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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 6, 2049
2049 IPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - Game 6
Tycobbian Union
RASCALS TU TITLIST, GO FOR PRO CUP
After falling on their face in the first two games of the Tycobbian League Championshop Series to Tuckanarra, the White Rascals gained face and rallied to win four in a row and capture the league crown and advance to the IPA Pro Cup Finals for the second time in the team's history... they will now take on the powerful Valmara Vipers, the titlewinner in the Ruthlandian Union... the Vipers eliminated tough Sugar Valley in five games.
The Rascals were behind 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but starter Alfie Rutledge (1-2/4.82) faltered and couldn't hold the lead... Todd Cole (1-0/3.52) worked a scoreless inning of relief for the victory and Keil Trickett (0-0/0.00/1 save) nailed down the save with a runless ninth.
3B Kenny Yarbrough (.447), 2B Ryan Byrd (.324) and C Josh Groveland (.611) led the Rascals' 11-hit attack with three hits and an RBI each... Byrd's numbers included three runs scored and a solo homer, his third of the postseason... the Tucks socked 10 hits... LF Cedric Dennison (.277) cracked four hits and batted in two runs... CF Harv Bannerman (.231) and SS Dale Fordham (.314) drove in the other runs for the Blue Jays.
White River manager Mick Cronyn told reporters, "We won the series four games to two, but it was a lot tougher than it seemed... the Tucks made us look bad in the first two games, then we got things going... but even then the last three games could have easily been decided in their favor." Cronyn gave credit to his bullpen for putting away the Blue Jays. "Our starters kept us in the game and our bullpen won it for us."
Speaking with the press at the postgame news conference Tuckanarra's skipper Lefty Stevens told them, "White River has an excellent ballclub... solid starters, fine bullpen and a strong core of batters... that's the reason they are favored to win the Pro Cup this year... we got beat by a darn good team."
After several days off, Valmara will host White River in the 49th edition of the historic IPA Pro Cup Classic beginning this Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara... the Vipers earned the right for the homefield advantage by virtue of a better regular season record than the Rascals... it should be a great series between two powerful and talented ballclubs... Valmara chalked up 101 victories, third behind Middlefield's 104 wins and Sugar Valley's 103... White River led the Tycobbian Union with a 98-56 mark.
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