Sunday, October 14, 2091
HARTSDALE HALTS SOUTH FORK IN SURPRISE IN IPA ROUND ONE PLAYOFFS
FOREST CITY, LAGRANGE AND LA CLAIRE ALSO ADVANCE
#5-rated Hartsdale upset #1-ranked South Fork in the IPA First Round action, #2 Forest City whipped #8 Claxton in a hotly-contested 7-game series, #3 La Claire survived a 7-game set with #4 Summerland and #6 LaGrange bested #7 Marston in another red-hot 7-game affair.
Tycobbian Union First Round Review
HELLCATS STAFF STIFLES STALLIONS
Hartsdale corralled the favored South Fork Stallions in a quick 5-game series with splendid pitching and timely hitting. The Hellcats won the first two games on the road, winning both games 5-2. South Fork copped game three 3-2 in Hartsdale, only to have the Hellcats wrapped up the series with 4-0 and 11-9 victories at home in games four and five.
Hartsdale hurlers stood out, sparked by starters Dandy DeBusshere (1-0/2.70 ERA/2 starts/10 IP), Darren Peabody (1-0/1.86 ERA/1 start/5 IP) and Bennie Frye (0-0/0.00 ERA/one start/5 IP). The middle relief was good, led by Spats Baham (0-0/0.00 ERA/3 saves/6 IP/4 games) and Mitch Womack (1-0/1.29 ERA/4 games/7 IP). Closer Kurt Schnell (1-0/9.00 ERA/4 games/6 IP) struggled. Top hitters were Calvin Mannon (.350 BA/7-20/1 HR/3 RBI/4 R), Scottie Deutsch (.286 BA/6-21/2 RBI/2 R), Delton Gunn (.333 BA/6-18/2 RBI/4 R), Jorah Hladki (.300 BA/6-20/2 HR/6 RBI/4 R), Bill MacPherson (.316 BA/6-19/4 RBI/2 R) and Wayne Gervais (.294 BA/5-17/3 RBI/3 R).
Owen Frank (0-0/0.00 ERA/1 start/5 IP) gave the Stallions their only strong start. Lee Mantle (0-0) was good in the bullpen with 3 appearances and a 1.80 ERA. Otherwise the South Fork staff floundered. Only Tommy Leduc (.400 BA/8-20/3 RBI/4 R) and Silas Leeuwenhoek (.333 BA/6-18/3 RBI/4 R) wielded good bats. The Hartsdale pitching corps silenced the rest of the lineup.
LA CLAIRE RALLIES AND OUTLASTS SUMMERLAND IN 7 GAMES
It looks like the series was over after three games, all won by the La Claire Lynx 3-0, 12-3 and 6-3. But Summerland did not roll over and ride off into the sunset. The Sunsets made the Lynx sweat by taking the next three games with fine pitching 1-0, 6-0 and 5-3. La Claire rebounded and got a great complete-game performance from Roger Arenado (2-0/1.17 ERA/2 starts/15 IP) in the game-seven finale at home and won 3-0. He also won game three 6-3. La Claire also got quality work from starters Don Bartels (1-1/3.00 ERA/2 starts/15 IP), Shuggie Garsett (1-0/3.38 ERA/2 starts/13 IP) and Clayton Benedix (0-1/1.12 ERA/1 start/8 IP). Rick Gautreau (0-0/2.25 ERA/2 games/4 IP) did well in middle relief, while closer Erich Richthofen (0-1/5.79 ERA/1 save/3 games/5 IP) was not effective.
Leading the La Claire hit parade were Rick Wall (.360 BA/9-25/3 RBI/2 R), Dennis Culpepper (.320 BA/8-25/1 HR/5 RBI/2 R), David Glascock (.250 BA/7-28/2 HR/5 RBI/6 R), Gino Manda (.350 BA/7-20/1 HR/4 RBI/1 R), Judah Pickens (.250 BA/7-28/2 RBI/5 R) and Howie Ellenberger (.250 BA/6-24/1 HR/6 RBI/5 RBI). Manda was injured in the series and may not return for a week or two.
Summerland suffered a devastating loss when ace Gary Glanville (19-7/2.74 ERA) was lost with a back injury in game four. Paul Pegram (1-1/1.80 ERA/2 starts/15 IP) did his best to pick up the slack, but he got no help from the other starters Ruben Jans (0-2/6.39 ERA/2 starts/13 IP) and Wes Warrick (0-1/7.88 ERA/1 start/8 IP). Closer Bubba Byers (2-0/1.29 ERA/4 games/7 IP) thrived in the series. Quality middle relief was provided by Reg Atherton (0-0/3.00 ERA/1 save/6 IP) and Duke Snijder (0-0/1 save/3 games/3 IP).
Only Norris Chance (.345 BA/10-29/0 RBI/4 R), Boogie Bonham (.269 BA/7-26/4 RBI/2 R) and Gerrit Maas (.250 BA/7-28/1 HR/4 RBI/3 R) provided any offense for the Sunsets. The La Claire staff handled Summerland very well at the plate.
Ruthlandian Union First Round Recap
FAVORED FOREST CITY TRIUMPHS OVER VALIANT CLAXTON IN 7 GAMES
Yes indeed, the favored Forest City Firebirds knew they were in a series. Claxton won the opener 5-3 and then fought valiantly the rest of the series, only to fall 6-3 in the seventh game. Most of the games were decided in the late innings. The Firebirds evened the series in game two with 5-1 victory, then took a one-game lead, knocking off the Diamonds 6-4. Claxton knotted it up in the fourth game 5-3, only to lose the lead in game five to the Firebirds 4-3. Game six went to the spunky Diamonds 6-2, thus forcing a decisive seventh game.
Forest City exploded for 4 runs in the last of the sixth in game seven to snap a 2-2 tie with three doubles off loser Adriaan Bakker (0-1/7.15 ERA). Big Boy Walker (2-0/2.77 ERA) fired a solid game and did not allow an earned run in his 6 innings.
Fuzz Smiley (.321 BA) sparked the Forest City attack with 8-29 at the plate with one homer, 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored. Jurgen Borgmann (.276 BA/8-29/2 HR/6 RBI/5 R), Milt Moncriffe (.296 BA/8-27/1 HR/4 RBI/5 R), Brodie Northern (.267 BA/8-30/1 HR/2 RBI/2 R), and Tony Benedetti (.389 BA/7-18/2 RBI/1 R). Clete Ward (.233 BA/7-30) also had a productive series with a homer, 2 ribbies and 4 runs scored.
The top twirlers for the Firebirds were starters Big Boy Walker (2-0/2.77 ERA/2 starts/13 IP) and Matty O'Mara (0-0/3.65 ERA/2 starts/3.65 ERA/12 IP). Thomas Tate (14-6/3.30 ERA) and Robbie Matthews (7-3/2.02 ERA) did not fare well against Claxton. Closer Curt Leininger (1-0/1.12 ERA/1 save/5 games/8 IP) was a standout, along with middle relief Craig Ballantyne (1-0/0.00 ERA/3 games/5 IP).
Claxton was paced by fine plate performances by Arnfried Beckenbauer (.412 BA/14-34/7 RBI/2 R), Pokie McBryde (.375 BA/9-24/1 HR/1 RBI/5 R/9 BB/4 SB), and Vincent Vos (.286 BA/8-28/3 RBI/3 R). They did well against the superior pitching of Forest City.
Diamond starters Tony Bickham (1-0/2.45 ERA/1 start/7 IP), Monty Maples (0-0/3.46 ERA/2 start, 1 RA/13 IP) and Irv Dawkins (1-1/3.86 ERA/2 starts/16 IP) kept the series close. Middle relief did pretty well with Riivo Possos (0-0/0.00 ERA/1 save/5 IP), Willie Wills (1-0/0.00 ERA/1 game/3 IP) and Johan Timmerman (0-1/3.18 ERA/4 games/6 IP).
GATORS EKE OUT 7-GAME VICTORY IN HARD-FOUGHT SERIES WITH SPUNKY NINE
Boy, what a series!
All seven games were decided by two runs or less. Favorite LaGrange won the first two with superb pitching at home, both by the scores 2-0. The series switched to Marston where the Nine won the next three in their friendly confines 5-4, 4-2 and 1-0. Solid pitching did it. The homefield advantage paid off for the Gators as they continued with splendid mound work and copped the series four games to three by nabbing the last two games 5-2 and 2-0.
Lordy mercy, the entire series was about pitching. Both staff were excellent. Not one pitcher actually had a bad series. LaGrange was marvelous on the mound with Andre Dujardin (2-0/1.20 ERA/2 starts/15 IP), Bucky Erdmann (1-0/0.00 ERA/2 starts/13 IP) and Jules Dufour (0-1/1.50 ERA/1 start/6 IP) and Jules Le Royer (1-1/0.53 ERA/2 starts/17 IP). The Gators rarely had to go to a reliever. When they did, Julius Hauer (0-1/1.29 ERA/2 saves/4 games/7 IP) came through in 3 of his 4 appearances. The only run he allowed was a game-losing solo homer.
Heading up the LaGrange lineup were Evon Layton (.444 BA/12-27/1 HR/3 HR/3 R), Charley Gray (.333 BA/9-27/3 RBI/3 R) and Lenny Lang (.348 BA/8-23/3 RBI/3 R).
Marston lost the series because they just couldn't put any runs on the scoreboard. Glen Chatsworth (.240 BA/6-35/2 RBI/4 R), Billy Graham (.261 BA/6-23/1 HR/3 RBI/2 R) and Tarmo Juczyk (.227 BA/5-22/1 HR/4 RBI/3 R) were the best of the bad. Nobody was really good at the plate. That how much the LaGrange staff dominated them.
You have really got to compliment the Marston moundsters. They, too, shined brightly most of the series. Remember the Gators are one of the best offenses in the Islandian Pro Alliance. Yet the Nine almost won the series. Hats off to Jayzy Stecko (1-1/1.42 ERA/2 starts/13 IP), Mal McElroy (0-1/2.84 ERA/2 starts/13 IP) and Merle Dubbins (0-2/3.55 ERA/2 starts/13 IP). Dubbins had the worst stats of any pitchers on either squad. His two losses were 2-0 and 5-2. That's not shabby pitching. He only gave up 2 runs and 3 runs in the defeats.
Yeah, buddy, the first round was really exciting. Just look at what is coming up in round two. The Ruthlandian Union Title Series will feature the #6-ranked LaGrange Gators taking on the #2-rated Forest City Firebirds, while the matchup in the Tycobbian Union Title Series is just as attractive. It will be the #3 La Claire Lynx against the #5 Hartsdale Hellcats. The Firebirds and the Lynx have the homefield advantage in the best-of-seven series.
