|
1 Attachment(s)
Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, May 27, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Frogs Flog Champions 9-5 in Opener Harry Buckley's first place Fairfax Frogs ripped off their 6th straight victory by pounding Arlon 9-5 in the first game of a doubleheader at Derby Downs. Gregg Vincent and Company bombarded the Champs with 16 hits to make life easy for pitcher Johnny Schluessler. Right fielder Vincent (.316) walloped his 20th home run and drove in three to give him 47 RBIs. Both figures are the IPA's best. Schluessler (2-3 3.83) breezed to his 2nd win of the season, allowed nine hits, fanned five and walked four. Craig Smith (5-3 3.61) was pinned with the loss. He was shelled for five runs in the first and didn't make it out of the inning. Fairfax Takes Two from Arlon What a game for Jackie Leslie. He tossed a 4-hitter, won his 7th game, had two RBIs and three hits, including a home run. He just about did it all in the Fairfax 7-1 win over Arlon. The first place Frogs took both games of the twinbill and now have chalked up seven wins in a row. In game two they punched out 18 hits off three Champ hurlers, led at the plate by Leslie (.276), center fielder Billy Echevarria (.288) and first baseman Earl Hutchinson (.287), all with three hits apiece. Leslie (7-2 3.75) only problem was too many walks. He issued eight, while striking out five. Arlon starter Ray Hunt (4-5 2.74) was knocked out in the four-run third and sustained the loss, his club's fourth in succession. He gave up five runs and eight hits overall. Fairfax (25-13) is sitting on top of the TU East Division and Arlon (16-22) is in the fifth spot, nine games out of first. Viks Crush Lynx 10-2 in Opening Game The Bayview Vikings crushed La Claire 10-2 for their third consecutive triumph in the first of two at Capitol Park Stadium. The Viks lashed 17 hits on the way to an easy win by Jesus Carvajal, who stopped the Lynx on seven hits. Carvajal (4-1 3.70) totaled six Ks and allowed only one base on balls. Topping the Bayview batters were shortstop Shorty Richards (.255) and first baseman Dwayne Coleman (.302) with two hits each, with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Coleman has 16 roundtrippers for the season and Richards has hit 5. Center fielder Phil Kanaan (.325) added four hits to the Viks total. Tony Nygaard (1-1 4.15) went out early and caught the loss. He pitched only two innings and was tagged hard for five hits and five runs. LC Splits Bill with Bayview, Wins Nightcap 5-3 The La Claire Lynx got some heavy hitting from Rob Hart and a solidly-pitched outing from Jerry Smith to whip Bayview 5-3 and gained a split of the doublebill. It was first loss in three games for Bayview and it snapped La Claire's four-game losing string. Left fielder Hart (.273) unloaded a pair of home runs, numbers 9 and 10, and drove in all five runs, while Smith (5-4 4.27) shut out the Vikings until the eighth, when they tallied three times. Smith weathered the storm and scattered eight hits in the game with seven strikeouts and walked only one. Bayview had 8 hits, while the Lynx only got 6. Frank Wells (4-2 3.48) was the losing pitcher. La Claire got to him for five runs in seven innings, but only three were earned. The Vikings first baseman Dwayne Coleman (.303) got another home run in the second contest, his 17th this year. Coleman also ran his RBI total up to 42. Both stats are second in the IPA, topped only by Gregg Vincent of Fairfax, who has 20 homers and 48 RBIs. Bayview (22-18) is in the division's runner-up position and is four games back of first place Fairfax (25-13) in the TU West. The Lynx (20-19) occupy the third spot and are 5.5 games our of first. Blue Sox Open Twinbill with 6-1 Victory Big 6'5" Jay Clay was really humming in his 6-1 win over Bay St. Clair in the opening game of the doubleheader at Shoreline Park. Clay (3-2 2.57) struck out seven, walked nobody and stopped them on just four hits. Center fielder Donnie Frazier (.336) and Fred Taranto (.321) provided the power with home runs. Frazier's was a grand slammer, his 8th this season, and Taranto hit a solo shot, his 5th so far. The Bucs first baseman Maury Smith (.352) accounted for the only run off Clay, home run number 5 on the year. The Blue Sox rapped out 12 hits off of Ben Crowley (2-4 4.84) in six innings as he gave up six runs for the loss. Bucs Whip Sox 5-4, Clubs Divide D'Header It has been a rocky season for Ted Jorgerson of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers, but not today. He brought his "A" stuff to the game and walked off the mound with a complete-game 5-3 victory. Jorgerson (2-4 5.37) held Blue Lake to seven hits, while fanning four and issuing only one base on balls. Catcher Ernie Lewis (.214) plated two runs with a single in the third inning and left fielder Charley Moon (.308) walloped a three-run roundtripper in the fourth. All of the runs were given up by loser Clint McPherson (0-1 4.70) in less than four innings of work. The Buccaneers numbered 9 hits to Blue Lake's 7. With split in the twinbill, Blue Lake (17-21) climbed up into fourth place in the standings, moving just ahead of Arlon (16-22) by a game. Bay St. Clair (16-23) is in the TU West Division cellar, 9.5 games behind the division leader. The Bucs are only a half-game out of fifth. |
The Islandian Times
Monday, May 28, 2001 Around the Towns in the IPA Bay St. Clair Buccaneers Owner: Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles GM/Manager: Guy Rondre (pronounced "Gee Ron-dray") Bay St. Clair is a major port, tourist destination and petroleum and railroad center, located in southwestern Tycobbia on its namesake, Bay St. Clair, a great natural harbor. It is a town of 117,000 resting on the Appian River, which empties into the Kelnyck Ocean. The town was established in the 1850s by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who saw the coming Civil War. They wanted to set up a country free from slavery and religious intolerance. Offshore oil rigs in the Southern Sea provide a great boost to the local economy and a thriving petroleum business. Noxxe Oil Corporation is one of the nation's biggest and its home office is in Bay St. Clair. Breathtakingly beautiful white beaches and luxurious hotels dot the coastline. Bay St. Clair has a multicultural heritage with French and Creole backgrounds. It is known for great music, exquisite cuisine and good times. Bon Temps ("Good Times" in French) is a lenten carnival, famous for parades, costumed balls and frivolity. Jazz funerals are a noted part of the town's culture. Another important annual event and tourist lure is the Bay St. Clair Jazz and Music Heritage Foundation's "Jazzfest". This is ten days of jazz, blues, gospel and rock greats. Bay St. Clair is also home of the Buccaneers baseball team of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The Bucs are in the Tycobbian Union's West Division. They are owned by jazz immortal, Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles. This Creole singer and trumpeteer loves his baseball just about as much as his music. He was one of the league creators along with Jock Ewing, Rob Jackson and John Banson. The club plays at Shoreline Stadium, which looks out on the beautiful white beaches and blue-watered bay. A brass band, often led by "Sugar Lips", entertains the fans at all Buccaneers' games. At the seventh inning stretch, the band plays "When the Bucs Go Marching In". And when the opposing teams have to go to the bullpen for a relief pitcher, the band welcomes him with a funeral dirge, a sad and mournful song. When the game is decided in favor of the Bucs, they begin playing a lively Dixieland victory tune and parade around the stadium. Concessions are great with wonderful Creole soul food, gumbo (seafood soup), red beans and rice, jambalaya (seafood casserole), hot beignets (pronounced "ben-yays"), hot out-of-the-grease doughnuts, covered in powdered sugar, cafe au lait (chicory coffee with hot milk), pecan pralines (candy), snowballs, topped with sweet condensed milk, and the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs. Bay St. Clair's GM and Manager is hometown boy, Guy Rondre, a fine southpaw in his industrial league days. He was known for a great fastball and was nickname "Lightning". Shoreline Stadium (1940) Capacity: 11,900 Dimensions: LF Line 332 LF 360 LCF 388 CF 400 RCF 381 RF 350 RF Line 325 |
The Islandian Times
Monday, May 28, 2001 Around the Towns in the IPA Bayview Vikings Owner: Brent Steiner (Steiner Shipbuilding) GM/Manager: Walter Johanssen Bayview , a town of 105,000 on the western coast of Tycobbia. It is located on the White River, which emanates near White River in the Appian Mountains, runs southward to Mahaska in the western plains, then empties into Bay St. Clair. Bayview was established and inhabited by people of Scandanavian descent. Its primary industries are shipping, shipbuilding and fishing. It is a modern and prosperous town, filled with modest skyscrapers and has an energetic and well-educated workforce, which in recent years has drawn many service-oriented businesses. In the last few years the downtown area has been renovated and modernized by these service companies. Part of these renovations included Downtown Plaza Stadium, a splendid new baseball facility for the homestanding Bayview Vikings, who play in the Tycobbian Union's West Division. It is the largest stadium capacity-wise in the Islands. Owner Brent Steiner made sure of that when he had it built in 1993. However, the stadium is a bandbox with the shortest fences in the Islandian Pro Alliance. Lack of real estate in the downtown area caused this to be. In the spirit of a town on the move, Bayviewers are treated to a real spectacle at every Viking game with plenty of promotions, contests, lucky scorecards and lucky ticket drawings. After every game there are music concerts, featuring well-known artists and bands. Many young fans attend Viking games just for this and are turned into good baseball fans by it. There is something special for all ages at a Bayview game. Their fans are big eaters and a trip to the concession stand is really something special. It is a smorgasboard of Scandinavian delicacies...salmon, meatballs, braised red cabbage, pickled herring, Svensk Skinke (swedish ham). And you can finish it off with flavorful traditional desserts like aebelskiver (pancake balls with powdered sugar and jam) or ris al mande (rice pudding...it is traditional to put an almond in the pudding and the person who gets it is the next one to get married). At Viking games, when you get an almond in your pudding, you get an official Bayview Viking baseball cap and jersey, which to many is a much better deal than getting married. Hot dogs, hamburgers, cokes and beer are also available. The Vikings are owned by Brent Steiner, a very successful shipbuilder. He really loves his team and sometimes seems to spend more time building them than he does building ships. His GM and Manager is longtime great industrial league pitcher, Walter Johanssen, who was an outstanding righthanded pitcher. He was one the best ever in the company leagues. Downtown Plaza Stadium (1993) Capacity: 15,111 Dimensions: LF Line 310 LF 335 LCF 365 CF 380 RCF 365 RF 335 RF Line 310 |
The Islandian Times
Monday, May 28, 2001 Star of the Week Named in TU Eric Richter of the Luxora Zorros had an award-winning week and today was voted the Player of the Week by the Tycobbian Union. For the week the 35-year-old catcher batted .591 (13-22) with 1 home run and 10 RBIs. Thus far in 2001, Richter is batting .377 with 2 home runs, 23 RBIs and 15 runs scored. |
The Islandian Times
Monday, May 28, 2001 Ruthlandian Union Player of the Week Awarded This week's recipient of the Ruthlandian Union Player of the Week Award is left fielder Chuck Hill of the Forest City Lumberjacks. Hill showed great patience at the plate, collecting 14 hits in 31 at-bats as he compiled a .452 average, 3 home runs, 7 RBIs and 8 runs scored. Hill is hitting at a .364 clip this season. His stats show 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He has played 38 games for the Lumberjacks. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Monday, May 28, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division Vipers Outslug Blasters 12-9 Pitching was at a premium today at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara. Both clubs used five pitchers and didn't have anything left in the bullpen but starters. And when it was all over, the Vipers outslugged first place Colfax 12-9. Catcher Yoshi Motsuzuki (.280) led the way with a single, a 3-run homer and 4 RBIs with help from left fielder Louis Sharp (.358), right fielder Jet Kazmarek (.253) and center fielder Jan Szymanski (.255), all with two RBIs each. Spearheading the Blasters was center fielder Ronnie Wright (.297), who racked up four hits and 4 RBIs, including two doubles and a home run. Left fielder Blinky Brandon (.310) drove in a pair of runs. Closer Danny Blauser (3-0 1.43) saved the day for Valmara and got his 3rd save, enduring a difficult four innings, giving up five hits and three runs with five strikeouts and a walk. Starter Greg Forrest (4-2 5.27) suffered the loss and was KO'd in the second inning after surrendering six runs and five hits. The Vipers led 10-5 after four and Colfax chopped it down to 10-9 in the seventh. Valmara finished them off by tacking two more runs to the lead in the bottom of the inning. Third place Valmara (21-18) captured three of the five-game series and narrowed the Colfax (22-16) lead over them in the RU North to 1.5 games. Redhawks Win 3rd Straight Over V's Far Mountain won a close one for its third straight win over Volusia and is now only a few percentage points out of first place in the RU North. The lead swapped hands several times, but the second place Redhawks finally subdued the last place Volusia Vigilantes 8-7 at Sky High Stadium. A walk, two-base error on a sac bunt and shortstop Joey Cannizzaro's sacrifice fly netted the winning score in the last of the eighth. Reliever Mike McCabe (3-1 1.23) got credit for the victory with three innings of work. He allowed five hits and one run. With the tying run on first, closer Doc Rutledge (4-1 2.63) got the final two outs for his fifth save of the season. The loss went to Ricky Moreno (3-1 2.95). He came on the eighth with the score tied 7-7. The Redhawks outhit the V's 12-10 and were sparked by third baseman Johnny Strickland (.248) with three RBIs and Cannizzaro (.340) with two. Right fielder Dan Rogers (.253) had three hits and first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.250) two to pace Volusia. Far Mountain (23-17) has won nine of the last ten games and is in second place in the standings and Volusia (16-24) is in last place. The Redhawks are almost even with the first place Colfax Blasters (22-16). Only a few percentage points separate them. Glasco Grabs 7-5 Win from Elnora The Glasco A's got two-run homers from shortstop Kyle Ballentine (.268) and third baseman Rick Atkins (.222) as they defeated Elnora 7-5 at Athletics Field. Starter Jesse Balfour (3-4 3.62) wasn't around at the end, but got credit for the victory. He worked the first six innings, allowed seven hits and four runs and departed with a 7-4 lead. Arnie McFalls (2-4 4.96) pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. John Tinker (3-6 4.92) was charged with the loss. The Glasco Athletics (19-18) are in the fourth spot in the standings and trail Colfax by 2.5 games, while Elnora (16-24) is in a last place tie with Volusia (16-24). |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Monday, May 28, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Marston Back on Top, Beats Diamonds 5-3 A big 6'5" portsider put the Marston Nine back on top of the RU South Division. Paul Azard (4-1 2.05) stymied Claxton on five hits and beat them 5-3 at Avalon Stadium today. Azard had six Ks and two walks and went the route. Catcher Eddie Allen (.269) went 3-for-4 and batted in two runs to spark the Nine, along with second baseman Ken Green (.364), who cracked a two-run game-winning roundtripper off loser Phil Britt in the top of the eighth. Britt worked the last two innings and was tagged for two runs and three hits. Marston (22-17) took the top spot in the division away from the Sugar Valley Rattlers (21-17) by a half-game. Belair Beach is only one game off the lead in third place. Claxton (15-25) is in the basement. Sunbirds Burn Rattlers 6-2, SV Falls to 2nd The tight RU South race just got tighter -- Belair Beach bumped off Sugar Valley 6-2 and now is only a half-game behind them and a game behind the new division leader, Marston. Southpaw Troy Wilson (3-4 3.63) quelled them on five hits, struck out seven and walked four for the win. Right fielder Matty McDermott (.322) clouted a three-run homer for the game-winning hit in the fifth and broke the 2-2 tie. It was homer number 6 for McDermott. Ron Benson (6-3 2.49) was looking for his seventh victory, but registered a loss instead. Benson was hit hard for five runs and seven hits and was taken out in the fifth. By virtue of losing, the Rattlers (21-17) are now in the number two position in the division, while Belair Beach (21-18) is third. 'Jacks Bahr Tosses 2-Hitter Herm Bahr (4-3 3.30) twirled a strong game as he limited Waleska to just two hits in today's game. Forest City belted the Westerners 6-1 at Westerner Field, paced by left fielder Chuck Hill (.370) with two RBIs, giving him 40 for the year, third best in the IPA. Right fielder Benny Davis (.244) added two more RBIs and first baseman Johnny Mack Butler (.271) hit a solo homer. Rusty Kraft (3-4 4.76) went the distance and was the losing pitcher. The Lumberjacks swatted nine hits off of him. In a poor performance Kraft numbered four strikeouts and issued four bases on balls. First baseman Freddie Shelton (.304) and Kraft (.111) got the only two hits off Bahr. Shelton homered in the second and Kraft singled in the third. Waleska (20-20) is in fourth place in the division and Forest City (19-21) is fifth. The Westerners trail Marston by 2.5 games, while the Lumberjacks are 3.5 games behind. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Monday, May 28, 2001 Tycobbiian Union - East Division Ninjas Beat Luxora Again, 3 in a Row Luxora will be glad to see Ginza leave town. The Zorros lost again to them to make it three losses in a row. This time the Ninjas got by them 6-3 with a 14-hit attack, headed by left fielder Ronnie Graf (.262) with two hits and two RBIs, shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.273) with two hits and two RBIs and right fielder Charlie Campbell (.310) with three hits and an RBI. The winning pitcher was Vic Rousakis (4-5 3.90), who tossed seven inning, allowed six hits and three runs with six strikeouts and two bases on balls. Ken Watkins (3-1 2.05) nailed down his 4th save with two scoreless frames. The defeat went to Johnny Montel (4-4 3.13). He gave up five runs and 11 hits in seven innings. Second baseman Paco Benitez (.268) homered and scored twice for the Zorros. Luxora (21-16) is now just a few percentage points ahead of second place Ozarka (22-17) in the TU East race. Ginza (20-19) is on the move and is now in third place, two games off the pace. Ozarka Slips by Hurricanes 3-2 in 11 It just wasn't Scotty Lohmeyer's day -- he gifted the Ozarka Naturals with two wild pitches in the eleventh inning and gave them a 3-2 victory over Cape Coral. It was Ozarka's third successive win over the Hurricanes. The Nats pitching was outstanding with starter Ted Didriksen going eight innings, striking out eight, walking none. He left with the score tied at 2-all. Then closer Alec DiMaggio (4-2 2.22) took the reins and blanked the Hurricanes on one hit over the last three innings. Rod Kelly (.328) drove in the 'Canes runs with his 9th homer of the season. Lohmeyer (0-2 3.71) got the loss in relief of Wally Robinson (7-2 2.29), who worked nine strong innings, permitted only four hits and one earned run. He fanned eight, walked three and exited with the scored tied. Ozarka was outhit 9-6, but won the game. The Naturals (22-17) are now just a few percentage points out of first place in the TU East, right on the tail of Luxora (21-16). Cape Coral (19-19) is in fourth place in the division standings. Hellcats Mann Defeats SF 4-2 All was quiet and peaceful today at Pioneer Park in Hartsdale. The two glorious gladiators, Zim Donner and Duroche "Lips" Leon, were suspended for two games by the IPA commissioner John Banford. He told the press, "The league will not tolerate fighting in any form, especially from managers, who should be role models for their players to emulate." Neither benched skipper had much to say to reporters. Lips' only comment was "No comment." Donner said, "The commissioner did the right thing. I have no problem with the suspension." Meanwhile on the field, Hellcat hurler, Glenn Mann (4-5 2.90) checked South Fork on seven hits on the way to a 4-2 victory. Mann registered six strikeouts and had three walks in a solid effort. The Hellcats had only four hits in the game and had to scratch for all of their runs. Third baseman Whiz Weaver (.284) had a two-run double, second baseman Francisco Abreu (.261) an RBI ground out and center fielder Greg Reynolds (.232) a home run. Stallion starter Booger Burchfield (1-4 4.01) deserved a better fate. He allowed only two earned runs and four hits in six innings of work. SF's third baseman Glenn Holliday (.227) delivered a sacrifice fly and Bobby Riley an RBI single for their only scores. Hartsdale (18-21) is in fifth place in the TU East Division and South Fork (16-24) is last. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Monday, May 28, 2001 Tycobbiian Union - West Division Meredith Still Unbeaten, Frogs Win 8th Straight The first place Fairfax Frogs are within one game of tying the IPA record for the most consecutive wins. The Frogs have now won eight in a row. The latest victim is the Arlon Champions, who were defeated 5-2 today at Derby Downs. Fairfax swept the five-game series. 24-year-old righthander Robby Meredith tossed a 4-hitter to gain his 6th straight win. Meredith (6-0 2.54) fanned six and allowed no walks in a fine performance. Arlon's Ace Howe (3-5 2.87) received the loss as he gave up three runs on four hits, but only one of the runs was earned. He held a 2-1 lead going into the inning, but he hurt his arm and had to be removed from the game. Bat leaders for the Frogs were right fielder Greg Vincent (.315) with a two-run homer, his 21st of the year and third baseman Stan Cobb (.366) with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. For the Champs, Smoke Zakharov (.198) hammered a solo homer and shortstop Archie Berry (.242) hit a run-scoring double. In the clubhouse after the game, manager Gary Louis told the press that pitcher Ace Howe was injured in the game and will be out about two weeks. La Claire holds the record most the most wins in a row with nine. Fairfax (26-13) is the top club in the TU West and Arlon (16-23) is in the fifth spot in the division standings. The Champs have lost the last five games. Bayview Bombs La Claire in the 12th Bayview's center fielder Phil Kanaan and first baseman Dwayne Coleman carried the Vikings past La Claire 10-7 in twelve innings. Kanaan (.341) led the hit parade with 5-for-6, including a three-run blast in the last inning. Kanaan (.341) powered in five runs, while Coleman (.301) chipped in three RBIs. The Lynx socked 14 hits to 12 for Bayview and were led by center fielder Lucky Collins (.287) with three hits, three runs and two RBIs, third sacker Luis Marquez (.311) with 4 hits and an RBI and left fielder Rich Hart (.268), who batted in a pair of scores. Charlie Andrews (5-3 5.06) fired five innings in relief for the win. He surrendered two runs and six hits. The defeat went to Tony Nygaard (1-2 4.73), who was battered for four runs in the twelfth. The Vikings (23-18) are in the runner-up spot in the division, four games off the pace of leading Fairfax. La Claire (20-20) fell to the .500 mark and is in third place, 6.5 games behind. BSC's Lawrence Blanks Blue Sox 6-0 Skipper Guy Rondre's Bay St. Clair Buccaneers were very impressive on the hill and at bat today and easily beat Blue Lake 6-0 at Shoreline Park. They bashed out a dozen base hits and Sean Lawrence (2-3 3.94) shackled the Blue Sox on just three hits, while fanning seven. Three Bucs had two hits apiece -- third baseman Bobby Tracy (.300), center fielder Nickie Friedrich (.298) and right fielder Skeeter Hall (.200) -- and one had a perfect day with 3-for-3 -- first baseman Maury Smith (.362). Losing pitcher Bennie West (5-4 2.37) was torched for six runs and ten hits and knocked out of the box in the eighth. With the win Bay St. Clair (17-23) picked up ground on Blue Lake (17-22) in the battle for last place. The Buccaneers are last and the Blue Sox are only a half-game in front of them. |
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Bad News For Arlon, Howe Injured Arlon fans held their breath as Ace Howe left yesterday's Frogs-Champions contest with an injury. After the game, the team's medical staff said that the 29-year-old starting pitcher had suffered a damaged meniscus while throwing a pitch. It's estimated that he will be out 2 weeks. This season Howe has 3 wins and 4 losses and a 2.75 ERA. He has been manager Guy Rondre's best pitcher and will be sorely missed. |
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Around the Towns in the IPA BLUE LAKE BLUE SOX Owners: Chance Franklin, Tink Joseph, Ev Johnson GM/Manager: Cobb Tyson Blue Lake is a lovely, modern university town on the western edge of its namesake, Blue Lake. Located in the central part of Tycobbia, Blue Lake has about 82,000 residents. Tycobbia State University is the biggest employer in the city. People graduate, but never seem to leave. Blue Lake is a very liberal town in politics and lifestyle. Residents are outdoor and sailing enthusiasts and concerned environmentalists. Only bicycles and pedestrians are permitted downtown. Blue Lake also has a thriving bicycle and sailboat industry. Saddida and Ekin athletic shoe companies are headquartered here. Computer and hi-tech companies are centered here as well. Fine arts flower in abundance as the symphony, theatre, ballet, art galleries and museums can be enjoyed by the intellectual elite. It is also the home of the Blue Lake Blue Sox of the Islandian Pro Alliance and they play in the Tycobbian Union's West Division. The club is owned and operated by a three former university athletes. The University loves its sports and support even their former greats. The University owns the baseball stadium and shares Harbor Stadium with the Blue Sox. Harbor Stadium has a gorgeous view of the downtown skyline across Blue Lake Harbor. There is a festive college atmosphere at Blue Sox games with lots of college cheers led by the Blue Sox cheerleaders, the “Sox-it-to-‘em Girls". One of the fans’ favorite cheers is when they chant, “Sox it to ‘em ... Sox it to ‘em” to spur the Sox to victory. During the seventh inning stretch everyone stands and sings the university’s alma mater, followed by “Take me out to the ballgame”. At the concessions booths you will find the traditional soft drinks, peanuts, crackerjacks, hamburgers and hot dogs, but also gourmet expresso, cappuccino and latte coffees, and fine esoteric foods like quiche and tofu. Attending a Blue Sox game is truly a unique sporting experience. Three former TSU baseball players, the famous double play combination during their boola boola days at the university, Chance Franklin, Tink Johnson and Ev Johnson, own and operate the team together. The field manager and GM is one of the all-time greats in company league baseball, Cobb Tyson. He was a tremendous hitter and very fine outfielder, known for his fiery and intense competitive play. Harbor Stadium (1965) Capacity: 11,743 Dimensions: LF Line 320 LF 350 LCF 408 CF 398 RCF 400 RF 365 RF Line 330 |
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Around the Towns in the IPA Fairfax Frogs Owner: Frog Fashions GM/Manager: Harry Buckley Fairfax is a dynamic town of 107,000 on the northshore of beautiful Blue Lake in Central Tycobbia and at the mouth of the Rio Lobo. It is an important river and railway distribution hub for timber and wood products from North Hills and Hartsdale to the north and agricultural products from Mahaska to the west, which is brought by rail and the Appian River. Timber and manufactured goods from Luxora are shipped on the Rio Lobo. Because of its proximity to the lake, it a tourist haven with hotels lining the peaceful blue waters, which provide sailing , swimming, skiing, fishing and other boating activities and a thriving recreational shipbuilding industry. Fairfax is also the home of the popular and quite prosperous Frog Fashions, makers of fine men and women's fashions, including bathing suits and swimwear. The Frog logo is featured on all of the company's wearing apparel and is known throughout the Islands. Frog Fashions is also the owner of the Fairfax Frogs, who play in the Islandian Pro Alliance. The ballclub is a member of the Tycobbian Union's West Division. Fairfax plays its games at the Frog Pond, one of the newest stadiums in the IPA. It is a beautiful, state-of-the-art stadium with a panoramic view of the downtown area over the outfield walls and was built just in time for the 2001 inaugural season. It is a tradition from industrial and company league days for the Frog fanatics to cheer and urge their team on to victory with this rally chant, led by the team mascot, Jeremiah the Bullfrog: "Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit. Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit. Who let the Frogs out?..ribbit...ribbit...ribbit...ribbit." Jeremiah the Bullfrog, also leads the fans in singing "Take Me Out to the Frog Pond" during the seventh inning stretch. A Fairfax victory is always celebrated with a rousing chorus of "Joy to the World" when the last out of the game is made. At the concession booths, the fans can savor ballpark regulars like hot dogs, hamburgers, beer, soft drinks, peanuts and crackerjacks. In addition, refreshing daiquiries of all flavors and concoctions are available. Harry Buckley is the GM and Manager of the Fairfax Frogs. He is a former company league second baseman and manager. Buckley was a fine hitter and fielder and also stood out as a manager. The Frog Pond (2001) Capacity: 11,700 Dimensions: LF Line 340 LF 375 LCF 400 CF 422 RCF 400 RF 375 RF Line 340 |
I think I have covered all of the towns in the IPA.
|
Islandian Pro Alliance
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division Colfax Cops 11-Inning Win Over Elnora 7-6 First place Colfax fought back in the late innings and finally overcame Elnora 7-6 in eleven innings. They trailed 3-0 after six. Right fielder Pat Lott homered off losing pitcher Bennie Bechtold (0-1 1.80) to win the game. Alex Castille (3-1 3.21) came in and pitched a scoreless inning to save it for Jim Dreyer (1-0 3.91), who got the victory. The Blasters had 14 hits and were led by second baseman Tucker Hill (.341) and third baseman Russ Farrell (.302) with three hits apiece. The All-Stars tagged 10 hits and were paced by shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.288) with three hits. Manager Clem Rogers of Colfax used six pitchers and had to bring Castille, a starter, to finish the game. Colfax (23-16) is in first place in the RU North Division, while Elnora (16-25) is in last place. The Blasters are just a few percentage points up on second place Far Mountain (24-17). Redhawks Streaking Again, Win 4th Far Mountain is at it again -- streaking along with its fourth win in a row. The Redhawks nipped the Valmara Vipers 4-3 at Sky High Stadium. Far Mountain capped it off with two runs in the seventh on shortstop Joey Cannizzaro's (.353) RBI single and first baseman Royce Benson's (.320) RBI double to make the score 4-2. Pinchhitter Cliff Cherry (.258) hit a sac fly to cut it to 4-3, but closer Doc Rutledge got a double play ball to end the game. It was Rutledge's 6th save. The victory went to starter Stan Lamoreaux (2-1 2.57), who tossed seven innings and allowed two runs and seven hits. Todd Turner (4-3 4.66) took the loss for the Vipers. He gave up all four runs on eight hits and left in the seventh. Center fielder Jan Szymanski (.255) drove in two runs for Valmara. Far Mountain (24-17 is in second place, just a few points out of first. Valmara (21-19) is in the third spot in the standings, 2.5 games behind leading Colfax (23-16). V's Edge A's 4-3 Shortstop Scooter Perez (.360) of the Volusia Vigilantes ripped a roundtripper in the seventh to beat Glasco 4-3 at the Jailhouse and put a stop to a three-game losing streak. Bullpen ace, Ricky Moreno (3-1 2.66) picked up his 5th save with a scoreless eighth and ninth, while Charles Darby (6-3 1.96) went the distance in defeat for the Athletics. Darby allowed 11 hits, fanned three and walked one. Ike Moore (1-0 9.00) notched the win, but was not effective in his inning. He surrendered a run, a hit and two walks. Three Vigilante hurlers allowed eight hits overall. Starter Raul Sandoval (4-4 2.58) had another quality outing, yielding six hits and two runs in six innings before he tired. Glasco (19-19) is in fourth place in the RU North race, 3.5 games behind first place Colfax. Volusia (17-24) is fifth. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Marston Slips by Westerners 4-3 The number one team in the RU South, Marston, walloped 14 hits, but had a tough time putting away Waleska 4-3 at Legends Field. The Nine finally did it when left fielder Ronnie Horn (.299) delivered a walk-off single in the ninth. Horn had two hits and two RBIs today to lead Marston. Shortstop Lenny Torricelli (.273) and first sacker Johnny Berthold (.258) each had two hits and a run batted in. The top hitter for the Westerners was third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.270) with a double and two RBIs. Ken Bagby (1-1 2.28) got the last five outs in relief of Casey Ledbetter and registered the victory, while Andrei Marsiske (2-1 3.63) was dealt the loss. Ledbetter (7-1 2.96) pitched into the eighth and gave up three runs on five hits and fanned six. Smokey Joe Carter (6-4 2.76) left after eight with a 3-3 tie, although he surrendered a dozen hits. Three straight triumphs improved Marston to 23-17 on the season and Waleska (20-21) dipped below the .500 mark and are tied with Forest City (20-21) for the fourth spot in the division. FC's Moore Blitzes SV 7-0 on 5-Hits The Forest City Lumberjacks got a strong performance from Glenn Moore and won their third in a row. The fine righthander restricted the Rattlers to just five hits in the easy 7-0 triumph at Farmers Memorial Stadium in Sugar Valley and gave them their third straight defeat. Moore (4-1 2.51) had six Ks and issued just one base on balls. He was backed up by 11 hits and four home runs. First baseman J. T. Edmonds (.210) smacked two of them and batted in two runs. Center fielder Ryan Morse (.370) hit a two-run homer and left fielder Chuck Hill (.367) had a solo salvo. Chalking up the defeat was Paul Haines (0-2 4.50), who wilted in the seventh and eighth and was hammered for six runs and nine hits. In the postgame comments, the Sugar Valley skipper said, "He had the changeup working. You knew it was coming and you still grounded out -- and then he threw it even slower." The Forest City hurler had 6 strikeouts, gave up 1 walk and surrendered 5 hits in his complete game effort. Moore told reporters after the game, "To be successful in this league, you have to keep the ball down. If you don't, they'll make you pay." Currently Moore has a record of 4-1 with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks in 46.2 innings and a 2.51 ERA. Sugar Valley (21-18) is now third in the RU South race, 1.5 games off the pace of the leader, Marston (23-17). Forest City (20-21) is in a fourth place tie with Waleska and trails by three games. Diamonds Win 7-6 Over Sunbirds in 15th Last place Claxton outlasted third place Belair Beach 7-6 in fifteen innings at Bayside Park. The Diamonds won it when second baseman Donnie McCoy (.370) doubled with one out, moved over to third on third baseman Keith Olsen's (.308) single and was brought home by right fielder Dixie Baker's (.319) deep fly to right. Closer Earl Weber (2-1 2.70) picked up the victory with seven strong innings. He permitted five hits and one run, fanned six and gave up no walks. Skipper Stacy Engel used only two pitchers, while his Belair Beach counterpart, Marty Pedrosa used five. Ray Watson (0-1 4.35) pitched very well, but lost it, worked five-plus innings and gave up only three hits and one run. Claxton had 15 hits, while the Sunbirds totaled 13. Baker shined for the Diamonds at bat with 3-for-6 and 3 RBIs. He also scored three runs and belted his 12th homer. Left fielder Winky Rush (.268) drove in 3 runs with a homer, McCoy went 4-for-7 and Olsen 3-for-7. Belair Beach's right fielder Matty McDermott (.321) stood out with two hits and three RBIs, including his 7th roundtripper. First baseman Phil Gravelli (.344) and shortstop Danny Church went 3-for-6 in defeat. Belair Beach (21-19) missed a chance to move up to second place with the loss. They are third and two games behind the leader, Marston. Claxton (16-25) is way behind in last place in the division, 7.5 games out. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Nats Rebound in 10th, Now in First Place The Ozarka Naturals have taken over first place from Luxora by a game in the TU East race. They did it with a stirring ten-inning 7-6 victory over the fifth place Hartsdale Hellcats on the road. It was Ozarka's fourth consecutive win. First baseman Floyd Snow (.270) was the hero with a solo homer to decide it. It was Snow's 8th of the season. Alec DiMaggio (5-2) notched the win by getting the last five outs. Adam Falkenbach (0-1 4.11) sustained the loss, yielding two hits and a run in two-plus innings. Ozarka had 12 hits to Hartsdale's 10 with Nats third baseman Doug Cunningham (.247) hitting his 14th roundtripper and driving in two runs. Starring for the 'Cats were first baseman Todd Seals (.224) with 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and right fielder Mel Poe (.211) with two hits and two RBIs. Both Seals and Poe hit homers. Third sacker Whiz Weaver (.297) collected three hits in four tries and scored three runs. Ozarka improved to 23-17 this year and Hartsdale dropped to 18-22. Stallions Harrison Knocks Zorros Out of Top Spot South Fork's Jerry Harrison extended Luxora's losing streak to four with a 4-3 victory. Harrison (3-3 3.27) scattered eight hits and went the distance, struck out six and walked none in a fine effort and knocked the Zorros into the second spot in the division. Shortstop Bobby Riley (.271) had a two-run triple to spark the Stallions 9-hit attack. Lefty Francisco Fernandes (4-3) sustained the loss in a poor outing. South Fork raked him for all nine hits and all of the runs in just four innings of work. Luxora (21-17) is now in second place in the TU East Division, a game behind Ozarka (23-17), while the South Fork Stallions are 17-24 and in the cellar. 4th Straight for Ninjas, Nip Hurricanes 9-8 Ginza captured its fourth straight victory, but almost gave it away. Cape Coral rallied from five runs down in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 8-8. Then the Hurricanes gave it away on an error in the tenth and lost 9-8, Third baseman Kaz Ojima (.325) led off the inning with his fourth hit of the game and moved to second on a grounder, then scored the winning run, when reliever Katsuyuki Nagashima (1-4 2.95) committed a two-base throwing error. Toshiharu Ito (1-1 3.32) was the winner with no runs allowed in one-plus innings. Ojima got his first homer of the season. a three-run shot in the third inning. He also scored three times in an standout performance. Cape Coral suffered its fourth successive defeat and fell below .500. The Ninjas (21-19) are in third place in the standings and Cape Coral (19-20) is fourth. Ginza is two games behind first place Ozarka (23-17). |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Frogs Tie IPA Record with 9th Straight Win The Fairfax Frogs topped Bayview 5-2 in the series opener between the two best clubs in the TU West. It was a record-tying ninth consecutive win for the Frogs and ties La Claire's IPA mark set early in the season. Fairfax assaulted Viking starter Fred Snow for five runs in the third after Bayview had gone ahead 2-0 in the top of the inning. Leading the way for the Frogs in the inning were second baseman Greg Inman (.275) with a two-run double, shortstop Warren Lee (.268) with an RBI single and first baseman Earl Hutchinson (.290) with a two-run homer. Southpaw Jimmy Dalton (4-3 3.44) stopped hard-hitting Bayview on three hits and two runs over seven innings. Dalton got the victory with help from closer Takehide Takahashi (3-1 1.90), who got his 3rd save with a scoreless two innings. Snow (2-1 4.04) was the loser. Fairfax collected 10 hits in the game, while the Viks got a total of 5. The Frogs (27-13) leaped ahead of runner-up Bayview (23-19) by five games in the Tycobbian Union West. LC Rallies to Beat Blue Sox 6-5 Better late than never, La Claire waited until the top of the ninth to come alive, when they erupted for a five-run rally and beat the stunned Blue Lake Blue Sox 6-5 to end a long four-game losing string. Highlighting the comeback were left fielder Rich Hart (.273) with a two-run double, giving him 39 RBIs for the season, and a two-run single by second baseman Darrell Boyce (.239), all off losing pitcher Russ Courtney (1-2 4.97). The win went to Andy Murray (2-0 4.29) with two innings of relief. He allowed three hits and one run. Closer Monoto Kishata (1-2 3.20) worked a scoreless ninth for his 7th save. Blue Lake was paced by second baseman Ken Bennett (.228) with 2-for-4 and 3 RBIs and third baseman Timmy Smith (.294) with 3-for-5. La Claire (21-20) is in the third spot in the standings, 6.5 games behind. Blue Lake (17-23) dropped its third game in a row and is in fourth place. Champs Fitzgerald Wins Debut 4-1 Things have been going bad for Arlon and manager Gary Louis. They were in last place. They have just lost the last five games. They have just lost their best pitcher, Ace Lowe. So today an untried pitcher gets to take Lowe's place in the rotation and this is his first start. Nothing to do but hope for the best. Right? Well, the best happened. Wally Fitzgerald took the mound and took control -- the 6'3" 25-year-old portsider proceeded to beat Bay St. Clair 4-1 and snap the five-game losing streak. In his debut, Fitzgerald (1-0 1.00) pitched a complete game, allowed 8 hits, fanned three and walked two. The only run the newcomer gave up was a homer to left fielder Charlie Moon (.300) in the eighth. He outpitched losing pitcher Nick Gross (5-4 3.75), who surrendered three runs -- two earned -- and four hits in six innings. And top it all, the Champions climbed out of the basement and into fourth place. Speaking to the press after the game, Fitzgerald told them, "I just tried to do what I do best....hit my spots. I'm not overpowering, but do have good movement and good control. That can get you a long way in baseball." Guy Rondre, skipper for the Buccaneers, commented, "He showed fine poise for his first start. Fitzgerald knows how to pitch." Arlon (17-23) moved into a tie with Blue Lake (17-23) for fourth place in the TU West. Bay St. Clair (17-24) fell to last place in the division. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division FM Massacres Valmara 16-3 From start to finish, it was no contest -- the first place Far Mountain Redhawks unleashed 20 hits and massacred third place Valmara 16-3 for their fifth straight win. Catcher Dave Davis (.357) rapped five hits in six at-bats and drove in six runs, third baseman Johnny Strickland (.260) was 3-for-5 with five RBIs and center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.291) went 3-for-5, scored three and knocked in a pair. Strickland had a grand slam in the first inning and Davis hit a three-run blast in the fourth. Vic Vaux (4-1 3.08) sailed through the Vipers line-up, holding them to seven hits en route to a complete game victory. Vaux fanned four and walked two. Starter Gerry Bart (1-4 5.44) caught the loss, being shellacked for four runs and three hits in just one inning. The Redhawks (25-17) expanded the RU North lead to a game on Colfax (23-17) and Valmara dips to 21-20, 3.5 games out. All-Stars Upend Colfax 5-3 Cellar-dwelling Elnora put an end to its three-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over first place Colfax at State Fair Park. Carl Costas and John Tinker combined to extend the Blasters losing skein to three games. Costas (2-6 3.41) picked up the win by working the first six innings, allowing five hits and three runs. He was shaky on his control and issued five walks, but fanned six. Tinker (3-6 4.66) came on in the seventh and garnered his first save with three scoreless frames. Manager Clem Rogers' mound staff is depleted, so Harry Manning went the distance out of necessity. "I would have had to use my next two starters, if he hadn't given us the innings," said Rogers. "I think we'll be OK tomorrow." Manning (5-4 3.68) didn't fare well, though. The All-Stars peppered him for nine hits and five runs and sent him down to defeat. Both ballclubs had 9 hits with Elnora led by left fielder Quincy Peterson with a pair of hits and two RBIs. Right fielder Art Atkins (.359), first baseman Rick Tsoukalis (.229) and center fielder Harry Wright (.216) had the other RBIs. Topping Colfax were second baseman Tucker Hill (.348) with 3-for-5, center fielder Ronnie Wright (.310) drove in two runs and third baseman Russ Farrell (.300) batted in one. Elnora (17-25) is last in the RU North Division. Colfax (23-17) is in second place, a game off the pace. Volusia Squeaks by Glasco 2-1 Manager Alfonso Feliz of the Volusia Vigilantes may have found himself a solid starter in newcomer Kit Kivett, who joined the club last week. In just his second starting assignment Kivett (2-0 1.50) held Glasco at bay 2-1 at Silver River Stadium. It was his second straight complete game as he restricted the A's to five hits, struck out seven and walked three. Kivitt outhurled Ernie McCain (2-4 3.18), who pitched well, allowing six hits and two runs in seven innings. Left fielder Lonnie Howard (.220) tripled in the fifth and came in on right fielder Dan Rogers' (.248) ground out. The V's tallied another one in the sixth, when center fielder Alex Luna (.262) beat out a bunt single, moved to second on hit by first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.256), stoled third and came across to score on a ground out by third baseman Bennie Anderson (.248). Glasco's only run came in the top of the ninth. First baseman Francisco Robles (.276) tripled with two outs and scored on a wild pitch. Kivett put an end to the rally when the next hitter flied out to left. The Athletics (19-20) are in the fourth spot in the RU North standings, while Volusia (18-24) moved out of the celler to fifth place, one game up on last place Elnora (17-25). |
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, May 30, 2001 Davis Has Hot Hand, Bangs 5 Hits Far Mountain catcher Dave Davis really lit up the Valmara Vipers with a 5-hit barrage today at Sky High Stadium -- a performance that sparked the Redhawks to a 16-3 triumph. He shrugged off the performance after the game and said, "Sometimes the ball finds outfielders, today the ball found some holes." Davis singled in the 1st, hit an RBI double in the 2nd, hit a three-run home run off C. Kowalczyk in the 4th, singled in the 6th, hit a two-run single in the 7th and grounded out in the 8th. In the 2001 season Davis is hitting .357 with 5 home runs. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Westerners Surge Late Past Nine Waleska finally came alive with the bats late in the contest and surged past first place Marston 4-3 at Legends Field. With the win, Waleska snapped a three-game losing string and put an end to Marston's three-game winning streak. The Nine's starter Nick Pace blanked the Westerners for six innings, but weakened in the seventh and gave up a pair of run cut the margin to 3-2. Waleska won it in the ninth with first baseman Freddie Shelton's (.297) 8th homer of the year, a two-run clout off loser Kenny Bagby (1-2 2.77). Andrei Marsiske (3-1 3.20) notched the victory with three scoreless innings of relief. First sacker Johnny Berthold (.265) poled his 10th home run for Marston and had two hits and two RBIs. Berthold has driven in 33 runs this season. Marston manager Johnny Walters got some bad news. His starting shortstop Lennie Torricelli (.274) sprained an ankle running the bases in today's game and will be out about a week. Marston (23-18) will hold on to the top spot in the RU South despite the loss. Waleska (21-21) will remain in fourth place and tied with Forest City (21-21). Lumberjacks Take 4th in a Row Sugar Valley continued its downward spiral by losing for a fourth straight time. This time it was at the hands of Forest City, who spanked them 10-3. The Lumberjacks slapped out 11 hits off three Rattler pitchers in picking up their fourth win in a row. First baseman J. T. Edmonds (.227) slammed another homer, giving him three in two days and drove in four runs. Third baseman Ricky Mitchell chipped in two hits and two RBIs. Catcher Matt Stinson doubled in two more scores for Forest City. All Sugar Valley could get off Gene Stuart (4-2 4.13) was three solo homers. One each by third baseman Jorge Vargas (.331), right fielder Karl Dietz (.248) and recent signee, shortstop Blair Allison (.500), who was playing his first game. Stuart gave up seven hits in all, struck out seven and walked two. The defeat went to starter Harvey Hines (3-4 3.92), who allowed seven runs and seven hits in just five innings. Forest City (21-21) is now at the .500 mark, good enough for fourth place, along with Waleska (21-21). The Rattlers (21-19) are second and 2.5 games behind first place Marston (23-18). Claxton's Nagashima Wins 7th Two of the IPA's better twirlers opposed one another today at Bayside Park in Belair Beach. It was Tetsunori Nakashima against Carl Thompson. Both were going for their 7th win of the campaign. The final scored was 4-3 in favor of Claxton. Nakashima (7-3 3.95) survived 10 hits, fanned four and walked just one to claim the victory for the Diamonds. Thompson (6-3) toiled eight innings, surrendered seven hits and three runs, while striking out six and issuing four bases on balls. Both ballclubs generated 10 hits each. The eventual winning run came across the plate in the top of the ninth, when first baseman Marty McClusky (.265) hit into a double play with the bases loaded. Apparently second string third baseman Connie Derr thought there was one out, instead there were none. He should have gone for the force at home. Shortstop Danny Church (.299) paced the Sunbirds at bat with a 4-for-4 day. Regular third baseman Mike Janocko (.310) hit his 4th roundtripper in the third inning and collected two hits in two at-bats, before departing in the eighth for a pinchrunner. Belair Beach (21-20) is still third in the RU South standings, just a half-game in front of Waleska (21-21) and Forest City (21-21). Claxton (17-25) is still holding up the bottom. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Hellcats Clip Nats 5-4, End 4-Game Win Streak At Pioneer Park Hartsdale cooled off red-hot Ozarka with a nip-and-tuck 5-4 triumph. This halted the first place Naturals winning at four games. Hartsdale trailed 3-0 after five, but rallied to win. The Hellcats center fielder Greg Reynolds (.227) used his speed to great advantage. He singled in the bottom of the ninth, stole second -- his third steal of the game -- and came across to score on second baseman Francisco Abreu's (.263) two-bagger. Bullpen ace Gene Young (2-1) got credit for the win, but he gave up three hits and a run over the last two innings. Reliever Louis Ray (2-3 5.62) came on in the ninth and was stung with the loss. First baseman Floyd Snow (.269) had the only homer in the game, a two-run clout in the fourth inning. Snow now has 9 for the season. Reynolds set a new IPA mark for most stolen bases with three. Ozarka (23-18) still is the TU East Division leader, while Hartsdale (19-22) is in fifth place. The Nats are one game up on runner-up Luxora (21-17). Stallions Shellack Zorros 9-6 Second place Luxora's misery continued with a fifth successive defeat. Last place South Fork whacked out 12 hits on the way to a 9-6 victory at Jock Ewing Stadium. Center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.262), first baseman Alex Kesler (.210) and catcher Darryl Burnett (.278) drove in two runs each to pace the Stallions. Yastrzemski got his with a two-run home run. Kesler and shortstop Bobby Riley (.287) both scored three times and had three hits apiece. The Zorros actually had more hits, but didn't do as much damage. Pacing the Z's 14-hit attack were center fielder Shotgun Boggs (.165) with a pair of hits and two RBIs and left fielder Tom Fortunato (.287) with 3-for-6. Ken Olson (3-4 3.43) gained the victory, but was hit hard for five runs and 11 hits in six innings. Billy Joe Gordon (0-3 2.60) came on in the seventh and got his 4th save, giving up only one run in three innings with 3 Ks. The losing pitcher was starter Chris Pierce (4-2 2.93), who allowed six runs and five hits in 3-plus innings and left with the score 6-1. Luxora (21-18) is second in the division and trails Ozarka (23-18) by a game. South Fork (18-24) is in the TU East cellar. Hurricanes Break 4-Game Losing Streak Cape Coral put to rest a four-game losing streak and at the same time ended Ginza's win streak at four with an easy 9-2 victory. Lefthander Owen Pruitt (3-3 3.25) went the route, scattering nine hits. Sparking the Hurricanes at the plate were first baseman Rodger Wooten (.284) with 3-for-5, two runs and two RBIs, shortstop Bobo Hatfield (.256) with two hits and two RBIs and second sacker Jose Quinones (.250), who drove in a pair of runs. Kojiro Motsumoto (6-1 3.44) lost his first game of the year, yielding eight runs and seven hits in four-plus frames. Shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.275) got three of the Ninjas hits. With the win, Cape Coral (20-20) climbed to within a half-game of third place Ginza (21-20). The Hurricanes are fourth in the standings. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Frogs Fall to Viks, Streak Ends at 9 Fairfax was primed to set a new IPA record for the most wins in succession -- the Frogs were at home at the Frog Pond, they were playing great and they had won the last nine games -- but it didn't happen. Bayview saw to that with a 10-1 stomping. The Vikings parlayed 14 hits and a strong performance by 6'10" lefty, Jesus Carvajal to end the Fairfax winning streak. Carvajal (6-1 3.28) stopped them on five hits, fanned eight and walked four. Catcher Tommy Harrell (.273) and left fielder Glenn Burns (.312) led the hit parade with three RBIs each. Harrell had three hits, including a home run. Third baseman Bob Klostermann (.279) had three hits and drove in two for the winners. Johnny Schluessler (2-4 4.27) was pinned with the defeat. He left in the sixth after surrendering five runs, seven hits and five walks. The Frogs now share the IPA mark for most consecutive victories with division rival La Claire. The Lynx won nine in a row early in the season. Fairfax (27-14) still has a sparkling record and a big lead in the TU West Division. Bayview (24-19) is in the number two spot in the standings, four games behind the Frogs with three more games in the series. The teams have split the first two. Blue Sox Beat La Claire 2-1 In a very well-pitched affair fourth place Blue Lake narrowly beat third place La Claire 2-1 to snap a three-game losing string. Jay Clay (4-2 2.41) had to throw a lot of pitches and walked a lot of batters, but he kept the Lynx from scoring except for the fourth inning, when catcher Dennis Weiss (.294) doubled and was driven in by shortstop Dirk Lindahl's (.255) base hit. Clay stymied La Claire on six hits, walked five and had seven strikeouts for the win. He needed ninth-inning help from Derek Manetti (3-1 3.38), who retired the side in order for his 2nd save. Jerry Smith (5-5 4.09) lost it for the Lynx with a strong showing, permitting two runs and seven hits in seven innings with six strikeouts and no walks. The Blue Sox got the first run in the second, when third baseman Timmy Smith (.295) doubled and scored on catcher Seitaro Ohayashi's (.262) single. The game-winning run was scored in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by center fielder Donnie Frazier (.320) and first baseman Fred Taranto (.320). The La Claire Lynx (21-21) continue to struggle and are now 6.5 games out of first. Blue Lake (18-23) is fourth in the TU West and are nine games behind leading Fairfax (27-14). The Blue Sox are tied with Arlon (18-23). Champs Power Past Bucs with 4 HRs Jerry Keller and Nicky Sweet powered Arlon past Bay St. Clair 8-6 with four roundtrippers. Center fielder Keller (.329) hit a pair and drove in 4 runs, giving him 12 homers for the year and 41 RBIs. Third baseman Sweet (.250) jolted two as well and had 3 RBIs. Sean Dudek (1-4 5.54) labored, but got the victory. He tossed six innings, gave up four runs and eleven hits. Closer Jeff Nieman relieved him in the seventh and got his first save, but gave up two runs in the eighth.The Buccaneers outhit the Champions 14-10. Shortstop Chuck Hankins (.340) was a thorn in Arlon's side with three hits, including his 4th homer. Second baseman Tony Mann (.339) had two hits and two RBIs. Starter Gary Robinson (3-5 3.71) had a dismal day and took the loss. He worked six innings and allowed six runs and nine hits. Robinson (.318) left trailing 6-4, but did do well at the plate with 2-for-2 and two RBIs. Arlon (18-23) moved back into a tie with Blue Lake (18-23) for fourth place, while Bay St. Clair (17-25) sits all alone in last. |
I have immense respect for what you've created here, sir. You had a vision, you saw it through and you're producing a really great dynasty. Kudos to you!
|
Quote:
Thank you for following it. I wish I had the skill to interweave stories about the players. That is the one thing this dynasty is lacking. I'm not very creative, when it comes to giving the players interesting story lines and writing good dialogue. And if I had the ability, it would take too much time to play the games and write the recaps, too. Until I find a way to do it, this will just have to suffice. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Thursday, May 31, 2001 Ruthlandian Union -- North Division Redhawks Win 6th Straight RU North Division leader, Far Mountain quickly recovered from a 4-0 deficit by scoring five runs in the third and two in the fourth and went on to capture their seventh game in a row, a 10-7 slugfest with Valmara. The Vipers have dropped their last three games. The Redhawks pounded out 13 hits and were paced by right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.303) with four RBIs, shortstop Al Nixon (.261) with two RBIs and third baseman Johnny Strickland (.258) with a pair of RBIs. Valmara slapped 10 hits and were led by catcher Yoshi Motsuzuki (.293) with three hits and two runs scored, left fielder Louis Sharp (.350) with two runs, two RBIs and a homer, right fielder Jet Kazmarek (.262) with two RBIs and first baseman Yank Jankowski (.255) with two RBIs. Reliever Vance Mitchell (2-0 2.25) gave up three runs in three innings, but got the win. However, it was Mike McCabe (3-1 1.13), who nailed down the victory with his 2nd save. McCabe only gave up one hit in the last three innings. Reliever Chuck Kowalczyk (2-4 6.17) continues to struggle and was tapped with the defeat, giving up three runs and four hits in two-plus frames. Far Mountain (26-17) is number one in the division and Valmara (21-21) is tied for third with the Glasco Athletics (20-20), both are 4.5 games off the pace. All-Stars Top Colfax 4-3 Elnora scored late runs in the eighth and ninth and walked off the field with a close 4-3 win over Colfax at State Fair Park. Colfax closer Walt Sellers (1-1 1.76) got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth, then the roof caved in. He walked second baseman Gil Foster (.361). Left fielder Quincy Peterson (.281) singled and moved Foster to second, Then catcher Todd Simons (.271) drilled a game-winning single. Wally Tidwell (1-3 3.34) pitched a scoreless inning for the victory. The All-Stars had a slight 10-9 edge in hits, too. Center fielder Rusty Gilbert (.274) led them with 3-for-5. Shortstop Tommy Stanley (.125) had a two-run homer to pace the Blasters. Elnora (18-25) has won the last three contests, while Colfax (23-18) has lost the last two games. The All-Stars are tied for last with Volusia (18-25) and are eight games out of first place, while the Blasters are second, two games behind the division leader Far Mountain (26-17). A's Outlast V's 4-2 in 16 Innings Glasco got strong pitching start to finish and outlasted Volusia 4-2 in a 16-inning marathon. Wildness cost Ike Moore (1-1 10.13) the game. He walked the first two batters in the sixteenth, then a sacrifice bunt moved them up to second and third. Center fielder Chet Reynolds (.302) plated the eventual winning run with a single. Another run scored on Jose Valenzuela's (.318) fielder's choice. Jeremiah McDonald (1-1 2.97) retired the Vigilantes in order for his 2nd save and Duncan McFalls (1-0 2.37) got the win with a scoreless 14th and 15th innings.. The Vigilantes fanned 16 A's with starter Johnny Szwak getting 10 of them in eight innings. The record is 17, set by South Fork on May 21 against Cape Coral. Glasco and Volusia tied the record for most double plays in an extra-inning game with three apiece. South Fork and Cape Coral share the double play record with six, set on May 21. The Athletics (20-20) moved up into a tie for third with the Valmara Vipers (21-21), Volusia (18-25) fell back into a tie for last with Elnora (18-25). Glasco and Valmara trail first place Far Mountain by 4.5 games. |
Eugene, the write ups are excellent. I'm still here reading them and enjoy ever minute of it. Good stuff indeed.
Erik |
Quote:
It is much appreciated. I hope the write-ups will acquaint you with the teams and players over time. I know the players and the teams and how good they are, but I still haven't connected the players with a team. There are just too many teams. I still don't know them without a scorecard. The only player I know is me...Danny Church...decent shortstop for the Belair Beach Sunbirds. So far, I have hit over my head (.297/3 HR/19 RBI/24 R), but doing a good job in the field. Realistically, I should only hit about .275. Come to think of it, I do know one player and who he plays for...Fairfax Frog right fielder Gregg Vincent, who leads the IPA in homers and RBIs. He is hitting .312 with 21 homers and 51 RBIs. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Thursday, May 31, 2001 Ruthlandian Union -- South Division Westerners Wallop Marston 9-4 Waleska made it easy for Marv Chancellor with a 16-hit attack. The tall, rangy righthander cruised to a 9-4 victory over first place Marston. Chancellor (2-6 5.92) had 11 strikeouts, but gave up 12 hits and no walks. "With such a big lead, I just threw strikes and let 'em hit, until I really needed to get someone out," he told the press after the game. The Westerners boomed three homers and seven doubles in a powerful display. They tied the IPA mark for the most doubles in a game, originally set by Hartsdale against Cape Coral on April 25. Left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.309) led the pack with three hits, three runs and three RBIs. He hit his 11th roundtripper and now has 41 RBIs on the season. First baseman Fred Shelton (.313) smacked four hits with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs, while catcher Jody Hill (.194) cracked a home run and had two hits. Marston was led by first baseman Johnny Berthold (.271), who belted two homers and drove in three runs. He now has hit 12 for the year. Second baseman Ken Green (.350) also homered for the Nine. Taking the loss was Vinnie Gardner (0-2 4.22), who was hit hard for four runs and five hits in just three innings. Gardner, normally in the bullpen, was given the start by manager Johnny Walters in hopes he could move into the starting rotation. Walters said, "Vinnie certainly deserved a start. He has been impressive in middle relief lately. But he just ran into a hot-hitting team today." Marston (23-19) is still in the top spot in the RU South Division, but not by much. Runner-up Sugar Valley (21-20) and third place Waleska (22-21) are both only 1.5 games back. Lumberjacks Edge Rattlers, Win 5th Straight Third place Forest City got its fifth straight win and dealt second place Sugar Valley its fifth straight loss with a 5-4 decision at the Rattlers home park, Farmers Memorial Park. Homers by second baseman Jesse Wolf (.303) and center fielder Ryan Morse (.365) did them in. Wolf drove in three runs with three hits and Morse scored twice and had two RBIs. It was homer number 13 for Wolf and turned out to be the game-winner, while Morse hit number 6. Winning pitcher Vinnie Edelman (3-2 2.65) had rocky going at times, but went the distance, allowed nine hits, fanned six and issued no walks. The loss went to Tony Michelet (3-5 4.61) as the Lumberjacks slammed him for five runs and seven hits in 4-plus innings. He departed with the score 5-1. Second baseman Rudi Oliver (.376) had a good day with the bat for Sugar Valley, going 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs and two runs batted in. In spite of the defeat, Sugar Valley (21-20) held on to second place in the RU South race, percentage points in front of third place Forest City (22-21). The Rattlers and the Lumberjacks trail first place Marston (23-19) by 1.5 games. Diamonds Sparkle in 8-2 Win over Sunbirds Claxton hitters teed off on Belair Beach pitching for 13 hits and racked up an easy 8-2 victory at Bayside Park for their third successive win and the Sunbirds third straight loss. The Diamonds were led by second baseman Donny McCoy (.374) and third baseman Keith Olsen (.317). They each lashed three hits and batted in three runs. McCoy became the fifth IPA player to get three doubles in a game, while Olsen got his 5th roundtripper and a double. Right fielder Dixie Baker (.327) also chipped in with his 13th home run and drove in his 35th run. Zach Nuxhall (2-4 4.40) got credit for the win, working six innings, surrendering three hits and two runs. Skipper Stacy Engel got a fine relief job from Alex Vanzetti (2-0 2.18), who replaced the exhausted Nuxhall. Vanzetti picked up his 2nd save with three scoreless innings. He struck out four, walked none and gave up four hits. The loss went to Dirk Garrett (4-6 4.63). In seven innings Claxton collected eight hits and four runs off of him. The defeat cost the Sunbirds (21-21) a chance to tighten up the RU South. Belair Beach is now two games behind Marston (23-19). The Diamonds (18-25) are last in the division and 5.5 games off the pace. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Thursday, May 31, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Hellcats Griffin Fans 13, Loses 3-1 to Naturals In his workman-like fashion Ozarka's dependable righthander Yasuyuki Nakagawa wove his magic and mastered Hartsdale 3-1 on a six-hitter. Nakagawa (6-2 2.04) nabbed his sixth win of the season, struck out only two and walked four. The first place Naturals had a tough time with Danny Griffin (4-7 3.17), who set down 13 of them on strikes in his seven innings, just one short of the IPA mark held by Flash Guidry of Colfax. He whiffed 14 Glasco A's on May 12. Griffin ran out gas and went out for a pinchhitter. Second baseman Duane Starr (.299), shortstop Gil Lantz (.258) and right fielder Denny Little (.200) sparked Ozarka with one RBI apiece. Left fielder Ronnie Patterson also socked three hits for the Nats. Ozarka (24-17) is the top dog in the TU East race with Hartsdale (19-23) straggling behind by 5.5 games and resting in the fifth spot. SF's Battle Fans 11 Zorros The South Fork Stallions extended their winning string to three and slapped Luxora with its 6th successive loss. Flint Battle (6-4 2.88) is on a streak of his own with his third victory in a row, an 8-2 triumph. South Fork socked 12 hits and were led by shortstop Bobby Riley (.302) with 3-for-4, two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Second sacker Don Risberg (.200) delivered two hits and batted in a pair of scores and Battle (.167) smacked in two for the Stallions. Battle pitched a solid outing, limiting the Z's to just four hits. He fanned 11, his career high, and surrendered three walks. Keith Callahan (4-4 2.74) suffered the loss and allowed six runs and nine hits in five-plus innings. Luxora (21-19) is still hanging on to the second spot in the division, while South Fork (19-24) is still in the TU East basement and trails first place Ozarka (24-18) by 5.5 games. Hurricanes Blow by Ninjas 5-3 There were zeros all over the scoreboard at Ninja Stadium today. The two clubs only scored in two innings. Cape Coral broke loose in the sixth with five runs to break up a scoreless battle between Kaz Hayagawa and Kazuhiro Nakayama. Ginza got all three of their runs in the last of the seventh. Hayagawa (4-5 3.77) got credit for the 5-3 victory as he checked the Ninjas on seven hits and three runs -- none earned -- in 6-plus frames. Katsuyuki Nagashima (1-4 2.66) earned his fifth save. He came on with two outs in the seventh and held Ginza without a run the rest of the way. Both ballclubs had nine hits with Hurricane left fielder Rod Kelly (.341) racking up three of them and second baseman Andy Anderson (.303) two. Third baseman Toshiro Nomura (.313) and second baseman Scoop McDonald (.305) had two hits each for Ginza. The win pushed Cape Coral (21-20) up to sole possession of third place in the TU East, 2.5 games in back of leading Ozarka (24-18). Ginza (21-21) fell into fourth place, just three games off the pace. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Thursday, May 31, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Fairfax Whacks Vikings 8-4 What a difference a day makes. Yesterday Bayview mauled Fairfax and put a halt to its nine-game win streak. Today the Frogs started a new streak with an 8-4 triumph over the Vikings. Everybody in the lineup got at least one hit. Fairfax piled up a dozen base hits and were led by right fielder Gregg Vincent (.316) with 2-for-4 and three RBIs, shortstop Warren Lee (.273) with 2-for-4 and an RBI and pitcher Jackie Leslie (.313) even got into the act with 2-for-3 and two RBIs. Leslie (8-2 3.78) became the IPA's first 8-game winner. He allowed four runs and seven hits with 10 Ks and three walks. Only Bayview center fielder Phil Kanaan (.341) had much success against him with three hits and 4 RBIs, including a 3-run shot in the eighth inning. This was the Frogs second win in the series against one loss. Fairfax (28-14) is making shambles of the TU West Division so far. They lead second place Bayview (24-20) by five games. Blue Sox Slip by LC in 12 Innings, Nygaard Fans 15 It was a magnificent ballgame that lasted 12 innings and set a new record for strikeouts. And when it was over Blue Lake won it 3-2 over La Claire. A ground ball single to center by pinchhitter Les Reynolds off Monoto Kishata (1-3 3.54) decided the game. Winning pitcher Russ Courtney (2-2 4.30) was outstanding in relief, striking out six in four innings, allowing only one hit and no runs. Kishata had just entered the game at the beginning of the twelfth and was pegged with the defeat. Blue Sox starter Clint McPherson (0-1 4.06) pitched well, permitting only two runs and eight hits in eight innings with eight strikeouts and two bases on balls. Altogether both teams fanned 30 times with Lynx starter Tony Nygaard (1-2 3.95) hurling a brilliant game with 15 strikeouts, a new IPA mark. Nygaard worked 11 innings, gave up only two runs and five hits with just one walk. Homers by Blue Lake second baseman Ken Bennett (.232) in the second and first baseman Fred Taranto (.323) in the last of the ninth were crucial to the win. The Blue Sox only had 8 hits overall, while La Claire numbered 9. First baseman Dominic Valmont (.208) and left fielder Don Lundquist (.148) drove in the runs for the Lynx. The old mark (28) for the most strikeouts in an extra-inning game was held by South Fork (17) and Cape Coral (11) set on May 21. Flash Guidry of Colfax was the old recordholder. He still holds the mark for a nine-inng game. Guidry struck out 14 Glasco batters on May 12. Third place La Claire (21-22) fell below the .500 mark and is 7.5 games out of first in the TU West. Blue Lake (19-23) is in fourth and trails by nine games. Arlon's Smith Tosses 5-Hit Shutout At Derby Downs in Arlon, the Champions Craig Smith got his first ever IPA shutout with a 6-0 win over Bay St. Clair. Smith (6-3 3.15) limited the Buccaneers to just five singles, set down six via strikeouts and allowed three walks. At bat shortstop Bama Hartley (.286) was a perfect 4-for-4 and drove in three runs. He and first baseman George Lyons (.243) had homers. Ted Jorgerson (2-5 5.66) was KO'ed by a five-run fifth and absorbed the loss. Guy Rondre, the Bay St. Clair manager, said. "Smith certainly pitched a strong game against us today. He was in a groove, throwing everything for strikes. Throwing hard. Changing speeds." "I enjoy facing a team like that where I can get an out on one, two or three pitches," Smith said. "It gives me a chance to be a lot more aggressive." In 10 starts this season Smith has registered a 6-3 record and a 3.15 ERA. This was Arlon's (19-23) third win in a row over the Bucs (17-26). The Champs are now tied with Blue Lake for fourth place and Bay St. Clair is in the TU West cellar. |
I just read all of the Ginza Ninjas' pages straight through and I've decided that they're definitely the team I'm going to be pulling for as I continue reading this dynasty. It has been great so far! My two favorite players are Charlie Campbell and Kojiro Motsumoto, who I think should be nicknamed K-Guy. Ninja Stadium sounds like a great place to play. (Oh, and ever since that first series I can't stand the Ozarks. They're like the New York Yankees, at least in my mind.)
|
Quote:
I agree with you. Ninja Stadium would be an interesting place to watch a game. I'll post their starting lineup and pitching rotation, if it would help you follow them better. Let me know. One of these days you might see first baseman Jack Elliott signed by Ginza. Jack Elliott was played by Tom Selleck in the movie "Mr. Baseball". The manager in the movie is the current Ninja manager, Huroko Uchiyama. He is called "Mr. Baseball" in Ginza. |
Yeah, I would like to see the entire lineup, that would be great.
|
I like "K-Guy" as a nickname for Kojiro Matsumoto. The only problem is he is not a strikeout pitcher. Only has 31 Ks in 70 innings.
|
Quote:
Lineup: 1. SS Shinjiro Aoki (.267 BA/1 HR/12 RBI/25 R/11 SB) 2. 2B Scoop McDonald (.305/1 HR/7 RBI/8 R) 3. CF Takashi Fujimoto (.260/6 HR/18 RBI/25 R/7 SB) 4. RF* Charlie Campbell (.310/7 HR/26 RBI/20 R/1 SB) 5. 1B Kenshin Yamamoto (.307/7 HR/24 RBI/21 R) 6. 3B* Kaz Ojima (.333/1 HR/14 RBI/10 R) or 3B# Toshiro Nomura (.313/1 HR/5 RBI/4 R) or 3B Troy Connolly (.250/0 HR/10 RBI/11 R/1 SB) 7. C Howard Mitchell (.260/1 HR/19 RBI/6 R) or C Kotsuya Noguchi (.300/1 HR/3 RBI/4 R) 8. LF* Ronnie Graf (.269/1 HR/4 RBI/12 R) Bench: C* Kris Michel (.105/0 HR/0 RBI/1 R) 1B Mitsuru Takaki (.091/0 HR/0 RBI/0 R) 2B Hirokazu Kobayashi (.130/0 HR/5 RBI/3 R) OF Nobayuki Komatsu (.154/0 HR/1 RBI/0 R) OF-1B* Earl Conley (.205/3 HR/9 RBI/7 R) *= LHB #= Switch Starters: Kazuhiro Nakayama (4-6 2.67) Kojiro Matsumoto (6-1 3.44) Vic Rousakis (4-5 3.90) Buddy Hart (1-3 4.63) Toshia Tamura (1-2 5.28) Middle Relievers: Toshiharu Ito (1-1 2.70) Alec Sasek (1-0 3.63) Cody Moore (0-2 7.08) Closer: *Ken Watkins (3-1 1.88 4 SV) *= LHP |
That's awesome, thanks so much. I knew there was a reason I liked Campbell, he's having a pretty good year in right field. I'll definitely be watching to see how all the other players do now too.
|
Islandian Pro Alliance
Friday, June 1, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division FM Wins 7th Straight, Edges Vipers in 12 Far Mountain woke up out of the doldrums in the late innings and rallied to edge Valmara 6-5 in twelve innings. It was their seventh in a row and the Vipers fourth setback in a row. Tough Zarek Zalewski (6-2 1.84) was sailing along with a 5-1 lead going into the eighth frame, but tired and faltered. The Redhawks scored two in each of the last two innings to tie it at 5-5, then won in the twelfth when right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.304) singled in the winning run off loser Danny Blauser (3-1 1.90) with two outs. Doc Rutledge (5-1 2.51) claimed his 5th victory with four sharp innings. He fanned two and gave up no runs and three hits. Blauser came on in the eighth and pitched poorly, surrendering seven hits and three runs in his 4-plus innings. Both ballclubs tallied 11 hits each. Shortstop Joey Cannizzaro (.351) had a double and a triple for Far Mountain, while shortstop Mickey Ellefson (.323) had three hits for the Vipers. The Redhawks are soaring high above the RU North standings with 27 wins and only 17 losses. Third place Valmara (21-22) sank below .500 and trails by 5.5 games in the race. Blasters Top All-Stars 6-4 The Colfax Blasters jumped on Elnora early for a 6-1 lead in the first four frames and held on to defeat the All-Stars 6-4. 37-year-old Alex Castille (6-3 3.31) tired after six innings, but got credit for the win. He gave up all four runs in six innings. Starter Troy Hudson (3-3 4.63) lost it and was hammered hard by Colfax as they racked up four runs and seven hits off of him. Pat Langlais (2-4 4.11) registered his 4th save this season by getting the last out of the game with the bases loaded. Third baseman Vic Boldt speared a line drive to end the game. Robbie Smith and Langlais held the All-Stars without a run over the final three innings. Colfax totaled 13 hits and were sparked by shortstop Wayne O'Reilly (.207) with two hits and two RBIs, center fielder Ronnie Wright (.340) with three hits and an RBI and right fielder Pat Lott (.257) and second baseman Tucker Hill (.347), both with 2-for-5 and an RBI. Elnora had four doubles and a home run among their 10 base hits. Shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.303) went 3-for-4 with one RBI, second baseman Gil Foster (.356) drilled his 6th home run and drove in a pair of runs with it and center fielder Rusty Gilbert (.286) had two hits and scored twice. Colfax (24-18) is in the runner-up spot in the RU North standings and is two games behind the first place Far Mountain Redhawks (27-17). Elnora (18-26) lost for the first time in three games and is tied for last with Volusia. A's Sneak by V's 3-2 It was a busy eighth inning at the Jailhouse in Volusia -- all the runs in the game were scored in that inning -- with Glasco sneaking by the homestanding Vigilantes 3-2. Third baseman Lou McCarley (.175) led off the inning with a triple and scored on shortstop Rick Atkins (.211) sac fly. Second sacker Barry McCord's (.276) RBI single made it 2-0 and left fielder Ox Beauvais (.357) drove in the eventual game-winner with a single. Catcher Ernie Fox's (.400) RBI ground out and right fielder Lonnie Howard's (.240) RBI hit made it close in the bottom of the inning. Each club had 8 hits apiece with the victory going to reliever Artie McFalls (3-4 5.17), despite an ineffective outing. McFalls gave up two runs and three hits in less than two innings. Closer Roy Cook (1-2 1.05) entered the game in the eighth and recorded his 4th save. Volusia starter Hank Massey (2-7 4.13) was tagged with the defeat as he permitted three runs and 8 hits and departed after eight innings. The Athletics (21-20) slipped ahead of Valmara (21-22) in the battle for third place, 4.5 games off the pace of the division leader, Far Mountain (27-17). The Vigilantes (18-26) are last. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Friday, June 1, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Marston Outscores Waleska 10-7 It wasn't safe to be on the mound today at Legends Field in Marston. The Nine and Waleska had hits galore in Marston 10-7 victory. Marston chalked up 16 hits and were spurred by right fielder Chris Deangelo (.293), who cracked a pair of roundtrippers and drove in four runs. Third baseman Roland Thomas (.319) was 4-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI and center fielder Ronnie Lee (.429) was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. In the Westerner dugout first baseman Freddie Shelton (.318) and shortstop Eddie Eichhorn (.222) each knocked two-run blasts and second baseman Wiz Taylor (.250) hit a solo homer. It was Shelton's 10th of the season. Center fielder Milt Carlson (.263) went 4-for-5 in Waleska's 14-hit offensive. Phil Azard (5-1 2.41) got the win, but saw his ERA take a big hit with seven runs in seven-plus innings. Ed Vogler (2-2 4.20) came in in the eighth and closed out the game for his 2nd save. Loser Joe Harrell (1-3 6.82) departed early in the third after being pelted for seven runs and eight hits. First place Marston (24-19) snapped a brief two-game losing string. The Westerners (22-22) had won the last two contests. The Nine are on top of the RU South standings, 1.5 games ahead of runner-up Forest City (23-21). Waleska is in a two-way tie for third place with the Sugar Valley Rattlers (21-21). Lumberjacks Bolts Past Rattlers for 6th Win Forest City and Sugar Valley flipped-flop back and forth in the game before the Lumberjacks exploded for 6 runs in the eighth to rap the Rattlers 6-5 and win for the sixth successive time. It was the Rattlers sixth loss in a row. Sugar Valley's Ron Benson (6-4 2.71) had a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead until the eighth when second baseman Johnny Mack Butler (.269) smashed a home run to open the flood gates. Just a few batters later, center fielder Ryan Morse (.362) blasted a three-run homer and sent Benson to the showers. The Rattlers made it close with a four-run ninth against Jim DiGregorio, but closer Timmy Brooks (1-2 1.27) came in and did his job for his 3rd save. He got the final out with the tying run on third. Sugar Valley outhit Forest City 11-7 as center fielder Freddi Vaux (.314) racked up four hits and second baseman Rudi Oliver (.367) cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Forest City (23-21) remained close on the heels of first place Marston (24-19) and are only 1.5 games back in the RU South Division. Sugar Valley (21-21) is tied with Waleska (22-22) for third place. Both are 2.5 games out. Diamonds Sparkle in 10-Inning Victory In a battle of closers Claxton's Earl Weber bested Belair Beach's Lou Zanelli 6-4 in ten innings at Bayside Park. It was Claxton's fourth straight win and the Sunbirds fourth straight defeat. Weber (3-1 2.66) worked four strong innings, yielding only one run and two hits for the victory. Zanelli (5-2 2.33) had a rocky outing and gave up the decisive runs for the loss. Center fielder Wayne Wilson (.268) delivered the game-winning single, with the insurance run coming on a passed ball. The Diamonds had 13 hits in the game, while the Sunbirds got 10. The winners were paced by first baseman Mike McCluskey (.270) with 3-for-5 and two RBIs. Right fielder Dixie Baker (.336) was 3-for-5, scored three times and hit his 14th roundtripper of the year. Claxton (19-24) is last in the division standings, while Belair Beach (21-22) is in fifth, 3.5 games off the pace. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Friday, May 31, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Nats Mann-Handled by Hellcats Hartsdale's Glenn Mann had a no-hitter against first place Ozarka for six innings and ended up with an easy 10-1 victory. Mann (5-5 2.70) allowed only four hits, struck out four and walked one in a sterling performance. And he was backed by plenty of firepower -- the Hellcats unloaded four home runs and accumulated 14 hits. Catcher Nickie Griffin (.219) pounded two of them in the stands, collected three hits and scored twice, center fielder Greg Reynolds (.238) went 3-for-5 and scored two runs and had an RBI and second baseman Francisco Abreu was 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Reynolds and Abreu also had roundtrippers. It was Abreu's 12th this year. Ozarka starter Ted Didriksen (4-4 3.77) took the loss and didn't stay around long. He was gone after two innings, four hits and four runs. Ozarka (24-19) leads the TU East, while Hartsdale (20-23) stands four games behind them in fifth place. SF Extends Luxora Losses to 7 Hard times have fallen on manager Alejandro Rodrigo and the Luxora Zorros. They suffered their seventh straight loss and set a new IPA record as South Fork won its fourth in a row with a tight 7-6 win. Left fielder Gene Woodruff (.288) slammed two homers and drove in six runs. Woodruff batted in the winning run in the sixth with a ground out. Booger Burchfield (2-4 4.34) registered the victory, but was hit hard by Luxora for six runs on seven hits and lasted only six innings. Ken Conner (2-1 2.63) got the his first save, pitching one-hit ball over the last three innings. Johnny Montel (4-5 3.58) received the loss, going an ineffective six innings, allowing ten hits and seven runs. First baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.315) belted his 7th home run and drove in two for Luxora. The old record for most consecutive losses was set by the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers on April 29. South Fork (20-24) is last in the division and sits in the basement, but only 4.5 games behind the first place Ozarka Naturals (24-19). Luxora (21-20) continued their downward spiral and is now third in the race. Ninjas Jolts Hurricanes 8-1 Everything went Ginza's way in the easy 8-1 thrashing of the Cape Coral Hurricanes. The Ninjas belted 12 hits and Vic Rousakis (5-5 3.53) went the distance on an 8-hitter with nine strikeouts. It was catcher Katsuya Noguchi (.318) in the batting department with two hits and four RBIs, helped out by Scoop McDonald (.309) with a pair of hits and two RBIs, shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.276) with three hits, a run and an RBI and left fielder Nobuyuki Komatsu (.235) with two hits and three runs scored. First baseman Rodger Wooten (.296) had a good day for the Hurricanes with 3-for-3, including his 10th home run. The losing pitcher was Wally Robinson (7-3 2.75), who failed to get his 8th win. He was shelled for five hits and five runs in just 3-plus innings, his shortest stint of the season. Ginza (22-21) ended a two-game losing stretch and climbed into a virtual second place tie with Luxora (21-20) in the TU East, while Cape Coral (21-21) lost for the first time in three games and is the number four club in the division. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Friday, May 31, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Frogs Win in 9th 4-3 In the bottom of the ninth pinchhitter Louie Ward (.364) of the first place Fairfax Frogs doubled in the decisive run to edge the second place Bayview Vikings 4-3. Takehide Takahashi (4-1 1.82) registered the win with a scoreless ninth inning. Takahashi set down the Viks in order. Homers played a big part in the game. First baseman Dwayne Coleman (.286) hit one in the stands in the opening frame to send Bayview ahead 2-0. The IPA home run leader, Gregg Vincent, made it 3-2 in favor of the Frogs in the sixth with his 22nd of the year. Right fielder Dean Howell (.355) tied it a 3-all with an RBI single in the seventh. Both ballclubs picked up 9 hits in the game. Closer Buzzy Lewis (0-2 3.90) suffered the loss as he surrendered four hits, two bases on balls and a run. The two teams have split the four-game series so far. Fairfax (28-14) is the top team in the TU East Division, while Bayview (24-21) is in the second spot in the race and trails the Frogs by 5.5 games. 8th Inning Rally Wins It for Blue Sox Things were looking dismal for Blue Lake. They were down 2-1 in the last of the eighth and tough Frank Lamoureaux was on the mound for the La Claire Lynx. Lamoreaux had only allowed two hits. But he couldn't hold them. The Blue Sox teed off on Lamoreaux for three in the eighth and a 4-2 triumph. Catcher Mickey Dwyer (.600) and left fielder Greg Boone (.298) tagged him for run-scoring singles to even the score at 3-3. At that point Lamoreaux was relieved by Andy Murray, who promptly gave up a game-winning single to center fielder Donnie Frazier (.310). Lamoreaux (4-2 2.95) permitted four runs and five hits in seven-plus innings and caught the loss. The victory went to closer Russ Courtney (3-2 4.11), who got the last four outs without giving up a run. Blue Lake starter big Bennie West worked into the eighth, allowing only five hits and two runs -- none earned. He fanned eight and walked three. Each club got only six hits. La Claire (21-23) is third in the TU West, while Blue Lake (20-23) is fourth and tied with Arlon (20-23). Champs Edge Bucs 4-3 Arlon continues to get good pitching and chalked up its fourth straight victory over Bay St. Clair. This time it was starter Ray Hurt and closer Jeff Nieman, who teamed up to beat the Bucs 4-3. They were tagged for 11 hits in all, but were tough with men on base. Hunt hurled seven innings, allowed nine hits and all three runs. Nieman gave up no runs and two hits to gain the win. Nieman struck out four and walked nobody. Reliever Johnny Nikolsky (2-3 4.13) was the loser, yielding two runs and two hits in his one-plus inning. Bay St. Clair has now lost its last four. The Champions rallied from a 3-1 deficit. A run in the sixth made it 3-2 and a pair of scores in the eighth gave them the game. First baseman Brad Ray's (.304) clutch two-run double was the game-winner. The Buccaneers were led by second baseman Tony Mann (.341) and first sacker Maury Smith (.358) with three hits apiece and third baseman Bobby Tracy (.301) with a pair of hits and three runs batted in. Arlon (20-23) is tied with Blue Lake (20-23) for the fourth spot in the division, 8.5 games behind Fairfax (28-14). Bay St. Clair (17-27) is wallowing in last place, despite leading the IPA in hitting with a robust .291 batting average. |
The Islandian Times
Friday, June 1, 2001 IPA Announces Outstanding Stars of the Month Ruthlandian Union Announces May's Best Batter Snap, crackle and pop!! In May, Nicky Swift snapped up the Ruthlandian Union Batter of the Month trophy by cracking 40 hits and popping 12 home runs. For the month he hit a solid .364 with 27 RBIs and 27 runs scored. The Belair Beach left fielder also picked up 25 walks to compile a .489 on-base percentage. Thus far this year Swift is batting .326 with 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and 32 runs scored. Vincent Top Hitter in TU in May In May, Gregg Vincent was the toughest out in the Tycobbian Union and that is the prime reason he was voted the Batter of the Month. The Fairfax right fielder rapped out 45 hits in 133 at-bats for a .338 batting average, hit 15 home runs, drove in 39 runs and scored 27 times. Presently Vincent is batting .316 and has collected 21 home runs, 54 RBIs, .332 OBP and scored 35 runs. He leads all players in the IPA in homers and RBIs. Marston Starter Wins May's Pitcher Award May's premier pitcher was Casey Ledbetter of the Marston Nine. He pulverized Ruthlandian Union hitters all month long and picked up the Pitcher of the Month award. The Nine star hurler notched 5 wins and 1 loss to take the honor. The Marston star added 48 strikeouts in 61 innings to his season totals and compiled a 2.20 ERA. Other clubs hit .228 against him. This season Ledbetter has compiled a 7-1 record with a 2.96 ERA in 10 starts. Tycobbian Union #1 Hurler is Meredith An outstanding 6-0 record in May earned Robby Meredith the Pitcher of the Month Award in the Tycobbian Union. When his name was penciled in to start on the Fairfax lineup card, it meant trouble for opposing teams. In 59 innings of work, Meredith limited opposing batters to 48 base hits and a .219 batting average. He notched 37 strikeouts, issued 10 walks and had a 1.83 ERA. In 10 starts this season Meredith has recorded a 6-0 record and a 2.54 ERA. May's Premier RU Rookie Named Royce Benson was acclaimed the Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Month for his fine play in May. The 22-year-old Far Mountain first baseman hit .316, swatted 2 home runs and drove in 11 runs. He also tagged 43 hits, scored 24 runs and picked up 9 walks for a .356 on-base percentage. This season Benson has delivered 58 hits in 176 at-bats for a .330 average with 2 home runs. He is getting on base at a .367 clip and his totals also include 14 RBIs and 29 runs scored. This year Benson has played in 42 games. Hartsdale's Weaver TU Rookie of Month Hartsdale's Whiz Weaver collected 32 hits to snare the Tycobbian Union Rookie of the Month for May. He batted .308 with 7 home runs, 16 RBIs and 14 runs scored. The 19-year-old is barely old enough to shave, but he could definitely contend for Rookie of the Year, if he keeps up this pace. This season Weaver is hitting at a .299 pace with 8 home runs, 24 RBIs and has scored 18 times. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Saturday, June 1, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division Sandoval Shuts Out FM, Ends 7-Game Win Streak The scoreboard had nothing but zeros when Alex Luna stepped up to the plate to lead off in the bottom of the tenth. Luna (.265) put a quick end to the scoreless battle between first place Far Mountain and last place Volusia. The Vigilante center fielder powered Mike McCabe's pitch over the fence in right center to win it with a walk-off homer 1-0 and put an end to the Redhawks seven-game winning string. His homer broke up a magnificent pitching duel between Raul Sandoval and Stan Lamoreaux. Sandoval (5-4 2.27) went all ten innings and blanked Far Mountain on six hits with 11 strikeouts and only two walks. Lamoreaux (2-1 1.84) stayed until the ninth, allowed five hits and fanned 9 and left after walking a batter with one out. McCabe (3-2 1.34) got the last two outs in the inning and was pinned with the loss in the next frame. Sandoval told BNN reporters, "I had my good stuff and it went where I wanted it to go." To date this year in 11 starts, Sandova has crafted a 5-4 mark with an outstanding 2.27 ERA. The Redhawks (27-18) are in the top spot in the RU North with a one-game edge over second place Colfax (24-18). Volusia (19-26) lifted itself up out of last place and moved into the fifth spot. The Vigilantes are a game in front of Elnora (18-27). Blasters Blast All-Stars 10-2, Only One Game Out Manager Clem Rogers needed a win in the worst way and he got it from his ace, Flash Guidry. Colfax blasted the Elnora All-Stars 10-2 behind an 11-hit barrage and Guidry's strong mound performance and moved to within a game of first place Far Mountain in the RU north race. Guidry (6-3 2.71) checked the All-Stars on 8 hits, struck out 9 and walked 2. At bat it was first baseman Dennis Cole (.292) with five RBIs and three hits, including his 12th roundtripper this season. Center fielder Tatsuya Susaki (.269) went 3-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs. Loser John Tinker (3-7 5.03) was hit hard by the Blasters and surrendered four runs and five hits in three innings. Colfax (25-18) trails Far Mountain (27-18) by only one game now, while Elnora (18-27) plunged to last place in the division. A's Over Vipers in 12 Innings A big five-run twelfth propelled the Glasco Athletics to 10-6 victory over Valmara at War Memorial Stadium. The A's teed off on reliever Danny Rutigliano (0-1 6.40) for all of the runs -- only three of them earned. They have now won three games in a row, while the Vipers are a five-game skid. Glasco belted out 18 hits to back up Charles Darby (7-3 2.11), who went the entire 12 innings, setting a new mark for most innings pitched. Darby permitted 10 hits, fanned 8 and issued 4 walks. Ken Olson of South Fork held the old mark, when he went 11.2 innings in a 2-1 loss to the Luxora Zorros on April 21, opening day in the IPA. The A's attack was paced by third baseman Rick Adkins (.218) with three RBIs, shortstop Kyle Ballentine (.288) with two RBIs and first baseman Zach Byorvik chipped in another pair of RBIs. Valmara's Steve Kaminski (.425) led the Vipers 10-hit offense with three runs scored and three hits. Glasco tied another record in the game with three triples. On May 4 Belair Beach had three against Waleska. There were four triples in this game with Valmara having one. This set a new IPA mark, formerly held by Belair Beach (3) and Waleska (0) in the same May 4 game. The Athletics (22-20) are third in the standings, 3.5 games off the pace of Far Mountain (27-18). Valmara (21-25) continues to struggle and is 6.5 games in the rear. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Saturday, June 1, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Marston Outslugs SV 9-7, Rattlers Set Loss Record Two of the main contenders in the RU South opened up a series in Marston at Legends Field as the homestanding Nine outscored Sugar Valley 9-7. Both clubs have potent offenses and showed it today as they got 11 hits apiece. First place Marston was led by first baseman Johnny Berthold (.278), who hammered his 13th homer and drove in three runs, center fielder Tommy Reinhold (.299) with three hits and two RBIs and right fielder Chris Deangelo (.288) with a pair of RBIs. Pacing the fourth place Rattlers were left fielder Cy Bartz (.286) with 3-for-4 and two RBIs and third baseman Jorge Vargas (.333) with 2-for-4 and an RBI. Bartz hit his 3rd homer and Vargas slammed his 8th. Second baseman Rudi Oliver (.358) tripled in two runs. It was a dismal day for the pitchers. Marston starter Casey Ledbetter was looking for his 8th win and got it, but he was shelled for six runs and departed in the seventh with a 7-6 lead. Closer Milt Wilson (2-3 3.46) gave up a run in the eighth, but pitched a strong ninth, setting Sugar Valley down in order for his 3rd save. Rattler Nickie Lynn (1-2 5.21) making his first start of the season didn't fare well and was tagged with the loss, giving up seven runs and 10 hits before being relieved in the sixth. Even Gregg Neal (4-2 2.05), the Rattlers outstanding closer had problems and was ripped for the eventual winning runs in the two-run seventh. Sugar Valley (21-22) fought hard, but still lost its seventh in a row and dropped below the .500 mark. The Rattlers are fourth, 3.5 games behind Marston, which improved to 25-19 on the year and is in the top spot in the RU South standings. Sugar Valley broke the loss record that was set at six by Bay St. Clair on April 29. 'Jacks Takes 7th Straight Victory Forest City won its seven straight victory and luck had nothing to do with it. Righthander Glenn Moore (5-1 2.10) hurled a strong game, holding Waleska to just six hits in the 4-1 game at Riverside Stadium in the capitol city. He fanned five, walked three and gave up no earned runs. The Lumberjacks jumped on Smokey Joe Carter (6-5 3.10) for four runs in the first frame and were never headed. Carter was gone after two innings and suffered the loss. Right fielder Bennie Davis (.251) topped Forest City with three hits and two RBIs, including his 10th roundtripper. Second sacker Jesse Wolf (.301) singled in the other two scores. The Lumberjacks (24-21) are in the second spot in the RU South Division, only 1.5 games behind Marston (25-19). The Westerners (22-23) fell below .500 and are in third place. Diamonds Nip Sunbirds 4-3 for 5th in a Row Last place Claxton has won its last five outings and Belair Beach has fallen in its last five. The Diamonds nipped the Sunbirds 4-3 behind a complete game by Dennis Scott. Claxton took an early 4-0 lead after three innings against starter and loser Ken Frey (1-3 4.17) and then held on as Belair Beach mounted a comeback with two in the fourth and one in the eighth. Right fielder Dixie Baker (.333) continued to deliver in the clutch with a three-run homer, his 15th this season. He has 39 RBIs all total. Second baseman Donny McCoy (.374) got the other RBI. Left fielder Nickie Swift (.327) jacked his 16th to account for a pair of runs and right fielder Matty McDermott (.326) doubled in the other one for the Sunbirds. Swift and Baker are running 1-2 in the RU home run race. Scott (3-4 3.78) allowed nine hits, struck out seven and walked only two in a fine performance. Lyndon Yarbrough (0-1 5.70) and Stan Mosley (2-2 5.01) stood out in relief roles for Belair Beach as they combined to shut out Claxton over the final six frames. Claxton (20-25) is in the division basement, but they are not playing like a last place club. The Sunbirds (21-23) are in the fifth spot in the RU South, but only four games off the pace. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Saturday, June 1, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Nats Take Series Opener from Zorros 7-5 They were outhit 10-6 but that didn't matter to the first place Ozarka Naturals, they still won the game 7-5 in the opener of a five-game series with third place Luxora. The Zorros have now lost the last eight games, a new IPA record. All the scoring was done early in the game and was over by the fifth inning. Right fielder Denny Little (.194) and third baseman Doug Cunningham (.239) led the Ozarka attack. Little belted a three-run homer and Cunningham hit a two-run double. For the Zorros left fielder Tom Fortunato (.289) and shortstop Kris Baker (.246) both had two-run doubles. Both clubs got outstanding pitching the remainder of the game. Alec DiMaggio (5-2 1.86) got his 2nd save with three scoreless innings in relief of winning pitcher Donnie Young. Young was battered for ten hits and five runs in six innings. Catching the loss was Francisco Fernandes (4-4 3.53), who gave up seven runs and four hits in three innings. Three walks really hurt him and aided in the Ozarka victory. The Nats (25-19) lead the TU East Division, while Luxora (21-21) is trying to hold on to third, three games out of first. Ninjas Nudge CC 5-4, Slip into 2nd Place Ginza's left fielder Ronnie Graf saved the day when he cut down a runner in the ninth at home plate to end the game and gave the Ninjas a 5-4 triumph over the Cape Coral Hurricanes. The Ninjas are now all alone in second place in the TU East. Buddy Hart (2-3 4.56) was the winner with help from closer Ken Watkins (3-1 2.05), who saved his fifth game this season. Hart permitted three runs and six hits, suffered control problems in the seventh and needed relief. Watkins had to survive a rough ninth, when the Hurricanes closed the gap to one run. Both clubs had nine hits apiece. Cape Coral's Danny Mullins (.268) and shortstop Bobo Hatfield had two-run homers and shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.289) topped Ginza with 3 base hits. Ginza (23-21) is now in the second spot in the race and trails first place Ozarka (25-19) by two games. Cape Coral (21-22) dipped below the .500 mark and is in fourth place. Stallions Win 5th Straight, Escape Cellar South Fork made Hartsdale its fifth victim in a row and climbed ahead of them into fifth place. The Stallions squeezed by the Hellcats 5-4 on the strength of a pair of two-run homers by first baseman Alex Kesler (.219) and left fielder Mac Stewart (.259). For Hartsdale second baseman Francisco Abreu (.282) hit a two-run smash and drove in three runs in all. It was his 13th home run. Catcher Nick Griffin (.220) had a solo salvo. Glenn Turnbull (3-1 2.66) notched his first save this year in relief of starter Jerry Harrison (4-3 3.48), who got the win. Harrison allowed four runs and eight innings in seven-plus innings. The loser was Jim Sears (2-5 3.66), who worked six innings and yielded three runs and five hits. The South Fork Stallions (21-24) are in the fifth spot in the standings, while Hartsdale (20-24) tumbled into the cellar. |
Islandian Pro Alliance
Saturday, June 1, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division 5-Run Rally Wins It for Frogs A big 5-run rally in the eighth inning by the first place Fairfax Frogs carried them to a 7-6 win over Blue Lake and snapped their three-game winning skein. The big blow of the game was pinchhitter Ernie Hutchinson's base-clearing double that put the Frogs up 7-5. The Blue Sox outhit them 16 to 12, but Fairfax was more productive and took their third in a row. Shortstop Scoop Estes (.278) and first baseman Jeff Vretsos (.077) delivered two-run singles for the winners. Blue Lake was headed by third baseman Timmy Smith (.305) with 4-for-5, three runs scored and two RBIs. Center fielder Donnie Frazier chipped in two hits and two RBIs. Gerry Fisher (3-1 4.02) gained the victory with a scoreless seventh. Closer Takehide Takahashi (4-1 2.03) was shaky, but got his 4th save. He was tapped for five hits and a run in the last two innings. Reliever Derek Manetti (3-2 4.01) suffered the loss as he gave up the last two Frog runs in the eighth. First place Fairfax (29-14) is way ahead of everybody in the TU West, while Blue Lake (20-24) is 9.5 games behind them in fifth. Lynx Pound Bayview 10-6 There were plenty of hits in the La Claire bats today at Downtown Plaza Stadium in Bayview as they put a halt to a three-game skid. The Lynx lashed 14 of them in the 10-6 victory over the Vikings, sparked by left fielder Rich Hart's (.277) four RBIs and three hits, including his 11th home run and a double. Catcher Dennis Weiss (.299) also homered and knocked in three runs. On the mound Pat Daniels (4-2 4.09) did a decent job and got the win. He allowed four runs and six hits before heading to the showers in the eighth with the score 6-4 in his favor. Nick Pilsner (1-3 5.31), normally a starter, came in and was treated badly by Bayview. They got two runs and four hits off him before he could close them out with his first save. Starter Fred Snow (2-2 4.83) was bashed around by the Lynx and took the loss as they tagged him for six runs and eight hits before he left in the sixth. A four-run sixth and ninth by La Claire put away the Vikings. The La Claire Lynx (22-23) are in the third spot in the standings and are nine games off the pace. It was Bayview's (24-21) third successive defeat. The Viks are six games out and in the runner-up position. Merrill's HR in 9th Wins It It was a tight 1-1 duel until Matt Merrill stepped up to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth and put it out of the park for Arlon's fifth straight victory. The Arlon left fielder's three-run homer off loser Adam Lundgren (0-1 4.03) sent Bay St. Clair down to its fifth consecutive defeat by the score of 4-1. Lundgren only pitched to four batters. The winner was Jeff Nieman (5-0 1.53), who held the Buccaneers to a single hit in three innings of work. Merrill (.305) had three hits and three RBIs, while shortstop Bama Hartley (.291) contributed three hits as well. For Merrill it was his 9th roundtripper this season. First baseman Maury Smith (.367) smacked three hits for the Bucs and drove in the only run with a double. Both clubs got strong efforts from their starters. Norm Gross (5-4 3.38) checked Bay St. Clair on seven hits and one run in eight innings, while the Champs newcomer, Woody Fitzgerald (1-0 1.20) in only his second start, allowed only one run and six hits in six innings. The win moved Arlon (21-23) into fourth in the TU West Division, 8.5 games out of the top spot. Bay St. Clair (17-28) is in last place. |
1 Attachment(s)
Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, June 3, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - North Division Blasters Take Over First in RU North In the first game of a twinbill, the Colfax Blasters beat Elnora 4-1 for their third straight victory and took over the top spot in the RU North Division from the Far Mountain Redhawks by three percentage points. Harry Manning and closer Walt Sellers combined to send the All-Stars to a third consecutive defeat despite giving up 14 hits. Manning (6-4 3.44), bent, but didn't break, surrendering 11 hits in seven innings, but only one run. Manning struck out six and walked none. Sellers (1-1 1.65) took over in the eighth, permitted three hits, but no runs and got his 5th save. Tyrone Gray (2-3 3.14) was touched for all of the Blasters runs. Gray gave up ten hits and four runs in six-plus innings, finishing up with seven Ks and a walk. Center fielder Ronnie Wright (.321) and catcher Howie Peterson (.221) drove in runs in the sixth to put Colfax ahead for good and in the seventh left fielder Blinky Brandon (.302) added a two-run homer. Elnora manager Zoggy White told reporters, "In all of my experience as a player and a manager, I don't remember a team getting 14 hits and scoring only one run." Colfax improved to 26-18, while cellar-dwelling Elnora dropped to 18-28. All-Stars Split, Blasters Fall to 2nd Place In the nightcap stylish Elnora southpaw Carl Costas hurled a four-hitter to beat Colfax 5-3 at Mountain View Stadium and put an end to a three-game skid. At the same time the All-Stars ended the Blasters winning string at three and knocked them out of first place with the split. Costas (3-6 3.36) has pitched better than his record shows and would have shutout Colfax except for first baseman Dennis Cole's (.291) three-run homer in the fourth inning, his 13th this season. That gave the Blasters a 3-2 lead until Elnora rallied for three runs in the seventh. The 24-year-old Costas fanned three and walked two in a fine complete-game effort. Elnora smacked 14 hits and were led by center fielder Rusty Gilbert (.303) and shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.311), who each had three hits in the game. Gilbert scored twice and hit his 3rd homer. It was rocky going for Robbie Smith (1-2 2.83) in his first start this year. He has pitched very well in middle relief, but the All-Stars ripped him for five runs and 13 hits in just six-plus innings. Colfax (26-19) fell a half-game behind Far Mountain (27-19) in the battle for the top spot in the RU North. Elnora (19-28) is in the division basement 8.5 games behind the Redhawks. V's Clip Redhawks 2-1, Kivett Winner Kit Kivett of the Volusia Vigilantes has only been on the roster for about 10 days, but he is making his name known very quickly in RU North circles. Kivett (3-0 1.38) won his third straight start and knocked the Far Mountain Redhawks temporarily out of first place in the division with a narrow 2-1 triumph. The Redhawks reclaimed it when Colfax lost the nightcap to Elnora. In a sharp performance Kivett held them to six hits and one run, but needed help from the V's fine closer Ricky Moreno (3-1 2.42) in the ninth. He relieved Kivett when he walked the lead-off batter. Moreno promptly retired the next three batters to get his 6th save. Doubles by right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.295) and second baseman Shirai Kobayashi (.292) got Far Mountain the lead in the second inning. Volusia tied it in the fourth on shortstop Scooter Perez's (.352) triple and an RBI ground out by left fielder Jesus Arroyo (.252). They teamed up again in the sixth for the winning run. Perez doubled, was sacrificed to third and scored when Arroyo grounded out. Vic Vaux (4-2 3.08) lost a tough one. He only gave up two run in six innings. Far Mountain (27-19) fell to second place behind Colfax in the RU North standings, while Volusia (20-26) is in the fifth spot. The Redhawks are in virtual tie with the Colfax Blasters (25-18). Valmara Crushed A's 13-7 The Valmara bats really rattled the boards as the Vipers pounded 19 hits in a 13-7 victory over the Glasco Athletics. Valmara broke a five-game losing streak and put a halt to Glasco's three-game win string. Right fielder Jet Kazmarek (.269) went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, four runs and three stolen bases, center fielder Jan Szymanski (.248) was also 4-for-5 with four RBIs and catcher Yoshi Motsuzuki (.305) had a perfect day, going 5-for-5, including his 5th home run, set an IPA mark for runs with five and drove in a pair of runs. The A's did some fine hitting, too, with 13 hits. The two clubs came within one of the most hits in a game with 32. Second baseman Barry McCord (.283) had two hits, a double and a homer, and four RBIs to pace Glasco. Left fielder Ox Beauvais (.365) went 3-for-4 and got his 10th roundtripper. Gerry Bart picked up the win for the Vipers, but lasted only until the seventh. He was tagged for six runs and nine hits before departing. Closer Danny Blauser (3-1 1.99) finished for him and gave up one run and four hits over the last two-plus innings. Loser Ernie McCain (2-5 3.88) departed in the fourth after being shelled for six runs and nine hits. Kazmarek leads the IPA with 21 stolen bases. His three stolen bases tied the single-game record, currently held by Gerald Davis of Far Mountain, Lonnie Howard of Elnora and Paco Benitez of Ozarka. Glasco (22-21) is in third place in the division, 3.5 games behind Far Mountain (27-19). Valmara (22-23) is fourth and trails by 4.5 games. |
1 Attachment(s)
Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, June 3, 2001 Tycobbian Union - East Division Z's Pierce Stops Losses at 8 Games In Ozarka, 22-year-old Chris Pierce of the Luxora Zorros stopped the first place Naturals 6-1 on seven hits and also put a stop to his club's recording-setting losing streak at 8 games. Pierce (5-2 2.66), a righty, tossed a strong game with seven Ks and only one walk. He outpitched Luther Hatch (6-4 3.30), who had a tough outing, yielding six runs and six hits before exiting in the sixth. Right fielder Pedro Vizquel (.306) paced the Z's with two doubles and two RBIs. Second baseman Paco Benitez (.276) and first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.318) chipped in three hits apiece. The Nats rightfielder Denny Little (.197) put up their only run with his 3rd homer of the season. Hurricanes Stun Ninjas in 9th 8-7 In Cape Coral in the first game of a doubleheader, the Hurricanes stunned the Ginza Ninjas 8-7 with a four-run rally in the ninth, highlighted by first baseman Rodger Wooten's two-run walk-off homer. Going into the last inning Ginza's Kojiro Matsumoto (6-1 3.74) had things well in hand with a 7-4 lead and 11 strikeouts, but closer Ken Watkins (3-2 2.73) couldn't stop the 'Canes and lost it. Doug Lyons (2-2 6.03) chalked up the win with three perfect innings of relief, retiring all nine batters he faced. Right fielder Danny Mullins (.304), shortstop Bobo Hatfield (.273) and left fielder Earl Giles (.250) all drove in two runs for Cape Coral. The Ninjas were sparked by catcher Katsuya Noguchi (.354) with three hits, a double, triple and home run, and 4 RBIs. He also scored three times. Ninjas Win Nightcap 4-2 Over CC Ginza gained a split in the twinbill with Cape Coral, winning 4-2 in the nightcap. Kazuhiru Nakayama (5-6 2.60) went the distance, allowed seven hits, fanned six and walked three. Left fielder Ronnie Graf belted a three-run double in the fourth inning to lead the Ninjas. First baseman Rodger Wooten (.301) got another ninth-inning homer, but it didn't win the game this time around. It was his 12th of the year. Kaz Hayagawa went six innings and got the loss. Ginza got to him for four runs and six hits in six innings. 'Cats Reed Ends South Fork Streak at 5 Hartsdale's Phil Reed put the clamps on South Fork hitters and put an end to the Stallions win streak at five. In the 5-2 victory Reed (5-1 2.59) limited them to just four hits, while striking out five and walking two. 19-year-old second baseman Whiz Weaver (.308) had a pair of hits and two RBIs to pace the Hellcats. Center fielder Greg Reynolds (.240) and left fielder Jay Luna (.277) both cracked two hits and scored twice in the Hartsdale 9-hit attack. Ken Olson (3-5 3.36) netted the loss, but pitched well, permitting three runs, only two earned, and six hits in seven innings. He fanned five and walked one. |
1 Attachment(s)
Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, June 3, 2001 Ruthlandian Union - South Division Pace Fans 13 Rattlers, SV Loses 8th in a Row Nick Pace, a big 6'5" righthander for Marston, was in all his glory today as he fanned 13 Spring Valley Rattlers in a 3-2 victory, giving them a record-setting eight consecutive defeats. The Nine are in first place in the RU South and have won three in a row. Pace (6-5 3.90) yielded six hits in a route-going performance and issued only one free pass. First baseman Johnny Berthold (.277) hit his 14th roundtripper to cut the Rattler lead to 2-1 in the fourth. The Nine took the lead 3-2 in the fifth on center fielder Tommy Reinhold's (.304) two-run single and then rode Pace's arm to victory. Third baseman Jorge Vargas (.346) had three hits for Sugar Valley, including his 9th home run, and scored both runs. Paul Haines (0-3 4.20) was the starter and loser, surrendering five hits and all three runs in seven good innings. He whiffed six and walked three. Lumberjacks Bushwhack Westerners for 8th Straight Righthander Gene Stuart had it when he needed it in the Forest City 5-2 triumph over Waleska at Riverside Park. It was the Lumberjacks eighth win in succession, just one short of the IPA record. The Westerners outhit the 'Jacks 10-6, but couldn't come through when they had to. Stuart (5-2 3.90) had five strikeouts and a walk in a gritty outing. Gary Hill (4-2 4.14) got hung with the loss as he was tagged for five runs - only three earned - and all six hits by the time he departed in the sixth. Hill set down seven on strikes and walked none. First baseman Johnny Mack Butler (.273) hit a two-run homer for Forest City and shortstop Jesse Pearson (.282) slap a solo shot. Shortstop Errol Eichhorn (.258) put one in the stands for Waleska. Forest City is second in the RU South race, 1.5 games back of the top team, the Marston Nine. Sunbirds Stop Diamonds 5-Game Streak in Opener In the opener of a doubleheader, the Claxton Diamonds five-game win skein came to a halt at the hands of Belair Beach, who were in the throes of a five-game losing stretch. The Sunbirds came back from a 4-2 third-inning deficit and nipped them 5-4 at Avalon Stadium. In the top of the ninth, right fielder Matty McDermott (.328) beat out an infield hit to plate the winning run. Terry Christian (1-1 4.50) collected the victory. He went eight innings, gave up seven hits and four runs with eight strikeouts. Closer Lou Zanelli (5-2 2.25) notched his 6th save with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. Belair Beach rapped out 14 hits and were led by second baseman Rick Sullivan (.280) with 3-for-5 and two runs scored and first baseman Phil Gravelli (.327) with 2-for-4 and two RBIs. Reliever Alex Vanzetti (2-1 2.49) came on in the ninth and sustained the loss. Claxton managed eight hits off of Sunbird pitching. Sunbirds Sweep Claxton 5-1 Behind Thompson Belair Beach came into the twinbill today on a long five-game losing streak and came out of it with a sweep of the Claxton Diamonds. The Sunbirds took the second game with their ace on the mound. Carl Thompson (7-3 1.45), a rock-solid southpaw, held the Diamonds to just five hits, while fanning seven and walking only two. It was Thompson 7th win of the season. Left fielder Nicky Swift (.335) provided the firepower with two hits and three RBIs. The losing pitcher was starter Zach Nuxhall (2-5 4.91), who was KO'd in the fifth after surrendering five runs and seven hits. Belair Beach is now third in the RU South standings, 3.5 games behind the leader, the Marston Nine. |
1 Attachment(s)
Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, June 3, 2001 Tycobbian Union - West Division Frogs Take Close One From Blue Sox 4-2 The TU West leader, the Fairfax Frogs, scored early with three runs in the third and then held on to whip Blue Lake 4-2 at Harbor Stadium. The red-hot Frogs notched their fourth consecutive win. Ancient Johnny Schleussler (3-4 4.01) tossed a fine game, holding the Blue Sox to eight hits and two runs over eight innings. The 40-year-old righthander gave up a lead-off single in the ninth, so manager Harry Buckley called in Mel Murray (3-3 4.54) and he closed it out with no more damage for his first save. First baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.294) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Frogs at bat. He got some help from shortstop Warren Lee (.288), who was 3-for 4 and an RBI and center fielder Billy Echevarria (.258) with the other RBI. Jay Clay (4-3 2.65) was tacked with the loss as Fairfax collected nine hits and all four runs off him in seven innings. The Frogs have an eight-game lead over runner-up Bayview in the Tycobbian Union West. LC Lynx Outpowers Viks 6-3 Three homers were too much for Bayview to overcome as the La Claire Lynx edged within a half-game of second place with a 6-4 victory. First baseman Al Tisak (.151) and shortstop Dirk Lindahl (.263) hit solo shots, while catcher Dennis Weiss (.298) KO'd the Vikings with a three-run homer in the sixth to make the score 4-3. Jerry Smith (6-5 3.96) gave up a lot hits, 11 in all, but only surrendered three earned runs. Smith powder-puffed his way to his 6th win. Loser Charley Andrews (5-4 4.91) allowed the three home runs, five runs and seven hits in six innings of work. Bayview shortstop Shorty Richards (.253) drove in two runs in defeat and had two hits. Bayview is in second place in the TU West, eight games in back of first place Fairfax, who is running away with the division. The Lynx are third, 8.5 games out. Champs Slip Past Buccaneers 5-4 in Opener In the first game of two at Shoreline Park in Bay St. Clair, fourth place Arlon slipped past the Bucs 5-4, paced by home runs by third baseman Archie Berry (.250) and shortstop Bama Hartley (.288). Berry had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Champs. Jim Davis (1-0 5.74) corraled the win by going into the seventh and holding Bay St. Clair to three runs. Rod Kelley registered the save, his first of the season, although he allowed a run and two hits in his two-plus innings. The longball did Gary Robinson in again - he has given up 13 this year. Arlon pummeled him for five runs and nine hits in six innings. Both ballclubs socked 11 hits each, with Bucs center fielder Nicky Friedrich (.310) going 3-for-4 and driving in a pair of runs. First baseman Maury Smith (.376), who is the top hitter in the Tyrobbian Union, rapped three hits and scored three times. Champs Take Two from Bucs for 7th in a Row Back-to-back homers in the twelfth enabled Arlon to take both ends of the twinbill from last place Bay St. Clair, making it seven wins in a row for them. Second baseman Karl Detwiler (.304) slammed a three-run clout off losing pitcher Ken Kazak (0-2 5.24) and shortstop Bama Hartley (.289) followed it with another one to make the score 7-3. Rod Kelley (2-1 3.46) notched the win in two innings of relief, although he did allow the Buccaneers to tie it 3-3 with an unearned run in the last of the eleventh. All total, the Champs hammered four homers on the day with Detwiler getting two of them. He tied the game in the eleventh with a solo shot. First baseman George Lyons (.236) had the other one, also a one-run blast in the second inning. The twin defeats gave the Bucs seven successive losses, a new IPA record. Second baseman Tony Mann (.335) and left fielder Charley Moon (.268) homered for Bay St. Clair and third baseman Bobby Tracy (.320) banged out four hits. Detwiler had four RBIs and three hits in the game. The starting pitchers for both clubs excelled with the Bucs Ben Crowley (2-4 4.32) hurling a very sharp nine innings, holding Bay St. Clair to six hits and only two runs and Craig Smith (6-3 3.10) allowing two runs and eight hits over his seven innings. Crowley walked no one and struck out nine, while Smith had five Ks and no walks. Earlier in the year Bay St. Clair suffered six consecutive defeat to establish the IPA record. The sweep put Arlon in a tie for the third spot in the TU West Division with the La Claire Lynx. |
The Islandian Times
Monday, June 4, 2001 Bayview's Kanaan TU Player of the Week Phil Kanaan captured all the headlines last week and today he added to his booty with the Tycobbian Union Player of the Week trophy. The Bayview Vikings center fielder hammered league hurlers for 19 hits in 34 at-bats, a .559 average and 2 home runs. He also collected 11 RBIs and 8 runs scored. A look at his season totals shows Kanaan with 6 home runs, .353 BA, .401 OBP, 27 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Berthold of Marston Wins RU Award Johnny Berthold of the Marston Nine had a fantastic week and today was voted the Player of the Week by the Ruthlandian Union. For the week Berthold batted .476 (10-21) with 4 home runs and 11 RBIs. Berthold is currently batting .277 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs. |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:29 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.10
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright © 2024 Out of the Park Developments