Wednesday, October 7, 2082
IPA FINAL 4 TEAMS DECIDED
ELNORA-CRYSTAL LAKE IN RU FINALS
KENWOOD- HARTSDALE IN TU FINALS
After the first round the IPA postseason teams have been shaved down to just four - The Islandian Pro Alliance Final 4 - It will be the Skippers and the Clippers in the Ruthlandian Union title clash. Pro Cup favorite Crystal Lake taking on the upstart and unsung #8 choice, the Elnora Clippers. In the Tycobbian Union title series #2-ranked Hartsdale is pitted against #7-rated Kenwood. #3 Forest City and #4 Ozarka were eliminated in the opening round of action, along with #5 Cape Coral and #6 LaGrange.
In the Ruthlandian Union after LaGrange tied Crystal Lake 2-2 after 4 games, the Skippers took command with solid bats and solid pitching in taking the last two games to take the series four games to two. Pitchers Lloyd Mason and Earl Noland sparked the Shippers on the hill. The Gators offense never did get going. It was Gino Lorenzetti, Ryan Corbin, Culver Jensen, Cookie Garland and Jake Osborne spearheading the Crystal Lake offensive attack.
Elnora's splendid staff dominated the Forest City Firebirds and left them in ashes, sweeping the series in four games. Both the Clipper starters and relievers did their jobs. Hamilton Burger and Davis Hickerson gave them good starts and Tsutomu Takhashi and Babe Hatch gave them superb relief. And the offense, provided by Ronald Bayless, Morton McAdoo, Andre Langdon, Audie Harben and Tuffy Spurgeon, did just enough to put away Forest City. The RU Title Series is just about even. However, Crystal Lake has more home-run power. That is the only difference in the two challengers.
In the Tycobbian Union Hartsdale did what they do best, blister the ball. They walloped 8 four-baggers and defeated the Cape Coral Hurricanes in 5 games. Everybody in the Hellcat batting order contributed at one time or another. Fernando De la Paz, Tom Colson, Eli Kulacz, Calvin Mannon, Wes Gainsborough and Tumbleweek Threadgill came through with key hits and homers. Key in the series was the bullpen, led by Delwyn Bell. They bailed out the starters in most of the games. Except for Barry Boyett, the starters all struggled. Still the Hellcats claimed the series four games to one.
The Kenwood Wildcats got magnificent pitching in eliminating the Ozarka Naturals in 5 games. Starters Casey Shipp, Andre France and Jim Singer starred for the Wildcats. The bullpen was even better. Billy Batton, Stacy Grimmer and Matty Mihalek really did well. And they had to be good. 4 of the 5 games were decided by one run. Ozarka is just an average team offensively. Kenwood will really be severely tested by the Hartsdale Hellcats in the TU Title Series.
