ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Monday, September 21, 2026

Fairfax Frogs History

As far as wins and losses, the Fairfax Frogs are ranked second in the Tycobbian North with a .506 percentage (2023-1978). The Frogs are second with 4 division crowns and have appeared 6 times in the postseason. They last appeared in the playoffs a year ago.

Fairfax Frogs Postseason Snapshot:
2001 - lost to Ginza (TU South) 4-3 in Elite 8 (First Round)... Ginza was runner-up to Pro Cup champ Volusia (RU West)... the V's swept the Ninjas 4-0.
2002 - lost to Luxora (TU North) in First Round 2-1... the Z's went out in the Sweet 16, the next round.
2003 - lost to Oxford (TU North) 2-0 in First Round... Oxford lost to Pro Cup Champ Turon (TU South) 4-1 in TU Final 4.
2011 - lost to Ozarka (TU North) 4-2 in TU Final 4... Ozarka lost to Pro Cup champ Far Mountain (RU North) 4-3 in IPA Finals.
2013 - lost to Pro Cup runner-up Tuckanarra (TU East) 4-3 in TU Final 4... Far Mountain swept Blue Jays in Pro Cup Finals.
2025 - lost to Ginza (TU South) 4-1 in Elite (first round)... Pro Cup champ South Fork (TU East) whipped Ginza 4-1 in TU Final 4.

Superstar RF Dane Wesner (2005-2022) is hands down the best player in Fairfax history and will be in the IPA Hall of Fame... Wesner was a 7-time Golden Glover, 6-time All-Star and won the Golden Bat twice... in 2010 Wesner won the Triple Crown... he won two batting titles and led the TU in hits four years in a row... from 2008 to 2013 Wesner was the best player in the IPA, winning the TU MVP two seasons in a row... in 2014 he suffered a shoulder injury and missed almost the whole season... in his 19-year career Wesner played in 2435 games and batted .311 with 2746 hits, 452 homers, 1550 RBIs and scored 1318 runs... Wesner never was the same player again after the injury and just became a good ballplayer... Wesner is now the skipper of the Frogs.

The Frogs have another future HOF-er... 1B Chancey Quibedeaux (2001-2021) starred for two teams in the IPA, first with Bayview for 7 fine seasons and then 13 with Fairfax... Lifetime Quibedeaux was a 5-time Gold Glover and 3-time All-Star, who played in 2997 games, batted .284 with 3198 hits, 609 doubles, 383 home runs, 1636 RBIs, 1862 runs, 1674 walks and 264 stolen bases... Quibedeaux is 8th all-time in the IPA in games, 8th in hits, 4th in doubles, 7th in triples, 17th in homers, 7th in RBIs, 4th in runs scored and 5th in walks... SS Wes Hickox (2003-2021) was a reliable bat and infielder in his Frog career with a .267 BA in 2504 games, 2280 hits, 269 homers, 1137 RBIs and 1181 runs.

Fairfax has had a few quality pitchers... 2-time All-Star Ken Hill (2010-2026) has been a steady winner for an average team with a 298-242 mark and a splendid 2.98 ERA... at age 36 Hill is currently ranked 12th in all-time IPA victories... in the playoffs Hill is 5-2 with a 2.99 ERA in 9 starts... 3-time All-Star Joe Hampton (2009-2024) was number two in wins with a 228-232 mark and a 3.83 ERA... Hampton won 20 games three times... Kaz Hayakawa (2001-2017) was third in victories with a 143-131 record and a 3.84 ERA... he was an All-Star in 2002... Hayakawa went to Claxton for four more good years in 2018 and ended up with a 208-191 record and a 3.94 ERA... he retired at age 41... Wally Tidwell (2007-2012) was the most effective pitcher in Frogs history with a 2.93 ERA... Tidwell was fourth in victories with a 98-90 record... Tidwell played 10 years in the IPA, finishing with a modest 142-134 mark with a solid 3.24 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 22, 2026

'26 Pro Cup Begins Thursday
The regular season is now history. The Pro Cup playoff season will get underway this Thursday with the IPA Elite 8 - the best 8 teams in the Islands will take on each other to decide who will get the much-cherished Pro Cup. Most divisions were decided long ago. There was only one real race this year. That was in the Tycobbian South where Ginza held off Colchester in the final days to win by one scant game. Tuckanarra fended off defending Pro Cup titlist South Fork by 5 games in the TU East. Rolling Hills got the best of Bay St. Clair by 8 games in the TU West, while Mahaska put away Fairfax by 7 in the TU North.

No close races in the Ruthlandian Union either. Valmara ravaged Ancona by 11 games in the RU North and Middlefield mauled Stoner by 11 games in the RU West. Beechwood had an unbelievable second half, going 66-20 to beat Wynnamac by 9 games in the RU East. The Bobcats are the hottest team in baseball. And the darling of the IPA this season, the St. John Crusaders, did the unlikely - they rose up from seventh place last year to the top spot this year and knocked off heavily-favored Waleska in the RU South by 8 games.

Three clubs are repeaters from last season: Middlefield, which lost in the Pro Cup Finals to South Fork in an exciting 7-game set, mighty Tuckanarra, back after a year's absence and Ginza. The Tucks won the Pro Cup in 2023 and 2024. The Ruthlandian pairings in the IPA Elite 8 this season are cinderella St. John opening up at home against the Valmara Vipers and the red-hot Beechwood Bobcats hosting the powerful Middlefield Roosters. In Tycobbia it'll be upstart Mahaska traveling to tough Ginza and Rolling Hills on the road in Tuckanarra. All postseason series are best-of-seven in the Islandian Pro Alliance.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Bobcats Picked Best In Pro Cup, Tucks 2nd
The remarkable second-half success of the Beechwood Bobcats is expected to carry over into the playoffs. Beechwood of the Ruthlandian Union is the pick of the pros to breeze through the 2026 IPA Pro Cup playoffs and snatch the first Island championship in the club's history. The Bobcats are favored to whip the Tuckanarra Blue Jays of the Tycobbian Union in the Pro Cup Finals. But it won't be easy, Beechwood will have to get by three other fine ball clubs, the St. John Crusaders, Valmara Vipers and Middlefield Roosters. Middlefield went all the way to the Pro Cup Finals last season only to fall to the South Fork Stallions. It should be quite a dogfight in the Ruthlandian Union with four evenly-matched teams. Tuckanarra's biggest task will be to whip Rolling Hills in the TU Elite 8. Mahaska and Ginza are not rated very highly by the pollsters and not expected to seriously challenge the winner of Tuckanarra and Rolling Hills.

There are only two former champions in the field this year. Tuckanarra captured back-to-back Pro Cups in 2023 and 2024, while Middlefield garnered its only crown in 2005. Valmara made its way to the Finals twice, but lost in 2003 and 2023. The Ginza Ninjas played in the very first Pro Cup Final and lost in 2001. Tuckanarra was also a finalist in 2013, but came away empty-handed.

This season Beechwood and St. John won the most games in the RU with 98-56 records with Valmara and Middlefield close behind with 96-58 marks. The Tuckanarra Blue Jays had the best record in the TU with a 94-60 record, topping Rolling Hills by 4 games. The Reds were 90-64. Ginza came in third with 88-66 and Mahaska followed with an 87-67 mark.

Best Team Record:
1. Beechwood (98-56)
1. St. John (98-56)
3. Valmara (96-58)
3. Middlefiedl (96-58)

Best Team BA:
1. Mahaska .263
2. Tuckanarra .259
3. St. John .258
4. Valmara .256
4. Ginza .256

Most Team HR:
1. Middlefield 155
2. Mahaska 130
3. Ginza 120
4. Beechwood 118

Most Team Runs:
1. Middlefield 732
2. Mahaska 725
3. Tuckanarra 712
4. Ginza 701

Best Team ERA:
1. Beechwood 2.57
2. St. John 2.79
3. Rolling Hills 2.94
4. Valmara 2.95

Best Team Bullpen ERA
1. Tuckanarra 2.20 (1st in TU)
2. St. John 2.28 (2nd in RU)
3. Mahaska 2.53 (4th on TU)
4. Valmara 2.63 (10th in RU)

Best Team Fielding:
1. Beechwood .980
2. Tuckanarra .978
3. Ginza .975
4. Valmara .974
4. Rolling Hills .974

The Islandian Times Pro Cup Poll:
1. Beechwood Bobcats (RU) - great starters and defense, decent power, fair talent in bullpen
2. Tuckanarra Blue Jays (TU) - 2 fine starters with splendid bullpen, excellent defense, fair power
3. Rolling Hills Reds (TU) - 3 strong starters, questionable relievers
4. St. John Crusaders (RU) - 2 splendid starters, superb relief corps
5. Middlefield Roosters (RU) - good power with 4 solid starters, questionable bullpen
6. Valmara Vipers (RU) - 3 capable starters, quality relievers with very fine closer
7. Mahaska Haymakers (TU) - good bats with power and average, tough pen, lacks starters
8. Ginza Ninjas (TU) - only one standout starter, pretty fair power, great closer, but short on middle relief

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Rafael Garza Wins 2026 TU Batting Crown
In Bayview Rafael Garza gave Vikings fans plenty to cheer about this past year by winning the 2026 Tycobbian Union batting crown. This is the first time the 15-year veteran has won the award. In 151 games, the 37-year-old Bayview first baseman hit .358 with 182 hits, 22 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 92 runs scored. Garza was the RU Rookie of the Year in 2012 and is a career .313 hitter.

Garza had to beat out Colchester's Steve Burns, who batted .350 for the year. Jack Elliott of High Mesa wound up third with a .344 mark. Fourth was Bay St. Clair's Jerry Todd at .342, followed by Nick Rembert of Ozarka and Mandu Purula of Summerland, who tied for fifth place with .332 averages.

Tycobbian Union Statistical Leaders:
Hits - Jack Elliott (HM) 205, Wayne Kenney (BAY) 198, Mandu Purula (SUM) 191
Runs - Jack Elliott (HM) 135, Neil Wills (HAR) 109, Corbett Brooks (RB) 108
Doubles - Bubby Blackwell (SA) 42, Kyle Ross (SPT) 42, Rafael Garza (BAY) 41, Kurt Pankewicz (SF) 41, Gregg Proctor (SUM) 41
Triples - Patric Giles (SF) 14, Jason DiMucci (HIL) 13, Jim Lewellen (CCH) 13
HR - Jack Elliott (HM) 47, Rusty Vizcarra (AG) 47, Bill Andrews (HM) 42
RBI - Rusty Vizcarra (AG) 147, Bill Andrews (HM) 138, Corbett Brooks (RB) 116, Jack Elliott (HM) 116
SB - Neil Wills (HAR) 65, Pasha Yablonski (MAH) 65, Kurt Holstein (GIN) 60
Wins - Sid Jordan (RH) 24-12/2.66, Gary Price (SF) 24-13/2.63, Quinn Starr (TUC) 23-12/2.94
ERA - Archie Desmond (TUC) 9-5/1.73/36 SV, Josh Carpenter (OZK) 3-2/2.30/35 SV, Steve Sampson (AG) 3-2/3.32/33 SV
Strikeouts - Howard Hutch (OZK) 19-16/3.69/353 K, Donovan Lee (HAR) 19-13/3.51/301 K, Paul Sardini (WR) 19-12/2.30/281 K

Hobbs of Waleska Earns RU Batting Crown
Roy Hobbs of the Waleska Westerners capped a fine season by winning his fourth Ruthlandian Union batting crown. In a torrid race, he just barely outpaced all others with his .346 average. For the season, the Westerners center fielder played in 150 games, collected 204 hits, 24 home runs, scored 116 times and knocked in 92 runs. After 14 seasons Hobbs is still going strong at age 33. In his illustrious IPA career Hobbs has compiled an extraordinary .346 average with 486 homers. He has the third-best lifetime batting average in IPA history, topped only by the great Jack Elliott of High Mesa and Valmara's hitting machine Jet Kazmarek. Elliott is still active and sports a .353 average. Kazmarek retired in 2016 with a .350 mark and is the manager of the Vipers.

Rookie Ronnie Roussell of Kilkenny was the runner-up this year with a .342 BA. Number three was another rookie, Elton Graff of Ranford, just 5 points behind at .341. Jan Kessinger of Sugar Valley came in fourth with a .335 mark. Fifth place went to another first-year player Chi-Chi Harris of St. John. Harris batted .328 for the year.

Ruthlandian Union Statistical Leaders:
Hits - Roy Hobbs (WLK) 204, Kees Draeger (BB) 199, Ronnie Roussell (KIL) 187
Runs - Tom Daniels (MDF) 124, Roy Hobbs (WLK) 116, K. C. Moerdjik (CLX) 112
Doubles - Roy Dristoll (FM) 44, Mel Hawkins (MAR) 44, Byron Johannsen (STJ) 43
Triples - Roy Hobbs (WLK) 16, Russ Woodard (MAR) 15, Ryan Mizell (FM) 13
HR - Kees Draeger (BB) 35, Lil Hoss Burkhalter (WYN) 33, Dean Woods (SV) 31
RBI - Alekos Kotas (ANC) 115, Kees Draeger (BB) 111, Rusty Hood (FC) 109
SB - John Charboneau (RR) 61, Tom Daniels (MDF) 48, Byron Johannsen (STJ) 39, Joey Liotta (STJ) 39
Wins - Chet McNeil (WLK) 26-11 2.88, Maury Patterson (BEE) 26-8 1.70, Lon Marshall (WYN) 24-14 1.87
ERA - Maury Patterson (BEE) 26-8 1.70, Lon Marshall (WYN) 24-14 1.87, Vince Arndt (ANC) 19-13 2.21
Saves - Waylon Hillman (MDF) 1-4/1.66/36 saves, Jim Horton (WYN) 4-5/2.29/35 saves, Matt Stevens (SD) 2-3/1.42/33 saves, Willie Walters (RAN) 1-7/1.75/33 saves
Strikeouts - Maury Patterson (BEE) 26-8/1.70/324 K, Jimmy Travis (RAN) 18-11/2.60/304 K, Niles Wooten (LAG) 16-17/3.48/278 K

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Nats Hutch Sets New IPA Strikeout Record
40-year-old Howard Hutch of the Ozarka Naturals made smithereens of the IPA season strikeout record with 353 Ks this year, breaking the old record easily. His teammate Benny Osterman fanned 336 in 2020. This was the seventh time in his career Hutch has topped the 300 mark. For the season Hutch was 19-16 with a 3.69 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 24, 2026

Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series

Bobcats Edge Roosters 6-5 In Opener
Opening up the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series at home at City Park Stadium, the Beechwood Bobcats slipped past Middlefield 6-5 when reliever Waylon Hillman walked in the deciding run in the bottom of the ninth... Beechwood outhit the Roosters 12-5 and were sparked by 1B Eric Townsend with a perfect 4-for-4 day with 2 homers and 4 RBIs... Townsend also scored 3 times... SS Archie Morton walked 4 times in the game and got credit for the game-winning RBI... C Rod Buckley and PH Paul Smiley paced Middlefield with solo homers... Despite blowing the save in the top of the ninth, reliever Joey Powers (0-1) picked up the win... Hillman (0-1) came on in the ninth and suffered the loss when he surrendered 2 hits and 2 walks... Bobcat starter Maury Patterson worked 8 innings and departed ahead 5-4... Patterson fanned 10, walked 4 and permitted 4 runs on 4 hits... Frank Dean was ineffective for the Roosters, tossing 8 frames, walking 7 and giving up 5 runs and 9 hits, but only 3 runs were earned.

Vipers Victors In Game 1, Nip Crusaders 4-2
On the road in Cathedral Stadium in St. John, Valmara only got 3 hits but came out the winner in game one of the RU Elite 8 Series, beating the hometown Crusaders 4-2... LF Sonny Oliver drove in 3 runs for the Vipers with a 2-run single and a groundout RBI... Clem Carmouche outpitched Don Baillie, holding St. John to 5 hits and a run in his 8 innings... Carmouche (1-0) struck out 5 and walked 3 in a strong performance... closer Ivan Guzek got the save, but gave up a run in the ninth... Baillie (0-1) pitched well going the distance... he allowed only 3 hits and 2 earned runs, while fanning 5 and walking 4.

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Ginza Blanks Mahaska 8-0 In Game One
No contest on a rainy day at Ninja Stadium in the first game of the Tycobbian Elite 8... It was Ginza from the git-go... the Ninjas scored early and often and shut out Mahaska 8-0 with C Crash Davis, CF Chuck Wilson and RF Daiko Kono leading the attack... Davis had 2 hits, including a home run, and 4 runs batted in... Wilson had 2 hits and 3 runs batted in and Kono swatted 3-4 and scored twice... on the hill three pitchers combined for the 2-hit shutout... winner Daniel Ferguson (1-0) hurled 1-hit ball for the first 6 innings... a long rain delay forced an early departure for Ferguson... Ron Koehler worked a scoreless seventh and eighth and gave up the other hit, while Ken Kichita finished off the Haymakers in the ninth... Sammy Kafelnikov (0-1) took the brunt of the beating as the Ninjas shelled him for 6 runs and 9 hits in 4 innings.

Tucks Rap Reds 4-0 In Opening Game
Tuckanarra's Quinn Starr was terrific in a 4-0 triumph over the Rolling Hills Reds in the opening game of the TU Elite 8, played at the Blue Jays home diamond at Central Park Stadium... Starr (1-0) stifled the Reds on 4 hits and went the route in subduing Rolling Hills ace Sal Jordan... it was not a good day for Jordan (0-1)... he was tagged for 4 runs and 7 hits, walked 7 and struck out 6 in an erratic performance... 1B Lynn Starr doubled in the first run in the first frame... the Blue Jays added two more in the second on Quinn Starr's single and a fielder's choice by RF Danny Redd... C Trevor Dowd wound up the scoring for the day in the fourth with a double.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 25, 2026

Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series

Beechwood Holds Off Middlefield 6-5, Up By 2
The Beechwood Bobcats built up a 6-1 lead over 8 innings and then held off the Middlefield Roosters to take 6-5 victory... the Bobcats have now won the first two games of the RU Elite 8 Series... LF Miron Burczyk (.429) led the Beechwood attack with 3-3, including 2 doubles and a homer... RF Jojo Davis (.429) and CF Vic Valenti (.111) each drove in a pair of runs... and 3B Skipper Smith (.333) went 2-for-5, scored twice and batted in a run... Ken DeGraw (1-0) pitched well until the 4-run ninth... he still got the win with help from reliever Joey Powers, who notched the save by getting the final two outs with the winning runs on second and third... Danny Denver (0-1) copped the loss, allowing 5 runs in 6 innings with 3 of them unearned... Middlefield had the edge in hits 11-9... Rooster LF Floyd McClellan (.500) delivered 3 hits and 2 RBIs and C Rod Buckley (.375) had 2 hits and batted across 2 runs.

Valmara Wins Again, Volkov Stops STJ 3-1
Valmara got a masterful mound job from Pavel Volkov, who stopped St. John 3-1 to chalk up the Vipers second straight win in the RU Elite 8... Volkov (1-0) worked 8 sharp innings, limiting the Crusaders to 1 run and 6 hits with 5 Ks and 2 walks... For the second day in a row closer Ivan Guzek got the save with a scoreless ninth... Valmara got all 3 runs in the opening frame on a 2-run single by 1B James McCall (.286) and an RBI single by C Doug Doolittle (.143)... Glenn Pierce (0-1) went all the way in defeat, permitted 3 runs on 7 hits, struck out 9, but walked 5... both clubs had 7 hits apiece.

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Allington Ties Series, Haymakers Trim Ninjas 2-1
In a well-pitched game Mahaska trimmed Ginza 2-1 at Ninja Stadium to tie up the TU Elite 8 Series at a game apiece... James Allington got the best of Yutaka Yoshida... Allington (1-0) went 8 innings, permitted just 1 run and 7 hits, fanning 5 and walking 1... closer Viktor Stravinsky nailed down the verdict by retiring the Ninjas in the ninth... Yoshida (0-1) worked a nice game, gave up only 1 earned run and 9 hits.

Mahaska took the lead in the fourth frame on a single by 1B Delton Dixon (.167)... Ginza tied it up in the bottom of the eighth on a triple by 3B Kurt Holstein (.143) and a double by 1B Johnny O'Rorke (.500)... the Haymakers won it in the top of the ninth when PH Johnny Yevteshenko (.500) singled in C Tony Brinkerhoff (.375) from second base... Brinkerhoff led the Haymakers with 3 hits and scored twice.

Blue Jays Rally, Win Game 2 From RH Reds 4-3
The Rolling Hills Reds scorched Glynn Starr for 3 runs in the first inning on LF Pat Webb's (.125) 3-run blast, but that's all they got... Starr shut them out the rest of the way and Tuckanarra rallied for a 4-3 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series... RF Danny Redd (.333) got the game-winning run in when 1B Tony Ptacek threw late to the plate trying to force out 3B Narra Gilyinju... Starr (1-0) pitched a complete game, surrendered only 4 hits and 2 earned runs with 7 strikeouts and 2 bases on balls... losing pitcher Errol Gaudet (0-1) was tagged for 4 run on 8 hits in his 8-plus innings with only 2 runs earned... Gaudet whiffed 5 and walked 5 in a spotty performance... Nawajuk (.400) paced the Tucks with 2 hits, scored twice and drove in a run with a homer.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 25, 2026

Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series

Break Out The Brooms, Bobcats Win Again
Beechwood is still blazing hot as the Bobcats knocked off Middlefield at Middlefield Park 5-3 in 10 innings, giving them a 3-0 lead in the Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series... one more win in the best-of-seven series will send Beechwood to the RU Final 4, just one step away from the IPA Pro Cup Finals... the Bobcats blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth, but came roaring back and won it in the next inning on RF Freddie Baxter's RBI double and a sac fly by 1B Eric Townsend (.429)... rookie starter Bill Curtis was sensational blanking the Roosters on 4 hits through the first 8 frames... Curtis struck out 9 and issued 3 walks... reliever Roy Pitts was ripped for 3 runs in the ninth to send it to extra innings... Alex Truex (1-0) got the win with one and two-thirds scoreless innings... Glenn Tackett went 8 innings, gave up only 4 hits and 3 runs, but walked 5 and had 5 Ks... Middlefield bullpen ace Waylon Hillman (0-2) lost for the second time in the series as he was ripped for the winning runs in the 10th.

The Bobcats managed only 6 hits in the game and were led by 3B Skipper Smith (.357) and Jojo Davis (.500) with 2 hits each... SS Artie Morton (.143) had a 2-run shot in the fourth... the Roosters only picked up 7 hits... in the ninth 1B Allan Stewart (.364) slammed a solo homer and PH Paul Smiley (.667) slugged a 2-run clout to tie the score at 3-3.

Valmara Sinks St. John Again, Might Sweep
James McCall and Teddy Lem thrilled the home crowd at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara by dealing the St. John Crusaders a third consecutive defeat in the Ruthlandian Elite 8... McCall (364) hammered 2 homers and batted in 5 runs, while rookie Lem (1-0) fired 8 solid innings for the win, fanning 7, walking 2 and allowing only 2 runs and 6 hits... Lem started badly as he was tagged for a 2-run homer by RF Robby Michael (.333) and a solo blast by LF Joey Daigrepont (.429) in the first inning... but Lem settled down and blanked the Crusaders on 4 hits the rest of the game... Chris Phillips came on and closed it out for him in the ninth... losing pitcher Jeremy Vincent started for St. John and carried a 3-1 lead into the last of the eighth, but he faltered badly and was rocked for 5 runs... until that fatal frame Vincent has held the Vipers to just 4 hits.

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Ginza Grabs Series Lead, Nips Mahaska 3-2
In a tight 3-2 pitching duel at Heartland Stadium in Mahaska, the visiting Ginza Ninjas got a sterling outing from Harlan Taylor to go up two games to one in the TU Elite 8... Taylor (1-0) held the Haymakers to 2 runs and 7 hits in his 8 innings... Taylor walked just 1 and fanned 5... closer Ken Kichida pitched a perfect 1-2-3 ninth for the save... Troy King (0-1) had a fine game, too... he went the distance in defeat, giving up 7 hits and 3 runs, while striking out 9 and allowing 2 walks.

Mahaska took the lead 1-0 in the third on SS Lyndon Washington's (.182) double... King blanked the Ninjas until the sixth when Ginza took a 2-1 lead on C Crash Davis' (.500) RBI single and a sacrifice fly by SS Russ Van Kleek (.375)... in the bottom of the eighth Haymaker PH Bucky O'Brian (.500) knotted the score at 2-2 with a run-scoring double... the Ninjas won it in the top of the ninth when Van Kleek led off the inning with a walk... pinchrunner Hideo Kojima stole second and came across on 2B Howard Winston's (.300) game-winning double.

Leonard Puts Reds Back In Series, Whips Tucks 6-4
At Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills, Kenny Leonard went the route in a gritty 6-4 decison over Tuckanarra to cut the Blue Jays lead to two games to one in the TU Elite 8... Leonard (1-0) checked them on just 3 hits and 2 earned runs... the Reds 10-hit attack was sparked by homers by 1B Billy Christianson and Pat Webb... and SS Tom Ptacek (.500) doubled twice... Rolling Hills plastered losing pitcher Kenny Cox (0-1) for 8 hits and 5 runs in just 5 innings... it was 5-1 when he exited the game.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 25, 2026

Oxford Red Caps History

The Oxford Red Caps have just been an average ball club in its 25-year history with a 1925-1927 overall record, a .500 winning percentage. The Red Caps were one of the top teams in the early days of the IPA, making the playoffs in 5 of the first 6 seasons. In 2007 they captured their one-and-only Pro Cup. Since then it's been a 20-year postseason drought. Oxford has won 3 Tycobbian East divisional flags.

Red Caps Playoff Snapshot:
2002 - lost to Pro Cup champ High Mesa (TU East) 2-1 in Elite 8 (third round)
2003 - lost to Pro Cup champ Turon (TU South) 2-1 in the Final 4 (fourth round)
2004 - lost to Luxora (TU North) 3-2 in the Elite 8 (second round)
2006 - lost to Cape Coral (TU South) 3-1 in the Sweet 16 (first round)
2007 - won the Pro Cup by beating Stoner (RU West) 4-1

The all-time standouts for Oxford were 3B Joe Courtney (2002-2006), OF Ike Plunkett (2002-2006), 3B Cameron Kamara (2009-2014) and LF Mack Spencer (2002-2017)... and pitchers Dan Phillips and Boomer Belinsky... however, the greatest Red Cap may be young superstud LF Dennis Hartwig (2023-2026), should he continue to develop over the rest of his career.

Courtney was awesome in his 5 years with Oxford... 4-time All-Star, 2-time Golden Bat (2003 and 2006), 2006 batting crown, hit .304 in his career with 275 homers and 919 RBIs... played his last 7 years with Valmara of the RU... 3-time All-Star 3B Kamara retired still a good ballplayer at age 42... batted .298 lifetime with 253 homers and 864 RBIs... only played 9 seasons... CF Plunkett was a 2-time All-Star and won the 2004 Golden Bat and Tycobbian Most Valuable Player Award... Plunkett hit .298 in his career with 344 home runs, 1124 RBIs and 1161 runs... 2-time All-Star Spencer had a long and productive career, all 16 with Oxford... .280 BA, 386 homers, 1203 RBIs, 1136 runs and 1112 walks.

Other productive position players were 1B Eddy Dowler (2010-2020) with a .296 BA, 241 HR, 1116 RBIs and 1150 runs... and CF Wayne McDonald (2006-2012), who batted .299 and hit 147 homers... McDonald was runner-up to Belinsky for the 2007 Pro Cup MVP... in the postseason that year McDonald batted .319 with 4 homers, 18 RBIs and scored 13 times.

4-time All-Star Dan Phillips and 2-time All-Star Boomer Belinsky were the aces of the good years... Phillips was 100-66 for Oxford with a 3.31 ERA, while Belinsky carded a 101-72 mark with a 3.34 ERA... lifetime Phillips went 193-158 with a 3.45 ERA with 3 teams... Belinsky was 143-118 with a 3.51 ERA in his career with 3 teams... in the 2007 Pro Cup playoffs Belinsky compiled a 4-1 record with an impressive 2.76 ERA and was honored as the Pro Cup MVP... Belinsky wrapped up the title with a victory in game five... Oxford won 4 games to one over the Stoner Stars.

Notable, but jouneymen-like pitchers are Del Anderson (2002-2018), Emerson Carnell (2003-2017), Nicky Nicholson (2002-2018) and Carmine Scalise (2024-2026)... Anderson is the all-time team leader with a 205-184 record and a 3.90 ERA... 2-time All-Star and 1-time Gold Glover Carnell posted a 171-146 mark with a 3.90 ERA... Nicholson was 166-156 with a 3.85 ERA... Nicholson was great in the 2007 Pro Cup playoffs with a 3-1 record and a very impressive 1.69 ERA in 2 starts and 7 relief appearances... and Scalise is a current player, who was the Tycobbian Rookie of the Year in 2024 with a 22-10 record... 23-year-old Scalise is 54-41 in his 3 seasons with a 3.22 ERA.

[toxicavenger74]

Eugene,

I just want to say once again how amazing this league is and how much I love it. I love the symmetry of the 8 divisions of 8 teams. The depth of the stories for each city and the fans behind each team. One of the great, if not the greatest dynasty in OOTP history. You really have something to be proud of.

Also, I'm a huge Bay St. Clair Bucs and Sugar Valley Rattlers fan.

Brinnon

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by toxicavenger74

Eugene,

I just want to say once again how amazing this league is and how much I love it. I love the symmetry of the 8 divisions of 8 teams. The depth of the stories for each city and the fans behind each team. One of the great, if not the greatest dynasty in OOTP history. You really have something to be proud of.

Also, I'm a huge Bay St. Clair Bucs and Sugar Valley Rattlers fan.

Brinnon

Whew, I'm blushing.
That's quite a compliment, but it's very much appreciated.

To be honest, because of the time demands of a 64-team league, I have not followed a lot of the wonderful dynasties here. Quite a few standouts have come and gone in my 9 years with OOTPB. Two of my favorites were the Laseron Baseball Association by Goody (aka Portlander) and the Metro League by DreamTeams. They did what I do and did it better. Without them, there would not have been an Islandian Pro Alliance. The LBA and the Metro inspired the IPA. I just took their great ideas and tried to emulate them as well as I could.

Of the recent Dynasties, EMSoccerCoach does a great job on the Pastime Baseball League.

Brinnon, thanks again for the very nice words... and thank you for following the IPA.
As long as you guys keep following it and the Good Lord continues to bless me with good health, breath and life, I plan to stay with it.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Sunday, September 27, 2026

Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series

Beechwood Sweeps Middlefield, Makes Final 4
One round down and two to go...Beechwood took the first step toward the IPA Pro Cup trophy by sweeping the Middlefield Roosters in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... game four was all Bobcats with sophomore phenom Maury Patterson tossing a 6-0 shutout and LF Miron Burczyk (.357) unloading 2 homers and driving in 5 runs... Patterson (1-0 2.12) held the Roosters to 6 hits, fanned 6 and walked 3... Middlefield rookie Tyrus Cobb was plastered for 5 runs in 3 innings for the loss... Beechwood will now wait for the winner of the Valmara-St. John series. Going into today's game the Vipers had won three in a row and could wrap it up.

STJ Stuns Valmara 18-2, Remains Alive
Light-hitting St. John remained alive in the RU Elite 8 Series with Valmara by smashing them 18-2... nonetheless, the Vipers still have a big 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series... the Crusaders cracked 21 hits off 6 pitchers, led by pitcher Don Baillie (.333) with 3 hits and 4 RBIs, LF Roger Haley (.400) with 4 hits and 4 RBIs and 2B Derrin Dellinger (.200) with 2 hits and 4 RBIs... Dellinger had a home run and Baillie racked up 2 doubles... Baillie (1-1 1.50) also stood out on the hill, stopping Valmara on 7 hits with 7 Ks and 2 walks... Clem Carmouche (1-1 1.86) lost it... he was bombed for 7 runs and 7 hits in 1-plus innings... 6 of the runs were unearned.

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Kafelnikov Bests Ferguson 2-1, Series Tied At 2
At Heartland Stadium in Mahaska, Sammy Kafelnikov outpitched Ginza's Daniel Ferguson and evened the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series at 2 games each... the hometown Haymakers sneaked by 2-1, getting both runs in the fifth frame on an RBI single by RF Travis Tuttle (.167) and an RBI double by C Tony Brinkerhoff (.357)... Ginza got its only run off Kafelnikov in the third on SS Russ Van Kleek's (.364) base hit... Kafelnikov (1-1 5.25) permitted 6 hits in 8 innings, struck out 8 and issued only one walk for the victory... Viktor Stravinsky retired the Ninjas in order in the ninth for his second save in the series... loser Ferguson (1-1 1.29) was outstanding, too... he only gave up 2 runs on 7 hits, whiffed 7 and walked 5.

Reds Even Series On Ptacek's 3-Run Clout
It was looking dark for the Rolling Hills Reds at their own park... they were going into the bottom of the ninth down 2-1 to the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, staring straight into a 3-1 deficit in the TU Elite 8 Series and having to face one of the best closers in the IPA... however PH Tony Ptacek (.600) saved the day with a dramatic 3-run homer, scoring PR Jay Roche and 1B Wayne Harris ahead of him, sending Tuckanarra and Archie Desmond down to defeat and evening up the series at 2 games apiece... Reds ace Sal Jordan (1-1 3.18) went all the way, scattering 9 hits and allowing 2 runs... Desmond (0-1) blew the save and got the loss... he couldn't save it for Quinn Starr, who hurled a heck of a game, holding Rolling Hills to one run and 5 hits in 8 innings.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Monday, September 28, 2026

Ruthlandian Elite 8 Series

Vipers Crush Crusaders 10-5, Advance
A day after being smashed 18-2, the Valmara Vipers regrouped and did a little payback to the St. John Crusaders... the Vipers crushed them 10-5 at War Memorial Stadium in game five to win the RU Elite 8 Series four games to one and advance to the Final 4 against the red-hot Beechwood Bobcats, who swept Middlefield in the first round... LF Sonny Oliver (.353) pounded 2 out of the park and batted in 4 runs to lead the Viper 12-hit attack... SS Tyler Ferguson (.211) added 4 hits, scored 3 times and drove in a run in the runaway... winning pitcher Pavel Volkov (2-0 2.40) did a creditable job, though touched for 9 hits and 3 runs in his 7 innings... Wallace Hanson finished up for him, but was tagged for 2 runs in 2 innings... Glenn Pierce (0-2 7.15) was belted hard again... He lasted only 2-plus innings and departed on the short end of a 6-3 score... Valmara put the game out of reach with 2 in the fourth and one in the fifth, running it up to 9-3... the Crusaders picked up 11 hits and were paced by C Phil Olafsen (.294) with 3 hits and 2 RBIs and PH Roger Haley (.455) with a solo homer.

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Mahaska Nudges Ninjas 2-1, Up 3-2 In Series
So far in the TU Elite 8 Series between Mahaska and Ginza, pitching has dominated... the Haymakers won 2-1 in game five, the third time in the series they have won by that score... Mahaska has taken charge in the series three games to two and needs only one more victory to advance to the TU Final 4... James Allington (2-0 0.56) was outstanding, stopping the Ginza on 4 hits and an unearned run in 8 innings... Allington walked 3 and fanned 5... closer Viktor Stravinsky (0-0 0.00) orchestrated the win with a scary, but scoreless ninth... the Ninjas threatened with runners on first and second with two outs, but Stravinsky prevailed and got the final out... Yutaka Yoshida (0-2) went the distance and pitched another solid game, but came out the loser... Mahaska only got 4 hits off him... Ginza collected only 5 hits.

In the opening frame the Ninjas took the early lead... Ginza speedster 3B Kurt Holstein (.100) got on on an error, swiped second and third, then scored on LF Sadaharu Uchiyama's (.353) sac fly... the Haymakers came right back in the last of the first and tied it... CF Pasha Yablonski (.250) swatted a double, stole third and rode in on a groundout by 2B Todd Tarkovsky (.133)... RF Travis Tuttle hit one out for Mahaska in the bottom of the third to give them the eventual winning run.

RH Reds Rip Tucks 7-1, One Win To Go
Playing at home at Midtown Base Ball Grounds, Rolling Hills delighted its fans with 12 hits, good pitching and 3 double plays to rip Tuckanarra 7-1 in game five of the TU Elite 8... the triumph gave the Reds a 3-2 edge in the series... one more victory and they will go on to the TU Final 4... winner Errol Gaudet (1-1 1.56) pitched a complete game, limiting the Blue Jays to one run and 7 hits, while striking out 6 and walking just one batter... 2B Kendall Smith (.316), 1B Billy Christianson (.263) and C Don Schexnayder (.333) sparked the Reds offense with 2 runs batted in each... RF Skip Greene (.222) chipped in with 3 runs scored... losing pitcher Glynn Starr (1-1 4.40) was belted hard for 10 hits and 6 runs in 5-plus frames.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Monday, September 28, 2026

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Nawajuk Slam Whips Reds 7-4, Forces 7th Game
In game six Koora Nawajuk came through with a clutch grand slam to deadlock the TU Elite 8 Series between Tuckanarra and Rolling Hills and force a game seven... Tuckanarra 2B Nawajuk (.300) delivered the game-winning blow in the last of the sixth to snap a 3-3 tie, leading to the Blue Jays 7-4 win.

Manager Lefty Stevens decided to use relievers instead of his number three starter Kenny Cox, who was ineffective in the game-three loss... it was unorthodox, but it worked... Kermo Kabin got him through the fourth with a 3-2 lead... Kabin allowed 2 runs and 6 hits... Gene O'Reilly (1-0 1.50) worked the next 3 frames, gave up 5 hits, but just one run... He exited with a 7-3 lead and notched the win... Rob Howe permitted a run in his only inning... and Archie Desmond pitched a runless ninth for the save... the Reds lost despite outgunning the Tucks 13 to 8... starter Kenny Leonard lost the game as he was shelled for 7 runs in 5-plus innings... Rolling Hills 1B Billy Christianson had 2 runs batted in, hammering a solo homer in the fifth and driving in another run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth.

Haymakers KO Ninjas, Win Elite 8 Series
Mahaska's Troy King was double poison to the Ginza Ninjas in game six of the TU Elite 8 Series... King hurled the Haymakers to a 7-2 victory and also drove in 4 runs with a double and a 3-run homer, knocking the Ninjas out of the postseason... Mahaska won the series four games to two and now will play the winner of Tuckanarra and Rolling Hills in the TU Final 4.

Haymaker LF Mickey Hennessey (.143) scored twice and had 2 RBIs and 2B Todd Tarkovsky (.211) collected 2 hits and scored twice... in the second Ninja SS Russ Van Kleek (.368) went deep for one run and C Crash Davis' (.333) sacrifice fly accounted for the other one in the fifth.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Tycobbian Elite 8 Series

Reds Roll Over Tucks 5-1 In Game 7
They were playing game seven of the Tycobbian Elite 8 on the road in hostile territory, but it didn't matter - the Rolling Hills Reds had their longtime ace Sal Jordan toeing the rubber - and he came through like a champ with a 5-1 win over the tough and talented Tuckanarra Blue Jays and their ace Quinn Starr... Jordan (2-1 2.42) went the route, stopping the Blue Jays on one run and 8 hits... Starr beat him in the opening game, but Jordan won games four and seven... working 7 innings Starr (1-1 1.88) was smacked for 4 runs and 10 hits.

The Reds put them away early with 3 runs in the second frame... SS Jeff Booker (.211) and Jordan (.222) singled in runs and 2B Kendall Smith (.357) doubled in one... Smith and CF Terry Wade (.333) both scored a pair of runs for the victors... Rolling Hills had a big advantage over Tuckanarra in hits 13 to 8... Wade and Smith had 3 apiece and Jordan had 2.

Rolling Hills, the second seed in The Islandian Times Pro Cup poll, will do battle with underdog Mahaska in the Tycobbian Final 4...the Haymakers were picked 8th and last in the poll. The best-of-seven series will begin Saturday afternoon in Rolling Hills at Heartland Stadium.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 1, 2026

Luxora Zorros History

The Luxora Zorros are a big fish in a little pond. As far as division crowns, the Z's are the titans of the weak Tycobbian North with 7 and a total of 10 playoff appearances... but record-wise they are third behind Hartsdale and Fairfax with a 1988-2012 mark and only a .497 winning percentage.

Luxora Pro Cup Playoff Snapshot:
2002 - lost to Oxford (TU North) 2-1 in Sweet 16 (second round)
2003 - lost to Oxford (TU North) 2-0 in Sweet 16 (second round)
2004 - lost to Red Bluff (TU East) 3-1 in the TU Final 4 (third round)... Red Sox defeated Sugar Valley (RU East) 4-1 for Pro Cup
2005 - fell To Summerland (TU south) 3-1 in TU Sweet 16 (first round)
2008 - fell to Denton City (TU West) 4-1 in TU Final 4 (second round)... Redbirds were Pro Cup runner-up to Wynnamac Sundowners (RU East)
2017 - defeated by Turon (TU South) 4-3 in TU Elite 8 (first round)... Typhoons were Pro Cup runner-up to Eastshore (RU East)
2018 - defeated by Turon (TU South) 4-3 in TU Elite 8 (first round)... Typhoons won Pro Cup, beating Ancona (RU North)
2019 - lost to Turon (TU South) 4-2 in TU Elite 8 (first round)

The all-time best Zorro was Tiago Torres (2017-2025), who came to the IPA late in his career at age 30 and only played 8 seasons... but Torres certainly made his presence felt with 2 Tycobbian MVP Awards (2018 and 2020), 2 Golden Arms (2018 and 2020) and 4 All-Star appearances... Torres should be a Hall-of-Famer in spite of his short career... he was 147-131 with a standout 2.55 lifetime ERA.

Elio Laurente (2002-2018) was a fine pitcher for Luxora... Laurente is number one in team victories with a lifetime 224-214 record... Laurente was a closer in his first 3 years and posted 85 saves... another fine pitcher was closer Jay Brewer (2009-2025) with a 79-60 record and a good 2.90 ERA... He is Luxora's saves leader with 222.

2B-3B Pablo Santa Cruz (2002-2023) is one of the all-time fan favorites in Luxora and Hall of Fame contender... Santa Cruz had a good, solid 22-year career with a .282 BA in 3213 games, 1990 runs, 3364 hits, 181 HRs, 1321 RBIs and 540 SBs... except for home runs, Santa Cruz is the Zorros all-time statistical leader... Santa Cruz is also ranks high in IPA all-time stats: 6th in games, 8th in runs and 9th in hits.

CF Lacey Tompkins (2001-2017) played 7 standout years in Luxora... the final 10 in Kilkenny, Ancona and Far Mountain in the Ruthlandian Union... Tompkins was a 2-time All-Star and 2-time Gold Glover... in his career he batted .296 in 2048 games with 205 homers, 2251 hits, 1081 RBIs and 1113 runs scored... Tompkins just finished his first season as the Zorros manager.

C Jim Thorpe Chandler (2016-2026) got a late start in the IPA at age 28, but he has been a very reliable player with a .268 BA, 209 homers, 803 RBIs and 833 runs... Chandler is a 3-time All-Star and still playing well at age 37.

[Eugene Church]

Map of Islandia

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 1, 2026

RU And TU Final 4 Start Saturday
The Pro Cup playoffs are just around the corner, coming up this Saturday with the four survivors of the first round action. The top two seeds are still going strong and could be headed for a Pro Cup showdown if all goes as the experts predict. In the Ruthlandian Final 4 number-one seeded Beechwood will open up at home, hosting the Valmara Vipers. The Tycobbian Final 4 has second-seeded Rolling Hills at home against the eighth-seeded Mahaska Haymakers. The Bobcats have the tougher task, playing sixth-seed Valmara, who disposed of fourth-seeded Middlefield in the RU Elite 8. In the TU first round, the Reds had to whipped third seed Tuckanarra, while Mahaska defeated number seven Ginza.

Beechwood manager Bret George has Maury Patterson (26-8 1.70), Bill Curtis (15-3 2.68) and Ken DeGraw (14-14 2.68) as his starting rotation. Leading the Bobcat offense will be Vic Valenti (.303/26/97/86), Skipper Smith (.321/13/84/79) and Jojo Davis (.321/8/63/77). Jet Kazmarek of Valmara will counter with Clem Carmouche (18-12 3.00), Teddy Lem (19-11 2.96) and Pavel Volkov (23-9 3.14). The Vipers best bats are Teddy Szymanski (.304/16/95/89), Sonny Oliver (.286/17/86/72) and Tyler Ferguson (.282/4/52/78). The Bobcats have the edge in pitching, hitting, power and defense. Still Valmara will test them with some good pitchers. It could go six of seven games.

Getting the call from Rolling Hills skipper Matty Christianson will be Sal Jordan (24-12 2.66), Errol Gaudet (17-14 2.53) and Kenny Leonard (16-4 2.20). The Reds top hitters are Pat Webb (.293/29/104/88) and Billy Christianson (.315/13/78/91). Mahaska's Rusty Tanussa will use Sammy Kafelnikov (18-14 3.49), James Allington (20-13 3.62) and Troy King (19-13 4.07) as his starters. The underrated Haymakers have a solid bunch of hitters in Travis Tuttle (.319/33/102/92), Bucky O'Brian (.279/19/71/70), Todd Tarkovsky (.280/18/65/72) and Pasha Yablonski (.277/6/48/106). Rolling Hills has a big advantage on the hill. It's doubtful that Mahaska can score enough runs to overcome shortcomings of its mound staff. The Reds should win in five or six.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 3, 2026

Ruthlandian Final 4 Series

Vipers Snatch Opener, Best Bobcats 3-2
It was a wild and wooly game at Beechwood's City Park Stadium with 13 walks in all... visiting Valmara was outhit 10-5, but managed to squeeze out a 3-2 win in game one of the Ruthlandian championship series... in the seventh 2 bases on balls and a single loaded up the bases for the Vipers... then C Doug Doolittle (.250) plated the winning runs with a 2-run single... that gave the victory to starter Clem Carmouche (2-1 2.30), who went 6 innings, allowed 2 runs on 7 hits and walked 5... relievers Chris Phillips and Ivan Guzek protected the 3-2 lead... Phillips gave up one hit and no runs in the seventh and eighth, while Guzek was tagged for 2 hits in the ninth, but didn't give up a run for his 3rd save in the playoffs... Maury Patterson (1-1 2.42) went the distance, struck out 10, but walked 7... Valmara only got 5 hits off Patterson.

Beechwood drew first blood in the first frame... three walks filled the bases... a run scored when CF Vic Valenti (.095) grounded into a double play... Valmara tied it up 1-1 in the top of the fifth... 2B Ron Freiberg (.278) had a lead-off single, moved to second on a bunt and was driven in by 3B Bobby Greb's (.250) two-bagger... the Bobcats wasted a lot of opportunities and stranded 13 baserunners... they had four players with 2 hits each: 3B Skipper Smith (.350), RF Jojo Davis (.471), LF Miron Burczyk (.412) and C Joe Bachmann (.250).

Tycobbian Final 4 Series

Mahaska Mows Down Reds 5-2 In Game 1
The underdog Mahaska Haymakers got some fine pitching and a bunch of hits to take game one of the Tycobbian Final 4 from the Rolling Hills Reds... the Haymakers triumphed 5-2 behind Sammy Kafelnikov (2-1 4.05), who held the Reds to just 6 hits and 2 runs in his 8 innings... Kafelnikov fanned 5 and walked 2 in a sharp outing... closer Viktor Stravinsky (0-0 0.00) got his 4th postseason save with a 1-2-3 ninth... Sal Jordan lost it, but went all the way... Jordan (2-2 3.09) was peppered for 14 hits, struck out 9 and walked one... The Rolling Hills ace blanked Mahaska the first 5 frames 1-0, then stumbled in the late innings... C Bucky O'Brian (.500) and CF Pasha Yablonski (.267) chalked up 3 hits each to pace the winners... 1B Paul Davies (.500) and Kafelnikov (.286) pitched in with a pair of hits apiece.

Reds CF Terry Wade (.355) doubled in the last of the fifth, stole third and rode home on a wild pitch for the first run of the game... singles by Kafelnikov, Yablonski and O'Brian evened it at 1-1 in the top of the sixth... Wade put Rolling Hills back in front with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning... Doubles by Paul Davies and PH Johnny Yevtushenko (.333) tied the score at 2-2 and Kafelnikov snapped it with an RBI single... Davies singled in a run in the eighth and RF Travis Tuttle's (.174) RBI single finish up the scoring in the top of the ninth.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 3, 2026

Around the Town In The IPA

MAHASKA HAYMAKERS

Owner/GM: Rickey Branch
Assistant GM: Rick Branch, Jr.
Manager: Rusty Tanussa

Mahaska, a township of 67,000 nestled on the banks of the White River in the west central plains of Tycobbia, is part of the nation’s breadbasket and heartland with vast fields of wheat, corn, oats and other grains. Grain elevators, storage silos and processing plants are its main industry, along with cereal factories and beef, chicken and pork meat processing plants. The Mahaska townspeople have a strong work ethic and live a nice middle-class existence. Church and family are of prime importance in their lives. Shady streets and quiet subdivisions best describe life in Mahaska.

Mahaska was settled in the 1850s by immigrants from Iowa in the United States. They were hearty farm people well-versed in all aspects of agriculture. The transplanted Iowans named their town after the Iowa county where most of them lived. Mahaska was named after a famous Iowa indian chief. Around 1900 the town got an influx of emigres from the Ukraine, who fit in real well with their expert knowledge of growing wheat and grains. The Ukraine is the breadbasket of Russia.The new additions to Mahaska quickly were assimilated into the town culture and even picked up the game of baseball, which was rapidly becoming the National Pastime in Tycobbia.

Mahaska is also home of the Haymakers baseball team who play at Heartland Stadium, where the best barbecue in Tycobbia is served along with delicious, melt-in-your-mouth hamburgers. Traditional ballpark food and soft drinks are available in abundance, too. Musical entertainment during games is provided by the Mahaska Sym-Phony, a group of musically-inclined fans. They entertain during games and highstep around the field in celebration after every Haymaker victory...it's the only symphony in Mahaska.

The team is family-owned and family-operated; no high-powered corporation or millionaire runs it. Rickey Branch is one of the most knowledgeable baseball administrators in Tycobbia and is the sole owner of the team. He is also one of the league founders. His son, Rick Branch, Junior, is the assistant GM and is a fine baseball man in his own right; the team will be passed down to him when his dad retires. The Branches are well-respected members of the Mahaska community and active in civic activities. Team manager Rusty Tanussa was a journeyman outfielder in the company leagues, but was a top-notch and very successful industrial league manager.

Heartland Stadium (2000)
Capacity: 7,935
Dimensions:
LF Line 340
LF 365
LCF 390
CF 425
RCF 390
RF 365
RF Line 340