[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 1, 2002

Expansion Noobies Do Well Opening Day in IPA
While it is only the first day of a long season, the new expansion teams in the Islandian Pro Alliance performed quite well and won 10 of the 16 games head-to-head against the "oldtimers". It was a day of offense with ten teams scoring 10 or more runs. In fact, one of the "noobies" set a new league record by racking up 21 runs. The Ranford Bulls crushed the Wynnamac Sundowners 21-2 in an amazing offensive display. The High Mesa Cowboys stunned South Fork 17-3 in another runaway game. There was good pitching, too. Attendance was great with almost every game selling out. It was a very good day for pro baseball in the Islands. Expansion to 64 teams looks like a good decision. Now every town in Islandia has a team to root for.

Ruthlandian Union Recaps

Marston Edges Ancona 5-4 in 10 Innings
The Marston Nine opened the new season at home with a 5-4 victory at Legends Field over the Ancona Red Elephants. The game went extra innings and wildness by reliever Shannon Estes cost his club the win. Estes walked the first two batters in the tenth, but then got a double play ball, but he couldn't stand the prosperity, Estes promptly tossed a wild pitch and allowed the winning run to score from third base. Closer Walt Sellers pitched a runless tenth for the win, while Estes suffered the loss. Faulty fielding by Ancona cost them two unearned runs. The Red Elephants committed four errors in all. Ancona outhit the Nine 8 to 7.

Elegants Edge Rancheros 3-2 Behind Lloyd
The Eastshore Elegants hosted the San Dimas Rancheros at Kraft Stadium in the first game ever for both clubs in the Islandian Pro Alliance and came away with a tight 3-2 triumph. Second baseman Miles Sheehan provided a two-run homer in the fourth inning for the difference in the game. That put the Elegants up 3-1 and lefthander Justin Lloyd made it stand up. Lloyd allowed eight hits, walked only one and whiffed four. Josh Houston went the distance in defeat for San Dimas, giving up six hits and striking out four. Houston walked just one. Center fielder Pepe Maduro has a solo homer for the Rancheros.

Redhawks Rip A's 12-4
Opening the brand new season at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain, the Redhawks sent the hometown fans home happy with a resounding 12-4 win over the visiting Glasco Athletics. Three circuit clouts and 13 hits made it easy with center fielder Hawk Gallagher smashing a pair of home run and driving in three runs. Catcher Dave Davis also had a two-run homer. John Luzzatti and Mike McCable combined for the victory. Luzzatti got the win, going seven innings, giving up four runs on six hits. McCabe closed it out with two scoreless innings. Jesse Balfour, a 16-game winner last year, copped the loss. He was rapped for three homers and seven runs in three-plus innings.

Claxton Nips Belle Plaine 5-4
At Avalon Stadium in Claxton, the Diamonds knocked off the Belle Plaine Musketeers 5-4. Claxton took a 5-1 lead after the first four innings and then staved off the Musketeers, who had 12 hits in the game, but wasted most of them. The Diamonds only had 8, but did some damage with when they got them. Alex Vanzetti toughed out the victory, being tagged for a dozen base hits and four runs in his seven innings. Mike Grenier, a new closer this year for Claxton, looked great by setting down all six batters he faced, while fanning two of them. Grenier chalked up the save on opening day. Belle Plaine starter Jack Ambeau was the losing pitcher. The Diamonds roughed him up for five runs in less than four innings. Center fielder Wayne Wilson sparked Claxton with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.

Fort Benton Slips by Cold Creek 3-2
At Holmes Field in Cold Creek, homers accounted for all of the runs in the Fort Benton Defenders 3-2 decision over the Catamounts. In fact, there were three homers hit in the third inning, scoring all five runs in the game. Left fielder Russ Murphy slugged a two-run homer for Fort Benton and one batter later third baseman Connie Gibbons slammed another one. In the bottom of the inning, left fielder Karl Yashin went deep for Cold Creek, good for their two runs. Both starters pitched well with Tom Chiarra chalking up the win over Lew MacAlester. Chiarra worked eight innings, allowed seven hits, fanned three and issued only one base on balls, while MacAlester gave up six hits in his eight innings, struck out eight and walked two in defeat. Both clubs had 7 hits in the game.

Ranford Sets IPA Record, Crushes Wynnamac 21-2
What a debut the Ranford Bulls had! They set a new IPA record by crushing the Wynnamac Sundowners 21-3. The Bulls scored at will against a hapless Wynnamac pitching staff, ripping them for 19 hits. Topping the Bull batters were second baseman Johnny Fenroy with five RBIs, center fielder Teddy Halvorsen with four and left fielder Johnny Russo with three. Halvorsen got three of his on a home run. Ranford also shined on the mound as lefthander Paul Dickey sizzled with 11 strikeouts. Dickey went the route, held the Sundowners to seven hits, while walking four. It was a day to remember at Ranford County Stadium.

The Marston Nine held the old mark for most runs in a game when they shelled the Belair Beach Sunbirds 20-9 last year on June 22 at Bayside Stadium. Ranford had two 7-run innings to completely overwhelm Wynnamac.

Kerston's 9th-Inning Triple Wins it for Grand City
Neil Kerston's ninth-inning triple thrilled 15,000 fans at Entergy Park in Grand City. It gave the Cybercats a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the visiting Valka Blackhawks. Valka's Erik Sommers had stymied Grand City 2-1 on four hits, but he faltered in the bottom of the ninth, issuing his only two walks just ahead of Kerston's game-winning blow. The Cybercats got good mound work from starter Milo Dyer and closer Bill Berglund. Dyer only surrendered two runs and five hits in his eight innings. Berglund pitched a perfect ninth for the win. Sommers yielded five hits overall in the loss, while striking out four. Right fielder Kerston paced Grand City with a double, triple and two RBIs. Catcher Kristjan Kasik homered for the Blackhawks.

Beechwood Bombs Forest City 10-3
Being a new team in the IPA didn't hamper the Beechwood Bobcats. They bombed the Forest City Lumberjacks 10-3 at City Park Stadium to win their debut game in the IPA. Catcher Hank Stewart led the hit parade with 4-4 and five RBIs. The Bobcats socked 11 hits and hit two out of the park. Stewart hit a 3-run salvo in the seventh to break open a 5-3 game, while second sacker Augie Ippolito belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Joe Hahn and Frankie Lacaze teamed up to stop the Lumberjacks on eight hits. Winning pitcher Hahn had control problems and left in the seventh with a 5-3 lead. Hahn walked five, fanned five and permitted three runs on seven hits. Lacaze netted the save with two and two-thirds shutout innings. He allowed one hit and struck out three. Herm Bahr had a rocky outing for Forest City and sustained the loss. Bahr went five innings and gave up five runs on seven hits.

Cats Joubert Sinks Waleska 2-1 with 11th Inning HR
Before a packed crowd of almost 8000 at Smithwick Stadium in Kilkenny, Tee Boy Joubert sent them to the pubs happy with an eleventh-inning four-bagger to squeak out a 2-1 triumph over the Waleska Westerners. It came off of closer Buddy Kennedy, who caught the defeat. It was the only run he gave up in three innings. Notching the victory was Collin Gilder, who pitched a scoreless eleventh inning. Starters Smokey Joe Carter for the Westerners and Sean O'Doherty battled to a 1-1 draw. Carter hurled seven innings and allowed seven hits, while O'Doherty went eight, gave up six hits, struck out five and walked two. Kilkenny had the advantage in hits 9 to 8 with left fielder Joubert and and center fielder Kirk Pitzer leading the way with two hits and an RBI each. Rookie catcher Carlos Trujillo drove in Waleska's only run with a single.

Vigilantes Top Elnora 5-2, Sandoval Too Tough
The defending IPA champions, the Volusia Vigilantes, topped the Elnora All-Stars 5-2 on the road at State Fair Park. The V's did it with a three-run ninth and some fine pitching by their ace lefthander Raul Sandoval. Third baseman Shane Wells delivered the game-winning blow with a two-run single. Wells went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs to lead Volusia. Shortstop Scooter Perez cracked out three hits and had two RBIs, while rookie catcher Juanito Luque scored twice and smacked three hits in his debut game. Sandoval was as tough as ever, holding the All-Stars to just two runs. Sandoval allowed nine hits and fanned five. Pat Savoie took the loss for Elnora, giving up nine hits and five runs in eight and two-thirds innings. Volusia had ten hits in all.

Roosters Rout Rattlers 8-2, Smith Goes the Distanc
Somebody forgot to tell the Middlefield Roosters who was on the mound for the Sugar Valley Rattlers at Middlefield Park. The Roosters tore into 23-game winner Ron Benson for six runs in the first two innings to rout the Golden Arm Award winner and the Rattlers 8-2. Meanwhile Curtis Smith held Sugar Valley to just six hits and two runs in a fine performance. Leading Middlefield at bat was center fielder Ty DeWitt, who smacked a three-run roundtripper. Total attendance for the Roosters first ever pro baseball game was 7388.

Taranto Holds Off LaGrange 6-4
In front of over 7000 excited spectators at the Palazzo di Sport in Taranto the local Tars held on to down the LaGrange Sports 6-4 in the opener of the 2002 Islandian Pro Alliance season. Taranto took the win in spite of being outgunned 15 to 13 in hits. Both clubs left lots of baserunners, the Sports left 13 and the Tars stranded 12. There were only four extra base hits in the game. Taranto took a 4-2 lead in the first frame and then managed to hold on and defeat LaGrange. The Tars top hitter was catcher Jules Carmouche with a perfect 4-for-4 day. Carmouche hit two doubles and plated a pair of runs. Left fielder Teddy Giacone also drove in two runs and went 2-for-5. LaGrange right fielder Phil Lacroix had four hits, too, and scored twice. Second baseman Kyle Villere had two hits and two RBIs in the game. Starting pitcher Carlo Bianchi got the victory with the help of three relievers. He worked six innings and gave up a lot of hits, but only three runs. Bianchi was touched for nine hits, fanned four and issued two bases on balls. Tony Rossi chalked up a save by getting the last out in the ninth with the tying runs on second and third. Rossi only faced one batter and got him on a popup to short to end the threat and the game. Barney Prohaska was the losing pitcher for the Sports. He was rapped for a dozen hits and six runs in six innings.

Sunbirds Blank Sligo 2-0, Thompson Bests Grant
The Sligo Rovers had a capacity crowd at Silver Mountain Park, but ran into a tough southpaw pitcher for Belair Beach. Carl Thompson shut them out 2-0 on an eight-hitter, besting Ezzie Grant. It was a scoreless duel until the ninth when a double, walk and single loaded the bases. That brought on the Rovers closer Colin McGrath, who forced in a run with a walk. Thompson drove in the second run himself with a sacrifice fly to center field. Losing pitcher Grant issued five walks and fanned only one, while giving up five hits. Thompson fanned three and issued a couple of walks.

St. John Squeezes by Colfax 2-1, Simon Beats Guidry
The Colfax Blasters opened up their second IPA season at home at Mountain View Stadium with almost 11,000 in the stands. But it was the St. John Crusaders who took home a 2-1 victory. It was a tight pitchers' duel between Zach Simon and Flash Guidry. Winner Simon went the distance, yielding only six hits and a run with eight strikeouts and a walk, while loser Guidry worked eight innings, permitted six hits and two runs. Home runs accounted for all the runs with St. John third baseman George Longmire leading off the game with a homer. Colfax center fielder Pat Lott matched it in the last of the first, then first baseman Richie Renaudin won it for St. John with a solo shot in the fourth.

The Blasters lost closer Vic Jankovich for about a week due to back spasms. Middle reliever Irv Panko will move into that spot according to manager Clem Rogers.

Rocky Rapids Cates Slams Crystal Lake 6-4
It was a freezing 29 degrees at Snapper Stadium in Rocky Rapids for opening day, but 7500 brave souls were rewarded as the Snappers sent the visiting Crystal Lake Crushers down to defeat 6-4 on third baseman Phil Cates' grand slammer in the fourth inning. Lefthander Tom Brown went the route and held the Crushers to five hits, while fanning three and walking three. Two of the hits were solo roundtrippers by shortstop Richie Dunn and left fielder Ben Butler. The loss went to starting pitcher Rocky Giambi, who was forced to make a quick exit in the fourth after being mauled for four runs and four hits. Rocky Rapids got 8 hits off four Crusher hurlers.

Stoner Downs Valmara 4-1, Schrader Winner
It was chilly and windy at Nonnac Stadium in Stoner, but it didn't put a damper on the crowd of 6600 attending the first game of the new IPA season. The Stars got a very impressive start from lefthander Erich Schrader, who downed the Valmara Vipers 4-1 on seven hits. Schrader gunned down 10 Vipers on strikes, while walking three, outpitching Zarek Zalewski, a 20-game winner last year. Zalewski got the loss, allowed four runs on eight hits in six and two-thirds innings. Stoner garnered nine hits overall in the game with third baseman Allen Black going 3-4, scoring twice and driving in a run. Black homered for the Stars and catcher Yoshi Motsuzuki banged one for the Vipers.