YESTERDAY IN THE IPA
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
2011 Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series
Colfax-FM In RU Finals, Rated Toss-Up
The Colfax Blasters and the Far Mountain Redhawks are rated even in the Ruthlandian Final 4 Series by the baseball prognosticators. Both Alex Groveland of Far Mountain and Clem Rogers of Colfax have solid ballclubs. During the regular season the Blasters had a slim 3-2 advantage in games. In the playoffs the Redhawks had the easier path with a surprising sweep of the Claxton Diamonds, while Colfax fought for their lives with a 4 games to 3 decision over the Sugar Valley Rattlers. Offensively Groveland's group has a slight edge. On the hill Rogers' rotation and relievers were the best in the IPA with a brilliant 2.86 team ERA. However, Far Mountain can match Colfax pitcher for pitcher in starters. Groveland has three outstanding hurlers in Boomerang Hines (22-12 2.85), Robby Kelly (12-7 2.76) and Leroy Hill (18-18 2.62). All three are 10-year veterans with over 150 lifetime wins each. Rogers has a strong staff, too, headed up by Ilya Szabo (19-11 1.95), Jimmy Joe Cartner (23-13 3.25) and Jasper LaForge (20-14 3.25). Things are pretty even in the bullpen as well. Both Far Mountain's closer Erich Dumont (5-6 1.42) and Colfax's main reliever Dallas Somerville (5-5 1.99) excelled in 2011. Somerville had 32 saves to Dumont's 28.
On paper Redhawks hitters 3B Duane Parsons (.273/22/103/87), SS Don Nichols (.287/12/81/109), C Otis Ott (.271/25/91/77) and CF Xavier Sosa (.273/17/77/91) seem to have an edge over the Blasters LF Paul Coniglio (.311/27/109/95) and CF Ryan Raines (.281/25/74/93).
On defense, the experts rate Far Mountain a little better than Colfax. The Redhawks had a .975 FA this year to .972 for the Blasters.
Game 1 in the RU Final 4 Series is tomorrow. Colfax will host Far Mountain at Mountain View Stadium. It will be Jimmy Joe Cartner on the hill for the Blasters, opposed by Boomerang Hines for the Redhawks.
2011 Tycobbian Union Final 4 Series
Frogs Get Nod Over Nats in TU Final 4
Both the Fairfax Frogs and Ozarka Naturals knocked off powerful opponents in first-round action. The Frogs squirmed past talented Turon in 7 games, while Ozarka stunned heavily-favored Denton City with a startling sweep. Island baseball analysts have chosen Fairfax in the Tycobbian Final 4 because of its superior pitching and hitting. No one is giving the Nats much of a chance. However, no one gave them a chance in the Elite 8 Series against the DC Redbirds. In head-to-head action during the regular season the Frogs won 3 of the 5 games.
Frog manager Harry Buckley is blessed with a talented pitching corps. Wally Tidwell (22-10 2.74), Joe Hampton (21-8 2.95) and Ken Hill (17-12 3.16) really shined this year as starters. Joe Mac Carney's mound staff is not as strong. Ozarka's starting threesome are Tyrus Yokum (21-10 3.76), rookie Eddie Roberts (18-9 3.51) and Emile Leduc (13-12 3.52). The Naturals have the edge in the bullpen with Billy Krsnich (3-2 2.49), who moved into the closer role late in the season. Fairfax uses Gino Carmazzo (14-16 4.47) as its finisher. Carmazzo started most of the season, but has been superb with 4 saves in the postseason. He has yet to surrender a run in the playoffs.
Both ballclubs can score with Fairfax sporting more home run power. One of the premier IPA hitters paces the Frogs. LF Dane Wesner had another great season and almost won his second Triple Crown award. Wesner batted .342 with 47 homers, 127 RBIs and 104 runs scored. He also got substantial support from 1B Chancey Quibedeaux (.280/23/74/130) and SS Wes Hickox (.278/25/104/81). But Carney can put a productive batting order together, too. Ozarka boasts a gifted 3B Todd Chadwick, who had outstanding numbers with a .323 batting average, 29 roundtrippers, 126 RBIs and 116 runs during the season. The Nats LF Vic Weinstein (.315/93/82) and SS Nathan Ferrell (.300/18/81/92) had some punch in their bats, too.
Defensively Fairfax and Ozarka are strong with .978 FA and .977 fielding percentages respectively.
The opening game of the TU Final 4 is tomorrow afternoon at the Frog Pond in Fairfax. The Frogs Tidwell and the Naturals Yokum will have mound honors.
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
FM Redhawks Pro Cup XI Favorites Over Ozarka Nats
Both Far Mountain and Ozarka have breezed through the playoffs thus far. The Redhawks are 8-1 in the postseason and the Naturals are almost as good at 8-2. The baseball analysts have pinned the favorite label on Far Mountain in Pro Cup XI, citing much stronger pitching, both starting and relieving. Manager Alex Groveland has three solid veterans in Boomerang Hines (22-12 2.85), Robby Kelly (12-7 2.76) and Leroy Hill (18-18 2.62). Joe Mac Carney's starters can't compare to that threesome. Ozarka has Tyrus Yokum (21-10 3.76) and standout rookie Eddie Roberts (18-9 3.51), but he needs help from Emile Leduc (13-12 3.52). Leduc had struggled in the postseason so far with a 1-1 mark and a poor 6.75 ERA. Carney has decided to put Phillip Britt (14-15 3.58) in the number 3 slot.
In the playoffs Far Mountain has had tremendous pitching with a 1.85 team ERA. Hines is 3-0 with a microscopic 0.73 ERA, Kelly is 2-0 and 2.65 and Hill is 1-0 and 4.26. The Redhawks relief corps of Erich Dumont (0-0 0.00), Hummer Romig (1-0 0.00) and Milos Annensky (1-1 2.09) has only given up one earned run in 14 innings, a 0.63 ERA with 3 saves.
By contrast Ozarka's starters will carry a 4.20 ERA into the finals and the bullpen has posted a 3.32 ERA. Roberts has been solid with a 3-0 record and a 3.13 ERA, Yokum is 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA and Leduc (1-1) has been disappointing with a sky-high 6.75 ERA. Closer Billy Krsnich has been super with 4 saves in 6 appearances and has not been scored upon. Neither has Abe Lemon (0-0 0.00) in 4 games.
Both offenses can put runs on the scoreboard. As a team Far Mountain is batting .313 in the postseason, while Ozarka is hitting at a .292 clip. They are even in homers with 7 apiece. The Redhawks are led by LF Phil Stewart with a .472 mark, RF Lucky Collins at .394, 2B Ken Wasik with a .379 average, SS Don Nichols with .326 and CF Xavier Sosa is hitting for a .308 average. Collins is the top RBI man with 11 with Wasik, Nichols and Sosa having 7 each. Stewart tops the team with 8 runs scored.
The Nats are sparked at the plate by LF Vic Weinstein with a .385 batting average and 11 runs scored, RF Chris Pruitt hitting .382 with 11 RBIs and 8 runs, SS Nathan Ferrell at .378 and has scored 10 times and 1B Al Wesner sports a .303 average with 8 RBIs.
The old adage applies according the BNN prognosticators. Good pitching will beat good hitting. This year's Pro Cup Finals will give us the answer in about a week.
The Islandian Times
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 1 at Ozarka
FM Trims Ozarka 4-2 In Pro Cup Opener, Kelly Wins
Well, the experts were right in the opening game of the IPA Pro Cup Finals - good pitching beats good hitting... Robby Kelly (3-0 2.08) fired another strong game and beat Ozarka 4-2 at Ellie Ewing Field... He held the Nats to just 6 hits, struck out 2, walked 3 and allowed only one earned run... Kelly outpitched Tyrus Yokum (3-2 3.96), who was plagued by wildness... Yokum also went the route, permitted just 6 hits, but walked 8 batters... Ozarka opened up the scoring in the last of the second on Yokum's (.308) RBI double that drove in 1B Al Wesner (.270)... Wesner had gotten aboard on an infield error... Far Mountain tied it in the fourth on 2B Keith Wasik's sacrifice fly... The Redhawks added single runs in the fifth when SS Don Nichols' grounded into a double play and in the sixth when C Otis Ott solo homered to go ahead 3-1... Nats CF Rick McLeod (.286) doubled in the seventh and scored on 2B Gil Lantz's (.273) base hit... This made it a 3-2 game... In the ninth Far Mountain stretched it to 4-2 on LF Phil Stewart's (.462) two-bagger and Nichols' (.326) RBI single.
The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 6, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 2 at Ozarka
Ozarka Edges FM 2-1, Rookie Roberts Evens Series
Game 2 in the Pro Cup Finals was a classic pitching duel with the rookie getting the best of the old pro... Ozarka's Eddie Roberts, a 22-year-old southpaw, tossed a masterpiece in edging Far Mountain's 35-year-old Boomerang Hines 2-1 to even up the series at one game apiece... The Naturals finally broke a scoreless tie in the last of the 8th on 2B Gil Lantz's (.271) two-run double... The Redhawks threatened in the top of the 9th against closer Billy Krsnich... With one away SS Don Nichols tripled (.320) and scored on 3B Duane Parsons' (.174) ground-out to cut the lead to 2-1... After C Otis Ott (.256) singled, Krsnich retired CF Xavier Sosa (.289) for the third out to wrap up the victory... Roberts (4-0 2.32) registered his 4th postseason win by holding Far Mountain to just 3 hits in 8 innings, while fanning 9 and walking none in a brilliant performance... Krsnich (0-0 1.42) chalked up a shaky save, his 5th in the playoffs this year... Hines (3-1 1.00) was also outstanding in defeat, his first of the postseason... Hines worked a complete game, allowed only 4 hits, struck out 4 and gave up 2 bases on balls... With a split of the two games in Ozarka, the Pro Cup Series will now switch to Far Mountain for the next 3 games.
The Islandian Times
Friday, October 7, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 3 at Far Mountain
Nats Nudge Redhawks 8-7 in 11, Now Lead Series
The never-say-die Ozarka Naturals pulled out a dramatic comeback with an 8-7 triumph on the road over Far Mountain at Sky High Stadium to take the lead in the Pro Cup Series two-games-to-one... Trailing 7-4, the Nats battled back to tie the score at 7-all in the top of the 8th, then they won it in the 11th inning when LF Vic Weinstein tripled off Milos Annensky and scored on pinchhitter Lenny Payne's (.000) sac fly... Annensky (1-2 2.84) was the losing pitcher... He permitted 1 run and only 1 hit in his two innings... Taking the win was closer Billy Krsnich (1-0 1.08), who held Far Mountain without a run in the 9th and 10th frames... Emile Leduc (1-1 6.16) notched the save for Ozarka, although the Redhawks first two batters to face him got hits... pinchhitter Kelly Baxes (.500) doubled and SS Don Nichols (.327) singled him to third... Then SS Nathan Ferrell saved the game with a sensational double play... Leduc got the final out of the game when he induced the dangerous Otis Ott to ground out and end the game... The tying run was left stranded at third base.
After dominating pitching in the first two games, the bats came alive today with 21 hits in all, 12 for Far Mountain and 9 for the Naturals... Ferrell (.313) and Weinstein (.340) homered for the winners... Ferrell tied the game at 4-4 with a 2-run clout in the sixth, while Weinstein (.340) belted a 3-run job in the 8th to deadlock it 7-7 and send it to overtime... Weinstein led the Nats with 4 RBIs... Redhawk CF Xavier Sosa (.306) went deep twice and drove in 4 runs... C Ott (.277) also drilled a solo roundtripper and had 2 runs batted in.
Game 1 starters will go at it once again in game 4... It will be Robby Kelly for Far Mountain and Tyrus Yokum for Ozarka... Kelly won that one 4-2... Kelly was 12-7 with a 2.76 ERA in the regular season, while Yokum was 21-10 with a 3.76 ERA... in the postseason Kelly has been terrific with a 3-0 mark and a 2.08 ERA... Yokum is 3-2 with a 3.96 ERA.
Ozarka is unbeaten on the road in the postseason with 6 successive victories... Games 4 and 5 will be at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain, where the Redhawks are 5-1... they are 4-2 out of town... The Naturals are only 4-3 when they play at home at Ellie Ewing Stadium.
The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 8, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 4 at Far Mountain
Ozarka Crushes FM 10-3, Close To Pro Cup Title
The surprising Ozarka Naturals did it again... They crushed Far Mountain 10-3 in game 4 of the IPA Pro Cup Series and are now the odds-on favorite to take the Island baseball crown... Ozarka has won all 7 of its road games in the playoffs... The Nats now are in the driver's seat with a 3 games to 1 lead in the best-of-seven series... One more win and Joe Mac Carney and his crew will be the 2011 IPA champions... Ozarka pounded out 12 hits off 3 Redhawk pitchers, led by LF Vic Weinstein (.364) with 3 hits, including two doubles and a home run... Weinstein scored 3 times and batted in 4 runs, giving him 12 for the postseason... SS Nathan Ferrell (.340) also delivered 3 hits, scored three runs and drove in one... and 1B Al Wesner (.255) chipped in two RBIs... Carney needed a good game from Tyrus Yokum and he got it... Yokum (4-2 3.40) only surrendered one earned run and hurled a complete game... He was touched for 9 hits, fanned 3 and walked 4... Robby Kelly (3-1 3.24) was hit hard and lost for the first time in this year's playoffs... The Nats battered Kelly for 7 runs and 8 hits in 7-plus innings... Ozarka took charge of the game in the fourth with 4 runs... They led 4-2 after 4 and really went to work with one run in the seventh, 3 in the eighth and 2 more in the ninth.
The Islandian Times
Sunday, October 9, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 5 at Far Mountain
Pro Cup Ain't Over Yet, Redhawks Rout Nats 14-4
There's still a lot of life in the Far Mountain Redhawks, who stepped up to the plate and routed Ozarka 14-4 in game 5 of the Pro Cup Series to stave off elimination in the best-of-seven series... Alex Groveland's Redhawks now trail 3 games to 2 and will have to go on the road to come back and win it... It was Ozarka's first loss in 8 away games this postseason... Far Mountain cracked 16 hits in the win and were sparked by CF Xavier Sosa (.328) with 5 RBIs, 3B Duane Parsons (.254) with 3 and 1B Fran Grzanka (.265) with a pair of runs batted in... Grzanka hit a two-run blast to give the Redhawks a 3-2 lead in the second frame... Sosa's grand slam highlighted an 8-run fourth... Boomerang Hines (4-1 1.17) breezed to the victory, permitting 4 runs and 5 hits... Ozarka's superb rookie Eddie Roberts (4-1 4.41) had a terrible day and was pelted for 9 runs and 10 hits and was sent to the showers in the fourth.
In 2009 Far Mountain piled up a 3-0 lead in the Pro Cup Finals and lost it to the Turon Typhoons, who staged a tremendous comeback and won 4 in a row to take the trophy... The Redhawks know it's possible for a team to come back and win... They just hope it's them this year.
The Islandian Times
Monday, October 10, 2011
2011 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 6 at Ozarka
Pro Cup Tied 3-3, FM Redhawks Rip Ozarka 17-1
The Pro Cup Finals is all knotted up at 3 games apiece... Far Mountain ripped Ozarka for the second day in a row, forcing a 7th and deciding game tomorrow afternoon... The Redhawks went on a 6-homer and 17-hit rampage and walloped the Naturals 17-1 in game 6 at Ellie Ewing Stadium in Ozarka... CF Xavier Sosa, RF Hank Burleigh and 3B Duane Parsons all slammed two home runs each to totally trounce Ozarka... Burleigh (.333) batted in 5 runs, Sosa (.355) had 4 RBIs and Parsons (.266) drove in 3 in the runaway win... The Redhawks Leroy Hill (2-0 4.29) fired a fine game as he stopped the Nats on one run and 7 hits, while fanning 7 and walking none... The loss went to surprise starter Rene Gautier (1-1 6.14), who was ripped for 9 runs in 2-plus innings... Manager Joe Mac Carney is still looking for a number 3 starter and gave Gautier a shot at it and he failed miserably... Far Mountain piled up a 10-0 lead after the first three frames and never looked back.
Robby Kelly (3-1 3.24) will get the call for Far Mountain tomorrow afternoon and Tyrus Yokum (4-2 3.40) will be on the mound for Ozarka. This will be the third time they have faced each other in the series... Kelly won game one 4-2, while Yokum was the winner in game four 10-3. During the regular campaign Kelly was 12-7 with a 2.76 ERA and Yokum was 21-10 with a 3.76 ERA.
The Islandian Times
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
FM Pro Cup Champs, Nips Nats 7-6 in 11 Innings
The IPA Pro Cup champions for 2011 are the Far Mountain Redhawks, who made an unbelievable comeback... Down 3 games to 1 to Ozarka after 4 games the Redhawks won the final 3 games of the series to cop the crown for the first time in club history... Far Mountain triumphed 7-6 in a hard-fought, seesaw affair that went 11 innings... LF Phil Stewart (.382) got aboard on a botched grounder by SS Nathan Ferrell, was sacrificed to second by CF Xavier Sosa (.343) and he scampered home on 3B Duane Parsons (.290) game-winning single... Boomerang Hines (5-1 1.11) got the win with 2 and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief... Hines, normally a starter, was pressed into service after only 2 days' rest... Phillip Britt (0-1 4.91) was tagged with the loss even though the only run he gave up was not earned... Britt had come on in the top of the 11th... The Nats racked up 16 hits in defeat to 13 for the winners.
Robby Kelly started for Far Mountain and Tyrus Yokum was on the hill for the Nats... Ozarka did well out of the gate with 2 runs in the first frame on RBI singles by RF Chris Pruitt (.270) and 1B Al Wesner (.276), but the Redhawks tied it up 2-all with single runs in the second and third... 1B Fran Grzanka (.263) doubled in a run and CF Sosa got the tying run in when he grounded into a double play... The Naturals regained the lead 3-2 in the last of the third when Wesner drove in another run with a base hit... Far Mountain rebounded with 3 runs in the sixth on C Otis Ott's (.295) solo homer and SP Kelly's (.200) 2-run single... That got rid of Yokum, who surrendered 5 runs and 7 hits in 6 innings, but two of them were unearned... In the top of the 8th the Redhawks added another run to go in front 6-3 on RF Lucky Collins' (.357) double, a Kelly sacrifice and a Stewart single... The Nats CF Rick McLeod (.333) narrowed the gap to 6-4 in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single that plated LF Vic Weinstein (.373), who had a lead-off single and advanced to second on a ground-out and was sacrificed to third... Ozarka had to come up with two scores in the last of the ninth to stay alive and they did it with an RBI double by Ferrell and Wesner's single to force overtime.
Stewart and Parsons had 3 hits each to led Far Mountain, while Ozarka was paced by Ferrell, Wesner and McLeod, all with 3 hits apiece... Wesner had 3 RBIs in the game.
Accessing the series to the press Redhawk manager Alex Groveland stated, "Coming in it was supposed that the team that got the best pitching would be the winner... turned out the thing that won it for us was our hitting in the last three games."
The Nats skipper Joe Mac Carney said, "Our pitching fell apart in the last three games... that was the decisive factor... we hit well enough to win it, if we had gotten better pitching."
The Islandian Times
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Hines Acclaimed Pro Cup MVP
In close balloting good pitching won out on good hitting to decide the IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. Far Mountain's stylish southpaw Boomerang Hines led the Redhawks to their first Pro Cup title with a 5-1 record and a brilliant 1.11 ERA. Hines edged out teammates Xavier Sosa, Lucky Collins and Phil Stewart for the honor.
Hines made 6 starts and had 5 complete games with 2 shutouts. His only loss came in a 2-1 decision. Hines also contributed a critical win in relief in the 7th game. He worked 2 and two-thirds scoreless innings in the 11-inning victory.
CF Sosa had a marvelous postseason, too. He batted .343 with 6 homers, 20 RBIs and 12 runs scored. RF Lucky Collins hit .357 with 12 RBIs, 10 runs and 5 stolen bases and LF Stewart compiled a .382 batting average with 2 roundtrippers, 9 runs driven in and scored 16 times.
Ozarka's fine LF Vic Weinstein was fifth in the vote. Weinstein had a .373 average with a pair of home runs, 13 RBIs and 18 runs in the playoffs.