6. ARLON (88-66): the last time Arlon was the best in the West was in '43... they were fourth and sub .500 last season with a 70-84 mark (29 GB), but an influx of young pitchers this year shot the Champs to the top of the standings... rookie phenom All-Star Erik Branham (22-12/2.09) was brilliant... All-Star and team ace Lanny Gray (21-14) had a fine season... along with another top-flight rookie J. C. Hilburn (18-12/3.06)... the bullpen was in excellent hands with veteran closer Mack Blair (7-6/1.55/16 saves)... the Arlon offense is woeful... only a .253 team BA with 103 homers and ranked 28th scoring runs in the TU... 1B Ivan Cisneros is the club leader with 20 HRs, 87 RBIs and 99 runs, but hit only .271... LF Davey Allen tops the team with only a .288 BA with just 47 RBIs and 65 runs... not numbers you can boast about... in addition Arlon is one of the worst defensive clubs in the IPA with a pathetic .965 FA.

7. WALESKA (88-66): the baseball experts don't expect Waleska to do much in the postseason... the Westerners have good pitching, but only average at the plate with little power... opening up with juggernaut Valmara doesn't help, either....Waleska's top moundsmen are Trey Earnest (18-10/2.97), All-Star Lou Carlson (22-13/3.31) and Niles Neilsen (16-15/3.55)... Kenny Foster (13-14/3.01) is another good arm, but he suffered from run support... Vince Gibson (6-7/2.26/12 saves) took care of the bullpen... not a lot of talent in the Westerners' lineup... 1B Rob Rice (.299/17/56/63), RF Denver Shadwell (.285/14/73/47) and LF Gene Stevenson (.295/11/61/65) were the best of the lot.

8. MIDDLEFIELD (82-72): three years ago Middlefield ran off 104 victories with a potent attack and strong pitching... they slipped to 91-63 in '50... and to 82-72 this season... the Roosters will be going for their second Pro Cup in the playoffs... they won it decades ago in 2005... from the looks of things Middlefield will be heavily outgunned in the playoffs and not likely to go past the opening round... the Middlefield mound corps is still better-than-average with Carroll Collier (21-12/2.82) and James Long (21-13/2.22) heading up the rotation... young Ken Willis (5-5/2.21/10 saves) took over the closing role and did well.. leading the way offensively were CF Johnny Wyatt (.260/45/123/95), 2B Ike Gary (.272/20/82/43), 3B Cramer Landis (.303/9/50/84), C Johnny McDonald (.321/7/62/70), 1B Cliff Patterson (.291/19/50/53), CF Russell Martin (.251/21/70/86) and RF Timothy Hayworth (.267/11/40/89)... the Roosters don't hit for much average, but can go deep with 175 homers (3rd in the RU).

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 22, 2051

IPA PRO CUP DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 1

Ruthlandian Union

ROOSTERS SNOWED 4-0 IN OPENER BY RATTLERS
The Sugar Valley Rattlers snowed the Middlefield Roosters 4-0 in game one of the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series at Farmers Memorial Park... in an almost flawless outing Joe Snow (1-0) fired a four-hit shutout, walking only two and fanning three batters... the Rattlers backed him with 14 hits, led by LF Carl Ramsey with four hits and CF Roger Hobbs with three hits... Sugar Valley rocked James Long (0-1) early with two runs in the first and two more in the third inning.

VIPERS BLAST WESTERNERS 10-1 IN OPENER
Defending Pro Cup champion Valmara picked up where they left off a year ago by blasting Waleska 10-1 in the first game of the Ruthlandian DCS... counting the last two games of last year's finale, it was Valmara's 14th straight postseason win... the Vipers cracked 13 hits to back up the fine pitching of Darus Grajek (1-0), who stopped the Westerners on six singles, struck out eight and walked one... C Karol Koska slammed a three-run homer and LF Tomek Abramczyk connected for a solo salvo to lead the victors... CF Don Ritchie and Abramczyk sparked Valmara with three hits apiece... the Vipers shelled losing pitcher Trey Earnest (0-1) for nine runs in the first four innings.

Tycobbian Union

PALMER TOO TOUGH FOR MONTIES IN GAME 1
White River's 23-game winner Nicky Palmer proved too tough for the San Alejo Montaneros in the opening fray of the Tycobbian Division Championship Series at White River Stadium.. Palmer (1-0) went the distance shutting down the Monties 5-2... he allowed only two runs on seven hits, while striking out seven and walking five... Palmer outpitched 29-game winner Will McKinney (0-1), who had a rare off-day on the mound, yielding four runs and seven hits in five-plus frames... leading the Rascals at the plate were C Josh Groveland with two hits and three runs, 3B Kenny Yarbrough with two hits, a run and an RBI and RF Ryne Hyland with a pair of hits and two runs batted in.

CHAMPS POWER PAST BLAZERS 5-3 IN FIRST GAME
Everything was against the Arlon Champions in the first game of the Tycobbian DCS... the Champs were underdogs to the Hillsboro Blazers... they were starting a 23-year-old rookie Erik Branham and they were playing on the road at Hanford Stadium against fireballin' veteran Steve Cooper, who throws 100 mph and was 21-10 this season... lo and behold Branham (1-0) topped him 5-3, holding them to three runs and seven hits in eight innings... Arlon bullpen ace Mack Blair came in and put the Blazers away, retiring three in a row for the save... Cooper (0-1) took the loss, working into the ninth, allowing 10 hits and five runs, fanning seven and walking three.

The Champs clipped him for three homers: 2B Carlo Campanello socked a solo shot in the second... 1B Ivan Cisneros hit another one in the third... and SS Timmy Tarbell popped the clincher, a three-run clout in the sixth making it 5-0... Hillsboro rallied for three runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-run double by C Harry McGuire and a sacrifice fly by RF Jim Nolan, but could get no closer.

In editing the playoff schedule, I inadvertently made the second game of the series an exhibition game. I didn't realize this until I had played them.

I will have to rework the schedule to get it back on track.

Sorry, a dumb mistake.:o:o:o:o:o

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 23, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 2

Ruthlandian Union

RATTLERS EDGE ROOSTERS 3-2, UP 2-0 IN SERIES
Sugar Valley battled back at home and edged the Middlefield Roosters 3-2 to go up two games to none in the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series... Antonio Cedeno and Cullen Winslow combined for the win... Cedeno worked into the sixth and left trailing 2-1... Winslow (1-0) was the winning pitcher, tossing three and one-third innings of scoreless ball... Carroll Collier (0-1) was the loser... he allowed three runs and nine hits in six frames.

Middlefield had the hit advantage 11 to 10... Rattler 1B Smokey Nix tied the game in the last of the sixth, driving CF Carl Ramsey in with a double... then RF Tyler Alban (.222) delivered the game-winner with an infield hit in the seventh... Nix (.625) sparked Sugar Valley with three hits and Ramsey (.827) added two more... C Johnny McDonald (.429) went 3-3 for the Roosters and 1B Cliff Patterson (.250) had two hits.

VIPERS WIN 15TH STRAIGHT IN DRAMATIC FASHION
The defending Pro Cup champion Valmara Vipers were down 5-3 going into the last of the eighth, but not yet out... they stunned the Waleska Westerners for three runs and ran their postseason win string to 15 straight games with a 6-5 triumph... pinchhitter Jacek Prusak (.500) tied it at 5-5 with a two-run single and SS Ken Jensen (.273) cinched it with a game-winning base hit... the winning hits came off of reliever Vince Gibson (0-1), who came on with a 5-4 lead and two outs and a runner on first in the eighth... three straight singles did him in.

Viper reliever Mirko Musial (1-0) got the win with three and two-thirds scoreless innings... closer Kasio Bajek worked a runless ninth to protect the lead and get the save... LF Tomek Abramczyk (.571) led the Valmara hit parade with three hits and three RBIs... he crushed a three-run homer in the first frame... Abramczyk also homered in game one... Viper 3B Jorge Aparicio (.636) had a perfect day with four hits in four tries... Valmara logged 11 hits, while Waleska got 8... SS Nelson Ridley (.250) paced the Westerners with three RBIs, including a two-run roundtripper and a sac fly... CF Kevin Hardy (.333) had three hits in defeat.

Tycobbian Union

GRAY BEWILDERS BLAZERS 4-0
In a brilliant and almost flawless performance, Arlon's Lanny Gray bewildered the Hillsboro Blazers 4-0 on just two singles, giving the Champions two consecutive wins in the best-of-seven series... Gray (1-0) walked none and struck out five... RF Ferdie Freese (.3.08) and C Landon Moore (.250) led the Champs at the plate with two RBIs each... Freese had three hits in the game... Hillsboro's Jamie Lee Bradley (0-1) was the loser, permitting three runs on eight hits in five-plus innings... he had 7 Ks and walked one batter... Gray had a no-hitter into the eighth when back-to-back singles ended it.

RASCALS WIN AGAIN, 6-4 IN 2ND GAME
Favored White River got the best again of San Alejo on the Rascals home diamond, defeating the Montaneros 6-4 in the second game of the Tycobbian DCS... it was White River's second successive victory... they broke a 2-2 deadlock in the bottom of the fifth with three runs... RBI singles by CF Warren Trimble (.200) and C Josh Groveland (.500), plus a bases-loaded walk to 1B Ruben Reaves (.182) decided the game... reliever Butch Slattery (1-0) got the victory, but it was Ronald Doss, who closed it out, stopping the Monties without any runs in his two innings... the loss went to San Alejo starter Matt Bell (0-1), who was touched for four runs and five hits in five innings.

Three Rascal pitchers fanned 14 batters in the game... starter Artie Wynyard got six of them in his five innings... Slattery fanned five in just two innings, but gave up three hits and two runs... Doss accounted for the other three in two innings... White River got nine hits, while San Alejo had 10... CF Pablo Teixeira (.429) and 1B Alanzo Grassi (.500) both homered and drove in two runs for the Monties... Teixiera popped three hits and Grassi had a pair... pitcher Wynyard (.250) doubled in two runs for the winners... 1B Ruben Reaves (.125), RF Thomas Young (.400), CF Warren Trimble (.250) and C Josh Groveland (.500) got the other RBIs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 24, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 3

Ruthlandian Union

WHEELHOUSE FIRES 3-HIT SHUTOUT
In a very sharp outing left-hander Larry Wheelhouse got Middlefield back into the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series with a three-hit shutout, blanking Sugar Valley 6-0 in game three at Middlefield Park... Wheelhouse (1-0) struck out four and walked four and stranding 11 Rattler baserunners, cutting Sugar Valley lead to two games to one... Chris Dunsberry (0-1) was the loser... he gave up four runs on six hits in six innings.

1B Cliff Patterson (.250) led the Rooster bats with two hits and two RBIs... 3B Cramer Landis (.500) went 3 for 4 and scored twice... CF Johnny Wyatt (.211) also drilled a pair of hits... RF Tyler Alban (.294) got two of the Rattlers three base hits... 2B Richie Fly (.417) got the other one.

VALMARA WINS AGAIN! 16TH STRAIGHT!
Strong pitching by Darek Polaski sparked the Valmara Vipers to its 16th straight postseason victory and a huge 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series... Polaski (1-0) shut out the Waleska Westerners 4-0, limiting them to just seven hits... Waleska starter Niles Neilsen (0-1) bit the dust as he was shelled for four runs and 12 hits in his eight innings by the defending IPA champion... Neilsen fanned eight and walked two batters.

Wayland Stetson (.353), Jorge Aparicio (.625) and Ken Jensen (.313) paved the way for the Vipers... 1B Stetson drilled three hits and drove in a run... 3B Aparicio socked three hits and batted in a run... and SS Ken Jensen (.313) was 2 for 5 and scored twice in the game.

Tycobbian Union

BLAZERS BACK IN IT, WIN 9-4 IN GAME 3
Strong bats and stout relievers got Hillsboro back in business in the Tycobbian Division Championship Series... a 9-4 victory cut the gap to two games to one in the best-of-seven series... the Blazers blitzed Arlon pitching for 11 hits, led by C Harry McGuire (.333), 2B Bob Foster (.133) and Jurrien Bellini (,467)... McGuire had a pair of hits and 3 RBIs...he has driven in 8 so far in the series... Foster got two hits and drove in two runs... and Bellini socked two hits and had two runs batted in... Bellini has five RBIs in three games... starter Scott Cole (1-0) got credit for the victory, but allowed four runs and 10 hits in just five frames... Bailey Bilbow worked three scoreless innings and gave up two hits... the save went to closer Hank Greenberry, who set the Champs down in order in the ninth... J. C. Hilburn (0-1) went the route for the Champions... he was rocked for nine runs on 11 hits with five Ks and four walks.

Arlon got a dozen hits with LF Davey Allen (.150) getting a two-run roundtripper and CF Cory Rockwell (.600) socking three hits and driving in a run.

WHITE RIVER BOMBS SAN ALEJO 12-4, UP 3-0
The White River Rascals bombed San Alejo 12-4 in game three of the Tycobbian DCS, taking their third consecutive victory over the Montaneros... Josh Groveland belted a grand slam homer and Billy Joe Hickman clouted a two-run shot to sparked the easy victory... Keil Trickett (1-0) struck out nine batters, walked one and didn't give up an earned run... San Alejo got eight hits off of him...LF Royce Grantham stroked a two-run homer for the Monties... a four-run seventh highlighted by Groveland four-bagger busted open the game, putting them in front 8-3... San Alejo starter Bernie Bernhoffer (0-1) was the losing pitching... he was blistered for four runs on four hits in five and one-third innings... six walks did him in... he left the game behind 4-3.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 25, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 4

Ruthlandian Union

SV RATTLERS RALLY IN 9TH, NEAR SERIES WRAP UP
Sugar Valley took a big step towards wrapping up the Ruthlandian Division Chapionship Series with Middlefield... the Rattlers charged back from a 3-1 score in the top of the ninth to take a three-one lead in the best-of-seven series... Rooster starter James Long couldn't put the Rattlers away... pinchhitter Jeff Harvey led off with a base hit, 3B Richie Fry (.412) moved him to second with another single... a critical error by second baseman Ike Gary (.188) loaded the bases... 1B Smokey Nix (.350) made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly... CF Roger Hobbs (.294) walked to load the bases again and 2B Pete McCormick (.125) lashed a liner to right to give the Rattlers a 4-3 lead.

The Roosters didn't go out without a fight... they put runners on first and second with two away, but closer Davey Brennan finished them off... it was his first save in the series... Cullen Winslow (2-0/0.00) worked the seventh and the eighth and held the Roosters scoreless for the victory, his second in the postseason... Ken Willis (0-1/0.00) lost it in the ninth... Sugar Valley outhit Middlefield 11 to 5... three Middlefield miscues were costly and led to three unearned runs.

VIPER VICTORY SKEIN SNAPPED AT 15 BY EARNEST 4-1
Trey Earnest, a third-year vet in the IPA, stymied the powerful defending IPA champion Valmara 4-1 in game four of the Ruthlandian DCS, thus snapping the Vipers' winning streak at 15 straight postseason victories... more importantly, Earnest kept his Waleska Westerners alive in the best-of-seven series... they still have a tough road, trailing by a 3-1 count... Earnest (1-1/6.40) harnessed Valmara on six hits and no earned run, going the route with four Ks and a walk... Earnest lost game one 10-1.

Waleska got two in the third and two more scores in the sixth to subdue the Vipers... 1B Rob Rice (.300) and SS Cordell Smithers (.462) had RBI singles in the third... and CF Kenny Hardy (.381) doubled in the other two in the sixth... Darus Grajek (1-1/2.40) suffered the loss giving up four runs on nine hits in six frames... Grajek fanned six and gave up two bases on balls... Smithers led the Westerners with three hits and Hardy went 2 for 4.

Tycobbian Union

MCKINNEY SETS IPA PLAYOFF RECORD WITH 15 Ks
It took a record-breaking 15-strikeout performance by super lefty Will McKinney for San Alejo to slow down the red-hot White River Rascals and avoid a sweep in the best-of-seven Tycobbian DCS... McKinley, 29-3 this season, stopped the Rascals on five hits and walked just two in a brilliant postseason outing... White River had beaten McKinley 5-2 in the playoff opener... the Rascals are still way ahead 3-1 in the series and can end the Monties season with one more victory in the last three games.

The Montaneros went to work on loser Nicky Palmer early, rocking him for five runs in the first two frames... Palmer (1-1/2.40) departed after six innings, yielding five runs and six hits... only two earned... San Alejo was led by LF Royce Grantham (.158) with a two-run single in the opening inning and McKinney (.167), who doubled in two runs in the second.

BRANHAM OUTDUELS COOPER 1-0, CHAMPS UP 3-1 NOW
Arlon's rookie phenom Erik Branham got the best of Hillsboro's wily veteran Steve Cooper 1-0 in the fourth game of the Tycobbian Division Championship Series in a game played at beautiful Derby Downs in Arlon, putting the Champions in a perfect spot to finish off the favored Blazers in the best-of-seven series... Branham (2-0/1.59), 22-12 in his rookie season, shackled Hillsboro on just three hits... he also whipped Cooper in game one 5-3... Cooper (0-2/3.45) hurled a fine game, too, limiting Arlon to just four hits in seven innings, while striking out seven and walking just one batter... Cooper was a 21-game winner in the regular season.

The Champs got the game's only score in the last of the second... 1B Ivan Cisneros (.368) led off with a two-bagger, was singled to third by Todd Grant (.353)... and brought in to score by SS Timmy Tarbell's (.353) base hit.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 26, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 5

Ruthlandian Union

SV RATTLERS ADVANCE TO RUTHLANDIAN LCS
The Sugar Valley Rattlers rattled the boards for 17 hits on the way to their fourth win in five games to dispose of the Middlefield Roosters in the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series... the Rattlers rocked the Roosters 7-4 in game five and advanced to the Ruthlandian Union title game against the survivor of Valmara and Waleska.

CF Carl Ramsey (.480) and 2B Richie Fry (.478) had four hits apiece with Ramsey driving a pair of runs and SS Ron Moody (.125) getting a pair of hits and two RBIs... Antonio Cedeno (1-1/3.26) and closer Davey Brennan (0-0/2 saves) combined for the win... Cedeno was the winning pitcher and worked into the seventh, allowing four runs on six hits, but only one was earned... He went to the showers with a 6-4 lead... Brennan got the save with two and one-third scoreless frames... loser Carroll Collier (1-2/1.45) started for the Roosters, but was relieved in the fourth after permitting two unearned runs and six hits... relievers Hollis Dale and Ken Willis followed Collier, but neither were effective... Middlefield only managed four hits for the day with SS Jimmy Beach (.238) going 2 for 4 and batting in a pair of runs.

Middlefield manager Ricky Tinker lamented his lack of offense and defense. "You can't win if you don't hit and you don't win when you play lousy defense... 10 errors in five games is terrible... Sugar Valley only had three." Tinker added, " Our pitching was fine... the team ERA was 1.73... Sugar Valley didn't get one home run in the series... we were good enough to win most series except for our terrible fielding."

Sugar Valley skipper was happy with his club's performance... "We only got 18 runs in the series, but it was enough... timely hits, solid pitching and strong defense saved us... but we will have to do better in the next round... the bats will have to be better."

WALESKA STAVES OFF ELIMINATION, WINS GAME 5
The defending Pro Cup champ Valmara took a 2-1 lead into the last of the seventh of game five of the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series, but couldn't finish off scrappy Waleska Westerners... the Vipers' bullpen caved in and lost it 4-2... the Westerners got clutch performances from starter Lou Carlson and closer Vince Gibson and remained alive in the series though still trailing three games to two.

Carlson held the Vipers to two runs on six hits in seven innings and Gibson closed out the win with by retiring six men in a row over the final two frames... Carlson (1-0/2.77) posted his first win of the best-of-seven series and it was Gibson's (0-1/0.00/2 saves) second save.

Valmara starter Primo Sirak tired and departed after six innings ahead 2-1... Sirak gave up only one run and seven hits... losing pitcher Mirko Musial (1-1/2.16) was roughed up for two runs and three hits in just two-thirds of an inning and blew the save... Waleska tacked on an insurance run in the eighth against Mark Polaski.

The Westerners collected 11 hits and were sparked by 2B D'Andre Doroncelay (.222) with two hits and two RBIs... CF Kenny Hardy's (.400) triple tied the score in the last of the seventh and Duroncelay followed it with an RBI single to put Waleska in the lead... they added another run in the eighth on a double by Hershel Briggs (.250)... the Vipers got only six hits with C Karol Koska's RBI groundout in the fourth and RF Boyd Holmes RBI single in the sixth accounting for their runs.

Tycobbian Union

STILLWELL SAVES THE BLAZERS WITH 1-0 WIN
Down three games to one in the best-of-seven Tycobbian Division Championship Series, little-used Robby Lee Stillwell saved the favored Hillsboro Blazers from postseason elimination with a superb 1-0 shutout of the Arlon Champions... Stillwell was the surprising starter for manager Andy Jefferson and he came through for him... Stillwell (1-0/0.00) blanked the Champs on four hits, striking out five and walking four... he outdueled Arlon superstar Lanny Gray (1-1/0.56), who limited the Blazers to just one run and seven hits in seven innings... Gray had six Ks and walked only one batter... during the regular season Stillwell (0-0) made only 18 appearances, all in relief, but was very effective with three saves and a sparkling 1.69 ERA... his start came about because game two of the series was rained out and messed up the starting rotation.

Hillsboro scored the game's only run in the top of the second... singles by 1B Ernie Moxley (.304) and RF Sidney Elmore (.273) placed runners on the corners... with one away Moxley scored on 3B Ken Joost's (.100) sacrifice flyout to center field... Moxley and 2B Bob Foster (.227) both socked three singles to lead the Blazers, who got eight hits.

WHITE RIVER KNOCKS SAN ALEJO OUT OF PLAYOFFS
The big bats of the White River Rascals were out in force with 17 hits as they knocked San Alejo out of the postseason playoffs with a 9-5 shellacking in game five, giving the Rascals the TU Division Championship Series four games to one... three Rascals, Billy Joe Hickman, Ryan Byrd and Ruben Reaves, all went deep to finish off the Montaneros for the season.

After falling behind 3-0 after two innings, White River went to work on five San Alejo pitchers by scoring eight unanswered runs to take an 8-3 lead in the eighth... 2B Byrd (.250) had two hits and three RBIs... LF Hickman (.217) and 1B Reaves (.208) both drilled two hits each and batted in two runs... but the biggest hit output came from SS Kunta Burton (.500) collecting four hits and 3B Kenny Yarbrough (.440) with three... the Rascals only got decent pitching from winning pitcher Butch Slattery (2-0/3.60) and closer Ronald Doss (0-0/3.60/2 saves)... Slattery permitted three runs and seven hits in six frames, fanning seven and walking four... Doss allowed two runs and four hits in three innings for his second postseason save.

RF Erik Landau (.458) paced the Monties with a solo homer among his four hits... CF Pablo Teixeira (.217) went 2 for 5 with a two-blast among his three hits and three RBIs... the defeat went to starter Bernie Bernhoffer (0-2/8.38), who was shelled for five runs on seven hits in his four and one-third innings, leaving the game behind 5-3.

White River manager Mick Cronyn praised his club for their fine play in the first round. "It was a good start with strong bats... and good pitching... that's what we'll need to win our first Pro Cup.. we've just got to keep it up."

San Alejo skipper Filipe Zamora said his club was crushed. "They batted .305 and averaged six runs a game, while holding us to less than three a game... I'm really impressed with the Rascals... they should really do well in the playoffs... I think they are the dominant team in the Tycobbian Union... and maybe in the IPA... a Pro Cup championship wouldn't be out of the question."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 27, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 6

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA FORCES IPA CHAMP VALMARA TO 7TH GAME
Not only has unheralded Waleska come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Ruthlandian LCS, the Westerners have deadlocked the series at three games each and forced a do-or-die seventh game with the defending Valmara Vipers... Waleska chalked 13 hits to defeat the Vipers 6-5 in game six at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara... the Westerners ran up a 6-1 lead after five and a half frames and then held on for the victory.

The big bats were LF Brent Bryant (.313) and 3B Hisachi Yamaguchi (.172) with three RBIs apiece, together with SS Cordell Smithers (.500) scoring three runs and getting two hits... and CF Kenny Hardy (.379) scoring twice in the game... going the route for the victory was hard-throwing southpaw Niles Neilsen (1-1/3.71), who gritted it out, surrendering five runs on eight hits with four Ks and two walks... Darek Polaski (1-1/3.77) took the loss, departing in the sixth after giving up six runs on 10 hits.

SS Ken Jensen (.310) and RF Boyd Holmes (.250) topped Valmara at the plate with two hits apiece and a run scored... 3B Jorge Aparicio (.393) led them with two runs batted... the other RBIs for the Vipers came from CF Don Ritchie (.269), 2B Arnie Pliska (.240) and RF Boyd Holmes (.250).

In the series finale it will be young right-hander Trey Earnest (18-10/2.97) on the hill for the spunky Westerners and Darus Grajek 920-14/2.31) for the Vipers... Grajek got the best of Earnest in the opening game of the series 10-1, but Earnest whipped him 4-1 in game four.

Tycobbian Union

GAME 7 LOOMS FOR ARLON AND HILLSBORO
Hillsboro has also come back from a deep 3-1 hole in the Tycobbian DCS... the Blazers nicked Arlon 3-2 when CF Rick Willis (.111) doubled in SS Shane Welsh from first base with the winning score tie up the best-of-seven series at 3-3... two Blazer hurlers joined forces for the victory... Scott Cole (1-0/4.50) fired seven sharp innings, holding Arlon to two runs on five hits... and winning pitcher Hank Greenberry (1-0/0.00) notched the triumph with two perfect frames... Arlon's starter J. C. Hilburn (0-2/4.59) was also rock-solid in defeat, allowing three runs on eight hits.

Willis (.111) and LF Jurrien Bellini (.348) each went 2 for 4 for Hillsboro with a run scored and one driven in... RF Sidney Elmora (.287) also batted a run across... Arlon took the lead 1-0 in the top of the second on a lead-off double by RF Cary Rockwell (.385), who went to third on a groundout and scored on CF Freddy Freese's high bounder to third... 3B Todd Grant (.292) homered to even it up a 2-2 in the seventh.

Both clubs will have their number one pitcher on the mound for game seven, pitting 23-year-old rookie phenom Erik Branham (22-12/2.09) against 33-year-old vet Steve Cooper (21-10/2.44)... Branham has beaten Cooper twice in the playoffs 5-3 and 1-0.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, September 28, 2051

IPA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 7

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA UPSETS PRO CUP CHAMP IN 7 GAMES
Nobody saw it coming, but every now and then there is a moment in sports that defies reality... one such magical moment occurred at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara... the underdog Waleska Westerners came back from a 3-0 deficit to win the last four games of the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series and upset the defending Pro Cup champion Valmara Vipers, preventing them from a chance at three IPA titles in a row.

A little chubby 5-foot-9, 215-pound right-hander by the name of Trey Earnest hurled the game of his career, beating the powerhouse Vipers 6-2 in game seven... Earnest (2-1/4.57) held them to two runs on seven hits and went the distance... the Westerners backed him up with 15 hits to eliminate Valmara from the Pro Cup playoffs... up next for Waleska are the Sugar Valley Rattlers, who defeated the Middlefield Roosters in five games... the two clubs will tangle for the Ruthlandian Union league crown, starting this Monday afternoon.

3B Hisashi Yamaguchi (.235) led the Westerner attack with three hits, three runs and an RBI... Yamaguchi had a solo homer and two singles... 1B Rob Rice also had three hits, scored a run and batted in a run... and 2B Hershel Briggs (.321) added in two hits, a run and an RBI.

Valmara scored first... 3B Arnie Pliska singled in the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth... but the Vipers didn't keep it long... Yamaguchi homered and Briggs had an RBI single in the top of the sixth to give Waleska a 2-1 lead... Rice stretched it to 3-1 with an RBI single in the seventh... SS Jimmy Butler added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 4-1... and in the ninth Don Roberts and Brent Bryant expanded it to 6-1 with an RBI triple and a sac fly... pinchhitter Jacek Prusak finally put the Vipers on the scoreboard again in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double.

Valmara lost starting pitcher Darus Grajek (1-1/2.16) to injury in the second inning... the losing pitcher was Mirko Musial (1-2/2.92) who was roughed up for two runs and eight hits in just four frames... Mark Polaski (0-0/8.31) fared even worst and was battered for four runs in three innings.

Roy Hobbs, the Waleska manager, was thrilled beyond delight... he told reporters, "I won't bull you... it really looked bleak for us when we lost the first three games... then everything begin to click... Trey won game four... Lou game five... Niles struggled but won game six... and then Trey pitched a magnificent seventh game."

Asked to pick a MVP, Hobbs said, "The whole team... everybody truly did their part... the pitchers outpitched the Viper staff and the hitters outhit them... to come back and beat a great team like Valmara means a lot went our way."

After thinking a little Hobbs said, "Well... maybe the key was Trey Earnest... without him we would not have won."

Valmara Vanya Vasylenko praised the Westerners. "They are a spunky bunch that never gave up... they beat us fair and square... it wasn't luck."

Vasylenko expressed his disappointment. "This was my best team... I thought we were going to win our third straight Pro Cup... it was a great season and it really hurts to have it end this way."

Tycobbian Union

ARLON CLOBBERS BLAZERS 12-3 IN GAME 7
The Arlon Champions rose to the occasion and clobbered the favored Hillsboro Blazers 12-3 in game seven of the Tycobbian Division Championship Series to capture the best-of-seven in seven games, 4-3.... and they did at the Blazers home field Hanford Stadium... they hit everything in or anywhere near the plate, racking up 16 hits in the romp... leading the attack was LF Davey Allen (.167) with three hits, including a homer, triple and double... Allen drove in four runs and scored three times... 2B Carlo Campanella (.290) chipped in with two doubles, a homer, scored two runs and batted in two... CF Cleve Hepperman (.280) socked three hits, scored twice and had a pair of RBIs... and 1B Ivan Cisneros (.367) also delivered three base hits, including a double, scored a run and drove one in.

The Champions put six runs on the scoreboard after just two innings and had 10 there by the fifth frame... Hillsboro never had a chance... rookie Erik Branham (3-0/2.08) rung up the Blazers for the third time in the series, holding them to three runs on seven hits... LF Jurrien Bellini (.367) had two hits for the Blazers... he homered in the first.

Mark Cameron, skipper for Arlon, was excited about his first playoff win. "This is what you play for... the postseason... everybody wants that coveted Pro Cup ring... I know no one expects us to win it, but guess what?... my team doesn't agree with you... we're in it to win it all."

Losing manager Andy Jefferson of Hillsboro told the press, "With Branham and Gray starting five games in a series, Arlon is a tough team... White River beware."

Arlon will take on the strong White River Rascals in the Tycobbian Union League Championship Series beginning this Monday afternoon at White River Stadium... the Rascals disposed of the San Alejo Montaneros in five games in first-round play.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, September 29, 2051

FOUR CLUBS COMPETE FOR PRO CUP SPOTS
After a week of first-round postseason play there are still four contenders for the IPA Pro Cup... Sugar Valley (103-51) and White River (97-57) have emerged as the likely combatants in the Pro Cup Finals this year... the Rattlers and Rascals will be favored over two lesser lights, the Waleska Westerners (87-67) and Arlon Champions (88-66) in the League Championship Series getting started this Monday in Sugar Valley and White River.

Sugar Valley and Waleska topped Middlefield (82-72) and defending IPA crownbearer Valmara (104-50) in Ruthlandian first round play and White River and Arlon tamed San Alejo (92-62) and Hillsboro (98-56) in the Tycobbian Union... the Rattlers KO'ed Middlefield in five games, while the Westerners upset Valmara in seven games after trailing 3-0... The Rascals elimininated San Alejo in five games, while Arlon had to go seven games to defeat the Hillsboro Blazers.

Opening games feature Waleska going to Sugar Valley for the first two games in the Ruthlandian LCS... in the Tycobbian Union White River will be at home in the first two games entertaining Arlon... the Rattlers and the Rascals get the benefit of the homefield advantage because of better records in the regular season... all of the playoffs series are best-of-seven games.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 2, 2051

IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 1

Ruthlandian Union

RATTLERS GRAB OPENER 2-0 OVER WESTERNERS
Strong pitching and strong defense sparked the Sugar Valley Rattlers past the Waleska Westerners in the opening game of the Ruthlandian League Championship Series... winning pitcher Christopher Dunsberry (1-1/2.57) fired eight shutout innings, holding the Westerners to just four hits... he got help from closer Davey Brennan (0-0/0.00/3 saves), who chalked up his third save of the postseason with a scoreless ninth... five double plays greatly helped the Rattler cause... the losing hurler was Trey Earnest (2-2/3.94)... he had a fine outing, giving up only two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks... Earnest went the distance.

2B Richie Fry (.444) put Sugar Valley in the lead 1-0 with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth... the Rattlers got their other score in the seventh on a double by 1B Smokey Nix (.333), single by CF Carl Ramsey (.464) and a RBI sacrifice fly by RF Tyler Alban (.276)... Waleska was limited to five hits and rarely threatened in the game.

Tycobbian Union

ARLON'S BRANHAM BEATS RASCALS 8-3 IN FIRST GAME
Arlon's rookie sensation Erik Branham was stung for a lot of hits, but he managed to keep White River out of pay dirt most of the time... Branham beat the Rascals 8-3 in game one of the Tycobbian LCS at White River Stadium despite being tagged for 13 hits... Branham walked none and fanned four while going the route for his fourth consecutive postseason win.

LF Davey Allen (.171) got his third homer in the playoffs for the Champions and CF Ferdie Freese (.243) hit his second... both of them were one-run clouts... Freese had two hits and drove in two runs for the winners... 3B Todd Grant (.3330 also had two hits and two RBIs... and Arlon 2B Carlo Campanella (.306) rapped two hits and scored three times... LF Billy Joe Hickman (.259) had two hits and two runs batted in for White River... RF Ryne Hyland (.296) went 3 for 5, SS Kunta Burton (.483) was 2 for 5 and 3B Kenny Yarbrough (.448) was 2 for 4.

White River ace Nicky Palmer (1-2/3.75) did not have a good day... the Champs clipped him for eight runs and nine hits... nonetheless Palmer pitched the whole game, fanned seven and walked three.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 3, 2051

IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 2

Ruthlandian Union

SHADWELL'S HR SENDS WALESKA PAST RATTERS 4-2
Pinchhitter Denver Shadwell (.182) busted up a 12-inning thriller between Waleska and Sugar Valley with a two-run homer in the top of the 13th frame giving the Westerners a 4-2 triumph over the Rattlers, deadlocking the Ruthlandian League Championship Series at one game each... In a fine performance Lou Carlson (1-0/1.90) worked into the 11th inning, stopping Sugar Valley on two runs and nine hits in 10 and two-thirds innings... he then turned it over to Vince Gibson and Kenny Foster, who blanked the Rattlers over the last seven outs on one hit... Gibson (1-1/0.00) gained the victory, while Foster (0-0/0.00/1 save) got the save... Sugar Valley reliever Cullen Winslow (2-1/1.59) took the loss, but looked good except for the fatal homer... Winslow fired six innings, allowed five hits and two runs... strong defense helped the Westerners... they chalked up three double plays.

Waleska outdid Sugar Valley offensively with a 13-10 advantage... CF Kevin Hardy (.364) sparked the Westerners with 3-6 and a run scored... RF Gene Stevenson (.192), 2B Hershel Briggs (.297) and C Jimmy Butler (.206) led Waleska with two hits each... RF Tyler Alban (.343) paced the Rattlers with 4-6 with an RBI and a run... Alban doubled twice... C Yoshino Okada (.250) cracked two hits in four tries and drove in a run for Sugar Valley.

Tycobbian Union

GRAY GREAT, BEATS RASCALS 1-0 IN GAME 2
The Arlon Champions are riding two talented pitchers so far in the playoffs and looking quite dangerous... the 35-year-old left-hander Lanny Gray totally shutdown the hard-hitting White River Rascals 1-0, tossing a terrific three-hitter... Gray (2-1/0.36) was in total control, striking out six batters and walking nobody... the only run in the game came off the bat of 1B Ivan Cisneros (.324) when he went deep in the top of the fourth.

The Champs didn't do much against Artie Wynyard (1-1/, who held them to only four hits, while striking out 11 and walking just two in a splendid outing... it was the second fine mound job for Arlon... in yesterday's opener the Champions prevailed behind rookie phenom Erik Branham 8-3... it was Gray second shutout in the postseason... he blanked Hillsboro 4-0 about 10 days ago... in his only loss, Hillsboro nipped him 1-0 in game five of the Tycobbian DCS.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 4, 2051

IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 3

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA WALLOPS SUGAR VALLEY 12-6 IN GAME 3
In game three of the Ruthlandian League Championship Series underdog Waleska walloped Sugar Valley 12-6 with a 17-hit barrage at Westerner Field to go up two games to one... Pete Doyle and Jimmy Butler were the prime bats with three runs batted in each... the Rattlers snapped a 2-2 tie with four runs in the top of the sixth, but the Westerners retaliated with 10 runs in the bottom half of the inning to win going away.

Waleska 1B Rob Rice (.407) went 3 for 4... C Jimmy Butler (.256) was 3 for 5... and three players CF Kevin Hardy (.367), LF Pete Doyle (.278) and 3B Hasashi Yamaguchi (.283) all chipped in with a pair of hits... PH Brent Bryant (.273) had the only roundtripper in the contest, a two-run shot... Sugar Valley collected 10 hits with LF Allan Hood (.214), CF Carl Ramsey (.432) and C Cal Weeks (.500) getting two hits apiece.

Westerner starter Niles Nielsen (2-1/5.09) notched the win but was treated roughly by the Rattlers for six runs and nine hits in six innings... in a very effective relief appearance Kenny Foster (0-0/0.00/2 saves) put up his second save of the playoff with three runless innings, holding the Rattlers to one hit, walking no one and whiffing four batters... loser Antonio Cedeno (1-2/5.76) was belted for 10 runs and 15 hits by the Westerners in just five-plus frames.

Tycobbian Union

CHAMPS NEAR SWEEP, CLOBBER RASCALS 10-1
Longshot Arlon annihilated highly-favored White River 10-1 in the third game of the Tycobbian LCS as J. C. Hilburn and Ivan Cisneros paved the way to victory... one more win in the best-of-seven series for the Champions and they will be on their way to the Pro Cup Finals... Hilburn (1-2/3.42) supplied some top-notch pitching, going into the ninth and holding the Rascals to one run on six hits in eight and two-thirds innings... he fanned five and walked only two... it was Arlon's third consecutive triumph.

1B Ivan Cisneros (.341) boomed a grand slam homer in the second inning to put Arlon ahead 5-0 and they cinched it with five more in the fifth... Cisneros had two hits and batted in five runs... CF Ferdie Freese (.244) also homered and drove in a pair of runs... both Cisneros and Freese have hit three homers in the playoffs... RF Cary Rockwell (.450) also had two hits and a pair of RBIs... taking the loss in a terrible outing was White River starter Keil Trickett (1-1/6.92).. Arlon slammed him for 10 runs in four innings.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 5, 2051

IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 4

Ruthlandian Union

WALESKA NEARS RU CROWN, EDGES RATTLERS 3-2 IN GAME 4
Three victories down and one more to go... unheralded Waleska took command of the Ruthlandian League Championship Series with a 3-2 decision over favored Sugar Valley behind the fine pitching of Trey Earnest (3-2/3.49), who went all the way, surrendering only two runs on nine hits, striking out seven and walking three batters... he gained revenge over Christopher Dunsberry (1-2/2.45), who had beaten him 2-0 in game one... Dunsberry was touched for only three runs, but he was in constant hot water with 12 hits.

Waleska scored first in the opening frame on a CF Kevin Hardy'S (.358) double and a run-scoring single by LF Gene Stevenson (.235)... the Westerners made it 2-0 in the third on a single by Stevenson, double by 1B Rob Rice (.433) and an RBI single by 2B Hershel Briggs (.283)... Sugar Valley never led in the game, but did cut it to 2-1 in the top of the sixth on SS Ron Moody (.156) solo clout... Waleska got their final run in the last of the seventh on a single by LF Brent Bryant (.292), who was sacrificed to second, stole third and rode home on Cordell Smithers' (.400) base hit... the Rattlers closed it to 3-2 with a run in the eighth on a base on balls to CF Carl Ramsey (.400), wild pitch and an RBI single by RF Tyler Alban (.326).

Tycobbian Union

FAVORED RASCALS EDGE CHAMPS 2-1 IN 13, TRAILS 3-1
Finalists for the past two Pro Cups and favored to play for it a third year in a row, the White River Rascals are still hanging by the barest of theads in spite of a nerve-wracking 2-1 victory in 13 innings over the upstart Arlon Champions in game four of the best-of-seven Tycobbian LCS... the Champs are still in front three games to one.

Only tremendous pitching saved the Rascals from extinction... starter Nicky Palmer fired 10 sharp innings, holding the Champions to just one run on seven hits, while fanning five and walking three... closer Ronald Doss (1-0/2.00/2 saves) tucked in the win with three scoreless frames... Arlon got outstanding mound work, too, from starter Erik Branham... the rookie went into the 10th, permitted only one unearned run on six hits... Mack Blair then worked one and one-thirds innings allowing no runs... and losing pitcher Mackie McDuff (0-1/3.00) lost it on an unearned run in the 13th without giving up a hit.

White River went ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth on a two-base error, groundout to first and a deep sac fly to center field by 1B Ruben Reaves (.200)... Arlon tied it at 1-all in the last of the fifth on 3B Todd Grant's (.279) double and SS Timmy Tarbell's (.238) single... then the Rascals escaped with a 2-1 win in the 13th on a walked to LF Billy Joe Hickman (.179)... an error by 2B Ryan Byrd (.211) put runners on first and second... a swinging bunt moved them up to second and third... C Josh Groveland's (.257) deep fly to center scored the game-winner.

Arlon outhit White River 9 to 6... with RF Cary Rockwell (.462) going 3 for 6, 2B Carlo Campanella (.294) 2 for 6 and 3B Todd Grant 2 for 4... 3B Kenny Yarbrough (.395) and SS Kunta Burton (.419) smacked two hits each for the winners.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 6, 2051

IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Game 5

Ruthlandian Union

WESTERNERS ON THE WAY TO PRO CUP FINALS
Lou Carlson and Hershel Briggs teamed up to take the underdog Waleska Westerners to the IPA Pro Cup Finals with a 5-2 win in game five of the Ruthlandian League Championship Series against favored Sugar Valley... it was the Westerners' fourth victory in five games... Carlson (3-0/1.99) held the Rattlers to two runs and six hits, while striking out five and walking two... Briggs did his part with a bases-loaded triple and an RBI double, driving in four of the Westerners' five runs... in a mediocre outing Joe Snow (1-1/3.21) caught the loss, going six innings, permitting five runs on seven hits.

Waleska had the advantage 8-6 in hits over Sugar Valley... 2B Hershel Briggs (.300) went 2 for 4 and batted in four runs... RF Gene Stevenson (.289) was 3 for 4 and 1B Rob Rice (.424) was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and one driven in... RF Tyler Alban (.340) and 2B Richie Fry (.400) led the losers with two hits each.

"We might have sneaked up on the Rattlers," the Waleska skipper Roy Hobbs told the press, "Nobody gave us much of a chance."

Asked what the key to the win was, Hobbs replied, "Amazing pitching did it for us... holding a team like Sugar Valley to 14 runs in five games was tremendous... Lou Carlson pitched brilliantly in his two wins... and Trey Earnest could easily have won both of his games... and everybody pitched in at the plate with timely hits... it was great team victory... and we have to do it one more time in the Finals... we haven't won a Pro Cup since 2039... I think it's time to win another one."

Losing manager Bobby Gamble didn't agree with Hobbs. "We didn't take the Westerners lightly... they beat the team that won the most games in the regular season... Valmara... the team that won the last two Pro Cups... how could they sneak up on us?"

Gamble also told the press, "I will agree that their pitching is outstanding... they shut us down completely... even in the one game we won... the opener 2-0."

He also addressed their offense, saying "They don't have any great hitters, but they sure are pesky... and good enough to beat us."

Tycobbian Union

ARLON GOES TO THE PRO CUP FINALS
The name of the game in the Tycobbian LCS was also pitching... Lonny Gray shackled powerful White River on just two hits, topping them 7-1 in the fifth game of the series to give lightly-regarded Arlon the league title four games to one... now the Champs will head to the Pro Cup Finals against the Ruthlandian title winner Waleska... it will be two underdogs playing for the Islandian Pro Alliance crown... both clubs pulled huge upsets to get to the Pro Cup Finals.

Gray (3-2/2.08) was superb, limiting the tough Rascals to just two hits and one run, while going the route... Gray was right on target, chalking up 12 strikeouts with only one base on balls... White River was really never in the series as Arlon's Branham and Gray dominated them... Artie Wynyard (1-2/3.81) suffered the defeat as the Champs clipped him for seven runs and 10 hits in six-plus frames.

2B Carlo Campanella (.327) sparkled at the plate for Arlon in game five, racking up three hits, driving in two runs and scoring twice... 1B Ivan Cisneros (.300) contributed two runs batted in... and LF Davey Allen (.175) scored three runs and added an RBI.

Mick Cronyn, White River manager, said "The Champs embarrassed us... eight runs in five games just shows how dominant the pitching was... we had a chance to win in two games and won one of them... no contest in the other three... Branham and Gray give Arlon a terrific 1-2 punch... I would think they will do quite well against the Ruthlandian winner."

Arlon manager Mark Cameron, who has been at the helm for just three years, was jubilant. "This is the second time the team has gone to the Finals... in '39 Arlon lost to Waleska in six games... let's hope we can bring our first Pro Cup trophy home to Arlon this year."

"Branham and Gray have been remarkable all year long and really remarkable in the postseason," Cameron commented to reporters. "We're a lot like Waleska... two great pitchers and a bunch of scrappers at the plate."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 7, 2051

UNDERDOGS IN PRO CUP FINALS
Surprise... Surprise... it will be two of the IPA lesser lights in the Pro Cup finale this season... it will be the Arlon Champions representing the Tycobbian Union and the Waleska Westerners standing in for the Ruthlandian Union... the two scrappy teams will go head-to-head in a best-of-seven series for the IPA Pro Cup beginning this Monday afternoon at Arlon's beautiful Derby Downs

The two Pro Cup finalists this year were voted "most unlikely to succeed" in the postseason Pro Cup poll, but to everyone's surprise they upset the highly-rated and the high-and-mighty... Waleska upended the Pro Cup favorite Valmara Vipers in the Ruthlandian Championship Series... Valmara won the Pro Cup the previous two seasons and looked like a lock on a third straight IPA crown... the spunky Westerners knocked them off in just five games with great pitching and pesky bats... likewise, unheralded Arlon eliminated powerful White River in only five games for the Tycobbian title... the Rascals were whipped by Valmara in the Pro Cup Finals the last two seasons and were forecast to go at them again this year... in the Pro Cup predictions the Arlon Champions were ranked no better than sixth, while the Waleska Westerners were the seventh choice... very few oddsmakers gave either club much support in taking the Islands' overall baseball championship, but here they are.

And which underdog are they favoring this time around?... it'll be the Waleska Westerners, the conquerors of the vaunted Valmara Vipers... Waleska is given the edge in a tight series that will probably go the distance... all seven games.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 8, 2051

WALESKA SLIM FAVORITE OVER ARLON IN PRO CUP
There are almost like two peas in a pod... Waleska and Arlon are cut from the the same mold... super starters, strong relievers and lackluster bats... they are hard to choose between... the Westerners seem to have the offensive advantage and that's the key difference... so the oddsmakers have made Waleska a very, very slight choice to take the 2051 IPA Pro Cup in a seven-game series.

The Westerners hit .269 (8th) in the regular season with only 103 home runs (24th-tied) and 671 runs (18th) and averaged a little over 4 and a half runs a game... while the Champions counter with a .253 BA (24th), 631 runs (28th-tied) and 103 HRs (30th), putting about four runs a game on the scoreboard.

Record-wise, neither was outstanding... Waleska was 87-67 and Arlon was 88-66... but they both possess standout starters and relievers... the Champs had the third-best team ERA in the IPA with an impressive 2.81, topped only by Valmara (2.69) and Glasco (2.71) of the Ruthlandian Union... while the Westerner staff was ranked 14th (3.32).

Defensively the Westerners have a decided advantage with a solid .975 FA to a very poor .965 FA for Arlon.

Arlon manager Mark Cameron will have at his disposal starters Erik Branham (22-12/2.09), Lanny Gray (21-14/2.89), J. C. Hilburn (19-12/3.06... long relief will go to number-four starter Mackie McDuff (10-8/3.72/2 saves)... and his closer will be Mack Blair (7-6/1.55/16 saves).

Roy Hobbs, skipper of the Westerners, will go with Lou Carlson (22-13/3.32), Trey Earnest (18-10/2.97) and Kenny Foster (13-14/3.01) as his starting three... number-four Niles Nielsen (16-15/3.55) will be the main long reliever and his closer is Vince Gibson (6-7/2.26/12 saves).

The most productive bats in the Waleska line-up are 3B Hisashi Yamaguchi (.293/5/60/72), RF Gene Stevenson (.295/11/61/65), 1B Rob Rice (.299/17/56/63) and OF Denver Shadwell (.285/14/73/47)... you also need to add in an excellent bench: SS Cordell Smithers (.310/2/23/43), SS Nelson Ridley (.309/5/29/39), LF Pete Doyle (.303/7/44/32) , LF Brent Bryant (.282/2/25/26) and 2B D'Andre Duroncelay (.352/2/20/13)... altogether, they have a pesky bunch of productive batters in their batting order.

Arlon probably has the best hitter on both teams in 1B Ivan Cisneros (.271/20/87/99)... OF Ferdie Freese (.331/8/62/42) also had a very good season in a platoon role... but there isn't much past them... the best of the rest are 2B Carlo Campanella (.258/6/40/75), LF Davey Allen (.288/7/47/65), 3B Todd Grant (.251/12/65/60) and SS Timmy Tarbell (.257).

Waleska's top playoff performers have been starters Lou Carlson (3-0/1.99) and Trey Earnest (3-2/3.49)... and Vince Gibson (1-1/0.00/2 saves) and Thurman Bowman (0-0/1.50/no saves) in the bullpen... the Westerner offensive leaders have been SS Cordell Smithers (.386/0/2/9), CF Kevin Hardy (.339/0/7/8), 1B Rob Rice (.424/0/3/6), 2B Hershel Briggs (.300/0/7/4) and 3B Hisashi Yamaguchi (.296/1/5/5)... Waleska is 8-4 in the postseason... 3-3 at home and 5-1 on the road... defensively the Westerners have committed 11 errors in 12 games.

Leading the Arlon Champions in the postseason on the mound are rookie sensation Erik Branham (4-0/1.81), Lanny Gray (3-2/2.08) and J. C. Hilburn (1-2/3.42) in the starting rotation... in the bullpen it's been Mack Blair (0-0/0.00/1 save)... sparking the Champs at bat are 1B Ivan Cisneros (.300/3/11/9), 2B Carlo Campanella (.327/2/5/12), CF Ferdie Freese (.213/3/9/7), LF Davey Allen (.175/3/8/11) and RF Cary Rockwell (.462/0/4/1)... Arlon has a decided edge in power with 13 playoff roundtrippers... on defense the Champions have had 7 miscues in a dozen games with an 8-4 postseason mark... 3-3 at home and 5-1 on the road, same as Waleska... Arlon will have the homefield advantage.

Waleska Westerners