[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 23, 2036

COLFAX STAVES OFF FORT BENTON CHALLENGE IN RU WEST
Winning on paper is always easier than on the diamond... just ask the newly-crowned champion of the Ruthlandian West, the Colfax Blasters... they were rated to win easily in The Islandian Times' preseason poll, but when it finally played out, the Blasters just barely beat the fast-closing Fort Benton Defenders by two games... the Defenders dug themselves into a hole in the first half of the season, but turned it on in the second half and almost caught Colfax...the Blasters played well throughout the year and managed to stave off the determined push by Fort Benton... in third place 8 games behind were the Sligo Rovers... fourth place went to the Forest City Lumberjacks, who finished 10 games out.

Stoner was fifth and 14 games off the pace... sixth in the standings were the Rocky Rapids Snappers, who trailed by 16... in the seventh spot were the Middlefield Roosters, 21 games back... and pulling up the rear in the basement were the defending champion Volusia Vigilantes, 23 games behind winning Colfax... only three clubs in the RU West had winning records.

1st - Colfax: moved up from a very close second in 2035 just 2 games behind winning Volusia... were in seventh place in 2034, trailing by 19 games... last won pennants in 2030 and 2032... has made the playoffs 10 times in the team's history with one Pro Cup in 2010 when the Blasters won 107 games, the most wins in IPA history... Colfax is a better-than-average club, but not likely to get far in Pro Cup circles... the Blasters hit very well for average (.279 BA-2nd), but don't score well (704 runs-18th) and don't have much firepower (111 HRs/30th)... mound staff is good with a 3.55 team ERA (6th)... very impressive defense with a .978 FA
Top Performers: Randell Perkins (22-13/3.34), Ray Maxon (13-11/3.45), Jack Scanlon (8-6/2.62/13 saves), All-Star LF Chet Penn (.327/28/101/99), All-Star C Mitch Fullerton (.309/25/87/82), SS Gerry Sives (.277/9/54/94), 1B Kristian McEly (.283/16/78/68), RF Dom DeJohnette (.282/15/60/66)

2nd - Fort Benton: 2 GB... Defenders have been contenders in 8 of the last 10 years... were third last year, only 3 games back... team has never made the playoffs... they can match Colfax on the hill and at the plate, but fall down on defense with a poor .969 FA... the Defenders hit well with a .267 BA (13th), scored pretty well with 765 runs (7th), but hit only 124 HRs (24th-tied)... and the team ERA was a pretty fair 3.69 (12th).
Top Performers: Augie Marquis (19-14/3.41), Edd Farmer (8-4/2.95/14 saves), Jordy Raeburn (14-10/3.54), Tommy Baylor (16-13/3.51)... Brady Bell (5-3/2.02/3 saves), 3B Mitch Hamilton (.324/6/74/109), SS D. D. Badeaux (.292/12/88/54), Rod Myerson (.318/14/78/59), RF Luther Naismith (.292/12/63/85), CF Chuck Sears (.281/14/71/52), 2B Alec Leclerc (.256/2/45/99)

3rd - Sligo: 8 GB... came in fourth 4 GB last year and last 21 GB in 2034... has won 7 pennants overall, 4 in the last decade... last playoff appearance in 2033... gained its only Pro Cup in 2021... good offensive team with a .272 team BA (7th), 768 runs (5th-tied) and 152 HRs (18th)... bad pitching with a 4.25 team ERA (23rd)... only average with the gloves (.973 FA)
Top Performers: Tom Pierson (17-14/3.97), Scotty Price (10-6/2.75/15 saves), 2B Lou Wilhoit (.331/24/94/67), 1B Denny Simmons (.315/11/73/85), LF George Stanley (.304/27/75/78), SS Dan Vance (.302/2/50/70), RF Pat Foreman (.255/14/56/90)

4th - Forest City: 10 games behind... fifth last year 7 GB... second-division team the last decade... last participated in playoffs in 2013... no Pro Cups in history... good bats with a .275 BA (5th), 728 runs (12th) and 136 HRs (21st-tied)... odorous on the hill with a 4.26 ERA (24th)... average defense with a .973 FA
Top Performers: Walter Gibbons (21-13/4.18), Rich Barstow (16-17/3.27), 3B Kelly Hardison (.310/22/90/94), LF Ronnie Pollet (.308/21/94/75), 1B Pistol Pete Picard (.306/22/90/79), C Bob Brisdon (.306/16/65/59), 2B Hal Burton (.286/5/42/102)

5th - Stoner: 14 GB... climbed up from cellar in 2035 (26 GB)... only three postseason appearances... last time in 2029... average offense with 701 runs (20th)and .272 team BA (8th)... not a lot of power with 124 roundtrippers (26th-tied)... poor in the field with a .969 FA
Top Performers: Jorge Metaxis (17-13/4.24), C Barney Swindell (.305/23/102/70), CF Don Cain (.280/9/56/91), SS Phil Chase (.262/11/73/77)

6th - Rocky Rapids: 16 games behind Colfax... was sixth for the third year in a row... won one Pro Cup in 2019... played in postseason only four times... last time in 2020... features poor hitting (.255 BA-28th) with only 645 runs (30th) and 136 HRs (21st-tied)... mediocre on the mound with a 4.09 team ERA (19th)... not much on defense with a .970 FA
Top Performers: Randy McKenzie (19-16/4.02), Johnny Griffin (15-14/4.08), John Young (7-4/1.79/22 saves), 3B Duncan Musselwhite (.320/2/44/60), free agent from Elnora LF Travis Glass (.288/22/59/47)

7th - Middlefield: 21 GB... also finished seventh in 2025 (24 GB)... won its only Pro Cup in 2005... made postseason 9 times... not a very good team... hits a lot of homers because Middlefield Park has such short fences... second in RU with 194 HRs, but opposing teams hits 233 (32nd) against them... scores pretty well with 747 runs (9th), but ranks 32nd (848 runs) in runs allowed... team BA is only .248 (31st)... team ERA is 4.68 (31st)... average defensively with a .972 mark.
Top Performers: Ray Owens (9-9/2.55/24 saves), Victor Suarez (13-17/3.98), LF Alejandro Dominguez (.279/31/98/97), C Brad Alexander (.236/31/95/79), RF Norman Antonioni (.264/28/66/61), CF Tony Parsons (.263/20/75/94), 3B Colt Chadwick (.271/13/73/87)

8th - Volusia: 23 games back... won RU West last two seasons in 2034 and 2035... played in Pro Cup playoffs 8 times, winning it in IPA inaugural season in 2001... Vigilantes had a terrible year both at the plate and on the hill... pathetic pitching with a 4.72 ERA (32nd)... scored only 633 runs (31st), batted only .255 (27th) with 107 homers (31st)... sub-par defense with a .970 FA
Top Performers: Sammy Barton (19-16/3.61), 2B Vidal Rega (.288/3/47/70)