Thursday, October 21, 2089
2089 PRO CUP FOES: VALMARA VS SOUTH FORK
The IPA Union Title Series were competitive, but they ended quickly. Game-wise Ruthlandian Union champion Valmara and Tycobbian Union title winner South Fork both disposed of their postseason rivals in quick fashion, eliminating them in just five games. But the two Union crown bearers did not dominate those series. Both losing teams, Forest City and Summerland, were in each game, most all were decided by just a few runs at most. Both Valmara and South Fork have won 4 Pro Cups in their history. The Vipers were IPA champions in 2029, 2043, 2049 and 2050. The Stallions reigned supreme in 2025, 2042, 2073 and 2077.
The Valmara Vipers were the biggest surprise in the playoffs. They were the lowest-rated squad, ranked #8 by the diamond pundits and prognosticators, yet they defeated highly-regarded Eastshore (#4) and Pro Cup favorite and powerhouse Forest City (#1) to advance to the Pro Cup Series. The Vipers did it with superlative pitching, holding the heavy-hitting Firebirds to zero home runs and just 11 total runs in the five games. How in the world did Valmara do it? They had zilch for offense. Howie Dassner was their RBI leader with 69 in the regular season. Forest City had six players with 70 or more RBIs. However, the Vipers had talented twirlers in abundance.
The Tycobbian Union Finals pitted the #2 Summerland Sunsets and #3 South Fork Stallions. The Sunsets went all the way to the Pro Cup Finals last year, finally succumbing to the Pro Cup champion Belle Plaine Musketeers in six games. This was to be "the" year for Sunsets to win their first-ever Pro Cup. But it didn't happen. Too little offense. South Fork was a stingy pitching staff. They held the Sunsets to 11 runs in the 5 games. Pitchers really are dominating the playoffs this year. There were only 3 homers hit in the 10 games in the league semi-finals. Forest City led the IPA with 180 roundtrippers this season. They did not have a single, solitary home run in the Valmara series -- no, not one.
Game five was a tense duel between the two aces Arjan Huntsman (19-3/2.18 ERA) for the Vipers and Matty O'Mara (16-12/2.94 ERA) for Forest City. Huntsman (3-1/1.30 ERA) was the victor 3-2 over O'Mara (1-2/2.22 ERA). Huntsman went into the 6th frame and gave up just one run on 6 hits. O'Mara permitted 3 runs and 4 hits in his 6 innings. The Firebirds scored first without a base hit in the opening inning. A walk, wild pickoff throw and a wild pitch gave them the 1-0 lead. The Vipers went to work in the last of the 4th and put up 3 runs on the scoreboard. Ivan Jurczyk (.318/1 HR/8 RBI) plated Riki Miyamoto (.277 BA/1 HR/4 RBI), who doubled to open the inning. Howie Dassner's (.311 BA/2 HR/12 RBI) 2-run single gave Valmara all the runs they needed to win the series. Forest City got its final run in the 7th on a bases-loaded walk to Tony Benedetti (.250 BA/1 HR/5 RBI), cutting the lead to 3-2, but that was all she wrote for the Firebirds. Viper closer Michel Bourgeois (1-0/1.80 ERS/3 saves/7 games/15 IP) retired all 6 batters he faced in the 8th and 9th, wrapping up the RU Title and the spot in the Pro Cup Series. Valmara only managed 4 hits, but won, while Forest City got 7 hits.
Summerland made it tough for South Fork in game five. The Sunsets knotted the score 3-3 in the top of the 6th, but the Stallions' bats broke loose for 5 runs in the 6th and 7th frames to seal the series. South Fork won going away 8-3. Owen Frank (3-0/1.14 ERA) fired a complete game for his 3rd straight postseason victory. He allowed 11 hits, but only 3 runs, while whiffing 6 batters and walking 2. Frank was tough in the clutch. Both clubs had 11 hits apiece. J. Z. Levan (.310 BA/4 RBI) led the Stallions at bat with 2 hits and 2 RBIs. Silas Leeuwenhoek (.415 BA/1 HR/8 RBI) also had 2 doubles and 2 ribbies. Will Wilford (.286 BA/1 HR/8 RBI) added 2 hits and drove in a run. Davy Mannington (.323 BA/1 HR/6 RBI) and Gillis Featherstone (.344/3 RBI) chimed in with an RBI apiece. Hennie Hendriks (.308 BA/8 RBI), Bruce Quarterman (.351 BA/3 HR/6 RBI) and Norris Chance (.326 BA/1 HR/6 RBI) paced Summerland. Hendriks drove in a pair of runs, Quarterman one and Chance scored twice. Joren Vanderzee (2-2/2.40 ERA) started for the Sunsets and sustained the loss, tagged for 5 runs and 7 hits in 6 innings.
The 2089 IPA Pro Cup Series will get underway this Tuesday afternoon in Valmara at War Memorial Stadium. The Vipers were 93-61 in the regular season and will be the host team and have the homefield advantage. South Fork was 91-63 tis year.
