Wednesday, September 26, 2085
DEFENDING PRO CUP CHAMP BELAIR BEACH FIRST TO CLINCH SPOT IN IPA PLAYOFFS. LAGRANGE AND HARTSDALE NEAR DIVISION CROWNS. 5 OTHER DIVISIONS STILL NOT DECIDED.
Ruthlandian Union
In the final week of the season the two top teams in the Ruthlandian North went at it in the opening game of a crucial three-game series in LaGrange. The Gators trimmed the Tars in 10 innings 8-7. Home runs
by Dwight Houser (.228 BA/24 HR/71 RBI), Jed Mayfield (.284 BA/12 HR/50 RBI) and Bill Swinnerton (.305 BA/43 HR/96 RBI) upped LaGrange's lead to 5 games. Robin Moncriffe (.245 BA/10 HR/49 RB) decided
the game with a run-scoring single in the 10th. Another win by the Gators or another defeat for the Tars will give the division flag to LaGrange. Taranto fought hard with 3 homers, 2 by Gerald Whitney
(.231 BA/12 HR/48 RBI) and one by Claude Haines (.254 BA/6 HR/20 RBI). Neither club got much pitching.
Belair Beach (87-72) is headed back to the IPA playoff with a chance to repeat as the Pro Cup champion. The Sunbirds cinched the RU South with 5 games to go. The Sunbirds smacked Valka (66-83) for 14 hits
in a 6-3 triumph. Georgie Adams (16-11/2.94 ERA) hurled 7 solid innings for the victory. Dirk MacIntyre (.283 BA/22 HR/70 RBI) and Yianni Kostakis (.304 BA/18 HR/85 RBI) both hit 2-run clouts in the clinching game.
The second place Claxton Diamonds (81-68) did all they could do. They edged the St. John Crusaders 4-3 in 10 behind the impressive pitching of 20-year-old rookie Monty Maples (14-9/3.31 ERA), who stumped
the Crusaders (71-78) on 2 earned runs, while going the distance. He did give up 11 hits, but stranded 11 baserunners. Maples fanned 5 and issued only 2 bases on balls. Andreas Koopman (.317 BA/25 HR/94 RBI)
paced Claxton at the plate with 2 hits and 2 RBIs, one of them a solo swat to win the game in the bottom of the 10th.
Runner-up Wynnamac (87-73) shaved a game off first place Eastshore's (88-61) lead in the RU East. The Cotton Kings are now only one and a half-game ahead. The Macs slipped by Marston 3-2 yesterday. Shotgun
Clayton (10-11/3.42 ERA) worked a complete game, stopping the Nine (77-73) on 5 hits and struck out 8. Mike Mantle (.255 BA/9 HR/57 RBI) drove in 2 runs for the Sundowners. Julius Goodman (.299 BA/17 HR/84 RBI)
also pitched in with an RBI. Taking the loss was Jim Singer (10-12/3.33 ERA), who allowed 3 runs on 8 hits in 8 frames.
Beechwood's (63-86) young Jimmy Chandler knocked off Eastshore 3-2, limiting them to 2 runs and 5 hits in 6 innings. He struck out 6 and walked no one. The win went to Jackie Dittmer (9-14/4.50) Andrew Delchamps
(15-4/3.23 ERA) more than matched Chandler, firing 8 strong innings, permitting 1 run on 5 hits, while whiffing 7 and walking 3. He left for a pinch hitter with the game tied at 1-all. Shuggie Stanbury
(10-11/2.80 ERA/20 saves/73 games) blew the game in the 9th. RBI base hits by Dickie Gannon (.258 BA/6 HR/45 RBI) and Paz Vizcarra (.276 BA/14 HR/60 RBI) did him in. Both scores were unearned.
In the RU West Colfax battered Volusia 13-1 to take over the top spot by one game over Forest City. The Black Sox blasted 18 hits and 4 homers to back up the fine pitching of Jimbo Munsey (11-8/2.86 ERA), who held
the Vigilantes to 5 hits. Going deep for Colfax were Tommy Wilkins (.256 BA/6 HR/62 RBI), Tim Bozeman (.313 BA/7 HR/46 RB), Ben Watkins (.237 BA/4 HR/22 RBI) and Jimmy Sweet (.267 BA/28 HR/71 RBI).
The Firebirds were defeated by Stoner 8-5 behind Pat Adenhart (17-8/2.78 ERA), who outpitched Kirby Mars (17-9/2.63 ERA). Adenhart tossed 8 frames and gave up 4 runs, while Mars was ripped for 7 runs in just 6 inning.
Leading the Silver Sox at the plate were Ben Atcheson (.264 BA/8 HR/18 RBI), Clem Pollard (.235 BA/1 HR/6 RBI), Gus Yakis (.258 BA/8 HR/36 RBI) and Jaxx Sedlin (.208 BA/4 HR/19 RBI). All of them batted in 2 runs
apiece. Atcheson had the only Stoner roundtripper.
Tycobbian Union
Both contenders in the TU North dropped games yesterday. Hartsdale (88-62) is 3 and a half-game in front of second place Mahaska (84-65) with 5 games left on the schedule. The Hellcats were beaten in 16 innings 10-9
by Oxford (74-76). Claude Coleman's (.283 BA/19 HR/61 RBI) sacrifice fly won it in the bottom of the 16th. Babe Coleman (.271 BA/32 HR/81 RBI) and Willie Nelson (.258 BA/34 HR/87 RBI) went deep for the Red Caps,
each collecting 3 ribbies. Oxford fought back from a 9-4 deficit after 5 and a half frames. Their bullpen corps was splendid with 10 and one-third scoreless innings. Benny Crystal (.241 BA/16 HR/79 RBI) and Calvin Mannon
(.309 BA/26 HR/81 RBI) homered for the Hellcats.
None of the top clubs could win in the TU South, either. So San Alejo (84-66) stayed one-half game up on Turon (83-66). The Montaneros fell 5-3 to Colchester (74-76). Ricardo Rijos (11-8/3.31 ERA) stopped the Monties
on 6 hits, while Erich Albrecht (14-10/3.15 ERA) lost it, slammed for 10 hits and 5 runs in 8 innings. Cochester's Huey Nicholas (.228 BA/13 HR/43 RBI) cracked 2 homers and drove in 4 runs. Willard Van Halen
(.269 BA/19 HR/68 RBI) also knocked one out of the park. Providing the offense for the Monties were Ricardo Zamora (.275 BA/23 HR/83 RBI) and Tom Russell (.177 BA/1 HR/3 RBI). They each slugged homers. Carter's
was a 2-run shot.
The Typhoons were shackled 2-0 on 6 hits by Arroyo Grande's Carlton Nobles (13-5/2.48 ERA) and his relief Buddy Verrine (5-11/4.04 ERA/14 saves/64 games). Pinch Hitter Nicky Carrick (.313 BA/12 HR/38 RBI) won it
with his 8th-inning 2-run clout that broke up the scoreless duel. Typhoon loser Matt Simon (8-11/3.00 ERA) tossed a complete game and only allowed 5 hits. The Suns are in third place, trailing by 5 and a half games.
Second place Hillsboro (84-65) narrowed High Mesa's margin to a half-game in the TU East. Rog Bartell's (.299 BA/2 HR/14 RBI) 3 hits and 5 RBIs sparked the Blazers past Ozarka (67-82) by the score of 7-5. Bartell's
3-run slam clinched it in the 8th frame. Audry Brabant (4-5/7.09 ERA/2 saves/35 games) notched the victory with 2 scoreless innings.
Midway's (72-78) Niki Petrakis outpitched High Mesa's (85-65) Allie Tuthill (21-4/1.86 ERA) 3-2, despite giving up 11 hits in his 8 innings. Kurt Bernheisel (.288 BA/21 HR/70 RBI) crushed a homer to win the game
in the last of the 9th. Tuthill went all the way, surrendered 11 hits and 3 runs.
In the jam-packed TU West the top team Chicopee (80-69) dropped its second in a row and saw its lead melt to one and a half games over runner-up Bayview (79-71). 5 teams are still technically in the hunt with just 5 games
to go. The Braves were beaten 6-5 by the Denton City Redbirds(71-78). Ruben Schuessler (.310 BA/63 RBI) sparked the Redbirds with 4 hits, 2 runs and an RBI. Ralph Demazio (.264 BA/16 HR/74 RBI) also provided 2 runs
batted in for the victors. Topping the Braves at bat were David Glascock (.242 BA/14 RBI/40 RBI) and Yuri Karelsky (.256 BA/14 HR/65 RBI). Denton City's superlative closer Gib Bobbins (7-1/2.19 ERA/26 saves/74 games)
got the last out and logged the save.
The Vikings had to go 14 innings to subdue the 4th place La Claire Lynx (78-72), who trail by 2 and a half games. Bayview got 4 shutout innings from its bullpen. Howie Hughes (.269 BA/10 HR/30 RBI) led the Vikings with
a grand slammer. Rookie reliever Lars Kyellson (2-1/2.35 ERA/12 games) picked up the win with 2 scoreless frames. The Lynx got a 2-run homer from Frenchie Devereaux (.299 BA/9 HR/42 RBI)
3rd place Rolling Hills (78-71) lost a 10-inning 9-8 heartbreaker to Kenwood (64-85). The Wildcats tied it up with 4 runs in the 9th and won it in the 10th on Ardell Armstrong's (.233 BA/14 HR/57 RBI) base hit. Johnny Davidson
(.279 BA/9 HR/45 RBI and Cloyce Farmer (.260 BA/5 HR/39 RBI) each had 2 ribbies apiece for Kenwood. Hank Bandy (.360 BA.6 HR/22 RBI) walloped 2 roundtrippers and socked in 5 runs for the Racers.
Ruthlandian Union
Tycobbian Union
