Sunday, October 10, 2088
FOREST CITY, SUMMERLAND AND OZARKA IMPRESS IN IPA OPENERS
The Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup playoffs are underway with a bang. In the opening Tycobbian Union games the unsung #8 Summerland Sunsets, known for its fine pitchers, rose up and nipped the reigning Pro Cup champion and this year's Pro Cup favorite La Claire 2-1 and #6 Ozarka rode its fine pitching to torch the #3-ranked hard-hitting Hartsdale Hellcats 8-1. Over in the Ruthlandian Union the #2 Forest City Firebirds blistered the #5 Belair Beach Sunbirds 8-1 and #7 Belle Plaine rallied in the 9th frame and came away with a 7-6 triumph over #4-rated LaGrange. All series in the IPA playoffs are best-of-seven.
Tycobbian Union First Round
SUNSETS SNEAK PAST POWERFUL LYNX IN OPENER IN LA CLAIRE
21-year-old rookie right-hander Paul Pegram silenced the La Claire bats 2-1 on the road at Capitol Park Stadium to take a one-game lead in the best-of-seven series. Pegram was 20-7 during the season with a splendid 2.64 ERA. He went the distance, gave up 6 hits, fanned 3 and walked 4. Pegram outdueled 19-year-old rookie Don Bartels, who chalked up an excellent 22-8 mark with a 2.49 ERA. Bartels went 7 frames, yielded 2 runs on 7 hits with 5 Ks and 3 bases on balls. Summerland tallied both runs in the top of the first inning with a bases-loaded RBI by Bruce Quarterman and a wild pitch. The Lynx posted their only score in the 2nd frame on a pair doubles by Judah Woods and Don Carlin. The Sunsets were limited to just 7 hits in the game.
NATS VETERAN LEFTY PARTRIDGE HURLS 4-HITTER AND TOPS HELLCATS HUMPHREY IN HARTSDALE OPENER
Ozarka 14-year veteran and 202-game winner Mordecai Partridge fashioned a strong 4-hitter to stop the Hartsdale Hellcats at their own homeplace Pioneer Park 8-1. Partridge tossed a complete game, surrendering only one run on 4 hits with one walk and 8 strikeouts. He rang up a 20-7 season with a 2.56 ERA. The Nats got 9 hits off of 3 hurlers. Vladya Grigorovich and Tommy Kingston homered and batted in 2 runs apiece. Rikki Inkamara also doubled across a pair of scores. Hellcat loser Sid Humphrey had a rare bad outing this year and couldn't hold a 1-0 lead. The Naturals went to town on him and slammed him for 8 runs in 6 innings. Humphrey had a brilliant year, going 25-2 with a sensational 2.12 ERA. He is also 34 and has registered a 199-160 record with a 3.35 ERA in his 14 seasons.
Ruthandian Union First Round
FIREBIRDS BURN SUNBIRDS AT HOME IN FIRST-ROUND OPENER
The highly-regarded Forest City Firebirds burned the Belair Beach Sunbirds 8-1 in the opening game of the playoff series, played at Riverfront Stadium in Forest City. Winner Shannon Slate (19-10/2.52 ERA) shut down the Sunbirds on one run and 6 hits in his 7 innings. He whiffed 5 and walked 3 batters. Curt Leininger (3-0/3.31 ERA) got the last 4 outs for him and held the Sunbirds scoreless. The big bats were booming for the Firebirds, sparked by Milt DeRozier with 3 ribbies and Fuzz Smiley and Jim Raver with 2 runs batted in each. Smiley and DeRozier both homered in the game. Forest City busted the 1-1 game open in the 6th frame with 4 scores. Gardiner Palmquist (14-11/3.65 ERA) lost it, ripped for 5 runs in 6 innings. The Firebirds outhit the Sunbirds 9 to 7.
MUSKIES TOP GATORS IN SEESAW AFFAIR IN LAGRANGE
In a tight, hard-fought battle with four lead changes at The Swamp in LaGrange, Belle Plaine finally outlasted the Gators 7-6 with 2 runs in the top of the 9th. Dominique Roche tied the score with a two-bagger and Callum Hayford won it with a two-out RBI base hit. The Musketeers won despite 3 homers by Jed Mayfield, Clem Pollard and Bruno Lutz. The Muskies socked 11 hits, while the Gators had 9. Dominique Roche rapped 4 hits and drove in 2 runs and Callum Hayford cracked a pair and batted in 3 runs. Claude Mayeux also plated 2 scores. Neither starter was effective. Belle Plaine roughed up Richard Cartier (20-3/2.96 ERA) for 5 runs in 7 innings, while LaGrange banged Anton Petit (17-10/2.84 ERA) around for 6 runs in 7 plus frames. Johnny Koonce (12-5/4.15 ERA) gained the victory with one and one-third perfect innings. Jules Dufour (7-10/4.25 ERA) was pinned with the defeat by giving up 2 runs in his 2 innings, both in the 9th.
