THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 26, 2037

IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

COLD CREEK NEARS SWEEP, CRUSHES FTB 15-6
The Cold Creek Catamounts just might sweep Fort Benton in four games in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... the 'Cats crushed the Defenders 15-6 for their third consecutive victory... one more win and the season is over for Fort Benton... Cold Creek, not known for its hitting prowess, cracked 12 hits in the runaway and took advantage of 15 walks by the Defenders wild-and-wooly pitchers... losing pitcher Tommy Baylor set a Ruthlandian playoff record for the most walks allowed with 11... the old mark was 10.

Cold Creek's top RBI men were CF Guy St. Laurent (.308) and LF Jim Howell (.308) with 3 each... 2B Simon Pembroke (.500) and PH Wayne Kenney (.500) had two apiece... St. Laurent got his second homer in the series... pitcher Baylor and RF Cayman Crittenden (.083) homered for Fort Benton.

Fort Benton jumped on starter Jules Capet for 4 runs in the first inning and held the lead at 6-5 after four frames, but then fell apart when the Catamounts scored 3 in the fifth and 4 more in the sixth to take a 12-6 lead... George Bailey (1-0/0.00) got the win in relief with 4 shutout innings... Bailey whiffed 5 and surrendered only 2 hits... Mason Marsh finished up with a scoreless ninth... in a terrible outing Baylor (0-1) gave up 8 runs on just 4 hits, but walked 11 in just 4 and a third inning.

4 HRS POWER SPORTS TO FIRST WIN IN SERIES
Four homers and a solid start by oldtimer Earl Perkins powered the LaGrange Sports to their first win over Waleska in the RU Elite 8 Series played at Sports Stadium... Tony Brinkerhoff, Claude DesJardins, Vasco Aguilar and Franny Franzoni all went deep and 34-year-old Earl Perkins put in a solid performance with a complete-game 8-3 win, reducing the Westerners' lead to two games to one... Perkins (1-0) struck out 5 and walked none, while giving up 7 hits and 3 runs... the Sports totaled 10 hits.

C Tony Brinkerhoff (.750) led LaGrange with 3-4 and 3 RBIs... RF Franny Franzoni (.333) had 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored... and 2B Danny Webber (.667) chipped in with 2 hits and 3 runs... LF Frenchy Leboeuf's solo shot (.583) and PH Rusty Adler's (.500) 2-run homer provided all of Waleska's runs.

Westerner starter Tony Haskell (0-1) was battered for 3 homers, 6 runs and 7 hits in his 4 innings and took the loss... he exited with the score 6-1.

Tycobbian Union

MONTIES MAUL HAWKS 9-3 IN THIRD GAME
Rookie right-hander Benny Buckmaster got his San Alejo Montaneros back in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series with a 9-3 decision over defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, thus cutting the Hawks edge in the series to two games to one... after giving up 3 runs in the third, Buckmaster (1-0) shut the Hawks out the rest of the way, spacing out 9 hits in all with 5 Ks and no walks... offensively San Alejo was sparked by CF Dusty Rogan (.200) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run homer... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.455) and C Filipe Zamora (.313) added in 2 ribbies each.

The Mountaneros ran up a 6-0 lead against losing pitcher Nelson Hooper (0-1), who departed in the fourth trailing by an 8-3 score... Hooper was tagged for 7 hits and walked 3 in a poor outing... RF Gerry Rice (.462), LF Adam Thurgood (.429) and 1B Ric Hamilton led the Hawks with one RBI each.

LYNX STUN JAYS AGAIN, WIN 5-4 IN 10
For the third successive game, the unheralded La Claire Lynx have put it to the heavily-favored and number-one ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays and are now within one game of sweeping the TU Elite 8 Series... Billy Holland's tenth-inning walk-off single gave La Claire a 5-4 victory and a 3-0 lead in the series.

Young right-hander Bruce Kinson, only 21 years old, won the biggest game of his fledging IPA career by hurling the entire 10 innings to beat the powerful Blue Jays... Kinson is only 27-28 in his three seasons, but today he was outstanding... Kinson stuck out 8, walked 3 and held the Tucks to 7 hits... Jeff Buttrum (0-1) was on the short end of the score... he also worked a complete game, surrendering 5 runs on 10 hits with 8 strikeouts and no walks in his 10 innings.

La Claire took the lead in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by 1B Kris Wilson (.231)... in the top of the second Tuckanarra 3B Nicky Weill (.273) countered with a 3-run blast... Lynx 2B Jason Baker (.364) knotted it up at 3-3 with a 2-run clout... the Blue Jays regained the lead 4-3 on an RBI double in the sixth by 2B Josh George (.167)... La Claire came right back in the home half of the frame and evened it at 4-all on a RBI single by C Weldon Waller (.455).

La Claire had 10 hits to 7 for the Tucks... LF Rod Conklin (.286) and RF Billy Hollard (.308) were the top Lynx with a couple of hits apiece... Nicky Weill was the only Blue Jay with 2 hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 27, 2037

2037 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

FORT BENTON ALIVE, WINS 4TH GAME 7-4
Trailing three games to none, the Fort Benton Defenders stayed alive by the skin of their teeth... down 4-3 going into their final at-bat in game four, they rose to the occasion and were saved by D. D. Badeaux's walk-off 3-run smash for a 7-4 victory over Cold Creek, who in their minds probably was already sipping celebratory champagne... now, at least, the Defenders get to play another day in the best-of-seven series.

Fort Benton beat J. J. Gillespie, the best pitcher in the IPA, with 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth... Hunter Glenholmes and Rod Myerson singled with one away, putting runners on the corners... with two away Cayman Crittenden made it 4-4 with an RBI single... then Badeaux boomed a 400-footer to wrap up the victory... reliever Edd Farmer (1-0) got the last out for starter Augie Marquis for the win... neither starter was very effective... Marquis gave up 4 runs on 10 hits... and loser Gillespie (0-1) was ripped for 7 runs on 10 hits.

Cold Creek got a great start in the first frame when 1B Rodney Marshall (.400) smashed a 3-run homer... Marshall also made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the top of the second... Fort Benton got its first run in the last of the second on an RBI single by LF Rod Myerson (.571)... the Defenders closed it to 4-2 with a run on RF Cayman Crittenden's (.176) fielder's choice... in the eighth 3B Mitch Hamilton's (.071) solo homer narrowed the 'Cats' lead to 4-3.

Both clubs racked up 10 hits each... Myerson had 3 hits to lead Fort Benton... Crittenden added 2 hits and 2 RBIs... and Glenholmes (.267) went 2-for-4 and scored twice... Marshall was the big bat for Cold Creek with 3-for-4 and 4 RBIs... 3B Pat Ellis (.500) also had 3 hits and scored a run, while 2B Simon Pembroke (.538) slapped a couple of base hits.

DENTON'S HR WINS IT FOR WALESKA
Bobby Denton hits the biggest homer of his career when he drilled one out of the park in game four of the IPA Elite 8 Series to give his Waleska Westerners a 4-3 win over the LaGrange Sports... Waleska only needs one more victory to move on to the Final 4... they now have a 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

Terry Richards (2-0/1.76) worked the first 8 innings for the win... he held the Sports to 3 runs and 5 hits... reliever Niles Neilsen loaded the bases on a walk and two singles in the ninth with no outs, but got out of it with a short pop-up to left, force out at home 4-2 and a very deep fly to center to get the save... loser Hot Dog Huxtable (0-1) relieved LaGrange starter Walt Thurber in the eighth and was the victim of Denton's home run... Thurber permitted 3 runs and 6 hits in 7 innings.

Each club collected 7 hits... CF Jon Lassiter (.313) went 2-for-4 for the Westerners with an RBI and a run... LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.500) and 1B Mac McMurtry (.214) had the other RBIs for the winners... Leboeuf got his with his second roundtripper of the series... 3B Claude DesJardins (.400) had 2 hits to lead the Sports... he also went deep for his second home run.

Tycobbian Union

SMITH TAMES HAWKS 5-2, MONTIES TIE SERIES
It's all even in the San Alejo-North Hills IPA Elite 8 Series... on the road Tommy Smith tamed North Hills 5-2 in game four at the Hawk's Nest and knotted it up at two games apiece... junkballer Smith held the Hawks to 2 runs on 8 hits, fanned 3 and walked 3 in a masterful complete-game outing... he was helped along by three double plays... the only runs Smith allowed were on solo homers by RF Gerry Rice (.412) and 3B Jim McDermott (.333)... taking the loss was Jeff Owens (0-1/5.40), who was tagged for 5 runs and 11 hits in his 8 innings.

San Alejo's top hitters were C Filipe Zamora (.350) and 2B Joe Klein (500), both with solo homers... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.467) and Tommy Smith (.333) chipped in with 2 hits each... the Montaneros outhit the Hawks 11 to 8.

LYNX STUNS JAYS AGAIN 3-1, SWEEP SERIES
In a sweeping upset, the seventh-ranked La Claire Lynx knocked off the Pro Cup favorite Tuckanarra Blue Jays in four games... Pat Kovacs (2-0) again hogtied them 3-1 on 8 hits to surprisingly eliminate the powerful Blue Jays from the playoffs... Kovacs worked into the eighth inning and needed help from closer Terry Baird for the final 4 outs... Baird struck out 3 of them for his second save of the series... Bobby Reid (0-2/3.00) lost again to Kovacs, who beat him 4-1 in the opener... this time around Reid allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, walked 5 and struck out 4... he went the distance.

CF Jason Baker (.467) sparked the Lynx with 3 hits and 2 RBIs... they got one run in the last of the third and 2 more in the fifth... RF Billy Holland (.313) drove in the other run... the Tucks had the hit advantage over La Claire 9 to 7 with LF Spade Weldon (.278) and Bobby Reid (.400) getting 2 hits apiece.

In the series La Claire outpitched Tuckanarra with a 2.03 ERA to the Blue Jays' 3.82... outscored them 19 to 10... and outhit them .262 BA to a dismal .203 for the Tucks.

Winning manager Zeppy Deshotel sheepishly said, "Not to have a chance, we did alright... we just did what we had to do to win... and it was good to look out on the mound and see Pat Kovacs... he sure is a pretty sight to behold... Pat certainly did what he had to do for us to win."

Distraught skipper Lefty Stevens congratulated Deshotel and the Lynx. "They beat us everyway you can and then some... sure I'm disappointed... losing is never fun."

La Claire now awaits the winner of the North Hills-San Alejo series, which is deadlocked at two victories each... both of those clubs will have the homefield advantage over the Lynx in the Tycobbian Union championship series... but I doubt La Claire will be bothered by it... Tuckanarra had the homefield advantage, too.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 28, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES

RUTHLANDIAN UNION

DEFENDERS STILL IN IT, CLIP 'CATS 7-6
For the second straight day Fort Benton evaded elimination in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... Rob Myerson was the hero when he singled in the winning run in the last of the seventh to clip Cold Creek 7-6 in game five of the series... the Catamounts' lead dropped to three games to two... if needed, games six and seven will take place at Holmes Field in Cold Creek.

Reliever Brady Bell got the third out in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and he got credit for the win... he faced only one batter and struck him out... Edd Farmer and Flapper Bird wrapped up the win by retiring all 5 batters they faced... Bird got his first save of the postseason... George Bailey lost it as he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in the sixth and seventh... the lead seesawed back and forth during the game several times... Fort Benton led 4-0 after two innings... Cold Creek rallied with 3 in the third... the Defenders added one in the fifth to go up 5-3, then lost it 6-5 when the 'Cats tallied 3 times.

Fort Benton rang up 13 hits to 9 for Cold Creek... C Hunter Glenholmes (.316) and 2B Alec Leclerc (.200) paced the Defenders with 2 runs batted in each... SS D. D. Badeaux (.333), 3B Mitch Hamilton (.158), LF Rob Myerson (.588) and Glenholmes all had 2 hits for the winners... leading the losers were RF Ken Brennan (.182) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs... and CF Guy St. Laurent (.286) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.529) smacked 2 hits each.

WALESKA KO'S LAGRANGE IN 5 GAMES
Sixth-ranked Waleska knocked number 8 LaGrange out of the postseason with a 5-4 triumph in game five of the RU Elite 8 Series... the Westerners ran up a 5-2 lead after 8 frames with Craig Nash on the hill, then withstood a belated rally by the Sports in the bottom of the ninth to take the series four games to one.

Nash (2-0/1.59) hurled another solid game by holding LaGrange to 2 runs on 8 hits... he fanned 9 and walked 2 in his 8 innings... his relief Niles Neilsen struggled through the 2-run ninth, but he finally managed to get his second save of the playoffs... both runs were unearned.

SS Bobby Denton (.250) got the ball rolling in the top of the second for Waleska by doubling in 2 runs... and CF Jon Lassiter (.300) made it 3-0 with an RBI single... LaGrange's RF Charles Bacque (.176) cut it to 3-1 with a homer in the fourth... the Westerners last two runs came across in the sixth on a double by Frenchy Leboeuf (.450) and a single by Rodney Hanson (.368)... the Sports' 1B Chris Charbonnier (.294) singled in the final 2 runs in the ninth off Neilsen... LaGrange had 10 hits in the game.

Mike York (0-2/2.16) went all the way in defeat, yielding only one earned run on 9 hits with 5 Ks and 2 walks... Charbonnier, Bacque and 3B Claude DesJardins (.400) led the Sports with 2 hits apiece, while Nash (.333) and Hanson collected 2 hits each for the winners.

Waleska will meet the Cold Creek-Fort Benton winner for the Ruthlandian Union title.

TYCOBBIAN UNION

SAN ALEJO SINKS NORTH HILLS 5-2, GAME AHEAD
For the third consecutive game San Alejo has beaten defending Pro Cup champ North Hills and now has the upper hand with a three games to two lead in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8... the Montaneros did it on the road this time, whipping the Hawks 5-2 on the strength of their bullpen and 14 hits... starter Lupe Olmedo (1-0/3.55) went 5 and two-thirds innings for the win... he permitted 2 runs and 8 hits... Olmedo held the Hawks runless after Gerry Rice's 2-run clout in the first ... Roy Burchfield, Johnny Brown and Frank Jankowski sealed the win with 3 and one-third scoreless frames... the save went to Jankowski, his first this postseason.

The Monties outhit the Hawks 14 to 11, led by C Filipe Zamora (.400) with 3 hits, a run and an RBI... three others had a pair of hits each: 2B Derek Kristensen (.231), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.450) and LF Pat Pierce (.300)... SS Sancho Cruz (.211) had 2 RBIs for San Alejo... North Hills was paced by RF Gerry Rice (.450), 1B Ric Hamilton (.421) and starting pitcher David Michael (.500), all with 2 hits each... Michael (1-1/2.12) suffered the defeat, though only 3 of the 5 runs were earned... Michael was roughed up for 12 hits, but fanned 7 and walked only 2.

Should seven games be needed in the series, the rest of the them will be played at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 29, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES

RUTHLANDIAN UNION

3RD IN A ROW, FB DEFENDERS TIE CC 'CATS
The favored Cold Creek Catamounts were playing at home at Holmes Field, but they still felt the severe sting of defeat for the third game in a row to the defiant Fort Benton Defenders... in a sharp performance Tommy Baylor (1-1/4.73) went all the way in a 4-1 victory, halting the 'Cats on 7 hits, while fanning 5 and walking nobody... game seven is set for tomorrow afternoon in Cold Creek.

Fort Benton only got 5 hits, but that was enough when you chip in 5 bases on balls... they got a run in the first frame on two walks and an infield error, combined with Oscar Pendleton grounding into a double play... 3 more runs were scored in the fourth... Chuck Sears walked and scored on Hunter Glenholmes' two-bagger... Alec Leclerc also walked and came around to score on a single by Cayman Crittenden... Mitch Hamilton drove in the third one with single to wrap up the scoring for the Defenders.

Cold Creek got their only run the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer by 3B Pat Ellis (.409)... it was his second of the playoffs... Catamount starter Jules Capet (0-1/4.15) also went the route and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits... the walks killed him.

RF Cayman Crittenden (.250) topped Fort Benton with a couple of hits, including a double, while RF Ken Brennan (.231) got a single and a double for Cold Creek.

Augie Marquis (21-13/2.93) will start for visiting Fort Benton, opposed by Cold Creek's J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22)... both are righties... Gillespie won game one 4-1, however Fort Benton got revenge in game four by whipping him 7-4... in the playoffs Gillespie is 1-1 with a 5.27 ERA... Marquis is 0-1 with a 4.85 ERA.

TYCOBBIAN UNION

HAWKS FORCE MONTIES TO GAME 7 IN 8-3 ROUT
The defending IPA champion North Hills routed San Alejo 8-3 at the Casa de Beisbol to force a decisive game seven in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... the determined Hawks blasted 16 hits off three Montenero hurlers and got strong pitching from Nelson Hooper (1-1/6.14), who redeemed himself for the 9-3 loss in game three... in a complete game Hooper stopped San Alejo on 6 hits and 3 runs, struck out 5 and issued no walks... rookie Benny Buckmaster (1-1/6.14) lost it... he was shelled for 7 runs and 11 hits in just 5-plus innings.

Leading the Hawks at the plate were LF Adam Thurgood (.357) and 1B Ric Hamilton (.458) with 3 hits apiece... CF Kris Anastas (.259) drove in 3 runs and had 2 base hits... North Hills belted 5 doubles in all... others with 2 hits each were RF Gerry Rice (.440), 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.235) and pitcher Nelson Hooper (.400).

C Filipe Zamora (.414) continued his torrid pace for San Alejo with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... Zamora homered in defeat... he now has 9 RBIs and a pair of home runs in the postseason.

Both clubs will have their aces ready for the series' finale tomorrow... left-hander Jeff Owens (19-12/2.95) will get the start for North Hills, while it will be southpaw Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) on the hill for San Alejo... neither were especially effective in game one won by the Hawks 7-6 in 10 innings... Smith got the best of Owens in game four with a 4-1 win... Smith is 1-0 in 2 starts with a 3.71 ERA... Owens is 0-1 in 2 starts with a 5.40 ERA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 30, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES

RUTHLANDIAN UNION

CC 'CATS WIN 7TH GAME IN 13TH
The Cold Creek-Fort Benton Ruthlandian Elite 8 finally was decided in the seventh game and then some... the Catamounts and the Defenders went at it for 13 innings before favored Cold Creek got the decisive win 5-4 when Wayne Kenney singled in Rodney Marshall from second base... that gave the Catamounts the series four games to three... Cold Creek will now advance to the IPA Final 4 and take on the Waleska Westeners for the Ruthlandian Union title... Cold Creek was the second choice in The Islandian Times Pro Cup poll... Waleska came in sixth.

Game seven was an epic clash... the Catamounts went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second on a single by Rodney Marshall, double by Simon Pembroke and a wild pitch... Fort Benton countered with 2 runs in the top of the fourth... Mitch Hamilton doubled in the first one and Cayman Crittenden singled in the second one, making it 2-1... in the seventh a 2-run homer by Marshall sent Cold Creek in front 3-2... the Defenders seemingly took charge 4-3 in the ninth on a sac fly by Oscar Pendleton and and RBI single by Hurnter Glenholmes, but reliever Edd Farmer couldn't hold it... Pat Ellis doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a groundout, and tagged up and scored on Wayne Kenney sacrifice fly to sent the game into extra innings.

Starters Augie Marquis for Fort Benton and J. J. Gillespie for Cold Creek had good outings... they battled to a 3-3 draw over 8 innings... Marquis fanned 5, walked one and permitted 5 hits, while Gillespie struck out 7, walked 3 and gave up 8 hits and only one earned run... Edd Farmer blew the save, but pitched well otherwise, going 3 innings, allowing one run on 2 hits with 4 Ks... Flipper Bird (0-1/0.00) came on in the last of the thirteenth and lost it on an unearned run... Rob Hutchins also blew a save in the ninth, but settled down and blanked the Defenders in the 10th, 11th and 12th, striking out 4 and walking 2... George Bailey (2-1/1.80) relieved him in the 13th and retired the Defenders in order, striking out two of them and getting the win.

Both clubs collected 10 hits each... 1B Rodney Marshall (.300) had a great game with 2 hits, including a sixth-inning roundtripper, his second in the postseason... Marshall also scored 3 runs and drove in 2 runs... he led the Catamounts with 7 RBIs in the series... LF Kenney (.200) also had 2 runs batted in... SS Jeremy Hall (.241) had 3 hits for Cold Creek.

Leading Fort Benton was 2B Alec Leclerc (.241) with 3 hits... adding 2 hits apiece were 3B Mitch Hamilton (.214), C Hunter Glenholmes (.321) and RF Cayman Crittenden (.276).

Cold Creek skipper Scoop Lemieux told the press, "We had everything our way in the first three games, but it was hard to get the last one... Fort Benton just didn't give up... we were fortunate to win."

This was the first time in Fort Benton's history to make the playoffs... manager Robbie Brooks said, "This was a thrilling experience... but it was a long time coming... we didn't win, but we played a hell of a series... I'm extremely proud of my Defenders... they played their hearts out and never gave up... this has been a wonderful year."

TYCOBBIAN UNION

SAN ALEJO NIPS NORTH HILLS 4-3 IN GAME 7
San Alejo took advantage of faulty fielding by North Hills to nip the Hawks 4-3 in 10 innings to capture the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series in seven games and eliminate the defending IPA Pro Cup champion... North Hills took a 3-1 lead into the ninth, but couldn't put the Montaneros away... with two outs and the bases loaded, reliever Frank Lambert booted a ball and allowed 2 runs to score and knot the game at 3-all... San Alejo won it in the tenth when Joe Klein singled with one away, advanced to second on a grounder and was doubled in by PH Ted Hatch. Both clubs played loosy-goosy with the baseball as the Monties committed 3 miscues and the Hawks made 2... the Monties won the series 4-3 and will now move on to challenge surprising La Claire in the TU Finals... the seventh-ranked Lynx upset top-ranked Tuckanarra in a four-game sweep... in the Pro Cup preview poll, San Alejo was rated the number-three team and North Hills fourth.

Starters Jeff Owens for North Hills and Tommy Smith for San Alejo did well... Owens went 8 innings, gave up 10 hits, but just one run... he departed with a 3-1 lead... Smith tossed 9 innings, permitted only 2 earned runs, struck out 9 and walked one... Johnny Brown (1-0/0.00) registered the win with one shutout inning... Lambert (0-1/3.38) lost it as he was slammed for 3 runs on 5 hits in just one and two-thirds innings, but only one run was earned.

San Alejo outhit North Hills 15 to 10... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.276) led the Monties with 3 hits... five others cracked 2 hits each: CF Dusty Rogan (.212), LF Walt King (.467), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.379), 2B Joe Klein (.462) and 1B Jed Armstrong (.333)... Rogan got the game's only four-bagger in the fifth, his second of the series.

Topping the Hawks at the plate were RF Gerry Rice (.467) with 3 hits and an RBI... 3B Jim McDermott (.357) and SS Skippy Shearer (.308) chipped in with 2 hits each... McDermott and 1B Ric Hamilton (.393) has the other two ribbies.

It was a crazy series as the home team didn't win a game in the seven-game series until game seven... North Hills lost all three of its home games, while San Alejo lost its first three at the Casa de Beisbol.

Manager Alberto Herrera of the winning Montaneros told reporters, "There's not much difference between the two teams... if we played another series, it would probably go seven games... my Montaneros whipped a very good ball club... we were very fortunate to win game seven."

Todd Simons, the Hawks' skipper, was crushed by the loss. "We came oh so close... we had a good shot at repeating as IPA champ... it will be very hard to forget the ninth inning of this game anytime soon... but that's baseball... we played very good defense during the regular season, but gave away 9 runs in the series to San Alejo with our defensive lapses... you can't do that against a good team and win."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 30, 2037

FOUR SURVIVORS BATTLE FOR LEAGUE CROWNS
Two of the IPA Final 4 survivors breezed into the second round, while the other two had the fights of their lives... it will be Cold Creek hosting Waleska in the Ruthlandian Union title series and San Alejo entertaining La Claire for the Tycobbian Union crown... the winners will then tangle for the much-coveted IPA Pro Cup, which is presented to the team that wins the Islands' baseball championship.

Waleska waltzed past the LaGrange Sports in five games, while Cold Creek just eked out a 4-3 series win over the tough Fort Benton Defenders... the La Claire Lynx stunned the baseball world with a sweep of the top-ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays... San Alejo dropped the first two games to defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, but rebounded with four wins in the next five games, culminating the tense series with a miracle win in game seven that took 13 innings.

Oddsmakers have made San Alejo the Pro Cup favorite because it beat North Hills... the Cold Creek Catamounts are given the second-best chance to take the Cup because of its fine pitching staff... however, if Waleska and La Claire continue to play like they played in the first round, you could throw the odds right out the window... it could be a wide-open affair.

La Claire has the best offense with a .273 BA (6th), 171 HRs (12th-tied) and 793 runs (3rd)... Cold Creek has the best pitching staff by far with a brilliant 2.77 ERA (1st)... the Catamounts are also easily the best defensive team with a .979 FA... however, it may be the Pro Cup will go to the best all-around club... a team that hits, pitches and fields well... many times the IPA crown goes to the team that has the most depth on its mound staff... three reliable starters are a big, big advantage in the postseason.

TYCOBBIAN UNION SERIES: SAN ALEJO-LA CLAIRE

In San Alejo, manager Alberto Herrera has two solid hurlers in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) and Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and a bunch of fine bats in C Filipe Zamora (.310/31 HR), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.31/16 HR), SS Sancho Cruz (.225/23 HR), CF Dusty Rogan (.278/17 HR) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.273/6 HR)... but his defense is suspect with a poor .970 FA... The Montaneros sported a .260 mark (16th) in the regular season with good scoring (753 runs-9th) and pretty fair power with 163 HRs (15th)... on the hill they ranked first in the Tycobbian Union with a fine 3.25 ERA... San Alejo was 94-60 for the year... winding up second in the TU to Tuckanarra's 99-55 mark.

The La Claire Lynx are well-balanced at the plate and on the hill... skipper Zeppy Deshotel's club has capable hitters in SS Jarrod O'Neal (.263/26 HR), 1B Kris Wilson (.302/20 HR), CF Jason Baker (.296/9 HR) and RF Billy Holland (.292/19 HR)... one very fine starter in Pat Kovacs (16-13/3.28) and a good bullpen headed by Terry Baird (11-11/2.17/25 saves), but the Lynx lack consistency in starters Tony Rossi (19-10/3.62) and Bruce Kinson (13-9/4.02)... they come up short defensively, too, with a .971 FA... the Lynx finished with an 89-65 record, sixth-best in the league.

FORECAST: SAN ALEJO IN SIX GAMES... the Montaneros have two strong starters, the Lynx only one.

RUTHLANDIAN UNION SERIES: COLD CREEK-WALESKA

Cold Creek manager Scoop Lemieux has four starters with under 3.00 ERAs to choose from, headed up by J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22), who tied for the most wins in the IPA and ranked number one in ERA... Joey Baker (20-11/2.50), Jules Capet (19-7/2.68) and George Bailey (11-4/2.66) were all quite capable, too... the Catamounts handle the gloves well... they were second in the IPA with a .979 FA, topped only by Chicopee with .981... Lemieux's crux is an anemic offense... the 'Cats hit only .258 (27th) with 108 HRs (32nd)... His only decent bats are 3B Pat Ellis (.319/20 HR), SS Jeremy Hall (.304/3 HR) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.284/7 HR)... yet Cold Creek led the IPA with 101 victories.

The Waleska Westerners are not highly-rated by the baseball pros, but skipper Roy Hobbs' club did ring up 93 wins, which was second to Cold Creek... he has one standout starter in Terry Richards (22-11/2.77) and two other quality arms in Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and left-hander Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77)... reliever Niles Neilsen (8-6/3.05) has been effective in the bullpen... overall the Westerners' mound corps put up a good 3.61 ERA (7th)... Hobbs' batting lineup features a lot of reliable hitters top-to-bottom... his best regulars are CF Jon Lassiter (.311/13 HR), 2B Joey Harris (.283/14 HR), 1B Shayn Lambert (.280/14 HR) and 3B Monty McMurtry (.285/10 HR)... his best hitters are parttimers C Rodney Hanson (.351/8 HR) in 108 games and LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.330/10 HR) in 71 games... Waleska batted .268 (10th), were average in scoring runs with 743 (15th), but didn't have much power... they hit only 121 out of the park (28th).

FORECAST: COLD CREEK IN SIX GAMES... Catamounts' superior pitching gives them the edge.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 3, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

RUTHLANDIAN UNION

WALESKA WHACKS 'CATS 7-4 IN OPENER
In game one of the Ruthlandian Union league championship at Holmes Field in Cold Creek, the Waleska Westerners snapped a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning with a 5-run outburst against J. J. Gillespie and defeated the Catamounts 7-4... Terry Richards (3-0/2.31) was the winning pitcher... he worked 8 innings, allowed 8 hits, struck out 8 and walked 3 before giving way to Lacy Dalton in the ninth... Dalton got his second postseason save with a scoreless ninth... 25-game winner Gillespie (1-2/5.14) was socked for 7 runs and 8 hits in his 6-plus frames... he had a 2-hitter for six innings, but was hit hard in the seventh... he posted 9 Ks and walked 4 in a very poor outing.

The Westerners were sparked at the plate by CF Jon Lassiter (.292), 2B Joey Harris (.278) and SS Bobby Denton (.300), each with 2 runs batted in... LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.458) continued to hit well in the postseason with 2 hits and 2 runs scored... Denton got Waleska's only home run... it was his second playoff homer... Cold Creek was led by SS Jeremy Hall (.333) with a perfect 4-for-4 day and 2 RBIs... 3B Pat Ellis (.357) homered and scored twice for the Catamounts... Each club had 9 hits apiece.

TYCOBBIAN UNION

MONTIES TRIM LYNX 4-1 IN FIRST GAME
The opening game of the Tycobbian Union title series at the Casa de Beisbol went to hometown San Alejo 4-1 behind the fine pitching of Tommy Smith, who outdueled La Claire's Pat Kovacs... Smith (2-0/2.57), with a wide assortment of soft stuff, spread out 8 hits, while going the route... he fanned 7 and issued 3 bases on balls... leading the San Alejo bats was 2B Derek Kristensen (.286) with 2-4 and 2 runs... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.281), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.375), C Filipe Zamora (.342) and LF Pat Pierce (.267) drove in the Montaneros' runs... RF Billy Holland (.450) was the only hitter to solve Smith... he went 4-for-4 and batted in the Lynx's only run... La Claire lost for the first time in the playoffs... they had swept Tuckanarra in four games in the opening round... Pat Kovacs (2-1/2.28) suffered the loss... he also pitched a complete game, yielding 4 runs on 7 hits with 9 strikeouts and only one walk.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 4, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

RUTHLANDIAN UNION

CC 'CATS OUTLAST WALESKA IN 18 INNINGS
Game two of the Ruthlandian Union championship series at Holmes Field in Cold Creek went on for what seemed forever before the homestanding Catamounts won it 5-4 in 18 innings on Wayne Kenney's walk-off double... now the series is all even at one win apiece.

Reliever Harvey Fullerton (1-0/0.00) fired 3 shutout innings for the victory... he allowed 4 hits, walked one and fanned 2 in the outing... Cold Creek got great relief pitching... the 'Cats bullpen blanked the Westerners over the last 10 frames on 7 hits... Pete Heller went 4 and two-thirds innings, struck out 3, walked none and gave up 2 hits... Rob Hutchins hurled 2 innings and held Waleska scoreless... the fourth of four Westerners pitcher William Slaughter (0-1/6.75) caught the loss... he was tapped for 2 hits and a run in one and one-third innings... Waleska's Lacy Dalton was truly outstanding in relief with 6 and two-thirds scoreless innings... Vern Bass also blanked the 'Cats in his one and one-third innings.

Cold Creek rapped out 15 hits and were led by LF Wayne Kenney (.259) with 3 hits and 2 RBIs and CF Guy St. Laurent (.190) with 2 hits and an RBI... Kenney had 2 doubles and St. Laurent a triple, the only extra-base hits for the Catamounts... Waleska picked up 14 hits and were paced by LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.438), who cracked his third postseason homer among his 3 hits... he also had a double and scored twice... C Rodney Hanson (.333) and RF Niles Gregory (.130) both had 2 hits each.

The two starters were fairly effective, too... Cold Creek's Joey Baker worked into the ninth and permitted 4 runs on 7 hits, struck out 5 and walked 2... while his counterpart Craig Nash tossed 8 innings for Waleska and gave up 9 hits and 4 runs, but only 2 were earned... they both exited with the score at 4-4.

The Catamounts scored 2 in the opening frame and led 3-1 after 6 innings... the Westerners jumped ahead 4-3 in the top of the eighth, only to let Cold Creek tie it in the bottom half of the inning to force extra innings.

TYCOBBIAN UNION

3 HRS POWER SAN ALEJO TO 2ND WIN IN A ROW
The San Alejo Montaneros won again at home to go up two games to none in the best-of-seven Tycobbian Union title series... the Monties got strong pitching and hit 3 homers to sink the La Claire Lynx 4-1 for the second straight day... Luis Olmedo and four relievers provided the pitching, while Filipe Zamora slugged 2 out of the park and batted in 3 runs and RF Charlie Wilberforce hit a solo blast... Olmedo (2-0/2.33) chalked up the win... he shut out the Lynx in his six innings on 6 hits, walked 2 and fanned 4... Olmedo left the game with a 4-0 lead... Tony Rossi (1-1/4.73) was the losing pitcher... the Monties got to him for 4 runs and 5 hits in 6 frames... he had 5 Ks and walked 2.

San Alejo was outhit 10-7 by La Claire... Zamora (.366), Wilberforce (.306) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.389) topped the winners with 2 hits apiece... while CF Jason Baker (.391) and C Weldon Waller (.412) led the Lynx with a couple of hits each... Zamora is having a wonderful postseason with 4 roundtrippers and 14 RBIs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 4, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

Ruthlandian Union

HASKELL ZAPS 'CATS 3-0 IN GAME 3
Returning home to Westerner Field for game three of the Ruthlandian Union Finals, Waleska got just what the doctor ordered - a great performance from its number three starter Tony Haskell - who chunked a magnificent 3-0 gem against the Cold Creek Catamounts to give the Westerners a 2-1 edge in the series... Haskell (1-1/4.15) quashed the 'Cats on 4 hits and struck out 14 batters, a new IPA playoff record... taking the loss was George Bailey (2-2/2.50)... he also went the route in his first postseason start, giving up 11 hits.

3B Linton Watts (.500) got the Westerners on the board in the last of the fourth with an RBI single... SS Bobby Denton finished off the scoring with a 2-run two-bagger in the fifth... Waleska was led by Denton (.333) with 3 hits, a run and 2 RBIs... 2B Joey Harris (.276), 1B Monty McMurtry (.242) and 3B Linton Watts (.500) contributed 2 hits each... the Catamounts got only 4 singles off of Haskell, 2 of them by LF Ken Brennan (.234).

Tycobbian Union

O'NEAL'S 3-RUN BLAST BEATS SAN ALEJO
Things were looking swell for San Alejo in game three of the Tycobbian Finals... the Montaneros were ahead 3-1 after 6 innings and nearing its third straight win in the series... but then La Claire Jarrod O'Neal changed it all in the last of the seventh with a 3-run homer that gave the Lynx a 5-3 triumph, thus cutting the San Alejo lead in the series to two games to one and putting La Claire right back in the battle.

The Lynx got a yeoman's job from Bruce Kinson (2-0/2.84), who went the distance, holding the Monties to 5 hits and 3 runs, while whiffing 8 batters and walking 3... pitching up the loss in a complete game was Johnny Brown (1-1/4.00)... he allowed 5 runs on 7 hits, fanned 5 and walked none.

In addition to his 3-run shot, O'Neal (.148) also had a sacrifice fly and drove in 4 of the Lynx's 5 runs... RF Billy Holland (.444) and 2B Sam Norman (.231) drilled 2 hits and scored a run each... LF Darryl McIntosh (.286) went 1-for 4, scored twice and batted across a run... red-hot Montanero C Filipe Zamora (.378) socked a pair of hits and drove in 2 runs in the first inning with his 5th homer of the postseason... Zamora now has driven in 16 runs in the playoffs... 2B Derek Kristensen (.241) had a hit and batted in the other San Alejo score.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 6, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

Ruthlandian Union

'CATS EVEN SERIES WITH WESTERNERS, GILLESPIE WINNER
This postseason had been a little bit rocky for J. J. Gillespie, who dominated the regular season with 25 wins... he entered game four of the Ruthlandian Union Finals with a disappointing 1-2 record and an ERA over 5.00... the Cold Creek right-hander got it right this time and polished off Waleska 4-2 to even up the series at two games apiece... Gillespie got the win courtesy of Simon Pembroke, who swatted a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth and snapped a 2-2 tie.

Gillespie (2-2/4.50) got the best of Westerner ace Terry Richards... Gillespie worked 8 strong innings, stopping Waleska on 2 runs and 8 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts... Rob Hutchins replaced Gillespie in the ninth and had the tying runs on base when he sealed the verdict and got his second playoff save... Richards (3-1/2.59) tossed a good 8 innings, gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, totaled 7 Ks and walked just one... he just happened to give up the winning run when O'Neal ripped a homer off reliever Vern Bass... in the eighth Richards put the winning run on base and then was relieved by Bass... Pembroke's roundtripper followed.

The Catamounts were led at the plate by 3B Pat Ellis (.341) with 2-3, a run and an RBI... Pembroke (.350) went 1-for-4, homered and had 2 RBIs... SS Bobby Denton (.353) had 2 RBIs and scored a run to spark the Westerners... Denton got his 3rd postseason homer in the fifth inning.

Tycobbian Union

SAN ALEJO SHELLS LA CLAIRE 12-4, UP 3-1
In game four of the Tycobbian Finals San Alejo took La Claire to the woodshed and put on old-fashioned 12-4 whooping on the Lynx to take a huge 3-1 lead in the series... the Montaneros shelled four La Claire pitchers for 16 hits in the rout, scoring 5 runs in the opening frame and never giving up the lead... they took an 8-4 lead into the top of the eighth and finished off the Lynx with 4 more scores... with such great offensive support Tommy Smith (3-0/2.86) coasted to his third playoff win... he allowed 11 hits and 4 runs, but was never in any danger... Smith chalked up 7 strikeouts and walked 2... Pat Kovacs (2-2/3.71) was smashed for 6 runs and 8 hits in his 3 innings and took the loss.

Everybody in the line-up got at least one hit... the top guns for the Monties were 3B Bubby Blackwell (.409) with 4-6 and LF Pat Pierce (.333) with 3-3, including a solo homer and a double... Pierce had 3 RBIs, backed up by C Filipe Zamora (.360), SS Sancho Cruz (.220) and 1B Ted Hatch (.176), who drove in 2 each... Zamora could be headed for a new IPA playoff RBI mark... so far he has driven in 18 runs... the record is held by Red Bluff outfielder Tony Blundell with 22 in 2004.

La Claire was led by C Biggie Mondale (.308) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... 1B Stan Hynoski (.286) and 3B Rog Clemens (.226) both had solo homers in defeat... the Lynx had 11 hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 7, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

Ruthlandian Union

NASH STOPS 'CATS 4-2, WALESKA UP 3-2
In game five of the Ruthlandian Union Finals at Westerner Field in Waleska, Craig Nash put the Westerners a game ahead in the series by stopping Cold Creek 4-2... the win gave Waleska a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven series... Nash (3-0/1.85), unbeaten in four postseason starts, stopped Cold Creek on 2 runs and 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 Ks, outpitching Jody Baker (1-1/2.97), who was done in by two crucial errors by shortstop Jeremy Hall in the first inning that led to all 4 runs, none of which were earned... both Nash and Baker went the distance... Baker allowed 7 hits, fanned 3 and issued no walks.

RF Niles Gregory (.138) doubled in one run in the first inning, the other three scores came in on errors... Cold Creek's only scores came on C Arved Tarand's (.261) 2-run double in the top of the second.

Waleska had 7 hits and Cold Creek 8... 1B Shayne Lambert (.200) paced the Westerners with 2 hits... Tarand and 1B Rodney Marshall (.280) led the Catamounts with a pair of hits apiece.

The rest of the series will be played at Holmes Field in Cold Creek... game six is tomorrow afternoon and game seven, if necessary, on Friday.

Tycobbian Union

LYNX WIN 1-0, MONTIES STILL LEAD SERIES
The La Claire Lynx are down three to two in the Tycobbian Finals, but they are not out... they stayed alive with a 1-0 decision in game five at Capitol Park Stadium over the San Alejo Montaneros... in a sharp outing Tony Rossi blanked the Monties for 8 innings on 6 hits, then gave way to bullpen ace Terry Baird, who hurled a perfect ninth for his third save... Luis Olmedo had an outstanding game as well in defeat... Olmedo (2-1/2.05) held the Lynx to 2 hits in his 7 innings, surrendering the game's only score in the second frame... SS Jarrod O'Neal (.182) led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored when 3B Rog Clemens (.206) bounced out to second base.

The series will now return to the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo for the remainder of the series... game six is slated for tomorrow afternoon with game seven Friday, if needed.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 8, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA KING OF THE RU, PRO BOWL BOUND
Despite playing on the road, the Waleska Westerners outgunned Cold Creek in game six 9-7 to wrap up the Ruthlandian Union title and advance to the IPA Pro Cup Finals for the second time... the Pro Bowl-bound Westerners last won it in 2028... Waleska walloped 15 hits and had to fend off determined Cold Creek several times during the game, finally winning with 3 runs in the top of the ninth... Shayn Lambert tied the score at 7-7 with a bases-loaded walk and PH Teke Holmes won it with a 2-run base hit... though ineffective Lacy Dalton (1-0/2.70) got the win in relief, while Rob Hutchins (0-1/2.89) was the victim in the fatal ninth... Dalton allowed Cold Creek to tie it with a run in the last of the eighth on 3 hits.

Leading the Westerners at the plate were SS Bobby Denton (.381) and C Rodney Hanson (.340)... both had 3 hits each... Denton homered and drove in 3 runs... Hanson had a double and an RBI... 2B Joey Harris (.286), 1B Monty McMurtry (.214) and RF Niles Gregory (.182) scored 2 runs each, while Gregory batted in 2 runs and hit a homer.

CF Guy St. Laurent (.224) and LF Wayne Kenney (.214) provided most of the Cold Creek offense with 3-run homers... St. Laurent put the Catamounts up 3-2 in the second and Kenney tied it at 6-6 in the seventh... the 'Cats got 10 hits.

Roy Hobbs, Waleska manager, told the press, "We picked a good day to let it all hang out offensively... and we needed it... Cold Creek blistered the ball, too... now the task at hand will be to get by San Alejo, who not only have good pitching, but they have some strong bats, too."

Cold Creek, one of the favorites to win the Pro Cup, couldn't stop the Waleska offense... skipper Scoop Lemiuex lamented, "We had our chance to force a seventh game, but we just couldn't match their offense today... or in the entire series for that matter."

Tycobbian Union

MONTIES BOMB LYNX 13-3 FOR TU TITLE
The San Alejo Montaneros crashed 4 home runs to crush La Claire 13-3 in game six of the Tycobbian Union Finals at the Casa de Beisbol to take the series four games to two and move forward for a shot at the whole shebang in the IPA Pro Cup Finals against the Waleska Westerners, the Ruthlandian champion.

LF Pat Pierce (.344) topped the Monteneros' hit brigade with 5 RBIs... he homered along with SS Sancho Cruz (.208), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.283) and pitcher Johnny Brown (.167)... Pierce had 5 RBIs and Cruz 3... everybody in the line-up got a hit for San Alejo... the Monties had 11 hits in all... they broke open a 5-3 game with 7 runs in the seventh.

Brown (2-1/3.00) pitched a steady game, permitting 3 runs on 8 hits with one walk and 3 strikeouts... 21-year-old Bruce Kinson (2-1/4.97) caught the loss, going 6-plus innings and was tagged for 9 runs on 8 hits.

Montenero manager Alberto Herrera lauded his club, "We were clicking on all cylinders... Smith, Olmedo and Brown were outstanding on the hill... and Zamora, Pierce and Blackwell put some runs on the scoreboard... We played a fine series against La Claire... now we have to do the same thing against another fine team in the Pro Cup."

Manager Zeppy Deshotel of La Claire congratulated San Alejo saying, "We caught them at the wrong time... We were really overmatched at the plate... the Monties will do very well in the Pro Cup Finals... they are a very good, all-around team."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 11, 2037

WALESKA-SAN ALEJO PRO CUP A TOSS-UP
No one is a clear-cut favorite in the 37th edition of the IPA Pro Cup Series that gets underway tomorrow afternoon at the Casa de Beisbo in San Alejo ... the oddsmakers and prognosticators are making it a "pick'em" Pro Cup... it's a toss-up between the Waleska Westerners of the Ruthlandian Union and the San Alejo Montaneros of the Tycobbian Union.

San Alejo came into the postseason ranked number three behind Tuckanarra and Cold Creek, while Waleska was only rated number six... the Montaneros knocked off defending IPA titleholder North Hills in seven games in round one and La Claire in six games in the second round... the Westerners whipped LaGrange IN five games in the first round and upset second-rated Cold Creek in six in the Ruthlandian Union championship.

Both clubs feature good pitching and hitting... Waleska gets the nod defensively with an above average .974 FA to San Alejo mediocre .970 FA... The Montaneros have three quality starters in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86), Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and Johnny Brown (17-15/3.24)... so does the Westerners with Terry Richards (22-11/2.77), Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77).

In the playoffs San Alejo has gone 8-5.. Tommy Smith went 3-0 in 5 starts with a 2.85 ERA and 3 complete games... Lupe Olmedo was 2-1 in 4 starts with a 2.05 ERA... and Johnny Brown wound up 2-1 in 2 starts with a 3.00 ERA... Smith and Brown are southpaws... Lacy Dalton was the best in the bullpen with a 1-0 record with 2 saves in 4 appearances and 10 innings... his ERA was 2.70.

Waleska's postseason mark is 8-3... Craig Nash leads the staff with a 3-0 mark and a sparkling 1.85 ERA in 4 starts and 2 complete games... Terry Richards is 3-1 in 4 starts with a 2.59 ERA... and Tony Haskell is 1-1 with a 5.31 ERA in 3 starts... he had one complete game, a 3-0 shutout over Cold Creek.

In the regular season San Alejo was led at the plate by C Filipe Zamora with a .310 BA, 31 HRs, 113 RBIs and 77 runs and RF Charlie Wilberforce with a .314 BA, 16 HRs, 67 RBIs and 90 runs... SS Sancho Cruz drove in 91 runs with 23 HRs, but batted a lowly .225... in the playoffs it's been Zamora with a 339 BA, 5 HRs, 19 RBIs and 12 runs, 3B Bubby Blackwell with a .392 BA, 5 RBIs and 11 runs and RF Pat Pierce with a .344 mark, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs and 7 runs... as a team the Monties have clubbed 15 homers in 13 games.

During the regular campaign Waleska's top hitters were CF Jon Lassiter with a .311 BA, 13 HRs, 56 RBIs and 106 runs... 2B Joey Harris with a .283 BA, 14 HRs, 85 RBIs and 92 runs, 3B Monty McMurtry with a .285 mark, 10 HRs, 76 RBIs and 82 runs and 1B Shayn Lambert with a .280 BA, 14 HRs, 83 RBI and 72 runs... the top hitter was C Rodney Hanson with a .351 BA, 8 HRs, 48 RBIs and 57 runs... the main power hitter was RF Niles Gregory with 26 HRs, 94 RBI and 74 runs, but he batted a poor .237... the top playoff performers have been SS Bobby Denton with a .381 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBIs and 8 runs, LF Frenchy Leboeuf with a .313 BA, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs and 11 runs and C Rodney Hanson with a .340 BA, 5 RBIs and 3 runs... the Westerners have 9 roundtrippers in the postseason in 11 games.

FORECAST: GIVE THE EDGE TO SAN ALEJO IN SEVEN GAMES... MORE HOME-RUN POWER, SLIGHTY BETTER STARTERS AND THE HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 12, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

WALESKA WOPS SAN ALEJO 7-4 IN PRO CUP OPENER
In the first game of the 2037 IPA Pro Cup Finals at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo, the visiting Waleska Westerners drew first blood with a 7-4 triumph over the hometown Montaneros... LF Frenchy Lefoeuf (.358) had 4 hits in 5 at-bats and drove in 3 runs to lead the way... starter Terry Richards (4-1/2.82) had a rough outing, but he came away with the win... Richards allowed 10 and 4 runs, while walking 4 and fanning 7 in 7 innings... Nils Neilsen logged his third postseason save with 2 runless innings... the Westerners backed them up with 3 double plays to thwart San Alejo... Montanero starter Tommy Smith (3-1/3.29) was tagged with his first postseason loss this season... the Westerners socked him for 6 runs and 10 hits in 8 innings.

Waleska jumped off to a 4-0 lead after 4 and a half frames, but San Alejo rallied and tied it up 4-4 after 6 innings... the Westerners then put the wraps on the game with singletons in the seventh, eighth and ninth... Leboeuf scored 2 runs and had the game's only homer... 1B Monty McMurtry (.213), C Rodney Hanson (.333), SS Linton Watts (.389) and PH Pat Jancke drove in the other Westerner runs... San Alejo had 12 hits to 11 for the winners... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.298), SS Sancho Cruz (.231) and 1B Ted Hatch (.196) paced the Monties with a pair of hits each.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 13, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

SAN ALEJO SLIPS BY WALESKA 3-2 IN GAME 2
It's all even after the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals... playing at home again San Alejo slipped by Waleska 3-2 behind the solid pitching of Luis Olmedo and three relievers... Olmedo (3-1/2.23) worked 6 innings and held the Westerner bats to 2 runs on 5 hits for the victory, helped out by Benny Buckmaster, Glen Porterfield and Roy Burchfield, who shut out Waleska over the last 3 frames on 2 hits... Burchfield registered the save, his second of the playoffs... Craig Nash (3-1/2.14) went the distance in defeat, permitted 3 runs on 7 hits with 4 walks and 5 Ks... it was his first loss this postseason.

1B Ted Hatch (.208) got San Alejo off on the right foot with a 2-run blast in the last of the second... Westerner 3B Monty McMurtry (.216) tied it up 2-all in the top of the fourth with a 2-run double... the Monties tallied the winning score in the fourth when SS Sancho Cruz (.241) doubled in CF Dusty Rogan (.203)... each club had 7 hits apiece in the game.

The series will now switch to Westerner Field in Waleska for games three, four and five... game three is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 pm.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 14, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

WALESKA CLOBBERS MONTIES 11-1
Returning home to the friendly confines of Westerner Field after playing the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals in San Alejo, Waleska made the home folks quite happy with an 11-1 clobbering of the Montaneros to give the Westerners a one-game edge after three games... backed up by 19 hits Tony Haskell had an easy time with San Alejo... he limited them to just one run on 6 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4... Haskell is now 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA in the playoffs.

Four Waleska players drilled 3 hits each: 2B Joey Baker (.291), 3B Bobby Denton (.370), C Rodney Hanson (.339) and SS Linton Watts (.455)... Denton drove in 3 runs and scored 3 to lead the Westerners, followed by LF Rodney Phillips (.500), RF Teke Holmes (.280) and SS Linton Watts, all with 2 ribbies apiece... C Filipe Zamora (.324) notched 2 hits in 3 tries to lead San Alejo... he swatted his 6th playoff homer for the only run off of Haskell and drove in his 20th run... Tony Blundell of Red Bluff has the IPA postseason mark with 22 runs batted in, set in 2004... Bailey Norcross of Middlefield has the HR mark... he belted 8 in 2005.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 15, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

SAN ALEJO SKIMS BY WALESKA 4-3, SERIES TIED
The IPA Pro Cup Series is deadlocked at two games apiece... game four went to vistiing San Alejo, who skimmed by Waleska at Westerner Field 4-3 on Bubby Blackwell's clutch ninth-inning double that scored Derek Kristensen with the decisive run... Tommy Smith (4-1/3.25) labored, but still went all the way, surrendering 11 hits, but only 3 runs... Smith totaled 4 strikeouts and walked nobody for his 4th victory in the postseason... Terry Richards worked the first 7 frames for the Westerners, allowed 3 runs and 8 hits, leaving on the wrong end of the score, trailing 3-1... Lacy Dalton (1-1/3.00) came on in relief in the eighth and lost it as he was touched for one run and 3 hits in his 2 innings.

1B Ted Hatch (.212) put San Alejo in front in the top of the second with a 2-run single scoring C Filipe Zamora (.316) and CF Dusty Rogan (.222)... the Monties added to it in the fourth, making it 3-0... SS Sancho Cruz (.267) doubled, moved to third on a single by Tommy Smith (.316), then scored on a wild pitch... held scoreless by Smith for six innings, Waleska broke the ice when 3B Monty McMurtry (.250) doubled in RF Frenchy Lebouef (.371) in the seventh... they got two more to tie it up at 3-all in the eighth... C Rodney Hanson (.349) had an RBI single to score CF Jon Lassiter (.232) and Lebouef brought in 2B Joey Harris (.305) with a base hit.

Each team logged 11 hits... Blackwell, Rogan and Cruz cracked 2 apiece for the Monties, while Harris, Hanson, Leboeuf and McMurtry had 2 each for the Westerners.

Game five will be played in Waleska... game six is set for San Alejo... should game seven be needed, it will also be in San Alejo.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 16, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

WALESKA TAKES LEAD, EDGES SAN ALEJO 3-2
After trailing 2-1 after six innings, Waleska came to life in the late stages of game five to nudge by San Alejo 3-2 at Westerner Field to give them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven IPA Pro Cup Series... pinchhitter Pat Jancke (.667) doubled across Bobby Denton in the ninth for the game-winner... Craig Nash was excellent on the hill, holding the Monties to 2 runs and 7 hits in his 8 innings... he didn't get the victory... that went to reliever Vern Bass, who sat down the Montaneros in order in the ninth... San Alejo starter Lupe Olmedo held his own, but struggled late... Olmedo stopped the Westerners on 2 runs and 9 hits in 8 innings... it was 2-2 when he exited... Benny Buckmaster (1-2/5.68) went to the mound in the ninth and suffered the loss.

Pacing the Waleska 11-hit attack were LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.394) with 3-for-4 in the game... RF Niles Gregory (.195) added 2 hits... San Alejo top bats were 2B Derek Kristensen (.258) and C Filipe Zamora (.325) with a couple of hits each... the Montaneros only got 7 hits.

The Westerners snapped a scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI single by C Rodney Hanson (.343)... the Monties bounced back with 2 in the sixth on Zamora's base hit and a sacrifice fly by CF Dusty Rogan (.213)... Waleska evened the score at 2-all in the seventh on a walk to SS Bobby Denton (.361), who came around to score on 2 wild pitches.

Zamora got his 21st postseason RBI and is now within one of tying Red Bluff's Tony Blundell, who holds the IPA Pro Cup record... he drove in 22 runs in 2004.

Waleska will try to capture its second Pro Cup in game six at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo tomorrow afternoon... the Westerners whipped Tuckanarra in a great seven-game series in 2028.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 17, 2037

2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS

WESTERNERS PRO CUP CHAMPIONS
The unheralded Waleska Westerners are the 2037 IPA Pro Cup champion... they eliminated favored San Alejo 5-2 in game six to capture the series and their second Pro Cup... the Westerners were ranked sixth in the Pro Cup preview poll, while San Alejo was the third choice behind Tuckanarra and Cold Creek. Monty McMurtry's 2-run homer in the sixth proved to be the winning blow... that put the Westerners up 4-2... another hero was Tony Haskell (3-1/3.62), who checked the Montaneros on 2 runs and 6 hits in 8 innings... Lacy Dalton closed it out for him by striking out 2 of the 3 batters he faced in the ninth... it was Dalton's third save of the postseason... Johnny Brown (2-3/5.64) failed to keep San Alejo's hopes alive in the series... Brown was bashed for all 5 runs in 8-plus frames.

The Monties started off well with runs in the first two innings... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.351) singled and scored on RF Charlie Wilberforce's (.263) two-bagger in the first... 2B Joe Klein (.333) made it 2-0 with a home run in the second... but Brown couldn't hold off the Westerners, who came back and tied the score at 2-2 in the fifth on an RBI groundout by CF Jon Lassister (.247) and passed ball... McMurtry (.235) hit his decisive roundtripper in the sixth, making it 4-2... Lassister completed the scoring with a solo homer in the ninth.

Waleska got 8 hits in all, led by Lassiter and 3B Bobby Denton (.369) with 2 hits apiece... Bubby Blackwell and Charlie Wilberforce each had 2 of San Alejo's 6 hits.

Westerner manager Roy Hobbs was a valuable part of the 2028 Pro Cup team... he and Loco Dillinger sparked a high-powered offense that won it all... Hobbs was the Pro Cup MVP that year. Hobbs was deliriously happy, saying during the victory celebration, "Winning the Pro Cup as a player was really great, but it's really something to come back as a skipper and win it again."

Waleska's Terry Richards was a rookie on the 2028 champ. At age 20 Richards went 4-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 6 starts. "2028 was an amazing year for me... it was unbelievable to win a pennant in my first year, much less win the IPA title... it was a miraculous season... I went 15-12 in the regular season with a 4.04 ERA... I pitched even better in the playoffs." Now 29, Richards is 183-118 in his 10 years in the IPA. This year in the playoffs he again went 4-1 in 6 starts with an impressive 2.98 ERA. Overall in three postseasons Richards is 9-4 in 16 starts with a 3.30 ERA. Later when asked about winning his second Pro Cup ring, he responded, "I don't think winning the Pro Cup will ever get old... this one is very special, too... I hope it's not the last."

Hobbs later spoke to the press and commented, "Our pitchers were outstanding... Terry (Richards), Craig (Nash) and Tony (Hatchell) were superb... they had to do well for us to win the Pro Cup... they were the key to our title." Hobbs also added, "We also couldn't have done without Frenchy (Leboeuf), Bobby (Denton), Rodney (Hanson) and Monty (McMurtry)... they came through time and time again and put runs on the scoreboard."

Manager Alberto Herrera bemoaned, "I thought we had the edge on the hill going into the Finals... but Roy's bunch really did a job on us... we only scored 16 runs in 6 games... case closed."

This was San Alejo's second appearance in the Pro Cup Finals... they whipped Colfax in the 2032 IPA Finals... the only holdovers from that victorious team were pitchers Johnny Brown, Roy Burchfield and Clete Lawson, along with 3B Bubby Blackwell.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 19, 2037

WALESKA'S NASH HONORED AS PRO CUP MVP
Picking the Pro Cup Most Valuable Player was very tough this year... IPA champ Waleska had four players getting support for the award... even a player from the losing team got good support... when all the ballots were counted this year's recipient was the Westerners' fine right-hander Craig Nash, who chalked up an impressive 3-1 mark in 6 starts with 3 complete games and posted a 2.16 ERA... Craig got 30 votes in The Islandian Times MVP poll, while Terry Richards came in a close second with 27 votes... third in the balloting was Frenchy Lebouef with 24... followed by Bobby Denton with 23... in fifth place was San Alejo's Filipe Zamora with 16 votes.

Nash is only 22 years old... in his four seasons with Waleska Nash is 63-47 with a 3.30 ERA... twice in his young career he was won 20 games... he finished 20-10 with a 3.58 ERA this season.

Runner MVP Terry Richards sparkled in the postseason this year with a 4-1 record in 6 starts, while registering a 2.98 ERA... Frenchy Leboeuf and Bobby Denton led the Westerners at the plate... Leboeuf sizzled with a .377 BA, 4 home runs, 12 RBIs and 16 runs... Bobby Denton stood out with a .369 BA, 4 HRs, 14 RBIs and 14 runs... Filipe Zamora had a terrific postseason with 6 HRs, 21 RBIs and 15 runs scored, while batting at a .310 clip... Zamora came within one of the IPA playoff record for RBIs and within 2 of the home-run mark.