THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 22, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Volusia Evens Series, Trims Eastshore 5-3 In 10
Yesterday in four games only one homer sailed out of the park in the Pro Cup playoffs... Today five longballs accounted for all the runs in Volusia's 5-3 victory over Eastshore in 10 innings to even the RU Elite 8 at one game apiece... C Tubby Tarkanian (.111) and 1B Ernie Pryor (.556) boomed solo shots to cap the win... 3B Antonio Diaz (.222) and 2B Riley O'Day also slammed homers for the Vigilantes.

Eastshore was shutout until the bottom of the ninth when they got new life on a 3-run belt by 3B Glenn Fields (.500) off reliever Lou Page... V's starter Jacy Chandler shut out the Elegants for 7 and one-third innings on 6 hits... Page (1-1) got the victory despite blowing the save in the ninth... Volusia outhit Eastshore 10 to 8... Pryor and O'Day had 3 hits each for the Vigilantes, while 2B Johnny Petrak (.400) drilled 3 for the Elegants and Fields had 2... Don Klingenberg (0-1) went the distance in defeat, gave up 10 hits and all 5 runs in 10 innings.

Stanek HR Ties Series, Crushers Prevail 4-3 in 11
Two late-inning home runs saved the day for the Crystal Lake Crushers, who powered by underdog Ranford 4-3 in 11 innings to gain a split in the RU Elite Series... the Bulls seemed well on their way to another victory, but couldn't hold a 3-2 lead in the ninth... the Crushers tied it up on a pinch homer by Nick Shafer, then won it two innings later on C Stan Stanek's blast off losing pitcher Kris Webb (0-1).

Both starters pitched well... Ranford's Jimmy Collins worked 8 impressive innings and held Crystal Lake to just 2 hits and 2 runs, while fanning 5 and issuing 3 bases on balls... the Crushers' Denny Mills worked 9 innings, gave up 3 runs on 9 hits with 4 walks and 6 Ks... Mills was tagged for a 3-run first inning smash by 3B Alex Vanno, but nothing else for the next 8 frames... reliever Sonny Marsh (1-0) was the winner... he hurled 2 scoreless innings.

Stanek (.375) topped the Lakers with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... Ranford was led by C Kyle Hunt (.500) with 3 hits and LF Ricky Urbina (.300) with 2.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

SA Slips By NH 3-2, Pilar Gains Split
At the Hawk's Nest in North Hills, two 20-game winners went at in grand style as San Alejo's Pablo Pilar bested North Hills' Jeff Owens 3-2 to gain a split in the TU Elite 8 Series... Pilar (1-0) tossed 8 strong innings, allowing only 2 runs on 7 hits, striking out 5 and walking 2... closer Ollie Olivares registered the save with a perfect bottom of the ninth... Owens (0-1) caught the loss... he permitted only 2 earned runs and 7 hits in 8-plus frames with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.

Montanero 1B Steve Daniels (.250) homered in the top of the eighth for the eventual winning run... that gave San Alejo a 3-1 lead... RF Walt King (.333) and SS Joseph Baxter (.500) paced the Monties' with 2 hits each, while LF Adam Thurgood (.625) and 3B Dean O'Donnell (.714) garnered 2 hits apiece for the Hawks.

Braves Batter Blue Jays 14-1 In Game 2
The Chicopee Braves took the first two games of the TU Elite 8 Series on the road... they routed Tuckanarra 14-1 with blistering 17-hit attack to go up two games to none in the best-of-seven affair... C Augie Meaux (.714) collected 3 hits and 4 RBIs to lead the way... pitcher Kajika Fleetwood (.600), LF Charley Kota (.333) and 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.444) also chipped in with 3 hits and 2 RBIs each.

In a complete game Fleetwood (1-0) had a sharp outing, holding the Tucks to one run on 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts... rookie right-hander Junior Bristow suffered the loss, lasting into the sixth... Bristow was tagged for 7 runs on 8 hits... 7 runs in the eighth totally finished off the Blue Jays.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 23, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Volusia Takes Eastshore 6-5 In Game 3
In a seesaw battle at Silver River Stadium in Volusia, the hometown Vigilantes captured game three 6-5 to take a two games to one edge over Pro Cup favorite Eastshore in the Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series... SS Mel Deloy (.167) drove in the game-winning score in the last of the eighth with a sacrifice fly that scored pinchrunner Benny Britt.

The V's vaulted ahead early and held a 5-2 lead after four frames... the Elegants fought back and tied it 5-5 with two in the top of the eighth... only to have Volusia bounce back and win it in the bottom half of the frame... Both clubs banged out 13 hits each... the Vigilantes were sparked at bat by pitcher Marv Webb (.500) with a 2-run double and C Tubby Tarkanian (.250), 3B Antonio Diaz (.308), RF Sonny Oliver (.154), LF Carl Clark (.500) and 2B Carl Kendall (.500), all with 2 hits apiece... Eastshore was led by CF Sammy Prince (.400), LF Neil Richard (.154) and 1B Gilbert Rose (.308), who collected 2 hits each... pinchhitter Terry Cook chipped in a 2-run double that tied the game at 5-5.

Reliever Luc Monjeau (1-0) notched the win after he blew the save... Monjeau allowed 6 hits and 2 runs in 3 and a third innings, while Randy Boone (0-1) got the loss as he gave up a run on 2 hits in his only frame.

CL Crushes Ranford 14-3, Up 2-1 In Series
At Ranford County Stadium, visiting Crystal Lake lashed out 17 hits and 2 homers to crush the Ranford Bulls 14-3 in game three of the best-of-seven series... C Stan Stanek (.462) and CF Teke Holmes (.231) each rapped 2-run homers and batted in 4 runs to lead the way... Stanek had 3 hits, while Holmes racked up 2... the Bulls had 10 hits... left-hander Douglas Merrill (1-0) went 8 innings for the win, permitting 3 runs and 10 hits... Bud Foster finished up for him with a 1-2-3 ninth... loser Rube Satcher (0-1) was lambasted for 8 runs and 11 hits and was gone in the third, behind by the score of 8-0.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

4 HRs Give Monties 5-4 Win, Take Lead 2-1
Hosting North Hills at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo, the Montaneros powered by the Hawks 5-4 with 4 roundtrippers... Dwight Dickey's second homer of the game provided a 5-3 lead in the last of the seventh and the Monties held on to go up two games to one in the TU Elite 8... Bubby Blackwell and Adrian Otero also went deep for the victors... all three contests have been one-run affairs.

San Alejo starter Johnny Brown struggled with wildness, but got the victory... Brown (1-0) went 7 and two-thirds innings, gave up six walks, 7 hits and 4 runs, but only 2 were earned... Ollie Olivares claimed another save with one and a third innings of scoreless relief... Olivares has registered 2 saves in the series... 2B Dickey (.250), LF Otero (.250) and 3B Blackwell (.375) socked 2 hits apiece to pace the Montaneros, while LF Adam Thurgood (.667) with 3 hits and SS Dean O'Donnell (.636) with 2 were the Hawks best bats... San Alejo topped North Hills in hits 11 to 9... Hawk starter Nelson Hooper (0-1) was dealt the loss, going 7 innings and giving up all four homers and all five runs.

Tucks Top Braves 7-4, Still Trail Series 2-1
In game three at Brewster Street Ballpark, the visiting Tuckanarra Blue Jays scored 7 runs in the second inning and held off the Chicopee Braves 7-4 for their first win in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... the Blue Jays banged out 16 hits to 10 for the Braves... this was the first playoff game ever played in Chicopee.

Winning pitcher Jeff Buttrum (1-0) in a gritty, complete-game performance permitted 10 hits, but was stingy in the run department, allowing only 2 earned runs... Chicopee starter and loser Heyoka Chaska (0-1) was ripped hard for 7 runs and 7 hits in just one and two-thirds innings... three Tucks got 3 hits each: 2B Jim Cuervas (.444), 1B Josh George (.455) and 3B Nicky Weill (.615)... SS Narra Gilyinju (.167) had a 2-run homer for the winners, while RF Nelson Hunter (.267), LF Charley Kota (.385) and 1B Pierre Giguerre (.200) punched out 2 hits apiece in defeat.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 24, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

V's Stun Elegants 2-1, Now Lead 3-1 In Series
Seventh-seeded Volusia is on the verge of upsetting the Pro Cup favorite Eastshore in the opening round of the IPA Pro Cup playoffs... the Vigilantes stunned the Elegants 2-1 at the Jailhouse, scoring both runs in the last of the ninth... the V's now have a three games to one lead in the best-of-seven series and needs just one more win to finish off Eastshore.

Eastshore's Ramon Contreras blanked Volusia for the first 8 innings, but weakened in the ninth and lost it... with one away 2B Riley O'Day (.455) doubled, then came around to score the tying run on an error by SS Grego Johnson on a ball hit by SS Mel Deloy (.200)... Ryan Krychek (.500) then won it with a pinch-hit double... Contreras (0-1/2.60) was the losing pitcher... he permitted 11 hits in all... 20-game winner Tommy Smith (1-0/1.00) went all the way in a sterling performance, holding the Elegants to just one run on 7 hits, while striking out 5 and walking none... Smith surrendered his only run in the second on a two-bagger by SS Larry Romney (.273) and an RBI single by 1B Gilbert Rose (.313)... C Tubby Tarkanian (.313) and SS Mel Deloy (.200) sparked the Vigilantes with a pair of hits each, while 2B Johnny Petrak (.368) led the Elegants with 2 base hits... game five will also be played at Silver River Stadium in Volusia.

Crushers Clip Bulls 4-3, Near Series Win
Favored Crystal Lake captured game four on the road in Ranford 4-3 to take a gigantic step toward winning the RU Elite 8 Series... it was the Crushers third consecutive triumph over the Bulls, giving them a big 3-1 margin in the series... they can eliminate Ranford tomorrow at Ranford County Stadium.

Crystal Lake busted up a 2-2 tie in the ninth on pinchhitter Nick Shafer's (.750) 2-run double off losing pitcher Joah Satcher (0-1/6.75), who came on in relief in the eighth... Arnie Cason (1-1/2.25) gained the victory with 8 strong innings... Cason fanned 8, walked only one batter, and held the Bulls to 2 runs and just 6 hits... his replacement Sonny Marsh got his second series save, but he almost squandered the lead... two singles and an error led to Ranford's final score in the ninth.

The Crushers got 9 hits and were led by C Stan Stanek (.444), CF Teke Holmes (.294) and 2B Benjamin Sanders (.154), each with a couple of hits... Bulls' CF Ray Camilleri topped them with 3 hits, while C Kyle Hunt (.353) socked 2 hits... Ranford had 8 hits all total.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

NH Hawks Even Series, Spank Monties 7-4
It all even after four games in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 between North Hills and San Alejo... the Hawks evened it up with a 7-4 win at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo... North Hills' 26-game winner David Michael (2-0/2.65) wasn't at his best, but he had enough to subdue the Montaneros... Michael was tagged for 10 hits and 4 runs in 8 innings and needed help from Terry Constanza, who wrapped up the win with a perfect ninth... ineffective Clete Lawson (0-2/3.45) dropped his second start in the series... Lawson was belted for 7 runs and 9 hits in 7-plus innings.

North Hills ran up a 6-2 lead after 6 innings and managed to hold off San Alejo... the Hawks collected 10 hits and were led by C Mikhail Romanovsky (.183), who drove in 3 runs... 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.222) popped 2 hits and scored twice for the winners... leading San Alejo at the plate was CF Dusty Rogan (.176) with 2 hits and 2 runs batted in... 2B Dwight Dickey (.353) chipped in with 3 hits and scored twice.

Braves Bop Blue Jays 7-5, Up 3-1
The hard-hitting Chicopee Braves tore up one of the top pitchers in the IPA en route to a 7-5 triumph over tough Tuckanarra in game four at historic Brewster Street Park... the Braves are now in front three games to one in the TU Elite 8 Series and they need just one more victory to advance to the Tycobbian title game.

The Braves pounded out 13 hits and knocked off 25-game winner Bobby Reid (0-2/8.10), who was waylaid for 10 hits and 7 runs in just 5-plus innings... it was Reid's second shaky start... left-hander Ryan Ledbetter (2-0/3.00) beat Reid again, but struggled a bit, giving up 4 runs and 9 hits in his 7 and a third innings... Ledbetter whiffed 8 and walked 3 for the win... Jacy Hekaka picked up the save, his first in the series, but he allowed a run in the ninth... Tuckanarra cracked 11 hits in defeat... Chicopee will try to KO the powerful Blue Jays tomorrow on the Braves' home field... Tuckanarra was the number-two seed in the Pro Cup this year in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES poll... the Braves were ranked sixth-best because of suspect pitching.

CF Alfredo Cobos (.471) pounded out 4 hits and drove in 2 runs for the Braves... he also got help from 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.368) with 3 hits and a pair of ribbies... 2B Stefan Tanner (.308) smacked a double and triple and added 2 RBIs... RF Spade Weldon (.368) was tops for the Tucks with 3 hits, a single, double and triple... LF Lorne Evans (.286) batted in a pair of scores in defeat.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 25, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Klingenberg Blanks V's 11-0, Elegants Still Alive
The Pro Cup favorite Eastshore Elegants had their backs to the wall, they were playing at the Jailhouse in Volusia and desperately needed a win to remain in the Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series - one more loss and the season was over... and they rose to the occasion with an 11-0 shellacking of the Vigilantes in game five of the series and cut Volusia's lead to three games to two... the Elegants battered the V's for 18 hits and Don Klingenberg (1-1/2.37) fired a 6-hit shutout... Klingenberg was almost flawless, fanned 6 and walked 2.

Eastshore RF Neil Richard (.273) and CF Scotty Lagrange (.300) both slapped 3 hits and scored 3 times each... Richard got the game's only homer, a 2-run shot... 3B Glenn Fields (.444), 1B Gilbert Rose (.333) and SS Larry Romney (.313) had 2 hits and 2 RBIs apiece... Jacy Chandler (0-1/4.50) caught the loss as he gave up 7 runs on 11 hits in 6-plus innings... the final two games of the series will be played in Eastshore.

Crushers KO Bulls In 5 Games
Denny Mills put an end to the Ranford Bulls season with a 3-1 victory in game 5 of the RU Elite 8, finishing off the Bulls four games to one... Mills (1-0/1.59) worked 8 sharp innings, shutting them out out on 8 hits... Eddie Lane pitched the ninth and hauled in the save, but did give up a run... Jimmy Collins (0-1/2.65) was the loser, but he kept Ranford close... Collins surrendered 3 runs on 8 hits and hurled a complete game.

Crystal Lake was led at the plate by 3B Willie Burke (.333), who slammed a 2-run homer in the fourth frame... the Crushers got their final run when SS Mackie Cummings (.278) doubled in 1B Big Sam Takota (.143) in the eighth... pinchhitter Eric Townsend's (.429) homer in the ninth gave the Bulls their only score... Crystal Lake will now take on the winner of the Eastshore-Volusia series to determine the Ruthlandian champion this season... the Crushers were seeded fourth in the Pro Cup playoffs, while the Bulls were ranked eighth.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

SA Monties Rally, Take Series Lead
At home at the Casa de Beisbol, the San Alejo Montaneros mounted a late-inning rally to slip past the North Hills Hawks 7-6 in 12 innings, winning on Adrian Otero's walk-off single to give them a 3-2 advantage in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... the Monties had to fight back from a 6-3 deficit after 6 innings with a run in the eighth and 2 more in the ninth.

North Hills lost in spite of a 14-12 edge in base hits... San Alejo's third pitcher of the day Ollie Olivares (1-0/0.00) collected the victory with 3 scoreless innings with the defeat going to Terry Costanza (0-1/2.25), who pitched the last 2 innings... neither starter was effective... Jeff Owens gave us 6 runs in his 9 innings, while surprise starter Frank Jankowski allowed 6 in 7 frames... Jankowski subbed for Pablo Pilar (21-9), who missed his turn due to sickness.

1B Bubby Blackwell (.500) sparked the Montaneros at the plate with four hits... LF Adrian Otero (.227) and CF Dusty Rogan (.182) chipped in with 2 runs batted in each... Rogan had a 2-run shot in the first... 1B Skipper Shearer (.316) and LF Adam Thurgood (.522) topped the Hawks with 3 hits apiece, while 2B Karl Ivonoski (.217) went deep for the losers and had 2 RBIs.

Chicopee Tames Tucks In 5 Games
The big bats came through for the Chicopee Braves and they came away with four wins in five games in the Tycobbian Elite 8... the sixth-seeded Braves eliminated the number-two seed Tuckanarra Blue Jays 6-5 in game five at Brewster Street Ballpark, spearheaded by Pierre Giguerre and Stefan Tanner... Giguerre (261) batted in 3 runs and Tanner (.412) had a double, triple and homer with 2 RBIs... Tanner also scored three times.

Kajika Fleetfoot (2-0/3.00) labored, but got the win... he went the distance, permitting 5 runs on 14 hits... Tuckanarra LF Lorne Evans (.316) did the most damage with a 3-run clout in the fifth, cutting the Braves' lead to 5-4... C Paul Jackson (.333) and CF Pancho Villa (.250) paced the Blue Jays with 3 hits each... the Tucks had a 14-9 hit advantage, but still came away losing... the defeat went to Junior Bristow (0-2/8.53), who was slammed for 6 runs in 7 innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 26, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of seven series)

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Eastshore Bombs Volusia 10-4, Forces 7th Game
A couple days ago Eastshore's chances of winning the RU Elite 8 Series with Volusia were looking bleak... the underdog Vigilantes had claimed three of the first four games and were in the proverbial driver's seat... however in the last two games the Elegants have played like Pro Cup favorites with two consecutive routs to tie the series up and force a seventh game... Eastshore bombed the V's 10-4 at Kraft Stadium, led by Koy Clampett (.333), who twirled a 6-hitter and also homered and drove in 3 runs... he was backed up a 15-hit onslaught... the Elegants won 11-0 yesterday on the road in Volusia.

Clampett had plenty of run support from CF Scotty Lagrange with 2 hits and 2 RBIs and SS Larry Romney with 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBIs... 2B Johnny Petrak (.400) and C Tommy Lau (.333) added 3 hits apiece in the win... Romney had a 2-run homer... RF Sonny Oliver was the best Volusia had to offer with 2 hits, including a solo homer... Eastshore scored 6 runs in the opening frame and built up a 10-3 margin after 5 innings... the loss went to starter Marv Webb (0-1), who lasted only one inning.

Both clubs will have solid starters on the mound for the series finale tomorrow afternoon in Eastshore... Tommy Smith (20-14/2.79) gets the call for the Vigilantes... he will be opposed by Ramon Contreras (18-11/2.76) of the Elegants... both were sharp in game one, but neither got the decision in Eastshore's 4-3 ten-inning victory... both were superb in Volusia's 2-1 win in game four... Smith was the winner, Contreras the loser... in the postseason Smith is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA, while Contreras is 0-1 with a 2.60 ERA.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

Hooper Stops San Alejo 4-0, Game 7 Tomorrow
Nelson Hooper hurled the game of his career, whipping San Alejo 4-0 in game six at home in the Hawk's Nest, giving the North Hills Hawks new life in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... game seven is slated for tomorrow afternoon, also at the Hawk's Nest... Hooper fired shutout ball for 8 innings, allowing only 4 hits with 7 Ks and just one base on balls... Rob Thrasher preserved the win with a runless ninth.

SS Norris Henry (.238) clouted a 3-run roundtripper in the last of the second to lead the Hawks offensively... 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.222) plated the other run with an RBI groundout in the fourth... Pablo Pilar (1-1/1.13) suffered the loss, but didn't give up an earned run... 4 Montaneros' errors hurt him badly... Pilar was touched for 7 hits and went the route.

The Hawks will host game seven tomorrow afternoon with Dave Michael (26-13/2.80) on the hill, opposed by Johnny Brown (18-16/2.86) of the Montaneros... Michael (2-0/2.65) has two wins in the series, winning game one 3-2 and game four 7-4, while Brown (1-0/2.35) beat the Hawks 5-4 in his only start in the series.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 27, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Playoffs

Vigilantes Upset Elegants In 7
The number-one seed in the Pro Cup playoffs is gone - seventh-seeded Volusia got a fine performance from ace Tommy Smith to knock off the powerful Eastshore Elegants 3-2 in the game seven finale of the RU Elite 8 Series... Smith tossed a 6-hitter and held the hard-hitting Elegants to just one earned run... Ernie Pryor knocked in the winning run in the seventh, driving in Stan Kovachuk from third.

The two clubs fought back-and-forth in the game with the Vigilantes taking a 1-0 lead in the second frame when 1B Pryor (.222) walked and was doubled to third by RF Sonny Oliver (.222)... Pryor came home on an RBI groundout by CF Ronaldo De La Vega (.308)... Pryor also figured in the second run by the V's when he batted in Kovachuk from third base in the fifth inning... Eastshore's 1B Gilbert Rose (.310) cut it to 2-1 with a fifth-inning homer... and RF Scotty Lagrange (.310) tied it up with an RBI single in the sixth.

Elegant starter Ramon Contreras (0-2/2.84) worked a creditable game, permitting 3 runs on 7 hits in 8 innings... Delaney Moss came on in the ninth and allowed no runs and a hit... Kovachuk and Pryor were the batting stars of the game for Volusia... Kovachuk (.391) rapped out 4 hits and scored twice, while Pryor (.222) drove in 2 runs... Rose (.310) paced Eastshore with 2 hits and a home run... the Elegants lost the series despite having 8 regulars bat over .300 and outscoring the Vigilantes 35-23... Volusia will now take on fourth seed Crystal Lake for the RU crown... the Crushers disposed of Ranford in five games and will probably be favored by most of the Island scribes.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

Thurgood's HR Wins Series For Hawks
After the North Hills Hawks blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth, Adam Thurgood saved the day and the series with a game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth to take a 4-3 triumph over San Alejo in game seven of the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 played at the Hawk's Nest... the third-seeded Hawks got the best of the fifth-seed San Alejo four games to three and will now challenge potent Chicopee for the Tycobbian title... the Final 4 series is rated a toss-up.

Starters Dave Michael and Johnny Brown battled to a 0-0 draw for the first six innings... North Hills finally broke through with a run in the last of the seventh... 1B Ric Hamilton (.400) singled, was bunted to second and scored on a base hit by C Mikhail Romonovsky (.292)... the Hawks added 2 more scores in the eighth on Chad Ryan's pinch-hit double and SS Dean O'Donnell's (.393) double-play ball... Michael held the Monties scoreless through eight despite giving up 10 hits... he fanned 6 and walked 2... Tony Costanza blew the save for the Hawks in the 3-run ninth when 3B Bubby Blackwell (.480) tripled in a run and Adrian Otero (.267) knotted it with a 2-run blast... Frankie Lambert (1-0/0.00) salvaged the game with a scoreless ninth and got the win.

North Hills collected 11 hits in all, sparked by 2B-CF Tommy Vavas (.278) with 3-for-5... and Romanovsky (.292) was 2-for-3... while San Alejo was led by Blackwell (.480), Otero (.267) and 2B Dwight Dickey (.367) with 3 hits apiece.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 28, 2034

4 Teams Remain In IPA Pro Cup Quest
Four teams have been vanquished and four teams have survived the first round of action in the coveted quest for the IPA Pro Cup. The top two picks in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Pro Cup poll, the Eastshore Elegants and the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, were forced to call it a season and have gone home for the winter. What we have left are the number three choice, the North Hills Hawks, number four Crystal Lake Crushers, number six Chicopee Braves and the seventh-ranked Volusia Vigilantes. The IPA Pro Cup Final 4s are slated to begin this Sunday afternoon. Unheralded Volusia will travel to take on powerful Crystal Lake in the Ruthlandian Union championship, while North Hills will be on the road against Chicopee in the Tycobbian Union title series.

Crystal Lake appears to have the easier task. The Crushers (91-63) had a much better record than Volusia (84-70) in the regular season, however the V's stunned the Islands' baseball world by whipping the top-seeded Eastshore Elegants (98-56) in the opening round in seven games, despite being outscored 36 to 23. The crystal ballers are calling it for Crystal Lake in six games, citing better pitching and better hitting.

The Crushers had a much lesser opponent in Ranford (84-70) than Volusia and finished off the Bulls quickly in five games. Three quality starters Arnie Cason (21-5/2.84), Denny Mills (22-13/3.35) and Douglas Merrill (16-16/3.70) give them a big advantage. The Vigilantes have only one outstanding hurler Tommy Smith (20-14/2.79), who almost beat Eastshore by himself with two of the four victories. Jacy Chandler (20-8/3.40) had a fine regular season, but he has been only so-so in the postseason thus far with an 0-1 mark and a 4.50 ERA in 2 starts.

It looks like the Tycobbian Final 4 will be more competitive, but if Chicopee continue to blister the ball like they did against Tuckanarra, no one will beat them this season. Most baseball analysts are now making them the overall Pro Cup favorite after they annihilated the second-seeded Tucks. The Braves batted .333 against the Blue Jays and wiped them out in a five-game affair. Kajika Fleetfoot (21-13/3.23) is the ace of a suspect mound corps. Fleetfoot did well against Tuckanarra with a 2-0 record in 2 starts with 2 complete games and a 3.00 ERA. It might take Chicopee seven games to whip North Hills, which was ranked the third-best club in the Pro Cup poll prior to the playoffs. The Hawks are a pretty talented bunch, both on the mound and at the plate. They are certainly no pushovers and will put up a good fight against the hot-hitting Braves.

North Hills slipped past tough San Alejo, but needed seven games. The Hawks have two fine starters in David Michael (26-13/2.80) and Jeff Owens (23-13/2.82) and a scappy bunch of bats. In three excellent starts Michael was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Owens was not as impressive and went 0-1 in two starts with a 4.05 ERA. They might be able to hang with Braves and pull a mild upset. With the demise of Eastshore, the Tycobbian winner should prevail in this year's Pro Cup.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 1, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

V's Pound Crushers 13-1 In RU Opener
The Volusia Vigilantes may be the lowest seed in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs, but they are not playing like it... in game one of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 the Vigilantes battered the Crystal Lake Crushers 13-1 with a 14-hit barrage sparked by Sonny Oliver, Carl Kendall and Steve Swanson, along with strong pitching from ace Tommy Smith.

RF Oliver (.258), 2B Kendall (.333) and SS Swanson (.500) led the V's hit parade by driving in 3 runs each... both Oliver and Swanson had homers... it was Oliver's second in the postseason... 1B Ernie Pryor (.323) went 4-for-4 and scored 3 times and 3B Antonio Diaz (.229) chipped in with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... Smith (3-0/1.00) went the route, allowed 9 hits, but only one run... he struck out 4 and walked 3 for his third playoff win... Crystal Lake starter Arnie Cason (1-2/2.78) absorbed the loss, yielding 6 runs on 9 hits in 6-plus frames.

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

Hawks Trim Braves 6-5 In TU Opener
It took the biggest winner in the IPA to hang a loss on the red-hot Chicopee Braves... North Hills' 26-game winner Dave Michael managed to whip the Braves 6-5 in the first game of the Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series... but the Hawks had to stage a late-innings comeback... they trailed 4-2 after six, then closed fast with 2 runs in the eight and 2 more in the ninth... Kiril Ivonoski's (.226) 2-out single batted in the tying and winning runs.

Michael hurled 8 innings, permitted all 5 runs, but only 2 were earned... the Hawks played miserable defense and committed 4 errors, but also came up with 3 double plays... Michael (3-0/1.91) surrendered 8 hits and walked 7 in a rough outing, but managed the win with the help of closer Tony Costanza, who blanked the Braves in the ninth for his second postseason save... losing pitcher Kajika Fleetfoot (2-1/3.33) tossed a complete game and gave up 6 runs on 10 hits, though only 4 were earned.

3B Dean O'Donnell (.406) led North Hills at bat with 2 hits and 3 RBIs... SS Norris Henry (.280) also added 2 hits and scored 3 runs... overall the Hawks picked up 10 hits to 9 for the Braves... the top bat for Chicopee was SS Felix Roubique (.364) with 3-for-4... Roubique scored one and drove in one... C Augie Meaux (.500) was 2-for-3 with 2 runs batted in... and 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.385) also had a pair of hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 2, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

CL Crushers Even Series On Shafer's Smash
Pinchhitter Nick Shafer snapped a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth with a 2-run homer to pace Crystal Lake to a 5-3 triumph over Volusia in game two of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series... the teams have now split the first two games at Trumpy Donald Stadium.

The Crushers picked up 11 hits and were led by RF Paul Dillon (.250) with 2 hits, a run and an RBI... Dillon went deep to start the game... 3B Willie Burke (.360) also had 2 hits and scored twice... Dennis Mills gave Crystal Lake a good start, holding Volusia to 2 runs and 8 hits in his 7 innings... Mills struck out 6, but was wild with 5 bases on balls... Eddie Lane (1-0) notched the victory with a 1-2-3 eighth and Sonny Marsh gained his second playoff save, but was tagged for a run in the ninth.

Jacy Chandler (0-2/4.91) held the Crushers in check until the seventh and the eighth... after six the Vigilantes were up 2-1... in a complete game Chandler gave up 5 runs on 11 hits, fanned 7 and walked 2... the V's banged out 12 hits with 1B Ernie Pryor (.361) and C Tubby Tarkanian (.297) delivering 3 hits each and batting in a run... CF Ernesto Andujar (.208) got Volusia's only home run... the series switches now to the Jailhouse in Volusia for the next three games.

Tycobbian Union

Ledbetter Gains Split, Braves Stop Hawks 3-1
Left-hander Ryan Ledbetter got the Braves back on track with a 3-1 win over North Hills at Brewster Street Park in Chicopee to split the first two games of the Tycobbian Final 4... Ledbetter worked into the eighth and departed with a 3-1 lead... reliever Byron Wilson came in and got the last four outs and his second postseason save... Ledbetter was touched for just one run on 7 hits with 6 Ks and a walk... Jeff Owens (0-2/3.86) went the route in defeat, allowing 3 runs and 8 hits.

LF Charley Kota (.286) had 2 RBIs for Chicopee with a sac fly and fielder choice... RF Nelson Hunter (.276) plated the Braves' third run with an RBI single in the fourth frame... and 2B Todd Goodwin (.222) doubled and tripled... the Hawks got their only score in the fifth on C Mikhail Romanovsky's (.313) solo shot... the clubs will now head up to North Hills for the next three games at the Hawk's Nest.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 3, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven series)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

Webb Masters Crushers 2-1, V's Lead Series
In game three of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 at the Jailhouse in Volusia, the Vigilantes got a masterful mound job from Marv Webb, who throttled Crystal Lake 2-1 on 6 hits to give the underdog V's a two to one edge in the series... Webb (1-1/6.00) only surrendered a solo homer in his 8 and one-third innings... closer Alvaro Branco got the final two outs for his first save of the playoffs.

Crystal Lake got its only score in the fourth on a homer by C Stan Stanek (.353)... that was his third in the postseason... Stanek has 8 RBIs... trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Volusia tallied the game-winning runs on a double by SS Mel Deloy (.138), who advanced to third on a sacrifice, then scored on a base hit by LF Stan Kovachuk (.357)... a single by 3B Antonio Diaz moved Kovalchuk to third... the eventual game-winning came in on C Tubby Tarkanian's (.300) RBI single.

Volusia chalked up 7 hits in the game with Diaz getting 3 of them... Crystal Lake got 6 hits... Douglas Merrill (1-1/2.25) only had one bad inning, but it cost him... Merrill permitted 7 hits and 2 runs and went all the way, striking out 4 and issuing 3 walks.

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

Braves 4 HRs Trample Hawks 9-3 For Series Lead
On a cloudy and rainy day in North Hills it was raining down homers from heaven as the Chicopee Braves unleased a 4-homer, 15-hit attack on the hapless hometown Hawks to take a two games to one lead in the Tycobbian Final 4... Chicopee got good pitching, too, from a pair of hurlers... Heyota Chaska started and worked the first 4 frames and then was relieved by Mark Reeves after a long rain delay... Chaska allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, while Reeves gave up only one unearned run in his 5 innings... Reeves (1-0/0.00) registered the win.

The Braves got roundtrippers from LF Charley Kota (.281), 2B Tom Goodwin (.308), Kurt Gustavsen (.387) and C Augie Meaux (.385)... Chicopee had failed to go deep in the first 7 games of the postseason... SS Felix Roubique (.400) topped them with 3 hits and 3 runs... Kota, Meaux and CF Alfredo Cobos (.294) each drove in a pair of runs... C Mikhail Romanovsky (.343) had 2 hits and 2 RBIs for the Hawks in defeat... Kota has driven in 9 runs in the playoffs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 4, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

Stanek HR Evens Crushers-Vigilantes Series At 2-2
Stan Stanek's (.342) fourth homer of the postseason gave Crystal Lake a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Volusia at the Jailhouse to even up the best-of-seven RU Final 4 at two games each... his blast in the top of the ninth was the only difference in an old-fashioned pitching duel... Arnie Cason started for the Crushers and went 7 shutout innings, yielding just 5 hits with 5 Ks... closer Eddie Lane (2-0) worked the last 2 frames and notched the win... in a tough defeat the Vigilantes' ace Tommy Smith (3-0/1.00) went the distance, fanned 4, walked one and allowed 6 hits... it was his first loss in the playoffs... it was a crushing loss for the underdog V's... a win would have given them a huge 3-1 margin in the series and Smith would have been available for the seventh game, if needed... Smith has been brilliant in the playoffs this season.

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

Michael Halts Braves 4-1, Hawks Knot Series
North Hills got a superlative mound performance from Dave Michael, who stopped Chicopee 4-1 to gain a split in the TU Final 4... both clubs have won 2 games... Michael (4-0/1.71) topped the IPA with 26 victories this season and he is unbeaten in 4 games in the Pro Cup playoffs... Michael halted the hard-hitting Braves on just 6 hits, struck out 3 and walked one, while going the route... the Braves Kajika Fleetfoot (2-2/3.09) was tapped for 13 hits, but allowed only 2 earned runs in a complete game.

Offensively North Hills was sparked by C Mikhail Romanovsky (.359) with a 2-run homer in the fourth inning and 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.231), who had RBI singles in the fifth and sixth frames... Romanovsky is the playoff leader with 11 runs batted in... the Braves got their only score in the eighth on a run-scoring single by RF Nelson Hunter (.231).

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 5, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

V's Nip Crushers 4-3, Up By A Game
At home at the Jailhouse for game five of the RU Final 4, the Volusia Vigilantes continued to surprise with a 4-3 comeback victory in the bottom of the ninth to take a three games to two lead over the favored Crystal Lake Crushers... SS Mel Deloy delivered a clutch 2-run single to put away the Crushers.

Crystal Lake took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third on Stan Stanek's 3-run homer... it was his fifth roundtripper in the postseason and gave him 12 RBIs... but the Crushers couldn't hold off the feisty Vigilantes, who are now within one game of winning the RU title and a spot in the Pro Cup Finals... this would be the V's first appearance in the Pro Cup since winning the very first IPA crown in 2001... the Crushers have won two Pro Cups... they did it in 2020 and 2022... Crystal Lake also appeared in 2027, but lost.

Volusia got to reliever Eddie Lane (2-1) for three straight singles in the ninth to pin the loss on him... Denny Mills started for the Crushers and limited the V's to 2 runs on 8 hits... he departed with a 3-2 lead, but Lane blew the save... Lou Page (2-1) got the win in relief of starter Jacy Chandler, who was tagged for 11 hits, but only 3 runs in 8 and two-thirds innings... Page came on with runners on second and third with two away and got the final out in the ninth.

Volusia's 11-hit attack was paced by CF Ernesto Andujar (.290) with 3 hits in 4 at-bats, while Crystal Lake also collected 11 hits and was sparked by four players with 2 hits each: RF Pat Dillon (.297), LF Herm Taylor (.306), C Stan Stanek (.357) and 1B Big Sam Takota (.184).

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

Hawks Hammer Braves 7-2, Take Series Lead
In game five at the Hawk's Nest in North Hills, the hometowners showed their muscles with a 7-2 triumph over the Chicopee Braves to go up by a game in the TU Final 4... another Hawks' victory will advance them to the IPA Pro Cup championship for the first time in the team's history... a grand slam by C Mikhail Romanovsky (.357) and a 2-run shot by LF Adam Thurgood (.429) did most of the damage... it was Romanovsky's third roundtripper in the playoffs and it gave him 15 RBIs so far... Thurgood had 3 hits and also scored twice... the Hawks had 9 hits to 11 for Chicopee.

Winning pitcher Jeff Owens (1-2/3.24) came through with a good job, holding the high-powered Braves to 2 runs in 7 and two-third innings... Owens struck out 5 and walked only one... he got help from Frank Lambert for the final 4 outs... only one run was earned... in his first defeat this season in the playoffs Ryan Ledbetter (3-1/3.45) was tapped for the two homers and 6 runs in all in his 6 frames... CF Alfredo Cobos (.333) had 3 singles to led Chicopee, scoring one and driving in one... LF Charley Kota (.300), 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.368) and RF Nelson Hunter (.256) also chipped in 2 hits apiece.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 6, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

CL Remains Alive, Stomps V's 8-3
Playing for their life, the Crystal Lake Crushers stayed alive in the RU Final 4 with an 8-3 romp over the Volusia Vigilantes in game six of the series to even it up at three games apiece... game seven will be tomorrow afternoon at the same location, Trumpy Donald Stadium in Crystal Lake... Big Sam Takota (.209) led the way with 4 RBIs and Douglas Merrill (2-1/2.64) came through with a solid outing, holding the Vigilantes to 3 runs and 7 hits in 8 innings... Merrill posted 4 Ks and walked no one... Bud Foster closed out the game for him with a runless ninth.

Marv Webb and Merrill matched zeros on the scoreboard for the first 4 frames, then Volusia bolted ahead 3-0 in the top of the fifth... but the lead was short-lived as the Crushers rallied with 3 in the sixth, 3 in the seventh and 2 more in the eighth... Crystal Lake outhit Volusia 12 to 8... Takota was 2-5, SS Mackie Cummings (.250) went 3-5, scored twice and drove in a run... and CF Teke Holmes (.244) added in 2 hits and scored once... LF Stan Kovalchuk (.375) had 2 hits and doubled in 2 runs in defeat... the loss went to Marv Webb (1-2/5.57), who surrendered 4 runs and 7 hits in his 6 innings.

Game seven pitchers will be Tommy Smith (20-14/2.79) for Volusia and Arnie Cason (21-5/2.84) for Crystal Lake... Smith is 3-1 in the postseason with a great 1.00 ERA... Cason is 1-2 with a fine 2.12 ERA... with Smith on the hill in the opener Volusia crushed Cason and Crystal Lake 13-1... Cason and the V's got revenge in game four with a 1-0 victory.

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

Braves Bats Boom, Drub Hawks 8-3 In Game 6
Back in the friendly confines of Brewster Street Ballpark for game six of the TU Elite 8 Series, the Chicopee Braves bats broke out of a two-game mini-slump and boomed past North Hills 8-3 to tie up the series at three games each, thus forcing a seventh and deciding game tomorrow afternoon in Chicopee... Augie Meaux and Felix Roubique each batted in 3 runs for the Braves to top Hawks and keep their chances alive for the Tycobbian championship... Chicopee also got a fine start from Heyoka Chaska (2-1/7.90), who checked North Hills on 3 runs and 5 hits in his 8 innings... Byron Wilson mopped up for his second save in the ninth.

Chicopee tore into starter Nelson Hooper (1-3/5.76) for 6 runs in the first three frames and never were challenged... Hooper was shelled for 10 hits in 6 innings... the Braves C Augie Meaux (.351) continued a great postseason with 2 hits and 2 runs... he homered and drove in 3 runs to give him 12 RBIs in the playoffs... 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.381) also contributed a homer and a single... SS Felix Roubique (.429) smacked 4 hits and batted in 3 for the Braves... Roubique had 2 doubles and a triple... LF Adam Thurgood (.442) sparked the Hawks with a 2-run homer, a pair of hits, 3 runs batted in and a run scored... SS Norris Henry (.279) chipped in with 2 hits and 2 runs... Chicopee had a 12-7 edge in hits.

To advance to the Pro Cup Finals, Chicopee will have to beat David Michael in game seven... the Hawks' ace is 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA in the playoffs after a terrific regular season when he topped the IPA with a 26-13 mark and chalked up a 2.80 ERA... Michael will be opposed by Kajika Fleetfoot (21-13/3.23), who is 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA in the postseason... Michael has beaten Fleetfloot 4-1 and 6-5 in this series.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 7, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

CL Crushes Volusia 12-5 In Game 7
Game seven of the RU Final 4 was billed as a clash of 20-games aces, but it didn't turn out that way... Crystal Lake crushed Volusia 12-5 with a 17-hit barrage to cop the RU title game... Stan Stanek walloped 2 home runs and batted in 5 runs in the massacre... the Crushers lived up to their name today and will now play the Tycobbian winner for the IPA Pro Cup, emblematic of pro baseball supremacy in the Islands.

The expected pitching duel lasted only 5 innings... Volusia started the game with a bang with homers by CF Ernesto Andujar (.297) and C Tubby Tarkanian (.273) off of Arnie Cason, good for a 3-0 lead... Crystal Lake fought back with runs off Tommy Smith in the third and fourth frames... after 5 innings it was 3-2 in favor of Volusia... but that quickly went out the door when the Crushers exploded for 7 runs in the sixth, highlighted by C Stan Stanek's (.365) 3-run homer and 2-run singles by RF Paul Dillon (.273) and CF Teke Holmes (.292)... after a rough first inning, Arnie Cason managed to pretty much hold the Vigilantes in check... Cason (2-2/2.79) went the distance, permitted 5 runs on 11 hits, fanned 6 and walked one... Tommy Smith (3-2/1.42) took the loss... in 5 and two-thirds innings he was battered for 13 hits and 9 runs, though only 3 were earned.

Crystal Lake was sparked at the plate by Stanek, Holmes, 3B Willie Burke (.395) and SS Mackie Cummings (.289), all with 3 hits apiece... 3B Antonio Diaz (.283) topped the V's with 3 hits in 5 tries... and 1B Ernie Pryor went 2-for-4.

At the post-game news conference Crystal Lake manager Herman "Baby" George said, "Stan Stanek, Arnie Cason, Dennis Mills and Douglas Merrill have been terrific for us all during the playoffs... Stanek have been remarkable with 7 homers and 18 RBIs... thank goodness, our bats came alive in the last two games... until then we really struggled at the plate... our pitching kept us in the series and then our bats finally won it for us."

Volusia manager Alfonso Feliz was upbeat even though his Vigilantes were beaten. He congratulated the Crushers on their victory telling the writers, "Baby has a strong ball club and I think they will do well in the Pro Cup. So I'm not going to hang my head in shame. My V's surprised a lot of you guys... none of you gave us much of a chance against Eastshore in the first round, nor in the second round, but we almost pulled it off and got a seventh seed in the Pro Cup title series... next year we are going to get us another pitcher to go with Tommy Smith and take the whole shebang. Volusia will be back next year... mark my word."

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

O'Donnell's HR Puts North Hills In Pro Cup Finals
The seventh game of the TU Final 4 was going down to the wire... the score was 2-2 in the top of the eighth, runners were on first and second with 2 away and clean-up hitter Dean O'Donnell facing Kajika Fleetfoot... O'Donnell quickly did his job and rifled the ball over the right field fence to give North Hills a 5-2 win over the Chicopee Braves and a spot in the Pro Cup Finals against the Crystal Lake Crushers, the champion of the Ruthlandian Union... this will mark the Hawks first appearance in the IPA championship game... the Crushers have been there three times and came home with the trophy on two occasions.

The winning pitcher was David Michael (5-0/1.76), who hurled another standout game... Michael went all the way, holding the talented Chicopee bats to just 4 hits... Michael tied for the IPA lead in victories with 26 this year and is unbeaten in 6 postseason starts... the 27-year-old right-hander whipped the Braves three times in the series.

The Hawks were led offensively by O'Donnell (.345) with 4 RBIs... SS Norris Henry (.319) had 3 hits and scored twice... 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.260) was 2-for-4 and scored 2 runs and LF Adam Thurgood (.446) went 2-for-4 and drove in a run... Chicopee got their runs in the seventh when they evened the score at 2-all on RBI singles by 3B Kurt Gustavsen (.391) and 1B Pierre Giguerre (.286)... Fleetfoot (2-3/3.56) caught the loss as he allowed 5 runs and 10 hits in 8 innings.

Todd Simons, skipper of the Hawks, told the press, "What can you say about David Michael... he won 5 of our 8 playoff wins... we always have a chance when he is on the hill... but that's not to say we are a one-man team... we got a pretty solid core of clutch hitters, too... someone always seems to come through for us... O'Donnell really did it big time for us today."

Losing manager Ivan Burkholder lamented, "We had our chance... we were up two games to one, but we just couldn't beat Michael... that was the series."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 8, 2034

Crushers Picked Over Hawks In Pro Cup
This year's Pro Cup playoffs have been tense, thrilling and exciting with four of the six series going seven games - and it is expected to continue in this year's finale. This year's Islands championship gets underway this Wednesday afternoon at the Hawk's Nest in North Hills.

The baseball writers have made Crystal Lake the favorite over North Hills in this year's IPA Pro Cup Finals. The Crushers have the better offense and more quality pitchers and should prevail in seven games. The baseball gurus have been more impressed with Crystal Lake in the playoffs, though North Hills is the higher seed, ranking third to Eastshore and Tuckanarra. The Crushers were named the fourth pick in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Pro Cup poll prior to the playoffs. North Hills had the better season with a 94-60 mark, while Crystal Lake registered a 91-63 record.

Crystal Lake has three solid starters in Arnie Cason (21-5/2.84), Denny Mills (22-13/3.35) and Douglas Merrill (16-16/3.70). Merrill is the only left-hander in the bunch. The Crushers' mound corps posted an 8-4 mark and a 3.33 ERA in the first two rounds of the playoffs with Merrill going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 3 starts, Mills was 1-0 in 4 starts with a 1.97 ERA and Cason was 2-2 in 5 starts with a 2.79 ERA. But manager Baby George has a problem when he has to go to the pen. None of his relievers performed well in 12 postseason appearances.

Offensively Crystal Lake paced the Ruthlandian Union with a .292 BA in the regular season with modest power as they went deep 140 times. Only Kenwood of the Tycobbian Union was better with a monstrous .297 BA. The Crushers continued to hit well in the playoffs with a .288 average and 13 homers, averaging almost 5 runs a game. Top bat performers during the season were RF Pat Dillion (.342/11/64/102), SS Mackie Cummings (.320/22/89/91), 1B Big Sam Takota (.313/31/98/75) and C Stan Stanek (.315/23/88/76). Stanek has been awesome in the playoffs with 7 homers, 18 RBIs and a .365 BA. 3B Willie Burke (.395), CF Teke Holmes (.292), SS Mackie Cummings (.289) and LF Herm Taylor (.311) have lent good support, too.

Skipper Todd Simons has a good, all-around ballclub in North Hills, but he can't match the Crushers at the plate. The Hawks hit .278 with 155 roundtrippers in the regular year and .262 in the postseason thus far. They have 9 home runs and have scored 4 runs a game. Top hitters during the year were LF Adam Thurgood (.329/35/114/95), 3B Dean O'Donnell (.310/19/86/93) and C Mikhail Romanovsky (.281/13/56/80). Thurgood has batted a lofty .446 in the playoffs with 3 homers and 11 RBIs, O'Donnell is hitting .345 with 10 RBIs and Romanovsky is batting at a .306 rate with 3 homers and 15 runs batted in. SS Norris Henry has done well in the postseason with a .319 mark and 11 runs scored. Henry hit only .255 during the regular season.

North Hills' chance of capturing the Pro Cup hinges on its ace right-hander David Michael, who had already totaled 31 wins this year with a 26-13 record in the season and a brilliant 5-0 mark in the Pro Cup playoffs. Michael will need help from Jeff Owens (23-13/2.82), who is only 1-2 in the postseason. Number three starter Nelson Hooper (12-10/2.98) needs to step it up, too. Hooper is 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA in the playoffs. Simons' bullpen has not done well either.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Hawks are the superior squad with a .976 FA to .972 for the Crushers.

Forecast: Crystal Lake will bring home its third Pro Cup trophy. The Crushers captured the title in 2020 and 2022, but lost in 2027. This is North Hills first appearance in the classic.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 10, 2034

2034 Pro Cup Final Series - Game 1
(best-of-seven)

Hawks Hold On In Pro Cup Opener, Michael Wins 5-4
Slight underdog North Hills ran up an early 5-2 margin in the first four frames and held off a Crystal Lake rally in the late innings to take the Pro Cup opener at home at the Hawk's Nest 5-4... David Michael, unbeaten in the postseason, chalked up his sixth victory with a sluggish, but effective performance... Michael allowed 11 singles and 4 runs, but survived... he walked 2 and fanned 4 in a route-going outing... Michael, the IPA leader with 26 wins, bested 21-game winner Arnie Cason (2-3/3.30), who was the victim of 5 runs and 10 hits in just 5 innings.

The Hawks collected 11 hits overall and were led by SS Norris Henry (.333) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... LF Adam Thurgood (.450), 3B Dean O'Donnell (.362) and CF Dan Finch (.207) also chipped in with 2 hits apiece with Thurgood and 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.264) driving in runs... the Crushers had 11 hits and were paced by RF Pat Dillon (.286), CF Teke Holmes (.302), 1B Big Sam Takota (.235) and 3B Willie Burke (.405) each getting a pair of hits. Dillon, Takota, SS Mackie Cummings (.280) and pinchhitter Roger Haley (.167) drove in runs for the Crushers.

Crystal Lake LF Herm Taylor was hit on the foot by a pinch ball in the seventh and had to be removed from the game. Doctors reported after the game that his foot was fractured and Taylor will miss the rest of the Pro Cup Series. Taylor is hitting .298 in the playoffs this year. During the season he was a .276 hitter.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 11, 2034

2034 Pro Cup Final Series - Game 2
(best-of-seven)

Takota's Triple Ties Pro Cup, Crushers Win 4-3
Big Sam Takota came up big with a game-winning triple in the eighth inning to send favored Crystal Lake to a 4-3 triumph over the North Hills Hawks at the Hawk's Nest gaining a split in the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals... the Crushers got a good start from Dennis Mills (2-0/2.25), who worked 8 innings, permitted 5 hits and 3 runs with 5 Ks and no walks...Mills blanked the Hawks 3-0 through 6 innings, but was slammed for 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh... reliever Eddie Lane came on in the ninth and held North Hills scoreless for his second save of the playoff.

23-game winner Jeff Owens (1-3/3.19) couldn't put the Hawks in a commanding 2-0 position with a win... he went the distance, gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and took the loss.

Both clubs garnered 6 hits apiece... Takota (.273) sparked the Crushers with 3 hits and 2 RBIs... C Stan Stanek (.350) batted in the other 2 runs... 1B Skipper Shearer (.237) drove in all the Hawks runs with a bases-loaded double in the seventh to tie the score.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 12, 2034

2034 Pro Cup Final Series - Game 3
(best-of-seven)

O'Donnell HR Gives North Hills Series Lead
At Trumpy Donald Stadium in Crystal Lake, dramatic home runs in the top of the ninth gave North Hills the lead in the IPA Pro Cup Finals over Crystal Lake... Dean O'Donnell's 2-run clout sent the Hawks ahead 4-3 and Adam Thurgood gave them an insurance run in a 5-3 victory over the Crushers and put North Hills in front in the series two games to one... O'Donnell has 2 roundtrippers in the playoffs, while Thurgood has hammered 4 out of the park.

All three games have been close ones in the Finals. Game one went to the Hawks 5-4 and game two to the Crushers 4-3. The baseball experts have picked Crystal Lake in a seven-game series.

Nolan Hooper (2-3/5.03) was the other hero... he tossed a strong 9 innings, limiting the Crushers to 3 runs on just 3 hits with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks... Hooper had lost his last two starts and was battered hard in the losses... but he came through today in grand fashion.

Hooper started off badly as he was slammed for homers in the opening frame by RF Pat Dillon (.276) and 1B Big Sam Takota (.276)... Dillon led off the game with one and Takota tacked on a 2-run shot later in the inning to give the Crushers a 3-2 lead... the Hawks had jumped off to a 2-0 lead in the top of the inning on an RBI single by Dean O'Donnell (.364)... and the second one came in on a wild pitch.

Crystal Lake starter Dennis Merrill held a 3-2 lead in the ninth, but couldn't finished off the Hawks... loser Merrill (2-2/3.34) surrendered 5 runs on 11 hits in 8 and one-third innings.

North Hills was led at the plate by LF Adam Thurgood (.464), who went 4-5 and 3B Dean O'Donnell (.364), who was 3-4 with 3 RBIs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 13, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 4
(best-of-seven)

Hawks Near Pro Cup, Michael Wins Again
He did it again!... David Michael hurled the North Hills Hawks to within one game of the IPA Pro Cup crown with a 6-1 decision over the Crystal Lake Crushers... Michael won his seventh game of the postseason that gave the Hawks a surprising three games to one lead... two 3-run homers made it easy for Michael... Kiril Ivonski put one out in the top of the fifth and Norris Henry did it again in the seventh.

Going the distance, Michael (7-0/1.96) stopped the Crushers on one run and 8 hits with one walk and 5 strikeouts, besting Arnie Cason (2-4/3.24) again... Cason was slammed for 6 runs in 6-plus innings... North Hills had a 10-8 hit advantage with Henry (.328) and Ivonoski (.303) totaling 3 hits each... 1B Skippy Shearer (.258) also added 2 hits and scored twice for the Hawks... in the ninth 3B Willie Burke (.396) belted a solo homer for the Crushers.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 14, 2034

2034 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 5
(best-of-seven)

Crushers Trounce Hawks 9-4, Still In Series
Behind in the Pro Cup Finals three games to one and on the verge of elimination, Crystal Lake trounced North Hills 9-4 in game five to cut into the Hawks' huge lead... the Crusher bats came alive with 13 hits and got a gutsy outing from Dennis Mills, who tossed a complete game... still North Hills has a three games to two edge in the series and needs just one more win to wrap up its first IPA Pro Cup... the rest of the games will be played at the Hawk's Nest in North Hills.

Crystal Lake broke open a 4-4 game with 2 runs in the last of the fifth and added a single score in the sixth and finished off the Hawks with two more in the eighth... CF Teke Holmes (.309) led the attack with 4-4, 2 runs and an RBI... 1B Big Sam Takota (.299) and C Stan Stanek (.329) drove in 2 runs apiece... and LF Pat Dillon (.273) went 2-for-4 and scored 3 times.

Mills had a rocky start and gave up 4 runs in the first 4 frames, but then settled down and shut out the Hawks over the final 5 innings... Mills (3-0/2.57) permitted 10 hits, walked none and fanned 4 and remained unbeaten in the playoffs this year... LF Adam Thurgood (.442) got to him for a 2-run homer in the first, his 5th in the postseason and 3B Dean O'Donnell (.347) chipped in with a solo job in the third... O'Donnell has gone deep 3 times in the playoffs... Jeff Owens (1-4/3.72) suffered the loss as he was tagged for 7 runs in 6 innings.

North Hills manager Todd Simons has right-hander Nelson Hooper (12-10/2.98) scheduled to go in game six, while Crystal Lake skipper Baby George has southpaw Douglas Merrill (16-16/3.70) on the mound. So far in the postseason Hooper is 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA and Merrill is 2-2 with a 3.24 ERA... Hooper got the best of Merrill in game three 5-3.

Should the series go full length, the Hawks' David Michael (26-13/2.80) and the Crushers' Arnie Cason (21-5/2.84) will get the calls in game seven... Michael has already beaten Cason 5-4 and 6-1 in games one and four respectively... Michael is 7-0 with a 1.96 ERA in the playoffs, while Cason is 2-4 with a 3.24 ERA... Michael topped the IPA with 26 wins this year, tied with J. J. Gillespie (26-13/2.06) of Cold Creek in the Ruthlandian Union.