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Wednesday, July 16, 2064

TU STARS TRIUMPH OVER RU STARS ON GILFORD CLOUT
Old habits are hard to break... for the 44th time in 64 clashes in the Islandian Pro All-Star Classic the Tycobbian Stars triumphed over the Ruthlandian Stars... this time they won it 7-5 on a two-run homer by Elvis Gilford (Mahaska) in the top of the ninth.

It was a good baseball game that seesawed back-and-forth... the TU All-Stars struck first in the second frame on a two-run homer by Odell Overstreet (Tuckanarra)... in the third Eliot Marcum (Belle Plaine) got one of them back for the RU All-Stars with a solo swat... Ruthlandia jumped into the lead with three runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Klaus Dittmer (Far Mountain) and Timmy Benford (Valmara)... another one came via a wild pitch.

Both clubs hit the ball well... the Tycobbian Stars cracked 13 hits and the Ruthlandian Stars collected 11... Teddy Stonich (Rolling Hills) sparked them with three hits and two runs scored... Elvis Gilford, the game's Most Valuable Player, had two hits, two runs and two ribbies... the TU Stars took the lead 5-4 in the sixth on a sac fly by Donald Wren (Luxora) and a two-run single by Bob Purkey (South Fork)... Ruthlandia evened it all up 5-5 when Teddy Knox (Elnora) got hit by a pitch, was bunted to second and came across to score on Dan Timmons's base hit.... Timmons (Taranto), Benford (Valmara) and Jordy Olsen (Fort Benton) paced the RU All-Stars with two hits apiece.

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Monday, September 1, 2064

WHO WILL SURGE IN SEPTEMBER?
Bottom line time is here in the Islandian Pro Alliance... it is down to the nitty gritty and time to get it done... no slumps in September is the credo... the season is riding on it... and now a quick cruise around the Islands.

Claxton has the Ruthlandian South well in hand with an 11-game lead over the second place Waleska Westerners... the Diamonds are shore 'nuff the winner... the Sligo Rovers are very secure in the Ruthlandian West with a 10-game margin over runner-up Volusia... over in the Tycobbian Union the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are feeling good with a 6 and a half-game edge over Ozarka in the TU East... and the San Alejo Montaneros are confortable with a 6-game lead in the TU South over the Summerland Sunsets... neither of the two are playing very well right now... one would rightly reckon that those pennant races are fairly well decided... however, Hartsdale pulled it off last year, trailing Oxford by 6 going into the final month, the Hellcats miraculously beat the Red Caps in a sudden-death game and went on to their greatest season ever and won the IPA Pro Cup... so it does happen...

And now for the divisions that are still a catfight... the Ranford Bulls are up by just 2 games over the Glasco Foxhounds in the Ruthlandian North... last year's champ La Grange is still hanging in there, just 2 and a half games out... even Valmara and Far Mountain are still technically in the chase, 4 and a half games and 6 and a half games back... down the stretch in September the Bulls looks the best of the three leaders.

It down to just two teams in the Ruthlandian East... Elnora, last year's flag winner, is running 10 and a half games out and is out of it... preseason favorite and longtime powerhouse Wynnamac has a shaky 3 games edge over the Sugar Valley Rattlers... it's anybody game to win... both the Macs and the Rattlers are playing well.

Checking out the close races in the Tycobbian Union... there are two logjams there... boy, it's a mess in the TU West where the surprising La Claire Lynx are top, but Rolling Hills Racers and the Kenwood Wildcats are nipping at their heels, just a half game behind... it could be here today and gone tomorrow in the standings... the standings could change on a day-by-day basis... based on last month's play, the Kenwood Wildcats are the team to beat... but the Racers and the Lynx are still in it and are still good ballclubs... it should be quite a photo finish.

4 teams are contending in the Tycobbian North... the Oxford Red Caps were a huge favorite to begin the season, looking like they would win by double digits, but it hasn't played out exactly that way... the first place Red Caps are being hard pressed by three other clubs... the Mahaska Haymakers are just 2 games behind Oxford... the Blue Lake Schooners and North Hills Hawks are still in the ballgame... the Schooners trail by 4 games and the Hawks are just 4 and a half off the pace... still plenty of time to catch the Red Caps with 24 games to play... Blue Lake and North Hills didn't play well in August... the Hawks went into the month with a 3-game lead and blew it all and more... Oxford and Mahaska are redhot heading into the final month... the TU North looks like it will come down to the Oxonians and the Haymakers.

Ruthlandian Union Standings

:eatpop: :)

It's peanuts and crackerjack time!

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Monday, September 29, 2064

PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, 5 IPA PRESEASON PICKS PREVAIL
I suppose the baseball gurus are pretty darn good at picking winners... they nailed 5 of the division champions... looking back I think I only picked 2 of the 8 correctly... Rolling Hills and Oxford... the preseason prognosticators missed out on the Valmara Vipers in the Ruthlandian North, Sligo Rovers in the Ruthlandian West and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats in the Tycobbian East... those three unlikely division champions were joined by the Claxton Diamonds, Wynnamac Sundowners, Rolling Hills Racers, Oxford Red Caps and San Alejo Montaneros, who, as forecast, captured their respectives league flags.

Valmara trailed Ranford going into the final month of the season... in a last-minute super September surge the Valmara Vipers came from fourth place and 4 and a half games back to edge out the preseason favorite Glasco Foxhounds in the Ruthlandian North by 2 games... the Vipers went 16-8 down the stretch, while Glasco was 13-11... the Bulls slumped to 9-15 and finished third, while last year's champ LaGrange could only manage 10-13 and ended up in fourth place.

In the Ruthlandian South, the Claxton Diamonds sparkled brilliantly and totally dominated the division, winning it by 14 games over the Valka Blackhawks... this was the second successive season the Diamonds reigned supreme in the RU South.

The Wynnamac Sundowners had a very good year in the Ruthlandian East and won it for the third time in the past five seasons... the Macs staved off the rejuvenated Sugar Valley Rattlers by 2 games and whipped the champion for the past two years, the Elnora Clippers, by 8 games.

After three straight second-place finishes in the Ruthlandian West, the Sligo Rovers finally came through and captured their third pennant in six seasons... and they did it in very convincing fashion, winning by 14 games over runner-up Fort Benton... preseason pick, Rocky Rapids, came in a very distant third... defending division champ, Colfax, was a very disappointing fourth... the Black Sox reached the IPA Pro Cup Finals last year and lost to Pro Cup champion Hartsdale.

Over in the Tycobbian Union in the TU North Division preseason favorite Oxford poured it on in the September stretch drive and pulled away from the pack... the Red Caps posted a 16-9 mark and toppled Blue Lake by 6 games, North Hills by 7 and Mahaska by 8... last year Tycobbian North champion was Hartsdale, who flopped this year and came in fifth, 14 games off the pace... the Hellcats won it all last year, taking the IPA Pro Cup trophy.

The Tycobbian South race went as expected... preseason favored San Alejo won it by 7 games over the second-place Summerland Sunsets and the Southport Sun Sox with Cape Coral coming in fourth... the Sunsets won the title in '63 and the Sun Sox in '62.

According to the IPA baseball analysts, the South Fork Stallions, last year's Tycobbian East titlist, were supposed to lose out in a close race to the preseason pick, the High Mesa Mustangs, the Red Bluff Red Sox and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats... however, the Tucks spoiled the party and came away with the pennant... the Tiger Cats took charge in August and won it handily... the resurgent Midway Wolves closed strongly, but still wound up 6 games back in the second spot in the standings... High Mesa finished third, trailing by 7 games... Ozarka was fourth and 9 games back... and defending champ South Fork was fifth and 11 games behind... Red Bluff was never in the race, spending the whole season near the bottom of the league.

The mighty Rolling Hills Racers put everybody away in the Tycobbian West... heading into the final month the Racers were being heavily pressed and pushed hard by the La Claire Lynx and the Kenwood Wildcats... Rolling Hills took control with a marvelous 18-6 record to defeat La Claire by 4 games and Kenwood by 8 games... the Racers won the last 12 games in the regular season... the Lynx did well with a 15-10 mark, while the Wildcats crumbled with 10-14 down the stretch.

Ruthlandian Union Final Standings

2064 Islandian Pro Alliance Leaderboards

Ruthlandian Union
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Tycobbian Union
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Tuesday, September 30, 2064

POWERS CLASH FOR IPA PRO CUP TOMORROW
Most of the baseball fans around the Islands will be in their glory for the next month... it's postseason time in the Islandian Pro Alliance... 8 division champions will go at it hot-and-heavy the next few weeks and will try to make their hometown fans' dream come true... they are hoping they will be acclaimed the best team in Islandia and at the end of the month they can raised the glorious Pro Cup championship flag over their home park... the Pro Cup is the symbol of baseball supremacy throughout the Islands.

This year's Pro Cup challengers have accumulated 18 Pro Cup trophies between them... Rolling Hills leads with 5 IPA titles ('29, '31, '48, '60, '62)... Valmara has won it 4 times ('26, '43, '44, '50)... Tuckanarra has snared 3 trophies ('23, '24, '35)... both the Oxford Red Caps and the Wynnamac Sundowners have been victors 2 times... Red Caps ('07, '61) and the Macs ('08, '55)... a couple of the division winners have captured it one time... Sligo ('21) and San Alejo ('32)... while the poor Claxton Diamonds have never been blessed with the Holy Grail of Islandian Baseball - the much-revered Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup.

Over the years the Tycobbian Union has garnered the Pro Cup on 35 occasions, while the Ruthlandian Union has been the IPA champion 28 times... the TU has triumphed the last five years in the year-end classic.

What kind of team has the best chance of winning it all?... over the past five postseasons it has varied a little... power offense has won it three times with Rolling Hills ('60, '62) and Oxford ('61)... solid pitching and timely hitting won it for the Ginza Karate Kids ('59)... and the Hartsdale Hellcats, a good all-around club won it last year ('63).

First round play begins tomorrow afternoon... in the Ruthlandian Union Division Championship it will be Claxton hosting Valmara and Wynnamac traveling to Sligo… in the Tycobbian Union Rolling Hills opens up at home against the tough Tuckanarra Tiger Cats and Oxford will welcome the visiting San Alejo Montaneros… all playoff series will be the best-of-seven encounters.

Island Pro Alliance Pro Cup Poll:
1. Rolling Hills Racers
2. Claxton Diamonds
3. Oxford Red Caps
4. Tuckanarra Tiger Cats
5. Valmara Vipers
6. San Alejo Montaneros
7. Sligo Rovers
8. Wynnamac Sundowners

This year the Rolling Hills Racers are easily the best team on paper... and they have won it twice in the last four years... the Racers clearly have the best attack, but they may not have the pitching they have had in the championship seasons... Rolling Hills will have to hit well to win it this year... Rolling Hills will face a pretty fair and well-balanced team in the first round -- the Tuckanarra Tigers Cats... don't be surprised if they give the Racers quite a tussle.

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The Claxton Diamonds really had quite a year in the Ruthlandian South... and they did it with superior pitching and standout defense... Claxton looks to be the class of the Ruthlandian Union... the outlook is for a Rolling Hills-Claxton Pro Cup Finals... the Diamonds are rated the second-best team in the IPA this year.

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The Pro Cup prognosticators think Oxford is the third-best club in the playoffs... the Red Caps are a veteran team with much playoff experience... they always give Rolling Hills a tough time in the postseason... they have done well in the Pro Cup playoffs in recent years... Oxford always give stiff competition in the postseason... that should continue this year... the Red Caps have to beat the San Alejo Monteneros in round one... they should handle the Monties, who are short on #3 and #4 starters, but they do have two solid #1 and #2's.

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Coming in at number four is Tuckanarra... the Tucks have three quality starters and some solid hitters... but the Tiger Cats are a little lax defensively... Rolling Hills will know they are in a series in the first round of play... the Racers will have to play well.


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The fifth-best pick to win the Pro Cup this year are the Valmara Vipers... they are a good all-around club... good hitting, good power and their pitching may be darn good, too... both starting and in the bullpen... it will be a good series between the Vipers and Claxton in first-round action... Valmara will not have to win with its bats... it has a quality mound staff, too.


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San Alejo is not likely to win the Pro Cup this year... the baseball experts have ranked them the sixth-best team in the playoffs this year... the Montaneros have two capable starters, but are not deep in the rotation... but the Monties might be sneaky good at the plate... everybody in the lineup can do some damage... they will have to get past Oxford and Rolling Hills to make the Pro Cup Finals... that is a tall order for the Montaneros.

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The Sligo Rovers are a carbon copy of the Claxton Diamonds as far as standout pitching... but they have an inadequate offense... the Sligo defense also comes up short... might be a difference maker should they meet in round two... Sligo and Claxton will probably meet in the RU Finals... the Rovers are the seventh choice to capture the Pro Cup.

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According to the Pro Cup Poll, the Wynnamac Sundowners are the eighth choice and least likely team to win the IPA Pro Cup... the Macs have a good mound staff, including a fine bullpen... defense is very good... but they lack standout sticks... not very many good hitters in the batting order... not a lot of firepower, either.

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Thursday, October 2, 2064

IPA PLAYOFFS OFF AND RUNNING
It's prime time in the Islands... the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup playoffs are off and running with four series involving the 8 division champions... they got underway yesterday all around Islandia... three favorites chalked up opening-game victories... in the Ruthlandian Union Claxton bested Valmara 4-1... Sligo slipped by Wynnamac 4-2... over in the Tycobbian Union Oxford whitewashed San Alejo... and underdog Tuckanarra upended Pro Cup favorite Rolling Hills 6-1.

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Friday, October 3, 2064

CLAXTON, OXFORD WIN 2 IN A ROW
The Claxton Diamonds and Oxford Red Caps are looking good thus far in the 2062 Islandian Pro Alliance postseason playoffs with two victories in two games... in contrast things are not going well for the Valmara Vipers and the San Alejo Montaneros, who are down two games to none in first-round action.

In the Ruthlandian Division Championship Series, Claxton won a marathon masterpiece yesterday, pulling out a 16-inning thriller over Valmara 3-2... in the other RU series Wynnamac blanked Sligo 3-0 to even that up at one game apiece... meanwhile Oxford rallied very late in the game and subdued San Alejo 3-1 in the Tycobbian Union... in the other matchup Pro Cup favorite Rolling Hills got rolling and topped Tuckanarra 4-1.

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