[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Pro Cup XII Begins Today, FM-Cape Coral Finals Forecast
The Islandian Pro Alliance "Second Season" begins this afternoon at four sites around the Islands with the defending Pro Cup champions, the Far Mountain Redhawks, favored in the Ruthlandian Union, while the Cape Coral Hurricanes are picked to win the Tycobbian Union. Overall, the baseball experts are giving the nod to Far Mountain to take its second Pro Cup in a row. However, first they will have to go through some tough competition from Sligo and Belair Beach in the RU to get there. Cape Coral has the major task of knocking off last year's Pro Cup finalists, the Ozarka Naturals, who lost in a heartbreaking 7-game series with the Redhawks.

The 2012 Pro Cup Elite 8 playoffs get underway today. In the Ruthlandian Union Far Mountain will be at home for the first two games against the Belair Beach Sunbirds and the powerful Sligo Rovers host the Cold Creek Catamounts. Over in the Tycobbian Union it will be the Cape Coral Hurricanes entertaining the North Hills Hawks in games one and two and the Arlon Champions traveling to Ozarka.


The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Far Mountain, Cape Coral Favorites In Pro Cup Playoffs
The defending Pro Cup titleholders are forecast to reign supreme in Islands baseball once again. The Far Mountain Redhawks (96-58) of Ruthlandia won more games than anybody this season and are the number one choice to win it all in 2012. The Redhawks won it division by 12 games. The Cape Coral Hurricanes (90-64) posted the most victories in the Tycobbian Union and are the prime favorites represent that league in the Pro Cup finals. The Hurricanes had to subdue the Turon Typhoons to make the playoffs, edging them by just two games. Turon has been in the Pro Cup finals four times and has won it on three occasions.

Both contenders have solid all-around ballclubs with strong pitching, good hitting and power, plus excellent defense. Alex Groveland has a talented team in Far Mountain. The Redhawks led the IPA with a phenomenal 2.88 team ERA, were second in the RU with a .272 batting average and did well in the scoring department with 742 runs (11th) and 125 homers (17th). Defensively they handled the gloves well with a fine .976 fielding average (3rd tied). Huggy Miller has some gifted players in Cape Coral, but not as strong on paper as Far Mountain. The Hurricanes have good pitching with a 3.43 ERA (7th), outstanding defense with a .977 FA (1st tied) and quality hitting. Cape Coral batted .258 (17th), scored 718 runs (11th) and showed adequate power with 142 homers (14th). Both clubs have quality relievers. Groveland's relief corps posted an impressive 3.10 ERA (5th), Miller's chalked up a very good 3.18 mark (8th).


The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The 2012 Pro Cup Playoffs By The Numbers
The 2012 IPA Pro Cup will be won on the field, but it's still interesting to look at who is the best team on paper.

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*** Ruthlandian Union ***
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Far Mountain Redhawks (96-58)
Batting: .272 BA (2nd)
Scoring: 742 runs(11th)
Power: 125 HR (17th)
Team ERA: 2.88 (1st)
Starters ERA: 2.85 (1st)
Bullpen ERA: 3.10 (5th)
Defense: .976 FA (3rd-Tied)

Sligo Rovers (95-59)
Batting: .270 BA (5th)
Scoring: 790 runs (3rd)
Power: 143 HR (12th)
Team ERA: 3.18 (2nd)
Starters ERA: 3.15 (2nd)
Bullpen ERA: 3.34 (10th)
Defense: .971 (23rd-Tied)

Belair Beach Sunbirds (89-65)
Batting: .263 BA (13th)
Scoring: 742 runs (11th-Tied)
Power: 163 HR (4th)
Team ERA: 3.28 (3rd)
Starters ERA: 3.24 (3rd)
Bullpen ERA: 3.43 (11th)
Defense: .976 FA (3rd-Tied)

Cold Creek Catamounts (79-75)
Batting: .252 BA (23rd)
Scoring: 720 runs (16th)
Power: 128 HR (16th)
Team ERA: 3.77 (12th)
Starters ERA: 3.60 (9th)
Bullpen ERA: 4.52 (29th)
Defense: .969 FA (29th-Tied)

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*** Tycobbian Union ***
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Cape Coral Hurricanes (90-64)
Batting: .258 BA (17th)
Scoring: 718 runs (11th)
Power: 142 HR (14th)
Team ERA: 3.43 (7th)
Starters ERA: 3.47 (7th)
Bullpen ERA: 3.18 (8th)
Defense: .977 FA (2nd-Tied)

North Hills Hawks (89-65)
Batting: .246 BA (26th)
Scoring: 645 runs (30th)
Power: 90 HR (32nd)
Team ERA: 3.40 (6th)
Starters ERA: 3.40 (6th)
Bullpen ERA: 3.40 (13th)
Defense: .975 (11th-Tied)

Ozarka Naturals (88-66)
Batting: .272 BA (4th)
Scoring: 796 (2nd)
Power: 144 HR (12th)
Team ERA: 3.69 (16th)
Starters ERA: 3.84 (18th)
Bullpen ERA: 3.10 (5th)
Defense: .976 FA (4th-Tied)

Arlon Champions (82-73)
Batting: .249 BA (25th)
Scoring: 683 (20th)
Power: 143 HR (13th)
Team ERA: 3.49 (8th)
Starters ERA: 3.55 (11th)
Bullpen ERA: 3.22 (9th)
Defense: .976 (4th-Tied)


The Islandian Times
Sunday, September 30, 2012

Redhawks Favored In Pro Cup Series
History has repeated itself, at least in the IPA. For the second year in a row it will be the Far Mountain Redhawks doing battle against the Ozarka Naturals for Islands professional baseball supremacy. This is the first time in the league's history this has happened. The Pro Cup Series begins tomorrow afternoon at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain. Last year in an epic struggle the Redhawks had to win the last three games to capture the title. Most of the baseball experts have put the defending champs in the favorite's role, although Ozarka has a lot of supporters as well. The two clubs are fairly even in most categories. They both hit well for average and power and play good defense. The difference is in the pitching, where Far Mountain has the edge. Alex Groveland's Redhawk rotation compiled a strong 2.88 team ERA (1st), while Joe Mac Carney's Nats posted a 3.69 mark (16th). One huge thing in Ozarka's favor is that Far Mountain will not have 22-game winner and last year's Pro Cup MVP Boomerang Hines. He was lost in September with rotator cup issue. That could be the equalizer.

Groveland will use Robby Kelly (18-8 3.19), Wayne Baxley (13-7 3.14) and rookie Woody Crawford (10-6 3.19) as his starting threesome with Erich Dumont (2-7 3.11) as his closer. Baxley is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in the postseason this year. Kelly is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA and Crawford is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA.

Carney's starters will be Eddie Roberts (18-8 2.94), Emile Leduc (18-11 3.63) and Rene Gautier (5-5 3.99). Roberts is unbeaten in the playoffs with a 2-0 mark and a 1.74 ERA. Leduc is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA and Gautier is 1-0 in one start with a 1.13 ERA. Gautier was inserted into the rotation when Billy Krsnich (12-16 3.77) was in effective in first round games with 7.82 ERA.

Both managers break into big smiles when they talk about their hitters and they both are loaded with them. Far Mountain is led by SS Don Nichols (.302/17/99/97), C Otis Ott (.306/21/96/68), 3B Duane Parsons (.283/19/88/106), LF Phil Stewart (.306/7/62/91) and CF Xavier Sosa (.275/20/58/107). Ozarka's top batters are 3B Todd Chadwich (.320/22/95/122), LF Vic Weinstein (.325/16/86/116), SS Nathan Ferrell (.301/19/85/75), C Todd Pepper (.315/11/71/87) and 2B Gil Lantz (.314/19/65/81). Last year hitting decided the outcome. The forecast is more of the same this season. However, both skippers, Groveland and Carney, think the pitchers will make or break each club.


The Islandian Times
Monday, October 1, 2012

2012 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 1

Ozarka Outscores Far Mountain 10-7 In Pro Cup Opener
The Ozarka Naturals and the Far Mountain Redhawks took up where they left off last year with another thrilling slugfest in this year's Pro Cup opening game at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain. The Nats rallied from a 6-5 deficit with 5-late inning scores to overwhelm the Redhawks 10-7. They blasted 4 out of the park and collected a dozen hits. LF Vic Weinstein (.289) smashed 2 homers and 1B Al Wesner (.238) and PH Rick McLeod (.200) each got one to lead the winners. A 3-run eighth and a 2-run ninth sparked the victory. Far Mountain tried hard to stay in the game with 13 hits and led 6-5 after 7 innings. Redhawk CF Xavier Sosa (.457) had 3 hits, including his 4th playoff roundtripper.

Neither starter was effective. Ozarka's Eddie Roberts (3-0 2.61) was ripped for 12 hits and 6 runs in 7 innings, but got the win anyway. Closer Luther Hatch (1-1 1.80) pitched the last two innings for the save and gave up a run in the ninth. Robby Kelly (3-0 3.15) was a little better for Far Mountain as he was touched for 5 runs in 6 innings and departed with the score tied at 5-5. Erich Dumont (0-1) got the loss as he was slammed for 3 runs in the decisive 8th.


The Islandian Times
Tuesday, October 2, 2012

2012 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 2

Baxley and Zavala Spark FM Redhawks To 7-2 Win, Pro Cup Even At 1-1
Powerful Far Mountain got back on track with some good pitching and timely hitting to trim Ozarka 7-2 in game 2 of the 2012 Pro Cup Series. Wayne Baxley (4-0 1.75) hurled another strong game to even up the best-of-seven series at one game each. He stopped the hard-hitting Naturals on 2 runs and 6 hits to win his 4th consecutive postseason game. RF Julian Zavala (.372) continued to blister pitchers in the playoffs as he walloped a grand slam homer and batted in 5 runs to give him 17 RBIs in the postseason. Zavala was the main reason Emile Leduc (1-2 3.95) went down to defeat. Leduc was shellacked for 5 runs in just two innings and surrendered Zavala's grand slam.


The Islandian Times
Wednesday, October 3, 2012

2012 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 3

FM Leads Pro Cup, Redhawks Edge Nats 6-5 In Game 3
Game 3 in the Pro Cup Series was a back-and-forth thriller at Ellie Ewing Stadium in Ozarka. Defending Pro Cup champs, the Far Mountain Redhawks, parlayed crucial hits with good relief pitching to best the Ozarka Naturals 6-5 and nudge ahead 2 games to 1 in the series. Redhawk SS Don Nichols tied the score 5-5 with a lead-off homer in the top of the seventh. With two outs and nobody on, CF Xavier Sosa doubled and scored the game-winning run on a single by 1B Fran Grzanka. Nats starter Rene Gautier (1-1 4.30) had a rough outing as was rapped for 6 runs and 11 hits in his 6-plus innings, while reliever Jesse Hughes (1-0 4.50) claimed the win. Hughes allowed a run in two innings. Erich Dumont and Hummer Romig held Ozarka scoreless over the last two innings to protect the victory. FM starter rookie Woody Crawford was wild with 8 walks in 5 innings. He was tapped for 4 runs and 5 hits. Crawford left trailing 4-3.

The Redhawks leaped ahead in the first on C Otis Ott's 3-run shot. Ozarka came back in the last of the first with 2 runs on SS Nathan Ferrell's (.176) roundtripper. The Naturals tied it 3-3 in the fourth when C Todd Pepper (.224) doubled, move over to third on a sacrifice and scored on 3B Todd Chadwick's (.305) ground-out. Nats LF Vic Weinstein (.302) led off the fifth with double and after 3 walks by Crawford was forced in for a 4-3 lead. FM rebounded to even it a 4-all in the sixth on a Sosa (.434) double and an RBI single by Grzanka. Chadwick manufactured the go-ahead run for Ozarka in the bottom of the frame when he walked, was bunted to second, stole third and came in to score on a ground-out by Weinstein. That make it 5-4 in favor of the Nats.

Far Mountain lashed 14 hits and was led by Grzanka (.261) with 4-5 and 2 RBIs, Ott (.347) with 2-5 and 3 RBIs and Nichols (.417) with 3-5. Ozarka only had 7 hits and were paced by RF Chris Hughes (.280) and 1B Al Wesner (.265) with a pair of hits each.


The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 4, 2012

2012 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 4

FM Slips By Ozarka 5-4 In 10 Innings, Up 3-1 In Pro Cup
It was another tense tussle between Far Mountain and Ozarka in the Pro Cup Series. The Redhawks slipped by the Nats 5-4 in 10 innings to take a big three games to one bulge in the best-of-seven series. One more Far Mountain triumph and it will give the Redhawks their second straight Pro Cup trophy. No team in IPA history has won two Pro Cups in back-to-back years.

It was another hard-fought affair highlighted by a gritty performance by winning pitcher Robby Kelly, who worked 9 innings. Kelly (4-1 3.31) allowed 4 runs and 11 hits, struck out 4 and issued 2 walks, but still beat the Naturals with the help of closer Erich Dumont. Dumont retired the side in order in the last of the tenth to seal the verdict for Kelly. Eddie Roberts (3-0 3.00) started for Ozarka and in a shaky outing tossed 7 innings, gave up 4 runs and 7 hits with 7 Ks and 5 walks.

Far Mountain pounced on Roberts for a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, highlighted by 3B Duane Parsons' (.245) 3-run double and C Otis Ott's (.365) RBI hit. Ozarka got single runs in the fourth and sixth frames on RBI doubles by C Todd Pepper (.226) and RF Chris Hughes (.296). Kelly was cruising along and apparently on his way to victory when he was jolted by back-to-back blasts by LF Vic Weinstein (.310) and SS Nathan Ferrell (.196), which tied the score at 4-4 and sent it to overtime. A walk and balk and a double won the game in the tenth. With two away and nobody on base, CF Xavier Sosa (.418) worked a walk, went to second on a balk by reliever Philip Britt and rode home on Phil Stewart's (.365) game-winning two-bagger. Britt (2-1 3.52) worked one inning and shouldered the loss.

Parsons and Ott were the top bats for Far Mountain with 3 hits and 2 hits repectively. The Redhawks were outhit by the Naturals 11-9. Ozarka's Weinstein, Ferrell and Hughes all had 2 hits and an RBI.


The Islandian Times
Friday, October 5, 2012

2012 IPA Pro Cup Finals - Game 5

FM Redhawks Back-To-Back Pro Cup Champs
The Far Mountain Redhawks roared through the IPA Pro Cup playoffs to cop their second straight Island championship. They disposed of the Ozarka Naturals in 5 games, outlasting them 14-9 in the finale. The Redhawks boast a devastating line-up chocked full of talented bats that averaged over 7 runs a game in the postseason. Manager Alex Groveland had good pitching, too. His staff put up a fine 3.14 ERA and had an overall 12-2 record.

The decisive factor in the series was hitting. Far Mountain's explosive offense was just too much for Ozarka to overcome. In the finale they unloaded 4 homers - the Nats got none. The Redhawks bombed Emile Leduc for 7 runs in the first 4 innings, but Ozarka miraculously rallied with 4 in the fifth and took the lead 9-8 with 5 more runs in the sixth. However, Far Mountain came right back and regained the lead 10-9 in the top of the seventh on 1B Fran Grzanka's (.278) sac fly and PH Phil Alston's (.222) single, then disposed of the Naturals with a 4-run outburst in the top of the ninth to haul in the IPA Pro Cup trophy for the unprecedented second year in a row. No team had ever done that before in the league's 12-year existence.

Far Mountain mauled Ozarka pitching for 18 hits. CF Xavier Sosa (.450) had a marvelous game with 4 hits, including 2 home runs, double and a single. Sosa drove in 3 and scored 4 times. LF Phil Stewart (.351) and 2B Phil Alston also had 3 RBIs each. SS Don Nichols (.379) and Alston chipped in 2 more circuit blasts and C Otis Ott (.394) collected 3 hits and scored 3 times. RF Julian Zavala (.351) smacked 3 hits and batted in a pair of runs, giving him 19 RBIs in the playoffs. Sosa had 6 roundtrippers and 14 runs batted in.

The Nats got 5 gifted runs from the poor Redhawk defense to stay in the game. Far Mountain committed 4 errors, but its powerful bats overcame them. Ozarka got 11 hits, but didn't get any homers. Manager Alex Groveland got excellent relief work. After starter Wayne Baxley gave up 9 runs in 5-plus frames, 4 relievers blanked the Naturals over the next 3 and two-third innings. Jesse Hughes (2-0 4.15) notched the win by getting the final out in the sixth. Hummer Romig (0-0 5.40), Erich Dumont (0-1 7.36) and Milos Annensky (0-0 0.00) each worked an inning and held the Nats hitless.

For the series Far Mountain hit for a .312 batting average with 8 home runs and 37 runs. Ozarka batted .276 with 7 homers and 27 runs scored. Pitching was not the strong point of either team. The Redhawk staff registered a 4.69 ERA in the Pro Cup Finals, while the Naturals had an atrocious 7.43 ERA.

Alex Groveland told reporters, "Obviously our club had an outstanding postseason with the bats... and it was extraordinary in the Pro Cup Series. We got pretty fair pitching considering how well the Nats handle the bats. They are a tough club to beat... they never give up."

Ozarka skipper Joe Mac Carney said, "We just got beat by a tremendous offensive team that came into the series with their bats blazing and they got even better. We did our best to stay with them, but came up second-best for the second straight season. I'm disappointed we didn't win, but we still had a hell of of season. We're going to go out and get us some pitchers and come back next year and win it all."


The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 6, 2012

Redhawks Sosa Named Pro Cup MVP
It was the year of the hitter in the 2012 IPA Pro Cup Series. This year's Most Valuable Player Award went to Far Mountain's fine center field Xavier Sosa, who led the Redhawks to their second straight Island championship. Sosa pounded postseason pitching for a .450 batting average with 7 doubles and 6 home runs. Sosa scored 20 runs and batted in 14. Last year he came in second in the postseason MVP voting to pitching teammate Boomerang Hines... Hines missed the Pro Cup playoffs this year due to bad rotator cup... Hines was injured in early September... he excelled this season with a 23-14 mark and a fine 2.55 ERA.

Right fielder Julian Zavala finished second in the vote. He led Far Mountain with 19 RBIs. Zavala batted .351 with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 3 homers. The third spot in the MVP balloting went to catcher Otis Ott of the Redhawks, who hit .393 with 4 roundtrippers, 12 runs batted in and 13 runs scored. Pitcher Wayne Baxley wound up in the fourth spot in the selection process. Baxley was 4-0 with 4 complete games in the playoffs. SS Don Nichols was fifth as he batted .379 with 4 home runs, 11 RBIs and 10 runs. Robby Kelly was the sixth choice with a 4-1 mark and a 3.31 ERA, followed by left-fielder Phil Stewart, who was seventh in the poll. Stewart batted .351, scored 15 times, had 9 RBIs and went deep once.