ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Sunday, October 12, 2081

PRO CUP FAVORITE WHITE RIVER EVENS SERIES WITH ROLLING HILLS, CRYSTAL LAKE BEATS FORT BENTON AGAIN IN GAME 2
Current IPA champion White River rebounded from an opening game defeat to even their Tycobbian Title Series at one game apiece with the Rolling Hills Racers. In the Ruthlandian Title Series Crystal Lake rode real good pitching again to dispose of the Fort Benton Cannons for the second day in a row.

The Rascals perked up at the plate and belted the Racers 8-4 in game two to tie the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. White River's Philip Bliss blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th frame that busted up a tight 4-3 game. J. B. Deeds (1-1/3.86 ERA) worked a solid game, tossing 8 innings and holding the Racers to 4 hits. 5 bases on balls kept him in hot water, but 6 strikeouts helped bail him out of trouble. Starter Bubby Dancer (0-1.3.45 ERA) was pinned with the lost, tagged for 4 runs in his 7 innings.

For the second straight game in the RU Title Series Crystal Lake got an impressive mound performance from 37-year-old Augie Augustus (1-1/3.78 ERA). He held Fort Benton to just 5 hits in a 3-1 triumph. Both Augustus and Fletch Redmond went all the way. Redmon (0-1/3.45 ERA) also allowed 5 hits, but he was tagged for a solo roundtripper by Culver Jensen in the first inning and a game-deciding 2-run clout by Jake Osborne in the 6th frame.

After a day of travel, both series will change venues for games three, four and five. White River and Fort Benton will be at home.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Tuesday, October 14, 2081

RACERS ROCK RASCALS, GO UP 2-1 IN TU TITLE SERIES, SKIPPERS SOAR TO 3-0 OVER CANNONS IN RU TITLE SERIES
Rolling Hills and Crystal Lake are rolling high and sailing high in the second round of the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. The Racers rocked White River 9-7 with four homers to take a two-to-one edge in the Tycobbian Union Title Series. The Skippers breezed past Fort Benton 5-2 in the Ruthlandian Union Title Series for their third consecutive victory. One more win and Crystal Lake will be vying for another Pro Cup Trophy.

Tycobbian Union

RACERS MOVE AHEAD OF RASCALS 2-1 IN TU TITLE SERIES
Rolling Hills took command of game three in the top of the 7th inning on the strength of Harv Phelan's 3-run wallop, putting them ahead 9-5. The Racers collected 11 hits and got 2-run swats from Art Horn and Jaron Shufford, plus a solo clout from Danny Marisnick. The Rascals only has one four-bagger, a 2-run shot by J. R. North. White River outhit Crystal Lake with 14 hits in all, led by Jake Bourland with 4, Viggo Frandzen with 3 and Babe Coleman with 2. North drove in 4 runs and Coleman a pair. 'Twas not a good day for the twirlers. Elvis Hutton (2-0/4.08 ERA) posted the victory, but he was slammed for 7 runs in his 8 and two-thirds frames. Fuzzy Swearingen (0-2/8.10 ERA) lost it, ripped for 8 runs in 6 and one-third innings.

Ruthlandian Union

CRYSTAL LAKE NEARS SWEEP OF FORT BENTON IN RU TITLE SERIES
The Crystal Lake Skippers got strong pitching for the third consecutive game and put away the Fort Benton Cannons 5-2. Angelo Marinello (3-0/2.33 ERA) stymied the Cannons on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks. He fired a complete game for his 3rd straight postseason win. The Sailors broke up a 2-2 tie with 3 runs in the top of the 9th. Sookie Murphy's sac fly put them in front and Dave Sewell's 2-run single finished off the scoring. Jake Osborne tied the score with a 2-run double in the 6th frame. In the third inning Trace Lansing batted in both runs for Fort Benton with a two-bagger. Noah Fairclough (1-1/2.36 ERA) tossed a strong game until the 3-run outburst in the 9th. He also went the distance.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Wednesday, October 15, 2081

RASCALS AND CANNONS ON VERGE OF ELIMINATION IN IPA TITLE SERIES
Uh oh! The defending Pro Cup champion White River and the Fort Benton Cannons are in deep trouble in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. Rolling Hills and Crystal Lake have both won three of the first four games so far, putting the Rascals and Cannons in severe jeopardy of elimination. One more defeat and White River and Fort Benton will go home for the season.

Tycobbian Union Title Series

RACERS OUTLAST RASCALS IN 12-INNING CLASH
Rolling Hills moved way ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Tycobbian Union Title Series. The Racers won a 12-inning thriller 5-4 on the road at White River Stadium. A walk to Clifford Stratton and a base hit by Danny Marisnick set the stage for Kit Clemmons' pinch-hit go-ahead single in the top of the 12th frame. Linc Dickens (1-0/1.80 ERA) won it in relief over Brayden Peters (0-1/9.00 ERA). Dickens blanked the Rascals in his 2 innings, but they put him to the test in the last of the 12th, placing runners on first and third with one away. However, Dickens struck on Dan Bayless and retired pinch hitter Liam Michaelson on a routine fly ball.

Heading up the Racers at the plate were Danny Marisnick, who homered for the second game in a row and Emmett Spangler with 3 for 6 and 2 RBIs. Philip Bliss and Harv Phelan collected 2 hits each in the victory. Rolling Hills was outhit 13-11 by White River. The Racers stole 3 bases.

White River's Viggo Frandsen had a 2-run homer, his 4th in the postseason, Babe Coleman and J. R. North contributed 3 hits apiece, and James Lundin and Lynn Elkins socked 2 hits each in the loss. Much to their dismay, the Rascals stranded 14 baserunners.

Ruthlandian Union Title Series

THREE STRIKES, BUT NOT OUT; CANNONS COME BACK SWINGING IN GAME 4
Fort Benton needed a good game to remain alive in the RU Title Series and they got it. The Cannons exploded for 15 hits in the fourth game of the series and blasted Crystal Lake 13-2 to stave off elimination. Now all they have to do is win three more in a row to advance to the IPA Pro Cup Series. Yeah, buddy, that's all. That, however, is a mighty task to accomplish. It has rarely happened in IPA postseason history.

Not only did Fort Benton rattle the scoreboard, they got good performances on the hill from starter Nick Banfield and relievers Dieter Morgenstern and Burnell Otis. Morgenstern (2-0/0.00 ERA) fired 4 shutout innings for the win. The trio of twirlers held the Skippers to 6 hits.

Ahead 5-2, the Cannons really sealed the verdict with 8 runs in the bottom of the 8th frame. Crystal Lake starter Bret Lynch (1-1/5.79 ERA) lost it, tagged for 7 runs in his 7 innings.

Olev Kotli led the Fort Benton hit parade with 3 hits, including a bases-loaded triple and 4 RBIs. John Harding and Dwight Hogan drove in 2 runs each.

Both White River and Fort Benton are down to their last loss of the season. There is no tomorrow for them. They must win game five, six and seven or else go home for the winter.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, October 17, 2018

SKIPPERS SET SAIL TO PRO CUP SERIES; RU TITLE BELONGS TO CRYSTAL LAKE; IN TU RASCALS CUT RACERS LEAD TO 3 GAMES TO 2
They were outscored 19 to 17 in the 5-game Ruthlandian Union Title Series, but the Crystal Lake Skippers still triumphed over the Fort Benton Cannons 4 games to one. The Skippers got standout pitching and now are setting sail for the IPA Pro Cup Series against the Tycobbian Union winner. In game five of that affair White River got new life with a tense 13-inning 2-1 victory that narrowed Rolling Hills' margin down to 3 games to 2.

Ruthlandian Union

SKIPPERS MASON TOYS WITH CANNONS, CINCHES RU TITLE
8-year veteran right-hander Lloyd Mason finished off Fort Benton 5-2 for his 3rd successive postseason win. Mason (3-0/2.39 ERA) tossed a complete game, holding the Cannons to 5 hits with 3 Ks and one free pass. Luis Trevino (0-3/4.06 ERA) absorbed the defeat, working 8 innings and giving up 4 runs on 10 hits.

Center fielder Sookie Murphy (.222) paced the Sailors with a solo homer and 2 runs batted in. Second sacker Gino Lorenzetti (.405), third baseman Cookie Garland (.341) and catcher Dave Sewell (.378) also drove in runs for the Skippers.

Crystal Lake skipper Paul Dillon gave full credit to his mound staff. "Mason, Marinello and Augustus really kept the Cannons in check. They were the key factor. Take away that one-game 13-2 massacre and we held Fort Benton to just 6 runs in 4 games. We also got good run support from Lorenzetti, Sewell, Garland, Osborne and Murphy." In his 19th season with the Skippers, Dillon has won 4 pennants and one Pro Cup (2076).

Fort Benton manager Max Gregory observed, "They had home-run power and very strong pitching. That's a combination that's hard to beat. I was proud of our pitchers. They kept us in each game. Except for the 4th game rout, we just couldn't score." Gregory has been at the helm of the Cannons for 20 years. He has won pennants in 3 of the last 5 seasons.

Tycobbian Union

CURRENT IPA KING WHITE RIVER DOWN, BUT NOT OUT; RACERS LEAD SLIMMED TO 3 TO 2 IN TU TITLE SERIES
The fifth game of the Tycobbian Title Series stretched to 13 innings before being decided by the tense score of 2-1 by right fielder Olaf Erikson's soaring shot out of the park. Shorty Meaux and Skeets Kazlauskas dueled for 10 innings, but neither got the verdict. Rance Derringer (1-0/0.00 ERA) posted the victory with a scoreless inning, while Ron Halloran (0-1/1.23 ERA) took the loss. Rascal reliever Dwayne Cave retired all 6 batters he faced in the crucial 11th and 12th frames.

White River snapped the scoreless game in the 5th on a base hit by Shorty Meaux. Rolling Hills tied it up in the 6th on Art Horn's solo clout.

Defending IPA champion White River still has its work cut out for them. They have to beat the Racers twice on their homefield to advance to the Pro Cup Series against Ruthlandian champion Crystal Lake. Bubby Dancer (16-9/3.92 ERA) gets the call from Rascal manager Butch Slattery and J.B. Deeds (4-2/3.62 ERA) will be on the mound for Racer skipper Hugo Sutton. Deeds beat Dancer 8-4 in the second game of the series at the Mid Town Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, October 18, 2081

THE KING IS DEAD IN THE IPA; RACERS DETHRONE RASCALS IN TU TITLE SERIES
Someone new will be wearing the IPA crown. The Rolling Hills Racers have dethroned the reigning king of Islandian baseball, the White River Rascals. The Racers were victors 8-7 in a dramatic sixth-game showdown that decided the Tycobbian Union Title four games to two. The King is dead, long live Rolling Hills or Crystal Lake, this year's Pro Cup finalists.

For 6 and a half innings, it looks like a 7th-game finale was on the horizon. White River was up 7-5, going into the bottom of the 6th frame, but Rolling Hills fought back and cut it to 7-6. The never-say-die Racers in a last-ditch rally salvaged the series. Two costly errors led to the Rascals downfall. Second baseman Pete Palazzi tied the game with an RBI single and pinch hitter Pat Roberts drilled a game-winning base hit.

Fine bullpen work saved the day for Rolling Hills. Ron Halloran, Linc Dickens and Bobby Maranto hurled 3 scoreless frames and gave the Racers a chance to get back into the game. Dickens (2-0/1.50 ERA) picked up the victory. Dwayne Cave (2-1/5.11 ERA) was pinned with the loss.

The bats were booming in the shootout. Rolling Hills was sparked by Jaron Shufford (.267) with a 3-run homer and 4 RBIs. White River was led by Olaf Erikson (.216) with a 3-run blast and 4 ribbies. Viggo Frandsen (.380) smacked 3 hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Butch Slattery, skipper for the Rascals said, "You can't give anybody 5 outs in an inning and expect to win a tight game."

Rolling Hills manager Hugo Sutton, beaming at the prospects of winning another Pro Cup Trophy, told the press, "Bullpen and bats. That's what won it for us. Our starters struggled, but our hitting and homers and relievers saved the day and the series." The Racers won the Pro Cup in 2079 and will be trying to claim their record-setting 10th Pro Cup Trophy.

Slattery had a lot to lament. "Too many walks, too many errors and too much talent did us in. The only pitching we got was from Shorty Meaux. Nobody else could get anybody out. Shorty's too short to cut up into several pitchers and that's exactly what we needed. There ain't enough of him to clone. As all of you know, Shorty is only 5-foot-5, but he stands mighty tall on the mound." White River won both games that Meaux started in the series. The Rascals beat the Racers 5-3 in the opener and 2-1 in 13 innings in game five.

The 81st Pro Cup Series will feature two dynamite teams, the Ruthlandian Union champion Crystal Lake Skippers and the Tycobbian Union titlist Rolling Hills Racers. The Racers were rated the second-best team in this year's Pro Cup Poll, the Skippers were number three, while the reigning titleholder White River was favored to repeat this year.

This year's Pro Cup Series will be a rootin', tootin' tussle and a sensational showdown to wrap up the 2081 season.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Just want to thank all of you that are now following the Islandian Pro Alliance again.
Viewership has really perked up since I have finally got to report on the Pro Cup playoffs again.
In the last 10 days I have had a low of 201 views and a high of 453 views.
Average per day is 355 views per day.

Maybe I will be able to reach 1 million views in a few years.
Total views since 2007 is 795,000.
At the current rate, it might be possible to reach 1 million in the next 3 years or so.
I have averaged 44,000 views per year.
So it looks like I may need 5 years to do it.
The good Lord willing and those two creeks don't rise, I just might make it.

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, October 18, 2081

SENSATIONAL IPA PRO CUP SERIES SET TO START SUNDAY
The public couldn't hardly get a better matchup than Crystal Lake and Rolling Hills in the 2081 edition of the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series set to start this Sunday afternoon at beautiful Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake. In The Islandian Times Pro Cup Poll Rolling Hills was the #2 choice to win it this year, while Crystal Lake was the #3 pick. Both clubs are primed and ready to go. Together they have won 13 Pro Cups between them. The Racers have chalked up 9 Pro Cup trophies, the Skippers have collected 4. Rolling Hills is the most recent winner. The Racers won it in 2079 and 2075, while the Skippers most recent IPA title was in 2074.

The Pro Cup Series will open up in Crystal Lake at Lakefront Park with Ivan Malek (14-12/3.85 ERA) and Augie Augustus (14-6/3.61 ERA) drawing the first-game assignments. It will be a best-of-seven series. Crystal Lake will host the first two games, Rolling Hills will get games three, four and five, then it will conclude in Crystal Lake for games six and seven.

Crystal Lake depended on it pitching in the first two rounds of the playoffs to get by LaGrange and Fort Benton. Lloyd Mason, Angelo Marinello and Augie Augustus stood out. That trio will have to be just as good to shut down the lads in Rolling Hills, a very potent arsenal. Manager Paul Dillon is hoping the bats of Jake Osborne, Cookie Garland and Gino Lorenzetti will perk up a bit against Rolling Hills. The Racers, skippered by Hugo Sutton, sports a strong offense and some solid hurlers, too. Their top guns are Clifford Stratton, Jaron Shufford and Emmett Spangler. They beat East Point with fine pitching from Skeets Kazlauskas, Ivan Malek and Elvis Hutton and toppled Pro Cup champion White River with their bats. Basebase pundits are expecting a lot of fireworks in the Pro Cup Finals. The media are choosing Rolling Hills in a hard-fought seven-game series. The Racers have a decided edge in the bullpen with Linc Dickens, Ron Halloran and Bobby Maranto.

[Eugene Church]

Special thanks to hurricanekevin, txranger and knuckler for the beautiful logos.

I can never thank them enough. Playing the IPA is special because of all the wonderful graphics that have been done for me over the years.

kevin did the Rolling Hills logo, tex did the IPA logo and knuckler created the Crystal Lake logo.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, October 20, 2081

SKIPPERS RALLY IN HEARTSTOPPING PRO CUP OPENER; AUGUSTUS OUTDUELS MALEK
The Crystal Lake Skippers saved the best for last in the opening game of the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series at Lakefront Park. Augie Augustus outdueled Ivan Malek 3-2 in a game decided in the bottom of the 9th on Dave Sewell's run-scoring single.

Ivan Malek was marvelous for the first 7 frames, blanking the Skippers on 4 hits. Rolling Hills was ahead 2-0 going into the last of the 8th. Harv Phelan's solo roundtripper put the Racers up 1-0 in the top of the 4th. Malek himself singled in the second score in the 6th inning. Crystal Lake finally put a run on the scoreboard in the 8th frame. Gino Lorenzetti doubled and tallied on Jake Osborne's base hit.

The Skippers really went to work in the 9th with three straight hits. Sookie Murphy tripled, pinch hitter Darrin Turpin singled him in and tied the score at 2-2. Then Sewell cracked a hard grounder past first base to decide the game on a walk-off single.

Augustus fired 7 strong innings, allowed 2 runs on 9 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 bases on balls. However, the victory went to Ethan Zahn (1-0/2.25 ERA), who shut down the Racers on one hit over his 2 frames.

Crystal Lake collected 9 hits, while Rolling Hills got 10.
Malek (1-1/2.81 ERA) went the distance in defeat, walking 2 batters and fanning 3.

Game two in Crystal Lake will pit Skeets Kazlauskas (17-8/2.94 ERA) for Rolling Hills, while Lloyd Mason (14-11/3.63 ERA) will work for the Skippers. Kazlauskas is 2-1 in the postseason in 4 starts. Mason is 3-0 in 3 assignments with a 2.39 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, October 23, 2081

RACERS 9TH-INNING RALLY TIES SKIPPERS IN PRO CUP FINALS; TEAMS SPLIT FIRST TWO GAMES
In a remarkable rally on the road at Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake, Rolling Hills clipped the hometown Skippers 4-3 to split the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Series. Subdued 3-1 going into the top of the 9th frame the Racers tore into reliever Ethan Zahn (1-1/6.35 ERA) for 3 runs to stun the Skippers, who were on the verge of taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"All we needed was just 3 outs and we could have taken command of the series. Now we are back to square one and it's anybody's to win." That's what manager Paul Dillon told reporters after the very disappointing defeat.

"Thank goodness, we wore out Mason and finally got him out of the game," Hugo Sutton facetiously said. Mason, the Skipper starter only allowed one run in his 7 innings and left his team with a 3-1 edge.

Losing pitcher Ethan Zahn was greeted with a bang in the top of the 9th by 3 base hits, setting the stage for Emmett Spangler's base-clearing two-bagger to put Rolling Hills in front 4-3. Crystal Lake threatened in the last half of the inning and got two men on against Ron Halloran, but he finally finished them off for the comeback victory.

The Racers' starter Skeets Kazlauskas pitched well in his 8 innings. The Skippers got 3 runs and 8 hits off of him. Kazlauskas (3-1/2.13 ERA) got the win, struck out 5 and walked only one batter. Halloran posted the save with a scoreless 9th frame.

Rolling Hills went in front 1-0 on Liam Gerraghty's solo swat in the 3rd inning. Slowly but surely Crystal Lake got back into the game and took the lead. Culver Jensen doubled in a run in the bottom of the 3rd to tie it up, Dave Sewell made it 2-1 in the 5th with an RBI double and Gino Lorenzetti padded it to 3-1 with his homer in the last of the 8th.

Rolling Hills socked 12 hits, led by Emmett Spangler (.309) with 3. Crystal Lake picked up 9 hits, paced by Dave Sewell (.395) and Heck Fraiser (.184) with 2 each.

Thursday is a travel day as the clubs head to Rolling Hills and the Midtown Base Ball Grounds for the next 3 games. Angelo Marinello (22-4/3.44 ERA) toes the rubber for Crystal Lake. It will be J.B. Deeds (4-2/3.62 ERA) for Rolling Hills. Marinello is having the better postseason with a perfect 3-0 mark and an impressive 2.33 ERA. Deeds has been good and bad with a 1-1 mark and a 5.95 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, October 23, 2081

RACERS NIP SKIPPERS IN SHOOTOUT FOR 2-1 LEAD IN IPA PRO CUP FINALS
For the third straight game it was a one-run thriller in the IPA Pro Cup Series. This time it was a slugfest instead of a pitcher's duel. Rolling Hills rolled past Crystal Lake 10-9 at Midtown Base Ball Grounds to go up two-games to one in the best-of-seven affair.

Racer shortstop Emmett Spangler (.333) cracked 3 hits and drove in 4 runs to lead his club to victory. Catcher Jaron Shufford (.267) and third baseman Art Horn (.268) also lent a hand with 2 ribbies apiece. Rolling Hills slapped 12 hits, while Crystal Lake mustered 10.

Pitching pretty much took a back seat in game three. J.D. Deeds (2-1/6.58 ERA) got a win in the ugliest way possible. He gave up 8 runs and 9 hits in 6 and one-third innings. Ron Halloran got the save, but he was touched for one run in two and two-thirds innings. 22-game winner Angelo Marinello (3-1/4.70 ERA) had a dismal day on the hill. He was shelled for 9 runs in less than 4 frames for his first defeat this postseason.

Fortunately, Rolling Hills ran up a 9-4 margin early and then staved off the rebounding Skippers, who almost caught them. Crystal Lake had the tying score on second base when Ron Halloran got the final out.

The Skippers fought hard, paced by Center fielder Sookie Murphy (.245) with a 3-run clout. Third baseman Cookie Garland (.321) and shortstop Heck Fraiser (.238) made the game close with 2 RBIs apiece.

Game four is also slated for Rolling Hills as well as game five. The final two clashes are set for Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake should they be necessary. Rolling Hills skipper Hugo Sutton has decided on Elvis Hutton (19-9/3.12 ERA) for his starter, while it will Augie Augustus (14-6/3.61 ERA) doing the honors for Crystal Lake manager Paul Dillon. Augustus is 1-1 in the playoffs with a 3.42 ERA. Hutton is 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Friday, October 24, 2081

ROLLING HILLS ROLLING IN PRO CUP SERIES; ON THE VERGE OF 10TH PRO CUP TROPHY
The Rolling Hills Racers took command of the 2081 IPA Pro Cup Series with the Crystal Lake Skippers as Elvis Hutton spun a 4-0 gem in game four On his home diamond giving them a huge 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series. Hutton held the Skippers to just 6 hits, winding up with 7 Ks and 3 walks. It was his 3rd victory this postseason. Hutton is unbeaten in his 3 starts and has posted a 2.70 ERA. One more win and the Racers will capture their IPA-leading 10th Pro Cup Trophy. Crystal Lake has a very steep hill to climb, the Skippers must win all 3 remaining games to win the IPA crown. The odds are strongly stacked against them. It has happened only two times in the Pro Cup Finals. After falling behind three games to one in the 2011 Pro Cup Finals, the Far Mountain Redhawks triumphed over the Ozarka Naturals and in 2014 the Kenwood Wildcats came back and defeated the Belair Beach Sunbirds.

Both Hutton and Crystal Lake's Augie Augustus tossed complete games. Augustus (1-2/3.69 ERA) gave up 4 runs on 10 hits. He was done in by Clifford Stratton's 2-run shot in the opening inning and by Pete Palazzi's 2-run double in the 6th frame. Stratton (.339) went 3 for 4 in the game, while Palazzi (.304) was 2 for 3.

Only left fielder Jake Osborne (.394) had a good game at the plate for the Skippers, but he got no help from the others in the lineup. Osborne got half of the 6 hits off Hutton. He got 3 hits in 4 plate appearances.

Lloyd Mason (14-11/3.63 ERA) will try to keep Crystal Lake alive in the series in game five. Ivan Malek (14-12/3.85 ERA) will start for Rolling Hills. Game five will also be played at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills. Malek is 1-2 in the playoffs with a strong 2.81 ERA in his 3 starting assignments, while Mason is 3-0 in 4 starts with a superb 2.14 ERA. Malek lost the first game of the series 3-2 to the Skippers. Mason pitched well in the second game won by the Racers 4-3, but did not get the loss.