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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 July 2308
Orange Pulls Away, North Bradberton Locked
The Orange Tourists have never won a Nuka Series, but the 2308 Tourists may be the first to do it. Orange has been to the series three times, with their last appearance in 2305. This year's team is 12 games up on Quartz and 17 over both Dark and 2307 champions, the Cherry Ghoulrillas.
Second-year manager, Bob Wire Carranza, has credited an "incredible" pitching staff for the success. Ace Allen Puckett (9-0, 3.26) leads a great 1-2-3 punch along with SPs Bull Johnson (7-4, 2.81) and Orion Sapunxiu (7-1, 3.76). The offense has been middle-of-the-road, though 1B Bill Black (.395/2/18), LF Pudding Ohnderitz (.330/2/27), and 3B Percent Lambert (.300/10/31) have led the offense.
In the North Bradberton Division, both Quantum and Victory are tied, just three games up on both Grape and Wild. The Painted Ghouls won the division the past two seasons. The Nukalurks have been winning with a good offense, led by RF Alex Hopp (.393/11/34). However, the Cave Crickets have an even better offense and have the statistical advantages to eventually pull away. SP Jesse Emacipated (10-1, 2.61) leads the NWL's 2nd best-scoring defense, while RF Edgar Virus (.325/13/49) leads the NWL's best-scoring offense.
Even though he is a newcomer to Nuka World League, Alex Hopp put up some good numbers in June and earned the NWL Batter of the Month award.
He was one of Quantum's offensive leaders with a .467 average in 24 games. He also racked up 8 home runs, 22 RBIs, and 24 runs scored.
In his season totals Hopp has 11 home runs and a .393 batting average.
Jesse Emacipated hated to see June turn to July.
And who could blame him?
The 35-year-old hurler piled up 6 wins and no losses for the Cave Crickets last month and won the Nuka World League Pitcher of the Month award for his efforts.
Emacipated stymied opposing batters on 42 base hits and a .226 batting average. He rang up 34 strikeouts in 52 innings of work, surrendered 10 walks and fashioned a sparkling 1.73 ERA.
To date Emacipated is 10-1 in 12 starts with a 2.61 ERA and has 60 strikeouts in 93 innings.
In 0 starts 20-year-old Troll Perez really put together an impressive June to win the Nuka World League Rookie of the Month honor.
The Wild starter spun 1 win and 1 loss as he posted a 1.64 ERA and 6 strikeouts in 11 innings.
This year Perez has 18 relief appearances with 9 saves, 2-2 season record and a 1.74 ERA. He has hurled 20.2 innings, given up 16 hits, struck out 16 and walked 10. Opposing clubs have batted .211 against the Wild reliever.
NWL Minors and Boys Ball
In the APL, the division leaders are the Nuka Bottling Plant Pack and the Dry Rock Gulch Convicts.
Brotherseven Dadson put together a good June to earn the Amusement Park League Batter of the Month prize. A virtual unknown, he made the most of his chance to prove to Bradberton officials that he belongs on the big league roster.
The Disciples right fielder posted a .407 batting average with 8 home runs, 24 RBIs and 19 runs scored.
For the year Dadson is batting .377 with 58 hits and 14 home runs. He has scored 35 times and driven in 43.
The hottest hurler in the Amusement Park League last month was Dan Lowbridge of the Safari Adventure Gazelles. He caught the attention of everybody in the league with some eye-catching stats, good enough to win the APL Pitcher of the Month.
In June, Lowbridge starred with an impressive 5-0 record. In 5 starts he gave up 16 base hits and struck out 29 in 29 innings with a 3.72 ERA.
On the season Lowbridge has 5 wins and 2 losses and a 5.88 ERA.
The NWL Rookie League's leaders are the Wixon Cola Kings and the Dunmore Ferris Wheels.
At only 18 years of age, Coal Weedeater could very well have many more months like this last one during his career.
That would be great news for fans of the Northpoint Reservoir Gulchers, as June was one to remember for the first baseman and he has captured the NWL Rookie League Batter of the Month award.
On the month he hit .360 with 14 home runs, 39 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
So far on the season Weedeater is hitting .357 with 23 home runs, 73 RBIs and 53 runs scored. He has 75 hits and played in 53 games.
June's premier pitcher was Adrian Beercan of Wixon Cola Kings. He pulverized NWL Rookie League hitters all month long and picked up the Pitcher of the Month award. The Cola Kings star hurler fashioned a 4-0 record en route to the honor.
He had 25 strikeouts in 31.1 innings and compiled a 3.16 ERA. Other clubs hit .237 against him.
This season in 12 starts Adrian Beercan has a record of 6-1 with 49 strikeouts in 64 innings and a 2.81 ERA.
With a 7-5 win over the Ol Sugartop Buckaroos at Cappie's Playground today, the King Cola Youths wrapped up their 1st title in team history.
The Youths left little doubt who was the better team. Celebrating a banner year, "team" was the word of the day in the victorious clubhouse after the game.
"Hitting, pitching, fielding; those are all things you need to win, but most importantly you need a team, a team that works together toward the same collective goal," said King Cola manager Blues McGovern. "Our players felt that way all year, and they played that way. When one guy had an off day, 24 others stepped up their game and filled the void."
A jovial mood filled the air as King Cola celebrated into the night. The city's mayor said parade plans were underway and a "huge celebration" would be in order.
"I hope they have a big celebration," Ol Sugartop manager Cannonball Burse said. "They deserved to win this series and they deserve to celebrate it."
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
1 July 2308
Divisions Tight in the Vim! League
Both divisions in the Vim! League have tight races with just one team, National Park, out of contention. In the Fog Division, the Dalton Farm Fog Crawlers hold a one-game lead over the Eden Meadows Anglers. Echo Lake, which won the division a season ago, is in 3rd place. In the Harbor Division, both Grand Hotel and Far Harbor are knotted for first place. Acadia is back by three games, while Cranberry Island is five games back.
Ryan Morris said it was "focus and determination" that led him to winning the June Batter of the Month award for the Vim! League.
Whatever it was, the Dalton Farm third baseman could not be denied, hitting .330 with 6 home runs, 20 RBIs and 24 runs scored to round out his great month.
This year Morris is hitting .293 with 8 home runs and 36 RBIs to his credit. He has gotten on base at a .376 clip and scored 45 runs.
When the Acadians skipper wrote Going on the lineup card, it was a bad omen for the opposition. Outing after outing in June he took command and usually got the win.
He dominated with a 5-0 mark and 2.28 ERA in 6 starts. The gifted Acadians star pitched 43.1 innings, fanned 22 and held opposing teams to a .253 average.
For his excellent mound work Going was named the VIML Pitcher of the Month by the baseball writers.
In 11 starts this year Going has posted 7 wins while suffering 2 losses. He has pitched 78.2 innings, allowed 83 hits, struck out 40 and has a 3.66 ERA.
Youngster Marc Giddens emerged as the latest Vim! League Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Eden Meadows deserved the honor, batting .360 with no home runs and 11 runs batted in. Is the month of June a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Giddens enjoy the limelight.
This year Giddens is batting .358 with 62 hits and 5 home runs. He has scored 32 times and has batted in 25 runs.
The Mount Desert Island League also has tight races. In the Small Bertha Division, Southwest Harbor and Brooke's head are tied, while both Eagle's Cove and Rayburn Point are tied in the Old Longfellow Division.
Vince Eller has a lot going for him. The Oceanarium right fielder just broke into the majors this year and now the Mount Desert Island League has just picked him as its top hitter for June.
In 24 games last month this outstanding rookie batted .351 with 12 home runs, 29 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
Hitting .348 to date, Eller has 25 home runs and 59 RBIs. He has played in 47 games.
Jon Thompson was a long shot to make the Southwest Harbor Rippers this year, especially being a 30-year-old rookie. Now the Southwest Harbor hurler has parlayed a 3-1 record into the Mount Desert Island League Pitcher of the Month award.
In June, he chalked up 24 strikeouts in 40 innings and compiled a 2.02 ERA.
Thompson has gone 5-3 this season with an ERA of 3.43 and 40 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched. Other clubs are hitting .253 against him.
The Vim! Rookie League is not as tight, with Glowing Grove leading by five games in the Western Atlantic while Fringe Cove leads by seven games in the Eastern Atlantic.
Rock Point Barnacles fans may just have witnessed a star player blossoming before their eyes in June.
Stogie Seabrooke put up a remarkable month at the age of 19 and has been named the VIM! Rookie League Batter of the Month.
For the month, Seabrooke hit .358 with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
For the season Seabrooke has hit .331 with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs. He has played in 53 games and scored 51 times.
The VIM! Rookie League scribes have selected June's Pitcher of the Month and have awarded the honor to Saesee Tiin of Glowing Grove. He was outstanding on the hill last month and has the numbers to prove it -- a 4-1 record.
The Brainiacs star performer made 7 starts with a 4.53 ERA and surrendered 48 hits in 49.2 innings. He struck out 58 and walked 24.
In 12 starts this season, Tiin has recorded 9 wins and absorbed 1 loss. He has pitched 91.1 innings, allowed 79 hits, struck out 107 and has a 3.55 ERA.
The Diamond Cove Fort Knights pulled out all the stops on 20 June, winning the Maine Youth Series in a hard-fought series with the Far Harbor Dockdwellers.
It was a seesaw affair, but with a 5-3 victory at The Dock, Diamond Cove lay claim to the franchise's 1st championship.
"There's no denying we faced a tough opponent," said Hmm Frindsoot. "But as the old saying goes, 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going,' and that's what we did today."
The champs finished the regular season 23-17 and claimed first place in the Great Diamond Island League.