Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, May 20, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

West Division

Bucs Blast Bayview 11-4
They may be in last place, but today in the first game of a doubleheader Bay St. Clair stomped the best team in the TBU West 11-4. Bayview never was in the game. Start to finish it was all Buccaneers. They electrified the hometown crowd at Shoreline Park by banging out 18 hits, led by left fielder Charley Moon (.295) with 3-for-5 and three RBIs, third baseman Bobby Tracy (.296) with 2-for-4 and two RBIs, second baseman Tony Mann (.368) with 2-for-5 and 2 RBIs and right fielder Nickie Friedrich with 4-for-4, three runs and an RBI. The Vikings got 13 hits off Norm Gross, but couldn't bunch them together. Gross (5-3 3.97) rang up six Ks and walked two in going the distance. Adrian Strom (3-3 5.34) was stuck with the loss, giving up four runs and seven hits in three innings.

Bucs Surprise Viks with Sweep
The Buccaneers did it again! They took the nightcap and swept a twinbill from the Vikings.

"Like one of my old teammates used to say, 'It ain't over till it's over,'" Bay St. Clair skipper Guy Rondre commented to the press after his club came back to win a thriller over Bayview 11-10 in twelve innings,

An errant throw by left fielder Glenn Burns allowed the winning run to score. A decent throw would have easily gotten Tony Mann at home. Mann tagged up at third on a fly ball to short left.

It was a wild and crazy game. Bayview scored six in the first, then allowed the Bucs to tie it 6-6 in the seventh. The Viks went ahead 8-6 in the ninth and the Bucs tied it again. In the tenth Bayview went ahead again 10-8, but unbelievably, Bay St. Clair knotted it for the third time.

It was a day for the record books. The Buccaneers ripped 20 hits and the Vikings totaled 16 to break the old IPA mark of 33 hits in an extra-inning game. Elnora (19) and Valmara (14) set the old record on May 3rd. Denny Coulon (1-2 7.43), the fifth pitcher used by Rondre, got the victory, while Charley Andrews (3-3 5.36) was pinned with the loss. Manager Walter Johanssen of Bayview also used five pitchers. Top Buc batters were first baseman Mike Smith (.364) 4-for-4, right fielder Charlie Moon (.317) 4-for-6, catcher Jake Singleton (.360) 3-for-5 and second baseman Tonny Mann (.374) 3-for-6. Second baseman Alan Hansen (.408) and catcher Tommy Harrell (.276) both paced the Vikings with three hits apiece.

The twin losses sent the Bayview record tumbling down to 18-15. Bay St. Clair improved to 12-20. The Vikings fell to third place behind Fairfax (18-13) and La Claire (18-14).

Blue Sox Halt Frogs Win Streak
First place Fairfax fell for the first time in three games as Blue Lake beat 6-2 them at the Frog Pond. The Blue Sox socked 15 hits en route to an easy victory. Third baseman Timmy Smith (.314) led the hitters with 4-for-4 and two RBIs, second baseman Ken Bennett (.207) was 3-for-5 with two doubles and drove in a pair of runs and catcher Curly Harris (.221) was 3-for-5 and scored twice. Bennie West (5-3 1.96) was touched for 10 hits in eight innings, but held Fairfax to only two scores. West fanned eight and walked just one. Losing pitcher Jimmy Dalton (2-3 3.65) had a bad outing and was slapped around for 13 hits and 6 runs in five innings. The only bright note for the Frogs was their fine right fielder Gregg Vincent (.308), who had two hits and slammed his IPA-leading 18th home run.

Fairfax (18-13) is still first in the TBU West, while Blue Lake (15-16) is three games back in fourth place.

Lynx Climb to Second Place, Beat Arlon 4-3
La Claire snapped a three-game losing streak, but they waited until the last two innings to get back in the ballgame against the Arlon Champions at Derby Downs. Ace Howe blanked them 3-0 on four hits through seven innings, but the roof caved in on him, when the Lynx came roaring back to win 4-3. The game was decided in the top of the ninth. With the bases loaded, a walk by Howe tied the score at 3-3 and a balk by his relief, Jeff Nieman, plated the winning run. Frank Lamoreaux (4-0 0.81) nabbed the victory with a scoreless eighth and closer Monoto Kishata (1-1 1.38) closed it out for his 6th save in 1-2-3 fashion. Howe (3-3 2.61) pitched well in defeat, giving up four runs and nine hits in eight innings of work. He fanned five and walked two. Both clubs had nine hits in the game.

The win moved La Claire (18-14) up to second place and within a half-game of first place Fairfax (18-13) in the TBU West standings. The Champs (14-17) dropped to the fifth spot.

The Islandian Times

Sunday, May 20, 2001

Forest City Lumberjacks

Owner/GM/Manager: Rob Jackson

Forest City is the capital of Ruthlandia and the second largest town in the Islands with a population of 125,000. The town was settled by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who foresaw the coming Civil War and decided to emigrate to Ruthlandia and Tycobbia and establish countries free from the rigors of slavery and religious intolerance. It was one of the earliest settlements because of the access to timber and its strategic location near the intersection of the Green River and the Silver River in the central part of the country.

The beautiful Green River emanates out of the Appian Mountains in the north near Far Mountain (ski resort), runs south throught Rocky Rapids (lumber, grain and transportation center) in the western foothills and plains, flows through Forest City, then winds its way past agrarian Middlefield and Sugar Valley in the fertile southern lowlands and finally empties into Belair Bay and the Southern Sea at the bayside resort and shipping center, Belair Beach.

The Silver River originates in its namesake, the Silver Mountains, which form the western border of Ruthlandia. It travels eastward through Volusia in the western foothills (silver mining and timber interests) and merges with the Green River at Forest City.

The Ruthlandian capital is an old town with buildings and homes that go back a hundred years or more. It is rare that the town planning commission allows much in the way of a modern building. It is noted for being the seat of the Federal government, for banking, commerce, railroads, steel, advertising, autos, paper and lumber industries...and also the home of the Forest City Lumberjacks.

The club is named for the country's first important industry and is in the Ruthlandian Baseball Alliance in its South Division. The 'Jacks play their games at old and quaint Riverside Stadium (circa 1915), right on the riverbanks with a wonderful view of the Silver River just beyond the left and center field fences. Across the river in the distance the fans can see the main part of town. Hot and freshly-fried river catfish is a house speciality at Riverside, along with traditional ballpark fare.

Forest City is owned and operated by Rob Jackson, who is GM and Manager, too. Jackson was a four-letter man in college, excelling in baseball, football, basketball and track. He played many years in the industrial league for one of the biggest banks in the Islands. When his playing days were over, he went to work for the bank, managed its company team, moved up in the bank hierarchy and eventually became its president and chief administrative officer. He then expanded to professional baseball and was one of the prime originators of the Islandian Pro Alliance. He joined with good baseball men like John Banson (IBA creator and commissioner), Manny Earl of the Sugar Valley Rattlers and Rip Calkin of the La Claire Lynx to create the IBA.

Multi-millionaires also were involved and provided the needed finances to establish the league. Men like Jock Ewing of the Waleska Westerners, Brent Steiner of the Bayview Vikings, Jorge Trujillo of the Belair Beach Sunbirds, jazz great, Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers and rock 'n' roll superstar, Conway Birdie of the Cape Coral Hurricanes.

Riverside Stadium (1915)

Capacity: 14,780

Dimensions:

LF Line 332
LF 360
LC 388
CF 400
RCF 381
RF 350
RF Line 325

The Islandian Times

Sunday, May 20, 2001

Sugar Valley Rattlers

Owner/GM: Manny Earl

Manager: Gibson "Gibby" Bobkins

Sugar Valley is an agricultural town of 84,000 in the Southern Lowlands on the banks of the great Green River, which splits Ruthlandia in half and runs from Far Mountain in the north near the Appian Mountains, all the way south to Belair Beach on Belair Bay and the Southern Sea.

Sugar Valley is famous as a lush farming region, that specializes in sugar cane, rice, citrus fruits and vegetables.

It is also the home of the Sugar Valley Rattlers, a team in the Ruthlandian Baseball Union (South Division) of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The Rattlers play at Farmers Memorial Stadium, named in honor of the area's most respected profession. They get their nickname for the ever-present cane rattlesnakes, commonly found in the Southern Lowlands.

It is a traditional for the Rattler fans, especially the kids, to try and rally the team with a chorus or two of the song "Sneaky Snake", led, of course, by the Sugar Valley mascot, Sneaky Snake:

Boys and girls take warning, if you go near the lake
Keep your eyes wide open, and look for sneaky snake
Now maybe you won’t see him, maybe you won’t hear
But he’ll sneak up behind you, and drink all your root beer.

And then sneaky snake goes dancin’, wigglin’ and a-hissin’
Sneaky snake goes dancin’, gigglin’ and a-kissin’
I don’t like old sneaky snake; he laughs too much you see
When he goes wigglin’ through the grass, it tickles his underneath.

(Thanks to Country Music Hall-of-Famer,Tom T. Hall, a wonderful country singer and songwriter for those lyrics)

The sound of mechanical rattlers and noisemakers are a tradition and also pervade the ballpark as Sugar Valley hardcore fans create quite a racket and try to ignite their team. They also do prolonged "hissing", whenever the Rattler opponents do something good or should the umpires make any decisions detrimental to their beloved ballclub.

At the concession stands you'll get the regular hot dogs, cokes and hamburgers, but also mouthwatering, made-from-scratch, country biscuits, topped with sugar cane molasses and "to die for" homemade ice cream. Be sure to try the wonderful homemade root beer, too.

The architect in charge of all of this is one of baseball's premier and most creative owners and general managers, Manny Earl. Nobody out promotes Manny Earl. He was an important cog in the IPA organization along with Jorge Trujillo of Belair Beach, Jock Ewing of Waleska, John Banson (league commissioner) and Rob Jackson of Forest City.

The Rattlers' manager is the very capable Gibson Bobkins. Gibby was one fierce competitor, when he was on the mound. He was one of the best righthanders ever in the industrial leagues and a good manager, too.

Farmers Memorial Stadium (1967)

Capacity: 11,655

Dimensions:

LF Line 310
LF 340
LCF 370
CF 385
RCF 370
RF 340
RF Line 310

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21,2001

Islandian Pro Alliance Standings

RBU League Batting

Monday, May 21, 2001

RBU League Fielding

Monday, May 21, 2001

RBU League Pitching

Monday, May 21, 2001

TBU League Batting

Monday, May 21,2001

TBU League Pitching

Monday, May 21,2001

TBU League Fielding

Monday, May 21,2001

The Islandian Times
Monday, May 21st, 2001

TBU Player of the Week Awarded
The marquee name in the Tycobbian Union this week is Maury Smith of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers.
The hot-hitting 29-year-old first baseman put up a .394 average and .444 on-base percentage, piling up 13 hits in 33 at-bats, 3 home runs, 10 RBIs and 4 runs scored. That kind of hitting got him the TBU Player of the Week honors.

This year Smith has hit 4 home runs and posted a .364 batting average.

Swift Wins RBU Player of the Week

When it came to hitting the baseball, Nicky Swift had few peers in the Ruthlandian Union this past week. The talented left fielder for Belair Beach tagged opposing pitchers for a .500 average and was voted the Player of the Week Award. Included in his stats were 13 hits in 26 at-bats, 5 homers, 9 runs scored and 8 RBIs.

In the 2001 campaign Swift has hit at a .345 clip with 24 RBIs, 13 home runs and 26 runs scored. Swift is the home run leader in the RBU.

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Around the IPA

Islandia's first pro baseball league had made it through the first month of the inaugural season and had done it in fine style. It looks like the Islandian Pro Alliance is here to stay. It's time to peruse the four divisions and tell you who's hot and who's not.

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

The Colfax Blasters (18-12) have taken a 2.5 games lead in the first month of the season. The Blasters are managed by Clem Rogers and he has them playing quite well, especially his pitching rotation. The old fireballin' righthander has motivated his staff in the right direction. Colfax is tied with Glasco with an outstanding 2.92 ERA. Rogers' starting foursome are Flash Guidry (4-3 2.48), Harry Manning (4-2 3.27), Alex Castille (4-2 3.51) and Greg Forest (3-1 3.83).

It gets even better in the bullpen with Walt Sellers (1-0 0.92), Jim Dreyer (0-0 1.96) and Robbie Smith (1-1 1.17). Only closer Pat Langlais (0-2 4.22) has struggled at times. One of the other guys may move into that slot soon.

The Blasters have not been blasting the ball much. They are fourth in the division with a .259 average and 17 homers (6th), but are second in scoring with 148 runs. First baseman Dennis Cole (.313) is the big gun with 9 homers and 26 RBIs. Left fielder Pat Lott (.266) has 19 RBIs. Second baseman Tucker Hill (.319) has sparkled at bat and in the field (.993 FA). Center fielder Blinky Brandon (.309) and catcher Howie Peterson (.284) have hit well, too.

Rogers' biggest need is to get some bat production in the outfield positions. 38-year-old shortstop Warren O'Reilly (.217) needs to step it up with the bat and with the glove (.957 FA). His closer Pat Langlais has disappointed so far.

Fielding-wise Colfax is third in the division with a .980 FA. Valmara (.985) and Volusia (.981) are ahead of them.

The Glasco Athletics (15-14) are in second place and are skippered by McDuffie Hughes. The A's are a very similar team to Colfax. Excellent pitching and average hitting, but with some power.

Glasco is even with Colfax with a division-best 2.92 ERA, but not as deep in starters. Charles Darby (4-2 1.95), Ernie McCain (2-2 2.56) and Jesse Balfour (2-3 2.74) have done well for Hughes. And the bullpen may be the best in the IPA. Bill Darby (1-0 1.50), Duncan McFalls (0-0 2.74), Jeremiah McDonald (1-0 2.91) and closer Ray Cook (0-2 1.20) have been standouts.

In the hitting department the A's have compiled a .258 mark (5th), but top the division with 31 homers. However, Glasco is last in runs (129). Hughes just doesn't have enough good hitters. His left fielder Ox Beauvais (.411), center fielder Chet Reynolds (.299) and second sacker Barry McCord (.254) have pretty much carried the offensive load. Beauvais leads the league in average, has 8 home runs and 18 RBIs, Reynolds has 3 homers and 14 RBIs and McCord 5 roundtrippers and 15 RBIs. Right fielder Jose Valenzuela (.337) is the top A's batter average-wise and has driven in 10 runs.

The Athletics are fifth in fielding with a .975 average and could use some improvement here, especially at shortstop, where Zach Byorvik is fielding only .917 this year.

If Glasco can find another productive starter and get some offensive help from the other four position players, they could give Colfax a run for the RU crown. Improved defensive play would be a plus, too.

The Valmara Vipers (16-15) started off like a ball of fire, but have cooled off lately with five losses in a row. The Vipers are third, 2.5 games off the pace. J. Jackson Samuel is the manager. His club is second in batting with a .265 average and a distance fourth with a 3.92 ERA, but Valmara is number one with a .985 fielding average.

The Vipers are third in runs with 145 and fourth in homers with 21. Left fielder Louis Sharp (.366) is one of the top hitters in the league, has scored 19 times and driven in 11 from the lead-off spot, second baseman Fred Vinson (.333) has scored 10 and has 13 RBIs and center fielder Jan Szymanski (.266) and third baseman Ricky O'Reilly (.263) have been the run producers. Szymanski has 5 homers, 24 RBIs and has scored 21 runs and O'Reilly has 3 homers, 20 RBIs and scored 12 times.

On the hill talent has been pretty scarce except for starters Zarek Zalewski (5-2 1.41) and Todd Turner (3-2 3.80). Danny Blauser (3-0 0.99) has been brilliant in relief. The rest of the staff is only average to mediocre.

More pitching is vital to Valmara's success this season. They can hold their own in the batter's box, but Samuel has to improve his hill corps to challenge in the RU North Division.

In fourth place in the RU North are the Far Mountain Redbirds (16-16). They trail by three games in the standings. Old-time pitching ace, Alex Groveland is manager and GM and pitching has been their strong point thus far. The Redhawks are a distance third behind Colfax (2.92) and Glasco (2.92) with a 3.80 ERA. Groveland's mound staff is headed by starters Sonny Elliott (4-3 2.62) and John Luzzatti (2-2 2.91). Vic Vaux (2-1 3.71) has also been effective. But it has been the bullpen that has played a big role in the club's success. Closer Doc Rutledge (4-1 2.38) and Mike McCabe (1-1 1.17) have stood out in relief.

Far Mountain is last with a .246 batting average and last in runs with 118. They are lucky to be playing .500 ball with such a poor offense. However, the Redhawks are third with 28 roundtrippers. Third baseman Johnny Strickland (.233) is the team leader with 8 homers and 17 RBIs. Other contributors are first baseman Royce Benson (.309) with 18 runs and 9 stolen bases, second baseman Shirai Kobayashi (.300), left fielder Gerald Davis (.295) with 4 home runs and 10 RBIs and catcher Dave Davis (.292) with 3 homers and 14 RBIs.

Defensively Far Mountain is last in the division with a very poor .971 fielding average.

To climb in the standings, Groveland needs improvement from half of his mound corps, better hitting and stronger defense.

Pulling up the rear in the RU North are Elnora and Volusia. They are tied for last place.

Zoggy White is at the helm of the Elnora All-Stars (14-18). His ballclub has plenty of firepower with a .270 batting average and 151 runs scored, both lead the division. The All-Stars are also second with 29 homers.

White has six quality hitters: second baseman Gil Foster (.390) with 5 home runs, 20 RBIs and 21 runs, right fielder Art Atkins (.348), 3 homers, 10 RBIs and 19 runs, shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.342) with 5 RBIs and 10 runs in just 15 starts, left fielder Quincy Peterson (.282) with 4 roundtrippers, 19 RBIs and 20 runs, third baseman Richie Franklin (.274) with 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 13 runs and catcher Todd Simons (.270) 14 RBIs and 22 runs.

On the mound the All-Stars are in the fifth spot with a 4.22 ERA. They have a good nucleus with starters Carl Costas (1-5 3.14), Ted Gray (1-2 3.40), Sean Sykes (5-1 4.05) and Troy Hudson (3-1 4.08). Bullpen specialist Wally Tidwell (0-2 2.55) has done a fine job for White. It is the other four on the staff that have to pick up the slack. So far they have been pitiful with over 5.00 ERAs.

Elnora is only average on defense with a .979 fielding average.

Better pitching would do wonders for the Elnora All-Stars.

The last place Volusia Vigilantes (14-18) are managed by Alfonso Feliz. The V's have decent hitting and fine fielding. They have put up a .262 team batting average, second in the division, and are second with a .981 fielding average. But pitching is almost nonexistent with a 4.50 ERA and last in the division.

Feliz's best batters are shortstop Scooter Perez (.356) with 22 runs and 12 stolen bases from the lead-off spot, catcher Jo-Jo Nunez (.333) with 12 RBIs and 10 runs, center fielder Alex Luna (.306) with 13 RBIs, 16 runs and 5 stolen bases, left fielder Jesus Arroyo (.272) with 13 RBIs and 16 runs and first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.230) with 5 homers, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

The Vigilante pitching corps has four quality pitchers in relief ace, Ricky Moreno (3-0 1.84) and starters Raul Sandoval (4-3 2.58), Hank Massey (2-4 3.13) and Lenny Collins (2-2 4.28).

Pitching seems to be the name of the game in the Ruthlandian Union North Division. And that is what Alfonso Feliz and Volusia desparately need.

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Around the IPA

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

It is quite a race so far in the RU South Division with five teams within two games of each other. The Sugar Valley Rattlers (17-13) are in the driver's seat, but not by much. Manager Gibson Bobkins' ballclub has two teams breathing down their necks just a half-game behind.

In the hit-happy division, the Rattlers (.274) are third in batting average, tied for first in runs with Forest City, each with 155, but tied for last in homers with Marston, each with 26.

Bobkins' line-up is chocked full of fine hitters: second baseman Rudi Oliver (.383), catcher Shotgun McFall (.382), third baseman Jorge Vargas (.330), center fielder Freddie Vaux (.303) with 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored, right fielder Karl Dietz (.293) with 4 homers, 17 RBIs and 13 runs, left fielder Cy Bartz (.293) with 15 RBIs and 14 runs, shortstop Flipper Bird (.283) with 12 RBIs and 16 runs and first baseman Ken Arnold (.278) 4 homers, 12 RBIs, 17 runs.

However, Sugar Valley falls quite short in the mound department. Only closer Gregg Neal (2-2 1.66) and starters Ron Benson (5-2 2.14) and Harvey Hines (3-2 2.91) have been effective. The Rattlers have a team ERA at 4.14, fourth in the division.

Sugar Valley is tied with Marston for the best fielding average at .981 this season.

So far, so good. But Bobkins has to find more pitching to stay at the top of the heap in the South Division.

The Belair Beach Sunbirds (17-14) and Marston Nine are in the runner-up spot. Manager Marty Pedrosa is depending on his pitching. This season the Sunbirds are second to Forest City (3.41) in team ERA with 3.63. In the batting department, Belair Beach (.255) is rated fifth in the division. They are last in scoring with 142 runs, but not by much in the tightly-bunched race. As far as power, the Sunbirds are fourth with 31.

For offense Pedrosa has depended on left fielder Nicky Swift (.345) with 13 homers, tops in the RU, 24 RBIs, 26 runs and 4 stolen bases, right fielder Matty McDermott (.323) with 5 home runs, 17 RBIs, 29 runs and 6 stolen bases, third baseman Rick Sullivan (.311) with 17 RBIs and 13 runs scored, shortstop Danny Church (.299) with 4 homers, 18 RBIs, 22 runs and 3 stolen bases and catcher Denny Everhart (.270) with 5 roundtrippers and 18 RBIs.

The top arms in the Sunbirds pitching rotation are closer Lou Zanelli (4-0 0.48) and starters Carl Thompson (5-2 1.65), Ken Frey (1-0 2.95) and Troy Wilson (2-3 3.88).

Belair Beach has an average defensive club with a .977 fielding average, good enough to tie for third with South Fork in this category.

Pedrosa's biggest need is some pitching help. He has to get another decent starter and at least one quality middle reliever. If the Sunbirds can do that, they will be able to compete in the upper echelon of the division.

The Marston Nine (17-14) are also just a half-game behind the division leader and are headed by former pitching great, manager/GM Johnny Walters. His club is hitting a robust .286 and has scored 158 runs, both figures are number one in the division. The Nine are third with a 3.76 ERA.

Marston has an abundance of fine hitters, paced by center fielder Ronnie Lee (.469), who in 12 starts has 2 home runs, 10 RBIs, 9 runs and 5 stolen bases, second baseman Ken Green (.375) with 3 home runs, 18 RBIs and 20 runs, catcher Mo Chappell (.327) with 12 RBIs, right fielder Chris Deangelo (.305) with 3 homers, 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored, third baseman Roland Thomas (.296) with 17 runs, shortstop Lenny Torricelli (.292) with 3 homers, 12 RBIs and 17 runs, center fielder Tommy Reinhold (.278) with 17 RBIs, 15 runs and 11 stolen bases, left fielder Ronnie Horn (.277) with 11 RBIs, 14 runs and 4 stolen bases and first baseman Johnny Berthold (.238) with 5 roundtrippers, 22 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

The Nine has a good number of solid and dependable hurlers, such as starters Phil Azard (2-0 0.66), Casey Ledbetter (5-1 3.69), Nick Pace (5-4 4.31) and the injured Bob Lowe (1-2 3.27). Relievers Vince Gardner (0-1 1.17), Ken Bagby (0-0 2.81) and Milt Wilson (0-2 3.38) have done good bullpen work.

Marston is tied with Sugar Valley for the best fielding percentage. Both are at the .981 mark this year.

Skipper Johnny Walters has a well-balanced team. When he gets starter Bob Lowe back in five weeks, he will be set to give battle to the top clubs in the Ruthlandian Union South.

Forest City and Waleska are deadlocked for the fourth spot in the Ruthlandian Union South Division. They are all even at 16-16 and trail first place Sugar Valley by only two games.

The Forest City Lumberjacks (16-16) GM and manager is Rob Jackson. His club has the best ERA (3.41) in the division, the most home runs (45) and is number three in batting (.272 BA). It would seem the Lumberjacks have most everything going for them. Beating the Belair Beach Sunbirds is the problem. The 'Jacks are only 2-8 against them. Jackson said, "We have to turn that around and we'll be fine."

Jackson has a solid staff with starters Glenn Moore (3-0 2.41), Herm Bahr (3-3 2.48), Vince Edelman (0-2 3.23), Buddy Hutchinson (2-5 3.79) and Gene Stuart (3-1 4.13). As good as the starters have been, the bullpen has been better. Closer Timmy Brooks (1-2 1.72), Jim DiGregorio (0-0 0.00) and Nick Marceau (0-1 3.12) have been excellent so far. The Lumberjacks may have the best staff man-for-man than any team in the IPA.

The Forest City attack is sparked by center fielder and lead-off man, Ryan Morse (.368) with 4 homers, 15 RBIs, 31 runs scored and 6 stolen bases, left fielder Chuck Hill (.364) with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and 26 runs and second baseman Jesse Wolf (.307) with 10 roundtrippers, 32 RBIs and 18 runs. Also in the potent line-up are two more powerhitters, right fielder Benny Davis (.236) with 7 homers, 17 RBIs and 16 runs, and third baseman Ricky Mitchell (.227) with 6 homers, 15 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 18 games since being put in the line-up.

In the field, the Lumberjacks are tied for third in the rankings with a .977 fielding average.

With such a well-balanced ballclub in batting and pitching, you can expect Forest City to be in the thick of the pennant race.

Looking at the team's stats, the Waleska Westerners (16-16) are doing much better record-wise than you would think. It's a wonder that McGraw Johnson's club is playing .500 ball with an atrocious 4.64 ERA, which is fifth in the division. Only last place Claxton is worse with a 4.75 ERA. Add in the mix that Waleska is hitting only .248, which is dead last in the division, and you would think they would be far down in the standings. The Westerners are less than average in fielding, too. They are fifth with a .975 fielding average. However, they have hit 35 homers and rank third in the division.

Right fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.306) has been a big plus with 9 home runs, 32 RBIs and 16 runs scored. First baseman Fred Shelton (.295) has been reliable with 4 homers, 16 RBIs and 18 scores. Third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.260) has provided punch and speed to the line-up with 7 roundtrippers, 17 RBIs and 27 runs. Other contributors are left fielder Charley Williamson (.289) with 6 home runs, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored and center fielder Rick Vaughn (.278) with 10 RBIs and 15 runs.

The Westerners pitching corps has few standouts. Smokey Joe Carter (4-4 3.00), Gary Hill (3-0 3.73) are Johnson's most dependable starters. In the bullpen his long man Andrei Marsiske (2-0 3.06) has been reliable and impressive.

If a couple of pitchers step it up, Waleska could be in the thick of the battle for the division flag. It wouldn't take much.

All alone and far away in the RU South basement are the Claxton Diamonds (11-21). Skipper Stacy Engel's crew is already seven games out of first place. The always jovial and congenial Engel was asked by reporters what was the toughest part of being a manager. He grinned and replied, "The toughest thing is to keep the guys that hate you away from the ones that are undecided."

The Old Perfesser hasn't had much to smile about on the field this season except for his hitters, who are number two in the division with a .277 team batting average. But that wonderful smile is dampened a bit when the subject gets around to his pitching corps. Engel's rotation has put up a 4.75 ERA and is last in that category. And to make matters worse, Claxton is last in fielding with a very poor .969 fielding average. Engel said he is toying with the idea to lean a little more toward defense and try to get by with a little less offense.

The Diamonds really shine in the batter's box, paced by second baseman Donny McCoy (.373) with 3 homers, 19 RBIs and 24 runs scored, shortstop Bobby Ritter (.336) with 3 homers, 14 RBIs and 19 runs, right fielder Dixie Baker (.324) with 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and 20 runs, third baseman Keith Olsen (.311) with 4 roundtrippers, 22 RBIs and 23 runs and left fielder Winky Rush (.292) 4 home runs, 17 RBIs and 13 runs.

On the hill Tetsunori Nakashima (6-2 4.10) has benefited from the high run support and leads the IPA in victories. In the bullpen Earl Weber (0-1 2.19) has been the only plus mark.

It looks like a long and dismal first season for the Claxton Diamonds.

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Around the IPA

Tycobbian Union - East Division

In the first month of the IPA season, pitching has been dominant in the Tycobbian Union East Division, but the club on top got there by hitting. The Ozarka Naturals (19-12) are two games up thus far and are doing it with home run power. Manager Joe Mac Carney's club has hit 43 out of the park and scored 152 runs to rank first in the division in both categories. The Nats are third in batting with a .250 average. When it comes to pitching, they are last with a 3.88 ERA. Ozarka is fourth in fielding with a mediocre .971 mark.

Top Hitters:
center fielder Teddy Braun (.313) with 3 HR, 13 RBI, 25 R... second baseman Duane Starr (.311) with 4 HR, 17 RBI, 18 R...third baseman Doug Cunningham (.261) 13 HR, 33 RBI, 22 R...first baseman Floyd Snow (.255) 6 HR, 20 RBI, 12 R.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Yasuyuki Nakagawa (4-1 1.23)...Luther Hatch (5-2 2.84)...Ted Didriksen (4-2 3.62).
Relievers: Alec DiMaggio (3-0 1.50)

Skipper Carney is blessed with two very fine starters in Nakagawa and Hatch. As long as they stay healthy and the hitters keep banging homers, Ozarka should contend for the TU East flag.

Holding down the runner-up position are the Luxora Zorros (16-13), who are two games back of the Naturals. The two clubs are now playing a series against one another. The Z's took the opener.

Luxora is managed by Rodrigo Alejandro, the greatest home run hitter and shortstop ever in the industrial leagues. The Zorros could certainly use his power at the plate - they are currently hitting only .239 (5th) with only 22 home runs (5th). But his pitching staff is doing a fine job with a division-leading 3.15 ERA.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Keith Callahan (4-2 2.05)...Chris Pierce (3-1 2.12)...Francisco Fernandes (2-2 3.17)...Johnny Montel (3-3 3.64)
Relievers: Roberto Martinez (2-1 3.47)...Andy Stevens (1-0 3.38)

Top Hitters:
catcher Eric Richter (.352) 16 RBI, 12 R...third baseman Rico Vina (.280) 6 HR, 16 RBI, 13 R...first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.272) 4 HR, 15 RBI, 11 R...center fielder Tom Fortunato (.266) 4 HR, 16 RBI, 18 R, 9 SB

On the defensive side the Z's are fifth in the division with a poor .970 fielding average.

As long as Luxora's pitching holds up, the Zorros should be in the hunt in the TU East race.

2.5 games off the pace and in the third spot in the division standings are the Cape Coral Hurricanes (16-14), led by manager Huggy Miller. The Hurricanes have kept their heads above water with good pitching and adequate hitting. Miller's pitching staff has compiled a solid 3.26 ERA, second to Luxora. With the bats the 'Canes are hitting .254 with 33 homers and rank second in both categories. Defensively Cape Coral is abysmal with a .969 fielding average.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Wally Robinson (6-2 2.78)...Gary Fountain (4-1 2.44)...Owen Pruitt (2-1 2.40)...Katsuyuki Nagashima (3-3 3.95)
Relievers: Scotty Lohmeyer (0-1 2.16)...Cody Burg (0-1 3.00)

Good starters should keep Cape Coral in the upper half of the division. Improvement in fielding could help their pitchers. Miller indicated he is going to make several defensive changes even it means hurting his offense.

The man in charge of the Ginza Ninjas (16-15) is the renowned player and manager, Huroko Uchiyama. He had much success in the industrial leagues in both capacities. Now Uchiyama is trying to carry that skill and experience to the first pro league in the Islands. He has his Ninjas in fourth place within three games of the top spot after the first month of the season. Ginza's strong point has been its pitching with a 3.39 team ERA, which is third in the division. The Ninjas (.256) have the best batting average in a pitcher-dominated division. They have very little power with 24 roundtrippers (4th) and only 118 runs (3rd-tied). But Ginza tops the division with a .980 fielding average.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Kojiro Matsumoto (5-0 2.44)...Kazuhiro Nakayama (3-4 2.87)...Vic Rousakis (3-4 3.35)
Relievers: Ken Watkins (2-1 2.70)...Alec Sasek (1-0 3.72)...Cody Moore (0-1 3.77)

Ginza's has tough competition in the TU East, especially the teams that have good pitching and can score runs like Cape Coral. And all of the teams have trouble with Ozarka, who can outhit everybody and still win despite average pitching. It looks like a close race between four clubs with Ozarka having the advantage.

The fifth spot in the division belongs to Zim Donner's Hartsdale Hellcats (14-17), who are five games back. Hartsdale is rated fifth with a 3.82 ERA, fourth with a .246 team batting average, fourth in runs scored with only 118, third in homers with 32 and third with a .975 fielding average.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Phil Reed (4-1 2.51)...Danny Griffin (4-4 2.58)...Jim Sears (2-3 3.43)...Glenn Mann (2-5 3.47)
Relievers: Gene Young (1-0 2.61)...Jackie Bond (0-1 3.32)

Top Hitters: Shortstop Mike Burke (.356) 2 HR, 12 RBIs, 8 R, (20 games)...left fielder Jay Luna (.304) 6 RBI, 9 R, 6 SB...third baseman Whiz Weaver (.274) 7 HR, 18 RBI, 13 R...second baseman Francisco Abreu (.237) 10 HR, 25 RBI, 22 R

Donner and the Hartsdale Hellcats need a lot of improvements in a lot of areas. They may have to wait until next year.

Deroche "Lips" Leon is the manager of the last place South Fork Stallions (11-21). Lips is normally never at a loss for words, but he has been speechless after many of his games in his first pro season. There is not much you can say about the Stallions other than they are pathetic with the bats. They are hitting a microscopic .224 with only 21 home runs and 114 runs scored. South Fork is last all of those categories. Leon's club is fourth in pitching with a decent 3.81 ERA and defensively they are number two with a .979 fielding average.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Ken Olson (1-3 2.42)...Flint Battle (3-4 3.34)
Relievers: Glenn Turnbull (3-1 4.20)...Billy Joe Gordon (0-2 3.57)...Ken Conner (1-1 3.72)

Top Hitters:
right fielder Paul Giles (.259) 9 HR, 21 RBI, 20 R...second baseman Bob Jones (.313) 7 RBI, 11 R...center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.283) 1 RBI, 7 R (13 games started)

The outlook for the season is not very good for the South Fork Stallions. Tough guy Lips Leon may not have much good to say about this season. It looks like "nice guys don't always finish last". Sometimes it's the bad guys.

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Around the IPA

Tycobbian Union - West Division

The West Division will probably go down to the wire with quite a few evenly-matched ballclubs. The first month certainly has been a tight race with three teams within a game of each other. Fourth and fifth place are only three and four games off the pace respectively.

At the head of the class are the Fairfax Frogs (18-13) of manager Harry Buckley. They are second in hitting with a lofty .282 batting average and in scoring with 172 runs. The hard-hitting Frogs are number one in homers by far with 45. With hitting like that, they haven't needed much pitching. Fairfax is fourth in the division with a 4.06 ERA. And they are an average team with a .975 fielding percentage.

Top Hitters: third baseman Stan Cobb (.370) 6 HR, 26 RBI, 26 R...right fielder Gregg Vincent (.308) 18 HR, 40 RBI, 26 R...first baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.308) 14 RBI, 17 R...left fielder Gator Brown (.293) 6 HR, 19 RBI, 14 R...second baseman Greg Inman (.281) 16 RBI, 11 R...shortstop Warren Lee (.260) 4 HR, 14 RBI, 24 R

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Robby Meredith (4-0 2.85)...Jimmy Dalton (2-3 3.65)...Jack Leslie (5-2 4.31)
Relievers: Takehide Takahashi (2-1 2.18)...Gerry Fisher (2-1 3.86)

Like Ozarka in the RU South, Fairfax is showing that you can hit your way to the top. The only club to have a season advantage over them is the best hitting team in the division, the Bayview Vikings. The Frogs lost three of five to them in the first series of season between them. Look for both clubs to be in the running at the end of the year.

Second place belongs to a lousy-hitting team, the La Claire Lynx (18-14). They trail by only a scant half-game. The Lynx are hitting a paltry .246 (5th) with only 24 home runs (5th) and are a distant fourth in runs with 142. But Skipper Rip Calkin has a great bullpen bunch and an adequate starting rotation. They have chalked up a 3.72 ERA and ranked second to the Arlon Champions in that category. The Champs have compiled a 3.40 mark so far. And on defense, La Claire is third with a .978 mark.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Pat Daniels (3-2 3.96)...Jerry Smith (4-3 4.30)
Relievers: Frank Lamoreaux (4-0 0.81)...Monoto Kishata (1-1 1.38)...Andy Murray (1-0 2.40)...Tony Nygaard (0-0 2.01)

Top Hitters: center fielder Lucky Collins (.294) 4 RBI, 19 R, 9 SB...third baseman Luis Marquez (.293) 3 HR, 14 RBI, 15 R...left fielder Rich Hart (.284) 8 HR, 29 RBI, 23 R

Calkin has to get some hitting help for Collins, Marquez and Hart. If he can, La Claire will provide some better competition for Fairfax, who took seven of ten games from them in the early going. He could use another quality starter, too. Look for the Lynx to be in the pennant chase this year.

Manager Walter Johanssen has the Bayview Vikings (18-15) up close in the TU West race. They are in the third spot, but only one game out of the top spot. The Viks are the highest-scoring team in the IPA with 179 runs. The club is batting .275 (3rd) with 28 roundtrippers (4th). On the hill Bayview is the worst in the division with a sky-high 4.84 ERA. They would be far ahead of the pack with a little pitching. And the Vikings can play defense, ranking first in the division with a .981 fielding percentage.

Top Hitters: second baseman Alan Hansen (.408) 16 RBI, 30 R, 11 SB...left fielder Glenn Burns (.311) 2 HR, 27 RBI, 17 R...center fielder Phil Kanaan (.307) 4 HR, 16 RBI, 20 R, 4 SB...first baseman Doug Cunningham (.274) 12 HR, 33 RBI, 26 R...shortstop Shorty Richards (.252) 3 HR, 16 RBI, 24 R, 6 SB

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Jesus Carvajal (3-1 3.24)...Fred Snow (2-0 3.38)...Frank Wells (4-1 3.51)
Relievers: Buzzy Lewis (0-1 4.37 8 SV)...Paul Hood (1-1 4.09)

To remain in the running, Johanssen will need to find a couple of good relievers to fill the big hole in his ballclub. Lewis has 8 saves as a closer, tops in the IPA, but he has a high ERA. If Johnson comes up with them, Bayview could leap ahead of everyone in the division.

The Blue Lake Blue Sox (15-16) are hovering close to the leaders and are only three games back, still well within striking distance, if fiery manager Cobb Tyson can get his pitching corps to hold up their end of the bargain. The Sox staff are fourth in the division with a 4.42 ERA. Cobb's club is adequate with the bats with a .262 team average (3rd) and 30 home runs (3rd), but last in scoring runs with 133. Blue Lake's defense is only average with a .976 fielding percentage.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Bennie West (5-3 1.90)...Jay Clay (2-2 3.06)
Relievers: Derek Manetti (3-0 4.08)...Russ Courtney (0-1 4.26)

Top Hitters: center fielder Donnie Frazier (.346) 6 HR 18 RBI, 20 R...first baseman Fred Taranto (.316) 4 HR, 15 RBI, 12 R...left fielder Greg Boone (.299) 2 HR, 12 RBI, 18 R...shortstop Cy Orgeron (.286) 3 HR, 11 RBI, 17 R

Cobb can rant and rave at the players and argue with the umps all the time, but it won't move his team up in the standings. It will take two quality starters, two quality relievers and two to three quality hitters to accomplish that. It probably won't happen this season. Let's just hope Cobb doesn't hurt anybody. Right now he is not a happy camper.

The Arlon Champions (14-17) are in fifth place in the Tycobbian Union West and piloted by one of the nicest and most popular baseball people in Islandia, the legendary Gary Louis, the great slugging first baseman, noted for almost never missing a game in his playing days. The Champs are still within hailing distance of the first place Fairfax Frogs, only four games out. Arlon can hold their own with everyone in the division except the Frogs, who took four out of five from them in the first series of the season.

Louis has some strong starters and excellent relievers. Arlon is ranked first with a fine 3.40 ERA, but the Champions are hampered by a lack of hitting. They are last with a dismal .243 team batting average and near the bottom with 139 runs (5th). However, Arlon is number two in fielding with a .980 fielding percentage.

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Ace Howe (3-3 2.61)...Ray Hunt (3-4 2.66)...Craig Smith (4-2 2.78)...Sean Dudek (0-2 3.71)
Relievers: Jeff Nieman (3-0 1.33)...Rod Kelley (1-1 2.74)

Top Hitters: center fielder Jerry Keller (.369) 9 HR, 34 RBI, 25 R, 4 SB...second baseman Karl Detwiler (.305) 2 HR, 11 RBI, 21 R, 2 SB...left fielder Matt Merrill (.298) 6 HR, 17 RBI, 23 R, 5 SB...first baseman George Lyons (.243) 4 HR, 18 RBI, 21 R

Louis has to energize the Arlon hitters to compete at a higher level in the division. Four hitters are just not enough. The Champs have to come up with at least two more quality hitters. That could really make contenders out of them.

One thing you can say about the cellar-dwelling Bay St. Claire Buccaneers (12-20) - they are a fun team to watch. Manager Guy Rondre's club hits the ball all over the ballpark and tops the TU West with a whopping .292 mark. But they give up more than they score. Buccaneer pitchers are next-to-last with a 4.46 ERA and the defense is not that great, either. Bay St. Clair is last in that category with a .971 fielding average.

Top Hitters: second baseman Tony Mann (.374) 2 HR, 15 RBI, 28 R, 3 SB...shortstop Chuck Hankins (.369) 3 HR, 14 RBI, 10 R, 5 SB...first baseman Maury Smith (.364) 4 HR, 22 RBI, 20 R...catcher Jake Singleton (.360) 1 HR 16 RBI 15 R...left fielder Charley Moon (.317) 2 HR, 14 RBI, 16 R, 2 SB...third baseman Bubba Tate (.313) 3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R...third baseman Bobby Tracy (.295) 7 RBI, 7 R...right fielder Nickie Friedrich (.288) 7 RBI, 16 R

Top Pitchers:
Starters: Gary Robinson (2-4 3.74)...Ben Crowley (2-2 3.86)...Norm Gross (5-3 3.97)
Relievers: Adam Lundgren (0-0 2.70)...Johnny Nikolsky (1-1 3.06)

Pitching...pitching...and more pitching. That will perk up the Bay St. Louis Buccaneers. Without it they can still entertain their fans by rattling the fences, but with it, they could challenge the division leaders. But it will not happen this season. The forecast looks gloomy for the Bucs.

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Ruthlandian Union

Batting Statistics

Batting Average:
1. Ox Beauvais (Glasco ) .411
2. Gil Foster (Elnora) .390
3. Ken Green (Marston) .375
4. Donny McCoy (Claxton) .373
5. Ryan Morse (Forest City) .368

Hits:
1. Scooter Perez (Volusia) 48
2. Donny McCoy (Claxton) 47
3. Gil Foster (Elnora) 46
3. Ryan Morse (Forest City) 46
5. Ken Green (Marston 45)
5. Bobby Ritter (Claxton) 45

Doubles:
1. Donny McCoy (Claxton) 15
1. Scooter Perez (Volusia) 15
3. Cy Bartz (Colfax) 11
3. Tucker Hill (Colfax) 11
3. Scotty McPherson (Glasco) 11
3. Yoshihide Nishata (Waleska) 11

Triples:
1. Royce Benson (Far Mountain) 4
1. Flipper Bird (Sugar Valley) 4
1. Jet Kazmarek (Valmara) 4
4. Pat Lott (Colfax) 3
4. Yoshi Motsuzuki (Valmara) 3
4. Quincy Peterson (Elnora) 3

Home Runs:
1. Nicky Swift (Belair Beach) 13
2. Dixie Baker (Claxton) 10
2. Chuck Hill (Forest City) 10
2. Jesse Wolf (Forest City) 10
5. Big Hoss Burkhalter (Waleska) 9
5. Dennis Cole (Colfax) 9

RBIs
1. Big Hoss Burkhalter (Waleska) 32.
1. Chuck Hill (Forest City) 32
1. Jesse Wolf (Forest City) 32
4. Dennis Cole (Colfax) 26
5. Nicky Swift (Belair Beach) 24
5. Jan Szymanski (Valmara) 24

Runs:
1. Ryan Morse (Forest City) 31
2. Matty McDermott (Belair Beach) 29
3. Dennis Cole (Colfax) 27
3. Yoshihide Nishata (Waleska) 27
5. Chuck Hill (Forest City) 26
5. Nicky Swift (Belair Beach) 26

Stolen Bases:
1. Jet Kazmarek (Valmara) 13
2. Gerald Davis (Far Mountain) 12
2. Scooter Perez (Volusia) 12
4. Tommy Reinhold (Marston) 11
5. Chet Reynolds (Glasco) 10

Bases on Balls
1. Dennis Cole (Colfax) 34
2. Gil Foster (Elnora) 27
3. Roland Thomas (Marston) 26
4. Warren O'Reilly (Colfax) 24
5. Art Atkins (Elnora) 23
5. Nicky Swift (Belair Beach) 23

Pitching Statistics

ERA
1. Zarek Zalewski (Valmara) 5-2 1.41
2. Carl Thompson (Belair Beach) 5-2 1.65
3. Charles Darby (Glasco) 4-2 1.95
4. Ron Benson (Sugar Valley) 5-2 2.14
5. Glenn Moore (Forest City) 3-0 2.41

Wins
1. Tetsunori Nakashima (Claxton) 6-2 4.10
2. Ron Benson (Sugar Valley) 5-2 2.14
2. Casey Ledbetter (Marston) 5-1 3.69
2. Nick Pace (Marston) 5-4 4.31
2. Sean Sykes (Elnora) 5-1 4.05
2. Carl Thompson (Belair Beach) 5-2 1.65
2. Zarek Zalewski (Valmara) 5-2 1.41

Saves:
1. Gregg Neal (Sugar Valley) 5 (2-2 1.66)
2. Ricky Moreno (Volusia) 4 (3-0 1.84)
2. Lou Zanelli (Belair Beach) 4 (4-0 0.48)
4. Pat Langlais (Colfax) 3 (0-2 4.22)
4. Doc Rutledge (Far Mountain) 3 (4-1 2.38)


Shutouts:
1. Charles Darby (Glasco) 3
1. Zarek Zalewski (Valmara) 3
3. Carl Thompson (Belair Beach) 2

Strikeouts:
1. Flash Guidry (Colfax) 60
2. Ron Benson (Sugar Valley) 55
3. Carl Thompson (Belair Beach) 53
4. Tyrone Gray (Elnora) 46
5. Carl Costas (Elnora) 41

The Islandian Times

Monday, May 21, 2001

Tycobbian Union

Batting Statistics

Batting Average:
1. Alan Hansen (Bayview) .408
2. Tony Mann (Bay St. Clair) .374
3. Stan Cobb (Fairfax) .370
4. Jerry Keller (Arlon) .369
5. Maury Smith (Bay St. Clair) .364

Hits:
1. Alan Hansen (Bayview) 49
1. Tony Mann (Bay St. Clair) 49
3. Jerry Keller (Arlon) 45
4. Stan Cobb (Fairfax) 44
4. Maury Smith (Bay St. Clair) 44

Doubles:
1. Alan Hansen (Bayview) 11
1. Phil Kanaan (Bayview) 11
3. Stan Cobb (Fairfax) 10
3. Charley Moon (Bay St. Clair) 10
3. Fred Taranto (Blue Lake) 10

Triples:
1. Shinjiro Aoki (Ginza) 4
2. Takashi Fujimoto (Ginza) 3
2. Rich Hart (La Claire) 3
2. Ernie Hutchinson (Fairfax) 3
2. Matt Merrill (Arlon) 3
2. Timmy Smith (Blue Lake) 3

Home Runs:
1. Gregg Vincent (Fairfax) 18
2. Doug Cunningham (Ozarka) 13
3. Dwayne Coleman (Bayview) 12
4. Francisco Abreu (Hartsdale) 10
5. Paul Giles (South Fork) 9
5. Jerry Keller (Arlon) 9

RBIs:
1. Gregg Vincent (Fairfax) 40
2. Jerry Keller (Arlon) 34
3. Dwayne Coleman (Bayview) 33
3. Doug Cunningham (Ozarka) 33
5. Rich Hart (La Claire) 29

Runs:
1. Alan Hansen (Bayview) 30
2. Tony Mann (Bay St. Clair) 28
3. Stan Cobb (Fairfax) 26
4. Dwayne Coleman (Bayview) 26
4. Ronnie Patterson (Ozarka) 26
4. Gregg Vincent (Fairfax) 26

Stolen Bases:
1. Alan Hansen (Bayview) 11
2. Lucky Collins (La Claire) 9
2. Tom Fortunato (Luxora) 9
2. Ronnie Patterson (Ozarka) 9
5. Shinjiro Aoki (Ginza) 8
5. Greg Reynolds (Bayview) 8

Bases on Balls:
1. Paul Giles (South Fork) 29
2. Alan Hansen (Bayview) 28
3. Pedro Vizquel (Luxora) 27
4. Billy Abbott (Cape Coral) 23
4. Glenn Burns (Bayview) 23

Pitching Statistics

ERA:
1. Yasuyuki Nakagawa (Ozarka) 4-1 1.23
2. Bennie West (Blue Lake) 5-3 1.96
3. Keith Callahan (Luxora) 4-2 2.05
4. Chris Pierce (Luxora) 3-1 2.12
5. Owen Pruitt (Cape Coral) 2-1 2.40

Wins:
1. Wally Robinson (Cape Coral) 6-2 2.78
2. Norm Gross (Bay St. Clair) 5-3 3.97
2. Luther Hatch (Ozarka) 5-2 2.84
2. Jackie Leslie (Fairfax) 5-2 4.31
2. Bennie West (Blue Lake) 5-3 1.96
2. Kojiro Matsumoto (Ginza) 5-0 2.44

Saves:
1. Buzzy Lewis (Bayview) 8 (0-1 4.37)
2. Monoto Kishata (La Claire) 6 (1-1 1.38)
3. Gene Young (Hartsdale) 5 (1-0 2.61)
4. Russ Courtney (Blue Lake) 3 (0-1 4.26)
4. Katsuyuki Nagashima (Cape Coral) 3 (0-3 5.73)
4. Ken Watkins (Ginza) 3 (2-1 2.70)

Shutouts:
(18 tied with one each)

Strikeouts:
1. Wally Robinson (Cape Coral) 56
2. Vic Rousakis (Ginza) 51
3. Ken Olson (South Fork) 50
4. Gary Fountain (Cape Coral) 49
5. Keith Callahan (Luxora) 48

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, May 21, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

V's Szwak Whiffs 12
New signee, Johnny Szwak, certainly made a great impression in his first outing for Volusia. The 36-year-old righty shut down the first place Colfax Blasters in grand style. Szwak (1-0 1.00) struck out 12 in the 6-1 Vigilante victory. He allowed them only six hits and walked four in a fine performance. His club backed him up with a solid 13-hit attack and dealt Alex Castille (4-2 3.77) the loss. Castille was shelled for 10 hits and four runs in six innings. Catcher Jo-Jo Nunez (.350) cracked out 3-for-4, including a two-run homer. Shortstop Scooter Perez (.364) also added in three hits for the V's.

Last place Volusia made some wholesale changes by signing several new pitchers. GM Juan-Carlos De la Hoya announced he had added five new pitchers to the roster. In addition to Szwak, four other righthanders joined the staff: Augie Giertych, Kit Kivitt, Brian King and Ike Moore. The Vigilantes released Gil Armand (0-1 6.17), Pee Wee Cruz (1-4 7.79), Leo Flores (0-4 4.98), Carlos Romero (0-0 6.30) and Carl Schmitz (2-0 6.33).

The RU North Division just tightened up quite a bit. Volusia (15-18) climbed up out of the cellar into fifth place and is now only 4 games behind the division-leading Blasters (18-13). Colfax leads second place Valmara (17-15) by 1.5 games.

Vipers Finally Win After 5 Losses
The Valmara Vipers snapped a five-game losing streak with a hard-earned 11-7 ten-inning win over the Glasco Athletics. The Vipers tied it 6-all in the ninth, then exploded for four runs in the tenth to overwhelm the A's. They victimized losing pitcher Jeremiah McDonald (1-1 3.47) via two walks, two errors and a double. Center fielder Jan Szymanski (.268) hit a sac fly with the bases loaded for the winning run. Third baseman Rickey O'Reilly (.280) doubled in two more and the final tally came in on an infield error. O'Reilly had three hits and four RBIs for Valmara with Szymanski and second baseman Fred Vinson (.327) driving in a pair each. The victory went to Paul Schoenfeld (3-3), who retired all six batters he faced.

The Vipers (17-15) moved to within 1.5 games of the first place Colfax Blasters (18-13) in the RU North race. Glasco dipped to 15-15, 2.5 games off the pace. The A's are in fourth place.

Redhawks Slip by All-Stars 6-5
Far Mountain built up a 6-2 lead after three innings and held on to edge Elnora 6-5 today at Sky High Stadium for their fourth straight triumph. Newcomer Stan Lamoreaux (1-0 2.57) got credit for the victory with relief help from Doc Rutledge (4-1 2.55), who notched his fourth save. Lamoreaux surrendered five hits and four runs in seven innings. He fanned six, walked none and allowed only two earned runs. Rutledge gave up a run in his two innings of work. Starter Sean Sykes (5-2 4.50) was chased in the third, after giving up six runs and four hits. Right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.258) delivered the big blow of the game, a three-run roundtripper in the first. Second baseman Shirai Kobayashi (.310) had two hits and two RBIs for the Redhawks. Shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.351) paced Elnora with 2-for-4, including his first homer this season. It was a two-run shot in the opening frame. Each club had seven hits in the game.

Lamoreaux is the older brother of Frank Lamoreaux, who pitches for the La Claire Lynx in the TU West. Stan is 28, while Frank is 25. Both were born and raised in La Claire.

Far Mountain (17-16) is third in the RU North standings, while Elnora (14-19) dropped into the basement with their fourth consecutive loss.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, May 21, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Marston Slides by Rattlers 4-2
In a head-to-head battle between contenders, first place Marston's Paul Azard and Ken Bagby combined to derail second place Sugar Valley 4-2. Azard (3-0 1.08), recently promoted to a starting role by manager Johnny Walters, stopped the Rattlers on two runs and eight hits over the first six innings for the win with Bagby (0-0 2.37) finishing it up with three scoreless innings for his second save. The Nine's home run power was decisive with first baseman Johnny Berthold (.248) powering two out and driving in three runs and left fielder Ronnie Horn (.287) hitting another. Paul Haines (0-1 3.38), a recent addition by Sugar Valley, took the loss, but only allowed three hits and three runs in eight innings. Haines struck out eight and walked only one in his first game for the Rattlers. First sacker Ken Arnold (.280) batted in both Rattler runs. Sugar Valley outhit Marston 9 to 4.

This evened the series at one game apiece. Marston (18-14) took over the top spot in the RBU South, while Sugar Valley (17-14) slipped to second.

Carter Smokes Sunbirds
Waleska's Smokey Joe Carter lived up to his name today at Bayside Park in Belair Beach as he blanked them 2-0 on a seven-hitter and stopped the Sunbirds wins at four in a row. Smokey Joe (5-4 2.63) fired third strikes past seven Sunbird batters and issued only one base on balls. Westerner backup first baseman Timmy Ballard (.286) delivered the game-winner with a two-run blast in the seventh to breakup a scoreless duel. Ken Frey (1-1 2.76) lost it, but gave up only four hits and fanned six in eight innings in a fine performance.

Belair Beach (17-15) missed a chance to move up to first place in the South Division with the loss. The Sunbirds are third, but just a game behind leading Marston (18-14). Waleska (17-16) is a very close fourth, 1.5 games out.

Diamonds Tops FC in 14 Innings
Claxton's right fielder Dixie Baker (.328) rapped an RBI single to rally the Diamonds to a come-from-behind 6-5 triumph in 14 innings over Forest City. The Lumberjacks had just gone ahead 5-4 in the the top of the inning on left fielder Chuck Hill's (.368) solo smash, but losing pitcher Brian Charles (2-2 4.75) couldn't put Claxton away. Picking up the victory was Earl Weber (1-1 2.28). He worked the last three innings and gave up one run. The Diamonds drilled 11 hits in the marathon, while Forest City collected 13. Center fielder Ryan Morse (.382) had four hits for the 'Jacks. The clubs set a new IPA mark for doubles with 10 in the game, 6 by Forest City and 4 by Claxton. The old record was 9 by Volusia (6) and Elnora (3) set on May 8th.

Last place Claxton (12-21) cut short a three-game losing stretch. Forest City (16-17) dipped below the .500 mark with the setback and fell back to fifth place in the RU South standings.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, May 21, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Zorros Outlast Nats in Extra Innings
Luxora and Ozarka battled for 11 innings and the game was decided on a passed ball. The Zorros won 2-1 when catcher Billy Gibson couldn't handle a pitch by losing pitcher Alec DiMaggio and allowed Claudio Ordonez (.227) to score from third base. The starting hurlers hooked up in a good pitching duel. Johnny Montel for the Z's and Donnie Young for the Nats. Both left after nine innings with a 1-1 tie. Montel struck out 10 and gave up 4 hits, while Young fanned 7 and permitted only 3 hits. Andy Stevens (2-0 3.09) recorded the victory with a runless inning, while DiMaggio (3-1 1.33) suffered his first loss of the season. DiMaggio was touched for one run in two innings.

Ozarka (19-13) has now dropped their last three contests. Luxora (17-13) is now just a game behind in second place in the TU East.

'Canes Takes 16-Inning Thriller 10-8
Huggy Miller was one happy manager. His Cape Coral Hurricanes fought back with a huge six-run ninth to tie the game at 8-8 with the South Fork Stallions and then they won it 10-8 in 16 innings. Second baseman Andy Anderson (.281) singled in the winning run with a two-out single. Pitcher Katsuyuki Nagashima (.250) added an insurance run with another RBI single. Nagashima (1-3 4.30) notched the win with three scoreless innings. He fanned five Stallions. The loser was Billy Joe Gordon (0-3 2.91), who hurled four innings, gave up three hits and no earned runs with four Ks. South Fork pitchers struck out 17 Hurricanes and set a new IPA mark for an extra-inning game. The two-team total of 28 Ks was also a new record. Glasco (14) and Colfax (10) set the old mark of 24 on May 14 in an 18-inning contest.

The single-team strikeout record for a regulation game is 14 by Colfax against Glasco on May 12th with the two-team mark being 19 and`held jointly by Blue Lake (13) and Arlon (6) on May 8th and Ozarka (13) and Ginza (6) on May 4th.

Both teams made 3 doubles plays each and established a new mark for an extra-ing game with 6.

Both clubs racked up 13 hits each. Offensively, the Hurricanes were led by third baseman Jose Quinones (.167) and pinchhitter Rod Kelly (.330), each with critical two-run doubles in the ninth inning. In defeat, right fielder Paul Giles (.276) and third baseman Glenn Holliday (.242) starred with two homers and three RBIs apiece. Giles has hit 11 this season and Holliday has 6.

Cape Coral (17-14) is in the third spot in the standings and just 1.5 games out of first place. The Stallions (11-22) are last in the division.

Abreu's 3-Run HR Wins It for Hellcats in 12th
Second baseman Francisco Abreu was the man of the hour at Pioneer Park in Hartdale. He cracked a three-run roundtripper in the last of the twelfth to make the homestanding Hellcats a 6-3 winner over the Ginza Ninjas and halt his club's four-game losing streak. This was after third baseman Whiz Weaver (.279) had dramatically tied it with his 8th homer in the bottom of the ninth. Weaver's was a two-run shot. Abreu (.250) was 3-for-6 in the game and now has 11 home runs and 28 RBIs this season. Ginza was led by third baseman Todd Connolly (.265) with a pair of hits and three RBIs.

19-year-old Jackie Bond (1-1 3.18) won in relief. He pitched a perfect twelfth for the victory. Cody Moore (0-2 5.17) was tagged for the walk-off homer. He came on in relief in the tenth.

Hartsdale (15-17) is fifth in the division, while Ginza (16-16) is in the fourth spot. The Ninjas are three games behind the TU East Division leader, the Ozarka Naturals (19-13).

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, May 21, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Hold on to Top Spot in TU West
It's a battle royal going on in the TU West Division with Fairfax, La Claire and Bayview all in contention. So far, the Frogs are holding a very slight edge in a very tight race. Today at the Frog Pond, Fairfax narrowly beat Blue Lake 4-3 behind righthander Mel Murray (3-3 4.66), who allowed 11 hits, but only three runs. He fanned six and walked only one in a good performance.
Manager Harry Buckley told reporters, "Mel did a fine job. He bent, but he didn't break. He got 'em out when he had to."

Pacing the Frog attack was second baseman Greg Inman (.280) with a two-run single in the second and catcher Rich Kelly (.220) had a two-run blast in the sixth. Donnie Bullock (3-4 5.92) allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings and absorbed the loss. Center fielder Donnie Frazier (.355) got his 7th homer of the season and second baseman Dandy Wilson (.241) got number two to account for all of the Blue Sox scores.

Fairfax (19-13) leads the division by a half-game over second place La Claire (19-14) and third place Bayview (20-15). The Lynx are just a few percentage points ahead of the Vikings in the battle for the runner-up position.

The Blue Lake Blue Sox (15-17) are in fourth place and are four games out of first.

Lynx Win Close One, Beat Champs 8-7
La Claire started on a roll and ran up an 8-1 lead over Arlon, but the Champs quickly made it a ballgame with a six-run fourth to make it an 8-7 game. That is how it ended as Arlon failed to score another run. Third sacker Luis Marquez (.308) topped the Lynx at bat with three hits and four RBIs, along with second baseman Darrell Boyce (.268), who batted in a pair of runs. Left fielder Matt Merrill (.313) was the Champions best producer with three hits and three RBIs. including his 7th roundtripper. Third baseman Nicky Sweet (.235) also homered.

Tony Nygaard (1-0) got the win in his first start this season, but it was tough going. Nygaard was rapped for nine hits and seven runs in six innings with three of them unearned. Skipper Rip Calkin has a tired bullpen and needed the innings from Nygaard. Nick Baumgartner (2-5 4.56) recently demoted from the starting rotation, stood out in his first relief appearance. He picked up the save with three scoreless innings and struck out five.

"Nick saved us today in more ways than one. We really needed some innings out of the starter and bullpen. Our staff is bushed right now," Calkin told the press in the clubhouse after the game. "Baumgartner and Nygaard gave the pen some vital rest today. They should be ready to go tomorrow."

Sean Dudek (0-3) was ripped for five hits and five runs before being chased in the second and took the loss for Arlon. It was the Champs third in a row.

The Lynx (19-14) are in second place in the TU West, trailing Fairfax (19-13) by just a half-game. Arlon (14-18) is fifth, four games back.

Viks End Bucs 3-Game Win Streak
Bayview put an end to Bay St. Clair's three-game winning streak with a three-run eighth to captured an 8-7 victory. The Vikings firepower was three homers, two by first baseman Dwayne Coleman (.281) and one by catcher Tommy Harrell (.272). Coleman has hammered 14 into the seats this season, while Harrell has hit two. Right fielder Dean Howell (.368) socked three hits and scored twice for Bayview. Leading the attack for the Bucs was center fielder Nickie Friedrich (.290) with a double, sac fly and three RBIs and third baseman Bubba Tate (.333) with 2-for-2, including a triple and two RBIs.

Both clubs swatted a dozen hits apiece as it was not a good day for the twirlers. Charley Andrews (4-3 5.23) gained the win in relief, while starter Ben Crowley (2-3 4.25) lost it. The Vikings hit him hard for eight runs and eleven hits before he took a shower in the three-run eighth.

Bayview (19-15) is in the third spot in the close TU West race and Bay St. Clair (12-22) is comfortably sitting in last place in the division.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Around the Town in the IPA

WALESKA WESTERNERS

Owner: Ewing Enterprises, Jock Ewing, President

GM/Manager: McGraw Johnson

Waleska is in the southwest part of Ruthlandia near the Silver Mountains and has about 113,000 inhabitants. The town name comes from the Waleska Indian phrase meaning "I don't understand", which was the reply given by the Indians, when the White Man first encountered them and asked them who they were. The Whites mistakenly took the phrase to mean their name.

The High Plains area was settled originally by ranchers to raise purebred Hereford cattle. After the ranchers came the railroad workers to build the railroad for easy transportation of the cattle to market. This attracted many wealthy men from the eastern United States and Europe, who brought with them their impeccable social amenities, culture and high society. Many cattle barons spent their summers in Waleska and winters in Europe. They created the Waleska Social Club, a lavish club furnished on a scale equal to the finest gentleman's clubs in England.

Residents enjoyed a social life, which was unique in the western part of Ruthlandia and on par with more cultured Ruthlandian towns in the east and south. Among the earliest settlers were the ancestors of the Jock Ewing family, the owners of the Waleska Westerners of the Ruthlandian Union. The club plays in the South Division. Oil was soon discovered on the ranch lands and the rich got richer, creating a financial empire that also expanded to railroad, meat packing and processing, banking and finance.

The Ewing Family is a powerful force in the history of the Islands and its baseball development. They have three franchises in the league in Waleska, South Fork and Ozarka.

The Westerners play their games at historic Westerner Stadium (circa 1902), the oldest ballpark in the Islands. The Ewings renovated it in 1980, but kept the beautiful old brick wall that runs around the entire ballpark. It was named in honor of the tough men and woman, who braved the harsh and hostile frontier environment to establish a thriving and prosperous town. One of the big events of the year is the Frontier Days celebration, a week long event that features a world class rodeo, country music concerts and a spotlight on the good things of western life. A country band entertains the crowds at Westerner Stadium during the games, complete with steel guitar, bass fiddle and twin fiddles. What a treat to hear twin Texas fiddles play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and see the buckaroos and their little darlings do line dances and boot-scooting boogies during the game. One of the very special treats at Westerner Stadium is the mouthwatering steak sandwiches that are grilled right in front of your eyes and noses on a huge charcoal grill. And of course, an ice cold bottle of imported Lone Star beer ("Brewed in the Heart of Texas") comes with it, too.

Westerner owner, Jock Ewing, was very instrumental in the IPA's coming to be. He and several other multi-millionaire cohorts,like shipbuilder Brent Steiner of Bayiew, Jorge Trujillo (former dictator, now exiled) of Belair Beach, and wealthy entertainers Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles of Bay St. Clair and Conway Birdie of Cape Coral, conceived, financed and tried to contrive the league in their image and control.

But with the "help and guidance" of talented baseball owners like Manny Earl of Sugar Valley, Rob Jackson of Forest City and Rip Calkin of La Claire, the latter more than held their own in the smoke-filled rooms of debate and won a great concession: they got John Banson installed as commissioner with almost absolute control of the IBA, a necessity considering the history and practices of the power mongers. Charles and Birdie love baseball more than money and they acted a mediators to bring the IPA into fruition.

Waleska's club operations are run by the legendary McGraw Johnson, a baseball pioneer and innovator. He was the first manager to platoon players and to use a closer.

Westerner Stadium (1902)

Capacity: 12,850

LF Line 330
LF 375
LCF 410
CF 390
RCF 410
RF 375
RF Line 330

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Around the Town in the IPA

Cape Coral Hurricanes

Owner: Conway Birdie

GM/Manager: Huggy Miller

Cape Coral is a town of 112,000 on the northshore of Arvonian Island, jutting out into Belair Bay. Arvonian Island is bordered on three sides by the Southern Sea.

It is a resort area famous for great weather year round in idyllic tropical surroundings. Serene sky blue waters with magnificent sunsets, white, glistening beaches, luxury hotels, night clubs, legendary entertainers and retirement communities. It is a place to be pampered.

It is also known for an occasional tropical storm or hurricane spawned out of the warm tropical currents of the Southern Sea. Hence, the Cape Coral baseball team in the IPA's Tycobbian Union is nicknamed the Hurricanes. They play at Seaside Stadium, which has an eyecatching view of Belair Bay. Some of the myriad of magnificent hotels and casinos can also be seen rising up in grandeur over the island landscape.

Seaside Stadium is known for its exotic beverages and gourmet fare fit for a king. Every fan treasures the house speciality, "The Hurricane", a fantastic blend of tropical flavors and liqueurs, served up in a beautiful souvenir glass.

The buffet foods make every game very special for the fans and resort visitors. Hot dogs and cokes are available, too, along with the best grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich outside of Memphis, Tennessee.

Music is provided by the Beachcomber Boys, a rock 'n' roll combo. Their version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" really reverberates, rocks and rolls. One of the Beachcomber Boys, Conway Birdie (old rock 'n' roll star and connoisseur of grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches) is the proud owner of the Hurricanes. Birdie was instrumental (pun intended) in the creation of the Islandian Pro Alliance along with Jock Ewing of Waleska, John Banson (former amateur and industrial league czar) and Jorge Trujillo of Belair Beach. The old rock 'n' roller was a pretty fair ballplayer in his day, too.

Huggy Miller is the GM and Manager of Cape Coral. He was a journeyman second baseman in the industrial leagues, but a truly gifted manager and baseball tactician.

Seaside Stadium (1987)

Capacity: 13,100

Dimensions:
LF Line 365
LF 375
LCF 400
CF 390
RCF 375
RF 360
RF Line 350

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Blasters Outscore Vigilantes 10-7
Colfax didn't get as many hits as Volusia, but they made better use of them in a 10-7 hitfest at Silver River Stadium. The Blasters only got 11 hits to 16 for the V's, but that was enough. First baseman Dennis Cole (.302) rapped in three runs with his 10th homer, while center fielder Blinky Brandon (.320) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, second baseman Tucker Hill (.322) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and third baseman Russ Ferrell (.261) was 2-for-5 and batted in two runs. Volusia was paced by first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.244), third baseman Bennie Anderson (.282) and right fielder Lonnie Howard (.210). They each had three hits.
Although he wasn't around at the finish, Greg Forest (4-1 4.39) chalked up the victory. He gave up ten hits and six runs and departed in the seventh leading 7-6. A three-run eighth solidified the game for him. Starter Hank Massey (2-5 3.51) was the loser. He was belted for five runs and five hits and left in the third inning down 5-0.

Colfax (19-13) is on top of the RU North, while Volusia (15-19) is in the cellar, five games behind.

Redhawks Win Fifth Straight
Things are getting better and better for the Far Mountain Redhawks and worse and worse for the Elnora All-Stars. The Redhawks routed the All-Stars 13-1 for their fifth successive win and Elnora's fifth straight defeat. Far Mountain is now in second place in the RU North.

Spearheading the Far Mountain 15-hit onslaught were second baseman Shirai Kobayashi (.307), left fielder Terry Mancuso (.133) and center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.264) with three RBIs each. Catcher Dave Davis (.321) and third baseman Johnny Strickland (.236) scored three times each in the runaway.

33-year-old righthander Vic Vaux (3-1) tossed a six-hitter, fanned four and walked only one in a fine outing. Troy Hudson (3-2 3.30) exited early in the sixth frame and caught the loss. The Redhawks banged him around for five runs and eight hits.

Far Mountain's (18-16) win streak has lifted them into second place in the RU North, two games behind leading Colfax (19-13). Elnora (14-20) is in the division basement and trail by six games.

A's Edge Vipers in 17 Innings
The Glasco Athletics edged the Valmarar Vipers 5-4 in 17 innings. Right fielder Jose Valenzuela and second baseman Barry McCord were the heroes for Glasco. Valenzuela (.333) tripled to lead off the seventeenth and scored on McCord's (.246) singled to end the marathon struggle. Both managers had to delve into their starting rotations to find enough pitchers in the late innings. McDuffie Hughes called on Charles Darby (5-2 1.88) in the sixteenth and he got the win with two scoreless innings. J. Jackson Samuel used two of his starters in relief, Paul Schoenfeld for four innings and Chuck Kowalcyzk. The loss went to Kowalcyzk (1-3 5.11), who didn't get anyone out in the last inning.

Glasco had 16 hits in the game with center fielder Chet Reynolds collecting four of them and Valenzuela three. Third baseman Rick Atkins (.262) belted a three-run homer. Valmara slapped 17 hits and were led by left fielder Louis Sharp (.363), third baseman Rickey O'Reilly (.288) and second baseman Scott Kaminski (.406), all with three hits apiece. Viper center fielder Jan Szymanski and shortstop Mike Ellefsen each had roundtrippers.

The Athletics (16-15) jumped ahead of the Vipers (17-16) in the standings and are now in third place in the RU North. Valmara falls to the fourth spot.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Marston Mauls Rattlers 9-1
The Marston Nine mauled the Spring Valley Rattlers 9-1 with a 13-hit barrage, highlighted by three home runs. Manager Johnny Walters got a solid effort from his big 6'5" righthander Casey Ledbetter, too. Ledbetter (6-1 3.30) easily went the distance and scattered eight hits and had nine Ks and only one walk. Third baseman Roland Thomas (.306) went 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Thomas, first baseman Johnny Berthold (.246) and shortstop Lenny Torricelli (.281) all powered homers. Harvey Hines (3-3 3.46) was stuck with the defeat, yielding four runs and five hits in just two innings of work.

Marston (19-14) retains its lead in the RU North Division. Sugar Valley (17-15) is in the third spot in the standings and trails the Nine by 1.5 games.

Thompson Tames Westerners on 3-Hits
Southpaw Carl Thompson of Belair Beach struck out ten Westerners as he fired a splendid three-hitter to beat Waleska 5-1 at Bayside Park. But Thompson (6-2 1.45) needed some ninth-inning help from bullpen ace, Lou Zanelli (4-0 0.47), who converted his 5th save of the season. Leading the Sunbirds at bat were new third baseman Mike Janocko (.143), who socked a two-run roundtripper and drove in three runs in all, center fielder Pat Gilbert (.268) and recently-signed first baseman Phil Gravelli (.286), both with two hits and an RBI.

The triumph put Belair Beach (18-15) past Sugar Valley (17-15) for the runner-up spot in the division. The Sunbirds are now one game back of first place Marston (19-14). Waleska (17-17) saw their record drop to .500 on the year. The Westerners are fourth.

'Jacks Edelman Spins Win Over Diamonds
Forest City's Vinny Edelman threw a lot of pitches, but he walked off the mound with a 5-2 victory over the Claxton Diamonds. Edelman (1-2 2.95) won for the first time this year by stopping Claxton on six hits, while fanning six and walking five. He beat Zach Nuxhall (1-3 4.80), who was racked for 11 hits and 4 runs in six innings. The Lumberjacks whacked a dozen hits and were paced by homers by left fielder Chuck Hill (.372), his 12th, and right fielder Benny Davis (.233), who clouted his 8th.

Forest City (17-17) is back up to .500 and shares fourth place with the Waleska Westerners (17-17). They are 2.5 games out of first in the RU South race. Claxton (12-22) is last.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Zorros Take Top Spot from Ozarka
Luxora made it look easy and manhandled Ozarka 7-1 to take over first place in the TU East. It was the third straight triumph for the Z's and the Naturals fourth defeat in a row. The Zorros lead by percentage points. Francisco Fernandes (3-2 2.71) worked a strong game, stopping Ozarka on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Luxora smacked 12 hits and were led by catcher Eric Richter (.381) with a perfect 4-for-4 day and three RBIs, first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.286) with 3-for-4 and two RBIs, including a homer and left fielder Tom Fortunato (.265) with a two-run roundtripper. Yasuyuki Nakagawa (4-2 2.42) was knocked out in the fifth and allowed seven runs and nine hits.

The Zorros (18-13) are now the number one team in the TU East Division, while Ozarka (19-14) slipped to the runner-up slot.

Stallions Race by Hurricanes 9-5
South Fork broke a two-game losing skein with a 9-5 victory over Cape Coral at Jock Ewing Stadium. The Stallions poked 13 hits off three Hurricane hurlers and belted three home runs. Leading the parade were right fielder Paul Giles (.283) with two hits and three RBIs, left fielder Gene Woodruff (.253) with two hits and two RBIs and Alex Kesler (.200) with two hits and two RBIs. Giles cracked his 12th homer of the year, while Woodruff and Mike Yastrzemski (.273) got their first of the season. Enjoying the run support was the winning pitcher, Ken Olson (2-3 2.74), who went all the way, allowed ten hits, fanned seven and only issued one walk. Cape Coral never threatened South Fork. It took a three-run ninth to keep it from being a runaway. Taking the loss was Owen Pruitt (2-2 2.76), who surrendered four runs and five hits over the first four frames.

The Stallions (12-22) still are in last place in the TU East, while Cape Coral (17-16) is third, two games behind first place Luxora (18-13). The Hurricanes share third with the Ginza Ninjas (17-16).

Ninjas Knock Off Hellcats 7-3
Homers by Charlie Campbell and Scoop McDonald paved the way to a Ginza 7-3 win over Hartsdale today at Pioneer Park. Left fielder Campbell (.299) hit a three-run shot in the first and second baseman McDonald (.282) gave the Ninjas a little breathing room in the ninth with a two-run salvo. Little Koshiro Matsumoto (6-0 2.62) was roughed up in the three-run seventh that cut his lead to 5-3, but Alec Sasek (1-0 3.00) saved it for him. Matsumoto permitted three runs and six hits and got his sixth win of the season. It was Sasek's first save. Danny Griffin (4-5 3.10) sustained the loss, allowing five runs and seven hits before being taken out in the sixth.

Ginza (17-16) moved into a tie with Cape Coral (17-16) for third place. Hartsdale (15-18) is fifth in the TU East standings.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Fairfax Noses Out Sox
First place Fairfax had a narrow escape from the last place Blue Lake Blue Sox. Third baseman Stan Cobb's ten-inning single plated center fielder Billy Echevarria (.264) with the winning score in the 2-1 win. First baseman Earl Hutchinson's (.301) fourth-inning home run put the other run on the scoreboard. Skipper Harry Buckley got good efforts on the mound by Johnny Schuessler and closer Takehide Takahashi. Schuessler (1-3 3.55) pitched into the tenth and gave up eight hits, struck out five and walked two. Takahashi (3-1 2.08) picked up the victory with an impressive performance. After Schuessler gave up a lead-off single, Takahashi came in and was promptly tagged for another single to put runners on second and third. He proceeded to strike out Blue Lake's best hitters, Donnie Frazier (.351) and Fred Taranto (.325), and got the last out when Ken Bennett (.216) grounded out. Starter Jay Clay sparkled in his seven innings, permitting seven hits and one run with five strikeouts and a walk. Russ Courtney worked a 1-2-3 eighth with two Ks and Derek Manetti (3-1 4.19) was pinned with the loss. He pitched the last two innings.

The Frogs (20-13) hold the top spot in the close TU West and Blue Lake (15-18) is in the fourth position, four games off the pace. The Blue Sox are tied with Arlon (15-18).

Champs Clip La Claire
Arlon's Craig Smith racked up 10 Ks in his 7-4 decision over the La Claire Lynx at Derby Downs. Smith (5-2 2.90) was touched for eight hits, walked four and gave up three runs in seven innings. He tired and ran into trouble in the eighth and needed help from Rod Kelley. Unherealded third baseman Archie Berry (.236) supplied a three-run homer to sparked the Champions. Shortstop Bama Hartley (.252) drove in a pair of runs with two hits and center fielder Jerry Keller (.369) chipped in his 10th roundtripper. The Lynx were led by catcher Dennis Weiss (.289), who had three hits and two RBIs, including his 3rd homer this season. Starter Nick Pilsner (1-3 5.06) was saddled with the loss. Arlon got to him for seven hits and four runs in just four innings.

Second place La Claire (19-15) fell 1.5 games in back of first place Fairfax (20-13) and the Champions (15-18) snapped a three-game losing streak. Arlon is tied for fourth in the division standings with the Blue Lake Blue Sox (15-18).

Bucs Hang On, Beat Viks 6-5
Reliever Johnny Nikolsky fanned clean-up hitter Dwayne Coleman with the bases-loaded and only one out in the ninth to protect Bay St. Clair's 6-5 victory over the Bayview Vikings. Nikolsky then closed it out by retiring the dangerous Phil Kanaan (.299) on a grounder. It was Nikolsky's (1-1 2.89) second save. First baseman Maury Smith (.373) rapped three hits and batted in two runs for the Bucs. Third sacker Bubba Tate (.333) also drove in two runs. Coleman (.301) slammed his 15th homer among his four hits for the day. Viks right fielder Dean Howell (.391) was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and shortstop Shorty Richards (.252) had a solo roundtripper. Ted Jorgerson (1-4 5.83) finally got a win this season. He lasted until the seventh and surrendered nine hits and three runs. Starter Mike Jardoin (2-3 6.56) was rocked for four runs and six hits in six innings and took the loss for Bayview.

The Buccaneers (12-22) are sixth and last in the TU West Division, while the Vikings (19-17) are third and trail the division leader, Fairfax, by 2.5 games.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Around the Town in the IPA

Ginza Ninjas

Owner: OmniSea, Ltd.

GM/Manager: Huroko Uchiyama

Ginza began as a little fishing village in southeastern Tycobbia, settled by seafaring Japanese immigrants, who came in the 1860s during the Meiji Dynasty, a period of westernization. Today Ginza is a prosperous town of 88,000 with about half of its citizens being Japanese. Both Japanese and English are official languages here.

The name Ginza comes from “silver mint”, which Japanese authorities built in 1612. The modern day Ginza is a fabulous shopping area in Tokyo. The Tycobbian Ginza emulates it namesake, but on a much smaller scale. It is a free trade port and has many importers and exporters at the International Bazaar. Great bargains are in abundance in Ginza. The town also has a thriving fishing fleet and seafood processing industry.

Baseball got a late start in Ginza. The town inhabitants began playing amateur baseball in the 1930s, but soon began to challenge other towns in the sport. OmniSea Marine Processors, the largest employer in town, began sponsoring leagues and invested heavily in the game's development. OmniSea eventually expanded to industrial leagues and now to the Islandian Pro Alliance. They own the Ginza Ninjas of the Tycobbian Union West Division.

Ginza plays at Ninja Stadium, a modern ballpark built in 1998. A game at Ninja Stadium is really special. Most of the fans are quite reserve and quiet, typical Japanese social demeanor. However, in the left field bleachers it is another world...a wild and noisy place. There, the Ninjas have an official cheering section called “oendan” (pronounced “oh-en-dan”), that plays songs, beats drums and gongs, blows trumpets and waves flags. They stand up the entire time, when the Ninjas are at bat and sit down, when the opposition is batting. Fans clap plastic megaphones along with the oendan and sing chants to each Ginza player. Many fans carry umbrellas to the ballgame. Whenever the Ninjas score a run, they also open up all of the umbrellas, their way of telling the opposing pitcher, he is headed for the showers.

In the Lucky Seventh, the traditional seventh inning stretch, they sing the Ninja fight song and then release hundreds of rocket balloons (jetto fusen). Other unique things about Ninja baseball is the public address announcer is female, the only one in the Islands. You will also see the pitcher bow in reverence to fielders, who make good plays.

At the Ninja Stadium concessions you will find not only traditional baseball fare, but Japanese as well. Ginza fans can enjoy yakisoba (fried noodles), yaketori (BBQ chicken on skewers), takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings) and bento (cold lunch in a wooden box). For the sweet tooth, kakigori (snowballs with flavored syrup and condensed milk), green tea ice cream, sweet potato ice cream, anmitsu (cold fruit dessert) and anpan (sweet bun).

The GM and Manager of the Ginza Ninjas is one of the alltime great players and managers in the Tycobbian amateur and industrial leagues, Huroko Uchiyama. They call him “Mr. Baseball” in Ginza.

Ninja Stadium (1998)

Capacity: 10,667

Dimensions:

LF Line 330
LF 355
LCF 377
CF 400
RCF 372
RF 360
RF Line 335

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Around the Town in the IPA

Hartsdale Hellcats

Owner: Pioneer Brewing Company

GM/Manager: Zim Donner

Hartsdale, with population of about 74,OOO, is situated on the slopes of the Appian Mountains of Northern Tycobbia. It is a blue-collar, working class town, functional and old-fashioned in architecture. Primary industries are coal and iron ore mining, timber, glassware and beer. The vital Appian River begins in the Appian Mountains near North Hills, travels most of the country from north to south, past Hartsdale to the Capital city, La Claire, then finally culminates at Bay St. Clair, a seaport town on the west central coast. The river provides an inexpensive source of transportation and is crucial to Hartsdale’s and Tycobbia’s economies.

Hartsdale is also the home of the Hellcats baseball team of the Islandian Pro Alliance in the Tycobbian Union West Division, who plays at Pioneer Park. The Pioneer Brewing Company owns the club and is the maker of Tycobbia’s favorite brew, Pioneer Premium Beer. The brewery can be seen just beyond the center and right field fences of Pioneer Park. In fact, the brick walls of the factory form part of the right field bleachers. Company bigwigs can watch the ballgame from their offices.

Hellcats fans take their baseball very seriously and are serious students of the game. It’s baseball, beer and hot dogs in the hearts of the fans -- and the last two are a very distant second. When they go to a game, their eyes stay glued to the action on the field. They are hardcore Hellcats fans, too, and give no breaks or quarter to the opposing team or their fans. Very few visiting fans have the courage to display their loyalties very much in front of the rough and rowdy Hellcats. They get some very hard stares if they do. The Hartsdalians are tough and demanding on the Hellcats players, too. At the traditional seventh inning stretch each adult is gifted with a small sample of Pioneer Beer and it is used to toast their cherished baseball team as they sing a few bars of “99 bottles of beer on the wall”, followed by “Take me out to the ballgame”. And you can get the best burgers and dogs in Tycobbia, grilled to perfection on the concessions concourse.

The Hellcats are corporately owned. Zim Donner, a 50-year veteran in amateur and professional baseball, is the GM and Manager. He was a fine up-and-coming shortstop until he suffered a couple of beanballs that turned him into just a journeyman infielder. But he is one fine manager and baseball teacher. He has been known to charge the mound occasionally. The fiery Hellcats fans love him.

Pioneer Park (1954)

Capacity: 10,000

Dimensions:
LF Line 322
LF 345
LCF 375
CF 415
RCT 375
RF 345
RF Line 322

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Blasters KO's Vigilantes 7-3
Dennis Cole (.306) powered first place Colfax past Volusia 7-3 with four RBIs. The Blasters hot-hitting first baseman slugged a two-run homer and a two-run double. It was his 11th roundtripper this season. Left fielder Blinky Brandon (.316) also contributed a two-run triple. Harry Manning (5-2 3.40) garnered the win. He worked into the seventh when he needed help from closer Walt Sellers. Manning yielded three runs and eight hits in the game. It was Sellers third save. He didn't allow a run and struck out three in his stint. Volusia newcomer Augie Giertych (0-1 0.00) was the losing pitcher, but he didn't give up an earned run. He permitted five runs and seven hits in his six innings and had five strikeouts. Two errors led to five runs in the fifth inning and wiped out a 3-0 Vigilante lead.

Colfax (20-13) is the top team in the RU North, while Volusia (15-20) is in fifth place, six games behind.

FM Wins 6th Straight, Elnora Loses 6th
The Redhawks are red-hot -- just ask the Elnora All-Stars. Far Mountain took their sixth straight with a 3-1 triumph over Elnora at Sky High Stadium behind some fine pitching by Sonny Elliott (5-3 2.27). The Redhawk righthander stopped the All-Stars on a 5-hitter, all singles, struck out six and allowed no walks in an impressive performance. It was Elnora's sixth loss in a row. First baseman Royce Benson (.308) gave Elliot all the runs he needed with a two-run homer in the opening frame. Catcher Dave Davis (.328) drove in the other score and had two hits in the game. Portsider John Tinker (3-5 4.29) took the loss, but pitched well, too. He went seven innings, surrendered only two runs and five hits. The Redhawks outhit the All-Stars seven to five.

Manager Alex Groveland has guided Far Mountain to a 19-16 mark this season, while Elnora's Zoggy White has piloted his club to a dismal 14-21 record. The Redhawks are in the second spot, 2 games off the pace of the top team, Colfax (20-13). The All-Stars losing skein has dropped them into the division cellar.

Valmara Bombards A's 10-4
A four-run seventh busted up a close game and gave Valmara an easy 10-4 win over the Glasco Athletics. The big blow belonged to first baseman Yank Jankowski (.244), who swatted a three-run homer in the inning. Second baseman Floyd Vinson (.336) and right fielder Jet Kazmarek (.259) both drilled three hits in the Viper 12-hit barrage. Center fielder Jan Szymanski (.270) had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice. He also homered. Shortstop Mike Ellefsen (.311) chipped in with two more RBIs. Leading the way for the A's were first baseman Francisco Robles (.288) with 3-for-5 and two RBIs and second baseman Barry McCord (.264) with 3-for-3 and an RBI. Glasco had 12 hits all total.

Zarek Zalewski (6-2 1.70) picked up his sixth victory, but he wasn't around at the end. He exited early and tossed only five innings and was hit hard, yielding nine hits and three runs. New Viper pitcher Mickey Webb had a sharp outing. He held the A's scoreless in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Starter Jesse Balfour (2-4 3.33) bit the dust as he was shelled for five runs and eight hits in six innings.

The Vipers (18-16) are third in the RU North Division and trail first place Colfax (20-13) by 2.5 games. Glasco (16-16) fell back to .500 and are 3.5 games out.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Rattlers Edge Marston 2-1
Three Rattler twirlers shut down first place Marston 2-1 today at Farmers Memorial Park in Sugar Valley and put the Nine in a tie with Belair Beach. Center fielder Freddie Vaux (.321) doubled across the deciding run in the last of the eighth off reliever Ken Bagby (0-1 2.45), who gave up only one run and two hits in three innings of work. Rattler bullpen ace, Gregg Neal (3-2 1.82) closed it out and got the win. Neal retired all six batters he faced and struck two of them out. Tony Michelet started and went into the sixth. He allowed one run and seven hits before Jay Washington relieved him, gave up no hits and no runs and got all four batters in order. Nick Pace was strong for Marston. The Rattlers could only get one run and three hits off of him in five innings. The Nine had only seven hits in the ballgame, while Sugar Valley netted only five with Vaux having three of them.

Sugar Valley (18-15) is in third place in the RU South, just a half-game behind first place Marston (19-15). The loss dropped the Nine into a tie for first with the Belair Beach Sunbirds (19-15).

Sunbirds Sink Westerners on Zanelli HR
Closer Lou Zanelli of Belair Beach won the game in an unusual fashion -- he parked a ball into the stands in the bottom of the tenth to give the Sunbirds a 7-6 triumph over Waleska.The win gave Belair Beach a share of the top spot in the RU South with Marston. Zanelli (5-0 0.41) also got credit for the victory, his 5th of of the season. He has yet to lose one. Zanelli came in with one out in the eighth and held the Westerners without a run. He allowed one hit, walked two and fanned three. Both clubs racked up 14 hits each. Topping the Sunbird batters was left fielder Nicky Swift (.347) with his 14th and 15th home runs and four RBIs. Waleska was led by Yoshihide Nishida (.271) with 3-for-5 and three runs scored, left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.298) with 2-for-5 and two RBIs and catcher Jody Hill (.190) with a homer and two RBIs. Nishida tied the IPA mark for doubles with three. He now holds the record with Jerry Keller of Arlon, Scooter Perez of Volusia and Chris Deangelo of Marston. Buddy Kennedy (1-3 4.96) continues to struggle in the closer role and caught the loss.

Belair Beach (19-15) is in a first place tie with Marston (19-15) in the RU South. Waleska (17-18) dipped below .500 and is in the fourth spot in the division standings and deadlocked with Forest City (17-18).

Claxton Wins Despite 5 HRs by 'Jacks
Claxton was outmuscled by Forest City, but not outscored. The Lumberjacks ripped 5 homers to 2 for the Diamonds, but to no avail. Claxton won the game 9-8 with a dramatic two-run homer by Arnie Kruger (.222) in the bottom of the ninth. In the top of the inning, the Lumberjacks has surged back from a 7-4 deficit with three home runs and taken the lead 8-7, but losing pitcher Jim DiGregorio (0-1 0.64) couldn't hold it. Alex Vanzetti (1-0 3.38) got the win, though he faced only two batters and retired one of them,

The two clubs tied the IPA record for most homers with 7. It was done previously by Cape Coral (4)-Hartsdale (3) on April 24th and by Far Mountain (3)-Valmara (4) on May 7th. The league mark for most by one team belongs to Claxton, who hit 6 against Sugar Valley on April 22.

Claxton (13-22) is in last place in the RU South, while Forest City (17-18) is tied for fourth with Waleska (17-18).

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Z's Dump Ozarka for 4th Time, Takeover Top Spot
Luxora is looking like the best team in the TU East right now. The number one Zorros disposed of second place Ozarka for the fourth straight time, whipping them 7-3 behind Chris Pierce. They punched out 14 hits and were sparked by right fielder Pedro Vizquel (.257) who had two hits and tripled in three runs and first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.306) with 4 hits and two RBIs. Pierce (4-1 2.30) spun a nice game, limiting the Nats to just four hits, but two of them were homers. He fanned nine and walked two for the win. Ozarka's Luther Hatch (5-3 2.90) had an off day and suffered the loss, yielding four runs and nine hits in five innings, but only two of them were earned. Left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.323) and first baseman Floyd Snow (.243) both clouted their 7th roundtrippers of the season for the Naturals.

Luxora (19-13) took possession of the top spot in the TU East Division and has a full game lead over Ozarka (19-15).

SF's Battle Stops CC 3-2
"Less is more" -- that certainly proved to be the case between Cape Coral and South Fork. The Stallions had only four hits to the Hurricanes eight, but they still took home the victory 3-2. Flint Battle (4-4 3.03) evened his record at 4-4. He struck out six and walked two in a good outing. Kaz Hayagawa (3-4 4.01) was dealt the loss. He surrendered only four hits in six innings but was tagged for three runs. Three of the hits came in the three-run fourth. Shortstop Bobby Riley (.280) singled in a run, first baseman Rod Reed (.136) doubled in a run and catcher Ronnie Blair (.091) had a sacrifice fly.

The Hurricanes (17-17) saw their record fall to .500 on the year, while last place South Fork (13-22) improved a little bit. Cape Coral and Ginza (17-17) are tied for the third spot in the TU East standing and are three games off the pace.

Ninjas Mann-Handled 1-0
The Ginza Ninjas were Mann-handled today at Pioneer Park in Hartsdale. Glenn Mann blanked them on seven hits 1-0. Hellcat second baseman Francisco Abreu (.265) drove in the game's only run with a first-inning single. Mann (3-5 3.01) only allowed three baserunners to get as far as second. He finished up with seven Ks and only one walk. Kazuhiro Nakayama (3-5 2.71) had the misfortune to face Mann today. He lost a tough decision, yielding only six hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and just one walk.

Ginza (17-17) is tied for the third spot in the TU East with the Cape Coral Hurricanes (17-17). They both trail first place Luxora (19-13) by three games. Hartsdale (16-18) is a game back of them in fifth place.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Win Third in a Row from Blue Lake
Jackie Leslie of first place Fairfax became a six-game winner by beating Blue Lake 5-3 at the Frog Pond. It was the Frogs third consecutive victory over the Blue Sox. Leslie (6-2 4.13) held Blue Lake to six hits, fanned seven and walked two. On the offensive side right fielder Gregg Vincent (.303) increased his IPA-leading RBI total to 42 with 2-for-4 and a pair of RBIs, while first baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.302) and third sacker Stan Cobb (.362) knocked in a run apiece. Getting the loss was Mickey Dwyer (0-1 5.56). It was his first start of the year and he lasted six innings, allowed four runs and seven hits.

Fairfax, the TU West leader, is 21-13 this season so far, while Blue Lake is in in fifth place with a 15-19 mark and six games behind in the standings.

Hunt Halts Lynx 5-1
Righthander Ray Hunt worked his magic on La Claire as the Arlon Champions toppled them 5-1. Hunt (4-4 2.41) throttled the Lynx on six hits to even his record at 4-4. Not a strikeout artist, this powder puffer fanned only two and walked three, but he kept La Claire hitters off-balance and guessing. They had trouble bunching up their hits against him. Leading the charge for the Champs was first baseman George Lyons (.260) with three hits and three RBIs, including his 5th home run of the year. Center fielder Jerry Keller (.373) added two doubles, scored two runs and batted in a pair for the winners. Jerry Smith (4-4 4.50) chalked up the loss, allowing four runs and five hits in six frames, while striking out seven and issuing three bases on balls.

Arlon (16-18) is fourth in the division and La Claire (19-16) is in second place and trails the top team, Fairfax, by 2.5 games.

BSC Edges Bayview 4-3
In the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Bubba Tate's (.342) pinch-hit double scored Stan Denton (.217) from first base to give Bay St. Clair a 4-3 triumph over the Bayview Vikings. Young Johnny Nikolsky (2-1 2.75) pitched a scoreless inning to gain the victory and Paul Hood (1-2 4.18) took the lost. Both starters went eight innings and acquitted themselves well. Both Frank Wells of Bayview and the Buccaneers Sean Lawrence allowed three runs and seven hits. Batting-wise first baseman Maury Smith (.377) tripled and singled and drove in two runs for Bay St. Clair. Viking left fielder Glenn Burns (.313) had a two-run rip, his 3rd this season. The Bucs had nine hits overall to Bayview's eight.

It was tough loss for Bayview (19-17), it cost them second place in the TU West. They are now third behind runner-up La Claire (19-16) and have fallen three games back of first place Fairfax (21-13). Bay St. Clair (14-21) still in last place in the division and 7.5 games out.

The Islandian Times

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

Ginza Ninjas

Owner: OmniSea, Ltd.

GM/Manager: Huroko Uchiyama

Ginza began as a little fishing village in southeastern Tycobbia, settled by seafaring Japanese immigrants, who came in the 1860s during the Meiji Dynasty, a period of westernization. Today Ginza is a prosperous town of 88,000 with about half of its citizens being Japanese. Both Japanese and English are official languages here.

The name Ginza comes from “silver mint”, which Japanese authorities built in 1612. The modern day Ginza is a fabulous shopping area in Tokyo. The Tycobbian Ginza emulates it namesake, but on a much smaller scale. It is a free trade port and has many importers and exporters at the International Bazaar. Great bargains are in abundance in Ginza. The town also has a thriving fishing fleet and seafood processing industry.

Baseball got a late start in Ginza. The town inhabitants began playing amateur baseball in the 1930s, but soon began to challenge other towns in the sport. OmniSea Marine Processors, the largest employer in town, began sponsoring leagues and invested heavily in the game's development. OmniSea eventually expanded to industrial leagues and now to the Islandian Pro Alliance. They own the Ginza Ninjas of the Tycobbian Union West Division.

Ginza plays at Ninja Stadium, a modern ballpark built in 1998. A game at Ninja Stadium is really special. Most of the fans are quite reserve and quiet, typical Japanese social demeanor. However, in the left field bleachers it is another world...a wild and noisy place. There, the Ninjas have an official cheering section called “oendan” (pronounced “oh-en-dan”), that plays songs, beats drums and gongs, blows trumpets and waves flags. They stand up the entire time, when the Ninjas are at bat and sit down, when the opposition is batting. Fans clap plastic megaphones along with the oendan and sing chants to each Ginza player. Many fans carry umbrellas to the ballgame. Whenever the Ninjas score a run, they also open up all of the umbrellas, their way of telling the opposing pitcher, he is headed for the showers.

In the Lucky Seventh, the traditional seventh inning stretch, they sing the Ninja fight song and then release hundreds of rocket balloons (jetto fusen). Other unique things about Ninja baseball is the public address announcer is female, the only one in the Islands. You will also see the pitcher bow in reverence to fielders, who make good plays.

At the Ninja Stadium concessions you will find not only traditional baseball fare, but Japanese as well. Ginza fans can enjoy yakisoba (fried noodles), yaketori (BBQ chicken on skewers), takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings) and bento (cold lunch in a wooden box). For the sweet tooth, kakigori (snowballs with flavored syrup and condensed milk), green tea ice cream, sweet potato ice cream, anmitsu (cold fruit dessert) and anpan (sweet bun).

The GM and Manager of the Ginza Ninjas is one of the alltime great players and managers in the Tycobbian amateur and industrial leagues, Huroko Uchiyama. They call him “Mr. Baseball” in Ginza.

Ninja Stadium (1998)

Capacity: 10,667

Dimensions:

LF Line 330
LF 355
LCF 377
CF 400
RCF 372
RF 360
RF Line 335

The Islandian Times

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

Hartsdale Hellcats

Owner: Pioneer Brewing Company

GM/Manager: Zim Donner

Hartsdale, with population of about 74,OOO, is situated on the slopes of the Appian Mountains of Northern Tycobbia. It is a blue-collar, working class town, functional and old-fashioned in architecture. Primary industries are coal and iron ore mining, timber, glassware and beer. The vital Appian River begins in the Appian Mountains near North Hills, travels most of the country from north to south, past Hartsdale to the capital city, La Claire, then finally culminates at Bay St. Clair, a seaport town on the west central coast. The river provides an inexpensive source of transportation and is crucial to Hartsdale’s and Tycobbia’s economies.

Hartsdale is also the home of the Hellcats baseball team of the Islandian Pro Alliance. They are in the Tycobbian Union West Division and play at Pioneer Park. The Pioneer Brewing Company owns the club and is the maker of Tycobbia’s favorite brew, Pioneer Premium Beer. The brewery can be seen just beyond the center and right field fences of Pioneer Park. In fact, the brick walls of the factory form part of the right field bleachers. Company bigwigs can watch the ballgame from their offices.

Hellcats fans take their baseball very seriously and are serious students of the game. It’s baseball, beer and hot dogs in the hearts of the fans -- and the last two are a very distant second. When they go to a game, their eyes stay glued to the action on the field. They are hardcore Hellcats fans, too, and give no breaks or quarter to the opposing team or their fans. Very few visiting fans have the courage to display their loyalties very much in front of the rough and rowdy Hellcats. They get some very hard stares if they do. The Hartsdalians are tough and demanding on the Hellcats players, too. At the traditional seventh inning stretch each adult is gifted with a small sample of Pioneer Beer and it is used to toast their cherished baseball team as they sing a few bars of “99 bottles of beer on the wall”, followed by “Take me out to the ballgame”. And you can get the best burgers and dogs in Tycobbia, grilled to perfection on the concessions concourse.

The Hellcats are corporately owned. Zim Donner, a 50-year veteran in amateur and professional baseball, is the GM and Manager. He was a fine up-and-coming shortstop until he suffered a couple of beanballs that turned him into just a journeyman infielder. But he is one fine manager and baseball teacher. He has been known to charge the mound occasionally. The fiery Hellcats fans love him.

Pioneer Park (1954)

Capacity: 10,000

Dimensions:
LF Line 322
LF 345
LCF 375
CF 415
RCT 375
RF 345
RF Line 322

Thursday, May 24 was an off day. No games scheduled in the IPA.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, May 25, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Vipers Batter Blasters
It was a great day for the hitters at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara where the Vipers and Colfax duked it out in the first game of a five-game series. The two ballclubs combined for 30 hits and 19 runs with Valmara winning the slugfest 12-7. Leading the Vipers 17-hit attack were left fielder Louis Sharp (.379) with 4-for-4 and two RBIs and second baseman Floyd Vinson (.357) with 4-for-5 and a pair of RBIs. Scotty Peterson (.290) at third base had two hits and the only homer in the game. Among Colfax's 13 hits was a new IPA record of 9 doubles. Both teams totaled 11 doubles, which also broke the old record. Hartsdale hit 7 on April 25th and Claxton and Forest City had 10 on May 21st.

Todd Turner (4-2 4.53) notched the win, but gave up seven runs and eleven hits in seven innings. Danny Blauser (3-0 1.17) picked up his 2nd save by retiring the last five batters in the eighth and ninth. Joe Andrews (1-2 4.82) caught the loss and was belted for six runs and eight hits in just four innings.

Third place Valmara (19-16) is now just 1.5 games behind the first place Blasters (20-14) in the RU North race. Far Mountain (20-16) on seven-game winning streak has climbed to within a game of the leader and is in second place.

Redhawks Win 7th Straight
The Far Mountain Redhawks chalked up their seventh straight win by nipping Volusia 3-2 at Sky High Stadium. John Luzzatti and Mike McCabe teamed up to stop the Vigilantes and give them their third loss in a row. They threw a lot of pitches and walked a lot of batters, but they were stingy with the hits. Luzzatti went six innings, allowed two runs and five hits, fanned five and walked four. McCabe (2-1) gave up no hits and carded the victory with three scoreless innings. He walked three and had two strikeouts. Volusia's fine southpaw, Raul Sandoval (4-4 2.67), tossed another good game, but suffered from lack of run support again. He struck out nine and walked only one in a solid performance. Sandoval surrendered eight hits. Center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.272) singled to lead-off the last of the eighth, moved to third on a single by Royce Benson (.313) and scored the winning run on a double play, when the V's infield apparently forgot he was on third.

The Redhawks (20-16) are in the runner-up slot in the RU North Division, just a game out first. Volusia (15-21) is far back in last place.

Elnora Stops 6-Game Losing String
Elnora's crafty righthander Tyrone Gray put a stop to the All-Stars six-game losing string with an impressive four-hit shutout. He stopped Glasco 6-0 at Athletics Field. Gray (2-2 2.92) had eight strikeouts and issued three walks to get the win. Kenny Metcalf (3-2 5.12) was rapped for seven hits and five runs and was kayoed in the fourth inning. Three All-Stars bashed three hits apiece: center fielder Rusty Gilbert (.245), right fielder Art Atkins (.366) and left fielder Quincy Peterson (.277). Shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.315) and Gilbert drove in two runs each.

"A complete game shutout. That's fun territory for me," Gray told reporters in the postgame interview. "I had good balance and mechanics and was able to keep the ball down. When I do that, good things happen."

This year Gray has worked 64 innings with 54 strikeouts en route to a 2-2 record and a 2.92 ERA.

Elnora (15-21) is tied for last place with Volusia (15-21), while Glasco (16-17) is in the fourth spot and 3.5 games behind first place Colfax (20-14).

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, May 25, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Sweet Win for Sugar Valley
Sugar Valley and Belair Beach opened up a five-game set at Bayside Park between two of the contenders in the RU South. In game one Sugar Valley got a sweet 4-1 win from Ron Benson, the 25-year-old righthander, and climbed up ahead of everybody into first place. Benson (6-2 1.99) limited the Sunbirds to just five hits with 9 strikeouts and no walks in a fine outing. The Rattlers got eight hits and were led by shortstop Flipper Bird (.264) with a two-run triple. Third baseman Jorge Vargas (.333) and left fielder Cy Bartz (.281) batted in the other two runs. Belair Beach's only score came off of third baseman Mike Janocko's (.300) eighth-inning roundtripper. Picking up the loss was starter Troy Wilson (2-4 3.86), who lasted until the three-run eighth. He walked two, fanned five, gave up five hits and three runs.

Sugar Valley (19-15) slipped past Belair Beach (19-16) by a half-game in the race for the top spot in the division. The Sunbirds are now tied with Marston (19-16) for the second spot.

Marston Falls from First 5-2
Last place Claxton knocked off the Marston Nine 5-2 and dropped them into a second place tie with Belair Beach. 19-year-old Dennis Scott (2-4 3.99) checked the Nine on eight hits and went the distance. Scott finished up the game with seven Ks and two walks. The Diamonds backed him up with a solid 11-hit attack, sparked by center fielder Wayne Wilson(.289), who went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. First baseman Johnny Berthold (.244) did the most damage for Marston with a two-run homer, his 9th this year. Paul Azard (3-1 1.83) lost for the first time as he was tagged for ten hits in six innings and permitted four runs.

The Sugar Valley Rattlers (19-15) are now perched on top of the RU South Division, just a half-game ahead of Marston (19-16) and Belair Beach (19-16).

Waleska Cuts Down Lumberjacks 7-5
It looks like a rout halfway through the game at Westerner Stadium in Waleska. The hometown Westerners jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but then Forest City rebounded and made it close. Waleska hung on for a 7-5 victory, paced by first baseman Freddie Shelton's (.309) two homers and three RBIs and left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.296), who drove in two with his 10th roundtripper. Second baseman Jesse Wolf (.309) and right fielder Benny Davis hit their 12th and 9th homers of the season for the Lumberjacks. The winning pitcher was Rusty Kraft (3-3 4.56), who muddled through seven innings and allowed five runs and eight hits. Buddy Kennedy (1-3 4.42) registered his 2nd save with a good relief job. He held Forest City without a hit or run in final two innings. Kennedy fanned four. Racking up the defeat was Glenn Moore (3-1 3.11), the 'Jacks starter. The Westerners assaulted him for seven hits and four runs in four innings.

Waleska (18-18) is fourth in the RU South Division and Forest City (17-19) is in the fifth spot.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, May 25, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Z's Blank Ninjas for 5th In a Row
Everything is coming up roses for manager Alejandro Rodrigo of the Luxora Zorros. His Z's are pitching well and hitting well and are atop the TU East Division. Not to mention they have now won their last five games. The latest victim was the Ginza Ninjas, who were shut out 10-0 at De la Vega Stadium. Luxora piled up 14 hits and Johnny Montel only gave up 6 in a convincing victory. Montel (4-3 2.77) pitched an outstanding game, striking out six and walking no one. At bat the Zorros were led by right fielder Pedro Vizquel (.281) with 4-for-5, three RBIs and two runs scored, first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.318) with 3-for-5, two runs and two RBIs, including his 6th home run, and left fielder Tom Fortunato (.264) with 2-for-4, two runs and two RBIs. Second baseman Paco Benitez (.274) had two hits and scored three times. Ginza starter Vic Rousakis (3-5 3.90) took the brunt of the attack and gave up ten hits and seven runs. He was knocked out in the fifth inning.

In the postgame interview, both managers had glowing things to say about Montel.

His manager described him this way: "He's got a good selection of pitches he can throw at a guy. He changes speed, gives different looks to different hitters. When he's on his game, he's quite a handful."

The skipper said, "He doesn't give you anything twice. It's a guessing game with him and today my club was always guessing wrong."

In 9 starts this season Montel has registered a 4-3 record and a 2.77 ERA.

First place Luxora is 20-13 on the season, while fourth place Ginza is 17-18 and trails them by four games.

Hurricanes Blow by Nats 7-0
The Cape Coral Hurricanes won a 7-0 blowout over Ozarka and gave the Naturals their sixth successive defeat. Old Wally Robinson (7-2 2.44) became the IPA's first 7-game winner with an 8-hit shutout. The 37-year-old Robinson fanned nine and walked three in a complete-game performance. The 'Canes cracked 11 hits against three pitchers with three homers by first baseman Rodger Wooten (.281), catcher Fats Dalton (.138) and second baseman Roberto Betencourt (.240). Betencourt walloped a grand slammer. Losing pitcher Ted Didriksen (4-3 3.50) kept it close for seven innings, yielding seven hits and two runs and striking out five.

Cape Coral (18-17) is in third place in the division and Ozarka (19-16) is in the runner-up spot, now two games off the pace of the top club, Luxora.

Stallions Top Hellcats in 12
After blowing many chances to take the game, the South Fork Stallions finally edged Hartsdale 4-3 in twelve innings on left fielder Gene Woodruff's (.255) RBI single. Skipper Duroche "Lips" Leon got some fine work from his bullpen as South Fork gained their third win in a row. Billy Joe Gordon (2.78), Glenn Turnbull (3.10) and Ken Conner held the Hellcats scoreless over the last five innings. Conner (2-1 3.38) cashed in on the victory.

Leon told reporters in the clubhouse, "If my darn starters could pitch like my relievers, we wouldn't be dead last in the division."
Shortstop Bobby Riley (.273) paced the Stallions at bat with a two-run homer and center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.276) and second baseman Bob Jones (.305) had three hits each. South Fork racked up 15 hits in all.
Closer Gene Young (1-1 2.36) sustained the loss. He gave up only one run in four innings and fanned four.

The Stallions (14-22) still have a long way to go to get out of the cellar. Fifth place Hartsdale (16-19) is 2.5 games in front of them.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, May 25, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Meredith Fans 11 in 5-1 Win
Fairfax righthander Robby Meredith captured his 5th consecutive win this season with a 5-1 verdict over the Arlon Champions. The first place Frogs have now taken four straight. Meredith (5-0 2.61) had a marvelous game, limiting Arlon to just five hits and striking out 11 batters. Supplying the offense were second baseman Greg Inman (.273) and catcher Joey Jarvis. Both drove in a pair of runs for the Frogs. Left fielder Gator Davis (.313) batted in the other run. Fairfax outhit the Champs nine to five. Getting the loss was Ace Howe (3-4 2.97). He departed in the four-run eighth after allowing eight hits and five runs. Howe walked three and whiffed eight.

The Frogs (22-13) are first in the TU West standings, while Arlon (16-19) is fourth, six games back.

Bayview Belts LC 6-1, Takes 2nd Place
The Vikings and the Lynx began an important 5-game series today at Capitol Park Stadium in La Claire and it was Bayview that won the opener 6-1. It was the solid pitching of Adrian Strom that got manager Walter Johanssen's crew off on the right foot. Strom (4-3 4.39) stopped the Lynx hitters on five hits and went all the way, striking out five and walking only one. It was La Claire third straight defeat. The Viks only got eight hits, but they made the best of them. Left fielder Glenn Burns (.316) had two of them and drove in a pair of runs with his 4th home run this season. Third baseman Bob Klostermann (.272) also had two hits and two RBIs. The defeat went to Frank Lamoreaux (4-1 1.93), who suffered his first loss. Lamoreaux was knocked out in the three-run sixth. Overall Bayview got to him for five runs and six hits in his stint.

Bayview (20-17) snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory and nudged in front of La Claire (19-17) into second place in the TU West Division, three games in back of leading Fairfax.

Blue Sox Outlast Bucs in X-Innings
In a battle of also-rans, fifth place Blue Lake took the measure of last place Bay St. Clair 5-3 in 12 innings today at Shoreline Park. Backup catcher Seitaro Ohayashi (.250) slammed a two-run double off of Johnny Nikolsky for the game-winner. Nikolsky (2-2 3.48) got pinned with the loss for surrendering two runs, two hits and two walks in the only inning he worked. Credited with the victory was Russ Courtney (1-1 3.52), who tossed three innings and allowed no runs and fanned four. Courtney left for a pinchhitter. Derek Manetti (3-1 3.98) came in for him and pitched a scoreless twelfth for his second save. The Blue Sox had 14 hits in the contest, while the Buccaneers had 11. Right fielder Fred Collins (.259) and second baseman Dandy Wilson (.258) paced Blue Lake with three hits apiece, while four Bucs had a pair each -- left fielder Charley Moon (.306), catcher Jake Singleton (.362), center fielder Nickie Friedrich (.288) and right fielder Stan Denton (.236).

Blue Lake (16-19) ended a three-game losing string and moved into a tie for fourth with Arlon (16-19). Bay St. Clair (14-22) sunk deeper in the cellar. The Blue Sox and the Champs are six games behind the first place Fairfax Frogs (22-13).

The Islandian Times

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

LUXORA ZORROS

Owner: De la Vega Foundation
GM/Manager: Rodrigo Alejandro

Luxora is a picturesque town of 65,000 people of Spanish and Andorran ancestry located in the Silver Mountains of northeastern Tycobbia. Both Spanish and English are spoken there.

Snowy winters and mild summers lure tourists from all over, who come in great numbers to enjoy the natural hot thermal springs and spas, snow skiing, snowboarding, whitewater rafting and the wonderful duty-free bazaar overflowing with electronics, luxury goods and fine handmade clothing made from the famous Luxoran wool in the town textile factory.

Everywhere in the area you will see a plethora of sheep ranches, along with timber, lumber and wood products which are processed and manufactured there.

Luxora benefits greatly from its proximity to the Rio Loco, a wild and raging river and a source of great hydroelectric power. By way of a series of dams and locks the river flows from high in the mountains, skirting the town on its western journey through the foothills before finally flowing into the sky blue waters of Blue Lake near Fairfax. As a result, it is the headquarters of the Tycobbia Electric Authority.

Luxora itself is a modest town steeped in traditional ways. It has narrow streets and plazas in which to get happily lost among the grand and ancient churches and mansions. Because of the cultural tradition of “siestas”, Spanish-owned companies give their employees time off each day so they can attend the local team’s games with their families, a practice and custom that soon spread to all of the townships in baseball-crazed Tycobbia and Ruthlandia.

It is also the home of the Luxora Zorros (“foxes” in Spanish) of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The Z's are a member of the Tycobbian Union East Division. Luxora plays at De la Vega Stadium (affectionately called “The Foxhole” by the locals), named for Don Diego de la Vega, aka Zorro, the legendary black clad hero who fought royal despotism during the 1800’s and eventually led the Tycobbian people to freedom. His descendants, wealthy landowners with a huge sheep and Arabian horse farms, are the owners of the team.

Of course you can see Zorro atop his wondrous black stallion, Toronado (Spanish for “tornado”), galloping around the stadium to the cheers of the crowd as they rally the home team to victory. A splendid mariachi band serenades and provides a festive atmosphere at all the games. You can also enjoy the Spanish delicacies at the concessions stands: cunillo (succulent rabbit cooked in tomato sauce), escudello (a fantastic chicken, sausage and meatball stew), and fried ice cream, too. Traditional ballpark food is provided as well.

Even the Manager and GM of the Zorros is of Spanish descent. Rodrigo Alejandro, an outstanding power hitter and shortstop as an amateur, was the highest paid “amateur” ever in company league circles. Many say Alejandro was the best home run hitter in the Islands history.

De la Vega Stadium (1967)

Capacity: 9,487

Dimensions:
LF Line 330
LF 345
LCF 371
CF 408
RCF 371
RF 345
RF Line 330

The Islandian Times

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

OZARKA NATURALS

Owner: J. R. Ewing
GM/Manager: Joe Mac Carney

Ozarka, a Silver Mountains resort town of 73,000, is located in south central Tycobbia and near the Caledonia River, which flows southward through Hillsboro, then westward and comes to an end at Turon on the southwest coast. Nestled among scenic forests and outdoor hot springs, Ozarka is host to tourists who come for snow skiing during the winter and boating, swimming, fishing, camping, hiking and hunting the rest of the year. Big time developers have made this a mecca for the rich and famous with luxury hotels and nightclubs that attend to every possible need: hot spring spas and bathhouses, superstar entertainers, magnificent golf courses, gourmet food, art galleries and gift shops. Ozarka is a retirement center, too.

It is also home to the Ozarka Naturals. J. R. Ewing’s father, Jock Ewing, got tired of the incessant sibling quarrels over the operation of the family-owned Waleska Westerners in the Ruthlandian Amateur Association, so he bought the battling brothers and club vice-presidents, J. R. and Bobby, their own teams in the IPA. Bobby owns the South Fork Stallions and J. R. has Ozarka, where he is a prime real estate developer. Bobby named his brand new stadium after his dad. Not to be outdone, J. R. named his brand new stadium after his mom, Miss Ellie. So the sibling rivalry continues on and off the field. Ellie Ewing Stadium is one of the few parks in baseball that still has a live organ player at each game (Marston is the other), which adds a nice nostalgic touch, especially during the seventh inning stretch. And at the concessions stands is a succulent gourmet buffet fit for the rich and famous. You will also find all of the traditional baseball fare at a Naturals game.

J. R. Ewing spares no expense when it comes to impressing people and paying his ballplayers. He likes to get his way. He even got the all-time winningest manager in company league history to come out of retirement and take over his team. Joe Mac Carney is now the GM and Manager of the Naturals. And he is very well paid, too.

Ellie Ewing Stadium

Capacity: 11,750

Dimensions:
LF Line 350
LF 370
LCF 390
CF 375
RCF 390
RF 370
RF Line 350

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Blasters Win 3rd Straight
The first place Colfax Blasters have now won three in a row and for the second successive day they have defeated third place Valmara. This time Colfax squeezed by the Vipers 5-4 with some fine relief work by bullpen ace, Walt Sellers (1-0 1.03), who got his fourth save with no runs and two hits in three innings. The victory went to starter Flash Guidry (5-3 2.65), who worked the first six frames and yielded four runs and six hits. Guidry struck out five, but struggled with his control and walked four. Gerry Bart (1-3 4.71) lost it for Valmara, allowing nine hits and five runs and was relieved in the sixth. Second baseman Tucker Hill (.344) and shortstop Wayne O'Reilly (.212) both had two hits and two RBIs for the Blasters and third baseman Russ Farrell (.283) had a pair of hits and an RBI. Colfax laced 11 base hits, while Valmara got 8 in defeat.

The Blasters are now 21-14 this year and have the best record in the RU North. Valmara falls to 19-17 and trail them by 2.5 games. The Vipers are in the third spot in the division.

V's Stop FM Streak at 7
Volusia put a stop to its losing streak at three and also gave Far Mountain its first loss in seven games. The fifth place Vigilantes got a fine performance out of Kit Kivett, a 34-year-old righthander, who was just recently signed with manager Alfonso Feliz's club. He beat the second place Redhawks 4-2 in spite of giving up ten hits. Kivett (1-0 2.00) struck out four and walked only one. Volusia banged out eleven hits and were led by first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.252), catcher Jojo Nunez (.328) and third baseman Bennie Anderson (.284), all with two hits apiece. Center fielder Alex Luna (.281) added a homer for the V's. Newcomer Stan Lamoreaux (1-1 2.57) suffered his first loss since joining the team. He did a fine job and surrendered seven hits and two runs in seven innings, while fanning eight and walking just one.

Far Mountain (20-17) is in second place in the RU North, two games off the pace of first place Colfax (21-14). The Vigilantes improved to 16-21 on the season and climbed out of the basement, a half-game better than sixth place Elnora (15-21).

A's Win Close One from Elnora 4-3
McDuffie Hughes' youthful righty, Charles Darby, notched his 6th triumph of the season with a 4-3 decision over last place Elnora. Darby (6-2) hurled a fine game with four strikeouts and two walks, while permitting three runs and nine hits in a route-going performance. He went as far as the ninth and was relieved by closer Ray Cook after giving up a lead-off triple to catcher Todd Simons (.278) with the score 4-2. Cook proceeded to retire the last three batters for his 3rd save, but allowed Simons to score on a ground out. The Athletics numbered 12 hits in the game and were sparked by a two-run homer by shortstop Kyle Ballentine (.242) and a solo salvo by catcher Nick O'Neill (.333). Glasco second baseman Barry McCord (.280) went 4-4 and bashed 3 doubles, which tied the IPA mark. McCord is the fourth player to accomplish that feat, along with Jerry Keller of Arlon, Scooter Perez of Volusia and Chris Deagelo of Marston. The defeat was doled out to Carl Costas (1-6 3.29), who gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings. First baseman Rick Tsoukalis (.269), second baseman Gil Foster (.358) and pinchhitter Will Jackson (.227) each drove across a run for the All-Stars.

Glasco (17-17) lifted their record to the .500 mark. The Athletics are fourth in the RU North Division and 3.5 games off the pace. Elnora (15-22) fell to last in the division and trail the Colfax Blasters (21-14) by seven games.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Rattlers Hold Off Sunbirds 4-3
Sugar Valley's Jorge Vargas and Freddie Vaux came through with clutch hits as the Rattlers slipped by Belair Beach 4-3 on the road. Third baseman Vargas (.331) busted up a 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the top of the eighth. Second baseman Rudi Oliver (.343) singled and scored on center fielder Vaux's (.321) triple for the eventual winning score. It was Sugar Valley's third consecutive win and kept them in first place in the RU South. Shortstop Flipper Bird (.272) provided the Rattlers first run with a fourth-inning roundtripper to cut the Sunbird lead to 2-1. Ken Frey (1-2 3.22) was nailed with the loss. He pitched into the eighth, allowed four runs on nine hits, struck out eight and walked two. Closer Gregg Neal (4-2 1.63) gave up one run in three innings for the victory. Paul Haines (0-1 3.21) started for Sugar Valley and gave a good account of himself. In a solid outing the 34-year-old righthander permitted only two runs and six hits in six innings, fanned five and issued no walks.

Sugar Valley (20-15) is 1.5 games in front of third place Belair Beach (19-17) and a half-game ahead of second place Marston (20-16).

Ledbetter Shines Against Diamonds
The IPA has another 7-game winner -- it's Casey Ledbetter of the second place Marston Nine. He's a 6'5" righthander and he really was the King of the Hill today in the RU South Division. Ledbetter (7-1 2.89) tossed his sixth complete game and blanked the last place Claxton Diamonds 6-0 on 6 hits. He walked only two and fanned seven. Marston only managed 8 hits, but they were productive. Left fielder Ronnie Horn (.306) had two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice. Third baseman Roland Thomas (.306) chipped in two more RBIs and right fielder Chris Deangelo (.284) smacked his 4th homer. Most of them came off losing pitcher Tetsunori Nakashima (6-3 4.19), who failed to get his 7th win of the season. He was tagged for six hits and five runs and departed in the fifth frame.

To date in 2001, has registered 9 starts, 7-1 won-lost mark, 2.89 ERA, 71.2 IP, 50 strikeouts and 16 walks. Opposing teams have hit .242 against him.

The Marston Nine (20-16) kept pace with the top club in the RU South, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (20-15) and trail them by only a half-game.

Waleska Dumps Lumberjacks 6-3
Waleska sent Forest City to its third loss in a row, whipping them 6-3 behind Smokey Joe Carter (6-4 2.70), who gave up 10 hits, but only three runs. Carter chalked up four Ks and issued just one walk. The Westerners were outhit by the Lumberjacks, but Waleska got the clutch hits with men on base. First baseman Freddie Shelton (.315) led them with two hits including a two-run two-bagger. Catching the loss was Gene Stuart (3-2 4.28), who was treated roughly by the Westerners. He surrendered eight hits, four walks and six runs in seven innings.

Waleska (19-18) is in the fourth spot in the RU South standings, but only two games behind the division leader. Forest City (17-20) is fifth and is four games out.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Luxora Crushes Ninjas 9-1, 6th Win in a Row
It was no contest at De la Vega Stadium in Luxora. The hometown Zorros strolled to their 6th straight triumph, excelled in every facet of the game and annihilated Ginza 9-1 with a 16-hit rampage. And on the hill Francisco Fernandes (4-2 2.50) sparkled, too. He surrendered a bunch of hits, 10 in all, but bore down when runners got in scoring position and managed to get out of harm's way. Fernandes notched seven strikeouts and allowed only one base on balls. Hitting-wise it was third baseman Rico Vina (.289) with a perfect 4-for-4 day and two RBIs, catcher Eric Richter (.382) with 3-for-5 and three RBIs, including a homer and right fielder Pedro Vizquel (.294) with three hits. It was the Ninjas third loss in succession. Toshira Tamura (1-2 5.28) was torched for five runs and eight hits in less than three innings. He was the loser.

Ginza manager Huroko Uchiyama spoke to reporters after the game and said, "We still have three more games left in the series. I hope we can get out town alive. The Z's are really sizzling."

Luxora (21-13) is the number one team in the TU East race, while the Ninjas (17-19) are in the fourth position.

Humdinger Between CC and Nats
Cape Coral overcame a 5-0 Ozarka lead after five innings to come back and nip the Nats 10-9 at Jock Ewing Stadium and deal them their 7th loss in a row. The Hurricanes surged back and led 10-6 going into the last inning and narrrowly escaped with a victory. Spearheading the 'Canes attack were shortstop Bobo Hatfield (.255) with a three-run double, left fielder Danny Mullins (.300) with two hits and two RBIs and center fielder James Middleton (.358) with two hits and a couple of RBIs. Ozarka splurged with 18 hits, but still couldn't bring home the win. Shortstop Gil Lantz (.261) cracked three hits and drove in four scores and first baseman Floyd Snow (.268) was 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one batted in, As far as pitching, it is enough to say that Katsuyuki Nagashima (1-3 3.71) got his 4th save, but took it on the chin until he finally got the final out. The win went to Cody Burg (1-1 4.79), who tossed a runless sixth with two strikeouts. Ozarka's closer Alec DiMaggio (3-2 2.53) had a dismal day on the mound and lost it by giving up three runs, two hits and three walks in only 1+ innings. The Hurricanes took an 8-5 lead against him and never relinguished it.

Cape Coral (19-16) and Ozarka (19-17) are running second and third to Luxora (21-13) in the TU East Division. The Hurricanes are 2.5 games behind and the Naturals are three games off the pace of the Zorros.

Stallions Race by Hellcats
Jerry Harrison is 21-year-old, stands 6'7" and throws the heck out of a baseball. The big South Fork southpaw struck out 10 Hartsdale Hellcats en route to an easy 9-1 victory at Pioneer Park. The Stallions chalked up their fourth triumph in a row. Harrison (2-3 3.60) limited them to just five hits and walked four in a strong performance. In a well-balanced offense the Stallions numbered 11 hits with everybody in the lineup except Harrison getting a base hit. Center fielder Mike Yatstrzemski (.272) walloped a two-run double and third baseman Glenn Holliday (.237) and Mac Stewart (.253) unloaded solo homers to pace South Fork. Hellcat starter Jim Sears (2-4 3.73) had a rocky start and exited in the six-run third after permitting eight runs, five hits and four free passes.

Stallions skipper Deroche "LIps" Leon was all smiles in the clubhouse after the game. He told his club, "Now you're playing my kind of baseball. Like the old Gashouse Gang that would do anything short of killing to win a game...and I love it. I know they hate us in Hartsdale. They will soon be in last place and rightly so. They're playing like a bunch of big pansies. No guts."

Asked to comment, the Hellcat manager, feisty Zim Donner, retorted, "That's just Lips being Lips. He's all talk and a gutless wonder. Everybody in the Islands knows it. He better stay away from me. I'll kick his butt in a minute and he knows it."

South Fork (15-22) is now only 1.5 games behind Hartsdale (16-20) in the battle for last place. Tomorrow's twinbill should be quite a battle in more ways than one.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, May 26, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Crush Champs 11-3
The Fairfax Frogs are the class of the TU West so far this season. Harry Buckley's first place ballclub just won its fifth straight by crushing Arlon 11-3 today at Derby Downs with a 13-hit attack and an impressive pitching performance by Jimmy Dalton. Topping the batters were left fielder Gator Davis (.325) with three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored, center fielder Billy Echevarria (.260) with two hits and two RBIs, right fielder Gregg Vincent (.313) two hits and two RBIs and catcher Marv McCoy (.338) with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Davis hit his 7th roundtripper and Vincent added to his IPA lead with 19 homers and 44 RBIs . Even Dalton got into the act with two RBIs. On the mound Dalton (3-3 3.55) struck out eight, walked two and scattered nine hits. Right fielder Kris Gervais (.244) and first baseman George Lyons (.269) did the most damage for the Champions with home runs. Sean Dudek (0-4 4.94) had another tough outing and suffered the setback, yielding four hits and five runs and was knocked out in the third inning.

The Frogs are 23-13 for the year and Arlon is 16-20 and 8.5 games behind them. The Champions are in fourth place in the division, tied with the Blue Lake Blue Sox (16-20).

Bayview Wins in 10 Over Lynx
It was a seesaw battle between Bayview and La Claire today. The Viks took a 3-0 lead after six innings, the Lynx forged ahead 4-3 in the seventh, Bayview tied it in the ninth and won it 7-4 with a three-run tenth to send La Claire to their fourth loss in succession. Third baseman Bob Klostermann (.277) won it with a bases-loaded double off losing pitcher Monoto Kishata (1-2 3.38). Paul Hood (2-2 4.01) garnered the win with a scoreless ninth. Bayview manager Walter Johanssen called one of his starters, Frank Wells, to close it out. Wells (4-1 3.44) retired La Claire in order in the last of the tenth for his first save.

The victory enabled Bayview (21-17) to hang close to first place Fairfax (23-13). The Vikings are three games out and in second place.

Robinson Beats Blue Sox 2-1
The pilot of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers, Guy Rondre, praised his pitcher Gary Robinson, who spun a masterful game. Robinson fashioned a four-hitter in the 2-1 game against the Blue Lake Blue Sox. Robinson was rarely in difficulty, struck out four and walked nobody. All the scoring was done in the sixth inning. The Blue Sox took a 1-0 lead, when with the bases loaded, the Bucs failed to complete a double play. Right fielder Skeeter Hall (.179) won it with a two-run single in the bottom half of the inning. Bay St. Clair got the best of it in the hitting department with nine hits to four for the Sox. Buccaneer third baseman Bubba Tate (.372) was a perfect 4-for-4. Donnie Bullock (3-5 5.50) tossed a good game for Blue Lake, too. He allowed only two runs in seven innings, fanned six and walked two.

Rondre, a former southpaw pitching great in the industrial leagues, told the press after the game, "I wish I had three more like Robinson. We could make a lot of noise in the division with that kind of pitching staff. Gary was in total command today with good stuff and he was moving the ball in and out real well."

Blue Lake (16-20) is now tied with Arlon (16-20) for the fourth spot in the divisional standings, while Bay St. Clair (15-22) is in last, but only 1.5 games behind them.

The Islandian Times

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

SOUTH FORK STALLIONS

Owner: Bobby Ewing
GM: Finley Charles
Manager: DeRoche “Lips” Leon

South Fork is a rural and provincial town with a population of 58,000. The main industries are cattle and ranching mixed with agriculture. South Fork is situated in the fertile Caledonian River basin in southern Tycobbia. Rich and black alluvial soils produce a plethora of crops on the farms in the area.

This is cowboy country and home of the South Fork Stallions of the Islandian Pro Alliance, owned by Bobby Ewing of the wealthy, influential and powerful Ewing family headed by Jock Ewing. The Stallions play in the Tycobbian Union East Division.

Bobby and brother J. R. were squabbling vice-presidents of the Waleska Westerners of the Tycobbian Industrial League. To separate the two siblings, the family patriarch bought each one of them a baseball team. Bobby got South Fork and J. R. got the Ozarka Naturals. Bobby built a beautiful new stadium and named it after his daddy, Jock Ewing Stadium. It is located at the edge of town and has a wonderful panoramic view of the town rising up behind the gigantic electronic scoreboard. J. R. built a new state-of-the-art stadium with a monstrous scoreboard, too, and named it Ellie Ewing Stadium after his mom, Miss Ellis.

Stallions fans are a rowdy bunch who love their team. They never let up on the opposing teams, giving them a lot of discouraging words and a lot of harassing at every opportunity. They even throw home run balls hit by the opposition back onto the playing field. No self-respecting Stallions fan would want possession of a ball that harmed the best interests of their favorite team.

For entertainment the Stallions have a Texas swing band at every game. You ain’t never heard a better version of “Take me out to the ballgame”. There is a whole lot of two-steppin’ during the seventh inning stretch at Jock Ewing Stadium. And when the buckaroos and buckarettes mosey on over to the concessions stands hot and juicy charcoal-broiled steak sandwiches await them there along with imported Lone Star Beer (“Brewed deep in the heart of Texas”).

Life at Jock Ewing Stadium is like “Waltzing across Heaven”, except for the fact that Finley Charles is the Stallions’ GM and promotions director. Charles is famous for his creative promotions and innovations in baseball. His teams were the first to wear loud-colored uniforms, like solid orange road uniforms. One of his amateur teams even dressed in a soft pink and wore Bermuda shorts. He also experimented with an orange baseball and having only 3 balls and 2 strikes in the game. He said it would speed up the game and create more action. None of his leagues instituted his ideas, but he keeps trying.

His manager is that noted umpire baiter and debater, DeRoche “Lips” Leon, a very successful, but hot-headed and controversial skipper. “Lips” is rated a fine tactician and a very good motivator. As a player he was a “good field, no hit” rabble-rousing shortstop. His favorite saying is “nice guys finish last”. There is never a boring minute at Jock Ewing Stadium; Finley and “Lips” see to that.

Jock Ewing Stadium (2000)

Capacity: 11,750

Dimensions:
LF Line 347
LF 360
LCF 383
CF 400
RCF 383
RF 360
RF Line 347

The Islandian Times

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Around the Towns in the IPA

Arlon Champions

Owner: Kobber Sport and Athletic Apparel
GM/Manager: Gary Louis

Arlon, a town of 87,000 in the Caledonia River delta in southwestern Tycobbia, is located 50 miles north of Turon, a seaport on the Kelnyck Ocean. Arlon’s basic economy is cotton and textile manufacturing, but it is also noted for thoroughbred horse racing at Derby Downs, a magnificent racetrack that features the million-dollar derby each April and the Kobeer Marathon each July, both sponsored by Kobeer Sport and Athletic Apparel Company. Rich alluvial cotton fields stretch for miles outside the town and are the source of its prosperity.

Kobeer is also the proud owner of the Arlon Champions of the Islandian Pro Alliance and play in the Tycobbian Union West Division. The Champions were named after the tennis shoe, “The Champion”, that started the company on the way to being one of the premier sporting and athletic apparel corporations in the country. The Champs play at Derby Downs, one of the most splendid settings in all of baseball. Derby Downs ballpark dates from 1915 and is adjacent to Arlon Derby Downs, the beautiful racetrack, whose twin green towers can be seen out over the centerfield fence. Kobeer regularly has fan appreciation days with free jerseys, caps, sweat suits and shoes just for coming to a Champions game. And in keeping with that old south Tycobbian tradition, delicious mint juleps are served at the concession stands along with other southern delicacies like fried chicken, watermelon and sweet potato pie. Tycobbians of all types love to eat and imbibe almost as much as they love Champs baseball.

Arlon is managed by Gary Louis, one of the finest gentlemen and most durable players to ever step on a baseball diamond. He was a first baseman for the Marston Nine during their glory years in company leagues and rarely missed a game in his playing career.

Derby Downs Park (1915)

Capacity: 10,983

Dimensions:
LF Line 330
LF 350
LCF 375
CF 402
RCF 375
RF 350
RF Line 330

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Colfax Blanks Vipers, Castille Winner
The top team in the RU North, the Colfax Blasters, won the first of two against the third place Valmara Vipers. A 37-year-old portsider, Alex Castille did a number on them and shut them out 3-0 at War Memorial Stadium. Castille (5-3 3.26) humbled them on six hits for his second shutout of the season. He fanned four and walked just two in a standout performance. Paul Schoenfeld (3-4 3.95) was almost as good, allowing just three hits and one run in seven innings before going out for a pinchhitter. Schoenfeld had seven Ks and one base on balls. Center fielder Tatsuya Sasaki (.245), right fielder Pat Lott (.258) and shortstop Tommy Stanley (.083) drove in the runs for the Blasters.

The Colfax manager, Clem Rogers, told reporters after the game, "When Castille started out, his command wasn't that good, but he's a tough guy. The more pitches he throws, the better his command is."

"An outstanding job," said the Valmara skipper, J. Jackson Samuel. "We couldn't get anything going. Every time we got a hit, he got out of the jam. He pitched a terrific game."

In 2001 Castille has compiled a 5-3 mark with a 3.26 ERA.

Vipers Split with Blasters on Dubrowski's HR
Little-used catcher Mark Dubrowski (.143) jacked a solo homer into the stands in the seventh inning and gained a split for Valmara against first place Colfax. The Vipers won it 3-2 and got good efforts from starter Zarek Zalewski and reliever Andre Trepanier. Zalewski (6-2 1.82) was looking for his 7th victory, but didn't get it. Wildness got to him and he had to be taken out in the sixth after permitting five hits, two runs, walking four and striking out eight. Trepanier (2-2 4.57) went the rest of the way and got the decision. He surrendered three hits and no runs. Southpaw Harry Manning (5-3 3.40) was the losing pitcher, allowing only five hits in all and striking out four. He went the distance.

Colfax (22-15) is still on top of the heap in the RU North Division and Valmara (20-18) is third and trails them by 2.5 games.

FM's Vaux & Mitchell Shut Out V's 7-0
In Far Mountain, the Redhawks made quick work of Volusia in the opening game of a doubleheader, whacking them 7-0. Vic Vaux and Vance Mitchell teamed up to shutout the Vigilantes on six hits. Vaux (3-1 3.09) worked the first four frames, allowed four hits, but had to leave due to a long rain delay. When play continued, Mitchell (1-0 0.00) picked up where Vaux left off and blanked Volusia the rest of the way on just two hits. Mitchell got credit for the win. The Redhawks ripped 13 hits and were paced by catcher Dave Davis (.336), third baseman Johnny Strickland (.246) and center fielder Hank Gallagher (.282). They each rapped out two hits and drove in two runs. Davis hammered his 4th home run. The losing pitcher was Johnny Szwak (1-1 4.63), who was knocked out in the third after giving up five runs and nine hits.

Redhawks Sweep V's, Take Nightcap 11-5
Second place Far Mountain moved closer to Colfax in the RU North with a double win over the Volusia Vigilantes. The Redhawks roared past the V's in the nightcap 11-5 on the strength of 14 hits, sparked by left fielder Gerald Davis, who homered with the bases loaded in the 7-run fifth inning. Going into the inning, Hank Massey had blanked them 2-0 on just one hit. Shortstop Joey Cannizzaro (.326) and right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.299) chipped in two hits and two RBIs apiece and first baseman Royce Benson (.319) cracked three hits and scored twice. Sonny Elliott (6-3 2.51) worked hard for the victory, surrendering ten hits and five runs prior to running out of gas in the ninth. Massey (2-6 4.25) suffered the defeat. Leading the Vigilantes at bat were shortstop Scooter Perez (.363) with 3-for-5 and two runs scored and left fielder Jesus Arroyo (.269) with two hits and two RBIs.

Far Mountain (22-17) gained a game on first place Colfax (22-15) and is now within a game of the top spot in the division. Volusia (16-23) is in a last place tie with Elnora (16-23).

All-Stars Barely Beat A's 4-3
In Glasco the visiting Elnora All-Stars edged the hometown Athletics 4-3 in the first game of a twinbill. Young Sean Sykes (6-2 4.15) hurled a complete game, stopping them on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Only left fielder Ox Beauvais (.381) made it close with a two-run swat in the last of the ninth. Elnora's top batters were left fielder Quincy Peterson, also with a two-run salvo, and third baseman Richie Franklin with three hits and an RBI. Sykes (.167) added an RBI into the mix. Ernie McCain (2-3 3.26) was pinned with the loss. He worked into the eighth and permitted only four hits and two runs, just one of them earned. But he had control problems and walked five. McCain fanned eight.

Glasco and Elnora Split Pair
The Glasco A's pulled off a great rally to knock off Elnora in the nightcap 3-2 and split the twinbill. The Athletics tied it 2-2 in the last of the ninth and then won it in the tenth on Nick O'Neill's (.333) bases-loaded single with two away. Glasco had a wide edge in hits with 13 to the All-Stars 6, but had trouble getting runs. Closer Ray Cook (1-2 1.40) came on in the tenth and collared the win with a scoreless inning, while his counterpart, Wally Tidwell (0-3 3.04), walked his way to defeat by giving up three bases on balls, plus O'Neill's game-winning hit.

Elnora (16-23) is now tied for last place with Volusia (16-23). The Glasco Athletics (18-18) are fourth in the RU South standings.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

SV Rallies, Tops Sunbirds 6-3 in First Game
It was looking bad for Sugar Valley. The Rattlers were losing 3-2 to Belair Beach going into their last bat and they would have to face Lou Zanelli, one of the best closers in the IPA. Four runs and six hits later, Sugar Valley had its fourth consecutive triumph, a 6-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader at Bayside Park. The Sunbirds bit the dust for the third straight time. Zanelli (5-1 1.96) was nailed with his first loss of the season, while reliever Jay Washington (1-0 3.71) got his first win with two scoreless innings. He retired all six batters he faced. Leading the charge for the Rattlers were third baseman Jorge Vargas (.343) with 3-for-4 and two RBIs, first baseman Ken Arnold (.278) with 3-for-4 and an RBI and right fielder Karl Dietz (.257), who got his 5th homer. Sugar Valley outhit Belair Beach 11-5.

Sunbirds, Rattlers Divide Twinbill
In the second game of the twinbill, Belair Beach snapped Sugar Valley winning string at four with a 5-3 victory. Lefty Dirk Garrett (4-5 4.57) went the distance, gave up eight hits to the Rattlers, walked three and fanned just one batter. Taking the loss was Tony Michelet (3-4 4.13), who worked six innings, allowed five hits and four runs with only two earned. He whiffed six and walked none. Third baseman Mike Janocko (.286) slugged the game-winner, a two-run roundtripper in the sixth to put the Sunbirds up 4-2.

The Rattlers (21-16) are on top of the RU South, while Belair Beach (20-18) is in the third spot, but just 1.5 games off the pace.

Diamonds Win Opener from Nine 6-5
Manager Stacy Engel made the right call in game one of a doubleheader, when he summonded Alex Vanzetti in from the bullpen today at Avalon Stadium in Claxton. Vanzetti (2-0 2.55) came in trailing 5-2 in the fifth and held Marston without a run the rest of the game, winning it 6-5. A big four-run sixth sealed the victory for the Diamonds, highlighted by second baseman Donnie McCoy's (.362) two-run double to make it 5-4, third baseman Keith Olsen's (.312) RBI-single to tie it and first Marty McCluskey's (.268) run-scoring groundout to go ahead 6-5. Nick Pace (5-5 4.28) had a tough outing, but went all the way, surrendering all six runs on eight hits. Pace struck out four and walked just one. Marston was led offensively by shortstop Lenny Torricelli (.273) and left fielder Ronnie Horn (.302) with three hits each. Horn rapped his 4th home run of the year.

Marston Wins Nightcap 6-2 over Claxton
Skipper Johnny Walters of the Marston Nine almost didn't give the start to Cody Hill in game two of the twinbill with Claxton. Now he is glad he did -- Hill (3-2 4.68) restricted the Diamonds to seven hits in the 6-2 win in the nightcap. Hill also had eight strikeouts and issued only one base on balls. Right fielder Chris Deangelo (.282) and first baseman Johnny Berthold (.246) paced the Nine with two RBIs apiece. Second baseman Ken Green (.365) and catcher Mo Chappell (.293) had the other two. Getting the loss was Zach Nuxhall (1-4 4.62), who hurled seven innings, yielded three runs and seven hits.

The Marston Nine (21-17) are in the runner-up spot to the RU South-leader, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (21-16). Marston trails by a only a half-game. Claxton (14-24) is still pulling up the rear and is in the division basement.

Westerners Win Opener from Lumberjacks
In the first game of the doubleheader in Waleska, the Westerners edged Forest City 6-5 for their third win in succession, sending the 'Jacks to their fourth straight defeat. Starting pitcher Gary Hill (4-1 4.02) survived a four-run fourth inning and nabbed the victory. Hill fanned nine, walked one and allowed seven hits in his eight innings of work. Closer Buddy Kennedy (1-3 4.19) picked up his third save with a perfect ninth. Waleska collected 11 hits off of 'Jacks pitching and were led by shortstop Errol Eichhorn (.243) with two hits, including a home run, second baseman Wiz Taylor (.256) with two hits and two runs, third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.275) with two hits and a run and left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.303) with two hits and an RBI. Forest City third baseman Johnny Mack Butler (.268) had a two-run smash and shortstop Pops Keller (.281), left fielder Chuck Hill (.367) and right fielder Benny Davis (.242) had the other three RBIs. Lefthander Buddy Hutchinson (2-6 4.15) lost it as the Westerners banged out 11 hits in six innings and scored all six runs on him.

FC-Waleska Split, 'Jacks Win Nightcap 1-0
In the nightcap of the twinbill, it was all Vinny Edelman. He hurled a standout game and blanked the Waleska Westerners 1-0 on seven hits to gain a share of the doubleheader. The Lumberjacks had lost the last four games. Edelman (2-2 2.40) fanned four and walked one in evening his record to 2-2. Marv Chancellor (1-7 6.26) almost matched him, allowing only one run and seven hits in seven innings with four strikeouts and one walk. The only run of the game came in the third, when shortstop Jesse Pearson (.300) walked and moved to third on catcher Gerry Tucker's (.248) double and scored on Ryan Morse's (.370) sac fly to right.

Waleska (20-19) is fourth in the RU South standings, two games behind first place Sugar Valley (21-16), while Forest City (18-21) is four games off the pace in fifth place.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Ninjas End Z's Steak at 6
It took them 14 innings to do it, but Ginza ended Luxora's 6-game winning with an exciting 7-5 victory in the first game of the doubleheader at De la Vega Stadium. Catcher Howard Mitchell (.261) stroked a two-run homer off losing pitcher Andy Stevens (2-1 4.26) for the win. The two clubs set several IPA records for an extra-inning contest. The Ninjas totaled 22 hits for a new mark. Luxora added 16 hits, giving them a new record of 38 for the game. For Ginza Mitchell and first baseman Kenshin Yamamoto both went 5-for-7 with Yamamoto tying the game with a dramatic 3-run ninth-inning home run. Shortstop Kaz Ojima (.310) chipped in 4-for-8 for the winners. Topping the Zorros were first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.326) with four hits and two RBIs and left fielder Tom Fortunato (.273) with two hits and two RBIs. Closer Ken Watkins (3-1 2.25) captured the win. He allowed only one run in five innings and fanned three.

Ginza Wins Nightcap 5-3, Takes Pair from Zorros
The Ginza Ninjas won the nightcap 5-3 and swept a pair from the first place Luxora Zorros. 34-year-old righty, Kazuhiro Nakayama (4-5 2.75) pitched the entire game and scattered nine hits with six strikeouts and zero walks. Keith Callahan (4-3 2.25) absorbed the defeat by being touched for three runs, eight hits and four walks in six innings. Sparking the Ninjas 12-hit attack, right fielder Charlie Campbell (.298) ripped four base hits, with a double and homer included, and had a pair of RBIs.

Ginza (19-19) got back to the .500 mark with the two triumphs. The Ninjas are now in the fourth spot in the TU East Division. Luxora's record dipped to 21-15 on the year.

Nats Nip CC 5-4 in Opener
The Ozarka Naturals were outhit 10-6 by Cape Coral, but three homers made the difference. The Nats won the first game of the twinbill 5-4 with solo homers from first baseman Poochie Kramer (.286), center fielder Teddy Braun (.319) and shortstop Gil Lantz (.265). Third baseman Doug Cunningham (.243) added a two-run double to the attack. Heading the Hurricanes was left fielder Rod Kelly (.333) with his 8th home run of the year. Little righthander Luther Hatch (6-3 3.03) went the distance and held off Cape Coral in a gutty performance. He fanned four, walked only one and allowed 10 hits. Starter Owen Pruitt (2-3 3.46) gave up five runs and four hits in three innings and suffered the defeat.

Nats Sweep Hurricanes
Ozarka took both ends of the doubleheader with Cape Coral, taking the nightcap in a 12-1 rout. The sweep enabled the Naturals to move ahead of the Hurricanes into sole possession of second place in the RU South Division. Ozarka had the firepower and the pitching. They slammed 14 hits and were paced by first baseman Floyd Snow (.276) with four RBIs, third baseman Doug Cunningham (.255) with three and center fielder Teddy Braun (.322) with a pair of RBIs. Left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.248) whacked his 8th roundtripper and scored three times. Yasuyuki Nakagawa (5-2 2.20) limited Cape Coral to six hits, struck out six and walked four for the victory. Kaz Hayagawa (3-5 4.23) caught the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.

The Nats (21-17) now trail first place Luxora (21-15) by just one game. The Hurricanes (19-18) are third, 2.5 games off the pace.

Hellcats Captured First Game 5-0 from Stallions
The Hartsdale fans got more than they bargained for -- a good baseball game and an old old-fashioned donnybrook. A fight broke out between the two managers when they were turning in the starting lineups. Hellcat manager, Zim Donner, and South Fork manager, Lips Leon, started swinging at one another and had to be restrained by the umpires. Both skippers were ejected. Donner seemed to get the best of the altercation. There was already bad blood brewing between the two clubs. Donner was quoted as saying he would kick Leon's behind, if he didn't keep his mouth shut. Apparently Lips couldn't curb his tongue.

As far as the baseball game was concerned, the Hellcats won that contest, too. They blanked the Stallions 5-0 in the first game of the twinbill behind the combined efforts of Phil Reed and Roger Graves. Reed's arm tightened up in the fifth and he had to be taken out. He allowed six hits, but no runs. Graves (2-3 7.09) notched the win with five strikeouts and no walks. He gave up four hits the rest of the way. Keith Olson (2-4 3.11) was the loser, allowing four runs and seven hits in the first three frames. Leading the Hartsdale 12-hit offense was shortstop Mike Burke (.352) with two hits and three RBIs. Left fielder Jay Luna (.299) smacked three hits and scored twice. Center fielder Greg Reynolds (.233) homered and scored twice for the Hellcats.

SF Gets Split Decision, Top Hellcats in Game Two
All was quiet on the eastern front for game two -- neither manager put up his dukes this time -- and South Fork got a split decision with a win in the nightcap 4-2. First baseman Rod Reed (.208) delivered the key hit -- a three-run homer in the sixth off Danny Griffin to put the Stallions in the lead 3-2. Center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.264) chipped in another home run in the top of the ninth. Flint Battle (5-4 2.99) claimed the victory, but needed help from Billy Joe Gordon. Battle yielded two runs and six hits over seven innings. Manager Lips Leon said he had thrown too many pitches and was tiring. Gordon came in and got his third save, striking out three in two innings and permitting a pair of hits. Hellcat starter Danny Griffin (4-6 3.23) took the loss, giving up four hits and three runs in six innings. Hartsdale had an 8-6 edge in base hits. Shortstop Mike Burke (.365) had three hits, including a roundtripper, to lead the Hartsdale batters.

Hartsdale (17-21) hung on to fifth place in the TU East standings with the split of the doubleheader, while South Fork (16-23) is last in the division.

Duroche "Lips" Leon, never at a loss for words, told reporters that he will demand a rematch with Donner. "Next time I will floor him. He is as puny as his ballclub. Donner would have gotten the worst of it, I guarantee. He's lucky the umps kept me off of him."