The 13th Season Pass Association Series will begin tomorrow with the winners of the Nuka World League taking on the winner of the Vim! League. We will run stories below of the winners of each league's championship. But first, here is the history of the SPA Series:
2301 - Grape 4, Far Harbor 3
2302 - Echo Lake 4, Victory 0
2303 - Dalton Farm 4, Cherry 0
2304 - Dalton Farm 4, Victory 2
2305 - Dalton Farm 4, Quantum 2
2306 - Dalton Farm 4, Cherry 1
2307 - Cherry 4, Echo Lake 0
2308 - Grand Hotel 4, Orange 3
2309 - Grand Hotel 4, Victory 0
2310 - National Park 4, Victory 0
2311 - Wild 4, Echo Lake 2
2312 - Cherry 4, National Park 2
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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 September 2313
Gatorclaws Take Nuka Series
Sometimes the winner is the one who got the lucky bounces and the lucky calls, and sometimes the winner is just the one who played better.
It was the latter case in 2313, as the Wild Gatorclaws topped the Cherry Ghoulrillas 8-5 tonight at Angry Anaconda Field at Safari Adventure to win the Nuka Series. It was the 2nd title in franchise history.
"When you play for championships, you have to play better than the team in the other dugout. We did that in this series, and all year. Now we're the best team in baseball," said Wild second baseman Bubba Shrimp, who was named series MVP.
The Gatorclaws took the series 4-3. The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the North Bradberton Division and a 50-40 record.
Wild manager Earl Arnett grinned and nodded when asked to comment on Shrimp's words.
"Bubba said it best -- we played better than the other team," the skipper said.
Hometown officials announced they were already planning a "grand celebration" for the winners in the days to come.
Players of the Month
Hitter - Tick Garrett is on a tear! After posting a .407 average in August, the Cherry first baseman took home the Nuka World League Batter of the Month award handed out earlier today.
He cracked 24 hits with 7 home runs and 18 RBIs and scored 12 runs. The 28-year-old also collected 6 free passes and posted a .448 on-base percentage.
This year, Garrett is hitting .354 with 80 hits, 16 home runs, 53 RBIs and has scored 44 runs.
Pitcher - When Culhwch Olwen takes the mound, a Quantum victory is usually the result. That was the case in August.
That's why he was voted the Nuka World League Pitcher of the Month.
Olwen throttled league hitters the whole month with an impressive 3-0 mark and 0.75 ERA in 4 starts. The Nukalurks star hurler also rung up 14 strikeouts in 24 innings.
This season, Olwen has 7 wins and 10 losses and a 3.70 ERA.
Rookie - When Culhwch Olwen takes the mound, a Quantum victory is usually the result. That was the case in August.
That's why he was voted the Nuka World League Pitcher of the Month.
Olwen throttled league hitters the whole month with an impressive 3-0 mark and 0.75 ERA in 4 starts. The Nukalurks star hurler also rung up 14 strikeouts in 24 innings.
This season, Olwen has 7 wins and 10 losses and a 3.70 ERA.
Amusement Park League
It was all about winning for the Nuka Jolly Elves -- and win they did.
There was nothing fancy in how they went about it, players said, they just prepared mentally and physically and then went out and played baseball.
"We did the little things right and we did the big things right," said shortstop Satch Sanders, who was named series MVP. "Now we're the league champions."
Nuka Jolly defeated the Nuka Plant Electrics by a score of 7-4 at John-Caleb Bradberton Honorary Field to take the series 4-0.
"Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you make your own luck," said Nuka Jolly manager Cop Diaz. "We got lucky a few times, but mostly we did the right things by being prepared for each game and playing the game the way it's meant to be played."
Players of the Month
Hitter - Radfish Hunter may be much younger than other hitters in the Amusement Park League, but he performed like a seasoned veteran in August to win the Batter of the Month award.
The 21-year-old Dunmore third baseman hit .391 with 4 home runs, 14 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Pitcher - August was a magical month for Johnny Tightlips of Nuka Bottling Plant. He held the Amusement Park League hitters spellbound, conjuring up a 2-0 mark and a 0.00 ERA.
Tightlips also chalked up 2 starts, 16.2 innings and 9 strikeouts.
For this outstanding performance he was rewarded with the Pitcher of the Month trophy.
A look at his career stats shows Tightlips has a record of 3 wins and 7 losses and a 3.69 ERA.
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
1 September 2313
Vim! Series to Eden Meadows in Battle of First-Timers
With a 9-6 win over the Acadia Acadians at The Show today, the Eden Meadows Anglers wrapped up their 1st title in team history.
The Anglers 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 Eden Meadows manager Brian Weaver. "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 Eden Meadows 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," Acadia manager Limp Durn said. "They deserved to win this series and they deserve to celebrate it."
Players of the Month
Hitter - When you hit the baseball as well as Hazmatt Zuniga did in August, it's no surprise when you get named the Vim! League Batter of the Month.
The Far Harbor Ghoul Whales standout terrorized opposing pitchers all month long, to the tune of a .358 batting average, with 8 home runs, 22 RBIs, 15 runs scored and a .423 on-base percentage.
So far this season, Zuniga has put up a .350 batting average with 105 hits, 24 home runs and 76 RBIs.
Pitcher - There was nobody finer on the mound in August and Steady Mike Holmes cruised to the Vim! League Pitcher of the Month award today.
He was 3-0 with a 3.23 ERA while piling up 16 strikeouts in 30.2 innings and holding opposing hitters to a .280 batting average.
To date this year, Holmes has compiled a 12-2 mark with a 3.45 ERA in 23 starts.
Rookie - The whole town is celebrating today in Acadia as Due Crymes has just been awarded August's Vim! League Rookie of the Month trophy.
The standout rookie shortstop took the award by rapping out 22 hits in 50 at-bats for a .440 batting average. During the month he collected 1 home run, drove in 12 runs and scored 14 times.
This year, Crymes has batted at a .409 pace with 63 hits, 2 home runs, 21 RBIs and scored 38 times.
Mount Desert Island League
And that was all she wrote on the 2313 Mount Desert Island Series. With a 8-5 victory, the MS Azalea Shipwrecks swept aside the Nucleus Radchickens 4-0 and set off a much-anticipated celebration.
"It was a lot of hard work," said winning manager Chris Woodhouse. "But it was good hard work and a lot of fun along the way."
The Shipwrecks were all business this year, with their eyes fixed squarely on the goal of winning the team's 2nd championship. The champs finished the regular season 34-26 and claimed first place in the Old Longfellow Division.
"We had our doubters along the way," series MVP Ricard Scott said with a smile. "But we made them eat crow today."
Players of the Month
Hitter - Haddock Cove Engineers fans may just have witnessed a star player blossoming before their eyes in August.
Abs Naqueko put up a remarkable month at the age of 20 and has been named the Mount Desert Island League Batter of the Month.
For the month, Naqueko hit .326 with 5 home runs, 13 RBIs and 8 runs scored.
Pitcher - The Pitcher of the Month for August has been picked and the Mount Desert Island League award went to Kitteredge hurler, Little Richard Upsetter.
During the month, Upsetter was impressive with a 2.57 ERA and 3 wins and no losses. In 28 innings he struck out 16 and gave up 25 hits and 4 walks.
So far in his career, Upsetter has collected 5 wins and 1 loss and has recorded an ERA of 3.44 and struck out 46 batters while pitching 70.2 innings.