[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, June 1, 2046

A'S LEAD RU NORTH, 3 GAMES UP ON BULLS
After the first two months of play, the defending division champion Glasco (33-23) has the lead in the Ruthlandian North by three games over the Ranford Bulls (30-26)... the Athletics had a so-so 15-14 May, while the Bulls were red-hot at 19-10 and climbed up from fifth place to second... Valmara (29-27) had a dismal month and fell out of a first-place tie with an 11-18 mark, falling to third place and four games behind... LaGrange (28-28) and Far Mountain (28-28) are tied for fourth place and trail by 5 games... both of them played well in May with 16-13 and 17-12 records respectively.

Top Team BA: Valmara .278, Ancona .265, Glasco .263, LaGrange .263
Top Team Scoring: LaGrange 269, Valmara 260, Glasco 251
Top Team HR: LaGrange and Taranto 62, Ranford 54
Best Team ERA: Far Mountain 3.14, Glasco 3.24, Valmara 3.25
Best Team FA: Kilkenny .979 FA, Taranto .974 FA

TEAMS BEST PERFORMERS:
1. Glasco: Benny McDaniel (8-2/3.14), Manny Berrera (5-4/2.69), C Jarrah Eubarinja (.333), 2B Del Holloway (.358), CF John Rumford (.298 BA/26 RBI), SS Joseph Baxter (.258 BA/ 26 RBI), rookie 1B John Carlton (.277 BA/9 HR/24 RBI)

2. Ranford: Ralph Hawk (7-5/2.04), 3B Joey Gompers (.273/12/29/33), LF Dale Weston (.234/12/26/27), CF Micah McDade (.280/4/18/29)

3. Valmara: Primo Sirak (7-4/2.69), Teddy Twardzik (5-8/2.84), Paul Holloway (4-0/0.52/4 saves), CF Don Ritchie (.303/1/39/39), SS Jorge Aparicio (.317/0/15/39), 2B Ken Jensen (.348/2/22/32), 1B Cain Greene (.256/8/32/25)

4. LaGrange: Arnie Ayers (8-6/1.80), Johnny Stoneham (5-4/2/62), Carl Nelson (3-2/1.91/5 saves), Noel Cataron (2-2/2.27/3 saves), SS John Rodgers (.258/10/37/31), CF Robbie McGregor (.274/9/24/30)

4. Far Mountain: Ryan Kolb (4-6/2.42), Curt Steinhauer (6-4/2.72), Jonas Grover (5-5/3.07), RF Harman Silver (.256/9/28/25), 3B Norm Huffman (.316/4/22/19), LF Terry Crawford (.279/7/22/26), C Joel McDaniel (.312/1/11/17)

6. Taranto: Pablo Rivas (6-7/2.88), C Ryan Nelms (.273/13/30/25), 3B Mark Delaney (.221/15/31/33), RF Derrick Damon (.319/7/27/33), LF Howard McCord (.342/7/27/25)

7. Kilkenny: Ciaran Cullen (8-4/2.46), 3B Jorge Collazo (.308/4/24/24)

8. Ancona: LF Eldon Aldridge (.267/15/41/34), 3B Rick Richards (.327/3/29/30), C Gregg Straka (.314/5/23/34), RF Walter Glenn (.325/2/27/33)

FAVORITES SURGE IN RU SOUTH
Two prime contenders Claxton and Waleska started off slowly in April, but picked up steam in May and played like winners... last year's Ruthlandian South winner Claxton (33-23) surged with a 20-9 record to take over the top spot by two games over Waleska (31-26) ... the Westerners went 18-11 for the month... Claxton and Waleska were tied for fifth (5 GB) at the end of April... San Dimas (30-26) held on to third with a 15-14 mark and are 3 games back in the race... April's leader Grand City (29-27) came back down to earth with an 11-18 record and fell from first to fourth (4 GB)... Valka (28-28) has broken even so far and is in fifth place, 5 GB... the Blackhawks registered a 15-14 record in May.

TOP TEAM BA: Crystal Lake (.271), Waleska (.268), Claxton (.263)
TOP TEAM SCORING: San Dimas (271), Claxton (268), Crystal Lake (248)
TOP TEAM HR: San Dimas (54), Grand City (50), Valka (50)
BEST TEAM ERA: Waleska (3.18), Valka (3.19), Claxton (3.29), Grand City (3.45)
BEST TEAM DEFENSE: Claxton (.978 FA), Valka (.977 FA), St. John (.977 FA)

TEAMS TOP PERFORMERS:

1. Claxton: Stan Yudash (11-3/2.89), Abe Schiffman (6-3/2.86), Eddie Dizon (6-6/3.20), LF Foxy Fuchs (.304/12/39/29), SS Stevie Wynn (.359/5/31/23), CF Bob Best (.305/2/24/23)

2. Waleska: Jeff Woodruff (7-4/2.55), Niles Nielsen (9-2/3.28), 3B Pete Furness (.274/10/37/28), SS Pete Hudson (.311/1/23/20)

3. San Dimas: Toby White (7-4/3.42), Georgie Walker (3-3/2.28/9 saves), 3B Leonard Purkey (.333/4/26/20), 1B Ken Kirby (.260/11/29/32), C Hermie Goetz (.264/4/21/31)

4. Grand City: Kenny Morrow (5-7/2.83), Kent Douglas (5-1/1.56/4 saves), 1B Benny Hull (.333/18/38/35)

5. Valka: Ivo Lipik (9-4/3.03), Tyrone Marte (7-4/3.17), CF Kenny Mitzusaka (.302/10/29/28), RF Rich Henson (.286/11/27/25), LF Neil Richard (.320/6/24/19)

6. St. John: Frank Long (7-6/3.29), Jeremy Kirk (6-6/3.32), SS Herbie Gruen (.258/8/31/27), 2B Tab Allison (.265/2/27/27), 3B Marty Blankenship (.252/8/17/26)

7. Crystal Lake: Eddie Lane (7-7/2.67), C Del Peevy (.322/2/31/25), SS Ernie Addison (.345/1/25/26), 1B Daryl Brady (.311/5/20/27)

8. Belair Beach: Jose Munoz (8-5/3.28), 3B Jason Butler (.267/12/33/36), RF Norm Ellis (.269/11/26/26)

RATTLERS LEAD TIGHT RACE IN RU EAST
Nobody seems to want to take charge in the Ruthlandian East... "You take it, I don't want it" seems to be the motto... of the top five clubs only fourth place Wynnamac (28-28) posted a winning record last month... the Sundowners were 17-12 last month... the top five teams are separated by just five games... first place and defending IPA champion Sugar Valley (32-24) went 14-15, runner-up Eastshore (31-25) was 13-16, third place Beechwood (30-26) dipped to 12-17 and fifth place Elnora (27-29) came in at 13-16.

TOP TEAM BA: Belle Plaine (.284), Eastshore (.277), Marston (.273), Wynnamac (.269)
TOP TEAM SCORING: Eastshore (282), Belle Plaine (279), Sugar Valley (276),
TOP TEAM HR: Sugar Valley (80), Eastshore (61), Marston (61), Beechwood (55)
BEST TEAM ERA: Sugar Valley (2.92), Cold Creek (3.14), Beechwood (3.49), Wynnamac (3.69)
BEST TEAM DEFENSE: Beechwood (.982 FA). Cold Creek (.976 FA), Sugar Valley (.974 FA), Wynnamac (.974 FA)

TEAMS TOP PERFORMERS:

1. Sugar Valley: Cullen Winslow (10-3/2.10), Antonio Cedeno (9-3/2.10), Joe Snow (5-4/2.92), LF Bobby Gamble (.335/16/45/41), SS Roger Hobbs (.289/16/35/48), CF Carl Ramsey (.299/14/47/38)

2. Eastshore: Malcolm Tansbury (5-4/2.98), Jody Friday (7-1/1.45/4 saves), 2B Johnny Petrak (.324/8/35/35), RF Troy McFarland (.273/21/57/54), LF Bevan Shuler (.287/11/35/39), 3B Abner Bronstein (.350/2/9/27)

3. Beechwood: Jimmy Herman (7-5/1.91), Larry Carmen (7-4/3.38), 2B Mike Matthews (.273/7/38/34)

4. Wynnamac: Sammy Hayes (7-6/2.33), Shirai Nakamura (6-7/3.09), Johnny Mitchell (3-2/2.10/5 saves), CF Darrell Donnelly (.340/5/27/36), SS Dale Fisher (.315/7/25/36), RF Nioka Inkamara (.286/13/30/36)

5. Elnora: Stan Kivas (9-4/2.65), Dan Pitts (5-9/2.89), LF Enos Conrad (.343/5/21/30), 2B Marley Macomber (.330/9/36/29), C Cannon Johnson (.259/11/33/30)

6. Belle Plaine: Phil Lacey (8-4/3.54), 1B Chuck Gregory (.323/14/36/33), 3B Kale Woodard (.335/2/19/22), SS Danny Fitzgerald (.316/5/20/23), 2B Mac Lord (.280/2/24/33), CF Roy Myers (.296/7/19/29)

7. Marston: Thomas Stuart (5-5/3.74), Kelly Long (3-2/3.10), Kiki Vuk (4-4/2.31/5 saves), 2B Gary Armitage (.321/10/28/37), SS Stan Mila (.304/8/23/25), 3B Harvey Creighton (.282/6/27/28)

8. Cold Creek: Sammy Wright (6-7/2.79), Rob Hutchins (4-6/1.99), 3B Joe Cochrane (.294/9/35/30)

ROCKY RAPIDS RUNAWAY IN RU WEST
It looks like the pennant race is over in the Ruthlandian West after only two months... Rocky Rapids (40-16) has raced to 10-game lead over runner-up Forest City (30-26) and 11 ahead of Stoner (29-27), Sligo (29-27) and last year's champ Middlefield (29-27)... the Snappers have racked up the best record in the IPA, tied with Summerland of the Tycobbian South.

TOP TEAM BA: Rocky Rapids (.290), Volusia (.268), Forest City (.268), Colfax (.262), Sligo (.262)
TOP TEAM SCORING: Rocky Rapids (327), Volusia (273), Sligo (259), Colfax (253)
TOP TEAM HR: Middlefield (66), Rocky Rapids (64), Volusia (60), Forest City (56)
BEST TEAM ERA: Sligo (2.94), Forest City (2.95), Rocky Rapids (3.34), Middlefield (3.38)
BEST TEAM DEFENSE: Middlefield (.984 FA), Stoner (.981 FA), Fort Benton (.975 FA), Rocky Rapids (.973 FA)

TOP TEAM PERFORMERS:

1. Rocky Rapids: Jamie Taylor (12-2/1.56), Buster Noland (7-1/2.71), Robby Barnhill (10-1/3.61), RF Jose Ramos (.336/7/38/43), 3B Duncan Musselwhite (.339/2.18/50), C Carney Kirkpatrick (.337/6/37/31), 2B Marty Featherstone (.292/12/37/51), LF Buddy Hamilton (.317/17/59/43), 1B Masaharu Kawasaki (.304/8/36/25)

2. Forest City: Omar Cordero (9-4/2.04), Rusty Howard (7-6/2.37), John McKee (5-4/2.90), 2B Donnie Watkins (.404/7/27/38), C Bob Brisdon (.364/7/31/23), 1B Pistol Pete Picard (.336/12/33/26)

3. Stoner: Earl Marley (8-4/3.59), Mel Glosterman (7-3/3.63), Brian Cole (6-6/3.67), Billy Horton (2-5/2.90/12 saves), LF Emmett Tread (.314/10/34/40), SS Clayton Warfield (.306/3/20/20)

4. Sligo: Freddy Avery (8-6/3.11), Buzz Bumgartner (6-5/2.54), Art Hacker (8-6/3.39) and Randall Steele (4-6/3.14), 1B Denny Simmons (.327/8/30/34), CF Pat Tyrrell (.307/0/19/24), RF Brad Oliver (.288/3/22/27)

5. Middlefield: Carroll Collier (8-4/1.78), James Long (4-5/2.53), C Johnny McDonald (.324/2/14/22), 1B Cliff Patterson (.297/6/22/26), LF Alejandro Dominguez (.265/8/23/28), SS Jimmy Beach (.258/7/21/23), RF Sid Conner (.245/11/25/24), CF Norman Antonioni (.15/11/23/19)

6. Volusia: Skeeter Millham (6-4/3.08), Drew Selby (3-8/2.98), CF Cazzie Carvalho (.320/4/35/32), C George Ruffino (.294/10/40/28), SS Duane Blayney (.280/10/23/31), 1B Kris Wilson (.282/10/32/37)

7. Colfax: Jorgen Krogstad (6-6/3.83), CF Robb Maddux (.299/5/28/35), 3B Hoot Glanville (.304/6/22/24), RF Kevin Williams (.351/1/11/23)

8. Fort Benton: Phil Krieger (6-6/3.18), Jordy Raeburn (6-7/3.61), RF Cayman Crittenden (.340/11/37/26), C Varnell Larrimore (.296/5/28/25), CF Dwight Beatty (.315/4/18/12)

RUTHLANDIAN UNION STANDINGS MAY 31, 2046