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The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Hurricanes Hurlers Dominate Hawks In TU Elite 8
The Cape Coral Hurricanes totally dominated the punchless North Hills Hawks with outstanding pitching to eliminate them four games to one in the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series between the two clubs. In the other Elite 8 set Ozarka pretty much did the same thing to the Arlon Champions and came away with the series four games to two. As expected the two powers will be pitted against one another in the TU Final 4.
The Hurricanes got a terrific performance from their ace Cody Burg in the first game of the series... Burg (24-10) shut out the Hawks 4-0 on four hits... he fanned 8 and walked 4 for the win... All the runs in the game came in the 6th inning when CF Derek Ryckman hit a 2-run homer and RF Glenn Armstrong banged in two more with a single... The losing pitcher was Ronnie Kerensky (16-12), who was touched for 4 runs and 7 hits in 7 innings.
As good as Burg was in the opening game, Nasty Naymick was even nastier in game two as he held the hapless Hawks hitless and struck out 10 in a 5-0 victory... Naymick (18-13) almost pitched a perfect game... a walk to 2B Jimmy Ryland spoiled it for him... The 'Canes cracked 10 hits off loser Lou Dozier (18-16), who went the distance... 2B George Longmire, 1B Lonnie Moon and 3B Bobby Josker had two hits each to pace Cape Coral.
Game three was a low-scoring affair between Hawk starter Dooley O'Malley (3-0) and Hurricane Adam Lundgren (13-11)... North Hills finally put a run on the scoreboard in the seventh and snapped a 24-inning scoring drought... The Hawks squeezed by Cape Coral 3-2 with a run in the last of the ninth... Denny Stuart notched the win in spite of blowing the save... Bobby Maas sustained the loss... North Hills had 7 hits in all, while the 'Canes were held to 6.
Cape Coral got back on track with a game four victory to take a 3-1 edge... Cody Burg captured his second win in the series by stopping the Hawks 5-1 on 6 hits over 8 innings... 1B Lonnie Moon and C Bernie Finka led the winners with 2 hits and an RBI apiece... Ronnie Kerensky permitted 5 runs and 7 hits in 7 innings for the loss... LF Nicky Makovsky accounted for North Hills only run with a solo swat in the sixth frame.
Nasty Naymick wasn't almost perfect like he was in game two's no-hitter, but he was very good with a 5-2 win to take the series four games to one... North Hills could manage only two runs and five hits off Naymick, who turned in another strong performance... Lou Dozier caught his second loss of the postseason... He gave up 4 runs and 7 hits in his 7 innings... Hurricane 2B George Longmire homered and doubled, got 2 hits, scored twice and batted in a pair for the winners... CF Sozi Akiyama belted out 3-4 to pace the weak-hitting Hawks at the plate.
Ozarka Too Strong For Arlon, Wins Elite 8 Series
Superior pitching gave the Ozarka Naturals a victory over the weak-hitting Arlon Champions in their Elite 8 Series... In game one Eddie Roberts (18-8) and Luther Hatch combined for a dramatic 2-1 win... Roberts went the first 7 and gave up only five hits and a run... Roberts fanned 7 and walked only one batter for the win... Closer Luther Hatch finished up for him with two scoreless innings and picked up the win... LF Rocco Belasario clipped Roberts for a home run to lead the Champs at bat... Nats pinchhitter James Flanagan tripled in the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth off losing pitcher Johnny Rabelais.
Game two also went to Ozarka 3-0 on a brilliant 2-hit shutout by Emile Leduc (18-11), who outdueled Happy McManus (10-7)... McManus allowed 3 runs and 7 hits in a complete game... RF Chris Hughes homered for the Naturals.
The Arlon bats finally awoke with a vengeance in game three... The Champions clobbered Ozarka 9-4, highlighted by pitcher Hubie Croft's grand slam in the sixth that gave them a 6-1 lead... Croft salvaged Arlon's first win in the series although he allowed 11 hits and four runs in his 8 frames... Billy Krsnich (12-16) absorbed the loss by giving up 6 runs in 5-plus innings... Despite the defeat Ozarka still outhit Arlon 11 to 7.
Ozarka regrouped and trounced the Champs 10-2 in game four for a three to one edge in the series... The Nats battered loser Armando Cruz (16-16) for 7 runs in 3-plus innings, while Eddie Roberts put on another sterling performance by holding Arlon to six hits and two runs, while fanning 7 and walking only 2 batters... Ozarka racked up 12 hits and was led by RF Chris Hughes with 2-5 and 4 RBIs, LF Vic Weinstein with 3-5, 3 runs and 2 RBIs and SS Nathan Ferrell with 2-4, 3 runs and 2 RBIs.
Arlon got back into the series with a 10-inning 4-3 triumph in game five, cutting Ozarka's series lead to three games to two... Once again the Champions were outgunned 11 hits to 8, but they still gained the victory... Johnny Rabelais was the winning pitcher with a scoreless 10th... Luther Hatch sustained the loss... He walked two to set up a game-winning hit in the tenth... Hatch only managed one out in the inning... Arlon 2B Ed Richter had the game's only home run, a two-run shot in the sixth... The Nats were led by 3B Todd Chadwick, 2B Gil Lantz, LF Vic Weinstein and C Todd Pepper, all with 2 hits each.
Ozarka made quick work of Arlon in game six to capture the Elite 8 Series four games to two... After the Champs darted to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on SS Kirby Greene's two-run salvo, the Naturals pounded Hubie Croft for 8 runs in the next two frames to win going away 9-5... C Todd Pepper and 1B Al Wesner both hit solo homers for Ozarka... 2B Gil Lantz also drove in 3 runs for the winners... Billy Krsnich was ineffective, but got credit for the victory... Krsnich was roughed up for 5 runs in 7 innings... Luther Hatch held Arlon scoreless in the eighth and ninth.
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