The Islandian Times

Sunday, September 22, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

ST. JOHN CRUSADERS

Owner: The Brothers of St. John the Baptist

GM: Barry Edwards

Manager: Dick Billings

St. John is an isolated college town of 79,000, located in the sparsely-settled southwestern part of Ruthlandia. It is in the Southern Lowlands about a 100 miles inland from Belair Bay and the Southern Sea. Originally established by the Brothers of St. John the Baptist as a monastery and religious retreat. It is now the home of St. John University, a center of learning and the country's elite academic institution and research center. The university is run by the St. John Brothers.

The school's academic specialties are educational, agricultural and medical research. The university is the site of the oldest and largest library in the country. It also houses the largest medical center and hospital in Ruthlandia.

The Sisters of the Holy Cross Convent is also in St. John. The nuns are active in nursing and education. Together the two orders supply many doctors, nurses and teachers for the Islands.

Another important industry run by the Brothers is the Crusader Wagon Company, the makers of top-of-the-line cars, trucks and tractors used throughout Tycobbia and Ruthlandia. The company was started in the 1860s and made wagons and buggies, expanding to automobiles in the early 1900s.

The picturesque and idyllic town is filled with parks and boulevards, all centered around the university and is a nice place to call home and raise a family.

St. John is also home of the St. John Crusaders of the IPA's Ruthlandian Union South Division, who play at lovely Cathedral Stadium on the university campus. The stadium has a great view of the revered gothic cathedrals that pervade the campus. The fans also get a great panoramic view of the downtown area in the distance. The outfield walls and buildings in left, center and right fields are made of white marble. The Crusaders are owned and operated by the Brothers of St. John. Spectators and fans at the stadium can feast on wonderful and delicious sandwiches made with bread from the monastery's famous ovens and sample exquisite wines from its classic cellars and delightful cheeses from its marvelous dairies. All available at nominal prices. Typical baseball fare is also offered at the concession stands.

Crusader fans are noted for being true sportsmen in the truest sense of the word. They never boo the umpires or utter a discouraging word toward their beloved team or the visiting clubs. They will even applaud a good play by opposing players. A visit to Cathedral Stadium is truly unique and enjoyable.

Longtime front office man, Barry Edwards, is the general manager. He worked for the Doubleday Company in Marston and was the architect of that company's success in industrial league baseball. The manager is Dick Billings, the fabled catcher for the legendary Marston Nine, one of the greatest teams ever. He was an outstanding hitter, catcher and manager.

Cathedral Stadium (1948)

Capacity: 7,450

Dimensions:

LF Line 360
LF 375
LCF 390
CF 400
RCF 390
RF 375
RF Line 360

The Islandian Times

Sunday, September 22, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

STONER STARS

Owner: Nonnac Textiles

GM: Beanie Billingham

Manager: Willie Dickens

Stoner, population 55,000, can be found in north central Ruthlandia, halfway between Rocky Rapids to the northwest and Cold Creek to the southeast. The majestic Green River runs by it on the way to Forest City, the nation's capital, then flowing southward through the Lowlands towns of Middlefield and Sugar Valley, finally emptying into Belair Bay near Belair Beach. The climate is cold and harsh during the winter, but quite moderate and nice the rest of the year. The rocky soil of Stoner makes it difficult for agricultural endeavors. The primary industry is manufacturing. The Green River Dam provides cheap and abundant electric power to drive the local plants and factories.

The town of Stoner got it name from Yancey Stoner and his family in the 1850s, who settled the area. He had emigrated here from Lancashire, England, where he worked for ten years at one of the textile factories there. There he gained the first-hand knowledge needed to build and operate a textile factory. He settled in Stoner because of the abundance of water power. He started on a small scale, beginning with a cottage industry that used women at home to make the textiles and slowly expanded over the years, eventually selling out to Nonnac Textiles.

Nonnac Textiles was established in 1872 and is headquartered in Stoner. The entire town revolves around the mills. It is a tight-knit community. Mill life is a simple life, yet satisfying. Nommac made sure its workers lacked for nothing. The Stoner mill families shared schools, medical facilities, churches and recreation centers, all created by their benevolent employers. Unions never got a foothold in Stoner, the company made them unnecessary. Nonnac was a leader in clean air, long before it became popular. They made certain the air was safe to breath in their town. Because of their progressive policies, Nommac can still compete with overseas manufacturing and still prospers today. The factory whistles are still blowing strongly and proudly in Stoner.

Nonnac Textiles brought "base ball" (its original name) to Stoner in the 1880s. The mill built a ball diamond for its plant workers and their families to enjoy. In 1891, the game had gotten so popular that Nonnac organized its own league. In the early 1900s the company's best players would travel to other nearby towns and plays those towns best teams. A great rivalry sprang up between Rocky Rapids, Cold Creek, Sligo, Volusia and LaGrange. In 1909 Nonnac Textiles constructed Nonnac Stadium and it has been the home of the Stoner Stars company teams ever since. The stogy old ballpark will be used by the IPA Stoner Stars, which are owned by Nonnac. You can see the Nonnac factory off in the distance over the outfield wall at the stadium.

The Stoner Stars fans really take the game of baseball seriously. It is a no-nonsense atmosphere at Nonnac Stadium. No theatrics or promotions, just good old-fashioned baseball the way it is meant to be played...and watched. All eyes are on the ballfield at Nonnac Stadium. Be aware that there are no guest singers for the Ruthlandian national anthem prior to the first pitch of the game. You are expected to sing it yourself, loudly and clearly...or you could get a raised eye or two, if you don't. The Stonerites are very patriotic. You are also expected to sing baseball's national anthem "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the traditional Seventh Inning Stretch. As far as stadium food, you also just get the standard fare...hamburgers, hot dogs, cokes, beer, peanuts and crackerjacks.

The Stoner GM is Beanie Billings, a budding genius for his scientific approach to baseball. He uses computer analysis to create his player roster and to evaluate talent. For a manager, however, he has an old school manager, Willie Dickens, who was a journeyman outfielder in his playing days and a very successful manager in industrial leagues.

Nonnac Stadium (1909)

Capacity: 6,625

Dimensions:

Left Field Line - 334
Left Field - 360
Left Center - 387
Center Field - 410
Right Center - 390
Right Field - 360
Right Field Line - 340

The Islandian Times

Sunday, September 22, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

SUGAR VALLEY RATTLERS

Owner/GM: Manny Earl

Manager: Gibson 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 from 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 great 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.

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.

How fierce a competitor is Bobkins? He once answered a reporter this way: "I've played a couple of hundred games of tic-tac-toe with my little daughter and she hasn't beaten me yet. I've always had to win. I've got to win."

As a player Bobkins was often criticize in the press for his intense behavior and strong competitive spirit on the field. He fired back at his critics this way, "Why do I have to be an example for your kid? You be an example for your own kid."

Farmers Memorial Stadium (1967)

Capacity: 11,655

Dimensions:

Left Field Line - 310
Left Field - 340
Left Center - 370
Center Field - 385
Right Center - 370
Right Field - 340
Right Field Line - 310

The Islandian Times

Monday, September 23, 2002

Ruthlandian Union West Division Sweet 16 Series

Jackson Stops 'Jacks 4-1, Roosters In Elite 8
At Riverside Stadium in Forest City, Joshua jackson pitched the Middlefield Roosters into the Elite 8 with a sparkling 4-1 triumph over the Lumberjacks... Jackson (1-0 1.20) stopped them on five hits, fanned three and gave up just one walk to take the third game of the RU West Sweet 16 Series... The Roosters snapped a 1-1 tie with three runs in the sixth inning... LF Cecil Clark (.455) tripled in the tiebreaker and CF Ty DeWitt (.269) added a two-run single... 3B Johnny Mack Butler (.259) homered in the fifth frame for Forest City's only score... Middlefield got the first run of the game when DeWitt tripled and was doubled in by 1B Ricky Tinker (.417)... Frank Loeffler (1-1 3.86) suffered the loss, allowing four runs in five innings... Loeffler totaled seven strikeouts and gave up six hits... The Roosters had the edge in hits 9 to 5.

Tycobbian Union North Division Sweet 16 Series

Oxford Smokes Luxora 10-5, Makes Elite 8
The Oxford Red Caps came out smoking and pounded the Luxora Zorros 10-5 to take game three of the Tycobbian Union Northern Division Sweet 16 Series... The Red Caps will now advance to the Elite 8... Oxford banged out 13 hits, led by RF Mack Spencer (.435) who went three for four, including a three-run homer... Spencer had four RBIs in all... LF Austen Conover (.208) and C Butch Kegley (.286) both had two hits and two RBIs in the game... and CF Ike Plunkett (.500) went 3-for-4, scored twice and batted in a run... All that offense made it easy for Dan Phillips (3-0 1.02), who came back today and started after winning yesterday in relief... In seven innings Phillips gave up three runs on eight hits, but only one of them was earned... it was his third playoff victory... Del Anderson finished out the game in a rocky relief effort, giving up two runs in two innings... Jay Cavacos (0-1 7.45) absorbed the loss as he was blistered for six runs in the first two innings... Luxora's top hitters were C Edmundo Neves (.273) and SS Vince Cooper (.286)... they both had two hits and two RBIs... The Red Caps won despite committing three errors.

Tycobbian Union South Division Sweet 16 Series

San Alejo Rallies, Edges Colchester 8-7
On their home grounds at the Casa de Beisbol, San Alejo held off a good Colchester ballclub with a comeback 8-7 win to take the TU South Sweet 16 Series two-games-to-one and advance to the Elite 8 round... mainly on the bat of RF Marcelino Zuniga (.400), who hit two homers and drove in five runs... the last one coming in the last of the ninth inning... 1B Rodger Wooten (.278) and 3B Paolo Huerta (.261) also jolted homers for the Montaneros... San Alejo was outhit 13-10, but had the advantage in long balls 4-2... 2B Leland Curtis (.500) and 1B Nils Stanton (.278) homered in defeat... Manager Lando Peceda used five pitchers to eliminate the Elites with the victory going to Victorio Valente (1-0), who hurled a perfect ninth... Fred Kimball (1-1) got the loss, giving up three runs in two and two-thirds innings... Colchester took a 4-0 lead in the opening frame, but couldn't hold it... San Alejo pecked away at it, finally taking the lead in the fifth 5-4... The Elites tied up at 5-5 in the sixth... The Montaneros made it 7-5 in the seventh... Tenacious Colchester tied it again 7-7 in the eighth... only to lose it in the ninth on Zuniga's smash.

Tycobbian Union East Division Sweet 16 Series

High Mesa Ousts South Fork From Playoffs 7-3
In the third game of the TU East Sweet 16 Series, High Mesa ousted South Fork from the playoffs with a 7-3 shellacking at Queen Ranch Stadium... The hard-hitting Cowboys smacked 15 hits and three homers, led by CF Lex Neville (.300) with three base hits and three RBIs, 2B Ed Granberg (.316) with two hits and two RBIs and SS Rolf Kellgren (.391) with four hits, two runs and an RBI... Each one of them went deep with home runs... Kellgren now has hit three roundtrippers in the playoffs... Joey Popovich (2-0 3.52) tossed eight and a third innings for the win, allowing four hits and three runs with two walks and five Ks... Jesse Wilson helped save it by getting the last two outs... South Fork only got four hits, but stayed close... the Stallions took the lead 2-0 in the first inning on 1B Keith Burke's home run and led 3-2 after four... Neville's two-run single in the fifth put the Cowboys ahead for good 4-3... a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth cinched it for High Mesa... Vince Bernini (0-1 7.11) sustained the loss, permitting four runs - two earned - in five innings.

Tycobbian Union West Division Sweet 16 Series

Reds Advance to Elite 8, Sink Bucs 5-4 in Game 3
During the regular TU West season the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers made the Rolling Hills Reds walk the plank, but not in the playoffs... The Reds gained revenge by sinking the division champion Buccaneers 5-4 in extra innings in game three of the Sweet 16 Series to move on to the Elite 8... RF Big Boy Charisa (.391) sealed the win with a tenth-inning homer... Charisa was a one-man wrecking crew with three hits and four RBIs... 1B Sunshine Anaba (.316) also hit one out, his third in the postseason... CF Wayne Latham (.367) and RF Charlie Moon (.375) homered in defeat for Bay St. Clair... Rolling Hills skipper Matty Christianson used four pitchers with the victory going to Shane Hooper, who held the Bucs scoreless with two perfect innings and three Ks in the eighth and ninth innings... Johnny McBee (1-0) worked the tenth for the save, while the loss went to Adam Lundgren (0-1)... Lundgren gave up one run and three hits in his two innings... The Reds nosed out the Buccaneers in hits 9-8.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

IPA Elite 8 Series Starts Today
The eight Islandian Pro Alliance teams that have survived the first two rounds of the Pro Cup Series are ready to go again in the Elite 8 Series at four sites around the Islands.

Several highly-rated ball clubs have been sent home for the season, including four division winners, Bay St. Clair (TU West), Sugar Valley (RU East), Forest City (RU West) and South Fork (co-champ TU East), along with Far Mountain and Valmara, teams that won 91 games this season. The defending champions, the Volusia Vigilantes, were eliminated in the First Round Series by the Middlefield Roosters. The V's finished a distant second in their division to Forest City this year.

However, the BNN pre-playoff favorites predicted to play for the IPA Pro Cup are still in the running, the San Alejo Montaneros (TU South), winner of 102 games, and the Glasco Athletics (RU North), who won 96 games. But as the players and managers say, the best team is not guaranteed to win a short series. Anything can happen. A little-used benchwarmer can hit a grand slam homer (it happened) and eliminate a more highly-touted team. A bloop hit can cost a better team a win. A bounce of the ball can do it, too.

The Elite 8 are still in the running and hoping the ball will bounce their way in the next two weeks and bring them the Islandian Pro Cup, emblematic of the best pro team in the Islands. In the Tycobbian Union, the Rolling Hills Reds get the honor of hosting the San Alejo Montaneros today at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds and the Oxford Red Caps will be at home at Winchester Park entertaining the High Mesa Cowboys. Over in the Ruthlandian Union the Glasco Athletics will be on the road in Elnora to play the All-Stars at State Fair Park and the Valka Blackhawks will travel to play the Middlefield Roosters at Farmers Memorial Park.

The clubs will play a best-of-three series with the higher-seeded teams in each match-up getting the extra home game, if it goes full length. However, the overall championship series, the IPA Pro Cup Series, is a best-of-five series.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Elite 8 Injury Report
The teams in the Elite 8 have come through the playoffs in good shape so far. Only two clubs are missing any personnel.

Matty Christianson's Rolling Hills Reds suffered the biggest loss of any team. The Reds skipper lost his ace, Bomber Belinsky, in the First Round playoff opener. Belinsky, a 17-game winner, suffered a blister injury and will miss his starts for the next week. Team doctors think Belinsky will be back in time for the IPA Pro Cup Finals, if Rolling Hills can advance that far.

Manager Smitty Michaels of the Middlefield Roosters will be without his slick-fielding shortstop Eddie Reeves for the next four days. Michaels hopes to have Reeves back in the line-up for the Final 4 Series. Reeves suffered an ankle injury in the Volusia series in the opening round of the playoffs on September 20. Reeves hit .268 during the regular campaign and had a .984 fielding percentage, second in the Ruthlandian Union.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Elnora Wins 5th Staight, Tops A's 6-2 in Opener
In the Elite 8 opener in Elnora, the All-Stars combined solid pitching by Taylor Gibbs (2-0 2.00) and four errors by favored Glasco to come away with a 6-2 victory... Gibbs went the route, fanned seven, walked three and permitted only two runs on eight hits... Elnora is unbeaten in five playoff games this season... Faulty fielding cost the A's four runs in the game... Ray Cook (0-1 6.75) was the losing pitcher, but only surrendered one earned run and five hits in six innings... He exited the game trailing 4-1... C Todd Simons (.353) tripled in two runs in the first inning for Elnora... Three throwing errors by catcher Les Ferguson on attempted steals opened the gates for the All-Stars... The Glasco A's have their backs to the wall and will try to get back in the series at Athletics Field tomorrow afternoon.

Krueger Fires 2-hitter, Valka Blanks Roosters 1-0
Valka got a dazzling performance from Connie Krueger, who blanked the Middlefield Roosters on two hits as the Blackhawks opened up the Elite 8 Series with a 1-0 triumph... Junkballing Krueger powder-puffed his way through the Middlefield line-up, giving up only two singles... The Blackhawk righthander had a no-hitter for seven innings... 1B Ricky Tinker got the first hit in the eighth and RF Bailey Norcross got the second one in the ninth... Krueger fanned one batter and walked three in a superb outing... Rooster starter Jackie Lee Bevis was also outstanding, holding Valka scoreless on seven hits in his seven and two-thirds innings with six strikeouts and one walk... Bevis tired in the eighth and had to come out of the game... The Blackhawks finally won it in the top of the ninth when 2B Bryan McGinnis (.217) doubled and scored C Kristjan Kasik(.217), who had walked to lead off the inning... Otis Canfield (0-1 4.91) relieved in the ninth, faced three batters, got none of them out, gave up the winning run and was the losing pitcher. Valka chalked up nine hits in the game. The Blackhawks will be at home tomorrow and will try to wrap up the series with a sweep.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

San Alejo Thumps Rolling Hills 7-4 in First Game
The IPA Pro Cup favorite, the San Alejo Montaneros, benefited from three errors and three unearned runs to thump the Rolling Hills Reds at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds to go 1-up in the Elite 8 Series... Manager Lando Peceda finally got a decent start out of his ace, Ernie Arredondo, who has struggled in two playoff starts... Arredondo, a 25-game winner, pitched a fine game until he ran out of gas in the ninth inning and was tagged for three runs... Arredondo (1-2 7.79) had only allowed one run in the first eight frames and had a 7-1 edge going into the final inning... he allowed 11 hits, struck out five and walked three... Pedro Acosta relieved him and got the final out for the save... Pacing the Montaneros 10-hit attack were 2B Xavier Rocha (.357) with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored... and 3B Paolo Huerta (.269) with two RBIs... Ken Greenwood (2-1 2.01) went down to defeat for the first time in the postseason... He allowed five runs - three earned - and went to the showers in the three-run seventh... Rolling Hills will have to rebound and win the series in San Alejo at the Casa de Beisbol... The second game is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

Red Caps Clobber Cowboys 10-1 in Elite 8 opener
At Winchester Park in Oxford, the Red Caps had an easy time with the High Mesa Cowboys and clobbered them 10-1 in the first game of their Elite 8 Series... Oxford smacked 13 singles and were paced by SS Wayne Matsuk (.190) with two hits and three RBIs and C Butch Kegley (.360) with a pair of hits and two runs batted in... The Red Caps also sparkled on the mound as starter Jim Melanakos hurled seven innings of shutout ball, stopping the Cowboys on four hits... Melanakos (1-1 3.38) fanned seven batters and issued no walks... Del Anderson finished up for him and was tagged for a home run by 2B Ed Granberg in the eighth, his third of the postseason... Cowboy starting pitcher Donnie Rinaldi (0-1) lost the game, yielding five runs in three-plus innings... The series will switch to High Mesa for game two tomorrow afternoon.

The Islandian Times

Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

Valka Vaults Into Final 4, Sweeps Middlefield
It was tough way to sweep the series, but the Valka Blackhawks did before a home crowd at Cybertel Park... Valka fought back after blowing a 4-1 lead to edge the Middlefield Roosters 6-5 in game two of the IPA Elite 8 Series... The Roosters took the lead 5-4 in the top of the ninth on 1B Ricky Tinker's (.387) infield hit, but it was short-lived... The Blackhawks tallied two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a bases-loaded sac fly by pinchhitter Kyell Ibbotson (.000) and CF Ron Landauer's (.300) walk-off single... The win moves Valka into the RU Final 4 Series against the winner of Glasco and Elnora... Closer Daryl Vannoy (2-0 1.86) got credit for the win, despite being shelled for four hits and two runs in two innings... Middlefield's outstanding bullpen ace, Dave Webb (0-1 1.13) took the loss, allowing two runs in one and two-thirds innings of relief... Pacing the Blackhawks batters were 1B Stan Gatlin (.240) with a three-run homer in the second inning, C Kristjian Kasik (.296) with 3-4 and two runs scored and 2B Bryan McGinnis (.269) with two runs scored and an RBI... The Roosters top hitters were RF Bailey Norcross (.393) and CF Ty DeWitt (.286) with three hits apiece... 3B Lowell Satterwhite (.241) also chipped in two hits and two RBIs.

A's Still Alive! Beat Elnora 4-1, Series Even Now
The Glasco Athletics are still alive and kicking in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs... The A's blemished Elnora's perfect playoff record by whipping them 4-1 on the strength of some impressive mound work by Charles Darby and closer Jake Nyberg... They snapped the All-Stars five-game winning streak and evened up the Elite 8 Series at one game each... Darby (2-1 1.57) notched the victory with seven solid innings... He spread out eight hits and permitted only one run... Nyberg (0-0 1.13) got his third postseason save with two scoreless Innings and four strikeouts... Glasco got all their runs in the fourth frame... 2B Barry McCord (.607) drove in the first run with a bases-loaded walk... LF Bobby Pascarelli (.179) belted a two-run two-bagger... and 3B Lloyd Windham (.381) plated the last one with a sacrifice fly... All of the runs came off losing pitcher Harry Dye (1-1 5.40)... Dye was knocked out in the fourth inning... Elnora got its only score in the seventh on pinchhitter Jim Vaughan's RBI single... The All-Stars had 10 hits to Glasco's 7, but stranded 10 men on base... Game three will also be played at Athletics Field tomorrow with the winner advancing to the Final 4.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

Reds Tie Series, Davidson Stops San Alejo 5-1
Hard-luck hurler Roger Davidson finally got some run support... Rolling Hills racked up 12 hits to trip up the San Alejo Montaneros 5-1 and tie up the Elite 8 Series at one game apiece... Davidson did his job almost to perfection... He held San Alejo hitless until one out in the eighth when SS Erico Pilar (.219) doubled, but was left stranded... in the ninth RF Marcelino Zuniga homered for the only other hit... Davidson (1-2 1.59) fanned six and walked six for the win...it was his first postseason victory despite his impressive 1.59 ERA... the Reds hitting heroes were C Alfredo Del Toro (.208) with two doubles and two RBIs and LF Freddie Ridgeway (.400) with 3-for-5... Lefthander Alberto Herrera (1-1 3.42) pitched well in defeat, allowing three runs on seven hits with five Ks and no walks... The third-and-deciding game will be held tomorrow afternoon at San Alejo's Casa de Beisbol... The winner will advance to the IPA Pro Series Final 4.

High Mesa Pounds Red Caps 8-4, Elite 8 Tied
High Mesa drummed Oxford 8-4 with a flurry of 15 hits to tie their Elite 8 Series at 1-1 in the best-of-three series... The showdown will be tomorrow at Queen Ranch Stadium... SS Rolf Kellgren (.484) spearheaded the Cowboy offense with a perfect 5-for-5 performance... He scored three times and batted in one run...Oxford LF Adam Zitek (.214) had a three-run double and C Johnny Fessler (.375) drove in a pair... On the hill, John Owens (2-0 4.35) was not at his best, but he gutsied out the victory, allowing the Red Caps 11 hits and four runs, while going the distance... The Red Caps closed the gap to 3-2 with a run in the seventh, but High Mesa made it 6-2 with three runs in the last of the inning... Oxford rebounded with two in the eighth, cutting the score to 6-4, but the Cowboys countered that with two more of their own to seal the verdict... The Red Caps got a fair outing from starter Nicky Nicholson (0-1 4.50), who gave up three runs in six innings with only two of them earned... Oxford played poorly in the field and committed 4 miscues that cost them a pair of runs.

How are the rosters looking for the Chicopee Braves and Denton City Redbirds ?

The Islandian Times

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series

All-Stars Bomb Glasco 12-3, Head to Final 4
The Elnora All-Stars are on a roll... They bombed Glasco 12-3 in the rubber game of the Elite 8 Series to advance to the RU Final 4 against the Valka Blackhawks... It was the All-Stars fifth win in six games in the postseason... Elnora shattered the A's playoff dreams by belting 16 hits... Glasco was picked to be a finalist for the IPA Pro Cup. Everyone in the All-Stars line-up got at least one hit, led by CF Ronnie Gilbert (.355) with a 4-hit day, three RBIs and two runs scored... C Todd Simons (.400) homered, had two hits and three RBIs... SS Joe Norris (.485) was 2-for-5, scored twice and batted in two runs... On the mound Charlie Murphy (3-0 3.60) recorded his third playoff win... Murphy was tagged for 12 hits, but stranded 12 runners on base... He fanned six and walked five in an uneven, but successful outing... Glasco 1B Maury Smith (.343) collected three hits in defeat... Elnora will now tangle with the Valka Blackhawks in the RU Final Four... The best-of-three series gets underway tomorrow in Elnora at State Fair Park.

Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series

San Alejo Rallies Late, Nips Rolling Hills 3-2
San Alejo, favored by the experts to win the IPA Pro Cup, rallied late against Rolling Hills and advanced to the Final 4... Matty Christianson's Reds gave it their all, but they couldn't finish off the tough Montaneros... Righthander Hondo Anoki shut them out 2-0 on three hits for six innings, but faltered in the final two frames and lost it 3-2... It came down to hitting in the clutch and the Montaneros did it... In the seventh they finally dented the scoreboard on CF Vidal Munos' (.206) homer... In the critical eighth 2B Xavier Rocha (.314) led off with a base hit, advanced to second on a sacrifice, then scored the tying run on 3B Paolo Huerta's (.250) single... Huerta took second on the throw home and then scored on RF Marcelino Zuniga's (.378) game-winning single... Zuniga has driven in 15 runs in the postseason, while Huerta has 9... Jaime Serrano (1-0 3.24) tossed a fine game, yielding only two runs and seven hits in seven innings, before departing for a pinchhitter... Mateus Salinas (1-0 4.91) claimed the victory, holding the Reds scoreless in the eighth and ninth... Anoki (1-1 3.00) allowed seven hits and three runs, struck out four and issued two walks... San Alejo will meet the winner of the Oxford Red Caps and High Mesa Cowboys in the Tycobbian Union Final 4 playoffs.

Kellgren's HR Sends Cowboys to the Final 4
It was a stirring finish - Rolf Kellgren clouted a game-winning homer in the last of the ninth and sent the High Mesa Cowboys to the TU Final 4... Kellgren's blast gave High Mesa a 7-6 triumph over the Oxford Red Caps in the decisive third game of their Elite 8 Series... Red Cap starter Dan Phillips stymied the Cowboys for five innings and held a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth... then High Mesa struck for six runs to take the lead... Oxford fought back with two in the eighth and one in the ninth to deadlock the game at 6-all... Then Kellgren broke their hearts... SS Kellgren (.472) now has four homers in the postseason... He led the Cowboys with two hits and four RBIs in today's game... Kellgren also hit a three-run triple in the sixth inning... LF Adam Zitek also had a big two-run blast in the sixth to enable High Mesa to regain the lead... Glen Green (2-0) got credit for the win, but blew the save in the top of the ninth, allowing Oxford to tie the score... Alec Bowman (0-1) was the losing pitcher, the victim of Kellgren's home run... RF Mack Spencer (.400) and CF Ike Plunkett (.444) kept the Red Caps in the game... Both hit went deep... Spencer had three hits, scored three times and drove in two runs, while Plunkett had a pair of hits and drove in three... High Mesa will now get to flex their long ball muscles against the San Alejo Montaneros... The Tycobbian Union Final 4 begins tomorrow at Queen Ranch Stadium in High Mesa... It will be a best-of-three series.

Check this page in the Dynasty Report for the mid-season summary for both teams.

See post #744

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...unions-38.html

Check this page in the Dynasty Report for the final regular season summary for both teams.

See post #775

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...unions-39.html

The Islandian Times

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

SUMMERLAND SUNSETS

Owner: Augie Altonno, La Cosa Nostra, Ltd.
GM/Manager: Will Hackett

Summerland is a serene paradise south of the Tycobbian mainland populated by about 93,000 residents and located on the northeastern edge of Arvonian Island in the Southern Sea. It was originally settled by the Dutch in the 1840's and called Sommerland and still has sizeable Dutch minority, but with a British majority. Both ethnic groups have really taken to the sport of baseball. Like every town in the Islands, baseball is king.

Modern day Summerland is a year-round playground with perfect weather amid a lush tropical landscape. People love to slip away to the sunshine of Summerland with its sparkling stretches of white powdery sand and crystal clear turquoise seawaters. Summerland’s high-rise hotels and seaside villas offer world-class amenities, impeccable service and accommodations topped off with tempting epicurean pleasures and a bountiful array of activities designed to pamper and delight. It is the home of the Summerland Sunsets of the Islandian Pro Alliance, who play at Sunset Park, the newest ball palace in the league.

Sunset Park is built right on the water with the front facade looking out on the Bay of Caledonia. Each evening tourists gather on the shore to watch the majestic tropical sun slowly sink into the sky blue azure waters. The Summerland skyline, with its luxury hotels and retirement condos, is visible from the park.

The Sunsets are owned by Augie Altonno, a baseball fanatic with questionable business affiliations. Augie Altonno spares no expense when it comes to the Sunsets. At each game he has a big band orchestra (his favorite kind of music) to entertain the fans. After the game an automated dance floor is set up so the fans can dance the night away. Augie, a "family man", loves to dance and can often be seen with a lovely young thing acting like Tony Manero with “Saturday Night Fever” on the dance floor. Most of the time Augie goes home to Mama Rosa and leaves the “Saturday Night Fever” on the dance floor.

And Augie spares no expense when it comes to the concessions either. Would you believe you can only get Italian? Yes, that’s the way it is at Sunset Park. And so far, Augie Altonno has not heard any complaints, which incidentally he handles himself. Delicious spaghetti, lasagna, pizzas and muffalettas are on the menu, along with beer, cokes, and fine Italian wine. With Augie’s favorite dessert, too - Angelo Brocato’s Spamoni ice cream imported from the French Quarter in New Orleans. A visit to Augie’s baseball palace is “to die for” (figuratively speaking, of course).

The GM and manager of the Summerland Sunsets is Will Hackett, noted as a tremendous power hitter and RBI man in his amateur league days.

Sunset Park (2001)

Capacity: 7,550

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 353
Left Field - 372
Left Center - 375
Center Field - 415
Right Center - 375
Right Field - 372
Right Field Line - 353

The Islandian Times

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

TARANTO TARS

Owner: Gianni Di Bello, CEO Papa Giovanni's Pizza

GM/Manager: Tommaso Lazzorda

Originally Taranto was just a small fishing village on the southeastern coast of Valdar Island settled by Italian immigrants in the 1870s after the unification of Italy caused economic collapse in several areas of the country. Taranto was named after its namesake in Italy.

Taranto is also the origin of the common name of the Tarantula spider family, In ancient times, residents of the town of Taranto, upon being bitten by a spider, would promptly do a long vigorous dance like a jig. This was done in order to sweat most of the poison out of their pores and thus survive the spider bite. The dance they did became locally known as the Tarantella, which eventually became the name we use today to describe the large, sometimes hairy type of spider, the Tarantula.

The town got a big boost in the 1880s when the Ruthlandian government decided to construct a naval base here. The natural harbor at Taranto made it a logical home port for the Ruthlandian naval fleet. Taranto has since grown to a present-day population of 63,000. As a result of the naval expansion, baseball leagues sprang up in Taranto. First it was just for the sailors and marines, but soon spread to the town. Baseball has thrived in Taranto since the late 1880s.

The Navy is still the prime industy in Taranto. However, the town is also known for being the headquarters of Papa Giovanni's Pizza, the number one pizza in the Islands. Giovanni Di Bella began making pizzas in 1905 after emigrating from Italy. His pizzas with a special garlic butter sauce soon became a favorite of the townspeople. Papa Giovanni's Pizza's popularity soon spread throughout Vandar Island and then to the mainland of Ruthlandia and Tycobbia. You will now find a Papa Giovanni's Pizza shop in all of the main towns of Islandia.

Papa Giovanni was a good baseball player in his own right, but where he excelled was in sponsorship of the local amateur team. Papa Giovanni also managed the club and got most of his players from the navy leagues, hence the name Papa Giovanni's Tars. He used the team to publicize his expanding pizza business. The more popular his team got, the more pizza he sold.

A "tar" is a sailor. The name comes from the black, petroleum substance used to keep ropes and rigging dry aboard ship. It was also used to seal and make the ships water-tight. It would get on the sailors uniform, so people began to refer to them as Tars.

Papa Giovanni housed his team in the Palazzo di Sport, which he built in 1922 and is still in use today. The Di Bello family have continued to big supporters of baseball in Taranto. When they heard that the IPA was going to expand the league, Grandson Gianni Di Bello got the backing of the Admiralty to insure a franchise would be granted to Taranto and to Papa Giovanni's Pizza.

The general manager and field manager of the Taranto Tars is Tommaso Lazzorda. He gained his fame as a crafty southpaw for the Papa Giovanni's Tars. Lazzorda gained even more success and notariety as the team's skipper. When the Tars switched over to professional baseball, Lazzorda came, too. Lazzorda loves to eat and loves his baseball. The congenial Lazzorda is good with a quote, too. "When we win, I'm so happy I eat a lot. When we lose, I'm so depressed, I eat a lot. When we're rained out, I'm so disappointed I eat a lot."

And the people of Taranto love him, too. There's no better ambassador of baseball than Tommaso Lazzorda. He often tells reporters, "I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer."

Palazzo de Sport

Capacity: 7,175

Dimensions:
Left Field Line 320
Left Field 335
Left Center 360
Center Field 385
Right Center 360
Right Field 335
Right Field Line 320

The Islandian Times

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Around the Town in the IPA

TUCKANARRA BLUE JAYS

Owner: Jayden Thorpe

GM/Manager: Carlton "Lefty" Stevens

Tuckanarra is a rural town in southern Tycobbia with a population of 49,000. It is about 100 miles east of Bay St.Clair, 100 miles west of South Fork and 100 north of Denton City. Tuckanarra came into existence in the 1860s, when a group of Australians were shipwrecked on the coast near Bay St. Clair. Not having the means to continue their journey from Tuckanarra, Australia to England, they decided to move inland to set up homesteads. Included in their numbers were a few aboriginal families. These were farmers, cattle ranchers and sheep herders. Wheat, wool, beef and lamb were their main products. They named the town after their old hometown, Tuckanarra. The main industries in modern day Tuckanarra are woolen textiles factories and meat processing plants.

In the early 1900s, the game of baseball arrived in the form of exhibition games by the Chicopee town teams, who began to barnstorm the Islands. Initially just traveling to nearby towns like Denton City, Colchester and Tuckanarra, then expanding to Tycobbia, Ruthlandia and even to distant Valdar Island. The Aussies took a liking to the American game and began to form teams, which led to leagues. It took them almost 20 years to compete on the level of the other adjacent towns. By 1920 company leagues were flourishing in Tuckanarra. It stayed amateur and semipro for the next 80 years, when in 2001, the first pro baseball league in the Islands was established, the Islandian Pro Alliance. It was an attempt to get rid of all the corruption in the Amateur Baseball Alliance. Too many teams were just violating the rules by paying the players to just play baseball, but not requiring them to do any bonifide work for the company sponsors.

Since it is one of the smallest towns in the Islands, it seemed like Tuckanarra was going to miss out on the IPA. But local baseball aficionado, playboy and philanthropist, Jayden Thorpe, stepped up to the plate and put up the money for the franchise, the Tuckanarra Bluejays. He chose the name Bluejays simply because it is a tough and feisty bird...just like him. He thought it would make a good mascot, too. Thorpe made his fortune riding high tech stocks in the 1980s and 90s. He hired as GM and manager, Carlton "Lefty" Stevens, a great lefthanded pitcher in the industrial leagues.

The Bluejays play at Central Park Stadium, which is located right in the middle of a beautiful park on the edge of the downtown area, which houses the Central Park Zoo, that specializes in animals native to Australia and features a ferris wheel, carousel and a carnival midway. It is a favorite place for Tuckanarra families to while away weekend hours perusing koala bears, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, platypuses, tasmanian devils and kookaburras. Central Park Stadium was constructed in 1948 and is still a great place to watch a ballgame. Even the aboriginal Australians have taken to the sport of baseball and have acquited themselves very ably over the years.

Food-wise, you won't just gorge out on Vegemite (salty food paste) sandwiches and swig Australian beers like VB (Victoria Bitter) and Foster's at the ballpark, you can also get Aussie gourmet treats like barbecue, Tim Tam (chocolate biscuits) and a chocolate Pavlova (a fruit meringue dessert named for the Russian ballerina) with sorbet. Hot dogs, hamburgers and cokes are available, too.

Central Park Stadium (1948)

Capacity: 7,750

Dimensions:

Left Field Line - 340
Left Field - 370
Left Center - 400
Center Field - 385
Right Center - 400
Right Field - 370
Right Field Line - 340

The Islandian Times

Friday, September 27, 2002

And Then There Were 4... Blackhawks, All-Stars, Cowboys, Montaneros in Final 4
The Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs have whittled it down to just four teams - the favored San Alejo Montaneros, the surprising Elnora All-Stars, the strong Valka Blackhawks and the high-scoring High Mesa Cowboys. The IPA Final 4 Series gets underway this afternoon in Elnora and High Mesa.

In the Ruthlandian Union Final 4, the All-Stars will play host to the Valka Blackhawks at State Fair Park, while High Mesa will be at home entertaining San Alejo at Queen Ranch Stadium in the Tycobbian Union Final 4. Games two and three will be played in Valka and San Alejo because those clubs won more games in the regular season than their opponents.

Who are the experts picking to win these series and advance to the IPA Pro Cup Series? The two teams playing the best ball right now are pitted against each other. Valka manager Jaan Kurus is blessed with great pitching, while his Elnora counterpart, Zoggy White, has outstanding hitters. The consensus is that good pitching beats good hitting, so it favors the Blackhawks over the All-Stars. Both teams have 6-1 records thus far in the postseason.

Kurus has Roberto Peralta (1-0 1.85), Andrei Kokk (1-1 2.76) and Charlie Krueger (2-0 2.25) as starters with Darryl Vannoy (2-0 1.86 1 SV) in the bullpen. White has Taylor Gibbs (2-0 2.00), Charlie Murphy (3-0 3.60) and Harry Dye (1-1 5.40) to oppose them.

Elnora is hoping its big bats will make up the difference. Catcher Todd Simons is hitting .400 with three homers and 13 RBIs. Left fielder Quincy Peterson has a .500 average with two home runs, 9 RBIs and 7 runs, shortstop Joe Norris is batting .485 with 9 runs scored and 7 RBIs and center fielder Rusty Gilbert has compiled a .335 mark, scored 8 times and batted in 6.

The Blackhawks have scored just enough to get by and are led by first sacker Stan Gatlin, who is hitting only .240, but has two homers and 6 RBIs, left fielder T. C. Haskell with a .321 batting average and 4 RBIs, catcher Kristjian Kasik with a .296 mark and three runs batted in, center fielder Ron Landauer with a .300 average and shortstop Villem Kask, hitting .391.

In the San Alejo-High Mesa clash, it will be pitching against home run power. Manager Lando Peceda had depended on strong pitching to win 102 games this season, the most in the IPA. His number two and three starters have fared well in the playoffs, but his number one has floundered. 25-game winner Ernie Arredondo (1-2 7.79) had two very bad outings and one decent start. He also came in and saved a vital game. He hasn't been the same pitcher in the playoffs. Peceda says without him it may be difficult to take the Pro Cup title. But his other starters, Jaime Serrano (1-0 3.24) and Alberto Herrera (1-1 3.42), have done well. The Montaneros postseason record is 6-3, while High Mesa is 6-2.

It's hard to judge the quality of pitching for the Cowboys as they play in a bandbox, a homer haven called Queen Ranch Stadium. Down the lines it's 312 and 306. In the power alleys it's only 353 and 351. Johnny Owens (2-0 4.35) and Joey Popovich are manager Frisky Franks best two starters. His number threes have been Kael Claxton (0-0 5.14) and Donnie Rinaldi (0-1 10.81). His closer Glen Green (2-0 7.94) has been hit-and-miss so far. However Daron Alberstadt (0-0 1.93) has been outstanding in three middle relief appearances.

High Mesa's big guns at the plate are shortstop Rolf Kellgren (.472 BA/4 HR/8 RBI), second baseman Ed Granberg (.344 BA/3 HR/10 R/5 RBI), left fielder Adam Zitek (.219 BA/2 HR/6 R/9 RBI), catcher Johnny Fessler (.361 BA/5 R/3 RBI), first baseman Babe Holloman (.206 BA/2 HR/4 R/8 RBI) and right fielder Kenny Edelstein (.406 BA/6 R/4 RBI).

The Montaneros can match them power-wise, but not in average. Right fielder Marcelino Zuniga (.378 BA/4 HR/7 R/15 RBI) has been tremendous in the postseason and would certainly be in the running for the MVP award. Third baseman Paolo Huerta (.250 BA/3 HR/9 R/9 RBI) has delivered some key hits, too. Second baseman Xavier Rocha (.314 BA/9 R/4 RBI) has had a fine postseason. Center fielder Vidal Munoz (.206 BA/3 HR/7 R/7 RBI) hasn't hit for average, but has come through in the clutch for Peceda.

The BNN baseball gurus are picking Valka and San Alejo to play for all the marbles in the Pro Cup Series because of their superior mound staffs.

The Islandian Times

Friday, September 27, 2002

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

Elnora Goes 1-Up, Gibbs Stops Valka 3-1
The Elnora All-Stars got just what the doctor ordered - some strong pitching... Taylor Gibbs (3-0 1.67) continued his exceptional postseason pitching and got the All-Stars 1-game up in their RU Final 4 Series with the favored Valka Blackhawks, beating them 3-1 on six hits... Gibbs hurled a complete game, struck out seven and walked just one... He outpitched Andrei Kokk (1-2 3.22), who allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings... Hitting-wise 2B Gil Foster (.300) got Elnora going with a solo homer in the opening frame and RF Paul Giles put them in the driver's seat with a two-run single in the fifth, making the score 3-0... The Blackhawks only run came in the seventh on 3B Kiko Tamm's (.333) roundtripper... Elnora had the advantage 9-6 in hits... The All-Stars will try and sweep Valka tomorrow afternoon... The rest of the best-of-three series will be played in Valka at Cybertel Park.

Cowboys Holds On, Edge SA in Opener 6-5
In the TU Final 4 opener, High Mesa held on to defeat San Alejo 6-5 at Queen Ranch Stadium... Sparking the victory was SS Rolf Kellgren (.500), who cracked three hits in four tries and batted in four runs... The Cowboys busted up a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fifth, highlighted by 3B Howie Partridge's (.273) RBI single and Kellgren's two-run base hit... Back-to-back homers by LF Bernie Valente (.200) and SS Erico Pilar (.243) cut the lead to 5-4 in the seventh, but that was as close as the Montaneros could get... High Mesa totaled 11 hits, while San Alejo garnered 8... 2B Xavier Rocha (.325) had two hits and two RBis for the Montaneros... LF Valente also had two hits and scored twice... Kael Claxton (1-0 5.40) picked up the win, but departed in the top of the seventh after surrendering the home runs... Glen Green saved the game for him with a scoreless ninth... Ernie Arredondo's (1-3 8.06) woes continued as he was smacked hard for five runs and 10 hits in five innings... The series now heads south to San Alejo for game two tomorrow afternoon.

The Islandian Times

Saturday, September 28, 2002

Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series

Elnora Sweeps Valka, Pro Cup Bound
The red-hot Elnora All-Stars are bound for the Islandian Pro Cup Series after a sweep of the Valka Blackhawks in the RU Final 4 Series... Righthander Harry Dye (2-1 3.05) twirled a 2-0 shutout to eliminate the favored Blackhawks... Dye shackled them on just five hits, while fanning four and issuing only one base on balls... Home runs accounted for both runs with 2B Gil Foster (.324) banging one out in the first inning and RF Paul Giles (.188) unloading in the sixth... Valka starter Roberto Peralta (1-1 1.95) tossed another strong game, yielding only two runs in eight innings, but had no run support... The All-Stars outhit the Blackhawks 10-5. Valka manager Jaan Kurus lamented the lack of hitting. "We have to do something during the off-season to get us some hitting... Our pitching can do it all."... Zoggy White, Elnora's skipper, praised his pitchers, "We had to have good pitching to beat Valka... The Blackhawks have outstanding pitching... Dye really, really did the job today." Elnora will now get ready to face the winner of the Tycobbian Union Final 4, High Mesa or San Alejo, in the Islandian Pro Cup Series... It will be a best-of-five series with the first two games scheduled for Elnora. It will begin on Monday.

Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series

High Mesa Wins TU Final 4, KO's San Alejo 9-5
Hot-hitting High Mesa is headed for the IPA Pro Cup Series... The underdog Cowboys finished off favored San Alejo 9-5 to take two in a row and sweep the Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series... High Mesa hammered Montaneros pitching for 16 hits, but it took a three-run ninth to finally put them away... The Cowboys jumped off to a 5-0 lead in the top of the third, but San Alejo recovered with five of their own in the last of the third to tie it up... 2B Ed Granberg (.366) sixth-inning RBI single gave High Mesa the lead 6-5... the Cowboys then clinched it in the ninth when RF Kenny Edelstein (.410) tripled in two runs and 1B Babe Holloman (.250) drove in another run with a ground ball to second... Holloman and Edelstein both had two RBIs and three hits in the game... 3B Howie Partridge (.270) also collected two RBIs... The Montaneros got all their runs in one inning, highlighted by 3B Paolo Huerta's (.243) three-run smash, his fourth home run of the postseason... Huerta also drove in 12 runs in the playoffs... Manager Frisky Franks got outstanding work out of his bullpen... Three pitchers, Donnie Rinaldi, Jesse Wilson and Jim Dreyer each worked two scoreless innings, shutting out San Alejo over the last six innings on just two hits... Rinaldi (1-1 6.75) was the winning pitcher, while Pedro Acosta (1-1 8.10) lost, although he gave up only one run in three innings... High Mesa will take on Elnora for the overall IPA championship... The Islandian Pro Cup Series will get underway day after tomorrow at State Fair Park in Elnora... the All-Stars will host the first two games of the series with the remainder to be played at High Mesa.

The Islandian Times

Sunday, September 29, 2002

Elnora Hosts High Mesa in IPA Pro Cup Series Tomorrow
It's been a long season in the Islandian Pro Alliance. It's now down to the winner of the Ruthlandian Union and the Tycobbian Union for the Islandian Pro Cup, symbolic of the best professional baseball team in the Islands. The Elnora All-Stars will represent the RU, while the High Mesa Cowboys will play for the TU in a best-of-five series. It opens tomorrow in Elnora at State Fair Park.

Both clubs are playing extraordinary well. Elnora is 8-1 in the playoffs, while High Mesa is 8-2. The All-Stars are deemed the favorite by the baseball analysts because of better pitching. They think Elnora can hold its own with the High Mesa hitters and stronger pitching will be decisive in the Pro Cup Series.

Manager Zoggy White of Elnora will use Charlie Murphy (3-0 3.60), Taylor Gibbs (3-0 1.67) and Harry Dye (2-1 3.05) as his starters, while High Mesa's Frisky Franks will go with Joey Popovich (2-0 3.80), John Owens (2-0 5.70) and Kael Claxton (1-0 5.40).

The Cowboy bats will be tough to hold down with the likes of SS Rolf Kellgren (.477 BA/4 HR/11 R/13 RBI), LF Adam Zitek (.262 BA/2 HR/8 R/10 RBI), 2B Ed Granberg (.366 BA/3 HR/12 R/6 RBI), 1B Babe Holloman (.250 BA/2 Hr/6 R/10 RBI), RF Kenny Edelstein (.410 BA/9 R/6 RBI) and C Jay Fessler (.348 BA/6 R/3 RBI).

However, the All-Stars possess a potent pack of hitters, too. The Elnora line-up features C Todd Simons (.387 BA/3 HR/7 R/13 RBI), SS Joe Norris (.405 BA/1 HR/9 R/7 RBI), LF Quincy Peterson (.472 BA/2 HR/7 R/9 RBI), CF Rusty Gilbert (.341 BA/1 HR/8 R/6 RBI) and 2B Gil Foster (.324 BA/2 HR/9 R/5 RBI).

Games one and two will be played in Elnora. The series will switch to High Mesa for the remaining games.

The Islandian Times

Monday, September 30, 2002

IPA Pro Cup Series - Game One

Cowboys Take Pro Cup Opener on Edelstein's HR
Kenny Edelstein walloped two homers and led the High Mesa Cowboys to a 4-3 triumph over the Elnora All-Stars to take a one-game lead in the best-of-five IPA Pro Cup Series... Edelstein's second homer won it in the 13th inning... The much-maligned Cowboy pitching corps really came through for manager Frisky Franks... starter Joey Popovich went the first nine innings, gave up three runs on nine hits and fanned nine... Glen Green worked a scoreless tenth and eleventh and Jesse Wilson (1-1 1.50) picked up the win by blanking the All-Stars over the final two frames... Elnora drew first blood on a first-inning solo blast by RF Paul Giles (.189)... High Mesa tied it up 1-1 in the fifth on a triple by CF Lex Neville (.217) and a single by 3B Howie Partridge (.279)... The Cowboys increased it to 2-1 in the sixth on SS Rolf Kellgren's (.480) two-bagger... two ground outs brought him home with the RBI going to 2B Ed Granberg (.356)... Kellgren unloaded a home run in the ninth to make it 3-1 Cowboys... but Elnora rallied with two runs in the last of the ninth... 3B Richie Franklin (.244) delivered an RBI single and pinchhitter Vic Gelder (.242) evened it up with a double and forced the overtime... All-Star starter Charlie Murphy hurled a solid seven innings, giving up only two runs on five hits... the loss went to Stevie Howard (0-1 1.59), who pitched the last two innings... High Mesa numbered 12 hits to 11 for Elnora... Kellgren, Edelstein and Neville all contributed three hits each for the Cowboys, while Gilbert got three for Elnora... Game two will be played at State Fair Park in Elnora tomorrow afternoon... It will be Taylor Gibbs (3-0 1.67) on the hill for the All-Stars and John Owens (2-0 5.70) for the Cowboys.

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, October 1, 2002

IPA Pro Cup Series - Game Two

High Mesa Up 2-0 in IPA Finals, Beats Elnora 6-4
High Mesa's John Owens pitched a complete game and was backed by homers by Babe Holloman and Lex Neville in the 6-4 victory over Elnora... The Cowboys now have a commanding two-games-to-none lead in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs after defeating them at State Fair Park in Elnora... High Mesa took the lead 4-1 in the fifth when 1B Holloman (.226) pounded a three-run homer and CF Neville hit a solo salvo... they hit them back-to-back off losing pitcher Taylor Gibbs... Workhorse Owens only gave up two earned runs as the Cowboy defense made three errors... Owens (3-0 4.68) scattered 10 hits, walked none and had two Ks in winning his third game in the postseason... Gibbs (3-1 2.61) dropped his first game in the playoffs... High Mesa tagged him for four runs and six hits in four innings... The All-Stars narrowed the score to 4-3 in the seventh, but the Cowboys put two more on the scoreboard in the ninth to increase it to 6-3... Elnora tallied one run in the last of the ninth... 3B Richie Franklin (.267) paced the All-Stars at bat with two hits, one RBI and scored three times... CF Rusty Gilbert (.346) batted in two runs in defeat... Elnora had 10 hits, High Mesa racked up 8... The Cowboys will try to sweep the All-Stars tomorrow afternoon as the series will switch to Queen Ranch Stadium in High Mesa, where they rarely lose a game.