THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 22, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

ALL-STARS TAKE SERIES LEAD BEHIND PITTS
Dan Pitts, a 22-year-old lefty, put the Volusia Vigilantes away 4-1 on their homefield at the Jailhouse to put the Elnora All-Stars in front two games to one in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... Pitts (1-0) contained the V's on 8 hits, struck out 6 and issued only one walk in an impressive outing... the youngster was 19-11 in the regular season... Rio Lobo (0-1) was the loser as he was touched for 4 runs on 9 hits in 7 innings, but only one run was earned. Lobo was 9-8 during the year.

Elnora broke a 1-1 tie with 3 runs in the top of the sixth on a sac fly by 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.417) and RBI singles by SS James Couch (.385) and LF Clint Thomas (.182)... the other run came on a bases-loaded walk to CF Clive Kenyon in the top of the first... Volusia's only score came on a lead-off homer by rookie RF Felipe Henriques (.286) in the bottom of the first... the All-Stars collected 10 hits to 8 for the Vigilantes.

WALESKA WINS THIRD STRAIGHT FROM LAGRANGE
Despite playing on the road at Sports Stadium in LaGrange, Waleska fought long and hard to finally pull out a 3-2 decision in 12 innings... the Westerners are now ahead 3-0 in the RU Elite 8 Series and only need one more win to advance to the Ruthlandian league championship series... Waleska got outstanding pitching from 20-year-old righty Craig Nash and veteran Earl Perkins... Nash humbled the Sports on 5 hits and 2 runs in his 8 innings and Perkins shut them out over the last four frames on 3 hits, while striking out 4 and giving up no walks... Perkins (2-0/0.00) notched his second victory in the series... LF Loco Dillinger (.286) doubled in 2B Monty McMurtry (.286) with the winning score in the twelfth off losing pitcher Hot Rod Huxtable (0-1/3.38).

Ryan Janssen started for LaGrange and he did a splendid job, firing 10 innings, striking out 10 and only allowing one earned run on 6 hits... but he wasn't around at the end... the clubs tied with 8 hits each with CF Jon Lassiter (.357) and McMurtry leading the Westerners with 2 hits apiece... 2B Norm Petitjean (.556) drove in both Sports' runs with a double and a homer among his 3 hits.

The Westerners took the lead in the second inning on a single by 3B Dorak Aranda (.444) and a double by C Tony Brinkerhoff (.231), which put runners on second and third... Aranda then scored on a passed ball... Petitjean's homer knotted it up 1-1 in the fifth... and his RBI double put the Sports ahead 2-1 in the seventh... in the top of the ninth Waleska fought back to tie it up at 2-2 on two walks and an RBI single by SS Rusty Adler (.250).

Tycobbian Union

SAN ALEJO STOPS NORTH HILLS 5-2 FOR 3RD WIN
The Pro Cup Favorite San Alejo pushed defending titleholder North Hills to the edge of elimination with a 5-2 win behind the fine pitching of veteran Ollie Olivares and two relievers... it was the Montaneros third win in a row over the Hawks... they need just one more victory to wrap up the TU Elite 8 Series.

Winning pitcher Olivares (1-0) stood out with 7 fine innings, stopping North Hills on 2 runs and 8 hits... Frank Jankowski and Clete Lawson came in and preserved the win with 2 scoreless frames... Nelson Hooper (0-1) got the loss as the Monties got to him for 5 runs and 7 hits in 7 innings.

Scoring one run in the first, 2 in the second and 2 more in the fifth, the Montaneros piled up a 5-0 lead... San Alejo was led at the plate by 1B Omar Velazquez (.500) and 2B Derek Kristensen (.444)... each of them drove in a pair of runs... Velazquez had 2 hits, including his third roundtripper of the series... Kristensen socked a double and a single... and C Filipe Zamora (.222) notched 2 hits and scored 2 runs... North Hills outhid San Alejo 9 to 8... they were paced by LF Adam Thurgood (.250), who belted a solo homer and a triple and scored twice.

BRAVES BOP BLUE JAYS AGAIN, NEARS SERIES WIN
Chicopee swept the first two games of the series on the road in Tuckanarra... at home for game three of the TU Elite 8 Series at Brewster Street Ballpark, Chicopee put 4 quick runs on the scoreboard in the first frame and then held off visiting Tuckanarra the rest of the way for a 5-1 victory... veteran left-hander Ryan Ledbetter (1-0) made it look easy, limiting the Blue Jays to just one run and 8 hits over his 8 innings... Ledbetter fired 9 strikeouts and walked only 2... Heyoka Chaska hurled a flawless ninth to finish out the game... one more loss and the series goes to Chicopee... it was the Braves third consecutive win in the best-of-seven affair.

Young Junior Bristow (0-1) settled down after the 4-run first inning, but it was too late... in all Bristow was tagged for 5 runs and 8 hits, but only 2 of the runs were earned... the Braves' best bats were 2B Todd Goodwin (.500) with 3 hits in 4 tries with 3 runs batted in and LF Big George Shunkaha (.385) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... CF Cobar Madija (.600) had 3 hits for the Tucks... his solo homer accounted for their only run in the fifth.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 23, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

SELLERS STOPS V'S 6-0, ELNORA TAKES GAME 4
Jeremy Sellers was in top form in game four of the RU Elite 8 Series... the Elnora southpaw hurled a 6-0 gem over Volusia stopping them on 5 hits, chalking up 4 Ks and walking only one batter... Sellers' (1-1/0.00) performance put the All-Stars in a prime position to finish off the Vigilantes... all Elnora needs is one more victory and three possible opportunities to get it in the best-of-seven series.

Leading 1-0, the All-Stars routed Vigilante starter Sammy Barton with a 5-run splurge in the top of the seventh... Barton (1-1/4.91) was pelted for 6 runs and 9 hits in the loss... 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.500) went 3-for-4 and batted in 3 runs to lead the Elnora attack... 1B Charley Taylor (.188) hit a solo homer and CF Clive Kenyon (.385) has a pair of hits and scored 2 runs.

WALESKA WHIPS LAGRANGE 5-4, SWEEPS SERIES
Waleska pulled out a comeback 5-4 win in game four of the RU Elite 8 played at Sports Stadium in LaGrange to sweep the series... the Westerners rallied with 2 runs in the top of the ninth to whip the Sports in all four games... Jon Lassiter (.421) tripled in the tying run and Monty McMurtry (.263) singled in the gamewinner to ship the Sports home for the season.

Lassiter led the Westerner 12-hit attack with 2 RBIs and 3 hits... C Tony Brinkerhoff (.313) chipped in with 2 runs scored and 2 hits, including a solo homer... it was a back-and-forth affair... LaGrange led 1-0 in the first and Waleska tied it in the second... the Sports went ahead 3-1 in the third with the Westerners bouncing back with single runs in the fourth and sixth to even the score... LaGrange had the lead one more time with a run in the seventh... SS Jason Jacquet (.308) led LaGrange at the plate with a triple, a single and 2 runs batted in.

Waleska's 20-year-old southpaw Tony Haskell (2-0/3.18) picked up his second win in the series... Haskell beat the Sports 3-2 in game one... this one was harder to come by... he was tagged for 9 hits and 4 runs in 8 innings with 8 strikeouts and a walk... Earl Perkins pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

Wally Thurber started and did a fair job for the Sports... the lefty worked through the seventh, yielding 3 runs on 9 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks... Thurber left with a 4-3 lead, but his relief couldn't hold it for him... the defeat went to Mike York (0-1), who gave up 2 runs and 3 hits in one and two-thirds innings.

Westerner manager Roy Hobbs spoke at a post-game news conference, "My boys stepped it us a notch and beat a very good team... three of the wins were by one run... it's a good thing we played so well, otherwise we would be going home instead of LaGrange." Waleska's staff held the Sports to a .216 BA and allowed only 9 runs in the series. The Westerners batted .290 in the series and outscored LaGrange 21 to 9... however, if you remove the 10-1 score in game number two, it was indeed a very close series.

Quincy Peterson, skipper of the Sports, said, "we couldn't score against them, but our pitching kept us in it in three of the four games. Waleska is a good-around team that will be tough to beat. If they continue to play like they did against us, I wouldn't be surprised if they won the whole shebang."

Tycobbian Union

SAN ALEJO SWEEPS NORTH HILLS
There will be no repeat champion in the IPA this year... San Alejo made certain of that by sweeping defending champion North Hills Hawks in four games in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8... San Alejo is the odds-on favorite to take the honor this year and they really looked like champions against the Hawks... the Montaneros drubbed the Hawks 7-2 in game four played at the Hawk's Nest... Johnny Brown (2-0/3.00) went the distance, holding them to 2 runs and 8 hits for his second win in the series... Brown survived with an 8-5 win in the opening game... the losing pitcher today was last year's Pro Cup MVP David Michael (0-2/9.49)... like game one, San Alejo had no trouble with Michael, pummeling him for 7 runs and 8 hits in 7-plus innings.

CF Dusty Rogan (.294) was the batting hero with 2 hits and 4 RBIs... rookie RF Gilberto Duarte (.250) scored 3 runs and got his second homer... and C Filipe Zamora (.231) had 2 hits for the Monties... the Hawks were paced by SS Dean O'Donnell (.381) and CF Kris Anastas (.222), both with 2 hits apiece.

Manager Alberto Herrera praised his Montanero staff, "Brown, Smith and Olivares really shut down the Hawks... that was the big part... and Rogan, Duarte and Velazquez got us the runs... we now have accomplished part one of our mission... two more series' wins and we can bring another Pro Cup home to San Alejo." The Montaneros were IPA champion in 2032.

Lamenting the loss and the chance to repeat as Pro Cup champ, Tuckanarra skipper Carlton "Lefty" Stevens told the press, "Give the Montaneros credit, they tore up our pitchers and stopped our hitters... they will go a long way in the playoffs this year playing like that."

TUCKS HANG IN WITH 5-3 WIN IN 13
The Tuckanarra Blue Jays are down, but not out... the Tucks won a 13-inning thriller 5-3 to remain alive in the TU Elite 8 Series with the Chicopee Braves, who had the Blue Jays on the brink of elimination by winning the first three games and leading 3-1 after six innings in game four at the Brewster Street Ballpark... Josh George's (.133) dramatic 2-run homer in the seventh frame saved the day and forced the game into extra innings... then longtime Blue Jay Lynn Starr (.143) put them ahead with a 2-run single in the top of the thirteenth and James Warner managed to hold off the threatening Braves in the bottom half of the inning... Chicopee got runners on first and third with two outs before Warner got the third out.

Chicopee jumped out with 2 runs in the first frame off Bobby Reid... LF Charley Kota (.313) singled in one run and the second one scored on 1B Kurt Gustavsen's (.294) sacrifice fly... pitcher Byron Wilson (.167) made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the second... two errors by the Braves and 2B Jim Cuervas' (.188) single gave Tuckanarra an undeserved run in the top of the third, narrowing the score to 3-1.

The Blue Jays had 9 hits, while the Braves collected 10... Reid tossed 8 innings and permitted 3 runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts... he was followed by winner James Warner (1-0/0.00), who fired 5 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits, fanning 4 and walking one... Byron Wilson pitched into the eighth, gave up 3 runs on 7 hits, struck out 4 and issued 2 walks... the loser was Matt Reeves (0-1/5.68), who worked 5 and one-third innings, yielding 2 runs on 2 hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 24, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

ELNORA TAKES VOLUSIA IN 5 GAMES
After dropping the opener in the Ruthlandian Elite 8, the Elnora All-Stars made quick work of the Volusia Vigilantes by winning the next four in a row... Stan Kivas finished off the V's 7-0 in game five, checking them on 7 hits... it was Elnora's second straight shutout.

The All-Star bats lit Volusia up for 11 hits, sparked by SS James Couch (.350) with a double, triple, 2 runs and 3 RBIs... CF Clive Kenyon (.412) added in 2 hits and 2 runs batted in... Fabio Medeiros (0-1/3.68) was tagged with the loss... he allowed 7 runs on 9 hits in 7-plus innings... Elnora busted up a tight 1-0 pitching duel with 5 runs in the seventh frame, highlighted by Couch's bases-loaded triple.

Volusia manager Alfonso told reporters, "We just didn't play well offensively like we did during the regular season... Elnora's pitching was pitcher perfect."

Leon Carter, skipper of the All-Stars, commented, "Our pitchers dominated a good hitting team... let's just hope they stay on a roll and keep doing it."

Elnora was seeded second in The Islandian Times Pro Cup poll, while Volusia was the number-eight seed. The All-Stars will have a tougher task in the next round when they tangle with the Waleska Westerners for the RU title. The Westerners swept LaGrange in the opening round. Waleska was the fourth seed, while the Sports were number seven.

Tycobbian Union

ROSARIO KEEPS TUCKS ALIVE, BLANKS BRAVES 4-0
Don't give up on the Tuckanarra Blue Jays just yet... down to their last loss of the season and on the verge of oblivion just two games ago, they have been rejuventated with back-to-back wins in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series with Chicopee, who was ahead three-zero, but now finds themselves with a battle on their hands with their lead narrowed to three games to two... right-hander Rudy Rosario (1-1/0.50) was the latest Blue Jay savior... he fired a 4-0 shutout, limiting the hard-hitting Braves to just 4 hits, while fanning 5 and walking 3 batters.

For 8 innings Rosario and Chicopee starter Vito Sanfratello were engaged in a scoreless duel until the Tucks snapped it with a 4-run outburst in the top of the ninth... LF Lorne Evans (.263) broke the tie with an RBI single, CF Cobar Madija (.444) had a 2-run double and Rosario (.286) batted in the final run with a base hit... Sanfratello (1-1/4.00) permitted 10 hits, struck out 5 and walked one in a complete-game performance.

The series will now return to Tuckanarra for the rest of the seven-game series... the Braves' 30-year-old southpaw Ryan Ledbetter (12-13/3.42) will get the call from manager Ivan Burkholder... on the hill for the hometown Blue Jays will be 24-year-old right-hander Junior Bristow (22-11/2.51)... Ledbetter got the best of Bristow in game three, beating him 5-1.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 25, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Tycobbian Union

BLUE JAYS TIE BRAVES, FORCE 7TH GAME
What a series!!... Chicopee won the first three games... and now Tuckanarra has come back and evened the series with three successive victories... the Blue Jays took game six 4-3 at home at Central Park Stadium... young Junior Bristow held the Brave bats to 3 runs, though he was tapped for 10 hits... Bristow (1-1/2.65) had 3 Ks and walked just one, while going all the way... this time around he outpitched Ryan Ledbetter (1-1/2.81), who also went the distance, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.

2B Todd Goodwin (.360) got the Braves started with a 2-run double in the first... but the Blue Jays came right back with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by C Timmy Stevens (.375) and then took the lead 4-2 in the second frame on 3B Narra Gilyinju's (.273) 2-run two-bagger and Junior Bristow's (.000) RBI grounder... in the sixth Chicopee cut the lead to 4-3 on doubles by 3B Cooter Whitter (.250) and C Charley Barnes (.273)... but Bristow stiffened after that and blank the Braves the rest of the way.

Game seven will also be in Tuckanarra tomorrow afternoon... both clubs will have their aces on the mound... it will be Byron Wilson (18-6/2.94) for Chicopee and Bobby Reid (20-12/2.49) for Tuckanarra... Wilson was victorious over Reid in game one 10-5, while game four was a no-decision for both of them, which Tuckanarra won 5-3 in 13 innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 26, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series
(best-of-seven)

Tycobbian Union

MIRACLE TUCKS TAME CHICOPEE 5-0 IN GAME 7
In a miraculous comeback from the dead, the Tuckanarra Blue Jays captured the final four games of the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series from the Chicopee Braves, taming them 5-0 in the game-seven finale in Tuckanarra... Bobby Reid (1-1/3.92) was brilliant with 10 strikeouts... he walked 3 and limited Chicopee to 6 hits... the Blue Jays were led at the plate by 3B Lynn Starr (.176), who belted a 3-run homer in the opening frame, and RF Spade Weldon (.355) with a solo salvo in the second... the Tucks won the series four games to three and will now take on top-seeded San Alejo in the TU Finals.

The losing pitcher was Byron Wilson (1-1/5.00), who was ripped for 5 runs and 5 hits in 4-plus innings.

It was an unbelievable turnaround for Lefty Stevens' club, who were outmatched in the first three games. Stevens told reporters, "This is remarkable... Chicopee made us look so bad in the first three games... I never expected to beat them four in a row... you just can't do that to a team as good as the Braves... but hey, we did it... when our pitchers do the job, we win."

Dejected Braves manager Ivan Burkholder said, "We played so well in the first three games, then we tanked at the plate the last four."

Tuckanarra now has another huge assignment in the Tycobbian Finals... the third-seeded Blue Jays will now go head-to-head with the team favored to take the Pro Cup this year, the San Alejo Montaneros, who led the IPA with 100 wins this year and just eliminated last year's winner North Hills in a four-game sweep.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 29, 2035

ELNORA, SAN ALEJO SLIGHTLY FAVORED IN IPA FINAL 4
The table is set for a baseball feast in the IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series with the four top seeds colliding with one another... the winners will go up against one another for the Islands' overall championship... the number-one seed San Alejo Montaneros will host number three, the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, at the Case de Beisbol and the Elnora All-Stars, the second seed, will be be at home at State Fair Park welcoming the Waleska Westerners... both of the best-of-seven series should be hotly-contested... during the regular season in head-to-head action Elnora and Waleska split six games, while San Alejo and Tuckanarra divided their six games.

There's not a lot of difference between the two Ruthlandian contenders Elnora and Waleska... they are just about even in scoring, starters, bullpen and power... however the Westerners do play better defense... they have an above-average .975 fielding average... the All-Stars are just average with a .971 FA... this one is a toss-up... Elnora got the edge because of its 98-56 record... but Waleska was right on their tails with a 97-57 mark... both had easy times in the first round as Elnora whipped Volusia in five games and Waleska swept LaGrange in four.

In game one tomorrow afternoon Elnora skipper Leon Carter will start left-hander Jeremy Sellers (20-8/2.51) and Roy Hobbs will counter with right-hander Terry Richards (21-7/2.97) for Waleska... game-two starters are slated to be Stan Kivas (22-10/3.27) for the All-Stars and Craig Nash (21-14/2.96) for the Westerners... in game three it will be Dan Pitts (19-11/3/41) for Elnora and southpaw Tony Haskell (18-10/3.20) for Waleka.

At the plate the All-Stars are led by SS James Couch (.313/12/81/93), CF Clive Kenyon (.330/14/80/76), 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.297/14/71/92), LF Clint Thomas (.301/7/55/63) and RF Travis Glass (.260/19/72/75)... sparking the Westerners' attack are superstar LF Loco Dillinger (.331/36/113/85), rookie standout CF Jon Lassiter (.302/7/63/97), RF Niles Gregory (.292/16/83/83), 3B Dorak Aranda (.267/21/79/73) and 2B Monty McMurtry (.288/9/70/98).

There's not a dime's worth of difference between San Alejo and Tuckanarra either... each one of them can hit, pitch and score... both of them are just average defensively... the Montaneros have more power with 207 homers to 168 for the Blue Jays... San Alejo had the best record in the IPA with a 100-54 mark... the Tucks were not far behind with a fine 97-57 record... the Montaneros took defending IPA champ North Hills in a sweep in the TU Elite 8, while Tuckanarra had to come back from a 3-0 deficit to whip powerful Chicopee.

San Alejo skipper Alberto Herrera will use Johnny Brown (23-11/2.97), Tommy Smith (19-12/2.88) and Ollie Olivares (13-6/2.28) as his starters... Brown and Smith are portsiders... Lefty Stevens has three 20-game winners lined up and ready to go for Tuckanarra... he will use Bobby Reid (20-12/2.49), Rudy Rosario (20-12/3.16) and Junior Bristow (22-11/2.51)... all are righties.

For offense the Monties depend on rookie RF Gilberto Duarte (.323/37/104/88), CF Dusty Rogan (.287/24/99/78) and LF Adrian Otero (.293/23/77/84), while the Blue Jays' best bats are IPA icon LF Lorne Evans (.277/39/125/109), RF Spade Weldon (.306/16/82/90), CF Pancho Villa (.288/22/93/71) and 1B Josh George (.252/26/96/78).

This may be the most competitive set of teams in the history of the Pro Cup playoffs... the baseball prognosticators are saying the postseason is wide-open... any of the Final 4 participants could carry off the Pro Cup this year... it's that close.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 30, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA WALLOPS ELNORA 11-9 IN OPENER
Opening up on the road in Elnora didn't faze Waleska in game one of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4... the Westerners prevailed in a slugfest 11-9... Waleska ran up a 10-4 lead after six frames and then held off a strong rally by the All-Stars, who made it close with 5 runs in the seventh... the Westerners won despite being outhit 17-12... Elnora stranded 12 baserunners and Waleska racked up four double plays.

Terry Richards (1-0/2.03) started and got the win though he was pelted for 12 hits and permitted 4 runs in 6 innings... closer Earl Perkins nailed down the victory with 2 scoreless innings and 3 strikeouts... it was his second save in this postseason... it was a bad day for loser Jeremy Sellers (1-2/2.75), who was belted for 8 runs in 2-plus innings... leading the Westerner attack were rookie CF Jon Lassiter (.478) with 3-4 and 2 runs, 2B Monty McMurtry (.292) with 2-5, 2 runs and 2 RBIs and LF Loco Dillinger (.227) with 1-3, 2 runs and a run batted in... 3B Dorak Aranda (.294) homered, scored twice and drove in 2... RF Niles Gregory (.368) went 2-4, scored once and batted in a run... sparking the All-Stars were 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.385) with 2-5 and 5 RBIs... Samurakami slammed a 3-run clout and now has driven 10 runs in the playoffs... RF Travis Glass (.375) and 3B Danny Bierhoff (.476) each collected 4 hits... Glass scored 3 times and Bierhoff scored twice and batted in a pair of runs.

Tycobbian Union

TUCKS TROUNCE MONTIES 12-2 IN GAME 1
In a totally one-sided rout visiting Tuckanarra trounced Pro Cup favorite San Alejo 12-2 in the opening game of the Tycobbian Final 4 at the Casa de Beisbol... the game started off a pitcher's battle with the Tucks holding a 2-0 lead going into the seventh inning... then the Blue Jays went on a rampage scoring 10 runs in the final 3 frames... Tucknarra totaled 22 hits and were paced by RF Spade Weldon (.389) with 3 hits and 3 RBIs, CF Cobar Madija (.444) with 4 hits, 3 runs and 2 runs batted in, C Timmy Stevens (.296) was 2-6, scored a run and batted in 2... Madija and 1B Josh George (.258) had homers... starter Bobby Reid (2-1/2.93) notched the victory as he tossed 6 shutout innings, fanned 6 and walked 5, surrendering 6 hits... the losing pitcher was Johnny Brown (2-1/4.68), who was battered for 7 runs and 17 hits in 7 innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 1, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

ALL-STARS EVEN SERIES ON TOMASZEWSKI'S HR
At home at State Fair Park, Elnora blew a 4-2 lead in the ninth inning, but triumphed 6-4 on Red Tomaszewski's 2-run blast in the tenth, knotting up the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 at one game apiece... it was another hitfest for the clubs with Elnora socking 16 and Waleska 11... they totaled 29 in yesterday's opening game.

Stan Kivas starterd for the All-Stars, worked into the eighth and left with a 4-2 lead... Kivas registered 9 Ks and walked 3 and gave up 9 hits... however closer Freddy Pfeffer failed to save it for him... Jose Robles (1-0/3.00) copped the win by striking out the side in the tenth... Waleska starter Craig Nash had a rough beginning as he was touched for 3 runs in the first frame and another one in the second, but then he settled down and blanked Elnora for the next 6 innings... the victim of Tomaszewski's game-winning homer was losing pitcher William Slaughter (0-1).

3B Danny Bierhoff (.500) and 1B Charley Taylor (.323) paced Elnora with 3 hits each... SS James Couch (.345) added 2 hits and drove in 2 runs... rookie CF Jon Lassiter (.519) and 2B Monty McMurtry (.345) led the Westerners with 3 hits apiece... Lassiter had Waleska's only roundtripper... and RF Nile Gregory (.333) had 2 RBIs.

After the split in Elnora, the series switches to Westerner Stadium in Waleska for the next three games.

Tycobbian Union

MONTIES RALLY IN 9TH TO TIE TUCKS
Better late than never... before the home fans at the Casa de Beisbol, the Pro Cup favorite San Alejo rallied with 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth to nip the Tucks 3-2 and even the Tycobbian Union Final 4 at one game each in the best-of-seven series... the Montaneros were behind 2-1 and 3 outs away from losing their second straight to Tuckanarra... with one away pinchhitter Todd Dubbins' base hit and Derek Kristensen's double put runners at second and third... Bubby Blackwell tied it at 2-2 with a run-scoring single and rookie Gilberto Duarte won it with a sacrifice fly to left field... in a masterful, route-going performance southpaw Tommy Smith (2-0/1.50) stopped the Blue Jays on 7 hits, walked none and whiffed 4... the Monties cracked 11 hits in the game.

Rudy Rosario was the Tuckanarra starter and he fared very well, holding San Alejo to one run on 8 hits with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks... he exited with 2 outs in the eighth and a 2-1 lead... however his relief James Warner (1-1/3.86) couldn't seal it for him... Warner lost it in the ninth.

The Montaneros drew first blood with a run in the third on CF Dusty Rogan's (.360) RBI single... 2 doubles by Blue Jay RF Lorne Evans (.294) and SS Narra Gilyinju (.267) evened it up in the fourth... CF Cobo Madija's solo shot gave the Tucks the lead in the sixth 2-1... At the plate 2B Derek Kristensen (.375) topped San Alejo with 4 hits and 2 runs... Evans has a pair of hits for the Blue Jays.

Tuckanarra will play host at Central Park Stadium for games three, four and five.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 2, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA WHACKS ELNORA 9-0, HASKELL BLANKS 'EM
Game three played at Westerner Field in Waleska was no contest... young lefty Tony Haskell blanked Elnora 9-0 on 9 hits as the Westerners did everything right to take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven Ruthlandian Union Final 4... Haskell (3-0/2.08) rang up his third postseason win with a fine outing, striking out 7 and walking only 2... Waleska jumped on Dan Pitts (1-1/5.23) for 8 runs in the first two innings and never looked back.

Light-hitting SS Rusty Adler (.286) again showed the way with 2 hits and 3 RBIs... Adler now has 9 RBIs in the postseason, tops on the Westerners... 3B Dorak Aranda (.269) had a 2-run double and LF Loco Dillinger (.258) and C Tony Brinkerhoff (.321) chipped in with 2 hits and 2 runs each... CF Clive Kenyon (.448) stood out for the All-Stars with a perfect 3-for-3 day.

Tycobbian Union

SAN ALEJO SLAMS TUCKS 7-3 IN 10 TO LEAD SERIES
On the road in Tuckanarra, San Alejo roared back after trailing 3-0 after 5 innings in game three of the Tycobbian Union Final 4... the Montaneros tied it up 3-3 in the sixth and then smacked the Blue Jays with 4 more in the top of the tenth to win going away 7-4... Filipe Zamora singled in the winning run... and Oscar Velazquez and pinchhitter Walt King tacked on 3 more insurance runs... Velazquez singled in 2 of them and King's base hit bagged the other one... San Alejo now has a 2-1 lead in the series.

The Montaneros racked up 13 hits and were paced by 2B Derek Kristensen (.367), rookie RF Gilberto Duarte (.250), CF Dusty Rogan (.367) and C Filipe Zamora (.259), all with a pair of hits... Tuckanarra was held to 6 hits and were led by C Timmy Stevens (.306) and LF Lorne Evans (.316) with 2 hits apiece.

San Alejo got strong relief work from Clete Lawson and Frank Jankowski... they held the Blue Jays hitless and scoreless the last 6 innings... starter Ollie Olivares worked the first 5 frames and permitted 3 runs on 6 hits... Lawson (1-0/0.00) was the winner as he worked the sixth through the ninth, fanning 4 and walking no one... Jankowski hurled a perfect 1-2-3 tenth... Tuckanarra got a good starting effort from Junior Bristow, who went 9 innings, allowed 8 hits, struck out 9 and walked 3... James Warner (1-2/8.22) caught the loss when the Monties mauled him in the tenth.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 3, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

ELNORA EDGES WALESKA 4-3, EVENS SERIES
The Elnora All-Stars bounced back from an early deficit in the fourth game of the RU Final 4 at Westerner Field in Waleska to even up the best-of-seven series... the All-Stars fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, but they recovered to take a 4-3 victory... Travis Glass tied it up in the top of the sixth with a 2-run shot and Danny Bierhoff put them ahead with his RBI single... Jeremy Sellers (2-0/2.93) labored, but got the win... he was banged around for 14 hits, but only allowed 3 runs... Sellers stranded 13 baserunners... Freddy Pfeffer picked up his first save of the playoffs as he sat the Westerners down in order in the ninth, striking out two of them... losing pitcher Terry Richards (1-1/2.95) surrendered 9 hits and 4 runs, while walking one batter and fanning 5 in his 8 innings.

Glass (.333) and Bierhoff (.471) led the Elnora 10-hit attack with 2 hits and 2 RBIs each... CF Clive Kenyon also had 2 hits and scored a run... sparking Waleska were C Tony Brinkerhoff (.364) and 3B Dorak Aranda (.333) with 3 hits apiece... plus CF Jon Lassiter (.472), 2B Monty McMurtry (.342) and SS Rusty Adler (.313) all contributed 2 hits each... RF Niles Gregory (.313) drove in a pair of runs to lead the Westerners.

Tycobbian Union

TUCKS THRASH MONTIES 11-3 TO TIE SERIES
The bats were booming again for Tuckanarra... at home for game four the Blue Jays bombed San Alejo 11-3 riding the big bats of Timmy Stevens, Cobar Madija, Eddie Darby and Jim Cuervas... the Tucks rapped 15 hits in all and knotted up the TU Final 4 at two games each... game five is also slated for Central Park Stadium in Tuckanarra.

Stevens (.317) drove in 4 runs and went 2-for-5... Madija (.481) was 4-5 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored... Darby had 3 hits, scored 4 times and batted in a run... and Cuervas (.310) delivered 3 hits, scored a run and drove one in... SS Sancho Cruz (.323) was the Montaneros best bat with 3 hits and 2 RBIs... he had the game's only homer, his second in the playoffs... 2B Derek Kristensen (.412) chipped in with 3 hits in defeat.

Bobby Reid, the Tuckanarra starter, didn't have one of his best days, but he notched the victory... Reid (3-1/3.18) was tagged for 10 hits and 3 runs in his 6 and one-third innings... he walked 4 and posted 10 Ks... Jeff Buttrum finished up for him, blanking the Monties the last 2 and two-thirds innings... Johnny Brown (2-2/7.07) really took it on the chin and was kayoed after just 3 innings, giving up 9 runs and 9 hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 4, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

ALL-STARS CLOBBER WESTERNERS 10-0, TAKE LEAD
The Elnora All-Stars had a great day on the road in Waleska at Westerner Field clobbering the Westerners 10-0 behind the excellent pitching of Stan Kivas, who was backed up with 17 hits... the triumph gave the All-Stars a 3-2 margin in the best-of-seven series... they will try to wrap up the RU crown at home... games six and seven are scheduled for Elnora.

Kivas (2-0/1.06) limited Waleska to 6 hits, fanned 4 and walked 4 in 8 and two-thirds innings... Nelson Carter relieved a very tired Kivas in the ninth and got the final out... CF Clive Kenyon (.514) sparked the onslaught with a perfect 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs... he got plenty of help from 3B Danny Bierhoff (.487) and C Jan Kobak (.296), who each delivered 3 hits and 2 runs batted in... SS James Couch (.375) also had a good day with 3-3 and 2 runs scored... young Craig Nash (0-1/3.63) was the losing pitcher... he took the brunt of the barrage as he allowed 7 runs on 14 hits in 6-plus innings, however 4 of them were unearned.

Tycobbian Union

4-RUN SIXTH PROPELS TUCKS PAST MONTIES
Playing at home and trailing 4-2, Tuckanarra tallied 4 big runs in the sixth to knock off Pro Cup favorite San Alejo 6-4 and go one-up in the Tycobbian title series... the Blue Jays just need one more win to nail down a berth in the Pro Cup Finals against the Ruthlandian champion... Tuckanarra leads San Alejo three games to two... however, the Blue Jays will have to whip the Montaneros in the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo... the Monties will be the home team for the final two games.

The Tucks took loser Tommy Smith (2-1/2.77) to task in the sixth... RF Spade Weldon (.333) tied the score at 4-4 with a 2-run single... then 3B Narra Gilyinju (.250) doubled in the game-winner and C Timmy Stevens (.341) provided an extra run with an RBI double... Smith went the distance giving up 6 runs on 11 hits... Tuckanarra starter Rudy Rosario (2-1/1.65) registered the win, but had a tough time, permitting 4 runs on 9 hits in 7 frames... Rosario walked 3 and whiffed 7... James Warner fired 2 scoreless innings for his first save of the playoffs... he struck out 3 and walked one.

San Alejo got 9 hits and were paced by 2B Derek Kristensen (.421) and SS Sancho Cruz (.343) with 2 hits and an RBI apiece.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 5, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA SURVIVES, HASKELL HALTS ELNORA 6-1
Playing a must-win game six, Waleska stayed alive in the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 with a sterling mound job by 21-year-old Tony Haskell, who fired a 4-hitter and beat Elnora 6-1... the series is now dead even at three games each... game seven will be tomorrow afternoon in Elnora at State Fair Park... the victor will qualify for the Pro Cup championship series... Tuckanarra, the Tycobbian title winner will be the opponent.

Haskell (4-0/1.80) hurled another outstanding game, his fourth postseason victory this year... Haskell struck out 6 and walked 2, while going the route... Jose Robles (1-1/3.27) was the loser... he allowed 6 runs on 9 hits in 8 innings, but only 3 were of the earned variety... Robles rang up 6 Ks and issued 3 bases on balls... the Westerners totaled 10 hits to just 4 for the All-Stars... RF Niles Gregory (.333) led Waleska with 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBIs... his 2-run homer in the second frame gave them all the runs Haskell needed... in the fifth the Westerners added 3 more runs on 1B Glenn Childress' (.132) 2-run single and SS Rusty Adler's (.300) RBI base hit... C Tony Brinkerhoff's (.333) sac fly made it 6-0 in the seventh.

Both managers will have their aces ready to go in the game-seven finale... Leon Carter of the number-two seeded Elnora All-Stars will send Jeremy Sellers (20-8/2.51) to the hill, while Roy Hobbs of the fourth seed Waleska will counter with Terry Richards (21-7/2.97)... in the playoffs is Sellers 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 4 starts... he won game one from Richards 11-9 and was beaten 4-3 in the game-four rematch... Richards is 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 3 postseason starts.

Tycobbian Union

TUCKS UPSET SAN ALEJO, PRO-CUP BOUND
Third seed Tuckanarra upset Pro Cup favorite San Alejo for the Tycobbian title, knocking out the powerful Montaneros four games to two... the Blue Jays finished them off 7-3 in game six on the road at the Casa de Beisbol with a 5-run ninth-inning explosion... San Alejo entered the last frame with a 3-2 lead, but couldn't hold it... Blue Jay SS Eddie Darby tied the game with a single... pinchhitter Paul Jackson made it 4-3 with a base hit... then the Tucks piled three more runs on the scoreboard when C Timmy Stevens cracked an RBI single and the final 2 scores came in on an error... shoddy defense allowed 4 unearned runs in the ninth... San Alejo committed 3 miscues in the game.

Starters Junior Bristow and Ollie Olivares did well... Bristow (2-1/2.91) got the win with 8 solid innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk... Paul Marston retired the Monties in order to clinch it in the last of the ninth... Olivares deserved a better fate... he only allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and departed with a 3-2 lead after 8 frames, but reliever Frank Jankowski (0-1/6.75) was slammed around for 5 runs and 3 hits in the ninth and lost it.

Offensively Tuckanarra was led by 2B Jim Cuervas (.316), C Timmy Stevens (.347) and 1B Josh George (.275)... they each had 2 hits and an RBI... 3B Bubby Blackwell's (.294) pace San Alejo with a 2-run homer in the eighth that gave them a temporary 3-2 margin.

Tuckanarra will face the Elnora-Waleska winner in the Pro Cup Finals... It will be the Blue Jays' fifth trip to the IPA Finals... they won it twice in back-to-back seasons, whipping Valmara in 2023 and Sugar Valley in 2024 and were defeated by Far Mountain in 2013 and by Waleska in 2028.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 6, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

ELNORA RU CHAMP, CRUSHES WALESKA 13-2 IN GAME 7
In game seven of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series the Elnora All-Stars rose to the occasion and put together an almost-perfect game to crush the Waleska Westerners 13-2 with strong bats and strong pitching... the All-Stars took the seven-game series four games to three... Elnora will now advance to the IPA Pro Cup Finals against the Tycobbian winner, the Tuckanarra Blue Jays.

Elnora pounded Westerner pitching for 19 hits and scored runs in the first 6 frames... SS James Couch (.348) led the way with 3 RBIs, while C Jan Kobak (.313) with 2 and pitcher Jeremy Sellers (.100) drove in a pair each... 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.314) paced them with 4-for-4 and scored 3 runs... and RF Travis Glass (.317), LF Clint Thomas (.239) and CF Clive Kenyon all had 3 hits each... Glass poled the game's only roundtripper, his second in the playoffs... Jeremy Sellers (3-2/2.78) came through with a solid outing, stopping Waleska on 7 hits with 4 Ks and 2 walks in 8 innings... and reliever John Kaltenbach pitched in with a runless ninth... Terry Richards (1-2/4.32) was victimized for 8 runs and 10 hits in less than 4 innings for the loss.

Celebrating at the postgame press conference Elnora's manager Leon Carter said, "It was a very tough series with a very fine team... Waleska is as good a team as we will play this year... they gave us almost more than we could handle... fortunately, we played almost flawlessly in game seven to finally get past them... and now we have to do it one more time to win the Pro Cup... but I think my team is poised and ready to go... Elnora will proudly represent the Ruthlandian Union and hopefully bring the Pro Cup back our neck of the woods like we did two years ago." The All-Stars were the IPA champion in 2033, topping the East Point Panthers in seven games.

Waleska skipper Roy Hobbs lamented, "We picked the wrong game to play badly and that cost us dearly... our season is over, but it was a good one... congratulations to Leon and Elnora... the best of luck to them against Tuckanarra... I'll be pulling for the All-Stars."

The Islandian baseball title will be up for grabs beginning three days from now... the Pro Cup Finals will open up in Elnora at State Fair Park. The All-Stars have the homefield advantage... they compiled a 98-56 record during the regular season, while Tuckanarra was 97-57. Elnora is the second seeded team in the playoffs and the Blue Jays are seeded number three... most baseball analysts forecast a real dogfight between the two clubs with a seven-game series very likely.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 9, 2035

PRO CUP TOSS-UP ACCORDING TO PROS
It will be number-two seed Elnora against number-three seed Tuckanarra in the IPA Pro Cup Finals this year... however, the baseball writers are choosing the Tucks to take the title in a seven-game series because of its very strong starting pitching... the Pro Cup Finals will get underway tomorrow afternoon at State Fair Park in Elnora, the site of the first two games... games three through five will be at Central Park Stadium in Tuckanarra... if needed, games six and seven will be hosted by Elnora.

Tuckanarra manager Carlton "Lefty" Stevens will go with his impressive threesome of Bobby Reid (20-12/2.49), Junior Bristow (22-11/2.51) and Rudy Rosario (20-12/3.16), all 20-game winners this season... the Blue Jays staff subdued powerful San Alejo, the number-one seed, who dethroned last year's IPA champion North Hills in first-round action... but it will be quite a job to contend with the hard-hitting All-Stars, sparked by a slew of hot hitters that posted a .281 team batting, tied with Chicopee of the Tycobbian Union for the the IPA lead... Elnora ranked second in scoring, topped only by Sugar Valley in the Ruthlandian Union... the top batters in the regular season were 3B Danny Bierhoff (.330), CF Clive Kenyon (.330), SS James Couch (.313), LF Clint Thomas (.301) and 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.297)... in the postseason Kenyon is hitting .522, Bierhoff .417, Couch .348, RF Travis Glass .317 and Samurakami is batting .314... Reid (3-1/3.18), Rosario (2-1/1.65) and Bristow (2-1/2.91) have stood out during the playoffs and will be the key to Tuckanarra's chances in the Pro Cup... Elnora needs success from its number-three starter Freddy Pfeffer to win the IPA crown.

Skipper Leon Carter has a fine mound staff, too, headed up by Jeremy Sellers (20-8/2.51) and Stan Kivas (22-10/3.27), but not as strong as Tuckanarra's... give the All-Stars a slight edge in the bullpen... Elnora's number-three starter will be veteran Freddy Pfeffer (7-6/2.84), who was used mainly in the bullpen this year except for some spot starts... Carter moved him into the rotation after Dan Pitts (19-11/3.41) struggled in his postseason starts... Sellers is 3-2 in the playoffs with a 2.78 ERA in 5 starts, while Kivas is 2-0 with a superb 1.06 ERA in 4 starts... Pfeffer is 1-0 in 6 relief appearances with one save and a 5.00 ERA... the Tucks are no slouches at the plate with a .269 team BA (4th) and rank second in scoring in the TU... the Blue Jays went deep 168 times, while the All-Stars had 132 roundtrippers... RF Spade Weldon (.306) and SS Eddie Darby (.304) top them as far as average... the power hitters are superstud LF Lorne Evans with 39 homers and 125 RBIs, 1B Josh George with 26 home runs and 96 RBIs and CF Pancho Villa with 22 homers and 93 RBIs... in the postseason CF Cobo Madija (.467), C Timmy Stevens (.347), 2B Jim Cuervas (.316) and RF Spade Weldon (.305) have been the offensive leaders... the Blue Jays have outhomered the All-Stars 9 to 6... defensively both clubs are only average... Elnora had a .971 FA and Tuckanarra chalked up a .972 fielding mark.

This will Tuckanarra's fifth try in the Pro Cup Finals... they have won it twice, in 2023 and 2024, and lost it twice in 2013 and 2028... Elnora is back for only its second trip... they won it just two years ago with pretty much the same team.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 9, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 1

TUCKS' REID BEATS ELNORA IN OPENER 4-2
Who will win the Pro Cup?... the big-time bats of Elnora or the big-time pitchers of Tuckanarra?... in the opener of the IPA Pro Cup Series it was the pitching that prevailed... Tuckanarra's chubby fireballer Bobby Reid handled the Elnora All-Stars pretty well, checking them on just 3 hits in 8 sharp innings en route to a 4-2 triumph... Reid, a 20-game winner in the regular season, struck out 6 and walked 4 for the victory... Reid is now 4-1 in the playoffs with a 2.79 ERA... Reid left with a 4-1 lead... reliever Paul Marston had a tough time closing it out as he was banged around for 3 hits and a run before he got the save... the Blue Jays racked up 13 hits for the win, all off of Jeremy Sellers (3-3/3.09), who worked 8 innings and allowed all 4 runs.

The visiting Blue Jays took the lead 2-0 in the top of the third on an RBI groundout by Reid (.200) and an RBI single by C Timmy Stevens (.396)... and added another in the next frame on a sacrifice fly by 3B Narra Gilyinju (.241)... Tuckanarra tallied its final run in the seventh when CF Cobar Madija (.412) grounded out and plated SS Eddie Darby... the All-Stars got a run in the bottom of the seventh on C Jan Kobak's (.371) double cutting the lead to 4-1... Elnora closed out the scoring in the last of the ninth on a double by RF Travis Glass (.318)... Darby (.288) and Stevens (.396) sparked the Tucks with 4 hits apiece, while Kobak was 3-for-3 for Elnora... CF Clive Kenyon continued his hot postseason hitting with 2 hits and 2 walks for the All-Stars... in 13 games Kenyon is a remarkable 26 for 48 and sports a .542 batting average.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 10, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 2

BLUE JAYS UP BY 2, HOLD OFF ALL-STARS 7-5
Tuckanarra won its second straight in Elnora, holding off the All-Stars 7-5 to go up two games to none in the Pro Cup Finals... the Blue Jays piled up a 7-1 margin midway through the game and held on for the win... though he was not at his best against the highly-touted Elnora lineup, young Junior Bristow got the win in a rocky route-going performance... Bristow (3-1/3.14), the son of Hall-of-Fame hurler Titus Bristow, gave up 12 hits, but managed to survive with the help of 4 doubles plays and good run support... topping the Tucks' 10-hit attack were LF Lorne Evans with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored, 1B Josh George (.298) with a 2-run double and SS Narra Gilyinju (.303) with 3 hits, a run batted in and a run scored... and 3B Lynn Starr (.200) scored twice for the winners.

Elnora starter Stan Kivas (2-1/2.50) tasted defeat for the first time in the playoffs... he was whacked for 7 runs and 10 hits in his 5-plus innings... C Jan Kobak (.421), 3B Danny Bierhoff (.393) and 2B Akihiro Samurakami (.300) paced the All-Stars at the plate... Kobak was 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs, Bierhoff drove in 2 runs with a pair of singles and Samurakami slapped 2 hits and scored a run.

Tuckanarra has done real well at Elnora's State Fair Park, copping both games... now they will head home to the even friendlier confines of Central Park Stadium and try to reel in the third Pro Cup in the club's history... manager Lefty Stevens is elated by the strong showing on the road, but told the press, "This series is a long way from over... Elnora is not going to roll over and play dead for us."

Elnora's skipper Leon Carter is optimistic that his club can get back in the series in spite of being on the road for the next three games, saying, "We play very well out of town, in fact, our road record is better than our home record." The All-Stars are 50-27 away from home and 48-29 at State Fair Park this year. Elnora is 5-1 away this postseason and 3-5 at home... in the playoffs the Blue Jays are 6-2 when traveling and only 4-3 on their home field... during the regular campaign Tuckanarra posted an outstanding 50-27 mark at Central Park Stadium and an impressive 47-30 record at the visitors' ball park.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 10, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 3

BLUE JAYS WIN GAME 3, OUTSCORE ALL-STARS 10-7
The bats were blazing in game three of the IPA Pro Cup Finals at Tuckanarra, where the Blue Jays outscored Elnora 10-7 to take an overwhelming 3-0 lead in the best four out of seven series, needing only one more win to claim the team's third Pro Cup crown... both high-powered offenses pounded each other's pitching at will in the slugfest... the Tucks totaled 14 hits to Elnora's 13 in a close game where no lead was safe... the Blue Jays bolted to a 4-1 lead after 2 innings... Elnora cut it to 4-3 in the third... Tuckanarra jolted the All-Stars for 3 more in the fourth, only to have the All-Stars battle back to tie it at 7-7 in the sixth with 4 more scores... the Blue Jays went back ahead with a run in the last of the sixth on Pancho Villa's (.313) game-winning base hit... and added 2 insurance runs in the eighth.

Leading the Tuckanarra hit brigade were RF Spade Weldon (.315) with 3 hits and 3 RBIs, including his second homer of the playoffs, LF Lorne Evans (.274) with a 2-run double and 1B Josh George (.311) with 2 hits and 2 runs batted in... C Timmy Stevens (.400) had 2 hits, 2 walks and scored 4 times... and 2B Eddie Darby (.298) delivered 2 hits, scored 2 runs and drove in a run with a triple... the All-Stars were paced by RF Travis Glass (.327) and SS James Couch (.305) with 2 RBIs apiece... 2B Samurakami (.308), CF Clive Kenyon (.509), 3B Danny Bierhoff (.393), and C Jan Kobak (.429) continued to blitz the Blue Jays staff with 2 hits each... good bullpen work saved the day for Tuckanarra... five Blue Jays held Elnora hitless over the last 2 and two-thirds innings after starter Rudy Rosario had been tagged for 13 hits and 7 runs in his 6 and one-third innings... 3 of the runs against Rosario were earned... Rosario still got credit for the victory and is now 3-1 in the postseason with a 2.08 ERA... reliever Jesus Robles (1-2/3.12) suffered the loss for the All-Stars as he went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits.

History is on the side of the Blue Jays... only once in the 35-year history of the IPA has a team recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the Finals and won the Pro Cup... Tuckanarra did it in 2009 when they stunned the Far Mountain Redhawks in a miraculous comeback.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 12, 2035

2035 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 4

TUCKS TAKES THIRD PRO CUP, SWEEP ELNORA
Playing at home, Tuckanarra's ace Bobby Reid hurled the Blue Jays to the third Pro Cup title in the club's history... Reid sat down the Elnora bats on 6 hits as he went the distance in the 5-2 victory in game four of the Pro Cup Finals... the Tucks swept all four games in the series... it was Reid's fifth triumph in the playoffs after he went 20-8 during the regular season... Reid (5-1/2.65) fanned 9 All-Stars and walked 4... He blanked Elnora until they scored 2 runs in the ninth... Timmy Stevens, Cobar Madija and Spade Weldon sparked the Blue Jays' 9-hit attack with 2 hits each.

Three consecutive singles by C Timmy Stevens (.406), CF Cobar Madija (.421) and RF Spade Weldon (.329) in the opening inning put the first run on the scoreboard for Tuckanarra... later in the same frame 1B Josh George (.297) made it 2-0 with a sac fly... Stevens drove in run number three on a fielder's choice in the second... the Blue Jays tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth... Stevens tripled and was driven in by Madija's single to make it 4-0... Reid (.211) plated the fifth run with an RBI double... Reid had a 3-hit shutout going into the ninth when he was tapped for 3 singles... 1B Charley Taylor (.270) got the first run in on a bases-loaded walk... run number two came in via pinchhitter Pasha Yablonski's (.100) groundout... the losing pitcher was Jeremy Sellers (3-4/3.31), who also pitched a complete game... Reid also beat Sellers 4-2 in the first game of the series.

"It was a magical year for us," said a happy Lefty Stevens, manager of the Blue Jays. "To finally win the Pro Cup again is truly wonderful... this is a magnificent group of guys... not only do we have great pitching, we got a bunch of fine hitters, too... never in all of my dreams did I think we would beat such a great team as Elnora in four straight games."

A disappointed Leon Carter told the press, "You got to give it to the Blue Jays... when they needed the pitching, they got it and when they needed the hitting, they got it... they outpitched us and outhit us, too."

The Tucks' third Pro Cup championship tied them for second place for the most IPA crowns... Far Mountain won three straight 2011 to 2013... the Blue Jays were also winners in 2023 and 2024... the Turon Typhoons of the Tycobbian Union have the most IPA Pro Cups... they reigned supreme in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2018... two-time champions include the Eastshore Elegants in 2016 and 2017, Crystal Lake Crushers in 2020 and 2022 and Rolling Hills Reds in 2029 and 2031... Turon has the lead for most Pro Cup appearances with 6, followed by 5 by Tuckanarra and Ozarka... Crystal Lake and Far Mountain have made the Finals on 4 occasions... Elnora has never won a Pro Cup in its 5 tries.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 13, 2035

TUCKS' REID REAPS PRO CUP MVP AWARD
The ace of the very impressive Tuckanarra pitching corps Bobby Reid stood tall on the hill today as he was voted the outstanding player in this year's IPA Pro Cup playoffs in a poll by THE ISLANDIAN TIMES... Reid crafted a 5-1 record in 7 starts and compiled a fine 2.65 ERA... it was Reid who tamed Chicopee 5-0 in game seven of the TU Elite 8... and the 30-year-old right-hander also defeated Elnora in games one and four of the Pro Cup Finals... during the regular season Reid made the Tycobbian All-Star team and posted a 20-12 mark with 2.49 ERA... lifetime in his 7 seasons Reid is 96-64 with a standout 2.54 ERA... for the last three seasons he has notched 20 or more wins... his first 5 years were in the Ruthlandian Union with the Cold Creek Catamounts.

Elnora's splendid center fielder Clive Kenyon was a close second in the Most Valuable Player balloting... Kenyon had a fastastic postseason when he splurged with a .517 batting average with 31 hits in 60 at bats and broke Rolf Kellgren's mark of .466 (27 for 58) set in 2002 when High Mesa of the Tycobbian Union copped the Pro Cup... Kenyon drove in 10 runs and scored 10 times in 16 games... two of Reid's Tuckanarra teammates also got some votes in the poll... catcher Timmy Stevens, son of Blue Jay manager Lefty Stevens, came in third... Stevens batted .406 with 13 RBIs and 9 runs scored... fourth place went to right fielder Spade Weldon, who hit .329, batted in 14 runs and scored 8 in the playoffs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIME
Sunday, October 14, 2035

DINOZZO AND BACQUE BEST ROOKS IN IPA
Heading the list of best freshmen in the IPA were Corky DiNozzo of the Kenwood Wildcats and Charles Bacque of the LaGrange Sports. DiNozzo was acclaimed the top rookie in the Tycobbian Union and Bacque copped the Ruthlandian Rookie of the Year trophy. DiNozzo is 19 years old, while Bacque is a bit older at 26.

Corky DiNozzo is a switch-hitting catcher that arrived on the baseball scene in fine fashion, putting up a .320 batting average with 33 home runs, 93 RBIs and 72 runs in his first season, while playing in 126 games. HIs main competition for the rookie award came from Blake Barrister, an outfielder for the Colchester Elites and shortstop Nick Nova of the Ozarka Naturals.

Barrister's speciality was the long ball. He went deep 37 times during the season, batted in 89 runs, scored 98 and hit .269. Barrister led Colchester to a tie for second in the TU South, while Nova played an important role in Ozarka being the runner-up to Pro Cup champion Tuckanarra in the Tycobbian East. Nova participated in 134 contests, scored 91 runs, drove in 67 and had 11 home runs and a .319 BA.

Outfielder Charles Bacque, the RU's top newcomer, was a prime ingredient in LaGrange winning the Ruthlandian North flag. He was one of the Sports best bats with a .298 mark, 28 home runs, 102 runs and 75 runs batted in. Bacque fended off Tony Haskell, Waleska's stylish southpaw, who registered a splendid 18-10 record with a 3.20 ERA in his novice season. Haskell helped the Westerners to triumph in the RU South division. Ranking third in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES freshmen poll was Haskell's teammate and center fielder Jon Lassiter, who parleyed a .302 BA into a great first year. Lassiter scored 97 runs, drove in 63 and popped 7 roundtrippers in 144 games.