Wednesday, October 15, 2081
RASCALS AND CANNONS ON VERGE OF ELIMINATION IN IPA TITLE SERIES
Uh oh! The defending Pro Cup champion White River and the Fort Benton Cannons are in deep trouble in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. Rolling Hills and Crystal Lake have both won three of the first four games so far, putting the Rascals and Cannons in severe jeopardy of elimination. One more defeat and White River and Fort Benton will go home for the season.
Tycobbian Union Title Series
RACERS OUTLAST RASCALS IN 12-INNING CLASH
Rolling Hills moved way ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Tycobbian Union Title Series. The Racers won a 12-inning thriller 5-4 on the road at White River Stadium. A walk to Clifford Stratton and a base hit by Danny Marisnick set the stage for Kit Clemmons' pinch-hit go-ahead single in the top of the 12th frame. Linc Dickens (1-0/1.80 ERA) won it in relief over Brayden Peters (0-1/9.00 ERA). Dickens blanked the Rascals in his 2 innings, but they put him to the test in the last of the 12th, placing runners on first and third with one away. However, Dickens struck on Dan Bayless and retired pinch hitter Liam Michaelson on a routine fly ball.
Heading up the Racers at the plate were Danny Marisnick, who homered for the second game in a row and Emmett Spangler with 3 for 6 and 2 RBIs. Philip Bliss and Harv Phelan collected 2 hits each in the victory. Rolling Hills was outhit 13-11 by White River. The Racers stole 3 bases.
White River's Viggo Frandsen had a 2-run homer, his 4th in the postseason, Babe Coleman and J. R. North contributed 3 hits apiece, and James Lundin and Lynn Elkins socked 2 hits each in the loss. Much to their dismay, the Rascals stranded 14 baserunners.
Ruthlandian Union Title Series
THREE STRIKES, BUT NOT OUT; CANNONS COME BACK SWINGING IN GAME 4
Fort Benton needed a good game to remain alive in the RU Title Series and they got it. The Cannons exploded for 15 hits in the fourth game of the series and blasted Crystal Lake 13-2 to stave off elimination. Now all they have to do is win three more in a row to advance to the IPA Pro Cup Series. Yeah, buddy, that's all. That, however, is a mighty task to accomplish. It has rarely happened in IPA postseason history.
Not only did Fort Benton rattle the scoreboard, they got good performances on the hill from starter Nick Banfield and relievers Dieter Morgenstern and Burnell Otis. Morgenstern (2-0/0.00 ERA) fired 4 shutout innings for the win. The trio of twirlers held the Skippers to 6 hits.
Ahead 5-2, the Cannons really sealed the verdict with 8 runs in the bottom of the 8th frame. Crystal Lake starter Bret Lynch (1-1/5.79 ERA) lost it, tagged for 7 runs in his 7 innings.
Olev Kotli led the Fort Benton hit parade with 3 hits, including a bases-loaded triple and 4 RBIs. John Harding and Dwight Hogan drove in 2 runs each.
Both White River and Fort Benton are down to their last loss of the season. There is no tomorrow for them. They must win game five, six and seven or else go home for the winter.
