Saturday, October 12, 2069
RU, TU TITLES UPS FOR GRABS... CLAXTON AND ROLLING HILLS FAVORED
The round of four is upon us in the Islandian Pro Alliance... the best-of-seven Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union Title Series... all Islandians are focused on the final four teams that have so far fended off elimination in the postseason playoffs... tomorrow afternoon the unsung and unheralded Sligo Rovers will get another chance to upset a higher-rated team... the 8th-ranked Rovers take on the 3rd-rated Claxton Diamonds at Avalon Stadium in Claxton in the first game of the series... over in the TU Title Series, two juggernauts will do battle... Pro Cup favorite Rolling Hills will be at home at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds, playing host to their arch-nemesis, the 2nd-ranked Southport Sun Sox.
Starters for the opening games will be right-hander Antoine Simon (14-7/2.50 ERA) for manager Les Patterson and his Sligo Rovers... Claxton skipper Abe Schiffman will send left-hander Mark Meisner (19-9/2.45 ERA) to the hill... Lorne Evans, Southport manager, will have Roman Littrell (19-8/3.26 ERA) on the mound, opposed by Coen Bock (10-2/2.72 ERA), chosen by Rolling Hills' skipper Billy Christianson.
STAR-STUDDED SKIPPERS
All of the managers starred in the IPA... Patterson (306-230/2.79 ERA) and Schiffman (238-177/3.70 ERA) stood out on the mound... Patterson is a Hall of Famer, while Schiffman is the all-time wins leader for the Rovers... Christianson and Evans are also in the IPA Hall of Fame... Christianson (.302 BA/258 HR/1446 RBI) was a standout third baseman, while Evans (.305 BA/701 HR/1836 RBI) was a slugging outfielder... all of them have excelled on the field and now they are very successful at the helm of their old teams as managers.
Schiffman is the youngest at 53... Patterson is the oldest at 78... Christianson and Evans are both 64 years of age.
