Attachment 1054816
Monday, October 11, 2088

SUMMERLAND AND OZARKA ARE THE DARLINGS OF THE PLAYOFFS
Two overlooked teams are making big waves in the Islands baseball playoffs. In the Tycobbian Union #8 Summerland and #6 Ozarka have shocked the higher-ranked #1 La Claire and #3 Hartsdale by sweeping the first two games of their first-round clashes. Over in the Ruthlandian Union as expected the Forest City Firebirds are red-hot with two consecutive victories over the Belair Beach Sunbirds. In the other RU First Round Series, La Grange and Belle Plaine have split their first two contests. Each series will now switch towns for the next part of the IPA postseason series.

Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series
FC FIREBIRDS ON FIRE, SOCK IT TO SUNBIRDS AGAIN IN GAME 2
One of the top teams in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs the Forest City Firebirds socked it to the Belair Beach Sunbirds again for the second afternoon in a row at home. The Firebirds thumped the Sunbirds 5-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the Ruthlandian Union best-of-seven first-round series. Youthful Matty O'Mara (20-7/3.21 ERA), a 20-year-old rookie, stumped Belair Beach 5-1, holding them to just 4 hits, while striking out 7 and walking 4 in 8 innings of work. Curt Leininger worked a scoreless 9th to wrap up the game. Another rookie Jim Mitchum (14-12/3.24 ERA), just 20, was nailed with the loss after allowing 5 runs in 7 frames. Pacing the Forest City attack was Fuzz Smiley and Clete Ward with roundtrippers. It was Smiley's second day in a row to go deep. The Firebirds got 9 hits, all of the them given up by starter Mitchum.

GATORS ONLY GET 2 HITS, BUT KNOT THE SERIES WITH MUSKETEERS
Belle Plaine starter Allie Tuthill had a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead heading into the last of the 7th frame, when the LaGrange bats suddenly flared up with two away. After a base on balls Guy Masson got the first hit and doubled in the tying score. Tommy Cantrell followed with a game-winning single to send the poor Tuthill down to defeat after a superlative start. That knotted the series at one game apiece. The Gators got a strong performance from its own starter Orin Wessex (16-11/3.31 ERA), who fired a complete game, permitted only one run on 5 hits with one walk and 6 Ks. Tuthill walked 5 batters and fanned 7 in 7 and two-thirds innings. Belle Plaine only score came of a home run by Olav Frandsen in the 3rd inning. Games three, four and five are slated for Musketeer Field in Belle Plaine, beginning Wednesday afternoon.

Tycobbian Union First-Round Series
SUNSETS STUN LA CLAIRE ON DIEPPE GRAND SLAM, SWEEP BOTH GAMES ON THE ROAD
Defending IPA Pro Cup champion La Claire was ready in game two with Sookie Garsett, last year's Pro Cup MVP with a 6-0 mark and a fantastic 0.81 ERA on the mound. As expected Garsett (18-4/2.55 ERA) did his job, turning the game over to ace closer Von Eldredge (4-3/2.96 ERA/17 saves/55 games) with a 5-2 lead in the 7th. That was the formula last year in the playoffs. It didn't pay off this time around -- Devereaux Dieppe spoiled it with a grand slammer that gave the Sunsets a 6-5 lead. Summerland added an additional run in the 9th and toppled the stunned Lynx 7-5 for a totally unexpected 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. In a workhorse outing winning pitcher Joren Vanderzee (18-11/2.75 ERA) lasted the whole game, allowing 3 earned runs and 7 hits with 3 bases on balls and 8 strikeouts. Summerland collected 12 hits with three players getting 2 hits each: Norris Chance, Gerrit Maas and Kent Monford. Montford doubled in 2 runs. Dicky Norman was La Claire top bat with 2 hits and 3 RBIs. The series will switch to Sunset Stadium in Summerland for at least games three and four with the possibility of game five, too.

NATS CHAUCER DOMINATES HELLCATS WITH 13 KS FOR 2-0 SERIES EDGE
Ozarka rookie southpaw Miles Chaucer (19-9/2.58 ERA) continued his winning ways by dominating the favored Hartsdale Hellcats in the second game of the Tycobbian First-Round Series. For the second straight game the Naturals stiffed the Hellcats 6-1, banging out 12 hits overall. Chaucer was magnificent with 13 strikeouts and only one base on balls. Going the route the 21-year-old twirler limited Hartsdale to one run and 6 hits. Leading the way at the plate were Ernie Packenham and Deke Gallagher with 3 hits apiece and Rikki Inkamara and Vladya Grigorovich with 2 hits each. Grigorovich sparked them with 3 runs batted in. Hartsdale starter Emile Beranger (16-9/2.73 ERA) pitched well, but tasted defeat. He gave up 3 scores, but only one was earned in 6 and two-thirds innings. The best-of-seven series will resume at Ellie Ewing Stadium in Ozarka after a day off for travel. If needed, games three, four and five will be played there.
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Attachment 1055014
Wednesday, October 13, 2088

TOP-RANKED POWERS LA CLAIRE AND HARTSDALE ON THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION
It's going to take a couple of miracles for Pro Cup favorite La Claire and highly-regarded Hartsdale to get past the first round in the IPA playoffs. And just in case you don't know it, miracles very rarely happen in postseason baseball in the Islands. These two Tycobbian Union powerhouses are down 3-0 in best-of-seven series. Only 5 times in 87 years has a team managed to do this. The last 3-0 miracle comeback was in 2080 when White River rallied against East Point. Two overlooked ballclubs Summerland and Ozarka have so far accomplished the highly improbable. The Sunsets have dealt the current Pro Cup champion La Claire Lynx three straight defeats and the Ozarka Naturals have done the same thing to the Hartsdale Hellcats.

Competition has been better in the Ruthlandian Union where Forest City and Belle Plaine are up 2-1 in their series against Belair Beach and La Grange.

Tycobbian Union First Round Series
SUMMERLAND SHOCKS LA CLAIRE 3RD TIME IN A ROW AND NEARS SWEEP
Defending Pro Cup champ La Claire went into the 8th frame with a 3-2 edge, but they couldn't stop the determined Summerland Sunsets, who rallied for a 4-3 triumph and captured their third victory in a row in the best-of-seven series. Bok de Korver tied the score up with a double and Dutch Verlander drilled the go-ahead single to bring home the win. Losing pitcher Roger Arenado (16-10/2.82 ERA) started and did very well until the ill-fated 8th. Overall he gave up 4 runs in his 7 innings with 5 walks and 6 strikeouts. Three Summerland hurlers combined for the win. Cees De Groot (14-12/2.59 ERA) tossed 7 solid frames, yielding 3 runs on 6 hits with one walk and 4 Ks. His bullpen came in and finished the job. Jaime Osorio (4-2/3.03 ERA/3 saves/44 games) got the win with a runless 8th and Rik Boone (2-8/3.13 ERA/20 saves/62 games) notched the save with a scoreless 9th. The Sunsets got 8 hits in the game, while the Lynx only mustered 7. La Claire's best bat was Sonny Zambello with 2 for 3 and 3 runs scored. Game four will also be in Summerland.

NATS ROOKIE PASSMAN SHUTS DOWN HELLCATS FOR 3-0 SERIES LEAD
Ozarka's 19-year-old pitcher Ron Passman (14-13/2.76 ERA) had a strong outing and defeated the Hartsdale Hellcats 4-2 to give the Naturals a 3-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. The Nats are just one win away from eliminating the favored Hellcats. Passman held Hartsdale to 6 hits, fanned 7 batters and walked only one in a route-going performance. He outhurled Willie Ditchburn (18-5/2.38 ERA), who worked a fair game, allowing 3 runs and 9 hits in 6 innings. Ozarka cracked 12 hits in the game, led by Ernie Packenham with 3 hits. Banger Barnhill and Tommy Kingston each contributed a pair of hits. Gerrit Troost and Jorah Hladki belted solo roundtrippers to pace the Hellcats. The Naturals will try to wrap up the series in game four, also at Ellie Ewing Stadium in Ozarka.

Ruthlandian Union First Round Series
36-YEAR-OLD VET POIROT STAVES OFF FIREBIRDS IN GAME 3, GETS SUNBIRDS BACK IN THE SERIES
It took a 14-year grizzled veteran portsider Felix Poirot (8-6/3.60 ERA) to cool off the sizzling Forest Hill Firebirds. He gutted out a complete game and got his Belair Beach Sunbirds back in the postseason picture with a 5-4 victory in the third game of the series on his homefield Bayside Park. Poirot bent, but didn't break, permitting 4 runs on 9 hits, while walking 4 batters and whiffing 3. The Sunbirds broke up a 2-2 duel with Thomas Tate (18-8/3.18 ERA) in the last of the 7th when Lucky Hayden doubled in 2 runs and Jermaine La Rocque bashed an RBI base hit to put them ahead to stay. Poirot survived 3 solo homers, 2 by Clete Ward and one by Willie Collingham. It was Ward's 3rd clout of the series. Dutch Van Donk smacked 2 hits, a triple and a homer and drove in 3 runs to pace the Sunbirds. Mees Achthoven also rapped a pair of hits. In spite of the loss, Forest City outhit Belair Beach 9 to 7. Tate sustained the loss, working 6 and one-third innings, giving up 5 runs and 7 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. Game four and five will be played in Belair Beach.

BELLE PLAINE'S GIROUD WINS GEM FROM LAGRANGE'S HAYWORTH, BUT MUSKIES STILL TRAIL 2-1 IN SERIES
It was nip-and-tuck between Marcel Giroud (11-10/3.65 ERA) and Cale Hayworth (13-9/3.27 ERA) until the bottom of the 6th frame when Belle Plaine took charge on Callum Hayford's bases-loaded game-winning fly ball. Winning pitcher Giroud tossed 7 and two-thirds innings, surrendering only one run on Tommy Cantrell's second-inning blast. Giroud sat down 8 on strikes, walked 2 batters and gave up 5 hits. Johnny Koonce (12-5/4.15 ERA) was perfect in relief, retiring all 4 batters he faced, fanning 2 of them. Hayworth took the loss, but only allowed one earned run in 6 innings and 4 hits. Claude Mayeux led off the game and sent one soaring out of the park for the Musketeers. The Gators prevailed in the first two games of the best-of-seven series. The Muskies are back in the series but still trail two games to one with games four and five at their home ballpark Musketeer Field.
Attachment 1055015

Attachment 1055159
FIRST ROUND OVER IN TU AS SUMMERLAND AND OZARKA SWEEP POWERHOUSES LA CLAIRE AND HARTSDALE
IPA champion La Claire and highly-regarded Hartsdale had their Pro Cup hopes shattered as unsung and unheralded Summerland and Ozarka did a broom job on them and eliminated them in the very first round of the Tycobbian Union playoffs. The Sunsets and Naturals will now square off against one another in the TU Title Series.

And it looks like the Ruthlandian Union First Round may go just about as quickly. Forest City and Belle Plaine have nabbed three of the first four games of the best-of-seven series and could soon knock out the Belair Beach Sunbirds and the La Grange Gators from the postseason.

Tycobbian Union First Round
SUNSETS KAYOED LYNX IN STUNNING 4-GAME SWEEP
In a stunning surprise the lowly Summerland Sunsets shocked the current Pro Cup champion and this year's favorite La Claire by sweeping all four first-round games in the Tycobbian Union. Paul Pegram (2-0/1.00 ERA) was double trouble for the Lynx. After whipping them 2-1 in the series opener, Pegram finished them off with a strong 4-1 complete-game victory, stopping them on 6 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeout. He outpitched 22-game winner Doug Bartels twice and dealt him 2 defeats. Bartels was tagged for 4 runs and 8 hits in his 7 innings. Light-hitting Summerland was sparked by Kent Montford (.417 BA) with a solo home run and got RBIs from Norris Chance (.353 BA) and Bok de Korver (.154 BA).

NATS KNOCK OUT AND SWEEP FAVORED HELLCATS
The upstart Ozarka Naturals totally dominated the highly-heralded Hartsdale Hellcats in first-round play in the Tycobbian Union. The Nats sweep four straight games and only allowed 5 runs. Pitchers Miles Chaucer (2-0/1.00 ERA), Mordecai Partridge (1-0/1.00 ERA) and Ron Passman (1-0/2.00 ERA) tossed four complete games to knock the Hartsdale out of the playoffs. Ozarka wrapped up the series with a 3-1 win behind Chaucer, who again went the distance in game four and held the heavy-hitting Hellcats to just 4 hits, while striking out 7 and walking only one batter. Mickey Houlihan (.500 BA) snapped a scoreless duel with Sid Humphrey (0-2/6.28 ERA) by tripling and scoring on a wild pitch in the 4th frame. In the 7th Banger Barnhill (.375 BA) added to the lead with a 2-run two-bagger, making it 3-0. Hartsdale got its only score in the top of the 9th on a home run by Jorah Hladki (.312 BA). It was his 3rd solo shot in four games. Humphrey went all the way, permitted 3 runs on 9 hits, fanning 4 and walking 3. Neither Ozarka, nor Summerland has ever won a Pro Cup. The Naturals have been to the Pro Cup Finals 5 times and lost each time. The Sunsets have made it 3 times and lost them all.

Ruthlandian Union First Round Series
FC FIREBIRDS NICK BB SUNBIRDS IN GAME 4, NOW UP 3-1
At Bayside Park in Belair Beach, Forest City prevailed in a tense pitching duel to take game four of its RU first-round series 3-2 in 10 innings. The Firebirds had to rally in the late innings. In the 8th frame Jim Raver (.412 BA) tied it up 2-2 with an RBI double that scored Willie Collingham (.385 BA) and Fuzz Smiley (.308 BA) nailed it down when he doubled in the 10th and drove in Collingham again with the winning run. This put the Firebirds in front three games to one and on the verge of going into the RU Title Series. 20-game winner Matty O'Mara (2-0/1.50 ERA) won his second game of the series. He went the route, shackled the Sunbirds on 7 hits, while firing strikes past 8 batters and issuing just one base on balls. Belair Beach starter Georgie Adams had the upper hand with a 2-1 lead through 6 frames. Adams was wild with 6 walks, but he restricted the Firebirds to just 3 hits. His bullpen couldn't hold the lead for him. The defeat went to closer Orval Columbus (0-1/3.38 ERA), who worked the fatal 10th inning. Belair Beach jumped off to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame on Dirk MacIntyre's (.188 BA) RBI double and Dion Gallimore's (.188 BA) run-scoring base hit. Both clubs had 7 hits each. Forest City was paced by Collingham and Raver with 2 hits apiece. Jermaine La Rocque (.500 BA) cracked 2 hits in 4 at bats for Belair Beach. The 5th game is also slated for Bayside Park in Belair Beach.

MUSKETEERS POWER PAST GATORS WITH 4 HOMERS IN GAME 4, TAKE 3-1 LEAD IN RU SERIES
At Musketeer Field in Belle Plaine, the hometown team socked 4 out of the park and got solid pitching from Anton Petit in a 6-2 drubbing of the LaGrange Gators. Jean-Paul Lacombe (.417 BA) slammed 2 of the roundtrippers and drove in 3 runs, Callum Hayford (.231 BA) belted a 2-run job and Jace De Grom (.143 BA) hit a solo swat. Petit (1-0/3.24 RA) had a fine outing and went the distance, holding the potent Gators to 7 hits with 6 Ks and 4 walks. Orin Wessex (1-1/4.02 ERA) was torched for the 4 homers and took the defeat. After shutting the Muskies out for the first 5 frames, he was scorched for 6 runs and 8 hits in 6 and two-thirds innings. Lacombe led Belle Plaine with 3 hits. The fifth game of the best-of-seven affair is also at Musketeer Field.
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Attachment 1055436
Friday, October 15, 2088

Ruthlandian Union First Round

BELLE PLAINE TOPS LAGRANGE TO ADVANCE TO THE RU TITLE SERIES
In game five of the Ruthlandian Union First Round at Musketeer Field in Belle Plaine, the Muskies finished off the LaGrange Gators 6-5 to cop the best-of-seven series four games to one and advance to the RU Title Series. Left fielder Callum Hayford (.312 BA) homered twice and batted in 4 scores to top the Musketeers at the plate. Third baseman Jace De Grom (.222 BA) went 2 for 4 and drove in a pair of runs. Claude Mayeux (.350 BA) pitched in with 3 hits and a run scored. Hayford won the game and the series with a solo shot in the last of the 8th inning sending reliever Jules Dufour (0-2/5.40 ERA) down to defeat. Hayford had a great series with 3 homers and 10 RBIs. Johnny Koonce (2-0/0.00 ERA) chalked up his second series victory with 2 runless innings. The big pitcher's battle between 20-game winner Richard Cartier (0-0/6.23 ERA) and Alfie Tuthill (7-2/2.17 ERA) never materialized. They both had a tough time and left the game with the score tied at 5-all. Belle Plaine now awaits the victor of the Forest City-Belair Beach tussle to see who they will be playing in the second round of the playoffs. The Firebirds are currently in the driver's seat with a three games to two edge. The series will be decided in Forest City, where the last two games are scheduled.

SUNBIRDS SKIM PAST FIREBIRDS TO NARROW RU SERIES TO 3-2
At home at Bayside Park, Belair Beach remained alive in the Ruthlandian Union First Round matchup by skimming past Forest City in a gripping 2-1 duel to cut the Firebirds' margin to three games to two. All the scoring came in the early going of the game. Forest City got its only runs on two errors in the opening frame, while Belair Beach tallied both its scores in the last of the 2nd. Catcher Taavo Dees (.231 BA) knocked in the first one with a double. He came in to score the eventual-winning run on a sac fly by third baseman Mees Achthoven (.222 BA). Gardiner Palmquist (1-1/3.09 ERA) got credit for the win with the aid of his bullpen buddies, Ty Griffith (0-0/7.36 ERA/2 games) and Orval Columbus (1-1/2.08 ERA/1 save/2 games). They combined to blank the potent Firebirds the last 3 and one-third frames. In a stellar stint Palmquist quelched Forest City on just one unearned run and 3 hits in his 5 and two-thirds innings. Also in a fine performance loser Shannon Slate (1-1/1.7 2 ERA) went the complete game for the Firebirds, holding the Sunbirds to 2 runs on 6 hits. Center fielder Kyran Carwell (.188 BA) made it close for the Firebirds in the 8th with a 3-run blast. The clubs will continue the series in Forest City with the last two games set for Riverside Stadium.

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Attachment 1056382
Sunday, October 17, 2088

SUNBIRDS FORCE FIREBIRDS TO 7TH-GAME FINALE
Game six of the Ruthlandian Union First Round Series at Riverside Stadium in Forest City was a spine-tingling back-and-forth affair finally decided in the 10th inning 5-4. Visiting Belair Beach scored the winning runs without the benefit of a base hit, taking advantage of reliever Curt Leininger's 4 walks. He walked in both runs by walking Jermaine La Rocque and Dutch Van Donk with the bases loaded. Forest City made it close in the bottom of the 10th frame, cutting it to one run on a sacrifice fly by Brodie Northern. The Sunbirds knotted up the best-of-seven series and forced a 7th-game finale, which will be played Monday again on the Firebirds' turf at Riverside Stadium.

Both starters, Georgie Adams (0-0/2.57 ERA/2 starts/14 IP) for Belair Beach and Kerby Mars (0-0/3.38 ERA/1 start/8 IP) did a quality job. They battled to a 3-3 draw after 8 innings. Alejandro Valera's double and Lucky Hayden's single put the Sunbirds ahead 1-0 in the 3rd. Brodie Northern was the man of the hour in the last of the fourth when he singled in 2 runs, putting Firebirds into the lead 2-1. Belair Beach regained the seesaw lead 3-2 back in the top of the 5th on a solo swat by Alejandro Valera and an RBI base hit by Dutch Van Donk. Cale Borden walloped a game-tying clout in the 7th frame, knotting it up a 3-all.

Valera (.167 BA) paced the Sunbirds with a homer, double and 3 runs scored. Van Donk (.238 BA) had 2 hits and 2 ribbies, while Hayden (.208 BA) contributed a pair of hits and an RBI. Northern (.200 BA) sparked the Firebirds at the plate with 3 hits and 3 RBIs. Cale Borden (.286 BA) cracked two hits, including a roundtripper.

Orval Columbus (1-1/1.69 ERA/1 save/3 games) notched the win with a scoreless 9th frame. Leininger (0-1/0.00 ERA/3 games) was stung with the loss. Belair Beach skipper Brock Josephson will send Gardiner Palmquist (14-11/3.65 ERA) to the hill in the deciding clash. Forest City manager Randy Snow has his ace Matty O'Mara (20-7/3.21 ERA) on the mound. In the postseason Palmquist is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in his 2 starts, while O'Mara is 2-0 with a nifty 1.50 ERA.
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Attachment 1056694
Monday, October 18, 2088

FIREBIRDS DRUB SUNBIRDS IN 7TH GAME, O'MARA WINS 3RD GAME TO ADVANCE TO THE RU TITLE ROUND
The whole story in the 7th game of the Ruthlandian Union First Round Series was Forest City's 20-year-old rookie right-hander Matty O'Mara, who fired a 5-hitter and drubbed the Belair Beach Sunbirds 7-1. He was in total command, struck out 10 batters, walked 3 and won his third game of the series. The youngster almost single-handedly won the best-of-seven series. O'Mara stumped the Sunbirds 5-1, 3-2 in 10 innings and 7-1 in the series-cinching 7th game. For the series O'Mara had a 1.00 ERA over 27 innings with 25 Ks with a 3-0 record. During the regular season he posted a sparkling 20-7 mark with a 3.21 ERA. Forest City now advances to the Ruthlandian Union Title Series, opposed by the Belle Plaine Musketeers, who disposed of the LaGrange Gators four games to one in the other RU First Round Series. Surprise First Round winners in the Tycobbian Union were Summerland and Ozarka. They both swept the favored La Claire Lynx and Hartsdale Hellcats in four straight games. The Sunsets and Naturals will tangle for the TU crown and a chance to make it to the IPA Pro Cup Finals.

The Forest City bats came alive early in game 7 pounding out 5 runs in the first 2 frames off starter Gardiner Palmquist (1-2/6.07 ERA). Tony Benedetti (.172 BA) and Cale Borden (.280 BA) led the way 2 RBIs apiece. The other runs were driven in by Clete Ward (.200 BA), Willie Collingham (.320 BA) and Jim Raver (.320 BA).
Attachment 1056695