Thursday, October 17, 2018
SKIPPERS SET SAIL TO PRO CUP SERIES; RU TITLE BELONGS TO CRYSTAL LAKE; IN TU RASCALS CUT RACERS LEAD TO 3 GAMES TO 2
They were outscored 19 to 17 in the 5-game Ruthlandian Union Title Series, but the Crystal Lake Skippers still triumphed over the Fort Benton Cannons 4 games to one. The Skippers got standout pitching and now are setting sail for the IPA Pro Cup Series against the Tycobbian Union winner. In game five of that affair White River got new life with a tense 13-inning 2-1 victory that narrowed Rolling Hills' margin down to 3 games to 2.
Ruthlandian Union
SKIPPERS MASON TOYS WITH CANNONS, CINCHES RU TITLE
8-year veteran right-hander Lloyd Mason finished off Fort Benton 5-2 for his 3rd successive postseason win. Mason (3-0/2.39 ERA) tossed a complete game, holding the Cannons to 5 hits with 3 Ks and one free pass. Luis Trevino (0-3/4.06 ERA) absorbed the defeat, working 8 innings and giving up 4 runs on 10 hits.
Center fielder Sookie Murphy (.222) paced the Sailors with a solo homer and 2 runs batted in. Second sacker Gino Lorenzetti (.405), third baseman Cookie Garland (.341) and catcher Dave Sewell (.378) also drove in runs for the Skippers.
Crystal Lake skipper Paul Dillon gave full credit to his mound staff. "Mason, Marinello and Augustus really kept the Cannons in check. They were the key factor. Take away that one-game 13-2 massacre and we held Fort Benton to just 6 runs in 4 games. We also got good run support from Lorenzetti, Sewell, Garland, Osborne and Murphy." In his 19th season with the Skippers, Dillon has won 4 pennants and one Pro Cup (2076).
Fort Benton manager Max Gregory observed, "They had home-run power and very strong pitching. That's a combination that's hard to beat. I was proud of our pitchers. They kept us in each game. Except for the 4th game rout, we just couldn't score." Gregory has been at the helm of the Cannons for 20 years. He has won pennants in 3 of the last 5 seasons.
Tycobbian Union
CURRENT IPA KING WHITE RIVER DOWN, BUT NOT OUT; RACERS LEAD SLIMMED TO 3 TO 2 IN TU TITLE SERIES
The fifth game of the Tycobbian Title Series stretched to 13 innings before being decided by the tense score of 2-1 by right fielder Olaf Erikson's soaring shot out of the park. Shorty Meaux and Skeets Kazlauskas dueled for 10 innings, but neither got the verdict. Rance Derringer (1-0/0.00 ERA) posted the victory with a scoreless inning, while Ron Halloran (0-1/1.23 ERA) took the loss. Rascal reliever Dwayne Cave retired all 6 batters he faced in the crucial 11th and 12th frames.
White River snapped the scoreless game in the 5th on a base hit by Shorty Meaux. Rolling Hills tied it up in the 6th on Art Horn's solo clout.
Defending IPA champion White River still has its work cut out for them. They have to beat the Racers twice on their homefield to advance to the Pro Cup Series against Ruthlandian champion Crystal Lake. Bubby Dancer (16-9/3.92 ERA) gets the call from Rascal manager Butch Slattery and J.B. Deeds (4-2/3.62 ERA) will be on the mound for Racer skipper Hugo Sutton. Deeds beat Dancer 8-4 in the second game of the series at the Mid Town Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills.
