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The Game
Joe Duncan Wins MVP in Continental League Loss to National League
Although his team came out on the losing end, nobody could deny Joe Duncan's performance in this year's all-star game.
The Continental League All-Stars fell to the National League All-Stars by a score of 7-5, but Duncan was still named the game's MVP.
"You would have liked to have won the game of course, but being named the MVP is a great honor," he said from his team's dressing room at Sizemore Park.
In the contest, Duncan went 2 for 3.
View the game box score here ---->
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News from Around the League: Paul Katz kept the opposition off the scoreboard and the Ladue Ducks were all smiles after winning 7-0 against the Emmaus Pelicans at Pelicans Ballpark today. The right-handed Katz gave up no runs in his start, permitted 9 hits and had 8 strikeouts.
"If there was a stat for 'team shutout,' this would be it," Katz said later. "My catcher called a great game, guys delivered at the plate and when I messed something up the guys behind me were where they needed to be."
Katz has gone 9-2 this season with an ERA of 2.56 and 114 strikeouts in 119.1 innings pitched. Other clubs are hitting .240 against him.
Elmore Belts Bunch of Base Hits: The Oakdale Park Ravens tripped up the Soulard Apache 5-4 today. The Ravens were led by Norm Elmore, their 30-year-old left fielder. Elmore made life miserable for Soulard pitchers all day, tagging them for 5 hits in 5 at-bats. Norm Elmore hit an RBI single in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 7th and hit an RBI single in the 8th.
Elmore is currently batting .316 with 4 home runs, 14 RBIs and 9 runs scored. He has 31 hits in 98 at-bats.
Bonhomme Hopeless Against Mashburn: John Mashburn of the Clayton Crows spun his magic on the Bonhomme Raiders today. He blanked them 7-0 on 3 hits, registering 8 strikeouts and 2 walks.
"The bottom line was I just kept the ball down," Mashburn said. "My breaking stuff was down. Everything was down."
Talking to reporters in the postgame interview, Clayton skipper Austin Dial said the team "got solid pitching, good defense and took great team at-bats in a lot of different situations."
"John pitched really well but this was a solid performance by everyone," he said.
Currently Mashburn has a 9-5 won-lost record in 18 starts with a 2.94 ERA. He also has 74 strikeouts in 119.1 innings.
LaVacca Torches Unforgiven for 5 Hits: A jubilant Mike LaVacca joined the postgame press conference at Vipers Ballpark today to offer some unusual words of encouragement -- for the Tamarac Unforgiven pitching staff he had just vanquished.
"It may not have looked like it," said the New Charleroi Vipers first baseman, "but I saw some awful good pitches today. If luck hadn't been on my side it might have turned out a lot different."
That would not have been the conclusion of anyone who saw his dominant 5-for-6 hitting performance, which led the Vipers to a 16-6 win.
"He made it look easy," said Tim Riley, manager of the Unforgiven. "We never figured out what to do with him. Obviously."
Mike LaVacca singled in the 2nd, grounded out in the 2nd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, hit an RBI single in the 5th, hit an RBI double in the 7th and hit an RBI single in the 8th.
So far this season LaVacca is batting .297 with 13 home runs.
CL Star of the Week Honored: It can be difficult for a young player to step out of the shadows and assert himself in the Continental League, but last week Steven Martin of the Melrose Park Centaurs reminded everyone just why he's here as he threw up numbers that made him an easy selection for Player of the Week. Martin rocked opposing pitching for a .409 average (9-for-22), 2 home runs and 7 RBIs to come away with the award.
So far this year Martin is batting .303 with 6 home runs and 30 runs batted in.
Star of the Week Selected in NL: 27-year-old Billy Barker sent shock waves through Elyrian Baseball League last week with an eye-popping performance that brought him the National League Player of the Week Award.
A newcomer to the league, Barker made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .471 average, 8 hits in 17 at-bats, 4 home runs and 10 runs batted in.
Where the Trinidad City Jets first baseman goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Barker certainly made his mark last week.
For the season, Barker is hitting at a .332 clip with 19 home runs, 64 RBIs and has scored 55 runs. He has 104 hits, 22 walks and a .375 on-base percentage.
Injury Brings Season to End for Keck: The Old Town Thugs have made it official: Joe Keck is headed to the disabled list. The 28-year-old shortstop has been out since 07/10/2157 with a torn back muscle. He is expected to miss 4 months.
Keck is batting .254 this season in 85 games with 7 home runs, 23 RBIs and 44 runs scored. He has 85 hits in 334 at-bats.
Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings for Elyrian Baseball League:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Trinidad City Jets (150.0, o)
2) Clayton Crows (115.2, +)
3) Tamarac Unforgiven (110.2, -)
4) Emmaus Pelicans (96.2, o)
5) New Charleroi Vipers (96.1, +)
6) Ladue Ducks (94.0, ++)
7) Soulard Apache (93.0, o)
8) Alameda Outlaws (89.0, --)
9) East Winslow Buccaneers (85.9, +)
10) East Winslow Stags (85.0, -)
11) Oakdale Park Ravens (83.8, +)
12) Melrose Park Centaurs (76.8, o)
13) Old Town Thugs (73.8, +)
14) Bonhomme Raiders (73.0, --)
15) Leyden Seals (64.5, +)
16) Elyria Continentals (61.0, -)