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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 August 2307
NWL Update
The North Bradberton Division has become interesting, but the South Bradberton Division is almost over. With 18 games to play in the regular season, the Victory Cave Crickets and the Wild Gatorclaws are knotted at 41-31 atop the North Bradberton Division. At 36-36, Quantum is just five games back. In the South, the Cherry Ghourillas are on an 11-game winning streak, along with winning 19 of their last 21 and going 20-4 since the All-Star Break. The Ghoulrillas now have a 12-game lead and a Magic # of 7.
It's a time for celebration in Grape as Ah Oona has just walked away with July's Nuka World League Batter of the Month award.
He socked 39 hits in 97 at-bats to put up a .402 batting average, 14 home runs, 26 RBIs and 31 runs scored.
Thus far this season Oona has hit .346 with 31 home runs, 68 RBIs and scored 72 times.
It was a productive month of July for Wild reliever Will Wylde. He put up some impressive figures with 4 saves in 4 save opportunities -- figures so impressive that the Nuka World League chose him as its Pitcher of the Month.
During the month, the Gatorclaws bullpen specialist chalked up 4 wins and no losses while compiling a 0.00 ERA. In 12 innings Will Wylde yielded 5 base hits, struck out 5 and walked 2. Opposing batters hit .128 against him.
This season Wylde has notched 4 saves with 25 strikeouts and 18 walks in 57.2 innings while registering a 6.09 ERA and a 5-5 won-lost record.
Pudding Ohnderitz is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest Nuka World League Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers.
In July the Orange hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .394 average with 37 hits, 5 home runs and 17 RBIs.
So far this season Ohnderitz has hit .331 with 8 home runs, 42 RBIs and scored 48 times.
NWL Minors
In the APL, we are entering the last week of the season. In the APL North, the Safari Adventure Gazelles (Wild) have a large enough lead that they should clinch the division soon. In the South, the Grandchester Flying Ants hold a three-game lead.
Tony Sanchez is not used to being associated with Batter of the Month-caliber players, but today the Safari Adventure right fielder joined that select company when the Amusement Park League announced the results of July's voting.
Sanchez totaled 45 hits, 7 walks, 4 home runs, 26 RBIs and 22 runs scored last month to put together a .455 batting average and .495 on-base percentage.
This year Sanchez has hit 19 home runs and posted a .358 batting average.
It was a monstrous July for the Amusement Park League Pitcher of the Month award winner, Wee Hughie of the Grandchester Flying Ants. He put up some mighty scary numbers.
Hughie recorded 4 wins and no losses in 7 starts. Throwing a total of 52.1 innings, he yielded 54 hits, mowed down 24 on strikes, gave up 23 walks and put up a solid ERA of 4.13 in a stellar month on the mound.
This year Hughie has a 8-4 mark in 11 starts with a 4.66 ERA. He has given up 98 hits in 92.2 innings, struck out 54 and issued 41 walks. Opposing clubs have compiled a .275 batting average against him.
The NWLRL season is now complete.
It was all about winning for the Dunmore Ferris Wheels -- and win they did.
There was nothing fancy in how they went about it, players said, they just prepared mentally and physically and then went out and played baseball.
"We did the little things right and we did the big things right," said right fielder Burnt Almada, who was named series MVP. "Now we're the league champions."
Dunmore defeated the Red Rocket Radrats by a score of 7-5 at Blizzard Park to take the series 3-2.
"Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you make your own luck," said Dunmore manager Greg Hammerberg. "We got lucky a few times, but mostly we did the right things by being prepared for each game and playing the game the way it's meant to be played."
At only 18 years of age, Clyde Rawhide could very well have many more months like this last one during his career.
That would be great news for fans of the Nuka Plant Electrics, as July was one to remember for the first baseman and he has captured the NWL Rookie League Batter of the Month award.
On the month he hit .400 with 7 home runs, 12 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
Capping off a whirlwind month in which he went 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA, Shamar Hunt was selected as July's NWL Rookie League Pitcher of the Month today. Reporters caught up with the elated Hubologist Camp starter as he left the clubhouse.
"I know it's difficult for pitchers -- when you have a bad start or two, people start wondering if you've lost it. Then you ride stretches like this one for all you can. You find it easier to come to the park every day because know you're contributing to the club, not just waiting for your turn in the rotation to make up for your last start."
Shamar Hunt definitely contributed to the club. He had 4 starts, throwing 25 innings, striking out 22, and holding the opposition to a .224 average.
Since his debut, Hunt has marked up 12 wins and 5 losses and fashioned an ERA of 3.86. He has fanned 178 batters while pitching 174.2 innings.
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
1 July 2307
Vim! League Update
The Echo Lake Harbormen hold a five-game lead in the Fog Division despite struggling in their last 10 (3-7) to let an eight-game lead dwindle, while the Far Harbor Ghoul Whales have a six-game lead in the Harbor Division. Should the two hold on to their divisional leads, the Vim! Series would be a matchup of the Vim! League's first two champions. Dalton Farm has won the past four championships.
It's perhaps an award he'll win many more times through his career, as at age 23 Angus McGuyver has a lot of baseball ahead of him.
But for now the young Acadia Acadians star can enjoy the numbers he put up in July, which have garnered him the nod as the Vim! League Batter of the Month.
His breakout month featured a .374 average with 14 home runs, 30 RBIs and 27 runs scored.
In 2307 McGuyver has hit at a .326 clip with 94 hits, 28 home runs, 75 RBIs and has scored 56 times.
Vrabe Swenson left little doubt in the minds of Vim! League officials that he should be named July's Pitcher of the Month for his outstanding performance.
"I wasn't always confident at the start of a game," said Swenson. "Sometimes it's hard to get into the flow -- the calls aren't going your way or you're trying to spot your pitches too much. You just have to relax and use what you've been taught all your life -- get back to basics -- good mechanics, control, location, keep the ball down."
The 35-year-old tossed 46.1 innings of quality baseball -- going 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 24 strikeouts.
Presently Swenson has a 6-6 mark in 19 starts with a 3.12 ERA. He has given up 110 hits in 130 innings, struck out 87 and issued 34 walks. Opposing clubs have compiled a .230 batting average against him.
Gladder Questseeker's eyes seem to light up whenever he sees the baseball. The young Grand Hotel first baseman has been hitting everything in sight for the better part of a month.
In July he was voted the Rookie of the Month.
During the month he hit .382 with 4 doubles, 1 triple and 8 home runs. Questseeker also scored 18 times and drove in 21 runs.
This year Questseeker has collected a .397 batting average to date with 104 hits in 262 at-bats, 66 RBIs, 20 home runs and scored 53 times. He has played in 72 games.
In the Mount Desert Island League, the Nucleus Radchickens (Eden Meadows) lead by two games in the Small Bertha Division, while the Eagle's Cove Harpooners (Acadia) lead by three games in the Old Longfellow Division.
Eagle's Cove Harpooners fans believe they've got a talented young star in Jason Lowder.
He did nothing to dissuade that notion in July, as he hit .436 with 11 home runs, 28 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
The end result was the first baseman being named the Mount Desert Island League Batter of the Month.
This season Lowder has hit at a .387 clip with 75 RBIs, 29 home runs and 62 runs scored. He has played in 70 games.
When Oceanarium reliever Steve Commo strolled in from the bullpen in July, it did not bode well for the opposing team. He usually put a quick end to any budding rally. For his excellent mound work he was named the Mount Desert Island League Pitcher of the Month.
The Oceanics reliever had 8 saves for the month with a 0-0 record and 0.75 ERA. He made 12 relief appearances, hurled 12 innings, yielded 5 hits, fanned 17 and walked 5.
In 30 relief appearances this season Commo has chalked up 15 saves with 25 strikeouts in 32 innings, 2-3 won-lost mark and a 3.94 earned run average.
The Pops beat the Pips in the Vim! Rookie Series. The Vim Factory Pops (Echo Lake) were good enough to get past the Longfellow Pips (Cranberry Island) at Gibbons Family Field today and secure the 4th championship in franchise history. They are the only team to ever win the Vim! Rookie Series in the four-year history.
"When you wear Pops on your shirt, you're good at something," Vim Factory skipper Chris Farmman told the press.
Pops second baseman Phil Surrency was named MVP of the series after he went .500 with 1 home run and 6 runs batted in.
"It feels totally incredible," Surrency said. "I could live to 1,000 years old and I'd remember this moment."
The new champions capped off a great season with a 7-2 victory over the Pips to win the Vim! Rookie Series 3-1.
July's Batter of the Month has been announced by the VIM! Rookie League. This month's trophy was presented to the Kitteredge first baseman, Purl Jamme.
He starred by hitting .517 with a .606 on-base percentage, totaled 30 hits in 58 at-bats, 4 home runs, 11 RBIs and scored 19 runs.
Let Segree hasn't been around long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning VIM! Rookie League Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice.
In July the Longfellow starter earned a 3-0 mark in 4 starts. He threw 25.2 innings, struck out 20 and compiled a solid 2.10 ERA.
During his career, Segree has compiled a 9-10 record with a 6.51 ERA in 32 starts.