[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 30, 2037

ELNORA MOVES AHEAD OF SV RATTLERS IN RU EAST
June was another great month for the Elnora All-Stars, who took over first place from Sugar Valley in the Ruthlandian East Division, the toughest race in the IPA... the All-Stars pulled ahead by two games over the powerful Rattlers... preseason favorite Cold Creek is still in the running, but is now six games off the pace... the Eastshore Elegants are 11 games back in fourth... the RU East looks like a three-team race.

Elnora (53-25) soared to the top spot with a red-hot 19-7 record in June and has the best record in the IPA, led on the hill by Dan Pitts (15-4/2.66), the IPA leader in victories... plus Tony Ryman (11-5/3.84) and Stan Kivas (8-5/3.06)... and in the batter's box by All-Star Danny Bierhoff (.356/16/53), All-Star Jan Kobak (.329/11/47), Clint Thomas (.301/11/49/47) and Akihiro Samurakami (.290/6/24/53)... Thomas just went down recently with a strained oblique muscle and will miss up to six weeks.

The Sugar Valley Rattlers (51-37) cooled off a bit this month with a 15-11 mark and slipped down to second place, trailing by just two games... the Rattlers have a high-octane batting order sparked by All-Star Bobby Gamble (.352/18/76/62), the RBI leader in the IPA with 76... with plenty of help from All-Star Roger Hobbs (.308/22/68/61), Tyler White (.239/22/60/50) and Richie Strickland (.266/15/29/65)... Juan Navarro (10-4/2.61), Jeremy Blanchardd (10-6/3.20) and Josh Wilkerson (12-5/4.15) head up the hurlers.

The Cold Creek Catamounts (47-31) were also 15-11 in June and lost ground in the pennant chase... the 'Cats are now six games behind, but they still possess one of the best starting rotations in the IPA with All-Star J. J. Gillespie (12-4/2.02), Rob Hutchins (12-6/3.39), Jules Capet (6-3/2.11) and Joey Baker (9-7/2.69)... however, they suffer some in the bullpen... and really are troubled at the plate... Wayne Kenney (.302/11/40), Pat Ellis (.306/10/33) and Jeremy Hall (.294/2/28) are the most dependable bats, but they lack punch and power... but as long as the hurlers hold up, Cold Creek will be a pennant threat.

The fourth-place Eastshore Elegants (42-36) had a losing month with a 12-14 record and have now fallen pretty far back... they are 11 games out of first... the Elegants have pretty fair pitching with Teddy Noble (12-7/3.78), Don Klingenberg (9-8/4.00) and Ramon Contreras (8-7/2.95)... offensively Johnny Petrak (.388/13/56/54) is having a great season and leads the IPA in BA and hits... but he has little help other than Paul Reed (.327/12/34/46) and Larry Romney (.277/7/48/39)... long-time star Scotty Lagrange is having an off-year with a .252 BA, but has hit 12 HRs and driven in 43 runs.

The Wynnamac Sundowners (41-37) have slumped since topping the division in April... now with two successive losing months, they are 12 games out and in fifth place... the Sundowners still have quality starters in Killara Bardo (11-7/2.98), Geoff Hobart (9-8/3.24), Paul Payton (6-6/3.44) and Ernie Hodges (8-9/3.39), but the offense is missing... Davy L'Amour (.275/15/58/48) and Darrell Donnelly (.285/6/34/55) provide what little scoring they have.

The sixth-place Beechwood Bobcats (40-38) still have a winning record, but June was a disaster with a 7-19 mark... numbers-wise the Bobcats are still a better-than-average club... All-Star Ken Arby (12-6/2.73) is still a tough competitor and the team's ace... the top Bobcat bats belong to All-Star Cody Hanks (.351/13/48/45), Eddie Wilson (.318/22/40/50) and Howie Baldwin (.282/23/57/64)... Baldwin is third in the IPA in scoring runs (64).

Even seventh-place Marston (39-39) has broken even this season, but the Nine are 14 games out of first... they were 14-12 in June... Jimbo McGinnity (3-4/1.76/10 saves) is a solid closer... the only consistent starter has been Barry Sexton (7-8/2.98)... the most productive hitters have been Stan Mila (.330/10/38/45), Marco Ameche (.286/15/39/37) and Lonnie Trekell (.291/13/40/41).

The Belle Plaine Musketeers (35-43) may be in last place, but they play pretty good baseball, breaking even in June with a 13-13 record... All-Star Noel Martin (.350/18/53/65) is having a super season and Boo Boudreaux (.290/23/57/51) is a strong threat, too... but the club doesn't have much in the batting order besides them... not much on the mound either... the most dependable are Phillippe Marchand (9-8/3.89) and Raul Carrasco (9-8/3.80).

3-TEAM RACE IN RU WEST, SLIGO ON TOP
It's a torrid three-team battle in the Ruthlandian West Division with the Sligo Rovers on top by a game over the preseason pick Fort Benton Defenders and four in front of the third-place Colfax Blasters, last year's flag winner... all three clubs really sizzled in June... Colfax was a blistering 21-5... and the Defenders and Rovers were almost as good at 19-7... the second half of the season should really be something.

Sligo (47-31) is led by a standout closer Scotty Price (2-3/2.01), the IPA leader with 16 saves... and by capable starters Randall Steele (11-7/3.05) and Tom Pierson (9-5/3.88)... offensively it's Denny Simmons (.320/12/44/58), Neil Mitchell (.307/8/34/58), Damon Klein (.319/6/38/31) and Peder Svensson (.276/11/40/32).

Runner-up Fort Benton (46-32) can do it all... score runs and tough on the hill... ranking second with a .279 BA and second with 408 runs... almost as good with a 3.21 team ERA (3rd)... All-Star D. D. Badeaux (.343/12/36/57) is the best stick on the club, but gets help from Mitch Hamilton (.321/0/21/47), Oscar Pendleton (.314/12/53/50) and Hunter Glenholmes (.300/4/34/38)... the top twirlers are All-Star Augie Marquis (12-4/2.47) and Tommy Baylor (11-6/2.84)... Flapper Bird (4-1/2.15) and Jordy Raeburn (9-9/3.03) are solid starters, too.

Colfax (43-35) has some gifted players, too... four of them made the All-Star team: pitcher Randell Perkins (14-5/3.08), LF Chet Penn (.378/11/68/50), SS Gerry Sives (.337/4/43/56) and 1B Kristian McEly (.299/14/63/45)... Penn is the number three hitter in the IPA with a .378 BA and also tied for third in runs batted in with 68... Perkins is second in the IPA to Dan Pitts of Elnora with 14 wins... Norm Harbison (9-9/2.67) has been a strong starter for the Blasters, too... and the bullpen has been excellent with a 2.74 ERA (2nd).

The rest of the RU West will probably be playing for fourth place at best... the Forest City Lumberjacks (38-40) and Middlefield Roosters (36-42) will have the best shot at it, followed by the Volusia Vigilantes (33-45) and Rocky Rapids Snappers (33-45)... the Stoner Stars (29-49) will probably come in eighth and last.

Forest City's best performers are Bob Brisdon (.296/8/44), Pistol Pete Picard (.316/8/36) and Ronnie Pollet (.308/4/32).

Middlefield has three All-Stars in closer Ray Owens (2-2/0.87/11 saves), CF Tony Parsons (.316/12/38/61) and C Brad Alexander (.274/18/64).

Volusia has two solid pitchers in Zack Dowdle (10-6/3.61) and Hector Vargas (8-8/2.50).

Rocky Rapids has limited talent... Duncan Musselwhite (.310) and Joe Hughes (.323) are the best batters and Nelson Carter (8-6/3.20) is the best pitcher.

Stoner is led on the mound by Jimmy Ellerbee (7-5/3.24) and Larry Urban (8-5/3.47)... and at the plate by Barney Swindell (.340/17/64) and All-Star Don Cain (.330/10/39/52)... Swindell is tied for fifth place in the IPA with 64 RBIs.