers and first basemen in Ruthlandian company league circles, Foxy Jemison. Jemison got his start in lumber mills, played ball for the company team, made a name for himself, moved up in the company hierarchy until he ended up owning it. Jemison sponsored a company team for years and worked hard to get a team in the IPA. Longtime IPA superstar and Hall-of-Famer Quincy Peterson is the skipper of the Sports. Peterson played the outfield and was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027. He played in 3087 games (13th) in 22 seasons, the last 15 of them in LaGrange. Peterson had a career .294 BA with 3514 hits (7th), 567 homers (8th), 1956 RBIs (7th) and 2029 runs (7th). Peterson was a 6-time All-Star and 4-time Golden Glover.

Sports Stadium (2001)

Capacity: 10,732

Dimensions:
LF Line 325
LF 345
LCF 400
CF 400
RCF 400
RF 345
RF Line 325

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES

Around the Town in the IPA

ST. JOHN CRUSADERS

Owner: The Brothers of St. John the Baptist
GM: Dick Billings
Manager: Clayton Luck

St. John is an isolated college town of 79,000, located in the sparsely-settled southwestern part of Ruthlandia. It is in the Southern Lowlands about a 100 miles inland from Belair Bay and the Southern Sea. Originally established by the Brothers of St. John the Baptist as a monastery and religious retreat. It is now the home of St. John University, a center of learning and the country's elite academic institution and research center. The university is run by the St. John Brothers.

The school's academic specialties are educational, agricultural and medical research. The university is the site of the oldest and largest library in the country. It also houses the largest medical center and hospital in Ruthlandia.

The Sisters of the Holy Cross Convent is also in St. John. The nuns are active in nursing and education. Together the two orders supply many doctors, nurses and teachers for the Islands.

Another important industry run by the Brothers is the Crusader Wagon Company, the makers of top-of-the-line cars, trucks and tractors used throughout Tycobbia and Ruthlandia. The company was started in the 1860s and made wagons and buggies, expanding to automobiles in the early 1900s.

The picturesque and idyllic town is filled with parks and boulevards, all centered around the university and is a nice place to call home and raise a family.

St. John is also home of the St. John Crusaders of the IPA's Ruthlandian Union South Division, who play at lovely Cathedral Stadium on the university campus. The stadium has a great view of the revered gothic cathedrals that pervade the campus. The fans also get a great panoramic view of the downtown area in the distance. The outfield walls and buildings in left, center and right fields are made of white marble. The Crusaders are owned and operated by the Brothers of St. John. Spectators and fans at the stadium can feast on wonderful and delicious sandwiches made with bread from the monastery's famous ovens and sample exquisite wines from its classic cellars and delightful cheeses from its marvelous dairies. All available at nominal prices. Typical baseball fare is also offered at the concession stands.

Crusader fans are noted for being true sportsmen in the truest sense of the word. They never boo the umpires or utter a discouraging word toward their beloved team or the visiting clubs. They will even applaud a good play by opposing players. A visit to Cathedral Stadium is truly unique and enjoyable.

Longtime front office man, Dick Billings, the fabled catcher for the legendary Marston Nine, one of the greatest amateur teams ever. He was an outstanding hitter, catcher and manager. Clayton Luck is now the manager of the Crusaders. He was a solid outfielder for St. John for 18 years from 2005 to 2022, retiring with a .279 career average, 2200 hits, 182 homers, 1278 runs and 846 RBIs.

Cathedral Stadium (1948)

Capacity: 7,450

Dimensions:

LF Line 360
LF 375
LCF 390
CF 400
RCF 390
RF 375
RF Line 360

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 26, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Elnora Raps Sligo 7-5, Leads By A Game
Playing out-of-town in Sligo, the second-seeded Elnora All-Stars took a giant step in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 with a 7-5 decision over the eighth-seeded Rovers in game five to move to within one game of taking the series... Elnora snapped a 2-2 tie with 3 runs in the top of the fifth and 2 more in the sixth to whip Sligo... that 7-2 margin was too much for Sligo to overcome.

In the fifth CF Travis Glass (.250) doubled in a run and 1B Matt Boyd (.278) and 3B Danny Bierhoff (.381) got the other 2 in on sacrifice flies... in the sixth Boyd walloped a 2-run double giving him 3 RBIs in the game... Bierhoff batted in a pair of scores and SS Bobby Greb batted in one... 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.333), RF Pettis Pentleton (.333) and Glass all scored 2 runs each... 2B Howie Robertson (.318), RF Everett Dirksen (.375) and SS Wally Buck (.500) all socked 2 hits apiece for the Rovers... LF Dan Jackson (.105) hit the only homer in the game... it was Jackson's second in the series.

Both clubs collected 11 hits each... Jose Robles (1-1/4.76) claimed the victory, but struggled... he was battered for 5 runs and 10 hits in 8 innings... closer Stan Kivas worked a scoreless ninth to chalk up his second save... Sligo starter Jack Vogel was atrocious with 7 walks in 5 innings... Vogel (0-1) was tagged for 6 runs and 6 hits... Vogel took the injured Lou Page's spot in the Rovers rotation.

St. John Shocks LaGrange 7-5 With 7-run 8th
For seven innings hometown St. John couldn't muster anything against LaGrange's Ryan Janssen, who throttled them on 3 hits... trailing 5-0 the Crusaders awoke from their slumber with a 3-run homer by 1B Johnny Zaun (.250) and RBI singles by 2B Byron Johannsen (.350) and 3B Norm Murdoch (.267) to tie the score... then C Wes Harris (.250) belted a game-winning 2-run two-bagger... this comeback victory propelled the Crusaders to a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series... one more LaGrange loss and their season is over.

Zack Dowdle (1-1/5.63) had a rocky start, but picked up the win with help from Nathan Hawthorne... the Sports pelted Dowdle for 5 runs on 10 hits, while Hawthorne got the save despite allowing 2 hits and no runs in the ninth... Janssen (1-1/3.86) suffered the defeat, permitting 7 runs and 11 hits in 7 and one-third innings.

LaGrange outhit St. John 12 to 11... Heading up the Crusaders attack were RF Tony Kreskas (.350), CF Roger Haley (.250) and LF Grady Kerr (.300), all with a pair of hits apiece... topping the Sports were RF Randall Hawson (.500) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run roundtripper and a run-scoring double... and CF Russell Watkins (.524) and LF Andre Hymel (.300), who drilled 3 hits each.

Tycobbian Union

Sunsets Stay Alive, Stop Frogs 2-1
Behind three games to one and needing a win in the worst way, Summerland staved off elimination with a 2-1 triumph over top-seeded Fairfax and Pro Cup favorite at Sunset Stadium... Sunsets Ron McDonald outpitched Manny Hunsinger of the Frogs to narrow Fairfax's edge in the series to three games to two and forced game six tomorrow afternoon in Fairfax.

In a sterling performance McDonald (2-0/1.76) stymied the Frogs on 5 hits and one run with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks... McDonald also won game two 6-2... Hunsinger was almost as tough, yielding just 2 runs on 7 hits, while also going the distance.

Summerland got 2 runs in the opening frame and McDonald made them stand up... the Sunsets got on the board quickly... CF Antonio Vasquez (.273) led off the game with a single and was doubled to third by SS Noel Cardin (.375)... Vasquez rode home on RF Eamon O'Toole's (.300) sac fly and Cardin scored on 3B Mark Delaney's (.381) base hit... the Frogs finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth CF Eric Kusek (.304) singled and came around to score on SS John Velasco's (.190) two-out double... Cardin and Delaney had 2 hits each for the winners, while Velasco got a pair for Fairfax.

The East Point Panthers swept the La Clair Lynx in four games and is now awaiting the winner of the Fairfax-Summerland series.

Around the Town in the IPA

SLIGO ROVERS

Owner: Myron Dalrymple, CEO of the Silver Mountain Ski Resort
GM/Manager: Eddie Keys

Sligo is located in the slopes of the Silver Mountains in northern Ruthlandia. Because of its remote location, the area was largely uninhabited until 1872 when silver was discovered in the hills surrounding the town. The name of the town comes from Theodore Sligo, one of the men who originally discovered the silver. Sligo laid out the roads and a tent city popped up shortly after the discovery. By the turn of the century, the mines had produced more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the nation. Many fine examples of Victorian architecture that were built during the era are well-preserved today.

When the mines stopped producing in the late 1940s, the town lost almost half of its population and fell upon hard times. It survived mainly on its timber industry until the 1970s when environmental concerns caused the town to form a commission that would seek alternative industries that could sustain the economy. The commission findings led to a rebirth of the once-beautiful city. Through various tax breaks, the town was able to attract several builders to construct ski resorts just outside of town. The town also refurbished many of the historic buildings that had fallen into disrepair and decided to place its economic emphasis on tourism.

With a population of only 38,000, Sligo is the smallest town to own a team in the Islandian Pro Alliance and has at various times struggled to make ends meet despite having very loyal fans. The 1973 commission made it clear in its report that the town should figure out a way to provide long-term stability to the local nine as it would be a devastating blow to civic pride if the Rovers were to leave town. As a result, the ballpark was part of the downtown refurbishment and the team signed a long-term lease that makes it difficult for the Rovers to leave. In the 80s, the team was sold to Myron Dalrymple, owner of the highly successful Silver Mountain Ski Resort. Dalrymple is respected among long-time Sligo residents for settling in town and helping to revive its economy.

The Rovers play at Silver Mountain Park, one of the oldest parks in the Islands, which seats 5,678 spectators and was built in 1912. The ballpark’s mid-seventies facelift did a good job of preserving its historic nature and the town funded yet another update in 1998 when four sky suites were added along with expanding the clubhouses. SM Park sports its original brick façade at its entrance and is tucked away in the historic Main Street shopping district. There is no parking here, but the sight of fans walking to the ballpark on a balmy summer afternoon fits in well with the town’s quaint ambiance. The team plays to that ambiance by having a barber shop quartet stationed outside the main ticket booth to greet approaching fans.

Speaking of music, you won’t find loud rock and roll music blaring from a state of the art sound system here. Like Hillsboro, Kenwood, Ozarka and Marston, the team employs an organist who serenades fans with classic tunes and is quite adept at finding songs that have something to do with the batter’s skill or idiosynchracies. Food here is among the most affordable in all of the IPA, and while you will find classic ballpark fare like peanuts, hot dogs, and crackerjacks, the most popular item on the menu may well be the roasted corn on the cob that is slathered with mayonnaise.

Despite its nod to the traditional, the team has added one of those big fuzzy mascots in recent years. “Rover”, a giant red dog, roams the stands entertaining children and adults alike. When fans catch a foul ball, the public address announcer will announce to “give that fan a contract,” and Rover will indeed present the fan with a “contract” and a "doggy bag" filled with club gifts. Another Silver Mountain park tradition traces its roots back to the team’s current manager Eddie Keys. During his playing days in the industrial leagues, fans would jingle their keys whenever he came to bat. The tradition continues to this day whenever a rally is in order.

Silver Mountain Park (1912)
Capacity: 5,678

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 328
Left Field - 350
Left Center - 382
Center Field - 387
Right Center - 382
Right Field - 366
Right Field Line - 342

SUMMERLAND SUNSETS

Owner: Augie Altonno, La Cosa Nostra Enterprises
GM/Manager: Will Hackett

Summerland is a serene paradise south of the Tycobbian mainland populated by about 93,000 residents and located on the northeastern edge of Arvonian Island in the Southern Sea. It was originally settled by the Dutch in the 1840's and called Sommerland and still has a sizeable Dutch minority, but with a British majority. Both ethnic groups have really taken to the sport of baseball. Like every town in the Islands, baseball is king.

Modern day Summerland is a year-round playground with perfect weather amid a lush tropical landscape. People love to slip away to the sunshine of Summerland with its sparkling stretches of white powdery sand and crystal clear turquoise seawaters. Summerland’s high-rise hotels and seaside villas offer world-class amenities, impeccable service and accommodations topped off with tempting epicurean pleasures and a bountiful array of activities designed to pamper and delight. It is the home of the Summerland Sunsets of the Islandian Pro Alliance, who play at Sunset Park, the newest ball palace in the league. The club plays in the Tycobbian South Division.

Sunset Park is built right on the water with the front facade looking out on the Bay of Caledonia. Each evening tourists gather on the shore to watch the majestic tropical sun slowly sink into the sky-blue azure waters. The Summerland skyline, with its luxury hotels and retirement condos, is visible from the park.

The Sunsets are owned by Augie Altonno, a baseball fanatic with questionable business affiliations. Augie Altonno spares no expense when it comes to the Sunsets. At each game he has a big band orchestra (his favorite kind of music) to entertain the fans. After the game an automated dance floor is set up so the fans can swing, sway and dance the night away. Augie, a "family man", loves to dance and can often be seen with a lovely young thing acting like Tony Manero with “Saturday Night Fever” on the dance floor. Most of the time Augie goes home to Mama Rosa and leaves the “Fever” on the dance floor.

And Augie spares no expense when it comes to the concessions at Sunset Park, either. You have wide choice of menu, Italian, Dutch, or standard baseball fare. Delicious spaghetti, lasagna, pizzas and muffalettas are on the menu, along with Dutch specialities like broodje (hot dog), bratwurst, patat met (chips with mayo) and Frikandel (meatloaf croquette). Dutch beer like Heineken's and Grotsch are served along with local and American beer, cokes and fine Italian wine. Augie’s favorite dessert is available, too - Angelo Brocato’s Spamoni ice cream imported from the French Quarter in New Orleans. A visit to Augie’s baseball palace is “to die for” (figuratively speaking, of course).

The GM and manager of the Summerland Sunsets is Will Hackett, noted as a tremendous power hitter and RBI man in his amateur league days.

Sunset Park (2001)
Capacity: 7,550

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 353
Left Field - 372
Left Center - 375
Center Field - 415
Right Center - 375
Right Field - 372
Right Field Line - 353

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 27, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Elnora KOs Sligo In 6 Games
Pro Cup number-two seed Elnora knocked off eighth-seeded Sligo in the Ruthlandian Elite 8 in six games, wrapping up with a 5-2 triumph... home runs by Pettis Pentleton and Travis Glass led the way with help on the mound from Freddy Pfeffer and Paul Martina... Elnora will meet the winner of the LaGrange-St. John series for the RU crown in the Final 4 Series.

Pentleton (.320) smashed a 3-run clout in the first frame and Glass (.316) hit a solo shot in the fifth to give the All-Stars a 5-0 advantage... Pfeffer shut out the Rovers until the seventh when they tagged him for 2 runs... Pfeffer (2-0/2.81) limited Sligo to just 3 hits, fanned 8 and issued 3 bases on balls... Martina got the last four outs and his second save in the series... Flapper Bird (0-2/4.50) took the loss, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 7 innings.

St. John Surprises LaGrange, Advances To RU Final 4
On the road in LaGrange, game six of the RU Elite 8 Series was no contest as the St. John Crusaders, the seventh seed in the Pro Cup rankings, upset the third-seeded LaGrange Sports in six games and unexpectedly eliminated them from the Pro Cup playoffs... the Crusaders crushed the Sports 7-1 with a 12-hit barrage and a fine effort on the hill by Jeremy Kirk, who stopped the Sports on one run and 7 hits... Kirk (1-1/4.85) struck out 8 and walked 2 in a complete game... RF Tony Kreskas (.320) and 1B Johnny Zaun (.353) sparked the win with 2 RBIs each... Kreskas and CF Roger Haley (.320) got 3 hits apiece... losing pitcher Mike York (1-1/5.14) was belted for 10 hits and 6 runs in his 5 innings... York had beaten Kirk 6-3 in game three of the series... the Crusaders fell behind 2-1 in the series, but captured the last three games to take the series four games to two.

St. John gets another big obstacle in the Ruthlandian Final 4 against powerful second-seeded Elnora... the series gets underway this Friday at State Fair Park in Elnora.

Tycobbian Union

Favored Frogs End Sunsets Season
Top seed and Pro Cup favorite Fairfax polished off Summerland four games to two to cop the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series... Mac Flowers stopped the Sunsets in game six 5-3 at The Frog Pond... though he was peppered for 10 hits, Flowers still went the distance... Fairfax was led by 1B Mel Long (.250) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... RF Roger Krieger (.250), 2B Cody Flannery (.154) and Flowers drove in the other Frog runs... 1B Mark Delaney (.400) paced Summerland at the plate with a double and home run... Lloyd Anderson (0-2/4.24) lost again to Flowers... he surrendered 5 runs on 9 hits and also tossed a complete game... Flowers also won game three 3-2.

Fairfax will host red-hot East Point in the TU Final 4, which starts at The Frog Pond this Friday Afternoon. The Panthers are rated the fifth-best club in the Pro Cup playoffs and have outstanding starters. The Panthers swept fourth seed La Claire in the first round and could prove to be a tough customer for the Frogs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, September 29, 2033

Pro Cup Down To Final 4
After an exciting first round of play in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs, teams have been shaved down to the Final 4. It will be top-seeded Fairfax against fifth-seed East Point for the Tycobbian crown and number-two seed Elnora taking on seventh-seeded St. John for the Ruthlandian title. In the TU Final 4 Fairfax (102-52) will host the tough East Point Panthers (88-66) at the Frog Pond tomorrow afternoon and the Elnora All-Stars (93-61) will entertain unheralded St. John (87-67) at State Fair Park. Baseball analysts forecast it will be the Frogs and the All-Stars in this year's Islands championship. Fairfax is given the nod to reign in the Pro Cup competition. However, East Point could throw a monkey wrench into the equation with its fine starting rotation.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES

Around the Town in the IPA

Fairfax Frogs

Owner: Frog Fashions
GM: Harry Buckley
Manager: Dane Wesner

Fairfax is a dynamic town of 107,000 on the northshore of beautiful Blue Lake in Central Tycobbia and at the mouth of the Rio Lobo. It is an important river and railway distribution hub for timber and wood products from North Hills and Hartsdale to the north and agricultural products from Mahaska to the west, which is brought by rail and the Appian River. Timber and manufactured goods from Luxora are shipped on the Rio Lobo.

Because of its proximity to the lake, it a tourist haven with hotels lining the peaceful blue waters, which provide sailing, swimming, skiing, fishing and other boating activities and a thriving recreational shipbuilding industry.

Fairfax is also the home of the popular and quite prosperous Frog Fashions, makers of fine men and women's fashions, including bathing suits and swimwear. The Frog logo is featured on all of the company's wearing apparel and is known throughout the Islands.

Frog Fashions is also the owner of the Fairfax Frogs, who play in the Islandian Pro Alliance. The ballclub is a member of the Tycobbian Union's North Division. Fairfax plays its games at the Frog Pond. It is a beautiful stadium with a panoramic view of the downtown area over the outfield walls and was built just in time for the 2001 IPA inaugural season.

It is a tradition from industrial and company league days for the Frog fanatics to cheer and urge their team on to victory with this rally chant, led by the team mascot, Jeremiah the Bullfrog:

"Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit.
Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit.
Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit."

Jeremiah the Bullfrog, also leads the fans in singing "Take Me Out to the Frog Pond" during the seventh inning stretch. A Fairfax victory is always celebrated with a rousing chorus of "Joy to the World" when the last out of the game is made.

At the concession booths, the fans can savor ballpark regulars like hot dogs, hamburgers, beer, soft drinks, peanuts and crackerjacks. In addition, refreshing daiquiries of all flavors and concoctions are available.

Harry Buckley is the GM of the Fairfax Frogs. He is a former company league second baseman and manager. Buckley was a fine hitter and fielder and also stood out as a manager... currently at the helm is Dane Wesner, a great IPA Hall of Fame outfielder for the Frogs... Wesner played from 2005 to 2023 and compiled a .311 career BA with 452 homers and 1550 RBIs... twice he won the TU Golden Bat Award and the league batting crown... Six times Wesner was an All-Star and seven times won the Golden Glove.

The Frog Pond (2001)
Capacity: 11,700
Dimensions:
LF Line 340
LF 375
LCF 400
CF 422
RCF 400
RF 375
RF Line 340

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES

Around the Town in the IPA

ELNORA ALL-STARS

Owner: George Costanza
GM: Zoggy White
Manager: Leon Carter

Elnora, population 101,000, is a port city at the edge of the Great Plains on the east coast of Ruthlandia near the Valerian Ocean. It is one of the earliest settlements in the Islands. Elnora is the site of grain processing plants, vast wheat fields and shipping docks.

It was the home of the first amateur teams formed by companies and commercial enterprises in the 1920s. Players were given jobs by the companies and then given ample time off to practice their skills and to play games to publicize the companies' wares, services and products to the baseball fans of Ruthlandia.

The Elnora All-Stars are owned by a wealthy eccentric by the name of George Costanza. He made a fortune in reality television with a show "about nothing". In 2000, Costanza jumped at the chance to get a franchise in the Islandian Pro Alliance and immediately began signing up all of the amateur all-stars and named his team the All-Stars. But IPA commissioner, John Banson, refused to approve the contracts. Costanza had to go through the league draft to get his players like all of the other teams. Costanza appealed it all the way to the Islandian Supreme Court, but the league prevailed.

Elnora plays in the Ruthlandian Union and is in the East Division. The Elnora All-Stars play at State Fair Park, which is the site of the Ruthlandian State Fair each year. It is the largest midway and carnival in the Islands. State Fair Park is known for serving great soups, made by the famous Elaine Benes Soup Company. Costanza imported a renowned and sometimes difficult chef from Argentina to manage his concessions. In addition to traditional baseball foods, wonderful soups like mulligatawny, lima bean, turkey chili, crab bisque, cold cucumber, corn and crab chowder are served up at the ballpark. A word of warning, don't ask for bread. The Chef demands that all customers in his restaurant follow his meticulous (and seemingly arbitrary) soup-ordering instructions to the letter, lest they be refused service by his insistent avowal, "No soup for you!"

Costanza did go out and get a great manager for the All-Stars. He hired one of the most successful industrial league manager in Ruthlandian baseball history, Zoggy White. He was only a semi-mediocre outfielder, but really made his mark as a manager. In reference to his success as a player versus his success as a manager, White once said, "Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it." His style of play, which was nicknamed "Whiteyball," concentrates on pitching, speed, and defense to win games rather than home runs. White's baseball philosophy also includes a preference for patient hitters with high on-base percentages. White retired in 2026 after 27 seasons at the helm and took over as general manager. He did not attain much success as the All-Stars only managed 3 pennants and 5 playoff appearances in his tenure.

Leon Carter is the current manager. He took the reins from White in 2027. Carter was a 7-time All-Star catcher for Elnora from 2013 to 2026. He finished his career with a lifetime .287 BA , 284 homers and over 1000 RBIs.

State Fair Park (1971)
Capacity: 12,500

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 335
Left Field - 370
Left Center - 399
Center Field - 415
Right Center - 399
Right Field - 370
Right Field Line - 335

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 30, 2033

IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Elnora Sinks St. John 6-3 In RU Opener
Solid pitching, backed up by 11 hits, paved the way for the Elnora All-Stars to defeat the St. John Crusaders in the opening game of the Ruthlandian Final 4 Series at State Fair Park... Freddy Pfeffer, 21-8 with a 2.96 ERA in the regular season, held St. John to 3 runs and 8 hits for his third straight victory in the playoffs. Pfeffer is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in the postseason... topping the All-Stars at the plate were SS Bobby Greb (.346) with a 2-run homer and LF Clint Thomas (.300) with a 2-run single... it was Greb's third blast of the playoffs... and 1B Matt Boyd (.333) and CF Howie Watson (.571) chipped in with 2 hits each.

Southpaw Larry Urban (2-1/1.48) went the route in defeat and was hampered by shoddy defense by the Crusaders... 4 of the 6 runs Urban allowed were undeserved... 1B Johnny Zaun (.364) sparked St. John with 2 hits and 2 runs... CF Roger Haley (.333), 2B Byron Johannsen (.333) and 3B Norm Murdoch (.182) drove in the Crusader runs.

Tycobbian Union

Panthers Pounce On Frogs In Game One 5-2
Game one of the Tycobbian Final 4 at the Frog Pond in Fairfax had all the makings of a classic mound duel... two 23-game winners Douglas Dickey of the Fairfax Frogs and Dixie Brooks of the East Point Panthers faced each other... when it was over, Brooks was the 5-2 victor in spite of being touched for 12 hits by the Frogs... Brooks (3-0/2.00) stranded 13 baserunners, fanned 7 and walked 4, but limited Fairfax to just 2 runs... Dickey (2-1/2.89) suffered his initial playoff loss this year as he permitted 5 runs on 8 hits... only 3 of the runs were earned.

East Point was led at the plate by RF Steve Stroud (.455) with 2 hits and 2 runs batted in and by CF Sean Flynn (.364), who scored twice and had 2 hits... the Panthers built up a 5-1 lead after 6 frames and never were seriously challenged... Fairfax's 2B Cody Flannery (.294), LF Max Lebowitz (.214) and SS John Velasco (.214) topped the Frogs with a pair of hits apiece.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 1, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

All-Stars Rally, Nip St. John 7-6 in 14 Innings
The Elnora All-Stars had to rally three times to whip the feisty St. John Crusaders 7-6 in 14 innings... the triumph gave the All-Stars a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Ruthlandian Final 4 series... behind 4-1 they needed Bobby Greb's dramatic 3-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into overtime... again trailing 5-4, Danny Bierhoff's RBI double in the 12th saved them from defeat... the Crusaders jumped ahead again in the top of the 14th, but Elnora rebounded again on a run-scoring wild pitch that tied the score at 6-all and Travis Glass' single finally won the game, driving in Akihiro Samurakami from third.

Lucien Vachon (1-0/6.00), the fourth Elnora hurler got credit for the victory, but allowed 2 runs in his 3 innings... Nathan Hawthorne (0-1/2.61) was blistered for 3 runs and 6 hits in 3-plus innings and copped the loss.

Jeremy Sellers started for Elnora and worked the first 8 frames, gave up 4 runs - only 2 earned - in 8 innings... relievers Paul Martina and Stan Kivas blanked the Crusaders in the 9th through the 11th... Jeremy Kirk went 10 innings for St. John, yielding 4 runs on 7 hits.

The All-Stars collected 13 hits to 14 for the Crusaders... SS Bobby Greb (.375) racked up 3 hits, including his 4th postseason homer to lead Elnora... 2B Samurakami (.286), 3B Bierhoff (.361) and RF Pettis Pentleton (.324) socked 2 hits each for the winners... 3B Bobby Joe Daniel (.250) had 2 doubles, a single and 2 RBIs for St. John... LF Roger Haley (.353) added 2 hits and scored twice... 1B Norm Murdoch (.214) drove in 2 runs and had 2 hits... and CF Sammy Cole delivered 2 hits and batted in a run.

Tycobbian Union

Frogs Score Late, Pound Panthers 9-6
Trailing East Point 5-4 after 6 innings, Fairfax exploded for 3 in the seventh and 2 more in the eighth to surge past the Panthers 9-6 and even the Tycobbian Final 4 Series at one game apiece... Eric Kusek's double, John Velasco's sac fly and PH Randall Crawford's base hit put the Frogs up 7-5... after East Point cut it to 7-6 in the top of the eighth, Fairfax put them away on Mel Long's 2-run single.

In a rough and rocky outing Mac Flowers (3-0/3.60) came away with the win, but was tagged for 8 hits and 5 runs in 7 innings... the Frog bats saved him... Panther starter Frank Blair (1-1/5.14) also had an off-day and took the loss, surrendering 7 runs on 11 hits in 7 innings.

Fairfax's top hitters were CF Eric Kusek (.343) with 3 runs, 2 hits and an RBI, LF Max Lebowitz (.250) with 2 runs and 2 hits, SS John Velasco (.258) with 2 hits, 2 RBIs and a run and 1B Mel Long (.258) with 2 runs driven in...
RF Steve Stroud (.500) slapped 3 hits for the Panthers and 1B Jaxon Shatner (.125) batted in a pair of runs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 2, 2033

The IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

St. John Slows Down Elnora Express 6-3
Playing at home at Cathedral Stadium for the first time in the Ruthlandian Final 4 Series, the St. John Crusaders recorded it first win in the series, beating Elnora 6-3 behind a fine performance by Zack Dowdle, who stopped the All-Stars on one run and 4 hits in 8 innings... Dowdle (2-1/4.13) fanned 8 and walked 5... St. John still trails in the series two games to one.

The Crusaders snapped a scoreless tie with 4 runs in the last of the fifth off loser Jose Robles and padded it to 6-1 with 2 more in the eighth... St. John got to Robles (1-2/4.68) for 6 runs on 11 hits, highlighted by 2B Byron Johannsen (.351) with 3 hits and 2 runs, SS Hal Burton (.190) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs, along with 1B Norm Murdoch (.250) and C Jared Ritchie (.500) with a pair of hits and a run batted in each... Elnora notched only 7 hits and were paced by 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.325) with 3 hits... Samurkami, 3B Danny Bierhoff (.341) and SS Bobby Greb (.371) batted across all of the All-Stars runs... light-hitting Greb has driven 10 runs so far in the playoffs... Bierhoff has 9 RBIs... the Crusaders' RBI leader is LF Roger Haley (.316) with 9.

Tycobbian Union

Frogs Edge Ahead In TU Final 4, Trim Panthers 3-1
Fairfax and East Point split the first two TU Final 4 games at the Frog Pond... in game three at Armed Forces Park, the Frogs forged ahead of the Panthers with a 3-1 decision in a well-pitched contest... Manny Hunsinger (1-2/3.05) redeemed himself after he dropped his first two postseason starts... Hunsinger kept a tight rein on the Panthers, holding them to one run and 6 hits, while going the distance.

The Panthers took the lead in the first on LF Sherm Keller's (.200) solo shot... East Point's Jack Bolden shut out Fairfax 1-0 for the first four frames, but he was tagged for a home run in the fifth by 1B Mel Long (.257) and a game-breaking 2-run shot by C Brian Davis (.324) in the sixth... Long and Davis have totaled 2 roundtrippers each in the playoffs... Bolden surrendered 5 hits and 3 runs in his 7 innings, struck out 7 and walked none.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 3, 2033

The IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

All-Stars Nudge Crusaders 4-3, Lead 3-1 In Series
On the road powerful Elnora nudged underdog St. John 4-3 to chalk up a three games to one lead in the Ruthlandian Final 4... the All-Stars, the number-two seed in the Pro Cup playoffs, need just one more win to advance to the IPA title game against the Tycobbian Union winner... Jeremy Sellers, backed by 12 hits, stopped the Crusaders with 8 sharp innings... Sellers (2-0/2.30) limited them to just 5 hits and 2 runs... Stan Kivas relieved him in the ninth and got the save, but he did allow an unearned run... It was his third save of the postseason... Larry Urban (2-2/2.25) picked up the loss as he permitted 11 hits and 4 runs in 7-plus frames.

Offensively RF Pettis Pentleton (.279) and C Cannon Johnson (.175) sparked Elnora with home runs... Pentleton hit a singleton in the opening inning, while Johnson slammed a 2-run job in the second... SS Larry Dwyer (.167) made it 4-l with an RBI single in the eighth frame... CF Grady Kerr (.500) rapped 3 hits and scored twice for the Crusaders... Kerr doubled and tripled.

Tycobbian Union

Panthers Trample Frogs 7-0, Even Series
Great pitching and firepower evened up the Tycobbian Final 4 Series... on their home field Armed Forces Park, the East Point Panthers brought out the heavy artillery with 3 homers and a strong outing by Dixie Brooks, who blanked the Pro Cup favorite Fairfax Frogs on 4 hits... Brooks stood out with a 23-7 mark in the regular season and has won 4 straight in the postseason... LF Ed Milsted (.286) slugged a 3-run clout and 1B Jaxon Shatner (.188) and CF Sean Flynn (.367) provided solo salvos in the triumph to even the series at 2 games apiece... Shatner has walloped 3 out of the park in the postseason... 23-game winner Dudley Dickens (2-2/3.51) suffered his second defeat in the playoffs... he permitted 6 runs and 7 hits in 5-plus innings... 2 of the runs were not earned as the Frogs committed 3 errors... the Panthers got 9 hits in all.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 4, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

STJ Stays Alive, Nicks Elnora 4-3 In Game 5
St. John made a remarkable rally in game five at Cathedral Stadium to remain alive in the Ruthlandian Final 4... seemingly headed for elimination, the Crusaders stormed back from a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the score at 3-3, then won it in the ninth 4-3 on a walk-off walk.

CF Roger Haley's (.267) sacrifice fly and 3B Norm Murdoch's (.250) 2-run roundtripper got St. John back into the game and a bases-loaded walk to 1B Johnny Zaun (.333) settled it... Jeremy Kirk survived a 3-run sixth, settled down and went the route, allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits... Kirk (2-1/3.66) walked 4 and fanned 4 for the win... Paul Martina (0-2/2.45) was doomed by 3 unearned runs and caught the loss... he gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in 8 innings, walked 4 and struck out 5... however, it was reliever Stan Kivas (0.00), who forced in the winning run.

Elnora had a 8-6 hit advantage... RF Pettis Pentleton (.298), CF Travis Glass (.270) and 1B Matt Boyd (.282) drove in the All-Stars runs.

The two clubs make a return trip to Elnora's State Fair Park for the rest of the series... The All-Stars swept games one and two in Elnora and St. John captured two of the three games at Cathedral Stadium... Elnora is 4-1 at home in the postseason this year, while the Crusaders are 2-3 on the road.

Tycobbian Union

Shatner's HR Puts Panthers Ahead In Series
Jaxon Shatner banged his fourth postseason homer to give the surprising East Point Panthers a 2-1 triumph over Pro Cup favorite Fairfax to put them ahead three games to two in the Tycobbian Final 4... the Panthers are proving to be quite a contender in the playoffs.

Super pitching is a great equalizer and the Panthers are blessed with it... Frank Blair was too tough for the Frogs... in a complete game Blair (2-1/3.52) held them to just one run and 6 hits, stuck out 5 and walked only one... he outhurled Mac Flowers (3-1/3.27), who suffered his first loss in the postseason... Flowers was tapped for 2 runs and 6 hits and also went the distance.

The Frogs got their only score in the top of the third on Gilbert Miles' (.282) single, Mac Flowers' (.091) sacrifice and CF Eric Kusek's (.277) double... the Panthers countered it in the last of the fourth, when Shatner (.229) singled and scored on a two-out two-bagger by C Chris Cardinale (.367).

Fairfax will have the home-field advantage with game six, and game seven, if needed, scheduled at the Frog Pond... The Frogs and the Panthers split in Fairfax in the first two games... East Point took two of three at home... Fairfax is 3-1 in the playoffs at home and East Point is 3-1 as visitors.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 5, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Elnora Pro-Cup Bound, Jolts STJ In 6 Games
It was not an easy task, but the second-seeded Elnora All-Stars finally put away the fiesty St. John Crusaders in six games in the Ruthlandian Final 4... Elnora edged seventh seed St. John 5-4 at home and will now represent the RU in the Pro Cup Finals against the champion of the Tycobbian Union... winning pitcher Freddy Pfeffer had to endure 13 hits, but managed to close out the series for his fourth postseason victory.

Pfeffer (4-0/2.91) totaled 6 strikeouts and walked 2, while stranding 9 baserunners... losing pitcher Zack Dowdle (2-2/3.66) was victimized by 5 Crusader miscues that cost them 3 crucial runs... Dowdle went all the way, surrendered 9 hits and just 2 earned runs, while walking none and striking out 2.

Elnora jumped ahead 2-0 in the opening frame on an RBI single by RF Pettis Pentleton... another run scored on 2B Byron Johannsen's error... the All-Stars got another gift in the second when an errant pick-off throw went astray making it 3-0... in the fourth St. John battled back on 3B Norm Murdoch's 3-run homer... two more Crusader errors allowed 2 more scores in the fifth, giving Elnora a 5-3 edge... St. John narrowed it to 5-4 in the ninth on a single by RF Tony Kreskas... Pfeffer then fanned two dangerous hitters 1B Johnny Zaun (.281) and CF Roger Haley (.280) with the winning runs on base.

Pentleton (.353) went 4-for-4 to pace the All-Stars, aided by LF Clint Thomas (.286) and 3B Danny Bierhoff (.365), who had 2 hits apiece... C Wes Harris (.333) led the Crusaders with 4 hits, Kreskas (.275) had 2, along with Murdoch (.275) and Haley (.280).

Tycobbian Union

Frogs Tops Panthers 9-8 In 11 Innings, Series Tied
Pro Cup favorite Fairfax came very close to calling it a season in game six of the Tycobbian Final 4... the Frogs not only trailed in the series 3 games to two, but also trailed in the game 5-2 in the top of the fifth and 8-6 in the top of the sixth... doubles by 1B Mel Long and Gilbert Miles cut it to 8-7 in the last of the sixth... and a two-out last ditch rally on singles by C Brian Davis, LF Max Lebowitz and John Velasco sent the game into overtime... doubles by CF Eric Kusek and Lebowitz saved the day in the bottom of the 11th and forced a game seven tomorrow afternoon at the Frog Pond for the Tycobbian crown.

Pitching pretty much went out the window as both clubs collected 14 hits each... Fairfax was led at the plate by SS John Velasco (.250) with 2 hits and 4 RBIs and by LF Max Lebowitz (.250) with 3 hits and 3 RBIs... Lebowitz had a 2-run shot in the first frame and Velasco clouted a 3-run homer in the fifth... Kusek (.302) also chipped in with 3 hits... the Panthers 2B Tony Tanaka (.310) homered, tripled and doubled to top them at bat... Tanaka, LF Sherm Keller (.200) and SS Bob O'Brian (.429) all batted in 2 runs apiece.

The victory went to Sean McBride (1-0/0.00), who fired two perfect innings, retiring all 6 batters he faced in the tenth and eleventh frames... Stephen Edwards (0-1/4.15) was battered for 2 runs and 5 hits in 2-plus innings... he blew the save in the ninth and also lost the game in the eleventh.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 6, 2033

2033 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Tycobbian Union

Panthers Upset #1 Frogs 11-6 In Game 7
East Point was touted to be heavily dependent on pitching, but that was thrown to the wind in the Tycobbian Union championship game... it was the hitters who reigned supreme... fifth-seeded East Point battered the Pro Cup favorite Fairfax Frogs 11-6 in the game-seven finale to win a spot in the IPA championship series - the IPA Pro Cup Finals - against the second-seeded Elnora All-Stars, this year's champion of the Ruthlandian Union.

Everyone was expecting a classic pitching duel with two 23-game winners on the mound in game seven... but that never materialized as East Point's Dixie Brooks (23-7/1.72) and Fairfax's Dudley Dickens (23-8/3.05) staggered to a 5-5 tie after 7 innings... the Panthers then exploded for 6 runs in the top of the eighth to put a painful end to the Frogs' magnificent 102-win season... pinchhitter Ed Milsted singled in the winning run off losing pitcher Sean McBride (1-1/5.06)... Sean Flynn (.341) followed with a sac fly... singles by Steve Stroud (.429), Tetsu Tanaka (.333) and McBride error yielded three more runs... and RBI singles by Jaxon Shatner (.222) and Chris Cardinale (.350) finished off the scoring and the Frogs for the season... as the pitcher of record Dixie Brooks (5-0/1.47) got credit for the victory, though he was rapped for 5 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings... but only one of the runs was earned.

The Panthers 15-hit onslaught was highlighted by Stroud, Tanaka and Cardinale with 2 hits and 2 RBIs each... Tanaka got East Point's only homer in the fifth frame... Stroud, Tanaka and Shatner are the Panthers RBI leaders with 9 each in the postseason... the Frogs belted 11 hits and were paced by SS John Velasco (.283) with 3 hits and 3 runs batted in... CF Eric Kusek (.310) also socked a pair of hits and drove in 2 runs... LF Max Lebowitz (.269) homered for the Frogs, his third in the postseason... Velasco ended up with 10 RBIs in the playoffs, while Kusek had 9.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 8, 2033

Elnora Slight Favorite In Pro Cup Finals
The 2033 Pro Cup Finals should be a whale of a series with two very evenly matched ball clubs. Based on statistical evidence the baseball pundits are giving the favorite's role to the Elnora All-Stars, but if you go with your heart and your gut feeling, one might give the edge to the East Point Panthers, who are playing sensational baseball. The question is, will the Panthers be able to continue their red-hot streak for another week?

During the regular season Elnora was 93-61, next to Fairfax's 102-52, they posted the second-best mark in the Islandian Pro Alliance. East Point came in at 88-66. The All-Stars look to be the superior club overall. They hit much better for average than the Panthers, .280 to .246. Elnora has the better relief corps by far, 2.95 ERA to 4.37 ERA and they are much stronger on the defensive side with a solid .976 FA to .971. East Point might have the edge in starting pitching with a 2.80 ERA, the best in the IPA. Elnora has an impressive starting rotation that put up an impressive 3.07 ERA. The Panthers have a decided advantage in firepower. They hammered 194 homers to 121 for the All-Stars, but the teams were about even in scoring runs.

However, in the postseason East Point has blistered its strong opposition with a .279 BA and maintained it excellent pitching with a 2.80 ERA. The Panthers have had 5 complete games and have gotten fairly good relief work from the sub-par bullpen. And defensively they have outperformed Elnora with 12 errors to 16. Home-run wise they are about even with East Point up 15 to 14 so far. The Panthers have averaged 5.27 runs a game to 4.83 for the All-Stars.

During the regular season Elnora played very well at home and fairly good on the road. They were 53-24 at State Fair Park and 46-37 out of town. In the playoffs they are 8-4 overall, 5-1 at home and 3-3 away. The All-Stars favor righties and have compiled a strong 79-49 record against them. Elnora is only 14-12 against southpaws. East Point is 8-3 in the playoffs, 4-1 at home and 4-2 on the road. During the season the Panthers were 42-35 at Armed Forces Park, but played better at opposition ballparks 46-31. They did better against right-handed pitchers, going 68-48, while only 20-18 against lefties. Elnora has two possible left-handed starters, but East Point has none.

Elnora manager Leon Carter will probably will go with left-hander Jeremy Sellers (22-12/2.81), Freddy Pfeffer (21-8/2.96) and left-hander Jose Robles (12-5/2.88) as his starting threesome. In the playoffs Pfeffer is 4-0 with a 2.91 ERA and 2 complete games in 4 starts, Sellers is 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA and no complete games in 4 starts and Robles is 1-2 with a 4.68 ERA and 2 complete games in 3 starts. Right-hander Paul Martina (13-11/2.94) is also a possibility for the number-three spot. He did well in defeat in his only start. Martina was 0-2 with a 2.45 ERA in one start and 4 relief appearances. Martina has saved two games. Stan Kivas (6-3/2.44/10 saves) had done well in the playoffs with a 0-0 record, 3 saves and a 0.00 ERA in 6 games.

Carter has a top-notch batting order featuring 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.324/10/72/83), 1B Matt Boyd (.323/12/76/74), 3B Danny Bierhoff (.320/16/71/61), RF Pettis Pentleton (.318/15/90/85), CF Travis Glass (.314/29/112/95) and LF Clint Thomas (.299/14/49/118). In the postseason his top bats have been Pentleton (.353/3/8/12), Samurakami (.283/2/5/12), SS Bobby Greb (.400/4/10/5) and Bierhoff (.365/0/10/1). Boyd (.256/1/6/7) and Glass (.244/1/6/8) have also been good run producers.

Karol Zodoka, East Point skipper, has already named Dixie Brooks (23-7/1.72), Frank Blair (16-10/2.99) and Jack Bolden (19-13/3.25) as his Pro Cup starters. Brooks is 5-0 in the postseason with a 1.47 ERA in 5 starts with 4 complete games, Blair is 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 3 starts with one complete game and Bolden is 0-1 with a 4.29 ERA in 3 starts and no complete games. The Panthers prime reliever will be Stephen Edwards (13-15/3.27). He saved two games and made 6 appearances. Edwards was 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA.

At the plate Zodoka depends on 1B Jaxon Shatner (.279/33/116/106), 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.259/28/72/104), C Chris Cardinale (.266/23/85/58), RF Steve Stroud (.269/15/40/64) and CF Sean Flynn (.257/23/60/68) for the offense. In the playoffs it's been Stroud (.429/2/8/10), Tanaka (.333/3/9/10), Flynn (.341/1/6/7) and Cardinale (.350/1/6/4) providing the fireworks. Shatner hasn't hit for much average, but has 4 homers, 9 RBIs and 6 runs to go with a .222 BA.

Will the left-handed pitching give Elnora an edge? Will East Point continue to hit well in the playoffs?
Those may be the key questions in deciding who will be the next Islands' baseball kings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 9, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Elnora Noses Out EP 6-5 In 14th
The opening game of the 2033 IPA Pro Cup Finals lived up to its billing... two evenly-matched teams battled 14 innings before Elnora nosed out East Point 6-5 on Matt Boyd's run-scoring single at State Fair Park, the All-Stars home stadium... the All-Stars had to come back three times to win the game... they trailed 1-0 after 7 innings, 4-3 going into the last of the eleventh and 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fourteenth... 3 errors really hurt the Panthers and cost them 3 runs.

Both clubs had many opportunities to break open the game, but just couldn't do it... Elnora left 12 on base and East Point stranded 13 runners... the All-Stars got only 8 hits, but picked up 10 walks, while the Panthers smacked 15 hits... Elnora got its runs on RBIs by RF Pettis Pentleton (.345), CF Travis Glass (.234), 3B Danny Bierhoff (.322), pinchhitter Ulo Gunder (.400) and Matt Boyd (.250)... leading the way for East Point were LF Sherm Keller (.353) and C Chris Cardinale (.370) with 3 hits apiece... CF Sean Flynn (.340), 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.327) and 3B Bob O'Brian (.500) added 2 hits each... 1B Jaxon Shatner (.212) had the game's only homer that put the Panthers up 5-4 in the top half of the fourteenth, however they couldn't finish off the All-Stars, who rallied for 2 runs in the last half .

Both starters had good outings... it was a scoreless duel for the first 6 frames... Jeremy Sellers worked 8 innings for Elnora, gave up just one run on 8 hits with no walks and 4 Ks... while East Point's Dixie Brooks allowed 3 runs - one earned - on 5 hits with 5 walks and 5 strikeouts... Lucien Vachon (2-0/6.23) collected the win, although he permitted Shatner's homer in the fourteenth... in a spotty effort Stephen Edwards (0-2/3.53) tossed 5 and two-thirds innings in defeat, gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and issued 5 walks.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 10, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final Series

All-Stars Power Past Panthers 8-4
In game two of the IPA Pro Cup Finals at Elnora, the All-Stars showed their stuff with home-run power and quality pitching to power past the East Point Panthers 8-4 and go up two games to none... Elnora smashed 2 home runs and 13 hits, topped by Danny Bierhoff's 3-run clout and a solo shot by Cannon Johnson... they also got a good job on the mound from Freddy Pfeffer, who copped his 5th playoff victory... Pfeffer blanked the Panthers for six innings, gave up one in the 7th, then was tagged for 3 in the ninth... by then, it was too little, too late for the Panthers... Pfeffer (5-0/3.14) allowed 12 hits, but gave up only 4 runs, fanned 8 and walked one in a complete-game outing.

Elnora RF Pettis Pentleton (.350) batted in 2 runs with a pair of hits... LF Clint Thomas (.273) and C Cannon Johnson (.204) also delivered 2 hits each... LF Ed Milsted (.222) homered and had 2 hits and 2 RBIs for East Point.

Panther starter Frank Blair (2-2/4.20) suffered the loss, surrendered 5 runs on 9 hits in 7 innings... he walked 3 and struck out 6... Blair exited behind in the score 5-1... East Point needs much improvement on the mound to get back in this series... manager Karol Zodoka is hoping for a turnaround as the series now heads to Armed Forces Park for games three and four, and fifth, if needed... Elnora has the home-field advantage with games six and seven at State Fair Park, should the series go that far.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 11, 2033

2033 IPA Pro Cup Final Series

Panthers Stop Elnora 3-2, Back In Series
After taking it on the chin from Elnora in the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals, the East Point Panthers fought off a possible knockout blow with a tense 3-2 triumph at home at Armed Forces Park in game three... the vaunted Panther pitchers lived up to expectations with a fine performance, holding hard-hitting Elnora to just 6 hits and 2 runs... Jack Bolden (1-1/3.86) worked 7 sharp innings, yielding both runs on 4 hits for the win... relievers Stephen Edwards (0-2/3.45/2 saves) and Burton Cook (0-0/0.00/1 save) got the final 6 outs to preserve Bolden's victory... Elnora still leads the series two games to one.

The Panther offense was paced by LF Sherm Keller (.333) with a 2-run blast in the third inning to overtake Elnora 2-1... and CF Sean Flynn (.356) drilled the eventual game-winning homer in the fifth to make it 3-1... the All-Stars tallied runs in the opening inning on a walk to LF Clint Thomas (.261) and a double by CF Travis Glass (.245)... and in the seventh on C Cannon Johnson's (.193) sacrifice fly... the defeat went to Jose Robles (1-3/4.36), who pitched his best game of the postseason... Robles went the distance, permitted 3 runs and 5 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4.