THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 21, 2039

HAWKS FAVORED TO REPEAT IN PRO CUP
The Islandian Times Pro Cup poll came out today and ranked defending champion North Hills (Tycobbian Union) the top choice to take the trophy, emblematic of the best team in Islandia. Their first-round opponent Turon (TU) was rated the number-two team. Cold Creek of the Ruthlandian Union came in third, followed by the Arlon Champions (TU) in the fourth spot. Coming in fifth was the Waleska Westerners (RU), sixth was Far Mountain (RU) with Sligo (RU) and East Point (TU) trailing in seventh and eighth place.

Looking back on the Pro Cup polls of the past decade, the winner usually comes from the third, fourth or fifth picks... none of the favorites have won... only one number two has taken the Cup... number threes have won three times... number fours have captured it twice... number fives have been champs two times... and number six and seven have won it on once occasion... so it's pretty much a crap shoot.

RANK, TEAM, SEASON RECORD
1. NORTH HILLS HAWKS (97-57): they had the best record in the IPA with 97 victories... the Hawks do everything well except hit for power... they only had 111 HRs (32nd)... 2.93 team ERA (2nd), which was third best in the IPA behind Cold Creek (2.80) of the RU East and Summerland (2.89) of the TU South... North Hills will be one of the favorites in the Pro Cup playoffs... they will be trying to repeat as IPA champion and win the Pro Cup for the third time in five seasons.
Top Starters: Tony Mack (23-10/2.22), Jeff Owens (19-13/3.00), Frankie Lambert (16-9/2.57) and David Michael (14-12/3.47)... could be the best foursome in the IPA.
Top Relievers: bullpen is solid, too, led by Kyle Oliver (6-4/2.63/7 saves) and Nelson Hooper (8-2/3.04/3 saves).
Top Batters: superstar LF Adam Thurgood (.314/39/117/86) with some help from 2B Tommy Vavas (.285/14/66/97) and platooned rookie standout CF Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.354/9/45/60)... the Hawks also have a fine bench of solid and reliable role players.

2. TURON TYPHOONS (93-61): they have a wealth of talent on the hill and in the batter's box and should be a tough team to beat in the Pro Cup playoffs.
Top Starters: three 20-game winners paced the pitching corps: Armin Boehm (24-11/3.26), Nate Scottsdale (24-8/3.11) and Clyde Engstrom (20-15/2.95)... team ERA was 3.20 (4th).
Top Relievers: one of the better bullpen in the IPA with Ralph Fulton (4-2/1.07/23 saves)... team compiled a 2.27 ERA (2nd).
Top Batters: four regulars batted .300 or better: SS C. C. Kingsford (.340/29/105/102), RF Guido Gervasio (.310/29/112/92), LF J. P. Trevenot (.301/25/74/74/111), 3B George Jordan (.315/20/72/82)... team ranked second in the TU with a .277 BA... Kingsford won the batting crown with a .340 average.

3. COLD CREEK CATAMOUNTS (94-61): great pitching (2.80 ERA-1st), tops in the IPA... and fairly good hitting with a .265 BA (11th) and 743 runs (6th)... could be a Pro Cup year, if the bats produce.
Top Starters: Peter Heller (20-6/2.29/7 saves), J. J. Gillespie (23-9/2.64), Joey Baker (19-11/3.20) and Rob Hutchins (13-11/2.56)
Top Relievers: Harvey Fullerton (4-6/1.17/5 saves) led a top-flight bullpen (2.16 ERA-1st).
Top Batters: RF Guy St. Laurent (.285/20/87/73), CF Ken Brennan (.303/8/65/89), SS Jeremy Hall (.286/3/63/98), C Arved Tarand (.294/8/68/44) 3B Rodney Marshall (.298/15/66/55)

4. ARLON CHAMPIONS: (95-59): after a decade of being in the second division, the tide turned in 2037 with a third-place finish, got better in 2038 with second place and culminated this year with the division title... the Champs strong point is its pitching... offensively they are so-so.
Top Starters: three 20-game winners and the IPA strikeout king lead the staff... Ronny Farnsworth (21-8/2.64), Emil Nowak (21-8/4.03), Pat Stuyvesant (20-9/3.66) and Lanny Gray ((16-15/3.38)... Gray fanned 291 batters in 314 innings to lead the league.
Top Relievers: Dale Greene (4-4/2.91/8 saves) and Peter Shannon (2-5/2.14/10 saves)
Top Batters: star RF Mark Cameron had a career year with 52 homers, 129 RBIs and 111 runs... Cameron batted .324 and was second in home runs in the IPA, third in RBIs and seventh in scoring runs... C Nick Shafer also pitched in with a .304 BA, 26 HRs, 93 RBIs and 73 runs... LF Charley Hastings missed half of the season, but is now back for the playoffs... he hit .307 in 75 games with 3 HRs, 21 RBIs, 62 runs and 29 SBs... not much else in the line-up... this will hurt them in the playoffs.

5. WALESKA WESTERNERS (91-63): the Westerners won their third pennant in five years with super pitching (2.99 ERA-2nd) and fairly good offense (13th).
Top Starters: Jeff Woodruff (22-14/2.94), Terry Richards (18-8/2.64), Craig Nash (18-12/2.91) and Tony Haskell (14-11/3.35)... except for Woodruff, the same bunch that won the Pro Cup in 2037.
Top Relievers: strong bullpen led by Vern Bass (1-7/2.62/14 saves)
Top Batters: RF Niles Gregory (.285/25/103/84), 1B Shayn Lambert (.313/15/60/72), 2B Joey Harris (.282/10/76/80) and CF Jon Lassiter (.287/3/30/74)... all the regulars of the 2037 title team are still in place.

6. FAR MOUNTAIN REDHAWKS (89-65): won with outstanding pitching and lousy bats... second straight division title... not likely to go far in the playoffs... were Pro Cup Finalist last season... were swept by North Hills in four games.
Top Starters: Chad Cummings (25-8/2.84), Karl Nordheim (21-8/3.44) and Dennis Sasek (16-16/2.44)
Top Relievers: Ryan Kolb (5-5/2.50/19 saves), Russell McIntosh (8-9/3.17/5 saves)
Top Batters: RF Bert Richter (.277/23/85/84), LF Harlan Silver (.286/13/65/68)

7. SLIGO ROVERS (87-68): the Rovers had good pitching (3.32 ERA-5th) and can score runs (722 runs-8th), though they don't hit much for average (.256 BA-24th)... they make up for it with firepower (164 HR-9th)... the Rovers could be dangerous in the playoffs with their strong defense (.979 FA), good pitching and homer power.
Top Starters: Randall Steele (25-8/3.25), Scotty Price (19-12/2.53), Tom Pierson (15-16/2.83)
Top Relievers: (none)
Top Batters: leading the way offensively were CF Joe McGarrett (.304/29/94/101), 1B Denny Simmons (284/15/72/87) and SS Neil Mitchell (.279/22/69/85).

8. EAST POINT PANTHERS (83-71): they won a thrilling pennant race, but don't figure to do too well in the postseason... the Panthers only won 83 games, by far, the worse record of any divisional winner... East Point is just an average-hitting team (.250 BA-22nd) with good power (198 HR-6th), but also only has mediocre pitching (4.19 ERA-26th)... not the things that make for Pro Cup championship teams.
Top Starters: Johnny Moore (17-11/3.39), Frank Blair (16-13/3.58)... long-time ace Dixie Brooks (15-14/4.89) struggled this year.
Top Relievers: Tuck Tawney (5-1/2.32/11 saves) and Scotty Bentley (8-6/3.11/19 saves) give the Panthers a very good bullpen.
Top Batters: the power bats were SS Dean O'Donnell (.282/36/100/87), 1B Bert Henrich (.293/32/94/81), LF Sean Flynn (.255/22/56/66) and CF Andros Ciak (.292/21/58/55).

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, September 22, 2039

RUTHLANDIAN UNION DIVISION SERIES

CC 'CATS SHOCK SLIGO WITH 3-RUN 9TH
Playing the opener on the road at Holmes Stadium in Cold Creek, Scotty Price and the Sligo Rovers had things well in hand with a 3-1 margin going into the last of the ninth, but then everything went awry... the Catamounts mounted a 3-run game-winning rally culminated by Jeremy Hall's RBI single that scored John-Michal Krikma from third base.

Cold Creek ace J. J. Gillespie (1-0) was the winning pitcher... he went the distance allowing three runs on nine hits with five Ks and three walks... Doug Haynes (0-1) lost it in the ninth as he was battered for four hits and three runs. Price was outstanding, holding the Catamounts to just a run on four hits in eight innings... he fanned four and issued 3 bases on balls.

Krikma led the winners with two hits, while 3B Mel Dillard topped the Rovers with a two-run homer.

RICHARDS LOST IN WALESKA WIN
In the first game of the RU Division Series against Far Mountain, the Waleska Westerners won the game 3-2, but lost its ace pitcher Terry Richards for the playoffs... he left with an arm injury after throwing only two pitches... Tony Haskell came on in relief and pitched a solid game... he held Far Mountain to two runs on six hits in six-plus innings... Vernon Bass (1-0) notched the win with two scoreless innings... Waleska won it in the eighth... trailing 2-1 Bobby Denton doubled in the tying run and Monty McMurtry got the game-winner on a deep sacrifice fly.

Chad Cummings (0-1) suffered the loss as he permitted three runs on 7 hits, struck out four and walked only one, while going the route... none of the runs were earned as the Redhawks committed three errors in the game.

Far Mountain outhit Waleska 8-7... SS Bobby Denton led the Westerners at the plate with three hits... 2B Joey Harris and C Rodney Hanson chipped in with two hits apiece... 1B John Burrell paced the Redhawks with three hits, including a pair of doubles.

Terry Richards suffered an arm injury and will miss at least a month... Richards is the ace of the Waleska staff and put up an 18-8 in the regular season with a 2.64 ERA... Tony Haskell (14-11/3.35) will take his place in the rotation... Haskell had been scheduled for bullpen duty in the playoffs.

TYCOBBIAN UNION DIVISION SERIES

HAWKS TAKE OPENER, TOPS TURON 3-2
In a series pitting the top two teams in the Pro Cup playoffs, defending titlist North Hills got the upper hand in the opener with a thrilling 3-2 triumph over tough Turon at the Hawk's Nest... in the bottom of the ninth Gerry Rice's two-out single plated Tommy Vavas to give the game to the Hawks.

Two 20-game winners locked horns over the first eight innings... Tony Mack (1-0) pitched a complete game, stopping the Typhoons on two runs and eight hits... Clyde Engstrom worked eight fine frames, giving up only two runs on four hits, but he did walk seven, while fanning three... Engstrom yielded to Ralph Fulton (0-1), who lost it in the ninth.

The game was scoreless until LF Adam Thurgood doubled in the Hawks' first run in the sixth... 1B Nick Fisher tied it up with a solo homer for Turon in the seventh... Thurgood's homer made it 2-1 in the last of the eighth... 2B Little Mac McCurnan made it all even again with an RBI single in the top of the ninth.

Thurgood sparked North Hills with two hits and two RBIs, while Fisher and McCurnan has three hits and an RBI each to lead Turon.

EP PANTHERS WHIP ARLON 4-1 IN GAME ONE
At Derby Downs in Arlon, the underdog East Point Panthers got one leg up on the favored Champions with a 4-1 victory in game one of the Tycobbian Division Series... 34-year-old Frank Blair had control problems, but managed to come through in the clutch.

Blair (1-0) gave up seven walks, but only one run in eight and one-third innings... the Champs got six hits off of him... he was aided by three double plays... Tuck Tawney put the finishing touches on the game by recording the final two outs in the ninth... Ronny Farnsworth (0-1) went all the way and took loss, allowed four runs on 11 hits with four Ks and 3 walks.

Four Panthers got two hits apiece: RF Ricky Urbina, CF Andros Ciak, 2B Tetsu Tanaka and C Chris Cardinale.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 23, 2039

RUTHLANDIAN UNION DIVISION SERIES

ROVERS TRIM CC 'CATS 8-6, SERIES EVEN
On the road for game two of the Ruthlandian Division Series, the Sligo Rovers roughed up the Cold Creek Catamounts 8-6 to even up the series at one game apiece... the Rovers ripped them for 12 hits as they came back from a 6-4 deficit after four innings... reliever Joey Hicks (1-0) registered the win with three scoreless innings... Denny Simmons led the attack with four RBIs, including a three-run first-inning homer.

Losing pitcher Joey Baker (0-1) came on for starter Peter Heller in the seventh and was shelled for three runs in two-plus innings... Heller departed with a 6-5 lead.

RF Pat Foreman (.667) paced the Sligo attack with four hits, two runs and an RBI... 1B Denny Simmons (.375) cracked two hits and batted in four runs with a double and a homer... SS Neil Mitchell (.375) went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs... and CF Joe McGarrett (.286) swatted a solo homer.

Cold Creek got eight hits and were sparked by 3B Rodney Marshall (.429) with two hits and four runs batted in... Marshall had a two-run homer in the fourth to give the Catamounts a short-lived 6-4 lead.

WERNSTEDT'S HR WALLOPS WALESKA 4-3, FM TIES SERIES
At Westerner Field in Waleska, the visiting Far Mountain Redhawks tied the Ruthlandian Division Series at one game each with Wes Wernstedt's two-run blast in the ninth inning... the Redhawks walked away with a 4-3 victory... Karl Nordheim and Ryan Kolb combined for the win... Nordheim (1-0) tossed eight frames, permitted three runs on five hits and notched the win, while Kolb got his save with a runless ninth, although the Westerners threatened with two hits, but left them on first and second.

Jeff Woodruff started for Waleska and was touched for three runs on six hits in his eight and two-thirds innings... Woodruff had 6 strikeouts and walked three... yesterday's winner Vernon Bass (1-1/3.38)) caught the lost today... he was tagged for Wernstedt's clutch homer.

Both clubs collected seven hits each... Wernstedt (.300) was 3-5 for the Redhawks... Waleska was led by C Rodney Hanson (.429) with a two-run triple.

TYCOBBIAN UNION DIVISION SERIES

HENDRIX'S HR PUTS PANTHERS UP BY TWO GAMES
For the second day in a row East Point got standout pitching in a fourteen-inning 2-1 struggle with the Arlon Champions... four pitchers did the job on the mound and Bert Hendrix did the job at the plate with a home run... the Panthers now have a 2-0 lead in the Tycobbian Division Series.

Johnny Moore worked the first seven innings for the Panthers, stopping the Champs on six hits and one run... Scotty Bentley retired all six batters he faced in the eight and ninth... Tuck Tawney then blanked them for the next three and two-third inninngs... and youngster Darnell Slaughter (1-0) got the win, permitting no runs in his one and one-third frames.

Arlon's pitching was almost as good... starter Pat Stuyvesant worked into the ninth and was outstanding... he permitted only one run on five hits, fanned 10 and walked only 2... Lanny Gray held the Panthers runless in his inning and a third... Pat Shannon (0-1/2.25) was on the hill for the next four innings, gave up four hits and the game-winning homer by Hendrix.

Arlon had an 11-9 advantage in hits... C Nick Shafer (.400) went 3-for-6 and doubled in the Champs only run in the first... SS Ronnie Duvernet (.500) also had three hits.

No one got more than one hit for East Point... the Panthers tied the score at 1-all in the fifth on Ricky Urbina's RBI groundout.

TYPHOONS BLOW AWAY HAWKS 8-3, TIES SERIES
The Turon bats were booming today at the Hawk's Nest in North Hills... they rocked them for 13 hits, smacking five doubles, a triple and a homer to blow away the Hawks 8-3 and tie up the Tycobbian Division Series at a game each.

Leading the way was CF Alex Crosetti (.600) and 1B Little Mac McCurnan (.750) with three hits apiece... Crosetti doubled in two runs and scored twice, while McCurnan scored a pair of runs... LF J. P. Trevenot went deep with a two-run clout in the sixth to increase the lead to 7-3... 1B Ric Hamilton slugged a three-run homer for the Hawks and cut Turon's margin to 4-3 in the last of the fourth.

Nate Scottsdale (1-0/3.00) got the win in a complete-game outing... the Hawks got three runs on five hits... Scottsdale walked five and fanned four... Jeff Owens (0-1/9.00) was pounded for seven runs and 11 hits in his seven innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 24, 2039

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

CC 'CATS HUMBLE ROVERS 6-1, UP 2-1 IN SERIES
Backed by the sharp pitching of Rob Hutchins and 15 hits, Cold Creek humbled Sligo 6-1 in game three of the Ruthlandian Division Series at Silver Mountain Stadium in Sligo and took a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven affair.

Hutchins (1-0/1.00) was a bit wild with six walks, but he stymied the Rovers on five hits and gave up only one run, while going the distance. Tom Pierson (0-1/8.10) was the losing pitcher... Cold Creek slammed him for six runs and 13 hits in six-plus innings.

The Catamounts busted up a 1-1 game with three runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by back-to-back roundtrippers by 3B Rodney Marshall (.500) and RF Guy St. Laurent (.333)... Marshall's was good for two runs, St. Laurent's was a solo job. Marshall, St. Laurent and CF Ken Brennan (.214) all had three hits in the game... Brennan scored three runs and Marshall and St. Laurent batted in two runs each.

NASH'S 2-HITTER GIVES WALESKA SERIES LEAD
In game three of the Ruthlandian Division Series at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain, Craig Nash of the Waleska Westerners was just about the whole show with a 3-1 win over the Redhawks, who managed only two hits... Nash (1-0/1.00) was in almost complete command with 6 Ks and one walk... he propelled the Westerners to a two games to one lead.

The Westerners torched Dennis Sasek (0-1/3.00) for all three runs in the opening frame... walks to CF Jon Lassiter (.091) and 2B Joey Harris (.250) set the stage for a two-run double by 1B Shayn Lambert (.250) and an RBI double by RF Niles Gregory (.091)... Sasek settled down and shut them out the rest of the way... he allowed three runs on eight hits, walked five and fanned just one... Far Mountain got their only run in the second on a solo homer by C Lou Ransom (.222).

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

TYPHOONS TRIM HAWKS 2-1 IN GAME THREE
At Typhoon Stadium in Turon, the hometown Typhoons got a fine start from Armin Boehm and they trimmed North Hills 2-1 to grab the Tycobbian Division Series lead at two games to one... Boehm (1-0/0.00) only surrendered one unearned run and two hits in eight innings... Boehm's control put him in trouble as he issued seven walks, but he stranded 11 runners and struck out six... closer Ralph Fulton got into hot water in the ninth, but survived... he allowed two hits with one away, then got a game-ending double play... David Michael (0-1/2.25) went all the way in defeat, walking six, fanning four, and giving up two runs on seven hits.

The game was scoreless until the last of the sixth when Turon took the lead on C Gil Erwin's (.500) home run... North Hills bounced right back with an unearned run in the top of the seventh... singles by Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.250) and C Mikhail Romanovsky (.182) put runners first and second... Ferguson scored when shortstop C. C. Kingsford let a grounder go threw him for an error... Kingsford (.167) redeemed himself with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh that scored Armin Boehm (.500) from third with the eventual winning run... Boehm had led off the inning with a double.

NOWAK WHACKS PANTHERS 5-3 IN GAME 3
Playing at home at Armed Forces Park, unheralded East Point was looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their Tycobbian Division Series with favored Arlon, but they ran into Emil Nowak and he got the Champions back on track with a 5-3 victory and cut the Panthers lead to one game after three games.

In a complete game Nowak (1-0/3.00) held the Panthers to three runs and seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts... he was helped by homers from C Nick Shafer (.333) and RF Mike Cameron (.143)... veteran Dixie Brooks (0-1/6.43) was the loser as he was tagged for seven hits and five runs in seven innings... he exited with Arlon ahead 5-1.

Offensively the Champs had 8 hits to 7 for the Panthers... CF Gussie Czajk (.357) was 3-4 with two runs scored and 2B Todd Benson (.286) was 2-3 with two RBIs... LF Andros Ciak (.385) and SS Dean O'Donnell (.267) sparked the Panther offense with two hits each.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 25, 2039

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

ROVERS KNOT SERIES AT 2-2
At home, Sligo ace Scotty Price had his good stuff as he tamed Cold Creek 3-2, helped out by Denny Simmons' eighth-inning game-winning homer, to knot up the Ruthlandian Division Series at two games apiece... Price (1-0/1.69) only gave up two runs in eight innings, though he was touched for nine hits... Gary Booth worked a flawless ninth to get the save... Price outpitched J. J. Gillespie (1-1/3.18), who went the distance and absorbed a tough loss, yielding three runs on nine hits with five Ks and no walks.

The Catamounts scored first in the second on LF Wayne Kenney's (.333) sacrifice fly that scored CF Guy St. Laurent (.313) from third base... it stayed that way until the Sligo fifth when Pat Foreman (.500) tied it up with a solo swat... Cold Creek again got the lead in the sixth on C Arved Tarand's (.333) sac fly... the Rovers came right back in the bottom half of the frame and tied it up 2-2 on a double by CF Joe McGarrett (.250) and an RBI single by C Damon Klein (.400).

Simmons (.500) and Klein (.400) topped the Rovers with three hits each... Simmons game-winner was his second homer of the series and his fifth RBI... RF Pat Foreman (.500) added two hits to the Sligo offense... 2B Pat Ellis (.400) paced Cold Creek with two hits.

REDHAWKS POWER BY WESTERNERS 9-7, TIE SERIES
After three low-scoring affairs, Far Mountain and Waleska lite up the scoreboard at Sky High Stadium... the home-standing Redhawks bashed four out of the park for a 9-7 win to even the Ruthlandian Division Series at two games each... Bert Richter tied it up in the eighth with a solo shot and Axel Bauer boomed a two-run homer to send the Westerners down to defeat... both teams had 11 hits each in the slugfest.

3B Axel Bauer (.667) led Far Mountain with 2-3, both home runs, two runs and three RBIs... C Lou Ranson (.231) also got his second homer, a three-run blast, and scored two runs.... RF Kyle Gottwald (.750) chipped with three hits and scored twice in the game.

Leading the Waleska attack were RF Niles Gregory (.143) with three RBIs, CF Jon Lassiter (.188) and LF Teke Holmes (.333) with two hits and two runs... 3B Monty McMurtry (.286) delivered three hits and 1B Shayn Lambert (.250) doubled in two runs.

Far Mountain closer Ryan Kolb (1-0/0.00) did his job and gained the win by blanking the Westerners on one hit over the last two innings... Vern Bass (1-2) really took it on the chin and lost it as he was nailed for two homers and three runs in just one-third of an inning.

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

NH HAWKS CLOBBER TURON 10-5, EVENS SERIES
It was a wild and wooly ball game at Typhoon Stadium in Turon... when it was over North Hills had clobbered the Typhoons 10-5 and evened up their Tycobbian Division Series at 2-2... the Hawks hammered out 16 hits and benefitted from three Turon errors... the Hawks committed four errors... only four of the 15 runs in the game were earned... everybody in the North Hills line-up contributed at least one hit.

The Hawks took charge with a five-run fifth inning to go up 9-3, led by RF Gerry Rice (.389) with 4-5, including a pair of doubles... five other players cracked two hits apiece: 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.333), LF Adam Thurgood (.294), 3B Jim McDermott (.167), C Mikhail Romanovsky (.250) and SS Norris Henry (.214)... 1B Ric Hamilton (.231) got his second homer of the series good for two runs in the fifth.

Tony Mack (2-0/1.00) pitched the entire game, didn't give up an earned run, permitted seven hits, walked none and posted six strikeouts... losing pitcher Clyde Engstrom (0-1/4.61) was battered for nine runs on 12 hits in five-plus frames... four of them were gifts of the Typhoons' shoddy defense.

CHAMPS JOLT PANTHERS 9-7 TO TIE SERIES AT 2-2
In game four of the TU Division Series, East Point's Frank Blair had Arlon eating out of his hand with a 5-0 lead after five innings, but then the roof fell in on him... the Champs rallied for nine runs in the next three frames to capture it 9-7 and tie up the best-of-seven series at two games each.

Four homers and solid relief pitching by Dale Greene made the difference... Greene (1-0/0.00) tossed three shutout innings and got credit for the win, enabling the Champions to get back in the game... in the sixth SS Roland Duvernet (.389) had an RBI single and 3B Matt Clarendon (.294) smacked a two-run roundtripper, narrowing the score to 5-3... RF Mark Cameron (.211) homered to make it 5-4 in the seventh... in the eighth Arlon erupted for five runs to rally past East Point... Duvernet came through again and tied the Panthers at 5-5 with a solo homer... Arlon moved ahead 7-5 on a wild pitch and Gussie Czajk's (.316) base hit... and C Nick Shafer's (.300) two-run clout gave them a four-run lead at 9-5... Panther 1B Bert Henrich (.167) hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the final runs of the game.

Arlon got 13 hits to 10 for East Point... Clarendon had three hits and 2B Todd Benson (.417) to lead the way for the Champs... Cameron and Duvernet had two apiece... East Point got a three-run homer in the third from 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.357) and a two-run shot by Henrich in the ninth... SS Dean O'Donnell (.300), RF Ricky Urbina (.316) and Tanaka (.357) all had a pair of hits each for the Panthers.

Frank Blair (1-1/4.02) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs on nine hits in seven-plus innings... Arlon's ace Ronny Farnsworth left the game after four innings with an injury trailing 5-0... no word yet on the problem... the loss of Farnsworth, who was 21-8 in the season with a 2.64 ERA, would be a big setback for Arlon's Pro Cup aspirations... Champions manager Rocco Belasario told reporters that IPA strikeout king, Lanny Gray (16-15/3.38) will take his place in the starting rotation.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 26, 2039

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

CC 'CATS CRUSH SLIGO 8-3, UP BY A GAME
Going into game five of the IPA Division playoffs all of the series were deadlocked at two games apiece... In the Ruthlandian Division Series Cold Creek crushed Sligo 8-3 to go up by a game in the best-of-seven series... a five-run fourth sealed the verdict... the Catamounts now have a three games to two lead... Cold Creek was the third choice in the Pro Cup predictions and Sligo was number seven.

The Catamounts banged out 10 hits and were sparked by home runs by RF Wayne Kenney (.571) and C Arved Tarand (.368)... Kenney went 3-4 and drove in four runs, while Tarand had two hits and 3 runs batted in... Sligo was paced by 3B Mel Dillard (.158) and C Damon Klein (.474)... both had solo homers.

20-game winner Pete Heller (1-0/4.80) got the first postseason win of his 13-year career... he checked the Rovers on three runs and seven hits, struck out nine and walked only one in a complete-game outing... Sligo starter Randall Steele (0-1/7.36), a 25-game winner, was roughed up for six runs in five innings for the loss.

REDHAWKS TAKE LEAD, WHIP WALESKA 4-3
A walk, wild pitch and Buddy Werner's base hit gave Far Mountain a 4-3 triumph over favored Waleska in game five of the RU Division Series and a one-game lead... Far Mountain was the sixth pick in the Pro Cup poll with Waleska number five... Karl Nordheim (2-0/1.59) had an impressive performance... he limited the Westerners to three hits and one earned run in a route-going effort... Nordheim posted six Ks and walked two batters... Jeff Woodruff matched him for seven innings, leaving with the score 3-3... Vern Bass (1-3/11.25) lost his third game in relief... he came on in the eighth and lost.

Far Mountain's main bats were LF Harlan Silver (.188), who had a double, triple and two RBIs, 2B Johnny Kaufman (.316) with two hits and two runs scored, and CF Wes Wernstedt (.294) with two hits and a run... leading Waleska was C Rodney Hanson (.294) with a solo homer and two runs scored.

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

HAWKS HAMMER TURON 11-5, UP 3-2 IN SERIES
Two homers and six RBIs by rookie Jimmy Jay Ferguson put defending Pro Cup champion North Hills in the driver's seat in their battle with the Turon Typhoons in the Tycobbian Division Series... the Hawks took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and now need just one more win to advance to the League Championship Series... North Hills is the Pro Cup favorite with Turon ranked as the second most likely winner.

Ferguson (.222) slugged a grand slam in the second inning and a two-rum smash in the fourth and put the Hawks well on their way to victory... North Hills totaled 18 hits with LF Adam Thurgood (.364) and 1B Ric Hamilton (.333) getting three each... Thurgood and 3B Jim McDermott (.250) each drove in a pair of runs and belted homers, giving the Hawks four for the day.

Winner Jeff Owens (1-1/6.19) went the distance, permitting five runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks... Nate Scottsdale (1-1/7.30) caught the loss and took quite a licking, giving up seven runs in three-plus innings.

O'DONNELL'S HR GIVES PANTHERS SERIES LEAD
Dean O'Donnell only got one hit in game five of the TU Division Series, but it was good one - a three-run bomb in the tenth frame that gave East Point a 7-4 decision over Arlon and a three-two lead in the series... the Panthers ranked last in the Pro Cup poll, while Arlon was rated number four... Tetsu Tanaka and Bert Henrich also hit homers... Tuck Tawney (1-0/0.00) notched the win, setting down the Champs in the top of the tenth... Arlon reliever Dale Greene (1-1/5.79) was the loser... he was the victim of O'Donnell's big blast.

The Panthers had the edge in base hits 10 to 9... Tanaka (.389), Henrich (.217) and C Chris Cardinale (.368) each collected two hits... Henrich has knocked three homers in the series, while Tanaka has two... RF Mike Cameron (.261) and C Nick Shafer (.304) homered in defeat for the Champions... it was their third in the playoffs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 27, 2039

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

PIERSON & ROVERS ROLL OVER CC 'CATS 4-0
The underdog Sligo Rovers staved off elimination from the Ruthlandian Division Series with a 4-0 win over the favored Cold Creek Catamounts... Tom Pierson's masterful outing tied up the best-of-seven series at three games each... Pierson (1-1/3.68) tossed eight-shutout innings, limiting the Catamounts to just five hits and no runs... Gary Booth completed the shutout with a scoreless ninth... Mason Marsh (0-1/4.50) was the losing pitcher... he allowed four runs on seven hits in his eight innings... Marsh walked only one and fanned nine batters... game seven will be played tomorrow afternoon, also in Cold Creek at Holmes Field.

Sligo only got seven hits... the most important one was LF Jim Lewellan's (.200) three-run homer in the first frame... the Rovers' final run came in the third on 1B Denny Simmons' (.455) RBI single... leading the Catamounts were SS Jeremy Hall (.241), LF Wayne Kenney (.545) and C Arved Tarand (.391)... all collected two hits apiece.

NASH EVENS SERIES, WALESKA WHIPS FM 4-0
Pitching at home at Westerner Field, Craig Nash stopped Far Mountain 4-0 on a four-hit shutout and evened their RU Division Series at three games apiece, forcing game seven tomorrow afternoon in Waleska... Nash whiffed eight batters and walked only one, while going the route... the loser was Dennis Sasek (0-2/3.18), who also hurled a complete game and gave up four runs on nine hits.

The top hitters for the Westerners were CF Jon Lassiter (.292) with four hits in four tries... and 3B Monty McMurtry (.286) and SS Bobby Denton (.450) each with two hits... Redhawk SS Dan Vance (.111) had two of the four hits off Nash.

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

CHAMPS FORCE GAME SEVEN, NIP PANTHERS 4-3 IN 12
Down to their last three outs in the ninth at Derby Downs in Arlon, the Champs tied it up 3-3 and then won it in the 12th 4-3 on Todd Benson's base hit... Arlon forced the East Point Panthers into a seventh-and-deciding game tomorrow afternoon.

Arlon got sharp performances from starter Emil Nowak and reliever Dale Greene... Nowak (1-0/3.00) went nine innings, struck out 5 and walked three, yielding three runs and 10 hits... Greene (2-1/3.52) picked up the win with three scoreless frames... Dixie Brooks started for the Panthers, going eight innings and giving up two runs on eight hits... Scotty Bentley blew the save by giving up a run in the ninth, but that was all he allowed in three innings... Tuck Tawney (1-1/1.59) was the losing pitcher.

2B Todd Benson led the winners 16-hit attack with four hits and two RBIs... three other Champs got a pair of hits each: C Nick Shafer (.310), 1B Ernie Pryor (.435) and RF Mike Cameron (.308)... Shafer got his fourth home run in the series... East Point had 12 hits... 3B Sam McClellan (.333) had three of them and SS Dean O'Donnell (.290) two of them.

HAWKS VICTORS IN SIX, TYPHOONS SWOON
David Michael did it again... the veteran North Hills pitcher hurled them past powerful Turon 5-1 and into the Tycobbian Championship Series... in his illustrious 11-year career Michael is especially tough in the postseason... he is 15-7 in 23 starts with a brilliant 2.25 ERA.

In game six at the Hawk's Nest, Michael (1-1/1.20) blanked the Typhoons on four hits over his seven innings... he left the game with a mild shouder strain and could miss a week of so in the playoffs... Joey Santini worked the final two frames and gave up one run on three hits... defending Pro Cup champ North Hills won the series four games to two and ended Turon's season... the Hawks are this year's favorite to win the IPA title and the Typhoons were the number-two choice.

The Hawks jumped on Turon starter Armin Boehm (1-1/1.29) for four runs right off the bat, scoring three in the first and another one in the second... North Hills had eight hits in the game, while the Typhoons managed seven... rookie CF Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.286) had two hits to lead the Hawks... he scored a run and drove in a run... and 2B Tommy Vavas (.133) walked twice and score two runs... RF Gerry Rice (.357), 1B Ric Hamilton (.318) and C Mikhail Romnovsky (.263) all drove in a run for the winners.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 28, 2039

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

SLIGO UPSETS COLD CREEK IN 7 GAMES
The Sligo Rovers weren't dismayed when they were picked seventh in the Pro Cup poll just prior to the playoffs... they just went about their business and upset the number-three Cold Creek Catamounts in seven games, taking the last one 8-4... they hit three homers and took advantage of four costly errors to do in the 'Cats.

The Rovers rattled the boards for 14 hits and beat the Catamounts' ace J. J. Gillespie... RF Pat Foreman went 3-5, scored three runs and poked a solo homer to lead them... LF Jim Lewellen (.233) was 2-5 with a solo homer... and 2B Howard Winston (.185) had two hits, two RBIs and a one-run homer... Cold Creek collected 11 hits and were paced by 2B Pat Ellis (.333) with a double and a three-run smash... RF Guy St. Laurent (.259) was 2-for-4, scored twice and batted in one run.

Scotty Price, Sligo's ace, came through for them... he struggled a bit, giving up 11 hits and four run in eight innings... Mark Smith worked a perfect ninth to secure the victory... Gillespie (1-2/3.13) was the losing pitcher... he worked six innings and left the game behind 4-2... Gillespie fanned five, walked two batters and surrendered two of the home runs... only two of the runs were earned.

WALESKA SKIMS BY FM 2-1 IN GAME 7
In game seven the Waleska Westerners wrapped the Ruthlandian Division Series by skimming by the Far Mountain Redhawks 2-1 at Westerner Field... Tony Haskell defeated Chad Cummings in a tense pitcher's duel decided in the bottom of the ninth by Bobby Denton's two-out base hit that scored Niles Gregory from third base.

Haskell (1-0/2.78), a last-minute replacement for the injured ace Terry Richards in the Westerners' starting rotation, was razor-sharp... he went all the way, stopping the Redhawks on six hits, struck out nine and walk only one... Cummings (0-2/3.04) was almost as good, yielding two runs on seven hits in a complete game... Cummings walked four and fanned three in defeat.

Two walks, a single and an RBI groundout by Niles Gregory gave Waleska a 1-0 lead in the opening frame... Far Mountain didn't get a run until the top of the ninth when 1B Bert Richter (.217) doubled and went to third on Kyle Gottwald's (.500) single... C Lou Ranson (.182) plated the tying run with a deep sacrifice fly... that set the stage for Denton's heroics in the bottom of the ninth... Gregory (.160) singled, C Rodney Hanson (.208) walked, 3B Monty McMurtry (.240) hit into a double play with Gregory advancing to third... Denton (.458) then drove him in with a single.

Waleska now advances to the Ruthlandian Union Championship Series against the Sligo Rovers, who surprised the Cold Creek Catamounts in first-round playoff action... the best-of-seven series begins Friday afternoon in Waleska. The Westerners were the fifth pick to win the Pro Cup, while the Rovers were rated number six.

2039 IPA DIVISION SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

ARLON ADVANCES TO TU TITLE SERIES
Arlon lost the first two games to East Point in the Tycobbian Division Series, but then came back to win four of the next five games... the Champions won game seven 5-3 at home behind Lanny Gray (1-0/2.61), who went the route and held the Panthers to three runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and no bases on balls... Gray, a starter in the regular season, was shifted to the bullpen for the playoffs as Arlon downsized to a three-man rotation... however, when Ronny Farnsworth (21-8) was injured in game one, Gray (16-15) was his replacement.

A five-run third inning was all the Champs needed to wrap up the series... C Nick Shafer (.333) ripped a three-homer, his fifth of the series, RF Mark Cameron (.333) scored from third on a wild pitch and SS Roland Duvernet (.290) doubled in the fifth run... East Point battled back with three in the sixth on a two-run homer by SS Dean O'Donnell (.314) and a solo roundtripper by RF Ricky Urbina (.273), but that was as close as they could get... Gray blanked them the final three frames.

Frank Blair (1-2/4.98) was the losing pitcher... he was shelled for five runs and six hits in six innings.

Arlon, ranked fourth in the Pro Cup poll, will now go up against powerful North Hills, the defending IPA champ and this year's Pro Cup favorite in the Tycobbian Championship Series, starting this Friday afternoon in North Hills.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, September 29, 2039

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES BEGIN TODAY
The IPA Pro Cup teams have been shaved down to four. Pro Cup favorite North Hills survived a tough series with Turon and is still in the running to repeat as the champion of the Islands. North Hills had captured three of the last five Pro Cups. The Hawks will meet the fourth-ranked Arlon Champions in the Tycobbian Union Championship Series.

Arlon got past the number-eight choice East Point in the first round. In the Ruthlandian Championship Series the fifth-pick Waleska will tangle with sixth-rated Sligo, who upset third-ranked Cold Creek in the opening round. Waleska whipped Far Mountain, the sixth choice in the Pro Cup poll.

All four clubs were impressive in Division Series. Waleska suffered a serious loss when ace pitcher Terry Richards (18-8/2.64) was lost for the playoffs due to injury. Arlon will also be missing its number one starter Ronny Farnsworth (21-8/2.64) for the first few games of the series. Farnsworth is day-to-day with a sore back. Lanny Gray (16-15/3.38) has taken his spot in the rotation.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 30, 2039

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

WESTERNERS DUMP ROVERS 7-1 IN LCS OPENER
In game one of the Ruthlandian Championship Series at Westerner Field, hometown Waleska got strong pitching and strong bats to dump Sligo 7-1... Jeff Woodruff (1-0/2.31) had a sterling performance, stopping the Rovers on one run and five hits, while walking only one batter and striking out five.

25-game winner Randall Steele (0-2/8.27) continued to fare poorly in the postseason... he was banged around for six runs and 10 hits in five and one-third innings... all total the Westerners garnered 12 hits in the game, led by 2B Joey Harris' (.258) three hits and two runs, RF Niles Gregory's (.214) pair of hits with one RBI and a run scored, and C Rodney Hanson's (214) two runs batted in... LF Teke Holmes (.231) and 3B Monty McMurtry (.241) also had RBIs.

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

ARLON EDGES NORTH HILLS 2-1 IN GAME ONE
Pat Stuyvesant and his Arlon Champions got the upper hand on defending Pro Cup titleholder North Hills in the first game of the Tycobbian League Championship Series at the Hawk's Nest... Stuyvesant bested Tony Mack 2-1, restricting the Hawks to one run and six hits in a complete game... Stuyvesant (1-0/2.10) walked nobody and whiffed four batters... Mack (2-1/1.38) was the loser as he was touched for 10 hits and two runs in his eight innings... Mack walked six batters and fanned five.

Arlon got 12 hits, but it was a scoreless tie until the top of the seventh, when Charley Hastings (.171) led off with a triple and scored on Gussi Czajk's (.289) single... the Champs padded it to 2-0 in the ninth on SS Roland Duvernet's (.314) single, stolen base and 3B Matt Clarendon's (.273) RBI single... North Hills got its only score in the last of the eighth on a double by SS Norris Henry's (.280) two-bagger and groundouts by PH Kris Anastas (.000) and 2B Tommy Vavas (.158).

Five Champs got two hits each: Hastings, Czajk, Duvernet, RF Mark Cameron (.353) and 2B Todd Benson (.375)... Hawks' RF Gerry Rice (.375) had two hits in defeat.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 1, 2039

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

WALESKA RALLIES LATE AND WINS AGAIN
In game two of the Ruthlandian League Championshop Series the Waleska Westerners rallied late and posted their second straight win in the best-of-seven series... Waleska trailed Sligo 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, but then came on strong with three runs, highlighted by 2B Joey Harris' two-run single that gave them the lead 6-4... the Westerners added another run in the eighth to solidify a 7-4 victory.

Waleska racked up 16 hits, led by 1B Shayn Lambert (.414) with 4-4, including two doubles... four other Westerners socked two hits apiece: CF Jon Lassiter (.286), 3B Monty McMurtry (.273), C Rodney Hanson (.250) and SS Bobby Denton (.457)... the Rovers were paced by 1B Denny Simmons (.485) with three hits in three tries and by C Damon Klein (.343) with 2-for-4 and two RBIs.

Craig Nash (3-0/1.38) chalked up his third win of the postseason, but staggered a bit... Nash permitted four runs on six hits in eight innings... he struck out 6, but had control problems with 5 bases on balls... Vernon Bass finished up for him and got the final three outs in the ninth... loser Tom Pierson (1-2/5.40) was belted for 16 hits and seven runs in seven innings.

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES -TYCOBBIAN UNION

HAWKS BURY CHAMPS 13-2, EVEN SERIES
It was no contest in game two of the Tycobbian League Championship Series... North Hills buried Arlon 13-2 to even up the series at one game apiece... the Hawks slammed four Champion pitchers for 18 hits, including two-run homers by Ric Hamilton and Norris Henry... they also got solid pitching from Frankie Lambert (1-0/2.45), who resticted Arlon to just two runs on 10 hits... Lambert went the route, fanning nine and walking three... Emil Nowak (1-1/4.24) was the losing pitcher... he was battered for eight runs and 10 hits in just five and one-third innings.

Leading the North Hills attack were SS Norris Henry (.333) with three hits, three runs and three RBIs, 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.375) with three hits, two runs and two RBIs, 1B Ric Hamilton (.367) with three hits, two runs and two RBIs and RF Gerry Rice (.378) with two hits, a run and two runs batted in... pitcher Frankie Lambert (.500) aided his own cause with two hits and three runs scored... C Nick Shafer (.349) went 3-for-5 for the Champions.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 2, 2039

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

SLIGO'S PRICE ONE-HITS WALESKA 1-0
The Price was right... the Sligo Rovers got back into the Ruthlandian Championship Series via a great performance by their ace Scotty Price, who fired a masterful one-hitter to nip Waleska 1-0 in game three... Tony Haskell almost matched him, giving up only one run on four hits... in a super pitching duel Price had eight Ks and three walks and Haskell chalked up eight strikeouts and two walks... Doug Haynes relieved Price in the last of the ninth after he walked a batter with two away... Haynes got the save by striking out the final batter.

The only run of the game came in the third inning... after two were out, RF Pat Foreman (.325) singled, stole second base and continued to third on a bad throw by catcher Rodney Hanson, then scored on Neil Mitchell's (.289) line single to center... Niles Gregory (.229) got the only hit off Price... he grounded a single to left in the second inning.

2029 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES -TYCOBBIAN UNION

ARLON RALLIES, TAKES HAWKS 7-5
It was looking bleak for Arlon at Derby Downs in game three of the Tycobbian League Championship Series... they were down 3-2 to Jeff Owens and the defending IPA champ North Hills when they suddenly slammed him for five runs... the rally put the Champs up 7-3 on the way to a 7-5 triumph and a two games to one lead in the series... fireballer Lanny Gray (2-0/3.93) survived 14 hits and five runs for the win... Gray walked two and struck out eight in eight innings... Peter Shannon registered the save with a runless ninth... Owens (1-2/6.65) lost it, allowing seven runs and 12 hits in seven innings.

Gray (.429) helped himself at the plate with two hits and an RBI... he also got help from LF Charley Hastings (.205), C Nick Shafer (.354) and SS Roland Duvernet (.326), all with three hits each... Arlon topped North Hills 14-10 in hits... leading the Hawks were 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.429) with three hits, three runs and three RBIs, SS Tommy Vavas (.250) with three hits, a run and an RBI and RF Gerry Rice (.405) with three hits.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 3, 2039

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

STEELE BLANKS WALESKA 3-0, SLIGO TIES SERIES
After three ineffective postseason outings, 25-game winner Randall Steele finally got it right with a 3-hit masterpiece and tied the series at 2 games each... in game four of the Ruthlandian LCS, Steele (1-2/5.33) blanked Waleska 3-0, walked no one and registered eight strikeouts... Sligo shut the Westerners out for the second day in a row... Jeff Woodruff (1-1/2.35) was the losing pitcher, surrendering three runs on 11 hits in seven-plus innings.

RF Pat Foreman (.378) drove in the first Rover run with a single in the last of the second... Sligo added another one in the third on singles by 1B Denny Simmons (.463), CF Joe McGarrett (.184) and LF Jim Lewellen (.200) that loaded the bases... C Damon Klein (.317) plated the run when he hit into a double play... the Rovers got their final score in the seventh when Simmons singled in Foreman from second base... Foreman paced the 11-hit attack with 4-for-5... Simmons went 3-for 4 and Lewellen 2-for-5.

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES -TYCOBBIAN UNION

NORTH HILLS NUDGES BY ARLON 5-4, SERIES EVEN
In an almost-must win game defending IPA champ North Hills pulled out a 5-4 victory over Arlon to even up the Tycobbian LCS at two games apiece... Gerry Rice got the game-winner in the ninth, when he singled in Tony Mack from third... Mack (3-1/1.80) went all the way for the win, permitting four runs on nine hits... Pat Stuyvesant (1-1/2.91) suffered the loss... he struck out eight batters and walked three, but was tagged for 10 hits and five runs.

The Hawks had a 4-1 lead going into the last of eight, when RF Mark Cameron (.333) boomed a three-run homer to tie the score... North Hills outhit Arlon 12 to 9... CF Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.313) smacked two hits and drove in two runs for the Hawks... 1B Ric Hamilton (.378) collected his fourth postseason homer and had two hits... RF Gerry Rice (.404) and Tony Mack (.231) also chipped in with a pair of hits each.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 5, 2039

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - RUTHLANDIAN UNION

LASSITER 3-RUN HR SENDS WALESKA TO PRO CUP
Game six at Westerner Field in Waleska was dramatic... the Westerners were down to their last out, trailing 3-2 when Jon Lassiter unloaded a three-run smash that sent them to the IPA Pro Finals for the third time in five years... Waleska trimmed the Sligo Rovers 5-3 and copped the Ruthlandian League championship in six games... the Westerners won it all in 2037, when they upended San Alejo in six games for the IPA Pro Cup.

It took a gutsy performance by starter Tony Haskell, who held the Rovers to three runs despite giving up 12 hits in eight and a third innings... Haskell rang up six strikeouts and walked only one... Niles Neilsen relieved Haskell after Mel Dillard's solo homer that gave Sligo the lead 3-2 in the ninth... Neilsen (1-0/0.00) got the final two outs and the victory... Rovers ace Scotty Price stood out, too... he held the Westerners to two runs and seven hits... he exited with a 3-2 lead after eight innings... his relief, Doug Haynes (0-2/11.57), caught the loss... Waleska got to him for two hits and a walk in the ninth... one of the hits was Lassiter's fatal homer.

Sligo had the advantage in hits 12 to 9... SS Neil Mitchell led them with three hits and 2B Mel Dillard (.159), RF Pat Foreman (.370) and 3B Alex Faxon (.286) all had two hits each... Dillard, Mitchell and CF Joe McGarrett (.182) had RBIs... CF Jon Lassiter (.269), SS Bobby Denton (.391) and LF Teke Holmes (250) each had a pair of hits for the Westerners... Lassiter drove in three runs and RF Niles Gregory (.217) and C Rodney Hanson (.261) had one each.

Roy Hobbs, the skipper of the Westerners, was ecstatic about returning to the Pro Cup Finals... he gave his starters Craig Nash, Tony Haskell and Jeff Woodruff high praise for the way they held the Sligo bats in check... the Rovers only got 14 runs in the six games.

Sligo manager Eddie Keys agreed with Hobbs' assessment. "The Waleska starters are among the best in the league. They gave us fits at the plate."

2039 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - TYCOBBIAN UNION

ARLON DETHRONES NORTH HILLS, PRO CUP BOUND
The Islandian Pro Alliance will have a new champion this season after the Arlon Champions dethroned the current titleholder North Hills in six games to win the Tycobbian title and a spot in the Pro Cup Finals against the Waleska Westerner, champion of Ruthlandia... playing inspired baseball Arlon finished off the Hawks 7-1 behind the outstanding pitching of Lanny Gray (3-0/2.96)... tossing a complete game, he stifled them on one run and four hits, while fanning five and walking two... Gray was backed up by 12 hits... North Hills was never in the game as the Champions built up a 5-0 lead after five innings against loser Jeff Owens (1-3/6.23), who really struggled during the playoffs this season after a fine 2038 postseason when he was 3-1 with a great 1.25 ERA in four starts.

Arlon's top hitters were LF Charley Hastings (.218) and 1B Ernie Pryor (.191)... they both knocked solo homers and had two hits each... winning pitcher Gray (.500) also helped his cause with three hits and two RBIs... the Hawks' best bat was LF Adam Thurgood (.235) with a home run.

This was the first time in almost two decades that the Champions have been in the postseason... it will also be the first time they have gotten as far as the Pro Cup Finals... Arlon manager Rocco Belasario singled out his starters, especially Lanny Gray... Belasario said, "It shows you how smart I am, I had Gray penciled in for the bullpen until Farnsworth went out in the first round... Lanny really saved our butts... Stuyvesant was strong, too... and it was great how Farnsworth came back after missing ten days and won game six 1-0... that was fantastic." Belasario also gave high marks to his offense... "We've got a good, all-round club... I think we will do quite well in the Finals... we just beat a very good North Hills team... that should speak volumes about how good our team is."

Todd Simons, the Hawks' manager, told reporters, "This loss really hurts... we missed a great chance to repeat as champions, but ran into a very fine Arlon team... they will do well in the Finals... I think they will win it."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 7, 2039

WALESKA-ARLON VIE FOR PRO CUP, WESTERNERS FAVORED
Waleska has been to the IPA Pro Cup Finals twice before and won both of them. Arlon is a rookie and has never been this far before. The Westerners won just a couple of seasons ago in 2037 and has most of the team back this year. That's one reason the baseball gurus have picked them to win this year. Waleska has the experience. For the year the Westerners were 91-63 and are a slight favorite to win the Pro Cup this year.

Thus far in the playoffs Waleska and Arlon are 8-5. The Westerners are 6-1 at Westerner Field and 2-4 away, while the Champions are 4-3 at home at Derby Downs and 4-2 on the road.

In spite of losing losing ace Terry Richards (18-8/2.64) in the opening game of the playoffs, Waleska still has three quality starters in Craig Nash (18-12/2.91), Jeff Woodruff (22-14/2.94) and Tony Haskell (14-11/3.35). Nash was the 2037 Pro Cup MVP. Manager Roy Hobbs doesn't have any superstuds at the plate, but he has a well-rounded club that features a solid core of reliable hitters, led by RF Niles Gregory (.285/25/103/84), 1B Shayn Lambert (.313/15/60/72), 2B Joey Harris (.282/10/76/80) and C Rodney Hanson (.299/9/67/56). Waleska was one of the best-hitting teams in the Ruthlandian Union with a .272 BA (3rd) and 711 runs (13th). The mound corps was really good with a 2.99 ERA (2nd). Defensively the Westerners are only average with a .972 fielding average.

Arlon was no slouch with a 95-59 record and they had to defeat last year's champ North Hills to get here. Pitching is skipper Rocco Belasario's strong point. Heading up the rotation is Ronny Farnsworth (21-8/2.64), Pat Stuyvesant (20-9/3.66), Emil Nowak (21-8/4.03) and Lanny Gray (16-15/3.38). Gray topped the IPA in strikeouts with 291 in 314 innings. Farnsworth missed most of the playoffs this year, but did come back strong with a huge win late in the North Hills series. The Champions put up a 3.31 team ERA and ranked sixth in the Tycobbian Union. Belasario has two big bats in RF Mark Cameron (.324/52/129/111) and C Nick Shafer (.304/26/93/73), but not a lot in the line-up after them. Cameron had a monster year and was second in homers, second in RBIs and third in runs in the IPA. Arlon does have more firepower than Waleska with 143 homers (25th). The Westerners only went deep 100 times this season (31st). The Champs are outstanding with the gloves with a .980 FA.

WALESKA TEAM INFORMATION

Arlon Team Information