[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, May 27, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Colfax Blanks Vipers, Castille Winner
The top team in the RU North, the Colfax Blasters, won the first of two against the third place Valmara Vipers. A 37-year-old portsider, Alex Castille did a number on them and shut them out 3-0 at War Memorial Stadium. Castille (5-3 3.26) humbled them on six hits for his second shutout of the season. He fanned four and walked just two in a standout performance. Paul Schoenfeld (3-4 3.95) was almost as good, allowing just three hits and one run in seven innings before going out for a pinchhitter. Schoenfeld had seven Ks and one base on balls. Center fielder Tatsuya Sasaki (.245), right fielder Pat Lott (.258) and shortstop Tommy Stanley (.083) drove in the runs for the Blasters.

The Colfax manager, Clem Rogers, told reporters after the game, "When Castille started out, his command wasn't that good, but he's a tough guy. The more pitches he throws, the better his command is."

"An outstanding job," said the Valmara skipper, J. Jackson Samuel. "We couldn't get anything going. Every time we got a hit, he got out of the jam. He pitched a terrific game."

In 2001 Castille has compiled a 5-3 mark with a 3.26 ERA.

Vipers Split with Blasters on Dubrowski's HR
Little-used catcher Mark Dubrowski (.143) jacked a solo homer into the stands in the seventh inning and gained a split for Valmara against first place Colfax. The Vipers won it 3-2 and got good efforts from starter Zarek Zalewski and reliever Andre Trepanier. Zalewski (6-2 1.82) was looking for his 7th victory, but didn't get it. Wildness got to him and he had to be taken out in the sixth after permitting five hits, two runs, walking four and striking out eight. Trepanier (2-2 4.57) went the rest of the way and got the decision. He surrendered three hits and no runs. Southpaw Harry Manning (5-3 3.40) was the losing pitcher, allowing only five hits in all and striking out four. He went the distance.

Colfax (22-15) is still on top of the heap in the RU North Division and Valmara (20-18) is third and trails them by 2.5 games.

FM's Vaux & Mitchell Shut Out V's 7-0
In Far Mountain, the Redhawks made quick work of Volusia in the opening game of a doubleheader, whacking them 7-0. Vic Vaux and Vance Mitchell teamed up to shutout the Vigilantes on six hits. Vaux (3-1 3.09) worked the first four frames, allowed four hits, but had to leave due to a long rain delay. When play continued, Mitchell (1-0 0.00) picked up where Vaux left off and blanked Volusia the rest of the way on just two hits. Mitchell got credit for the win. The Redhawks ripped 13 hits and were paced by catcher Dave Davis (.336), third baseman Johnny Strickland (.246) and center fielder Hank Gallagher (.282). They each rapped out two hits and drove in two runs. Davis hammered his 4th home run. The losing pitcher was Johnny Szwak (1-1 4.63), who was knocked out in the third after giving up five runs and nine hits.

Redhawks Sweep V's, Take Nightcap 11-5
Second place Far Mountain moved closer to Colfax in the RU North with a double win over the Volusia Vigilantes. The Redhawks roared past the V's in the nightcap 11-5 on the strength of 14 hits, sparked by left fielder Gerald Davis, who homered with the bases loaded in the 7-run fifth inning. Going into the inning, Hank Massey had blanked them 2-0 on just one hit. Shortstop Joey Cannizzaro (.326) and right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.299) chipped in two hits and two RBIs apiece and first baseman Royce Benson (.319) cracked three hits and scored twice. Sonny Elliott (6-3 2.51) worked hard for the victory, surrendering ten hits and five runs prior to running out of gas in the ninth. Massey (2-6 4.25) suffered the defeat. Leading the Vigilantes at bat were shortstop Scooter Perez (.363) with 3-for-5 and two runs scored and left fielder Jesus Arroyo (.269) with two hits and two RBIs.

Far Mountain (22-17) gained a game on first place Colfax (22-15) and is now within a game of the top spot in the division. Volusia (16-23) is in a last place tie with Elnora (16-23).

All-Stars Barely Beat A's 4-3
In Glasco the visiting Elnora All-Stars edged the hometown Athletics 4-3 in the first game of a twinbill. Young Sean Sykes (6-2 4.15) hurled a complete game, stopping them on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Only left fielder Ox Beauvais (.381) made it close with a two-run swat in the last of the ninth. Elnora's top batters were left fielder Quincy Peterson, also with a two-run salvo, and third baseman Richie Franklin with three hits and an RBI. Sykes (.167) added an RBI into the mix. Ernie McCain (2-3 3.26) was pinned with the loss. He worked into the eighth and permitted only four hits and two runs, just one of them earned. But he had control problems and walked five. McCain fanned eight.

Glasco and Elnora Split Pair
The Glasco A's pulled off a great rally to knock off Elnora in the nightcap 3-2 and split the twinbill. The Athletics tied it 2-2 in the last of the ninth and then won it in the tenth on Nick O'Neill's (.333) bases-loaded single with two away. Glasco had a wide edge in hits with 13 to the All-Stars 6, but had trouble getting runs. Closer Ray Cook (1-2 1.40) came on in the tenth and collared the win with a scoreless inning, while his counterpart, Wally Tidwell (0-3 3.04), walked his way to defeat by giving up three bases on balls, plus O'Neill's game-winning hit.

Elnora (16-23) is now tied for last place with Volusia (16-23). The Glasco Athletics (18-18) are fourth in the RU South standings.