ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Post deleted.

[Eugene Church]

Post deleted.

[Eugene Church]

Deleted post.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, May 7, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU North Division

FM Slips by Vipers in Extra Innings
It was a battle royale as Far Mountain and Valmara seesawed back and forth until the Redhawks were finally victorious in the tenth inning 9-8. CF Hawk Gallagher plated RF Gerald Davis from second with an RBI single to decide it. Vincent Moore picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief, Andre Trepagnier(1-1) was stuck with the loss. It was the Redhawks third consecutive triumph. Both clubs hit the ball hard with 14 hits apiece. They tied the mark for most home runs in a game with seven. Far Mountain unloaded three of them, while the Vipers hit four. 3B Johnny Stickland, Gerald Davis and LF Joe Leroux all connected. Strickland and Leroux each drove in three runs. Rickey O'Reilly hit two for Valmara and had 4 RBIs. C Yoshi Motsuzuki and 2B Floyd Vinson also homered. Cape Coral and Hartsdale hit seven between them on April 24. The most by one team is held by Claxton. The Diamonds slammed six against Sugar Valley on April 22.

Far Mountain is now 9-8 on the year and tied for third place with Colfax. while Valmara slipped to 10-7 and sits in the second spot in the RBU North, trailing first place Glasco (11-5) by 1.5 games. Glasco and Colfax had the day off.

Late Scores Win It for V's
The Volusia Vigilantes came from a 3-0 deficit over the last three innings to edge Elnora 4-3. SS Scooter Perez blasted a game-winning double in the last of the ninth to win it. Reliever Ricky Moreno (1-0) collected the victory with two scoreless innings, while Wally Tidwell (0-1) blew a save and was tagged with the loss. The V's won despite being outhit 14 to 7.

It was the All-Stars (6-11) fourth defeat in a row. Elnora is in fifth place in the RBU North. Volusia (6-12) is in last place, 6 games behind the division-leading Glasco Athletics (11-5).

RBU South Division

Hutchinson Fires 5-Hitter at Rattlers
Lefthander Buddy Hutchinson (2-2) fashioned a 5-1 victory over first place Sugar Valley at Riverside Stadium in Forest City. He struck out six, walked none and limited the Rattlers to just five hits. LF Chuck Hill and 2B Joe Wolf poled homers. Hill's was a 3-run shot and Wolf's a solo job. The Lumberjacks jumped on Tony Michelet (1-2) for four runs in the third inning to pin the loss on him.

Forest City (8-9) sits in fifth place, while Sugar Valley (10-7) is still in the top spot in the RBU South Division. Second place Marston (9-8) and Belair Beach (9-8) were not scheduled today.

Diamonds Shine in 8-7 Win over Westerners
Claxton turned an easy win into a tough one as they just barely hung on to beat Waleska 8-7. Skipper Stacy Engel almost went too long with his starter Tetsunori Nagashima. The Diamonds took an 8-2 lead into the ninth and almost didn't survive the 5-run uprising. Nakashima (4-1) allowed 8 hits and 7 runs with six strikeouts and two walks for his 4th win of the year. With the tying run on third, Alex Vanzetti came in from the bullpen and got the last out for his first save.
RF Dixie Baker led the Claxton charge with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. He was a perfect 4-for-4 with two homers and a double. 3B Keith Olsen added two hits and two RBIs, including a roundtripper. RF Big Hoss Burkhalter and CF Rick Vaughn both cracked home runs for the Westerners.

The Diamonds are 7-10 and in last place in the RBU South, 3 games out of first place. Fifth place Waleska dropped to 8-9 and two games behind Sugar Valley (10-7).

TBU East Division

Ozarka Skins the Hellcats 3-0
Naturals manager Joe Mack Carney promoted Yasuyuki Nakagawa to the starting rotation and it immediately paid diviidends -- The chubby righthander shut out Hartsdale 3-0 on just three hits for their fourth straight victory. The crafty Nakagawa (3-0) only fanned one and walked three as he confused the Hellcats throughout the game. Losing pitcher Danny Griffin (2-3) only made one mistake and it cost him the game -- he served up a three-run homer to 3B Doug Cunningham in the fifth inning. It was Cunningham's 7th roundtripper.

Ozarka (10-7) gained a half-game on the idle Cape Coral Hurricanes (11-6), who are in first place in the TBU East. The Naturals trail them by one game. Hartsdale (9-7) is in the third spot in the standings, 1.5 games off the pace.

SF Take Ginza in 10 Innings 3-2
In a very well-pitched game South Fork got the best of Ginza 3-2 in ten innings and ended a four-game losing streak. However, the Ninjas lost it because of two walks, a hitsbatsman and a bunt single. Reliever Alex Sasek forced in the winning run when he walked 3B Glenn Holliday with the bases loaded. He also gave up a bunt single to fill the bases, just prior to the walk. Up until the last inning the pitching had been masterful. Stallion closer Glenn Turnbull (3-0) got the win with a 1-2-3 inning, while Ninja starter Kazuhiro Nakayama (1-3) was the loser, Nakayama allowed three runs on nine hits, fanned three and walked just one, but wildness in the tenth was his downfall. Ken Olson started for South Fork and went seven strong innings, gave up only two runs and six hits. Ken Conner worked a scoreless eighth and ninth and then yielded the mound to Turnbull.

It was South Fork's sixth win in eighteen games and Ginza's ninth loss. The Ninjas have won eight times.

TBU West Division

Lynx Nose Out Bucs
Dominic Valmont's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth gave first place La Claire a hard-earned 4-3 decision over last place Bay St. Clair. The winning pitcher was Jerry Smith (4-0), who copped his 4th win of the season. Smith fired eight solid innings, yielded eight hits and three runs. The Lynx's went to their fine closer Monoto Kishata to get the last three outs. It was his fourth save, but the Buccaneers mounted a threat and had the tying and winning runs on base, before he closed it out. Both clubs had ten hits in the game. La Claire's left fielder Rich Hart boomed his 7th homer in the fourth frame putting the Lynx up 3-1. Bay St. Clair knotted it up with runs in the seventh and eighth. 2B Tony Mann and PH Stan Denton drove in the runs. Reliever Ben Crowley (1-1) pitched the ninth and caught the loss.

La Claire (13-5) has the best record in the IPA and is the top team in the TBU West. The Buccaneers (5-12) have lost their last three and are in last place.

Viks Rally Late, Top Frogs in 11
Bayview's Glenn Burns doubled home the go-ahead run in the eleventh to beat the Fairfax Frogs 5-4. Strong relief pitching save the day for the Vikings. Four pitchers combined to hold the Frogs scoreless the last three innings. Adrian Strom (2-1), normally a starter, was pressed into service by manager Walter Johanssen and notched the win. Takehide Takahashi (1-1) not only blew a save, but he got stuck with the loss, too. He gave up three runs in three innings and failed to hold a 4-2 lead in the ninth. Leading the Bayview 13-hit attack were shortstop Shorty Richards with 3-for-5 and two RBIs and first baseman Dwayne Coleman with two RBIs.

Fairfax slipped into a second place tie with the Arlon Champions, both are 9-8 this season and trail the TBU West leader La Claire by 3.5 games. Bayview is in third, 4 games off the pace.

Arlon and Blue Lake took the day off. The Blue Sox (7-10) are in fifth place and are 5.5 games in back of La Claire.

[Eugene Church]

I forgot to post the Players of the Week.

The Islandian Times

April 30, 2001

Tycobbian Names #1 Player
Cape Coral second baseman Roberto Betancourt won the TBU Player of the Week Award. He racked up 10 hits in 25 at-bats with 5 home runs and 11 RBIs for the week.

Betancourt set an IPA record for 3 homers and 8 RBIs in a game in the 13-7 thrashing of Ozarka.

So far this season he is hitting .313.

Ruthlandian Union Announces Week's Top Player
Belair Beach's catcher Denny Everhart hit everything in sight and was voted the RBU Player of the Week. he batted .522 for the week (12-23) with 4 home runs, 10 RBIs and 6 runs scored.

Everhart is batting .362 this season.

May 7, 2001

Week's #1 Player Honored by TBU
Gregg Vincent, Fairfax's slugging first sacker, captured the TBU Player of the Week Award with a .364 batting average (12-33). His stats for the week included 4 roundtrippers, 9 RBIs and 8 runs scored.

Thus far this year Vincent has hit at a .290 clip with 20 hits, 9 homers and 22 RBIs.

Red-hot Rampage Reaps RBU Reward
The RBU Player of the Week honors went to Elnora's hard-hitting second baseman, Gil Foster. He compiled a .500 batting average (13-26) with 2 homers, 5 RBIs and scored 9 times.

Overall in 2001, Foster has hit .491 with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs. He has played in 16 games and scored 14 runs.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 8, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU North Division

Colfax Tightens RBU North Race
In a big battle of RBU North contenders the third place Colfax Blasters broke open a tight game with a three-run ninth to beat first place Glasco 6-2. Flash Guidry (2-3) the division's top strikeout artist, fanned 7, walked only one and spread out 10 hits to defeat the A's. Lefty Charles Darby (2-1) was the loser as he allowed 9 hits and 3 runs in seven innings of work. His relief, Jeremiah McDonald, was jolted for a trio of runs in the ninth. The big blow of the inning was a two-run blast by Dennis Cole, his 5th of the year. Colfax unleashed 13 hits and were paced by LF Blinky Brandon with 3-for-5 and 3 RBIs, 2B Tucker Hill 4-for-5, including 2 doubles with 2 runs scored and an RBI and CF Tatsuya Sasaki, who went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles.

Glasco (11-6) is still in first with Valmara (11-7) and Colfax (10-8) close by.

Zalewski Wins 4th Straight
Two of the best hurlers in the IPA were pitted against one another today at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara. Zarek Zalewski was on the hill for the homestanding Vipers and Sonny Elliott for the Far Mountain Redhawks. Zalewski (4-0) was just too good. He fanned 7 batters and blanked the Redhawks 3-0 on just four hits for his 4th victory of the season. Elliott tossed a good game and in seven innnings allowed three runs and eight hits in defeat. Floyd Vinson, Jan Kazmarek and Jan Szymanski each drove in a run with Kazmarek's coming on a homer. Zalewski completely overwhelmed Far Mountain and snapped their three-game win skein. The Redhawks got into scoring position only twice in the contest.

The Vipers (11-7) inched up to within a half-game of first place Glasco (11-6), while Far Mountain (9-9) dropped to the fourth spot and 2.5 games back in the tight RBU North Division.

V's Outslug All-Stars
It was a wild game at Silver River Stadium in Volusia. The hometown Vigilantes shot out to a 7-0 lead after five innings, Elnora rallied and evened it up at 7-7 after seven, then Volusia exploded in the eighth to make it 11-7 and they just barely hung on when the All-Stars came back with three in the ninth, But they fell short and lost it 11-10 to the V's. The teams set a new IPA mark for most doubles in a game with 9. Volusia has 6 and Elnora had 3. The old mark was 7. LF Jesus Arroyo led the slugfest with three hits and four RBIs, including a double and a home run. Scooter Perez hammered out four hits in 5 tries with 3 of them doubles. Perez tied the doubles record. He scored twice and drove in two. Lonnie Howard also had a pair of RBIs for the Vigilantes. Johnny Zumwalt went 4-for-5 for the All-Stars, while Harry Wright and Will Jackson each drove in three runs. There wasn't much pitching to speak of, but somebody had to get the win and somebody had to get the loss. Lenny Collins (1-0) was the winner and Stevie Howard (0-1) lost it.

The triumph moved Volusia (7-12) out of last place in the RBU South, a half-game in front of Elnora (6-12), who was beaten for the fifth time in a row.

RBU South Division

Marston Moves into First Place Tie
The winner of the game knew they would move up into a first place tie with the Sugar Valley Rattlers. And when the dust cleared from the diamond at Bayside Park in Belair Beach, the Marston Nine walked off the field with a 7-4 victory. Nick Pace (3-2) was the winning pitcher in spite of walking six batters. He only gave up four hits in seven innings and only two runs and left with a 6-2 lead. His relief Kenny Bagby got into trouble and was jolted around for two runs in the eighth until Milt Wilson came in and saved it. Johnny Berthold sparked the Nine offense with a homer, sac fly and 3 RBIs and Eddie Allen had three hits and two RBIs. The Sunbirds Dirk Garrett (1-4) absorbed the loss. Marston pounded him for 6 runs and 8 hits before he exited in the sixth. Nicky Swift clouted his 7th home run for Belair Beach.

Marston (10-8) is now the RBU South co-leader with Sugar Valley (10-8) and the Sunbirds (9-9) are in a second place tie with Forest City, a game out of first.

'Jacks Edge Rattlers in 11
Forest City scored five unanswered times to rally for a 6-5 extra-inning win over Sugar Valley. The Lumberjacks recovered from a 5-1 deficit after four innings to win in the eleventh. Closer Gregg Neal (1-2) walked Chuck Hill with the bases loaded to send the first place Rattlers down to defeat. It was the fifth walk in the game for Hill, a new IPA mark. In all, Sugar Valley issued 11 walks, which toppled the old record set by Far Mountain on April 27. Hill and Benny Davis paced Forest City with 2 RBIs apiece. Davis got his on a two-run homer, number 5 on the year. Ricky Mitchell also slammed one for the 'Jacks. Cy Bartz doubled in two runs for Sugar Valley and pitcher Ron Benson slapped a two-run homer.
Forest City got excellent relief work from Herm Bahr, Glenn Moore and winning pitcher Timmy Brooks (1-0). They held the Rattlers to just one hit over the last 7 innings.

Sugar Valley is still atop the RBU South and tied with Marston, both have a 10-8 mark. Forest City evened their record at 9-9, just one game out of first place.

Westerners Eke Out 11-Inning Win
The Waleska Westerners made the tightly-bunched RBU South even tighter with an 11-inning win over Claxton at Avalon Stadium. Manager McGraw Johnson's ballclub is tied for second with Forest City and Belair Beach, just one game out of first. 1B Freddie Shelton was the hero with a game-winning two-run double off loser Chris Gallagher (0-2). That gave Andrei Marsiske (2-0) the victory. Shelton led Waleska with three RBIs and LF Charley Williamson rapped a two-run roundtripper. The Diamonds outhit the Westerners 16 to 12 with LF Winky Rush heading the list with three doubles and two RBIs and 2B Donny McCoy chalked up three hits, including a pair of doubles and two RBIs.

Waleska (10-10) is tied with the Forest City Lumberjacks (9-9) and Belair Beach Sunbirds (9-9) for second place, one game in back of Sugar Valley (10-8) and Marston (10-8).

[DreamTeams]

You've got a fine league going, Eugene. I'm enjoying following along. Keep up the great work.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by DreamTeams

You've got a fine league going, Eugene. I'm enjoying following along. Keep up the great work.

DreamTeams, you are my idol. The Metro League inspired me to create my dream league.

Thanks for the nice words.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 8, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU East Division

CC's Robinson Too Much for Z's
37-year-old vet Wally Robinson of Cape Coral pitched another jewel as he three-hit the Luxora Zorros 4-1. Robinson (4-1) snagged his fourth win of the year and finished up with 6 strikeouts and a pair of walks. It was the Hurricanes fifth straight victory and the Z's fourth consecutive defeat. On the losing side of the ledger was youngster Keith Callahan (1-2). The 20-year-old righthander had a decent outing, yielding 4 runs and 6 hits in 8 innings. Callahan walked only one and whiffed 6. Home runs cost him the game as first baseman Rodger Wooten, left fielder Rich Kelly and second baseman Roberto Betancourt accounted for all the runs.

Cape Coral (12-6) remains in first place in the TBU East with Luxora (7-10) in the fifth spot, four game behind the leader.

Hellcats No Match for Hatch
Ozarka is on a roll. The Naturals have won five in a row with their latest victim being the Hartsdale Hellcats. Luther Hatch (4-1) whipped them 6-2 on a solid 6-hitter. Hatch chalked up his fourth win this season and had 6 strikeouts and one walk. Ozarka walloped three homers off loser Glenn Mann (2-2), who gave up only 4 hits, but was tagged for 4 runs in six innings. Second baseman Duane Starr, left fielder Ronnie Patterson and shortstop Gil Lantz all belted roundtrippers. In a lost cause second baseman Francisco Abreu got his 7th homer this year.

The Naturals (11-7) kept pace with first place Cape Coral (12-6) in the TBU East Division and trail them by only one game. The Hellcats (9-8) are 2.5 games out and are in the third spot in the standings.

Holliday Grand Slam Hammers Ninjas
It has been a frustrating season for South Fork third sacker Glenn Holliday -- but not today -- he did what he is paid to do -- drive in runs. Holliday is batting only .234, but sent one into orbit with the bases full of South Fork Stallions to whack Ginza 6-2 today at Jock Ewing Stadium. He hit it off losing pitcher Vic Rousakis, who had a dismal day, giving up 4 hits and 6 runs in just 2 innings. The winner for the Stallions was Flint Battle (3-2). He stopped the Ninjas on 7 hits and went the route.

Ginza (8-10) is in fourth place in the TBU East, four games out of first place, while South Fork (7-12) is still in last place.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Tuesday, May 8, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU West Division

West Brilliant, Fans 13 Champs
Blue Lake's Bennie West (3-2) made chumps out of the Arlon Champs today at Derby Downs. He fanned 13 of them and held them to just two hits in a brilliant 2-0 shutout. The only runs in the game came in the top of the first when center fielder Donnie Frazier pounded a two-run homer. Arlon's Ace Howe (1-2) toiled 8 innings and only allowed four hits. He struck out six and walked two in a fine, but losing performance.

"You know what he's going to throw. You know what to expect. And you still can't hit it," the Arlon skipper told reporters after the shutout loss. "He just had a real deceiving fastball today and he was throwing it for strikes."

West tied the record for the most strikeouts in a game. He and Ozarka's Luther Hatch now share the IPA record with 13. He also matched the mark for fewest hits allowed. Gary Fountain of Cape Coral also held South Fork to just two hits on May 5th.

Currently West has a record of 3-2 with 31 strikeouts and 10 walks in 41.1 innings and a 1.52 ERA.

The Blue Sox (8-10) are in the fifth spot in the TBU West and Arlon (9-9) is third. The Champions trail first place La Claire by 3.5 games.

Bucs Upend Lynx 5-1
First place La Claire ran into some good pitching from Bay St. Clair's Norm Gross and bit the dust 5-1. Gross (3-2) fired a strong game, holding the Lynx to six hits with six strikeouts and just one base on balls to end the Bucs three-game losing streak. Shortstop Chuck Hankins led the Buccaneers with a 3-for-4 day, including a homer, triple and four RBIs. The losing pitcher was starter Nickie Baumgartner (1-3). He went seven innings and allowed seven hits and three runs.

Even with the loss, La Claire (13-6) still has a good lead in the TBU West Division. The Lynx are up by 2.5 games over second place Fairfax. Bay St. Clair (6-12) is in the basement and 6.5 games out.

Frogs Blast Vikings Behind Dalton
Four homers, 14 hits and dandy pitching by Jimmy Dalton was more than enough for Fairfax to beat the Bayview Vikings 9-2. Dalton (2-1) chunked a nice five-hitter and chalked up five strikeouts and three walks. He was also well-supported by right fielder Gregg Vincent, who went 3-5 with his 10th homer and 2 RBIs, while shortstop Warren Lee was 3-5 with his 3rd homer and 2 RBIs. Center fielder Billy Echevarria and catcher Rich Kelly chipped in their first roundtrippers of the season. The Vikings only punch came from first sacker Duane Coleman. He cracked two more out of the park to give him an IPA-high of 11 home runs.
Loser Mike Jardoin (0-2) didn't last long, gave up five runs and six hits and left in the third inning.

The Frogs (10-8) picked up a game on first place La Claire (13-6) and are 2.5 games off the pace. Bayview (9-10) is fourth in the TBU West standings, four games behind.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

GLASCO ATHLETICS

Owner: Great Aberdeen Granite Company
GM/Manager: McDuffie Hughes

Glasco is a seaport town of 81,000 on the northwest coast of Ruthlandia, resting on a peninsula jutting out into Valdar Bay. It is known for offshore oil, shipping, shipbuilding, seafood and granite industries. Glasco was settled by Scots and is a prosperous cosmopolitan community. It is a historical old town with a beautiful skyline with centuries old granite structures, replete with quaint stone bridges and gates and numerous canals and waterways. Granite has been quarried in the area for well over a hundred years. A unique aspect of Glasco is the Heritage Trail, a painted green and blue line (colors taken from the town’s coat of arms) on ancient brick sidewalks that connects all the history of the town and serves as a walking tour. Historical markers retrace all the important events in the town’s history. One can see the past and the present on the Heritage Trail. Glasco’s gaslight district is known for its premier dining, shopping and entertainment.

It is also home of the Glasco Athletics. The A’s have a long history of amateur baseball sponsored many years by the Aberdeen Granite Company. Now the professional ball club is owned by the Great Aberdeen Granite Company and plays in the Ruthlandia Baseball Union North Division of the Islandian Pro Alliance.

Glasco plays at beautiful Athletics Field overlooking scenic Valdar Bay. It is one of the newest parks in the Islands, finished just in time for the 2001 inaugural IPA season. The right field wall is made of solid granite, and the team’s green and blue colors are proudly taken from the town's coat of arms. When the Glasconians take the seventh inning stretch, they begin with kilted Highlanders playing the traditional “Take me out to the ballgame” on bagpipes and end up by singing it all in unison with a wee bit of a Scottish brogue. Traditional ballpark fare and epicurean dishes are served at the concessions stands. Scottish delicacies like haggis (it’s great until you find out what’s in it) and hotch-potch (a sumptuous stew) are offered, along with many fine Scottish ales. And if Scottish dishes are not your cup of tea, traditional baseball foods and drink are provided, too.

McDuffie Hughes is the GM and manager of the Glasco Athletics. He was a fine outfielder for the Aberdeen Granites, one of the premier industrial teams in Ruthlandia. He played for the company, then after his playing days were over, managed the team. And still does, now that they have gone pro.

Athletics Field (2000)

Capacity: 9,500

Dimensions:
LF Line 327
LF 350
LCF 375
CF 405
RCF 370
RF 350
RF Line 330

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU North Division

A's Clip Colfax 3-2
Kenny Metcalf came to the rescue of starter Ernie McCain in the Glasco 3-2 victory over Colfax at Athletics Field. He tossed two innings of hitless ball to nail down the save, his first of the season. McCain (2-0) got credit for the win. He pitched into the seventh, yielding nine hits and both runs. Alex Castille (3-1) caught the loss for the Blasters, although he deserved better. Castille hurled seven innings and allowed only one earned run and left trailing 3-1. Right fielder Jose Valenzuela and second baseman Barry McCord each had two hits and two RBIs for the Athletics.

Glasco (12-6) protected their narrow half-game lead over second place Valmara (12-7). The A's are on top of the RBU North standings, while Colfax (10-9) held on to third place, 2.5 games behind.

Vipers Rout Redhawks
The Valmara Vipers went on a 16-hit rampage and routed the Far Mountain Redhawks 10-3, snapping their three-game winning streak. Todd Turner (3-2) went the distance for the win, scattering 9 hits and striking out 7. First baseman Yank Jankowski ripped a grand slam and drove in 5 runs to spark the Vipers. Shortstop Mike Ellefsen banged out 3 hits in 4 at-bats with two RBIs and two runs scored. Left fielder Louis Sharp also contributed 3 hits. Valmara tied the IPA record with three triples in the game. Belair Beach set the record on May 4. The Redhawks turned three double plays to tie the league record. There were five in the game and this also tied the league mark.

The Vipers (12-7) are in second place in the RBU North and Far Mountain (9-10) is sitting in fourth place.

Elnora Nips Volusia V's
Third baseman Richie Franklin walloped a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning off Lenny Collins to spark the Elnora All-Stars to 7-5 victory over Volusia. Sean Sykes (3-1) walked away a winner with the help of closer Wally Tidwell, who clamped down on the Vigilantes and retired them in order in the last two frames for his initial save of the season. The All-Stars outhit the V's nine to seven. Franklin, second baseman Gil Foster and catcher Todd Simons all pushed across two runs. Chaco Rivera, second sacker for Volusia, had three RBIs. The losing pitcher was Lenny Collins (1-1).

The Elnora All-Stars (7-12) put an end to their five-game losing streak and pushed Volusia (7-13) into the cellar.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wesnesday, May 9, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU South Division

Lumberjacks Cut Down Sugar Valley
Forest City pounded Sugar Valley 9-5 at Riverside Stadium. Leading the hit barrage was second sacker Jesse Wolf with six RBIs and three hits, including a pair of roundtrippers. Wolf has hit 6 this year. Also contributing to the rout was center fielder Ryan Morse with three hits and four runs scored and left fielder Chuck Hill with three hits. Catcher Paul Bailey clouted a three-run homer for the Rattlers.
Gene Stuart (2-1) tossed a complete game, but it was rough going for the first five innings. He surrendered five runs in five innings, but settled down and blanked Sugar Valley the rest of the game. Overall Stuart permitted nine hits, fanned five and walked only one. Phil Howard (1-1) was the loser. The Lumberjacks got rid of him with a five-run first.

Forest City and Sugar Valley have identical 10-9 records. They are in a four-way deadlock for first place in the RBU South with Marston (10-9) and Belair Beach (10-9) with Waleska (11-10) only two percentage points behind.

Sunbirds Takes 10-Inning Thriller from Marston
It was the pitchers time to shine at Bayside Park in Belair Beach in the Sunbirds 1-0 ten-inning victory over Marston. Belair Beach only had 6 hits, while Marston only got 5. The game was finally decided when right fielder Matty McDermott worked a walk off losing pitcher Milt Wilson (0-2) with two away in the bottom of the tenth. McDermott then stole second base and came around to score the winning run on a single by left fielder Nicky Swift. Closer Lou Zanelli (2-0) gained the win with a scoreless inning. Sunbird starter Troy Wilson fired nine excellent innings, allowing only 5 hits, while striking out 6 and walking one. He was matched by Marston's Bob Lowe, Kenny Bagby and Phil Azard. Lowe went out with an injury in the fifth. He will be out eight weeks with ligament damage. That's a big loss for manager Johnny Walters and the Marston Nine. Bagby and Azard hurled hitless ball through the ninth.

Lowe is 1-2 with a 3.27 ERA in four starts this season. He has also relieved twice.

Belair Beach's win made it a four-way tie for the top spot in the crowded RBU South race. The Sunbirds, Marston, Sugar Valley and Forest City all have 10-9 records.

Waleska Wallops Claxton
Waleska came on strong in the late innings to whip the Claxton Diamonds 7-3. Trailing 3-1 going into the seventh frame, the Westerners scored 6 times in the last three innings to move into a virtual five-way tie for the top spot in the RBU South Division. Smokey Joe Carter (3-3) had a solid outing. He fanned four, walked none and scattered 9 hits. Pinchhitter Big Hoss Burkhalter evened the score at 3-all with a seventh inning single. First baseman Freddie Shelton moved Waleksa ahead 4-3 with a double in the eighth and right fielder Charley Williamson bashed a three-run homer in the ninth. Philip Britt ((0-1) suffered the loss by giving up 4 runs in 3 innings.

Waleska improved to 11-10 on the season and is in second place by a few percentage points. The Westerners trail the co-leaders Sugar Valley, Marston, Forest City and Belair Beach. All of them have 10-9 marks. Claxton is last in the division at 7-12.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU East Division

Ozarka Zaps Hellcats 13-3
18 hits, six doubles, two home runs and some fine pitching parlayed into a 13-3 runaway win for the Ozarka Naturals over the Hartsdale Hellcats at Ellie Ewing Stadium. The Nats are now tied with Cape Coral for the TBU East lead. Ted Didriksen (3-1) went the distance, restricted the Hellcats to just four hits and fanned five. And second baseman Duane Starr, third baseman Doug Cunningham, right fielder Denny Little and center fielder Teddy Braun supplied the firepower. Starr and Little delivered four RBIs each, Cunningham batted in three and left fielder Ronnie Patterson had two. Cunningham whacked a three-run shot and Little hit a two-run homer. Todd Seals and Mel Poe homered for Hartsdale in defeat. Jim Sears (1-2) caught the loss as he was racked for six runs in three innings.

Ozarka has now won six successive games and is 12-7 this season, while Hartsdale has dropped four straight and is third with a 9-9 mark.

Z's Squeeze by CC
Fifth place Luxora finally won a game and first place Cape Coral finally lost one. The Zorros stopped a four-game drought with a narrow 4-3 triumph over the Hurricanes, who lost for the first time in six games. The defeat, however, put Cape Coral in a first place tie with Ozarka. Pinchhitter Claudio Ordonez delivered a clutch two-run single in the last of the eighth and made a loser out of Katsuyuki Nagashima (0-2). The victory went to closer Roberto Martinez (2-0), who relieved starter Johnny Montel in the eighth. Chris Pierce set down Cape Coral in the ninth for his first save. First baseman Paul Hallenbeck had the other two RBIs for the Z's with a first inning twobagger. Luxora's Montel hurled seven innings, allowed seven hits, three runs, struck out three and issued one base on balls. Cape Coral's starting pitcher Gary Fountain only gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked five. Fountain departed with a 3-2 lead, but Nagashima blew it.

The Hurricanes (12-7) are still in the top spot in the TBU East Division standings, but are now tied with Ozarka (12-7), while the Zorros (8-10) trail in fifth place, 3.5 games off the pace.

SF Hangs On, Nips Ninjas 8-7
The South Fork Stallions found out that a 7-0 lead is not as safe as you think. They just barely hung on to nip the Ginza Ninjas 8-7 at Jock Ewing Stadium for their third straight victory. It took a fine relief job by Billy Joe Gordon to put a halt to the Ginza comeback. He came on in the sixth for the struggling Booger Burchfield and held the Ninjas to just one run. It was Gordon's first save. South Fork leaped out with five runs in the first off loser Buddy Hart (1-2). Hart didn't last an inning. Left fielder Paul Giles had a great day at the plate with two homers and five RBIs to top the Stallions attack. Pacing Ginza was pinchhitter Earl Conley, third baseman Toshiro Nomura and right fielder Charley Campbell. They each slugged home runs. Ninja center fielder Takashi Fujimoto rapped out two hits and drove in two runs.

It was the Ninjas third loss in a row. Ginza (8-11) is in fifth place in the TBU East, four games behind first place Cape Coral and Ozarka. South Fork is last with an 8-12 record.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU West Division

Bucs Robinson Blanks Lynx
Bay St. Clair southpaw Gary Robinson spun a 6-hit shutout against La Claire, whipping them 4-0. It was the Bucs second win in a row. In an outstanding effort Robinson (2-2) had his way with the league-leading Lynx. He was rarely in trouble and finished up with six strikeouts and no walks. Second baseman Tony Mann belted a two-run homer and catcher Jake Singleton and third baseman Bobby Tracy drove in the other two scores. Pat Daniels (2-2) was the losing pitcher. He left after five innings and was responsible for all four runs.

La Claire (13-7) is still in first place in the TBU West and the Buccaneers (7-12) are still in the cellar.

Viks Outscore Frogs 9-8
Bayview built us a nice 9-4 lead after seven innings, but then had to hold on for dear life as the Fairfax Frogs rallied and made it close. The Vikings didn't cave in and were victorious 9-8. And the main reason they won was because of the bat of center fielder Phil Kanaan, who went 4-for-4 with two homers, a double and seven RBIs, a career day for him. First baseman Gregg Vincent and shortstop Warren Lee made it close for the Frogs. Vincent hit two roundtrippers and drove in four runs and Lee drilled a home run and a double to drive in a pair of runs. Both teams could have used a little pitching today.

Fairfax (10-9) is in the second spot in the division, while Bayview (10-10) is third.

Sox Slip by Champs 6-4
Donnie Bullock kept Arlon at bay for seven innings and then Russ Courtney finished them off. Blue Lake slipped by the Arlon Champions 6-4 at Derby Downs Park. Bullock, a 6'4" lefty, had baffling stuff and stopped the Champs on just two hits, both homers, but issued five walks. Still he limited them to just three runs in seven innings. Courtney worked the last two innings to get his second save and gave up a hit and no runs. Pete Edgar (0-3) absorbed the loss as he was ripped for four runs and eight hits in six innings. The Blue Sox banged out 11 hits and were sparked by right fielder Fred Collins with 2-for-5, including a double, home run and three RBIs, Second baseman Dandy Wilson chipped in two doubles and two RBIs. For Arlon center fielder Jerry Keller got his 9th roundtripper and catcher Smoke Zakharov hit his third.

Blue Lake and Arlon both are 9-10 for the season and are tied for fourth place in the TBU West Division, 3.5 games behind the first place La Claire Lynx.

[Eugene Church]

A special thanks to Raideroo for writing an excellent town history for Valmara.

The Islandian Times

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Valmara Vipers

Owner: Viper Offshore Services, headed by Capt. Stanislaw Lem, Ruthlandia Navy (ret)

GM/Mgr: J. Jackson Samuel

Valmara is located in the northeastern part of Valdar Island, a port town of 81,000 people on Valmara Bay, an excellent deep water harbor. A clash of a warm Valerian Ocean current and a cold Kelnyck Ocean provides for heavy early morning fogs. Valmara is noted for the Valdarian Military Academy, a college for about three hundred cadets and midshipmen studying for future service in the Ruthlandian Navy.

Valmara has never been considered a pleasant place to live, with rocky soil, thick ocean fogs, and moss growing everywhere. If not for its wonderful port, no one in their right mind would live there. The harbor and the port have brought commerce and jobs.

The prime industries of Valmara revolve around the sea, be it catching and processing fish, servicing deep ocean oil rigs, or supporting the four-ship navy of Ruthlandia.

Valmara was a very driftwood kind of town up through the year 1945. The end of World War II changed this forever. During the Second World War, Ruthlandia was swept up in the maelstrom in the nations first and only war. The nation sent a regiment and fighter squadron to Italy, where they served with the 2nd Polish Corps at Monte Cassino. After the war, many Poles opted not to return to their Soviet-occupied nation, and several hundred emigrated to Ruthlandia. Many of the ex-soldiers did not go far past Valmara when they got off the boat.

Over the next four decades, 10 or 20 Polish families a year would emigrate (or escape) from behind the Iron Curtain to Ruthlandia.

After two generations of migration and birth, more than half of the town is of Polish descent.

The Valmara Vipers are owned by Capt. Stanislaw Lem, RN (ret.) of Viper Offshore Services. He is not related to the noted author of the same name, which often causes non-native reporters much trouble. The owner likes to be called "The Captain" in public. Lem made a small fortune after his navy career operating ships and helicopters that serve offshore oil rigs. Thanks to the recent spike of oil prices, his company's profits have gone through the roof. The Captain had no problem coming up with money to buy a franchise in the Islandian Pro Alliance, the first pro baseball league in the Islands history. Valmara plays in the Ruthlandian Baseball Union in the North Division.

The Valmara Vipers will play their games at historic old War Memorial Stadium. Amateur and industrial league teams have used it for years. It is dedicated to the memory of the 121 men from Ruthlandia killed in action in the Italian campaign during the Second World War. It is a old stadium built for football and soccer, but improvised and used for baseball since 1946. The Captain commissioned noted architectural company HOK to renew the old park into a suitable baseball park. He spared no expense in updating the old stadium with modern technology and conveniences. Yet it still retains the charm of an old stadium.

War Memorial Stadium has heavy, salt air winds that blow in for most of the spring summer, which tends to favor pitchers at times.

Game day Experience:

Like many successful immigrants, the people of Valmara have fiercely adopted the values of their new nation. Valmara's flag is navy blue and green. In Valmara, it's just taken to a ridiculous extreme. The team’s colors are navy blue and green. So are the water towers, the dockyard cranes, the street signs and the new city hall.

Captain Lem wanted to build a new ballpark, but the city fathers persuaded him to just refurbish the old stadium in the old part of town to be an anchor for a new mixed residential-commercial district. Civic pride got the best of the Captain and he agreed to use War Memorial Stadium. The civic renewal project has paid off in spades. Because there is little parking nearby, fans have to walk nearly a quarter mile to the park. On the way, they are treated to a dozen new restaurants, bars, and pubs. The integration into the neighborhood is considered to be charming. The revitalization project has brought a good deal of commerce and energy into the east side of town. The worst of the neighborhood was torn down. The city fathers have expanded the renovations and giving the old town a new look.

Food:
Fans love to scarf down bigos and rye bread at cafes adjacent to the ballpark. Inside the park, everyone loves perogis. Several years ago, The Captain persuaded Mama Kolski's Restaurant (home of the best perogis in town) to open a stand at his new ballpark and it was a big hit.

Beer sales are strictly regulated by city ordinance to two beers per person. This is due to the locals’ love of pale lagers that are 9% alcohol. Also, for a strange unknown reason, draft Coors is a trendy choice.

Ambiance:
Music at the ballpark is best described as LOUD. The Captain had a very modern, very powerful sound system at the refurbished stadium.

More than a decade ago, a sound system operator substituted the Village People's "In the Navy" for the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch and started a new tradition. It was a college night at an industrial league game, with plenty of middies from Valdarian Military Academy on hand and many crewmembers from the frigates Viper and Foxx. It was a smash hit, no doubt fuelled by a hot autumn evening, cold pale lager and the nine-run Viper lead. Since then, "In the Navy" has been played during the seventh inning stretch of every game save one -- the first game at the revamped War Memorial Stadium. The Captain hates the tune and thought with the public reopening that the club could stop playing that vile song. During the Vipers first exhibition game this year, the fans nearly rioted and the stadium's debut was marred with a near five minute interruption of boos before play resumed. Wisely, The Captain made a quick command decision and allowed "In the Navy" to be played during the 8th inning break...and during every game since. Of course, the Captain saw to it that "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was restored to its revered seventh inning spot.

In the navy
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In the navy
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In the navy
Come on now, people, make a stand
In the navy, in the navy
Can't you see we need a hand
In the navy
Come on, protect the motherland
In the navy
Come on and join your fellow man
In the navy
Come on people, and make a stand
In the navy, in the navy, in the navy (in the navy)

Mascot

The Captain (he considers himself a traditionalist) did not believe in having a mascot until he put his own money into the old ball park. At that point, he had to figure out how to attract every dollar possible from every fan possible. So Vippy and Vippa Viper came into being. They parade around the ballpark entertaining the fans and leading cheers, dances and songs. Viper fans are noted for hissing at the umpires and the opposing teams. The Captain sells a lot Vippy and Vippa apparel and memorabilia...even rents them out to for birthday parties at the stadium, when the team is on the road.

History

Baseball on Valdar Island had a late beginning. Due to the Island topography, climate and lack of mineral deposits was not as desirable as the Ruthlandian mainland, so it was bypassed by the immigrants until about 1910, when the towns of Valmara, Ancona, Kilkenny and Ranford sprang up. From 1910 to 1920, touring amateur baseball teams from the mainland would play games from time to time and the game was introduced slowly. But it did catch on. In a desire to assimilate with the rest of the country, where baseball was like a religion, the Valdarians took to the game with passion and fervor. Amateur baseball clubs and company-based teams began to organize in the 1920s. By the mid-1940's the Valdar Island baseball was as good as the Mainland.

The Valmara Vipers trace their history from the frigate Viper, which had a team in the Naval League in the 1940's. When the amateur league players became semi-pros in the 1950s and worked and played baseball for companies, the Vipers were sponsored by Marine Midland Bank. The Captain played baseball for his service team in the 1960s and was active in the industrial leagues as a sponsor in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Since Captain Lem had been the captain of the frigate Viper in the late 1960s, when it came to naming his IPA franchise, it was a no-brainer. The Valmara Vipers were born.

War Memorial Stadium (1946)

Capacity: 9,595

Dimensions:
LF Line 330
LF 350
LCF 380
CF 400
RCF 370
RF 330
RF Line 309

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU North Division

Schoenfeld Puts Vipers on Top in RBU North
Valmara's Paul Schoenfeld (1-2) stood high on the hill in more ways than one. The 6'5" righthander throttled Far Mountain 2-1 on just four hits and struck out a career high 11. The only run he gave up was on Shirai Kobayashi's 3rd roundtripper. John Luzzatti (1-2) lost it, but tossed a solid game. He surrendered seven hits in six innings and allowed both runs, only one of which was earned. The winning run scored when first baseman Josh Swift dropped an infield fly in the sixth. The other Viper run came in on Jan Szymanski's fielder's choice in the fifth.

It was Valmara's third consecutive victory over Far Mountain (9-11). Coupled with Glasco's defeat by Colfax, that put the Vipers (13-7) into first place in the RBU North, a half-game ahead of the Athletics. The Redhawks are fourth and trail by four.

Blasters Nose Out Glasco
The game went down to the wire and the Colfax Blasters came up with the big play at the right time to nose out Glasco 5-4. The A's loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't pull it out. They had their clean-up hitter up, big Ox Beauvais, to face closer Pat Langlois and he hit a hard shot to shortstop Wayne O'Reilly, who snagged it, stepped on second and threw to first to complete the double play and send Colfax home the winner. The Blasters had led at one time 5-0 as they got a good outing from winning pitcher Greg Forrest (3-1), who allowed only two runs in six innings. Forrest walked one and fanned four, but tired at that point and was taken out by manager Clem Rogers. Langlois got his second save of the year. Jesse Balfour (2-2) was tagged with the loss. He surrendered four runs in five innings with no walks and six strikeouts. The A's outhit Colfax 10 to 6 in the contest. The eventual winning run came in the sixth on O'Reilly's solo homer. Third baseman Rick Atlkins and shortstop Zach Byorvik each hit two-run homers to account for all of Glasco's scores.

With the loss, the Athletics (12-7) slipped to second in the RBU North, a half-game behind Valmara (13-7). Colfax (11-9) is holding down the third spot, just two games back.

Tinker Toys with Vigilantes
Southpaw John Tinker (2-2) got a good 4-0 lead early and made it stand up as the Elnora All-Stars beat the Volusia Vigilantes 6-3. He allowed nine hits, but was strong with runners on base. The All-Stars put up four runs in the opening frame against loser Hank Massey (2-3), who left after three innings. Rusty Gilbert singled in the first one, Rick Tsoukalis doubled in two more and Paul Kesler plated the last one. That was all Elnora needed. Kesler got a solo homer in the ninth for his second RBI of the game. Chaco Rivera was the V's top hitter with a home run and a sac fly to drive in two runs.

Elnora (8-12) remains in fifth place in the RBU North, while Volusia (7-14) is in last place.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Ruthlandian Baseball Union

RBU South Division

Nine Nudges Sunbirds in 14th
Both teams were running out of pitchers and players -- a total of 40 had been used -- when Marston slipped past Belair Beach 6-5 in fourteen innings to stay tied with Sugar Valley for the top spot in the RBU South. They got to Slim Mosley (2-2) for two runs in the top of the fourteen, when Chuck Barrett slugged a solo homer, Ken Green doubled and then scored on Roland Thomas' single to send the Nine ahead 6-4. The Sunbirds made a valiant try in the last of the fourteenth, but fell one run short. Two bases on balls by Nick Price kept them alive. Alex Frisard made it 6-5 with an RBI-single off Jorge Bonilla. Then Matty McDermott ended the game when he grounded out to short. Frisard and Dom Corbelli each had three hits for Colfax with Frisard driving in a run and scoring twice, while Corbelli had a pair of RBIs.

The top two teams in the division, Marston and Sugar Valley, have identical 11-9 marks and lead runner-up Waleska (12-10) by just a few percentage points and fourth place Belair Beach (10-10) and Forest City (10-10) by a scant game.

Sugar Valley Slips Past Lumberjacks 3-1
Sugar Valley finally got the best of Forest City after three straight losses with a hard-earned 3-1 triumph. Harvey Hines (3-1) secured the win with a six-hitter, fanning three and walking three in the process. Working in relief, Nick Marceau (0-1) lost it in the ninth, when he gave up a two-out triple to Ken Arnold and an RBI single to pinchhitter Freddie Vaux. With Cy Bartz at the plate, Vaux stole second and then scored on his single. Gregg Neal picked up his third save with a scoreless ninth. The 'Jacks starting pitcher Vince Edelman hurled an impressive seven innings and allowed only one run and four hits.

In the super-tight RBU South, the Rattlers (11-9) are deadlocked with Marston (11-9) for the top spot in the division, while Forest City (10-10) and Belair Beach (10-10) are fourth, only one game off the pace.

Westerners Win Third Straight over Diamonds
The Westerners took the contest 5-4 with the help of shoddy play by the Diamonds, who committed two costly errors. Claxton gave Waleska the game in the ninth with an unearned run. Freddie Shelton got new life on throwing error by third sacker Mac Smith. With Shelton on second, Johnny McNeil singled in the game-winner off losing pitcher Chris Gallagher (0-3). Winning pitcher Buddy Kennedy (1-0) was superb again in relief. Waleska's closer has yet to allow a run in 13 innings. Shelton, the Westerners first baseman, smacked a three-run shot in the opening frame, while Winky Rush and Dixie Baker had solo roundtrippers for Claxton.

Waleska (12-10) inched closer to the top of the RBU South. The Westerners are just percentage points out of first behind the Sugar Valley Rattlers (11-9) and the Marston Nine (11-9). Claxton (7-13) is having a rocky start this season and are in the basement, four games back.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU East Division

'Canes Takes Z's 4-3 in 11
After trailing 3-0 Luxora after five innings, Cape Coral creeped back to win it in eleven innings 4-3. First baseman Rodger Wooten drilled a double off losing pitcher Roberto Martinez (2-1) to score James Middleston from third. Doug Lyons (1-2) tossed two scoreless innings for the victory. It was a well-pitched game as starters Owen Pruitt (Hurricanes) and Francisco Fernandes (Luxora) both worked eight innings. Fernandes departed in the ninth, when he gave up a lead-off triple to pinchhitter Bobo Hatfield. Martinez came in from the bullpen and wild-pitched the tying run in. He pitched well and gave up only one run in three inning and struck out four batters.
There were two homers in the game. Right fielder Tom Fortunato jacked out his 3rd for the Z's -- it was a two-run shot in the first inning. Left fielder Rod Kelly collected his 6th of the season in the eighth to bring Cape Coral within one run, 3-2.

The Hurricanes (13-7) are back leading the TBU East with a game lead over second place Ozarka. Luxora (8-11) is in the fifth spot in the division standings and trail Cape Coral by 4.5 games.

Hellcats Snap Nats 6-Game Win Streak
All things, both good and bad, must come to an end as Hartsdale put an end to Ozarka's six-game winning streak 5-2 and at the same time stopped their four-game losing streak. The Hellcats used a trio of pitchers to do it. Phil Reed (4-0) got credit for the victory and held the Naturals to just one hit and no runs over the first five frames, but was taken out in the sixth because of pain in his lower back. Roger Graves retired the side in the sixth and left for a pinchhitter and closer Gene Young got his third save, despite giving up a two-run triple to Teddy Braun in the eighth. Ozarka's Louie Ray suffered the defeat, allowing five runs and eight hits, before being knocked out in the four-run seventh. Right fielder Marty Poe paced the Hellcats at bat with three RBIs and his third roundtripper. Third baseman Whiz Weaver also had a two-run home run, number three for him on the year.

The defeat dropped Ozarka (12-8) down to second place, one game behind TBU East leader, the Cape Coral Hurricanes (13-7). Third place Hartsdale is now 10-10 and three games out of first.

Ninjas Upend Stallions
The Ginza Ninjas put a stop to their three-game losing streak at Jock Ewing Stadium in South Fork. They upended the Stallions 7-3 behind the strong outing of Kojiro Matsumoto (3-0). He stymied them on two runs and four hits in seven innings for his third successive victory. Ginza cranked out a 15-hit attack, led by left fielder Ronnie Graf (3-5) and catcher Katsuya Noguchi (3-5), both with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. First baseman Kenshin Yamamoto was 2-for-5 with a two-run blast. Leading 4-3, the Ninjas broke the game open in the ninth with three runs off Ken Conner. Starter Jerry Harrison (1-2) was tagged with the loss. He yielded three runs in five innings. South Fork only had five hits in the game.

Ginza (9-11) is in fourth place in the TBU East race, while the Stallions (8-13) are still in the cellar.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Tycobbian Baseball Union

TBU West Division

Lynk Defeat Bucs 5-3
The top club in the TBU West put together timely hitting and good bullpen pitching to break its brief two-game losing skein. The La Claire Lynx got by the cellar-dwelling Bay St. Clair Buccaneers 5-3 today. Closer Monoto Kishata nailed down his IPA-leading fifth save with three perfect innings. He came on for the tiring Nick Pilsner in the seventh. Pilsner struck out seven, but also walked seven. He was touched for three runs and five hits. The Lynx racked up five runs and seven hits off loser Sean Lawrence, sending him on an early exit in the fifth. A four-run fourth did the most damage. La Claire second baseman Darrell Boyce led manager Rip Calkin's crew with a homer and two RBIs. Catcher Dennis Weiss added three hits and batted in two runs.

The Lynx are now 14-7 and have the best record in the IPA divisions. Bay St. Clair (7-13) is last in the TBU West.

Frogs Boom Past Vikings
It was a free-swinging day at Downtown Plaza Stadium in Bayview where visiting Fairfax got the best of it 11-7. The Frogs battered four Viking pitchers for 15 hits, including five homers and four doubles. Third baseman Stan Cobb hit two of them and batted in four runs, right fielder Gregg Vincent had two roundtrippers and three RBIs and catcher Larry Novikov hit one, too. Vincent leads the IPA with 14 home runs and 31 RBIs, while Cobb has 6 homers. Lefthander Jackie Leslie (3-2) labored, but picked up the win. He left in the eighth after permitting six runs and nine hits. Adrian Strom (2-2) was shelled for seven runs and nine hits and went to the shower in the fourth. Bay St. Clair first baseman Keith Burke went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs. He got his first homer this season.

Second place Fairfax upped their record to 11-9 in the TBU West division, 2.5 games off the pace of first place La Claire. Bayview (10-11) is fourth.

Sox Clay 4-Hits Champs
For the third day in succession Blue Lake knocked off the Arlon at Derby Downs Park. Big Jay Clay (2-1) crafted a fine four-hitter and beat the Champions 8-1. Except for one home run by second baseman Nicky Sweet, he hurled an almost flawless game, striking out four and walking just one. The Blue Sox backed him up with 16 hits, sparked by shortstop Cy Orgeron with a three-run homer and four RBIs. Third baseman Dave Reed went 3-for-5 and put one in the stands, too. Five other players had two hits apiece, including Clay. Craig Smith (2-2) was charged with the loss as Blue Lake got to him for four runs and seven hits in five innings.

The Blue Sox (10-10) are on a roll and have climbed up to third place in the TBU West. Arlon (9-11)has dropped to fifth in the standings.