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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, September 26, 2037 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series Ruthlandian Union COLD CREEK NEARS SWEEP, CRUSHES FTB 15-6 The Cold Creek Catamounts just might sweep Fort Benton in four games in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... the 'Cats crushed the Defenders 15-6 for their third consecutive victory... one more win and the season is over for Fort Benton... Cold Creek, not known for its hitting prowess, cracked 12 hits in the runaway and took advantage of 15 walks by the Defenders wild-and-wooly pitchers... losing pitcher Tommy Baylor set a Ruthlandian playoff record for the most walks allowed with 11... the old mark was 10. Cold Creek's top RBI men were CF Guy St. Laurent (.308) and LF Jim Howell (.308) with 3 each... 2B Simon Pembroke (.500) and PH Wayne Kenney (.500) had two apiece... St. Laurent got his second homer in the series... pitcher Baylor and RF Cayman Crittenden (.083) homered for Fort Benton. Fort Benton jumped on starter Jules Capet for 4 runs in the first inning and held the lead at 6-5 after four frames, but then fell apart when the Catamounts scored 3 in the fifth and 4 more in the sixth to take a 12-6 lead... George Bailey (1-0/0.00) got the win in relief with 4 shutout innings... Bailey whiffed 5 and surrendered only 2 hits... Mason Marsh finished up with a scoreless ninth... in a terrible outing Baylor (0-1) gave up 8 runs on just 4 hits, but walked 11 in just 4 and a third inning. 4 HRS POWER SPORTS TO FIRST WIN IN SERIES Four homers and a solid start by oldtimer Earl Perkins powered the LaGrange Sports to their first win over Waleska in the RU Elite 8 Series played at Sports Stadium... Tony Brinkerhoff, Claude DesJardins, Vasco Aguilar and Franny Franzoni all went deep and 34-year-old Earl Perkins put in a solid performance with a complete-game 8-3 win, reducing the Westerners' lead to two games to one... Perkins (1-0) struck out 5 and walked none, while giving up 7 hits and 3 runs... the Sports totaled 10 hits. C Tony Brinkerhoff (.750) led LaGrange with 3-4 and 3 RBIs... RF Franny Franzoni (.333) had 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored... and 2B Danny Webber (.667) chipped in with 2 hits and 3 runs... LF Frenchy Leboeuf's solo shot (.583) and PH Rusty Adler's (.500) 2-run homer provided all of Waleska's runs. Westerner starter Tony Haskell (0-1) was battered for 3 homers, 6 runs and 7 hits in his 4 innings and took the loss... he exited with the score 6-1. Tycobbian Union MONTIES MAUL HAWKS 9-3 IN THIRD GAME Rookie right-hander Benny Buckmaster got his San Alejo Montaneros back in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series with a 9-3 decision over defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, thus cutting the Hawks edge in the series to two games to one... after giving up 3 runs in the third, Buckmaster (1-0) shut the Hawks out the rest of the way, spacing out 9 hits in all with 5 Ks and no walks... offensively San Alejo was sparked by CF Dusty Rogan (.200) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run homer... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.455) and C Filipe Zamora (.313) added in 2 ribbies each. The Mountaneros ran up a 6-0 lead against losing pitcher Nelson Hooper (0-1), who departed in the fourth trailing by an 8-3 score... Hooper was tagged for 7 hits and walked 3 in a poor outing... RF Gerry Rice (.462), LF Adam Thurgood (.429) and 1B Ric Hamilton led the Hawks with one RBI each. LYNX STUN JAYS AGAIN, WIN 5-4 IN 10 For the third successive game, the unheralded La Claire Lynx have put it to the heavily-favored and number-one ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays and are now within one game of sweeping the TU Elite 8 Series... Billy Holland's tenth-inning walk-off single gave La Claire a 5-4 victory and a 3-0 lead in the series. Young right-hander Bruce Kinson, only 21 years old, won the biggest game of his fledging IPA career by hurling the entire 10 innings to beat the powerful Blue Jays... Kinson is only 27-28 in his three seasons, but today he was outstanding... Kinson stuck out 8, walked 3 and held the Tucks to 7 hits... Jeff Buttrum (0-1) was on the short end of the score... he also worked a complete game, surrendering 5 runs on 10 hits with 8 strikeouts and no walks in his 10 innings. La Claire took the lead in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by 1B Kris Wilson (.231)... in the top of the second Tuckanarra 3B Nicky Weill (.273) countered with a 3-run blast... Lynx 2B Jason Baker (.364) knotted it up at 3-3 with a 2-run clout... the Blue Jays regained the lead 4-3 on an RBI double in the sixth by 2B Josh George (.167)... La Claire came right back in the home half of the frame and evened it at 4-all on a RBI single by C Weldon Waller (.455). La Claire had 10 hits to 7 for the Tucks... LF Rod Conklin (.286) and RF Billy Hollard (.308) were the top Lynx with a couple of hits apiece... Nicky Weill was the only Blue Jay with 2 hits. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, September 27, 2037 2037 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series Ruthlandian Union FORT BENTON ALIVE, WINS 4TH GAME 7-4 Trailing three games to none, the Fort Benton Defenders stayed alive by the skin of their teeth... down 4-3 going into their final at-bat in game four, they rose to the occasion and were saved by D. D. Badeaux's walk-off 3-run smash for a 7-4 victory over Cold Creek, who in their minds probably was already sipping celebratory champagne... now, at least, the Defenders get to play another day in the best-of-seven series. Fort Benton beat J. J. Gillespie, the best pitcher in the IPA, with 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth... Hunter Glenholmes and Rod Myerson singled with one away, putting runners on the corners... with two away Cayman Crittenden made it 4-4 with an RBI single... then Badeaux boomed a 400-footer to wrap up the victory... reliever Edd Farmer (1-0) got the last out for starter Augie Marquis for the win... neither starter was very effective... Marquis gave up 4 runs on 10 hits... and loser Gillespie (0-1) was ripped for 7 runs on 10 hits. Cold Creek got a great start in the first frame when 1B Rodney Marshall (.400) smashed a 3-run homer... Marshall also made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the top of the second... Fort Benton got its first run in the last of the second on an RBI single by LF Rod Myerson (.571)... the Defenders closed it to 4-2 with a run on RF Cayman Crittenden's (.176) fielder's choice... in the eighth 3B Mitch Hamilton's (.071) solo homer narrowed the 'Cats' lead to 4-3. Both clubs racked up 10 hits each... Myerson had 3 hits to lead Fort Benton... Crittenden added 2 hits and 2 RBIs... and Glenholmes (.267) went 2-for-4 and scored twice... Marshall was the big bat for Cold Creek with 3-for-4 and 4 RBIs... 3B Pat Ellis (.500) also had 3 hits and scored a run, while 2B Simon Pembroke (.538) slapped a couple of base hits. DENTON'S HR WINS IT FOR WALESKA Bobby Denton hits the biggest homer of his career when he drilled one out of the park in game four of the IPA Elite 8 Series to give his Waleska Westerners a 4-3 win over the LaGrange Sports... Waleska only needs one more victory to move on to the Final 4... they now have a 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series. Terry Richards (2-0/1.76) worked the first 8 innings for the win... he held the Sports to 3 runs and 5 hits... reliever Niles Neilsen loaded the bases on a walk and two singles in the ninth with no outs, but got out of it with a short pop-up to left, force out at home 4-2 and a very deep fly to center to get the save... loser Hot Dog Huxtable (0-1) relieved LaGrange starter Walt Thurber in the eighth and was the victim of Denton's home run... Thurber permitted 3 runs and 6 hits in 7 innings. Each club collected 7 hits... CF Jon Lassiter (.313) went 2-for-4 for the Westerners with an RBI and a run... LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.500) and 1B Mac McMurtry (.214) had the other RBIs for the winners... Leboeuf got his with his second roundtripper of the series... 3B Claude DesJardins (.400) had 2 hits to lead the Sports... he also went deep for his second home run. Tycobbian Union SMITH TAMES HAWKS 5-2, MONTIES TIE SERIES It's all even in the San Alejo-North Hills IPA Elite 8 Series... on the road Tommy Smith tamed North Hills 5-2 in game four at the Hawk's Nest and knotted it up at two games apiece... junkballer Smith held the Hawks to 2 runs on 8 hits, fanned 3 and walked 3 in a masterful complete-game outing... he was helped along by three double plays... the only runs Smith allowed were on solo homers by RF Gerry Rice (.412) and 3B Jim McDermott (.333)... taking the loss was Jeff Owens (0-1/5.40), who was tagged for 5 runs and 11 hits in his 8 innings. San Alejo's top hitters were C Filipe Zamora (.350) and 2B Joe Klein (500), both with solo homers... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.467) and Tommy Smith (.333) chipped in with 2 hits each... the Montaneros outhit the Hawks 11 to 8. LYNX STUNS JAYS AGAIN 3-1, SWEEP SERIES In a sweeping upset, the seventh-ranked La Claire Lynx knocked off the Pro Cup favorite Tuckanarra Blue Jays in four games... Pat Kovacs (2-0) again hogtied them 3-1 on 8 hits to surprisingly eliminate the powerful Blue Jays from the playoffs... Kovacs worked into the eighth inning and needed help from closer Terry Baird for the final 4 outs... Baird struck out 3 of them for his second save of the series... Bobby Reid (0-2/3.00) lost again to Kovacs, who beat him 4-1 in the opener... this time around Reid allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, walked 5 and struck out 4... he went the distance. CF Jason Baker (.467) sparked the Lynx with 3 hits and 2 RBIs... they got one run in the last of the third and 2 more in the fifth... RF Billy Holland (.313) drove in the other run... the Tucks had the hit advantage over La Claire 9 to 7 with LF Spade Weldon (.278) and Bobby Reid (.400) getting 2 hits apiece. In the series La Claire outpitched Tuckanarra with a 2.03 ERA to the Blue Jays' 3.82... outscored them 19 to 10... and outhit them .262 BA to a dismal .203 for the Tucks. Winning manager Zeppy Deshotel sheepishly said, "Not to have a chance, we did alright... we just did what we had to do to win... and it was good to look out on the mound and see Pat Kovacs... he sure is a pretty sight to behold... Pat certainly did what he had to do for us to win." Distraught skipper Lefty Stevens congratulated Deshotel and the Lynx. "They beat us everyway you can and then some... sure I'm disappointed... losing is never fun." La Claire now awaits the winner of the North Hills-San Alejo series, which is deadlocked at two victories each... both of those clubs will have the homefield advantage over the Lynx in the Tycobbian Union championship series... but I doubt La Claire will be bothered by it... Tuckanarra had the homefield advantage, too. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 28, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES RUTHLANDIAN UNION DEFENDERS STILL IN IT, CLIP 'CATS 7-6 For the second straight day Fort Benton evaded elimination in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... Rob Myerson was the hero when he singled in the winning run in the last of the seventh to clip Cold Creek 7-6 in game five of the series... the Catamounts' lead dropped to three games to two... if needed, games six and seven will take place at Holmes Field in Cold Creek. Reliever Brady Bell got the third out in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and he got credit for the win... he faced only one batter and struck him out... Edd Farmer and Flapper Bird wrapped up the win by retiring all 5 batters they faced... Bird got his first save of the postseason... George Bailey lost it as he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in the sixth and seventh... the lead seesawed back and forth during the game several times... Fort Benton led 4-0 after two innings... Cold Creek rallied with 3 in the third... the Defenders added one in the fifth to go up 5-3, then lost it 6-5 when the 'Cats tallied 3 times. Fort Benton rang up 13 hits to 9 for Cold Creek... C Hunter Glenholmes (.316) and 2B Alec Leclerc (.200) paced the Defenders with 2 runs batted in each... SS D. D. Badeaux (.333), 3B Mitch Hamilton (.158), LF Rob Myerson (.588) and Glenholmes all had 2 hits for the winners... leading the losers were RF Ken Brennan (.182) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs... and CF Guy St. Laurent (.286) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.529) smacked 2 hits each. WALESKA KO'S LAGRANGE IN 5 GAMES Sixth-ranked Waleska knocked number 8 LaGrange out of the postseason with a 5-4 triumph in game five of the RU Elite 8 Series... the Westerners ran up a 5-2 lead after 8 frames with Craig Nash on the hill, then withstood a belated rally by the Sports in the bottom of the ninth to take the series four games to one. Nash (2-0/1.59) hurled another solid game by holding LaGrange to 2 runs on 8 hits... he fanned 9 and walked 2 in his 8 innings... his relief Niles Neilsen struggled through the 2-run ninth, but he finally managed to get his second save of the playoffs... both runs were unearned. SS Bobby Denton (.250) got the ball rolling in the top of the second for Waleska by doubling in 2 runs... and CF Jon Lassiter (.300) made it 3-0 with an RBI single... LaGrange's RF Charles Bacque (.176) cut it to 3-1 with a homer in the fourth... the Westerners last two runs came across in the sixth on a double by Frenchy Leboeuf (.450) and a single by Rodney Hanson (.368)... the Sports' 1B Chris Charbonnier (.294) singled in the final 2 runs in the ninth off Neilsen... LaGrange had 10 hits in the game. Mike York (0-2/2.16) went all the way in defeat, yielding only one earned run on 9 hits with 5 Ks and 2 walks... Charbonnier, Bacque and 3B Claude DesJardins (.400) led the Sports with 2 hits apiece, while Nash (.333) and Hanson collected 2 hits each for the winners. Waleska will meet the Cold Creek-Fort Benton winner for the Ruthlandian Union title. TYCOBBIAN UNION SAN ALEJO SINKS NORTH HILLS 5-2, GAME AHEAD For the third consecutive game San Alejo has beaten defending Pro Cup champ North Hills and now has the upper hand with a three games to two lead in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8... the Montaneros did it on the road this time, whipping the Hawks 5-2 on the strength of their bullpen and 14 hits... starter Lupe Olmedo (1-0/3.55) went 5 and two-thirds innings for the win... he permitted 2 runs and 8 hits... Olmedo held the Hawks runless after Gerry Rice's 2-run clout in the first ... Roy Burchfield, Johnny Brown and Frank Jankowski sealed the win with 3 and one-third scoreless frames... the save went to Jankowski, his first this postseason. The Monties outhit the Hawks 14 to 11, led by C Filipe Zamora (.400) with 3 hits, a run and an RBI... three others had a pair of hits each: 2B Derek Kristensen (.231), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.450) and LF Pat Pierce (.300)... SS Sancho Cruz (.211) had 2 RBIs for San Alejo... North Hills was paced by RF Gerry Rice (.450), 1B Ric Hamilton (.421) and starting pitcher David Michael (.500), all with 2 hits each... Michael (1-1/2.12) suffered the defeat, though only 3 of the 5 runs were earned... Michael was roughed up for 12 hits, but fanned 7 and walked only 2. Should seven games be needed in the series, the rest of the them will be played at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 29, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES RUTHLANDIAN UNION 3RD IN A ROW, FB DEFENDERS TIE CC 'CATS The favored Cold Creek Catamounts were playing at home at Holmes Field, but they still felt the severe sting of defeat for the third game in a row to the defiant Fort Benton Defenders... in a sharp performance Tommy Baylor (1-1/4.73) went all the way in a 4-1 victory, halting the 'Cats on 7 hits, while fanning 5 and walking nobody... game seven is set for tomorrow afternoon in Cold Creek. Fort Benton only got 5 hits, but that was enough when you chip in 5 bases on balls... they got a run in the first frame on two walks and an infield error, combined with Oscar Pendleton grounding into a double play... 3 more runs were scored in the fourth... Chuck Sears walked and scored on Hunter Glenholmes' two-bagger... Alec Leclerc also walked and came around to score on a single by Cayman Crittenden... Mitch Hamilton drove in the third one with single to wrap up the scoring for the Defenders. Cold Creek got their only run the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer by 3B Pat Ellis (.409)... it was his second of the playoffs... Catamount starter Jules Capet (0-1/4.15) also went the route and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits... the walks killed him. RF Cayman Crittenden (.250) topped Fort Benton with a couple of hits, including a double, while RF Ken Brennan (.231) got a single and a double for Cold Creek. Augie Marquis (21-13/2.93) will start for visiting Fort Benton, opposed by Cold Creek's J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22)... both are righties... Gillespie won game one 4-1, however Fort Benton got revenge in game four by whipping him 7-4... in the playoffs Gillespie is 1-1 with a 5.27 ERA... Marquis is 0-1 with a 4.85 ERA. TYCOBBIAN UNION HAWKS FORCE MONTIES TO GAME 7 IN 8-3 ROUT The defending IPA champion North Hills routed San Alejo 8-3 at the Casa de Beisbol to force a decisive game seven in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... the determined Hawks blasted 16 hits off three Montenero hurlers and got strong pitching from Nelson Hooper (1-1/6.14), who redeemed himself for the 9-3 loss in game three... in a complete game Hooper stopped San Alejo on 6 hits and 3 runs, struck out 5 and issued no walks... rookie Benny Buckmaster (1-1/6.14) lost it... he was shelled for 7 runs and 11 hits in just 5-plus innings. Leading the Hawks at the plate were LF Adam Thurgood (.357) and 1B Ric Hamilton (.458) with 3 hits apiece... CF Kris Anastas (.259) drove in 3 runs and had 2 base hits... North Hills belted 5 doubles in all... others with 2 hits each were RF Gerry Rice (.440), 2B Kiril Ivonoski (.235) and pitcher Nelson Hooper (.400). C Filipe Zamora (.414) continued his torrid pace for San Alejo with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... Zamora homered in defeat... he now has 9 RBIs and a pair of home runs in the postseason. Both clubs will have their aces ready for the series' finale tomorrow... left-hander Jeff Owens (19-12/2.95) will get the start for North Hills, while it will be southpaw Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) on the hill for San Alejo... neither were especially effective in game one won by the Hawks 7-6 in 10 innings... Smith got the best of Owens in game four with a 4-1 win... Smith is 1-0 in 2 starts with a 3.71 ERA... Owens is 0-1 in 2 starts with a 5.40 ERA. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 30, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP ELITE 8 SERIES RUTHLANDIAN UNION CC 'CATS WIN 7TH GAME IN 13TH The Cold Creek-Fort Benton Ruthlandian Elite 8 finally was decided in the seventh game and then some... the Catamounts and the Defenders went at it for 13 innings before favored Cold Creek got the decisive win 5-4 when Wayne Kenney singled in Rodney Marshall from second base... that gave the Catamounts the series four games to three... Cold Creek will now advance to the IPA Final 4 and take on the Waleska Westeners for the Ruthlandian Union title... Cold Creek was the second choice in The Islandian Times Pro Cup poll... Waleska came in sixth. Game seven was an epic clash... the Catamounts went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second on a single by Rodney Marshall, double by Simon Pembroke and a wild pitch... Fort Benton countered with 2 runs in the top of the fourth... Mitch Hamilton doubled in the first one and Cayman Crittenden singled in the second one, making it 2-1... in the seventh a 2-run homer by Marshall sent Cold Creek in front 3-2... the Defenders seemingly took charge 4-3 in the ninth on a sac fly by Oscar Pendleton and and RBI single by Hurnter Glenholmes, but reliever Edd Farmer couldn't hold it... Pat Ellis doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a groundout, and tagged up and scored on Wayne Kenney sacrifice fly to sent the game into extra innings. Starters Augie Marquis for Fort Benton and J. J. Gillespie for Cold Creek had good outings... they battled to a 3-3 draw over 8 innings... Marquis fanned 5, walked one and permitted 5 hits, while Gillespie struck out 7, walked 3 and gave up 8 hits and only one earned run... Edd Farmer blew the save, but pitched well otherwise, going 3 innings, allowing one run on 2 hits with 4 Ks... Flipper Bird (0-1/0.00) came on in the last of the thirteenth and lost it on an unearned run... Rob Hutchins also blew a save in the ninth, but settled down and blanked the Defenders in the 10th, 11th and 12th, striking out 4 and walking 2... George Bailey (2-1/1.80) relieved him in the 13th and retired the Defenders in order, striking out two of them and getting the win. Both clubs collected 10 hits each... 1B Rodney Marshall (.300) had a great game with 2 hits, including a sixth-inning roundtripper, his second in the postseason... Marshall also scored 3 runs and drove in 2 runs... he led the Catamounts with 7 RBIs in the series... LF Kenney (.200) also had 2 runs batted in... SS Jeremy Hall (.241) had 3 hits for Cold Creek. Leading Fort Benton was 2B Alec Leclerc (.241) with 3 hits... adding 2 hits apiece were 3B Mitch Hamilton (.214), C Hunter Glenholmes (.321) and RF Cayman Crittenden (.276). Cold Creek skipper Scoop Lemieux told the press, "We had everything our way in the first three games, but it was hard to get the last one... Fort Benton just didn't give up... we were fortunate to win." This was the first time in Fort Benton's history to make the playoffs... manager Robbie Brooks said, "This was a thrilling experience... but it was a long time coming... we didn't win, but we played a hell of a series... I'm extremely proud of my Defenders... they played their hearts out and never gave up... this has been a wonderful year." TYCOBBIAN UNION SAN ALEJO NIPS NORTH HILLS 4-3 IN GAME 7 San Alejo took advantage of faulty fielding by North Hills to nip the Hawks 4-3 in 10 innings to capture the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series in seven games and eliminate the defending IPA Pro Cup champion... North Hills took a 3-1 lead into the ninth, but couldn't put the Montaneros away... with two outs and the bases loaded, reliever Frank Lambert booted a ball and allowed 2 runs to score and knot the game at 3-all... San Alejo won it in the tenth when Joe Klein singled with one away, advanced to second on a grounder and was doubled in by PH Ted Hatch. Both clubs played loosy-goosy with the baseball as the Monties committed 3 miscues and the Hawks made 2... the Monties won the series 4-3 and will now move on to challenge surprising La Claire in the TU Finals... the seventh-ranked Lynx upset top-ranked Tuckanarra in a four-game sweep... in the Pro Cup preview poll, San Alejo was rated the number-three team and North Hills fourth. Starters Jeff Owens for North Hills and Tommy Smith for San Alejo did well... Owens went 8 innings, gave up 10 hits, but just one run... he departed with a 3-1 lead... Smith tossed 9 innings, permitted only 2 earned runs, struck out 9 and walked one... Johnny Brown (1-0/0.00) registered the win with one shutout inning... Lambert (0-1/3.38) lost it as he was slammed for 3 runs on 5 hits in just one and two-thirds innings, but only one run was earned. San Alejo outhit North Hills 15 to 10... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.276) led the Monties with 3 hits... five others cracked 2 hits each: CF Dusty Rogan (.212), LF Walt King (.467), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.379), 2B Joe Klein (.462) and 1B Jed Armstrong (.333)... Rogan got the game's only four-bagger in the fifth, his second of the series. Topping the Hawks at the plate were RF Gerry Rice (.467) with 3 hits and an RBI... 3B Jim McDermott (.357) and SS Skippy Shearer (.308) chipped in with 2 hits each... McDermott and 1B Ric Hamilton (.393) has the other two ribbies. It was a crazy series as the home team didn't win a game in the seven-game series until game seven... North Hills lost all three of its home games, while San Alejo lost its first three at the Casa de Beisbol. Manager Alberto Herrera of the winning Montaneros told reporters, "There's not much difference between the two teams... if we played another series, it would probably go seven games... my Montaneros whipped a very good ball club... we were very fortunate to win game seven." Todd Simons, the Hawks' skipper, was crushed by the loss. "We came oh so close... we had a good shot at repeating as IPA champ... it will be very hard to forget the ninth inning of this game anytime soon... but that's baseball... we played very good defense during the regular season, but gave away 9 runs in the series to San Alejo with our defensive lapses... you can't do that against a good team and win." |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 30, 2037 FOUR SURVIVORS BATTLE FOR LEAGUE CROWNS Two of the IPA Final 4 survivors breezed into the second round, while the other two had the fights of their lives... it will be Cold Creek hosting Waleska in the Ruthlandian Union title series and San Alejo entertaining La Claire for the Tycobbian Union crown... the winners will then tangle for the much-coveted IPA Pro Cup, which is presented to the team that wins the Islands' baseball championship. Waleska waltzed past the LaGrange Sports in five games, while Cold Creek just eked out a 4-3 series win over the tough Fort Benton Defenders... the La Claire Lynx stunned the baseball world with a sweep of the top-ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays... San Alejo dropped the first two games to defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, but rebounded with four wins in the next five games, culminating the tense series with a miracle win in game seven that took 13 innings. Oddsmakers have made San Alejo the Pro Cup favorite because it beat North Hills... the Cold Creek Catamounts are given the second-best chance to take the Cup because of its fine pitching staff... however, if Waleska and La Claire continue to play like they played in the first round, you could throw the odds right out the window... it could be a wide-open affair. La Claire has the best offense with a .273 BA (6th), 171 HRs (12th-tied) and 793 runs (3rd)... Cold Creek has the best pitching staff by far with a brilliant 2.77 ERA (1st)... the Catamounts are also easily the best defensive team with a .979 FA... however, it may be the Pro Cup will go to the best all-around club... a team that hits, pitches and fields well... many times the IPA crown goes to the team that has the most depth on its mound staff... three reliable starters are a big, big advantage in the postseason. TYCOBBIAN UNION SERIES: SAN ALEJO-LA CLAIRE In San Alejo, manager Alberto Herrera has two solid hurlers in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) and Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and a bunch of fine bats in C Filipe Zamora (.310/31 HR), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.31/16 HR), SS Sancho Cruz (.225/23 HR), CF Dusty Rogan (.278/17 HR) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.273/6 HR)... but his defense is suspect with a poor .970 FA... The Montaneros sported a .260 mark (16th) in the regular season with good scoring (753 runs-9th) and pretty fair power with 163 HRs (15th)... on the hill they ranked first in the Tycobbian Union with a fine 3.25 ERA... San Alejo was 94-60 for the year... winding up second in the TU to Tuckanarra's 99-55 mark. The La Claire Lynx are well-balanced at the plate and on the hill... skipper Zeppy Deshotel's club has capable hitters in SS Jarrod O'Neal (.263/26 HR), 1B Kris Wilson (.302/20 HR), CF Jason Baker (.296/9 HR) and RF Billy Holland (.292/19 HR)... one very fine starter in Pat Kovacs (16-13/3.28) and a good bullpen headed by Terry Baird (11-11/2.17/25 saves), but the Lynx lack consistency in starters Tony Rossi (19-10/3.62) and Bruce Kinson (13-9/4.02)... they come up short defensively, too, with a .971 FA... the Lynx finished with an 89-65 record, sixth-best in the league. FORECAST: SAN ALEJO IN SIX GAMES... the Montaneros have two strong starters, the Lynx only one. RUTHLANDIAN UNION SERIES: COLD CREEK-WALESKA Cold Creek manager Scoop Lemieux has four starters with under 3.00 ERAs to choose from, headed up by J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22), who tied for the most wins in the IPA and ranked number one in ERA... Joey Baker (20-11/2.50), Jules Capet (19-7/2.68) and George Bailey (11-4/2.66) were all quite capable, too... the Catamounts handle the gloves well... they were second in the IPA with a .979 FA, topped only by Chicopee with .981... Lemieux's crux is an anemic offense... the 'Cats hit only .258 (27th) with 108 HRs (32nd)... His only decent bats are 3B Pat Ellis (.319/20 HR), SS Jeremy Hall (.304/3 HR) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.284/7 HR)... yet Cold Creek led the IPA with 101 victories. The Waleska Westerners are not highly-rated by the baseball pros, but skipper Roy Hobbs' club did ring up 93 wins, which was second to Cold Creek... he has one standout starter in Terry Richards (22-11/2.77) and two other quality arms in Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and left-hander Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77)... reliever Niles Neilsen (8-6/3.05) has been effective in the bullpen... overall the Westerners' mound corps put up a good 3.61 ERA (7th)... Hobbs' batting lineup features a lot of reliable hitters top-to-bottom... his best regulars are CF Jon Lassiter (.311/13 HR), 2B Joey Harris (.283/14 HR), 1B Shayn Lambert (.280/14 HR) and 3B Monty McMurtry (.285/10 HR)... his best hitters are parttimers C Rodney Hanson (.351/8 HR) in 108 games and LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.330/10 HR) in 71 games... Waleska batted .268 (10th), were average in scoring runs with 743 (15th), but didn't have much power... they hit only 121 out of the park (28th). FORECAST: COLD CREEK IN SIX GAMES... Catamounts' superior pitching gives them the edge. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 3, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES RUTHLANDIAN UNION WALESKA WHACKS 'CATS 7-4 IN OPENER In game one of the Ruthlandian Union league championship at Holmes Field in Cold Creek, the Waleska Westerners snapped a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning with a 5-run outburst against J. J. Gillespie and defeated the Catamounts 7-4... Terry Richards (3-0/2.31) was the winning pitcher... he worked 8 innings, allowed 8 hits, struck out 8 and walked 3 before giving way to Lacy Dalton in the ninth... Dalton got his second postseason save with a scoreless ninth... 25-game winner Gillespie (1-2/5.14) was socked for 7 runs and 8 hits in his 6-plus frames... he had a 2-hitter for six innings, but was hit hard in the seventh... he posted 9 Ks and walked 4 in a very poor outing. The Westerners were sparked at the plate by CF Jon Lassiter (.292), 2B Joey Harris (.278) and SS Bobby Denton (.300), each with 2 runs batted in... LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.458) continued to hit well in the postseason with 2 hits and 2 runs scored... Denton got Waleska's only home run... it was his second playoff homer... Cold Creek was led by SS Jeremy Hall (.333) with a perfect 4-for-4 day and 2 RBIs... 3B Pat Ellis (.357) homered and scored twice for the Catamounts... Each club had 9 hits apiece. TYCOBBIAN UNION MONTIES TRIM LYNX 4-1 IN FIRST GAME The opening game of the Tycobbian Union title series at the Casa de Beisbol went to hometown San Alejo 4-1 behind the fine pitching of Tommy Smith, who outdueled La Claire's Pat Kovacs... Smith (2-0/2.57), with a wide assortment of soft stuff, spread out 8 hits, while going the route... he fanned 7 and issued 3 bases on balls... leading the San Alejo bats was 2B Derek Kristensen (.286) with 2-4 and 2 runs... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.281), 3B Bubby Blackwell (.375), C Filipe Zamora (.342) and LF Pat Pierce (.267) drove in the Montaneros' runs... RF Billy Holland (.450) was the only hitter to solve Smith... he went 4-for-4 and batted in the Lynx's only run... La Claire lost for the first time in the playoffs... they had swept Tuckanarra in four games in the opening round... Pat Kovacs (2-1/2.28) suffered the loss... he also pitched a complete game, yielding 4 runs on 7 hits with 9 strikeouts and only one walk. |
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Sunday, October 4, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES RUTHLANDIAN UNION CC 'CATS OUTLAST WALESKA IN 18 INNINGS Game two of the Ruthlandian Union championship series at Holmes Field in Cold Creek went on for what seemed forever before the homestanding Catamounts won it 5-4 in 18 innings on Wayne Kenney's walk-off double... now the series is all even at one win apiece. Reliever Harvey Fullerton (1-0/0.00) fired 3 shutout innings for the victory... he allowed 4 hits, walked one and fanned 2 in the outing... Cold Creek got great relief pitching... the 'Cats bullpen blanked the Westerners over the last 10 frames on 7 hits... Pete Heller went 4 and two-thirds innings, struck out 3, walked none and gave up 2 hits... Rob Hutchins hurled 2 innings and held Waleska scoreless... the fourth of four Westerners pitcher William Slaughter (0-1/6.75) caught the loss... he was tapped for 2 hits and a run in one and one-third innings... Waleska's Lacy Dalton was truly outstanding in relief with 6 and two-thirds scoreless innings... Vern Bass also blanked the 'Cats in his one and one-third innings. Cold Creek rapped out 15 hits and were led by LF Wayne Kenney (.259) with 3 hits and 2 RBIs and CF Guy St. Laurent (.190) with 2 hits and an RBI... Kenney had 2 doubles and St. Laurent a triple, the only extra-base hits for the Catamounts... Waleska picked up 14 hits and were paced by LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.438), who cracked his third postseason homer among his 3 hits... he also had a double and scored twice... C Rodney Hanson (.333) and RF Niles Gregory (.130) both had 2 hits each. The two starters were fairly effective, too... Cold Creek's Joey Baker worked into the ninth and permitted 4 runs on 7 hits, struck out 5 and walked 2... while his counterpart Craig Nash tossed 8 innings for Waleska and gave up 9 hits and 4 runs, but only 2 were earned... they both exited with the score at 4-4. The Catamounts scored 2 in the opening frame and led 3-1 after 6 innings... the Westerners jumped ahead 4-3 in the top of the eighth, only to let Cold Creek tie it in the bottom half of the inning to force extra innings. TYCOBBIAN UNION 3 HRS POWER SAN ALEJO TO 2ND WIN IN A ROW The San Alejo Montaneros won again at home to go up two games to none in the best-of-seven Tycobbian Union title series... the Monties got strong pitching and hit 3 homers to sink the La Claire Lynx 4-1 for the second straight day... Luis Olmedo and four relievers provided the pitching, while Filipe Zamora slugged 2 out of the park and batted in 3 runs and RF Charlie Wilberforce hit a solo blast... Olmedo (2-0/2.33) chalked up the win... he shut out the Lynx in his six innings on 6 hits, walked 2 and fanned 4... Olmedo left the game with a 4-0 lead... Tony Rossi (1-1/4.73) was the losing pitcher... the Monties got to him for 4 runs and 5 hits in 6 frames... he had 5 Ks and walked 2. San Alejo was outhit 10-7 by La Claire... Zamora (.366), Wilberforce (.306) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.389) topped the winners with 2 hits apiece... while CF Jason Baker (.391) and C Weldon Waller (.412) led the Lynx with a couple of hits each... Zamora is having a wonderful postseason with 4 roundtrippers and 14 RBIs. |
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Monday, October 4, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES Ruthlandian Union HASKELL ZAPS 'CATS 3-0 IN GAME 3 Returning home to Westerner Field for game three of the Ruthlandian Union Finals, Waleska got just what the doctor ordered - a great performance from its number three starter Tony Haskell - who chunked a magnificent 3-0 gem against the Cold Creek Catamounts to give the Westerners a 2-1 edge in the series... Haskell (1-1/4.15) quashed the 'Cats on 4 hits and struck out 14 batters, a new IPA playoff record... taking the loss was George Bailey (2-2/2.50)... he also went the route in his first postseason start, giving up 11 hits. 3B Linton Watts (.500) got the Westerners on the board in the last of the fourth with an RBI single... SS Bobby Denton finished off the scoring with a 2-run two-bagger in the fifth... Waleska was led by Denton (.333) with 3 hits, a run and 2 RBIs... 2B Joey Harris (.276), 1B Monty McMurtry (.242) and 3B Linton Watts (.500) contributed 2 hits each... the Catamounts got only 4 singles off of Haskell, 2 of them by LF Ken Brennan (.234). Tycobbian Union O'NEAL'S 3-RUN BLAST BEATS SAN ALEJO Things were looking swell for San Alejo in game three of the Tycobbian Finals... the Montaneros were ahead 3-1 after 6 innings and nearing its third straight win in the series... but then La Claire Jarrod O'Neal changed it all in the last of the seventh with a 3-run homer that gave the Lynx a 5-3 triumph, thus cutting the San Alejo lead in the series to two games to one and putting La Claire right back in the battle. The Lynx got a yeoman's job from Bruce Kinson (2-0/2.84), who went the distance, holding the Monties to 5 hits and 3 runs, while whiffing 8 batters and walking 3... pitching up the loss in a complete game was Johnny Brown (1-1/4.00)... he allowed 5 runs on 7 hits, fanned 5 and walked none. In addition to his 3-run shot, O'Neal (.148) also had a sacrifice fly and drove in 4 of the Lynx's 5 runs... RF Billy Holland (.444) and 2B Sam Norman (.231) drilled 2 hits and scored a run each... LF Darryl McIntosh (.286) went 1-for 4, scored twice and batted across a run... red-hot Montanero C Filipe Zamora (.378) socked a pair of hits and drove in 2 runs in the first inning with his 5th homer of the postseason... Zamora now has driven in 16 runs in the playoffs... 2B Derek Kristensen (.241) had a hit and batted in the other San Alejo score. |
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Tuesday, October 6, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES Ruthlandian Union 'CATS EVEN SERIES WITH WESTERNERS, GILLESPIE WINNER This postseason had been a little bit rocky for J. J. Gillespie, who dominated the regular season with 25 wins... he entered game four of the Ruthlandian Union Finals with a disappointing 1-2 record and an ERA over 5.00... the Cold Creek right-hander got it right this time and polished off Waleska 4-2 to even up the series at two games apiece... Gillespie got the win courtesy of Simon Pembroke, who swatted a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth and snapped a 2-2 tie. Gillespie (2-2/4.50) got the best of Westerner ace Terry Richards... Gillespie worked 8 strong innings, stopping Waleska on 2 runs and 8 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts... Rob Hutchins replaced Gillespie in the ninth and had the tying runs on base when he sealed the verdict and got his second playoff save... Richards (3-1/2.59) tossed a good 8 innings, gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, totaled 7 Ks and walked just one... he just happened to give up the winning run when O'Neal ripped a homer off reliever Vern Bass... in the eighth Richards put the winning run on base and then was relieved by Bass... Pembroke's roundtripper followed. The Catamounts were led at the plate by 3B Pat Ellis (.341) with 2-3, a run and an RBI... Pembroke (.350) went 1-for-4, homered and had 2 RBIs... SS Bobby Denton (.353) had 2 RBIs and scored a run to spark the Westerners... Denton got his 3rd postseason homer in the fifth inning. Tycobbian Union SAN ALEJO SHELLS LA CLAIRE 12-4, UP 3-1 In game four of the Tycobbian Finals San Alejo took La Claire to the woodshed and put on old-fashioned 12-4 whooping on the Lynx to take a huge 3-1 lead in the series... the Montaneros shelled four La Claire pitchers for 16 hits in the rout, scoring 5 runs in the opening frame and never giving up the lead... they took an 8-4 lead into the top of the eighth and finished off the Lynx with 4 more scores... with such great offensive support Tommy Smith (3-0/2.86) coasted to his third playoff win... he allowed 11 hits and 4 runs, but was never in any danger... Smith chalked up 7 strikeouts and walked 2... Pat Kovacs (2-2/3.71) was smashed for 6 runs and 8 hits in his 3 innings and took the loss. Everybody in the line-up got at least one hit... the top guns for the Monties were 3B Bubby Blackwell (.409) with 4-6 and LF Pat Pierce (.333) with 3-3, including a solo homer and a double... Pierce had 3 RBIs, backed up by C Filipe Zamora (.360), SS Sancho Cruz (.220) and 1B Ted Hatch (.176), who drove in 2 each... Zamora could be headed for a new IPA playoff RBI mark... so far he has driven in 18 runs... the record is held by Red Bluff outfielder Tony Blundell with 22 in 2004. La Claire was led by C Biggie Mondale (.308) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs... 1B Stan Hynoski (.286) and 3B Rog Clemens (.226) both had solo homers in defeat... the Lynx had 11 hits. |
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Wednesday, October 7, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES Ruthlandian Union NASH STOPS 'CATS 4-2, WALESKA UP 3-2 In game five of the Ruthlandian Union Finals at Westerner Field in Waleska, Craig Nash put the Westerners a game ahead in the series by stopping Cold Creek 4-2... the win gave Waleska a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven series... Nash (3-0/1.85), unbeaten in four postseason starts, stopped Cold Creek on 2 runs and 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 Ks, outpitching Jody Baker (1-1/2.97), who was done in by two crucial errors by shortstop Jeremy Hall in the first inning that led to all 4 runs, none of which were earned... both Nash and Baker went the distance... Baker allowed 7 hits, fanned 3 and issued no walks. RF Niles Gregory (.138) doubled in one run in the first inning, the other three scores came in on errors... Cold Creek's only scores came on C Arved Tarand's (.261) 2-run double in the top of the second. Waleska had 7 hits and Cold Creek 8... 1B Shayne Lambert (.200) paced the Westerners with 2 hits... Tarand and 1B Rodney Marshall (.280) led the Catamounts with a pair of hits apiece. The rest of the series will be played at Holmes Field in Cold Creek... game six is tomorrow afternoon and game seven, if necessary, on Friday. Tycobbian Union LYNX WIN 1-0, MONTIES STILL LEAD SERIES The La Claire Lynx are down three to two in the Tycobbian Finals, but they are not out... they stayed alive with a 1-0 decision in game five at Capitol Park Stadium over the San Alejo Montaneros... in a sharp outing Tony Rossi blanked the Monties for 8 innings on 6 hits, then gave way to bullpen ace Terry Baird, who hurled a perfect ninth for his third save... Luis Olmedo had an outstanding game as well in defeat... Olmedo (2-1/2.05) held the Lynx to 2 hits in his 7 innings, surrendering the game's only score in the second frame... SS Jarrod O'Neal (.182) led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored when 3B Rog Clemens (.206) bounced out to second base. The series will now return to the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo for the remainder of the series... game six is slated for tomorrow afternoon with game seven Friday, if needed. |
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Thursday, October 8, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINAL 4 SERIES Ruthlandian Union WALESKA KING OF THE RU, PRO BOWL BOUND Despite playing on the road, the Waleska Westerners outgunned Cold Creek in game six 9-7 to wrap up the Ruthlandian Union title and advance to the IPA Pro Cup Finals for the second time... the Pro Bowl-bound Westerners last won it in 2028... Waleska walloped 15 hits and had to fend off determined Cold Creek several times during the game, finally winning with 3 runs in the top of the ninth... Shayn Lambert tied the score at 7-7 with a bases-loaded walk and PH Teke Holmes won it with a 2-run base hit... though ineffective Lacy Dalton (1-0/2.70) got the win in relief, while Rob Hutchins (0-1/2.89) was the victim in the fatal ninth... Dalton allowed Cold Creek to tie it with a run in the last of the eighth on 3 hits. Leading the Westerners at the plate were SS Bobby Denton (.381) and C Rodney Hanson (.340)... both had 3 hits each... Denton homered and drove in 3 runs... Hanson had a double and an RBI... 2B Joey Harris (.286), 1B Monty McMurtry (.214) and RF Niles Gregory (.182) scored 2 runs each, while Gregory batted in 2 runs and hit a homer. CF Guy St. Laurent (.224) and LF Wayne Kenney (.214) provided most of the Cold Creek offense with 3-run homers... St. Laurent put the Catamounts up 3-2 in the second and Kenney tied it at 6-6 in the seventh... the 'Cats got 10 hits. Roy Hobbs, Waleska manager, told the press, "We picked a good day to let it all hang out offensively... and we needed it... Cold Creek blistered the ball, too... now the task at hand will be to get by San Alejo, who not only have good pitching, but they have some strong bats, too." Cold Creek, one of the favorites to win the Pro Cup, couldn't stop the Waleska offense... skipper Scoop Lemiuex lamented, "We had our chance to force a seventh game, but we just couldn't match their offense today... or in the entire series for that matter." Tycobbian Union MONTIES BOMB LYNX 13-3 FOR TU TITLE The San Alejo Montaneros crashed 4 home runs to crush La Claire 13-3 in game six of the Tycobbian Union Finals at the Casa de Beisbol to take the series four games to two and move forward for a shot at the whole shebang in the IPA Pro Cup Finals against the Waleska Westerners, the Ruthlandian champion. LF Pat Pierce (.344) topped the Monteneros' hit brigade with 5 RBIs... he homered along with SS Sancho Cruz (.208), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.283) and pitcher Johnny Brown (.167)... Pierce had 5 RBIs and Cruz 3... everybody in the line-up got a hit for San Alejo... the Monties had 11 hits in all... they broke open a 5-3 game with 7 runs in the seventh. Brown (2-1/3.00) pitched a steady game, permitting 3 runs on 8 hits with one walk and 3 strikeouts... 21-year-old Bruce Kinson (2-1/4.97) caught the loss, going 6-plus innings and was tagged for 9 runs on 8 hits. Montenero manager Alberto Herrera lauded his club, "We were clicking on all cylinders... Smith, Olmedo and Brown were outstanding on the hill... and Zamora, Pierce and Blackwell put some runs on the scoreboard... We played a fine series against La Claire... now we have to do the same thing against another fine team in the Pro Cup." Manager Zeppy Deshotel of La Claire congratulated San Alejo saying, "We caught them at the wrong time... We were really overmatched at the plate... the Monties will do very well in the Pro Cup Finals... they are a very good, all-around team." |
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Sunday, October 11, 2037 WALESKA-SAN ALEJO PRO CUP A TOSS-UP No one is a clear-cut favorite in the 37th edition of the IPA Pro Cup Series that gets underway tomorrow afternoon at the Casa de Beisbo in San Alejo ... the oddsmakers and prognosticators are making it a "pick'em" Pro Cup... it's a toss-up between the Waleska Westerners of the Ruthlandian Union and the San Alejo Montaneros of the Tycobbian Union. San Alejo came into the postseason ranked number three behind Tuckanarra and Cold Creek, while Waleska was only rated number six... the Montaneros knocked off defending IPA titleholder North Hills in seven games in round one and La Claire in six games in the second round... the Westerners whipped LaGrange IN five games in the first round and upset second-rated Cold Creek in six in the Ruthlandian Union championship. Both clubs feature good pitching and hitting... Waleska gets the nod defensively with an above average .974 FA to San Alejo mediocre .970 FA... The Montaneros have three quality starters in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86), Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and Johnny Brown (17-15/3.24)... so does the Westerners with Terry Richards (22-11/2.77), Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77). In the playoffs San Alejo has gone 8-5.. Tommy Smith went 3-0 in 5 starts with a 2.85 ERA and 3 complete games... Lupe Olmedo was 2-1 in 4 starts with a 2.05 ERA... and Johnny Brown wound up 2-1 in 2 starts with a 3.00 ERA... Smith and Brown are southpaws... Lacy Dalton was the best in the bullpen with a 1-0 record with 2 saves in 4 appearances and 10 innings... his ERA was 2.70. Waleska's postseason mark is 8-3... Craig Nash leads the staff with a 3-0 mark and a sparkling 1.85 ERA in 4 starts and 2 complete games... Terry Richards is 3-1 in 4 starts with a 2.59 ERA... and Tony Haskell is 1-1 with a 5.31 ERA in 3 starts... he had one complete game, a 3-0 shutout over Cold Creek. In the regular season San Alejo was led at the plate by C Filipe Zamora with a .310 BA, 31 HRs, 113 RBIs and 77 runs and RF Charlie Wilberforce with a .314 BA, 16 HRs, 67 RBIs and 90 runs... SS Sancho Cruz drove in 91 runs with 23 HRs, but batted a lowly .225... in the playoffs it's been Zamora with a 339 BA, 5 HRs, 19 RBIs and 12 runs, 3B Bubby Blackwell with a .392 BA, 5 RBIs and 11 runs and RF Pat Pierce with a .344 mark, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs and 7 runs... as a team the Monties have clubbed 15 homers in 13 games. During the regular campaign Waleska's top hitters were CF Jon Lassiter with a .311 BA, 13 HRs, 56 RBIs and 106 runs... 2B Joey Harris with a .283 BA, 14 HRs, 85 RBIs and 92 runs, 3B Monty McMurtry with a .285 mark, 10 HRs, 76 RBIs and 82 runs and 1B Shayn Lambert with a .280 BA, 14 HRs, 83 RBI and 72 runs... the top hitter was C Rodney Hanson with a .351 BA, 8 HRs, 48 RBIs and 57 runs... the main power hitter was RF Niles Gregory with 26 HRs, 94 RBI and 74 runs, but he batted a poor .237... the top playoff performers have been SS Bobby Denton with a .381 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBIs and 8 runs, LF Frenchy Leboeuf with a .313 BA, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs and 11 runs and C Rodney Hanson with a .340 BA, 5 RBIs and 3 runs... the Westerners have 9 roundtrippers in the postseason in 11 games. FORECAST: GIVE THE EDGE TO SAN ALEJO IN SEVEN GAMES... MORE HOME-RUN POWER, SLIGHTY BETTER STARTERS AND THE HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE. |
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Monday, October 12, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS WALESKA WOPS SAN ALEJO 7-4 IN PRO CUP OPENER In the first game of the 2037 IPA Pro Cup Finals at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo, the visiting Waleska Westerners drew first blood with a 7-4 triumph over the hometown Montaneros... LF Frenchy Lefoeuf (.358) had 4 hits in 5 at-bats and drove in 3 runs to lead the way... starter Terry Richards (4-1/2.82) had a rough outing, but he came away with the win... Richards allowed 10 and 4 runs, while walking 4 and fanning 7 in 7 innings... Nils Neilsen logged his third postseason save with 2 runless innings... the Westerners backed them up with 3 double plays to thwart San Alejo... Montanero starter Tommy Smith (3-1/3.29) was tagged with his first postseason loss this season... the Westerners socked him for 6 runs and 10 hits in 8 innings. Waleska jumped off to a 4-0 lead after 4 and a half frames, but San Alejo rallied and tied it up 4-4 after 6 innings... the Westerners then put the wraps on the game with singletons in the seventh, eighth and ninth... Leboeuf scored 2 runs and had the game's only homer... 1B Monty McMurtry (.213), C Rodney Hanson (.333), SS Linton Watts (.389) and PH Pat Jancke drove in the other Westerner runs... San Alejo had 12 hits to 11 for the winners... RF Charlie Wilberforce (.298), SS Sancho Cruz (.231) and 1B Ted Hatch (.196) paced the Monties with a pair of hits each. |
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Tuesday, October 13, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS SAN ALEJO SLIPS BY WALESKA 3-2 IN GAME 2 It's all even after the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals... playing at home again San Alejo slipped by Waleska 3-2 behind the solid pitching of Luis Olmedo and three relievers... Olmedo (3-1/2.23) worked 6 innings and held the Westerner bats to 2 runs on 5 hits for the victory, helped out by Benny Buckmaster, Glen Porterfield and Roy Burchfield, who shut out Waleska over the last 3 frames on 2 hits... Burchfield registered the save, his second of the playoffs... Craig Nash (3-1/2.14) went the distance in defeat, permitted 3 runs on 7 hits with 4 walks and 5 Ks... it was his first loss this postseason. 1B Ted Hatch (.208) got San Alejo off on the right foot with a 2-run blast in the last of the second... Westerner 3B Monty McMurtry (.216) tied it up 2-all in the top of the fourth with a 2-run double... the Monties tallied the winning score in the fourth when SS Sancho Cruz (.241) doubled in CF Dusty Rogan (.203)... each club had 7 hits apiece in the game. The series will now switch to Westerner Field in Waleska for games three, four and five... game three is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 pm. |
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Wednesday, October 14, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS WALESKA CLOBBERS MONTIES 11-1 Returning home to the friendly confines of Westerner Field after playing the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Finals in San Alejo, Waleska made the home folks quite happy with an 11-1 clobbering of the Montaneros to give the Westerners a one-game edge after three games... backed up by 19 hits Tony Haskell had an easy time with San Alejo... he limited them to just one run on 6 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4... Haskell is now 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA in the playoffs. Four Waleska players drilled 3 hits each: 2B Joey Baker (.291), 3B Bobby Denton (.370), C Rodney Hanson (.339) and SS Linton Watts (.455)... Denton drove in 3 runs and scored 3 to lead the Westerners, followed by LF Rodney Phillips (.500), RF Teke Holmes (.280) and SS Linton Watts, all with 2 ribbies apiece... C Filipe Zamora (.324) notched 2 hits in 3 tries to lead San Alejo... he swatted his 6th playoff homer for the only run off of Haskell and drove in his 20th run... Tony Blundell of Red Bluff has the IPA postseason mark with 22 runs batted in, set in 2004... Bailey Norcross of Middlefield has the HR mark... he belted 8 in 2005. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 15, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS SAN ALEJO SKIMS BY WALESKA 4-3, SERIES TIED The IPA Pro Cup Series is deadlocked at two games apiece... game four went to vistiing San Alejo, who skimmed by Waleska at Westerner Field 4-3 on Bubby Blackwell's clutch ninth-inning double that scored Derek Kristensen with the decisive run... Tommy Smith (4-1/3.25) labored, but still went all the way, surrendering 11 hits, but only 3 runs... Smith totaled 4 strikeouts and walked nobody for his 4th victory in the postseason... Terry Richards worked the first 7 frames for the Westerners, allowed 3 runs and 8 hits, leaving on the wrong end of the score, trailing 3-1... Lacy Dalton (1-1/3.00) came on in relief in the eighth and lost it as he was touched for one run and 3 hits in his 2 innings. 1B Ted Hatch (.212) put San Alejo in front in the top of the second with a 2-run single scoring C Filipe Zamora (.316) and CF Dusty Rogan (.222)... the Monties added to it in the fourth, making it 3-0... SS Sancho Cruz (.267) doubled, moved to third on a single by Tommy Smith (.316), then scored on a wild pitch... held scoreless by Smith for six innings, Waleska broke the ice when 3B Monty McMurtry (.250) doubled in RF Frenchy Lebouef (.371) in the seventh... they got two more to tie it up at 3-all in the eighth... C Rodney Hanson (.349) had an RBI single to score CF Jon Lassiter (.232) and Lebouef brought in 2B Joey Harris (.305) with a base hit. Each team logged 11 hits... Blackwell, Rogan and Cruz cracked 2 apiece for the Monties, while Harris, Hanson, Leboeuf and McMurtry had 2 each for the Westerners. Game five will be played in Waleska... game six is set for San Alejo... should game seven be needed, it will also be in San Alejo. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 16, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS WALESKA TAKES LEAD, EDGES SAN ALEJO 3-2 After trailing 2-1 after six innings, Waleska came to life in the late stages of game five to nudge by San Alejo 3-2 at Westerner Field to give them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven IPA Pro Cup Series... pinchhitter Pat Jancke (.667) doubled across Bobby Denton in the ninth for the game-winner... Craig Nash was excellent on the hill, holding the Monties to 2 runs and 7 hits in his 8 innings... he didn't get the victory... that went to reliever Vern Bass, who sat down the Montaneros in order in the ninth... San Alejo starter Lupe Olmedo held his own, but struggled late... Olmedo stopped the Westerners on 2 runs and 9 hits in 8 innings... it was 2-2 when he exited... Benny Buckmaster (1-2/5.68) went to the mound in the ninth and suffered the loss. Pacing the Waleska 11-hit attack were LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.394) with 3-for-4 in the game... RF Niles Gregory (.195) added 2 hits... San Alejo top bats were 2B Derek Kristensen (.258) and C Filipe Zamora (.325) with a couple of hits each... the Montaneros only got 7 hits. The Westerners snapped a scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI single by C Rodney Hanson (.343)... the Monties bounced back with 2 in the sixth on Zamora's base hit and a sacrifice fly by CF Dusty Rogan (.213)... Waleska evened the score at 2-all in the seventh on a walk to SS Bobby Denton (.361), who came around to score on 2 wild pitches. Zamora got his 21st postseason RBI and is now within one of tying Red Bluff's Tony Blundell, who holds the IPA Pro Cup record... he drove in 22 runs in 2004. Waleska will try to capture its second Pro Cup in game six at the Casa de Beisbol in San Alejo tomorrow afternoon... the Westerners whipped Tuckanarra in a great seven-game series in 2028. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 17, 2037 2037 IPA PRO CUP FINALS WESTERNERS PRO CUP CHAMPIONS The unheralded Waleska Westerners are the 2037 IPA Pro Cup champion... they eliminated favored San Alejo 5-2 in game six to capture the series and their second Pro Cup... the Westerners were ranked sixth in the Pro Cup preview poll, while San Alejo was the third choice behind Tuckanarra and Cold Creek. Monty McMurtry's 2-run homer in the sixth proved to be the winning blow... that put the Westerners up 4-2... another hero was Tony Haskell (3-1/3.62), who checked the Montaneros on 2 runs and 6 hits in 8 innings... Lacy Dalton closed it out for him by striking out 2 of the 3 batters he faced in the ninth... it was Dalton's third save of the postseason... Johnny Brown (2-3/5.64) failed to keep San Alejo's hopes alive in the series... Brown was bashed for all 5 runs in 8-plus frames. The Monties started off well with runs in the first two innings... 3B Bubby Blackwell (.351) singled and scored on RF Charlie Wilberforce's (.263) two-bagger in the first... 2B Joe Klein (.333) made it 2-0 with a home run in the second... but Brown couldn't hold off the Westerners, who came back and tied the score at 2-2 in the fifth on an RBI groundout by CF Jon Lassister (.247) and passed ball... McMurtry (.235) hit his decisive roundtripper in the sixth, making it 4-2... Lassister completed the scoring with a solo homer in the ninth. Waleska got 8 hits in all, led by Lassiter and 3B Bobby Denton (.369) with 2 hits apiece... Bubby Blackwell and Charlie Wilberforce each had 2 of San Alejo's 6 hits. Westerner manager Roy Hobbs was a valuable part of the 2028 Pro Cup team... he and Loco Dillinger sparked a high-powered offense that won it all... Hobbs was the Pro Cup MVP that year. Hobbs was deliriously happy, saying during the victory celebration, "Winning the Pro Cup as a player was really great, but it's really something to come back as a skipper and win it again." Waleska's Terry Richards was a rookie on the 2028 champ. At age 20 Richards went 4-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 6 starts. "2028 was an amazing year for me... it was unbelievable to win a pennant in my first year, much less win the IPA title... it was a miraculous season... I went 15-12 in the regular season with a 4.04 ERA... I pitched even better in the playoffs." Now 29, Richards is 183-118 in his 10 years in the IPA. This year in the playoffs he again went 4-1 in 6 starts with an impressive 2.98 ERA. Overall in three postseasons Richards is 9-4 in 16 starts with a 3.30 ERA. Later when asked about winning his second Pro Cup ring, he responded, "I don't think winning the Pro Cup will ever get old... this one is very special, too... I hope it's not the last." Hobbs later spoke to the press and commented, "Our pitchers were outstanding... Terry (Richards), Craig (Nash) and Tony (Hatchell) were superb... they had to do well for us to win the Pro Cup... they were the key to our title." Hobbs also added, "We also couldn't have done without Frenchy (Leboeuf), Bobby (Denton), Rodney (Hanson) and Monty (McMurtry)... they came through time and time again and put runs on the scoreboard." Manager Alberto Herrera bemoaned, "I thought we had the edge on the hill going into the Finals... but Roy's bunch really did a job on us... we only scored 16 runs in 6 games... case closed." This was San Alejo's second appearance in the Pro Cup Finals... they whipped Colfax in the 2032 IPA Finals... the only holdovers from that victorious team were pitchers Johnny Brown, Roy Burchfield and Clete Lawson, along with 3B Bubby Blackwell. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 19, 2037 WALESKA'S NASH HONORED AS PRO CUP MVP Picking the Pro Cup Most Valuable Player was very tough this year... IPA champ Waleska had four players getting support for the award... even a player from the losing team got good support... when all the ballots were counted this year's recipient was the Westerners' fine right-hander Craig Nash, who chalked up an impressive 3-1 mark in 6 starts with 3 complete games and posted a 2.16 ERA... Craig got 30 votes in The Islandian Times MVP poll, while Terry Richards came in a close second with 27 votes... third in the balloting was Frenchy Lebouef with 24... followed by Bobby Denton with 23... in fifth place was San Alejo's Filipe Zamora with 16 votes. Nash is only 22 years old... in his four seasons with Waleska Nash is 63-47 with a 3.30 ERA... twice in his young career he was won 20 games... he finished 20-10 with a 3.58 ERA this season. Runner MVP Terry Richards sparkled in the postseason this year with a 4-1 record in 6 starts, while registering a 2.98 ERA... Frenchy Leboeuf and Bobby Denton led the Westerners at the plate... Leboeuf sizzled with a .377 BA, 4 home runs, 12 RBIs and 16 runs... Bobby Denton stood out with a .369 BA, 4 HRs, 14 RBIs and 14 runs... Filipe Zamora had a terrific postseason with 6 HRs, 21 RBIs and 15 runs scored, while batting at a .310 clip... Zamora came within one of the IPA playoff record for RBIs and within 2 of the home-run mark. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 20, 2037 V'S FARMER TOP ROOK IN RU 2037 was not a great year for rookies in the Islandian Pro Alliance, neither in the Ruthlandian Union, nor the Tycobbian Union... there was a dearth of young talent in the leage... Volusia's shortstop Charlie Farmer was hailed as the RU Rookie of the Year... the 25-year-old participated in 136 games, batted .283 and had 7 HRs, 58 RBIs and 78 runs... in the field Farmer showed good range. His Volusia teammate, center fielder Cazzie Carvalho, finished second in the freshman poll with a .290 BA, 18 HRs, 67 RBIs and 52 runs... and he was strong with the glove, too... Carvalho played in 94 games. Number three in the rookie voting was Kenny Morrow, a right-hander for the Grand City Cybercats... Morrow was 13-10 in 32 starts with a 3.67 ERA for the last place Cybercats. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 20, 2037 TURON'S STOCKSDALE WINS TU ROOKIE AWARD One rookie stood out way above all others in the IPA... 21-year-old right-hander Nate Stocksdale chalked up a 21-7 record for the Turon Typhoons with a 3.66 ERA... no other newcomer could come close to him... Stocksdale was one of the prime reasons for the Typhoons great success this season... they were beaten out by the IPA champion San Alejo Montaneros by just one game in the Tycobbian South Division race. A distance second in the poll was 20-year-old Jayson Hallstrom with a 13-8 mark for the Summerland Sunsets, who also gave San Alejo a tough tussle, winding up just 3 games back... right-hander Hallstrom earned a spot in the rotation in June and put up a solid 3.36 ERA in 18 starts. No one else qualified in the TU Rookie of the Year voting. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 21, 2037 GAMBLE COPS 3RD GOLDEN BAT For the third year in a row, the Ruthlandian Golden Bat has been won by Sugar Valley center fielder Bobby Gamble... the 24-year-old superstar had his best year ever with a .352 BA... in the RU Gamble was third in batting average and second in RBIs... and he topped the IPA in runs scored... Gamble slammed 38 HRs, drove in 136 runs and scored 128 times in 143 games... he also won the a Golden Glove for the second time in his 5 seasons... Gamble, a career .319 hitter, paced the Rattlers to a second-place finish in the RU South, just four games back of Cold Creek. Number two in the Golden Bat race was Valka first basemen Bobby Scott, who also had a remarkable year with a .345 BA, 41 homers, 113 RBIs and 119 runs... he also walked 107 times and played in all 154 games... in spite of his offensive efforts, the Blackhawks came in seventh in the RU South. The third-best batter in the Ruthlandian Union was Belle Plaine's Boo Boudreaux... the right-fielder led the RU with 47 homers, while playing in 144 games... Boudreaux, just 21 years of age, hit .337, batted in 125 runs and scored 111, while walking 100 times... despite his great season the Musketeers ended up seventh in the RU East Division. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 21, 2037 VIKS CULPEPPER TU GOLD BAT HONOREE When you hit 60 homers in a season, that should be worth an award or two... Bayview's slugging second baseman Jerry Culpepper had a monster year, batting .307 in 132 games with 119 RBIs and 111 runs scored... that's why he bagged the coveted Tycobbian Union Golden Bat Award for the first time in his career... only IPA legend Jack Elliott has ever had more homers in a season... Elliott holds the record with 65 in 2021 for the High Mesa Cowboys... he also clouted 61 in 2013... lifetime Culpepper is batting .292 and has hammered 209 homers in his six IPA seasons... he is only 24 years old. Tuckanarra terror Lorne Evans, a five-time Golden Bat winner, fell a little short this season and wound up in the runner-up spot... at 32, Evans prospered with a .307 BA in 148 games, hit 40 roundtrippers, batted in 99 runs and scored 112 times... he also walked 119 times and was an important part in the Blue Jays winning the Tycobbian East Division for the fourth successive season... Evans also went over the 500-mark in homers this year, winding up with 522. Ginza's rising star Sogo Takagi was third in the voting with a .321 BA, 35 homers, 117 RBIs and 113 runs... the talented center fielder helped the Ninjas to a fourth-place finish in the tough TU South this season... Takagi is 24 and participated in 142 games. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 22, 2037 GILLESPIE RU GOLD ARMER OF THE YEAR AGAIN For the fourth time in the last five seasons the top pitcher in the Ruthlandian Union is Cold Creek's phenomenal J. J. Gillespie... league sports media chose him as the RU Golden Arm winner... the Catamount ace tied for the most wins in the IPA with with Randell Perkins of Colfax and Dan Pitts of Elnora... all of them posted 25 victories each... Gillespie also had the top ERA in the IPA with a 2.22 ERA... overall the 32-year-old righty was 25-9 with 14 complete games in 39 starts... Gillespie sparked Cold Creek to its second consecutive RU East Division title... the Catamounts also had the most victories in the IPA with 101... in nine seasons Gillespie is 142-72 with a marvelous 2.22 ERA... his lifetime ERA is the all-time lowest. Coming in second to Gillespie was St. John's Jeremy Kirk, who compiled a 22-14 record for the fifth-place Crusaders... Kirk had a 2.83 ERA and led the IPA with 284 strikeouts... Kirk tossed 27 complete games and 5 shutouts in 40 starts. Waleska's Terry Richards was in third place in the Golden Arm poll... he registered a 22-11 mark for the RU South-winning Westerners with a fine 2.77 ERA. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 22, 2037 TU TOP TWIRLER IS BLUE SOX QUINN 32-year-old pitcher Frankie Quinn of the Blue Lake Blue Sox has been around quite a while in the IPA, has been an All-Star five times and now after 11 years he has finally won the Tycobbian Union Golden Arm Award, given annually to the top twirler in the league... Quinn went 25-13 in 2028 and didn't win, losing out to White River's Paul Sardini, who was 23-7 on the year with a great 2.12 ERA... career-wise Quinn is 212-146 with a 2.96 ERA... this year he was 22-9 with a strong 2.66 ERA, 23 complete games in 39 starting assignments, 242 Ks and had 3 shutouts... Quinn led the Blue Sox to second place in the TU North Division pennant race... they were tied with Oxford and Fairfax, 9 games back of champion North Hills. Tuckanarra is blessed with an abundance of pitchers, but the best one is 32-year-old southpaw Bobby Reid... he had another standout year and led the Blue Jays to their fourth straight TU East Division flag with a terrific 24-7 mark with a 2.92 ERA and 264 strikeouts... Reid has won 20 or more games for the last five seasons... but he came in number two in this year's Golden Arm balloting. Last year's Golden Arm recipient Junior Bristow, a teammate of Tuckanarra's Reid, was the third-highest votegetter this year... Bristow was 21-13 with 30 complete games and a 2.66 ERA. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 23, 2037 CC'S GILLESPIE ADDS SECOND RU MVP 2037 has truly been a Golden Year for Cold Creek's J. J. Gillespie... not only did he win his fifth Golden Arm this season, but today he was named the Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player... this is the second time Gillespie has captured this prestigious honor... he also won it in 2033... Gillespie piled up the most victories in the IPA this season and posted the best ERA... the gifted right-hander was 25-9 with a superb 2.22 ERA and sparked the Catamounts to the best record in the IPA with 101 wins... Cold Creek won its division for the second successive season. Gillespie had a lot of competition this year from Sugar Valley's great Bobby Gamble, who blistered Ruthlandian pitchers for a .352 BA, 38 HRs, 136 RBIs and 128 runs, while stealing 52 bases and walking 100 times... his heroics helped the Rattlers to a tie for second with Elnora in the really rough RU East, won by Cold Creek by 4 games in a season-long scuffle. Kilkenny's Fred Doyle wound up in third place in the RU MVP selection... it was a splendid season for the 32-year-old journeyman hurler... he went 21-13 for the year with a 2.82 ERA and led the Cats to second place in the RU North... they had a good chance to win the pennant, but swooned in September and lost by five games to LaGrange... Doyle was just 37-56 going into this season... he has been with Kilkenny for six years. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 23, 2037 TUCKS REID TAKES TU MVP Tuckanarra's Bobby Reid came in second in the Golden Arm race, but still merited a pretty fair consolation prize - the Tycobbian Most Valuable Player Award... Reid got the award over Turon's super shortstop C. C. Kingsford and Tuckanarra's legendary slugger Lorne Evans... Reid compiled a superlative 24-9 record with a 2.92 ERA and paced them to a fourth consecutive TU East Division title... for the fifth season in a row Reid has totaled 20 or more victories... overall he is 141-80 with a brilliant 2.65 ERA for his nine IPA seasons... this was the first time in Reid's career he has won the MVP. Kingsford was the main kingpin for the Turon Typhoons, who almost beat out the mighty San Alejo Montaneros for the Tycobbian South pennant... the Typhoons came in second, just one game behind in the race... Kingsford led the Tycobbian Union with 222 hits, which was second in the IPA to Gerry Sives of Colfax, who had 226... Kingsford had the third-best batting average in the IPA with a .362 average... Kingsford was tops in the TU in average... in 143 games he collected 26 HRs, batted in 109 runs and scored 99 times... he is the son of IPA Hall-of-Famer Clyde Kingsford... in his four seasons with Turon Kingsford has a .330 BA. In third place in the MVP race was Tuckanarra's fabulous Lorne Evans... he has won it four times in his career... this season in 148 games Evans batted .309 with 40 roundtrippers, 99 RBIs, 122 runs and walked 119 times... for the fourth year in a row the Blue Jays copped the TU East Division flag. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 24, 2037 RU GIVES OUT GOLDEN GLOVES The Ruthlandian Union announced the Golden Glove team for 2037. There were five repeat winners. Larry Romney is tops with five Golden Gloves, Scotty Lagrange has three, and double winners are Jojo DeLucca, Leevi Viru and Chet Penn. No rookies were selected this year. Pitcher: Brady Bell (Fort Benton Defenders) (18-12/4.00) 1.000 Catcher: Ron Marlowe (Far Mountain Redhawks) (.271/25/53/77) (.995 FA/2 PB/28.9% RTO) First Baseman: Jojo DeLucca (Claxton Diamonds) (.311/34/108/111) .994 FA Second Baseman: Gary Colton (Claxton Diamonds) (.291/22/113/91) .988 FA Third Baseman: Leevi Viru (Kilkenny Cats) (.258/21/74/78) .970 FA Shortstop: Larry Romney (Eastshore Elegants) (.260/16/80/73) .971 FA Left Fielder: Chet Penn (Colfax Blasters) (.378/25/125/102) .994 FA Center Fielder: Scotty Lagrange (Eastshore Elegants) (.285/32/105/1.0) .995 FA Right Fielder: Bobby Gamble (Sugar Valley Rattlers) (.352/38/136/128) .990 FA |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 24, 2037 TU HONORS OUTSTANDING DEFENDERS The Tycobbian Union Golden Glovers have been chosen. All except Eddie Darby are first-time recipients. Darby has been honored five times in his career, four times at second base and one time at shortstop. There were no rookies on the TU squad. Pitcher: Ryan Ledbetter (Chicopee Braves) (12-13/4.43) 1.000 FA Catcher: Mikhail Romanovsky (North Hills Hawks) (.247/24/82/75) (.998 FA/2 PB/33.0% RTO) First Baseman: Karl Jankauskas (East Point Panthers) (.252/37/105/89) .993 FA Second Baseman: Todd Goodwin (Chicopee Braves) (.259/14/57/87) .986 FA Third Baseman: Kurt Gustavsen (Chicopee Braves) (.287/22/91/77) .963 FA Shortstop: Eddie Darby (Tuckanarra Blue Jays) (.268/11/69/81) .980 FA Left Fielder: Sadaharu Uchiyama (Ginza Ninjas) (.304/13/79/88) .997 FA Center Fielder: Ike Sweetwater (Red Bluff Red Sox) (.292/31/83/98) .986 FA Right Fielder: Gregorio Oliviera (Arroyo Grande Suns) (.276/22/70/72) 1.000 FA |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 25, 2037 CC 'CATS LEMIEUX SKIPPER OF THE YEAR AGAIN For the second year in a row Cold Creek's Scoop Lemieux has been chosen Ruthlandian Union Manager of the Year. He edged out Waleska's Roy Hobbs for the honor. The Cold Creek Catamounts captured the RU East Division for the second straight season as the club improved from 93-62 to 101-53. Lemieux had to beat back two outstanding teams to win it this year. Sugar Valley and Elnora both won 97 games and gave the Catamounts the fight of their life before succumbing. Cold Creek led the IPA with 101 victories. Hobbs, an IPA Hall-of-Fame player, took his Waleska Westerners from second place and an 82-72 mark to the RU South Division crown with a 93-61 record. Elnora's Leon Carter got a lot of support, too. He came in third in poll. His All-Stars went from sixth place to a second-place tie this year. Last year Elnora was only 77-77. They were noticeably better in 2037 with a 97-57 mark. Sugar Valley's Gibby Bobkins came in a distance fourth in the balloting. The Rattlers improved from 92-63 to 97-57, but still finished second in the RU East for the third successive season. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 25, 2037 MONTIES' HERRERA WIN THIRD TU SKIPPER TROPHY This year's Tycobbian Union Manager of the Year race was a tight one between San Alejo's Alberto Herrera, Turon's Alan Hansen, Tuckanarra's Lefty Stevens and La Claire's Zeppy Deshotel. When the vote came in, Herrera won it for the second consecutive year and the third time in his career. He previously won it in 2032 and 2035. Last year the Montaneros sunk to fifth place, 22 games out of first. This year they shot up to 94-60 and hauled in the Tycobbian South Division crown. The Turon Typhoons were much improved this year under Alan Hansen. They came in third in 2036 with an 84-70 record, 12 games out of first. They rose up to 93-61 this season, winding up a very close second to San Alejo, just one game back in the race. Tuckanarra had another superlative season with Carlton "Lefty" Stevens at the helm. For the second year in a row the Blue Jays won 99 games and again won the TU East. It's the fourth straight year the Bluebirds have done that. Fourth in the best-manager poll was Zeppy Deshotel of the La Claire Lynx, who climbed from third place in the TU West, 14 games behind, to the top spot. The Lynx chalked up an 80-74 mark in 2036 and bettered it with an 89-65 record this year. |
That will do it for year 2037 in the Islandian Pro Alliance.
I'll begin work on the new season in a week or so. Until then I will take a break from it. Don't worry if the IPA drops off page one. I plan to continue at least through the 2050 season. At that time I will create a new Dynasty using OOTP14. I'm pretty sure I will only have 12-16 teams in the new Dynasty. 64 teams is entirely too much to cover. Thanks to all of you who continue to follow the IPA. I much appreciated it. |
After a short break from the IPA, I will now get ready for season number 2038.
It will take a week or so to get it ready. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, February 1, 2038 DEVLIN, DILLINGER LEAD LIST OF IPA HOF-ERS Four great ballplayers will be inducted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame at the ceremonies scheduled for March 1 at the baseball shrine in Marston, Ruthlandia. This year's honorees will be Flash Devlin, Loco Dillinger, James Couch and Crash Davis. Flash Devlin starred for 19 seasons at third and shortstop with the La Claire Lynx in the Tycobbian West Division from 2013 to 2031, compiled a lifetime .317 BA with 559 HRs, 1799 RBIs and 1995 runs. Devlin ranks 13th all-time in the IPA in batting average, 10th in homers, 9th in RBIs and 11th in runs scored. He was a 13-time All-Star. Devlin was 37 when he retired and collected over 3,000 hits. Outfielder Loco Dillinger was a career .316 hitter for Waleska in the Ruthlandian South Division, playing from 2023 until 2037. Dillinger won the RU Golden Bat five times in his illustrious career and captured the league MVP trophy twice in back-to-back seasons in 2027 and 2028. He was also named the Rookie of the Year in 2023. Nine times Dillinger was an All-Star. Dillinger helped the Westerners win the IPA Pro Cup in 2028 and three division titles. The gifted slugger went deep 479 times, drove in 1551 runs and tallied 1379 runs in a 15-year career. Dillinger called it quits this year at mid-season, saying his legs gave out on him. Shortstop par excellence James Couch of the Ozarka Naturals was selected to the Tycobbian All-Stars 10 times from 2015 to 2036. He played for 22 seasons with .307 BA, 3227 hits, 231 roundtrippers, scored 1601 runs and batted in 1339. Couch made the Golden Glove squad on two occasions. The Nats won 8 TU East Division flags during his tenure. Couch played in the postseason 9 times, but never got a ring. He batted .295 in 104 games with 7 homers, 56 RBIs and 55 runs. Crash Davis played 17 of his 21-year career with the Ginza Ninjas of the Tycobbian South Division, helping them haul in five pennants as a fine defensive catcher and solid hitter. He played in the IPA from 2013 to 2033, retiring at age 39. Davis posted a .304 lifetime BA with 3018 base hits, 402 homers, 1556 RBIs and scored 1656 runs. 15 times he was picked to play in the IPA All-Star game. David was a four-time Golden Glover. |
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, April 4, 2038 FORT BENTON, FAIRFAX FATED TO BE IN PRO CUP The Islandian Times released its annual preview of the Islandian Pro Alliance today and gave the nod to the Fort Benton Defenders in the Ruthlandian Union and the Fairfax Frogs in the Tycobbian Union. According the sports scribes and broadcasters, those two clubs have the best chance of playing for the Pro Cup crown come October. The Cold Creek Catamounts and Wynnamac Sundowners could challenge Fort Benton, while the Ozarka Naturals, Turon Typhoons and Denton City Redbirds are given the best chance of contending with Fairfax. For the fourth straight season LaGrange is predicted to win the Ruthlandian North Division, fighting off the Kilkenny Cats and the Far Mountain Redhawks... defending IPA champion Waleska is favored in the RU South, but it will have a tight battle on its hands from San Dimas and St. John. |
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2038 Ruthlandian East and West Preseason Predictions
The Ruthlandian East is shaping up to be another grand pennant race this year with the defending division winner Cold Creek going at it with upstart Wynnamac in a razor-thin battle... Sugar Valley and Beechwood could be in the mix as well... don't completely count out Eastshore and Elnora... six clubs in the IPA's toughest division could have winning records. Over in the RU West Division it looks like it will be an easy win this year for the Fort Benton Defenders... Sligo and Middlefield will be distant challengers. |
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2038 Tycobbian North and South Preseason Predictions
The baseball analysts are forecasting Fairfax in a breeze in the Tycobbian North Division... the Frogs are big favorite to knock off the North Hills Hawks, who have taken four flags in a row... no one else will be in striking distance. In the Tycobbian South Division the outlook is for a three-team race between favored Turon, last year's champ San Alejo and up-and-coming Cape Coral. |
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2038 Tycobbian East and West Division Preseason Predictions
The Ozarka Naturals have been deemed the best team in the Tycobbian East Division this season... and they just might win handily over the East Point Panthers... mighty Tuckanarra, who has chalked up pennants the last four years in a row is given only an outside shot at the title. A tight race is predicted for the Tycobbian West Division between the Denton City Redbirds and the La Claire Lynx, who copped the crown last year... the Arlon Champions will be back in the pack along with the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers. |
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, June 20, 2038 38TH ALL-STAR CLASSIC SET FOR WALESKA WEDNESDAY Once again it is time to honor the elite players in the Islandian Pro Alliance. The league office today announced the names of the players selected to play in the annual league All-Star classic. Game 38 will be played this Wednesday afternoon at Westerner Field, the home of the defending IPA Pro Cup champion Waleska. The Ruthlandian Stars have won the game the last two years, but trail the Tycobbian Stars 24-13 in the series. Four-time honorees J. J. Gillespie and Cody Hanks will lead Ruthlandian with help from Brad Alexander, Roger Hobbs, Johnny Petrak, Cody Hanks and Chet Penn, who have made the team three times apiece. Heading up the Tycobbian All-Stars will be six-time selection Pat Kovacs, five-time picks Dixie Brooks and Jerry Culpepper, four-time selection Adam Thurgood and three-time All-Stars Kurt Gustavsen, Todd Dubbins and William Snyder. The skippers will be Roy Hobbs of the IPA champion Waleska Westerners for the RU All-Stars and Alberto Herrera of the Pro Cup runner-up San Alejo Montaneros guiding the TU All-Stars. Representing the Ruthlandian Union: SP Lou Page (STJ) (8-3/1.55) SP J. J. Gillespie (CCR) (9-6/2.04) SP Maury Patterson (BEE) (12-4/2.22) SP Frankie Moreland (FM) (13-4/2.57) SP Basil Newchurch (GLS) (14-5/2.95) SP Jeremy Blanchard (SV) (12-3/3.52) SP Christopher Dunsberry (SV) (13-5/3.25) SP Dave Gronkowski (VLK) (13-3/3.39) C Barney Swindell (STO) (.294/21/57/35) C Brad Alexander (MDF) (.319/19/55/44) C Hunter Glenholmes (FTB) (.295/5/25/48) 1B Jojo DeLucca (CLX) (.355/15/63/69) 1B Denny Simmons (SLI) (.331/17/56/57) 2B Roger Hobbs (SV) (.337/19/79/54) 2B John Petrak (ETS) (.316/14/56/46) 3B Leonard Purkey (SD) (.339/15/56/51) 3B Philip DeWey (MAR) (.302/18/55/45) SS Stevie Wynn (CLX) (.(.328/5/31/42) SS Gerry Sives (CFX) (.322/3/32/40) SS Cody Hanks (BEE) (.349/14/58/53) LF Foxey Fuchs (CLX) (.362/19/56/58) LF Chet Penn (CFX) (.326/13/57/41) LF Harman Silver (FM) (.347/12/40/44) CF Travis Houston (GLS) (.333/16/50/60) CF Art Kelley (STJ) (.338/17/45/50) CF Howie Baldwin (BEE) (.291/22/62/62) RF Nicky Farrugia (STJ) (.317/18/65/45) RF Kenny Mitzusaka (VLK) (.329/10/49/45) Participating for the Tycobbian Union: SP Armin Boehm (TUR) (13-2/2.40) SP Pat Kovacs (LC) (13-6/2.13) SP Jeff Buttrum (TUC) (12-6/2.99) SP Clyde Engstrom (TUR) (13-4/2.67) SP Mark Pennington (MAH) (12-5/2.99) SP Dixie Brooks (EP) (10-5/2.27) SP Frankie Lambert (NH) (10-2/1.77) MR Terry Baird (LC) (4-0/0.77/14 saves) C Filipe Zamora (SA) (.315/16/52/48) C Felton Welch (DC) (.348/17/58/40) C Stevie Dee Daniels (WR) (.295/15/47/34) 1B Stan Ferguson (CC) (.304/12/68/33) 1B Ted Hatch (SA) (.314/20/47/35) 2B Jerry Culpepper (BAY) (.262/28/62/49) 2B Mikk Kukk (MAH) (.336/9/46/39) 3B Kurt Gustavsen (CHI) (.337/14/49/37) 3B Todd Dubbins (LUX) (.339/14/46/42) SS Jess Wilkerson (SF) (.335/11/39/42) SS Clifford Coleman (HM) (.335/14/39/46) SS Duffy Morrison (OZK) (.305/10/46/39) LF Adam Thurgood (NH) (.309/17/56/45) LF Spade Weldon (TUC) (.353/8/46/40) LF Charley Hastings (ARL) (.325/10/43/51) CF J. P. Trevenot (TUR) (.343/17/38/56) CF Eric Kusek (FFX) (.343/3/31/54) RF William Snyder (CC) (.367/13/41/46) RF Blake Barrister (CCH) (.295/23/63/55) RF Guido Gervasio (TUR) (.286/13/51/45) |
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 22, 2038 2038 RUTHLANDIAN MIDSEASON STANDINGS AND TEAM STATISTICS The Far Mountain Redhawks have opened up a six-game lead over the Glasco Athletics in the Ruthlandian North Division... favored LaGrange is wallowing under the .500 mark and in fifth place, 15 games back. In the Ruthlandian South Division Claxton has jumped out to an eight-game bulge over runner-up St. John... defending IPA champion Waleska in third place in the standings and 10 games behind... the Westerners were the preseason pick. |
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2038 RUTHLANDIAN MIDSEASON STANDINGS AND TEAM STATISTICS
In the Ruthlandian East race powerful Sugar Valley has built up a solid 5-game lead over the Beechwood Bobcats at midseason... preseason favorite Cold Creek has played well, but so far it hasn't come close to matching the Rattlers' blistering pace... the Catamounts have fallen behind by 9 games, which may be too much to make up... highly-thought of Wynnamac is languishing in seventh place, 16 games off the pace... it looks like a two-team contest between Sugar Valley and Beechwood, two offensive juggernauts. Out in the RU West Divsion the number-one pick Fort Benton has its hands full with the Sligo Rovers... the Defenders are tied with them at the All-Star break... Volusia and Middlefield are within reach, but not likely to challenge this year... the outlook is a close finish between two very evenly-matched teams... it might be too close to call... the Rovers' home-run power could be the difference maker. |
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2038 TYCOBBIAN UNION MIDSEASON STANDINGS AND TEAM STATISTICS
The tough North Hills Hawks are trying to improve on a string of four consecutive Tycobbian North Division titles... so far, so good... at the All-Star break the Hawks are in first place and three games up on the preseason pick Fairfax Frogs... last year North Hills finished strong and beat out the Frogs by three games... it appears to be another down-to-wire climax again... two other clubs White River and Mahaska are still in the chase. In the TU South Division the Turon Typhoons are giving defending champ San Alejo fits again... last season the Montaneros managed to slip by them by one game, but this year the Typhoons are up at half way point by three games... the forecast is calling for another tense stretch drive between them... the Ginza Ninjas are seven games out and not likely to be a title contender... better pitching and defense may give Turon the edge this year... however San Alejo has the better offense. |
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2038 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings and Team Statistics
The talented Tuckanarra Blue Jays have had their way in the Tycobbian East Division for the last four years, winning the pennant each season, often in runaway fashion... this year it just might be a little bit tougher... the Tucks are playing magnificently as usual, but so are the Ozarka Naturals, High Mesa Cowboys and the East Point Panthers... the Blue Jays have a scant two-game margin over the Nats, who were picked to knock them off this year in the preseason poll... High Mesa, who started like a ball of fire last year, but fizzled out after the first month of play, has staying power thus far this season and trails by just four games... the Panthers are perennial contenders in the pennant chase and are just five games behind... on paper Ozarka is the only one of the three challengers that can make a run at the Blue Jays. There's also a very good race in the Tycobbian West Division this season with six teams in the hunt... last year's division champ La Claire is still a good ball club... the Lynx are three games ahead of second place Chicopee, four in front of third place Bayview and Arlon, six games better than fifth place Denton City, the preseason choice, with Bay St. Clair seven games off the pace in sixth... it is a wide-open race... La Claire and Arlon have the pitching... Chicopee and Bayview the firepower... it's hard to go against such a well-balanced club like the Lynx, who also play great defense. |
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2038 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Leaderboards
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2038 Tycobbian Union Midseason Leaderboards
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, June 23, 2038 TU STARS TAMES RU 3-2 ON KUKK'S HIT At Westerner Field in Waleska, the Tycobbian All-Stars snapped a two-game losing streak in the IPA All-Star Classic with a 3-2 triumph... Mikk Kukk (Mahaska) delivered the game-winning hit in the seventh, scoring Jess Wilkerson (South Fork) from second base... Tycobbia improved to 25-13 in the annual classic... the TU All-Stars rallied from an early 2-0 deficit with runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh... Kukk was voted the game's Most Valuable Player. Tycobbian outhit Ruthlandia 10 to 6... SS Clifford Coleman (High Mesa) was the only player to get 2 hits... Clyde Engstrom (Turon) got the victory with 2 perfect innings in the fifth and sixth... J. J. Gillespie (Cold Creek) suffered the loss... he allowed 2 hits in the seventh, a double by Jess Wilkerson and Kukk's single. The RU All-Stars took the lead in the second frame... RF Nicky Farrugia (St. John) led off with a walk against Pat Kovacs (La Claire), moved over to third on 3B Leonard Purkey's (San Dimas) single, then scored on C Brad Alexander's (Middlefield) sacrifice fly... Ruthlandian added another run off Armin Boehm (Turon) in the third when 2B Roger Hobbs (Sugar Valley) beat out a bunt, advanced to second on a groundout, stole third, and was driven in by RF Foxy Fuchs' (Claxton) base hit. Tycobbia finally got things going offensively in the fifth frame against Dave Gronkowski (Valka), scoring on singles by 1B Stan Ferguson (Cape Coral), CF Eric Kusek (Fairfax) and SS Clifford Coleman (High Mesa), cutting it to 2-1 in favor of Ruthlandia... a single by C Filipe Zamora (San Alejo) and an RBI double by LF Spade Weldon (Tuckanarra) off Frankie Moreland (Far Mountain) tied it up at 2-all in the sixth. |
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 1, 2038 FM REDHAWKS ROMP IN RU NORTH There's no semblance of a pennant race in the Ruthlandian North... Far Mountain has a massive 13-game lead going into the last few weeks of the season... the Redhawks had a 6-game edge over second-place Glasco at mid-year and greatly increased it during the summer... the LaGrange Sports, pennant winners for the last three years, will not bring home the trophy this season... the Sports are 14 games back in third place... there are only 18 games left to play. DIAMONDS SHINE IN RU SOUTH The Claxton Diamonds have won more games than anyone in the Islandian Pro Alliance this year, so far running away with the Ruthlandian South Division... runner-up St. John is a distant 17 games off the pace... Pro Cup champion Waleska will not be back to defend its IPA title... the Westerners fizzled badly and are in fifth place and trail by 23 games. SV RATTLERS HOLD SLIGHT LEAD IN RU EAST It's been another year-long battle in the tough Ruthlandian East Division between Sugar Valley and Cold Creek... heading into the stretch drive, the Rattlers are in front by 4 games over the Catamounts... the Beechwood Bobcats are in the third spot in the standings, resting 8 games back... Cold Creek has closed the gap with Sugar Valley in the second half of the season... the 'Cat were behind by 9 games at the All-Star Game. 3 TEAMS VIE FOR RU WEST CROWN The best race in the IPA this year is in the Ruthlandian West with the Colfax Blasters, Sligo Rovers and Fort Benton Defenders in a tight, tense duel... with only three weeks to go, Colfax has a slight 2-game advantage over second-place Sligo and are just 3 in front of Fort Benton, the preseason favorite and last season's division winner... the Blasters have really come on strong in the last two months to overtake the slumping Rovers and Defenders... Colfax was under .500 in the first half, but has surged since being 7 games out at mid-season. |
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 23, 2038 TYCOBBIAN UNION HAWKS HEADED FOR ANOTHER TU NORTH TITLE For the fifth season in a row the North Hills Hawks have pretty much wrapped up the Tycobbian North Division with a terrific 12-game bulge... it's highly unlikely that anyone can catch them this late in the year... Luxora is in second place with Mahaska third and 13 games out... fourth place is held by Blue Lake, 14 games off the pace... it was a close race until mid-year when Fairfax was right on the Hawks' heels and just a game out of first... the Hawks went on a second-half blitz and left everybody in their draft... the Frogs went into a tailspin in July and August and spiraled downward to sixth place, 21 games behind. TYPHOONS ON TOP IN TU SOUTH The Turon Typhoons blew away the defending Tycobbian South champ San Alejo with a hot August to build up a 7-game margin going into the final weeks of the season... Turon led the Montaneros by just 3 games at the All-Star break... Ginza has hung close in third place and 8 games behind the Typhoons... the Ninjas were 7 games back at mid-season. BLUE JAYS BEST IN TU EAST BY 7 Perennial powerhouse Tuckanarra is still at it and going strong in the Tycobbian East Division... the Blue Jays are well on the way to their fifth straight flag with a 7-game lead over the Ozarka Naturals... High Mesa is third and 8 games out... and East Point is in the fourth spot in the division standings, 9 games back in the race... it's been a pretty good four-team affair most of the year... at the season's half way mark, the Tucks were on top by 2 games over Ozarka, 4 up on High Mesa and 5 in front of East Point... since then, the Blue Jays have played steady and consistently, while Ozarka stumbled badly in July and East Point slumped severely in August... High Mesa managed to be 3 games over .500 the last two months. LYNX AND VIKS GO AT IT IN TU WEST At the All-Star Game six clubs were in contention in the Tycobbian West Division with the La Claire Lynx in the lead... everyone but the Bayview Vikings bit the dust in the dog days' of Summer... La Claire, the current division champion, begins September with the same 4-game edge over the Vikings they held at mid-season... the Lynx have done it with pitching, while Bayview has stayed in the race with an explosive offense... over the last two months the Viks have been a little bit better than the Lynx record-wise... they were 34-23 to La Claire's 32-25. TYCOBBIAN UNION STANDINGS |
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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 21, 2038 FM REDHAWKS SWOOP IN RU NORTH FLAG There was no pennant race this year in the Ruthlandian North Division... Far Mountain ran away with it, defeating LaGrange by a monstrous margin of 15 games... the Sports had won the division flag five of the past six seasons... 1st: Far Mountain PRO CUP OUTLOOK: this will be the Redhawks' 12th playoff appearance... first division title since 2025... Redhawks have quality pitching, but bats may not be strong enough to go far into the postseason... club has captured 3 Pro Cups (2011, 2012, 2013). Top Pitchers: Dennis Sasek (20-3/2.81), All-Star Frankie Moreland (20-14/3.31), Karl Nordheim (20-12/3.56), Chad Cummings (17-16/3.54) Top Batters: All-Star LF Harman Silver (.326/23/85/81), SS Dan Vance (.324/3/39/75), 1B Johnny Burrell (.300/25/94/78), 2B Kyle Ainslie (.282/19/73/58), RF Gilbert Bauer (.26/19/73/58) 2nd: LaGrange Comments: Starters didn't produce this year as in the past... hitters still a liability... Sports have won the pennant six times, but never a Pro Cup. Top Pitchers: Walt Thurber (21-12/3.06) Top Batters: SS Fred Bird (.320/4/51/118), RF Charles Bacque (.299/18/74/80), 3B Claude DesJardins (.266/22/77/64) 3rd: Kilkenny Comments: Worst hitting in the division... however pitching was good... Cats were expected to really contend this year... came in close second in 2036 and 2037... never has made the playoffs. Top Pitchers: Dave Michael (19-15/2.82), Dave Stratford (16-11/3.27) Top Batters: LF Kevin McLaglen (.300/13/58/63), 3B Leevi Viru (.267/18/91/80) 4th: Glasco Comments: playoff drought for 36 seasons... no Pro Cups titles... played well until mid-season... faded in the second half... has the offense, but lacks the pitching... good defensively. Top Pitchers: All-Star Basil Newchurch (19-17/3.82), Jimmy Willard (17-15/3.93) Top Batters: All-Star Travis Houston (.318/30/88/117), 3B Taylor Hampshire (.299/20/59/89), RF Galen Watson (.280/26/96/83), SS Greg Stone (.297/16/68/75) 5th: Taranto Comments: has made first division only once in 11 years and that was fourth place... won only Pro Cup in 2015... last pennant was in 2019... small ball park is made for homers... really tough on pitchers. Top Pitchers: Rex Perrilloux (17-16/2.84), Fast Eddy Romano (3-1/2.04/9 saves) Top Batters: LF Alden Evans (.299/32/74/101), C Angelo Rossi (.296/33/80/78), 1B Big Sam Takota (.251/39/101/96), 2B Donnie Nilsson (.277/17/72/86) 6th: Ancona Comments: just a mediocre club... hasn't been in the postseason since 2022... never won Pro Cup. Top Pitchers: rookie Lucian Kairis (11-6/2.79), Jock Fraser (13-8/3.66), Pablo Pilar (13-11/3.79) Top Batters: rookie LF Eldon Aldridge (.344/23/72/61), 3B Tommy Richardson (.313/22/77/80), SS Alex Zitek (.258/26/92/74), 1B Jesse Clayton (.278/15/70/77) 7th: Ranford Comments: finished near the bottom for fourth year in a row... last pennant in 2034... never won Pro Cup... Bulls have some power, but little else. Top Pitchers: rookie reliever Ralph Hawk (6-7/2.53/13 saves), reliever Miguel Mandina (3-1/1.91/3 saves) Top Batters: RF Dale Weston (.289/47/98/106), 1B Joey Gompers (.248/28/80/76) 8th: Valmara Comments: proud franchise with 13 postseason appearances and one Pro Cup in 2026, but has been down since winning the flag in 2031... pitching is poor, bats pretty fair. Top Pitchers: closer Clark Van Vreeland (6-4/2.45/20 saves), Harold Hudson (11-10/3.81) Top Batters: 3B Andy Ruffino (.336/10/56/76), 2B Miroslav Ciszek (.298/11/72/55), RF Benny Hooper (.290/21/73/74), 1B George Jenkins (.282/22/57/65) 2038 RUTHLANDIAN NORTH DIVISION FINAL STANDINGS AND TEAM STATISTICS |
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