[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 22, 2042

STALLIONS STAMPEDE IN SECOND HALF IN TU EAST
Trailing High Mesa by 10 games at the All-Star break, the South Fork Stallions raced past everybody in a second-half stampede to capture their second successive Tycobbian East Division flag... the Stallions skimmed by the Cowboys by a scant one-game margin... Tuckanarra and Ozarka tied for third and were four games back in the race... High Mesa had a three-game edge over South Fork going into September, but could not hold back the Stallions, who were 12-8 in the last three weeks, while the Cowpokes faded to 8-12.

1. South Fork: this is only the fifth pennant for the Stallions in the club's history... they won their only Pro Cup in 2025... offensively South Fork is just average, but good on the mound... the top twirlers are Jay Murphy (25-7/1.90), Chris Sorenson (16-12/3.36) and Big Murph McAlister (18-17/3.46)... Murphy was tied for second in the IPA with 25 victories... Southport's Billy Hoover was number one at 26-11... Summerland's Jayson Hallstrom also chalked up 25 wins with only 9 defeats... the Stallion bullpen was strong with a 2.49 ERA (2nd), headed up by the threesome of Gary Golden (2-3/2.16/5 saves), Ryan Madison (2-0/2.67/3 saves) and George Richardson (1-0/0.73)... the club offensive leader was 3B Elton Jacoby, who top them with a .307 BA, 32 HRs, 95 RBIs and 102 runs... SS Jess Wilkerson also added a good bat with a .299 BA, 23 roundtrippers, 93 RBIs and 73 runs... other decent bats were 2B Pete Arnold (.290), 1B Paul Sexton (.278) and CF Scotty O'Sullivan (.293)... the oddsmakers don't give the Stallions much regard in the playoffs... ace Murphy can't pitch every game.

2. High Mesa: the poor Cowboys thought their 40-year postseason drought was coming to an end this year, but a September swoon did them in... they last appeared in the playoffs in 2003... High Mesa won its only Pro Cup in 2002... good pitching (3.58 ERA-10th) and good firepower with 209 HRs (1st-tied) kept them in the hunt this year... they were better-than-average scoring with 725 runs (12th)... Warren Sackett (24-12/2.97) was the ace with help from Emil Nowak (17-17/3.39) and Dean Harris (16-15/4.27)... leading the way offensively was super slugger All-Star RF Corbett Brooks, who at age 40 seems to be getting better... Brooks batted .281 with 42 HRs, 104 RBIs and 104 runs... Brooks is now fifth on the all-time HR list with 693 homers... only Jack Elliott (848), Phil Gravelli (726), Marty Blake (711) and Lorne Evans (697) are ahead him... 37-year-old Evans is still active in the league... other Cowboy run producers were LF Clay Johnston (.250) with 34 HRs and 95 RBIs, 3B Johnny Tallis (.280) with 28 HRs and 88 RBIs, 2B Clifford Coleman (.268) with 26 HRs and 91 RBIs and SS Wes McGovern (.272) with 22 HRs and 64 RBIs.

3. Tuckanarra: the Blue Jays have been a first-division club the last 20 years... during that span they won three Pro Cups (2023, 2024, 2035) and 11 pennants... 2038 was the last pennant... the Tucks were fourth last year (14 GB) and moved up a spot to third this year (4 GB)... they were often within striking distance of first place, but never really seriously challenged... just an average team in most respects this season... .253 team BA (22nd) and a 3.83 team ERA (18th)... Jeff Buttrum (19-14/3.46) led the mound corps with some help from Dickie Pittman (16-12/3.92) and Junior Bristow (17-18/3.73)... Jack Rogers (6-3/1.28/23 saves) was excellent in the bullpen, tied for third in the IPA with 23 saves... Alfornso Cervera of the Hartsdale Hellcats was the leader with 27... future HOF-er and All-Star RF Lorne Evans was the club leader with a .289 BA, 37 HRs and 102 RBIs... LF Spade Weldon was the only other productive hitter with a .289 BA, 18 HRs and 79 RBIs.

4. Ozarka: the Naturals were second last year (9 GB), but fell to fourth this year (4 GB), mainly because of a poor first half (34-43)... they played well in the second half... the Nats last won the division in 2040, but have yet to take a Pro Cup trophy though they have been a Finalist on five occasions ('11, '12, '16, '19 and '20)... Ozarka is just an average club... top hurlers were Glen Jenkins (20-14/3.22) and Frank Yosarian (14-7/3.19/2 saves)... they obtained 35-year-old Yosarian in a trade with Ranford of the Ruthlandian Union in June... top performers at the plate were 3B Jimmy Woods (.298/20 HR/85/74) and RF Lonnie Gillespie (.315/10/60/86)... 1B Artie Clayton led the team in homers with 38, RBIs with 103 and tied Gillespie with 86 runs, but batted only .234 for average... SS Duffy Morrison (.263/25/79/84) also had a fairly good year.

5. Red Bluff: the Red Sox came in third last year (10 GB), but dipped to fifth this year (12 GB) with a losing record... it's been 33 years since the Red Sox made the playoffs... but they did win the Pro Cup in 2004... Jud Cox (16-15/2.28) was a very effective pitcher, but won only one more than he lost... George Reynolds (16-20/3.67) had quite a few quality starts, but a losing record... Red Bluff could go deep... they blasted 209 homers and tied High Mesa for the most in the Tycobbian Union, but batted just .250... RF David Kelso (.278) led the IPA with 56 HRs... he also led the Red Sox with 111 RBIs and 94 runs... 3B Fran Blanchard added 37 HRs and 87 RBIs with a club-high .302 BA... star CF Ike Sweetwater (.298/30/77/90) chipped in with 30 HRs... 1B Leemon O'Donovan had 29 roundtrippers and 78 RBIs, but hit only .240... LF Jesse Shaw contributed 21 HRs, 51 RBIs and scored 83 runs, while batting .293.

6. Hillsboro: the Blazers are the only franchise in the IPA that has never appeared in the playoffs... for the ninth year in a row they have wound up in the second division... last year Hillsboro was fifth (16 GB) and this year they were sixth (16 GB)... poor hitting and fairly good pitching... Ralph Quick (16-15/3.21) won the most games, but Robby Lee Stillwell (12-11/3.22/12 saves) and Steve Cooper (13-17/3.55) were also dependable starters.... in the bullpen Scott Watkins (3-4/1.76/13 saves) had a fine season... LF Jurrien Bellini was the club leader with 36 HRs, 91 RBIs and 95 runs, while batting .254... 3B Paul Butler collected 27 HRs, 73 RBIs and scored 87 runs, but hit only .250... RF Joe Jones chipped in with 20 homers, 67 RBIs and a .264 BA.

7. Midway: for the third consecutive season the Wolves have been near the bottom of the division... they were seventh this season (19 GB)... the year before Midway was seventh and 24 games back... the last postseason appearance was in 2027... the Wolves have never won a Pro Cup, but were a Finalist in 2022 when they were beaten in six games by Crystal Lake... Bobby Boy Wolf (19-15/3.39) was the biggest winner... Charlie Chase (16-18/2.72) had the best ERA... and Sam Lewis (4-3/2.23/11 saves) was effective in the pen... not very much at the plate... RF Hector Pena (.294/11/78/64), 3B Hunk Allen (.260/21/90/67) and LF Bennett Caldwell (.307/9/39/59) were the best of the lot.

8. East Point: the Panthers have been last the last two seasons, but did win the pennant in 2039... they have never won a Pro Cup... however in 2033 came close, losing out in seven games to Elnora... both the offense and pitching are pathetic... Johnny Moore (14-18/3.29) had the best ERA, while Barney Benton (15-18/5.59) won the most games... 1B Bert Henrich (.231/24/75/55) and 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.226/24/54/82) were the most productive bats, but weren't much to boast about.