[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 23, 2036

NH HAWKS WIN 3RD STRAIGHT TU NORTH FLAG
Winning the Tycobbian North came tough in 2034 and 2035 for the North Hills Hawks... they took the titles by two games and one game... but this year the Hawks soared out to a 6-game lead at the All-Star Game and never were challenged... they won in a romp by 10 games over runner-up Blue Lake... North Hills was ranked first in The Islandian Times preseason poll with a tight race with Luxora chosen second and Blue Lake predicted third... third place went to the Fairfax Frogs, who were 16 games off the pace... only the three top clubs finished with winning records... in fourth place were the Oxford Red Caps, trailing by 22 games. White River and Hartsdale deadlocked for fifth place 25 games back... seventh went Luxora, 30 games out in the race... and last place went to the Mahaska Haymakers, 36 games behind.

1st - North Hills: also won pennants in 2034 and 2035... and for the first time in the team's history took the IPA Pro Cup in 2034... the Hawks are a better team this year and should be a threat to win the coveted Pro Cup... they have outstanding pitching with a 3.11 team ERA (1st) and strong defense with a .979 FA, coupled with adequate offense... the Hawks hit .271 (6th), scored 706 runs (14th), but lack power... they hit only 120 HRs (28th-tied)... this will be North Hills' fifth appearance in the postseason.
Top Performers: Frankie Lambert (18-8/2.85), All-Star Jeff Owens (23-12/2.99), Nelson Hooper (21-7/3.06), David Michael (20-18/3.42), All-Star LF Adam Thurgood (.341/32/127/75), RF Gerry Rice (.336/3/44/61), 3B Tommy Vavas (.297/9/43/88)

2nd - Blue Lake: rose up from cellar last year (19.5 GB)... the Blue Sox had been no better than seventh or eighth since 2032... they have made the playoffs only 3 times previously with one Pro Cup taken in 2030... Blue Lake has solid offense, pitching and fielding... they batted .270 (8th), tied for sixth in scoring (756 runs), posted a 3.62 ERA (7th) and fielded at the rate of .976... but the Blue Sox do have weaknesses at the plate (95 HR-32nd) and in the bullpen (4.58 ERA-31st)
Top Performers: All-Star Frankie Quinn (21-12/2.84), Sal Mays (20-11/3.62), Andre Montrose (19-14/3.39), CF Raddy Pajak (.309/12/79/98), LF Jack Ryan (.305/10/88/96), 1B Elton Graff (.310/8/51/64), SS Joe Korman (.286/11/80/105)

3rd - Fairfax: made first division for eighth year in a row... ended up 16 games behind North Hills... last year lost a one-game playoff to North Hills... never won a Pro Cup, but has made the playoffs on eight occasions... last won TU North in 2032 and 2033... good pitching with a 3.56 ERA (5th)... fairly good offense with .274 BA (5th), 707 runs (13th), but only fair firepower with 128 HRs (28th-tied)... top-notch defense with .978 FA
Top Performers: Harold Dorman (18-11/2.58), Lucien Vachon (16-14/3.58), who was gotten from Elnora in an off-season trade, Bruno Stratton (4-6/2.34/22 saves), All-Star SS John Velasco (.301/20/88/81), 1B Leonard Crawford (.331/4/69/83), RF Roger Krieger (.313/19/85/72), LF Sonny Oliver (.308/22/82/64), who was obtained in late July in a trade with Colchester, All-Star C Jaak Pajukivi (.262/13/65/55), who was traded to Elnora at deadline

4th - Oxford: 22 GB... up from seventh last season 16.5 GB... no postseason since 2007, when the Red Caps won their only Pro Cup... they have made the playoffs five times... good HR power with 208 (2nd-tied), pretty good offense with 732 runs (9th), average hitting (.254 BA/19th)... good defense with .976 FA... not much on the mound with a 4.34 team ERA (28th)
Top Performers: Tommy Ellefsen (8-3/2.90), RF Crusher Derringer (.309/18/62.59), LF Dennis Hartwig (.297/16/48/75), 2B Alonzo Norris (.250/26/87/86)... CF Dalton Ward led with 30 homers, but hit only .212 for average... 1B Kerry Sterling had 21 roundtrippers and 73 RBIs, but batted only .245... 3B Boyd Olsen has 20 home runs with a .274 BA

5th tied - White River: 25 GB... also fifth last season 11.5 GB... no Pro Cups... Rascals have picked up 4 pennants... 2027 was the last postseason appearance... mediocre on the mound (4.00 ERA- 20th), terrible bullpen (4.39/29th) and under average at the plate (.248 BA-29th)... just average defensively (.972 FA)... fairly good power with 172 HRs (12th)... poor scoring with 635 runs (31st)
Top Performers: Kenny Nikas (19-17/2.81), CF Buford Cross (.301/20/62/97), C Stevie Dee Daniels (.237/31/100/57), 1B Davey Sloan (.278/25/81/65)

5th tied - Hartsdale: 25 GB... was in sixth place (12.5 GB) in 2035... been in the playoffs 6 times... most recently in 2029... no Pro Cups in its history... basically just a second-division club with .251 BA (25th), 641 runs (29th), 133 HRs (26th), 4.10 ERA (24th) and a little above average in the field with a .974 FA
Top Performers: Larry Urban (17-11/3.88), 1B Hayden Richardson (.293/26/66/84), SS Jesse Jenkins (.290/9/44//78)

7th - Luxora: 30 games behind winning North Hills... down from third just 6.5 games out in 2035... 11 playoff appearances in history, but no Pro Cups to show for them... last postseason was in 2031... impressive pitching with a 3.26 ERA... very poor scoring runs (610 runs-32nd)... fair power with 149 HRs (21st)... slack on defense with .970 FA
Top Performers: Jake Weiland (19-16/2.50), Kent Halloran (13-15/2.54), Benny DeVito (15-21/2.91), All-Star 3B Toddy Dubbins (.311/25/78/56), SS Kelvin Cassidy (.277/19/67/60), LF Larry Collins (.310/14/47/57), 1B Gerry Hathaway (.276/21/62/72)

8th - Mahaska: 36 GB... dropped from fourth place last year (9.5 GB)... in playoffs only 4 times... no Pro Cups... last postseason was in 2028... pretty much second-division team the last eight seasons... bad on the hill with 4.34 ERA (29th)... weak hitting with a .249 BA (27th), but has decent power with 167 HRs (15th) and 711 runs (12th)... absolutely horrendous on defense with a .958 FA, probably the worst fielding team in IPA history
Top Performers: rookie Kirk Stanley (7-6/2.74/14 saves), 2B Mikk Kruk (.298/20/80/104), RF Anton Hymel (.313/28/81/66)