Monday, October 2, 2073
KENWOOD CLAIMS TU WEST TITLE IN SUDDEN-DEATH WIN OVER BAYVIEW... OTHER 7 PENNANT WINNERS BREEZED TO THE IPA PRO CUP PLAYOFFS
There was only one real pennant race in the Islandian Pro Alliance this season... and it was a ding-dong dilly... the Kenwood Wildcats and Bayview Vikings had to go overtime to decide the Tycobbian West race... the Wildcats topped the Vikings 6-3 in a sudden-death game after tying for the title in the regular season... for the first time in 22 years Kenwood has made the IPA postseason playoffs... the Wildcats will be going for their first IPA Pro Cup Trophy since winning in 2014... that the only time Kenwood in its history has ever won the overall IPA crown... poor Bayview hasn't been to the playoffs since 2016... it was a heartbreaking defeat for the Vikings... they have never won the Pro Cup.
In the IPA Elite 8 this year representing the Ruthlandian Union are Valmara for the 4th year in a row, Volusia for the 3rd time the last 4 seasons, Valka for the second straight season and Eastshore for the first time since 2056... the 4 Pro Cup contenders in the Tycobbian Union are Turon for the 4th successive season, White River for the 3rd time in 4 years, South Fork for the first time since 2069 and Kenwood, making the playoffs for the first time since 2052... the Typhoons are the reigning Pro Cup champion... they have made the Pro Cup Finals for three years in a row and are favored to do it again and perhaps win back-to-back Pro Cups.
RECAPPING THE RUTHLANDIAN UNION REGULAR SEASON
In the Ruthlandian North Division the Valmara Vipers (98-56) had a 4-team battle on their hands until July... then the Vipers went on a 52-27 late-season tear and won going away... they whipped second place Taranto (90-64) by 8 games, third place Far Mountain by 14 games and fourth place LaGrange by 23 games.
In the Ruthlandian South race it was a nip-and-tuck 5-club fight until August... the Valka Blackhawks (95-59) soared way ahead of Crystal Lake Skippers (85-69) in September by going an amazing 24-3 the final month of the season and torching them by 10 games... third place in the standings went to the midseason leader St. John (83-71) and the fourth spot belonged to the Belair Beach Sunbirds (78-76), 17 games behind.
For the first 4 months it was pretty much a very tight 3-team tussle in the Ruthlandian East... taking off in September the Eastshore Cotton Kings (96-58) sizzled with a 20-7 mark and blitzed everybody... last year's winner Wynnamac (91-63) tried its best, but wound up in the second spot, 5 games out... the Macs stayed close with a 16-11 record... at season's end third place Sugar Valley (84-70) was 12 games off the pace, but they were the league leader at midyear... and Marston (75-79) trailed by 21 games in fourth place... the Nine dropped out of pennant contention in July.
The chase for the Ruthlandian West flag fell apart in July... the Volusia Vigilantes (89-65) chalked up an 18-7 run and handily disposed of all challengers the rest of the way, winning the division comfortably by 7 games over runner-up Colfax (82-72), third place Middlefield (80-74) by 9 games and outpacing fourth place Sligo (79-75) by 10 games... last year's winner Stoner (71-83) fell down to 6th place and 18 games off the pace.
RECAPPING THE TYCOBBIAN UNION REGULAR SEASON
The White River Rascals (106-48) were the overwhelming choice to win the Tycobbian North crown this season and they certainly accomplished that feat... the race was over by June... the Rascals were already in front by 10 games... White River coasted the rest of the way eventually piling up a humongous 23-game bulge over runner-up Mahaska and winning 106 games, the best record in the IPA... Hartsdale and Luxora tied for the third spot and finished 29 games behind... this was the fourth consecutive division title for the Rascals... in all probability they will be the favorite to take the Pro Cup this season... should it happen, it will be an historic event -- White River first overall IPA title.
'twasn't much of a race in the Tycobbian South, either... the defending Pro Cup champion Turon Typhoons (96-58) trampled every team in sight, winning by 16 games over second place Summerland, San Alejo and Southport... the Sunsets, Montaneros and Sun Sox were all 80-74 this season... however, it was a fairly good race with 6 teams in it until mid-August... the Typhoons blew everybody away by going 21-6 the final month... look for Turon and White River in the Tycobbian title series... the baseball forecasters and polls are leaning heavily in that direction.
The South Fork Stallions (97-57) took the lead early in the season, but slumped in June and trailed first place Red Bluff by 6 games... but the Hosses got right back in it with a sparkling 18-6 mark in July and 19-9 in August... by September the pennant race narrowed down to three clubs, South Fork on top, followed closely by Tuckanarra (3 GB) and Red Bluff (4 GB)... the Stallions put them away with an 18-8 showing the last month of the season, outpacing the Tucks and the Red Sox by 7 games each... Red Bluff won the division title in '72.
The best in the Tycobbian West this season were the Kenwood Wildcats (94-61) and the Bayview Vikings (93-62)... it was a terrific seesaw race most of the season just between those two clubs... the Vikings were on top at the end of April... the Wildcats leapfrogged them in May and kept a comfortable 5-game margin until July when Bayview made it a close race again... it stayed that way the rest of the season and culminated with a sudden-death clash to determine the pennant winner... Kenwood first baseman Miguel Blanco homered twice and drove in 4 runs in the 6-3 triumph over the Vikings... the Wildcats got some solid pitching, too... the Chicopee Braves (87-67) had a fine season, too, coming in third, only 6 and a half games back.. preseason pick Rolling Hills (80-74) staggered in a distant 13 and a half games behind, fourth in the standings.
2073 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings
2073 Tycobbian Union Final Standings
