Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Baseball League

[StLee]

Novac Jumps Out to Early Lead, Wins 10-3

Vault-Tec's pitching dominated the first two games of the First Round MBL Series against Novac, but not on Friday. Novac scored the game’s first nine runs, and cruised easily to a 10-3 victory.

Bob Seymour was the game’s MVP, going 4 for 4 with a double, four RBI, and a run.

Kenny Weathers earned the victory for the Dinosaurs, giving up one earned run in six innings, with seven hits allowed, five walks, and five strikeouts. The Vault Boys’ Willie Miller was the losing pitcher, giving up four earned runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in just three innings pitched. His immediate replacement, Ralph Beerguzzler fared worse, giving up four earned runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two innings.

Novac took the lead in the top of the first inning. Noel Hanbridge led off with a single, followed by a Cecil Houghton single to move him to third. Houghton advanced to second on the throw to third. Seymour then singled in Hanbridge and Houghton for the 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, the Dinosaurs added two more. With two outs, Weathers tripled. That was followed by an RBI single for Hanbridge. Hanbridge then stole second and was knocked in on an RBI single by Houghton.

Weathers again got on base in the fourth inning, leading off with a walk. With one out, Houghton was hit by a pitch, and Bob Seymour singled to load the bases. Francisco Riveria then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score the run and give Novac a 5-0 lead.

The Dinosaurs then put the game away in the sixth inning. Hanbridge led off with a single, followed by a Houghton single. Again, Hanbridge beat the throw to third and Houghton advanced. Seymour then doubled in both runners for a 7-0 lead and still no outs in the inning. After Vault-Tec changed pitchers to Greg Thompson, Riveria followed by getting hit by a pitch. David Lopez then singled in Seymour, and Bobby McGuire followed with an RBI ground out for the 9-0 lead.

Vault-Tec finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Anthony Savage and Raul Castro hit back-to-back singles, followed by an Arlen Vaughn walk. Alex Raines then hit a sacrifice fly to score Savage and make it 9-1.

The Vault Boys added two more in the eighth to make the score 9-3. With one out, Castro walked, and then Nelson Johnson hit a two-out, two-run home run off Novac reliever Robert Cowan.

Bill Massey was brought on in the ninth to complete the game for Vault-Tec. Unfortunately for him, he could not find his control early, walking the first three batters to begin the inning. With one out, Hanbridge then hit a sacrifice fly to score McGuire, ending the game at 10-3.

The two teams continue the series in Primm tomorrow for game four.

[Tyke]

Wow, the top of the Dinosaurs' order came through big time - finally! Hope they can make it really competitive now.

[StLee]

Vault-Tec Beats Dinos 6-5, Takes 3-1 Series Lead

Vault-Tec and Novac made it a back and forth affair in game four of the first round of the Mojave Baseball League playoffs. In the end, though, the Vault Boys’ bats had a little more pop in their 6-5 victory.

The Vault Boys now lead the series three games to one and have a chance to clinch the series at home.

Leadoff hitter Angel Serrano was the game’s MVP. He finished 3 for 5 with two RBI and a run.

Wally Grant earned the win in 1.1 of relief pitching. He gave up only one hit and struck out two. Tom Nelson was the starter for the Vault Boys, but he lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits with six walks and two strikeouts.

Jimmy Ledet was the losing pitcher for the Dinosaurs. He gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits with three strikeouts in two relief innings. Fernando Ramirez was the starter for Novac. He gave up three earned runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

Novac took the lead in the top of the second. Poseidon Last Name hit a one-out single. After Last Name moved to second on a ground out, Ramirez singled him in for a 1-0 lead.

Vault-Tec answered in the bottom of the inning. Anthony Savage walked with one out and moved to second on a Raul Castro single. Arlen Vaughn then singled in Savage and both runners advanced on the throw to the plate. With two outs, Serrano singled in Castro to give the Vault Boys a 2-1 lead.

In the third inning, Novac was able to tie the game thanks to the erratic pitching of Nelson. Bob Seymour led off with a walk. With one out, David Lopez walked, and Bobby McGuire singled to load the bases. Last Name then drew an RBI walk for the 2-2 tie.

The Dinosaurs retook the lead in the fifth. Lopez hit a one-out single and McGuire walked. With two outs, Ted Snyder singled in Lopez to chase Nelson from the game and give Novac a 3-2 advantage.

Vault-Tec was able to answer in the bottom of the inning. Serrano led off with a single, stole second, and advanced on a ground out. James Sexton then singled him in to tie the game at three apiece. Ramirez was pulled with two outs, and Ledet escaped with no more damage done.

Novac took the lead again in the sixth on a solo home run by Seymour for a 4-3 lead.

In the seventh, the Vault Boys changed the momentum. Tony Donnellson reached with one out after being hit by a pitch. Sexton then reached on an error when Riveria could not handle McGuire’s throw, dropping the ball to put runners at first and second. Joseph Dillon then singled to load the bases. With MC Mack Walt Williams up, Ledet threw a wild pitch to score Donnellson and advance the runners. Williams then hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Sexton and give Vault-Tec a 5-4 lead. Ledet was then pulled for Steve MacIntyre.

Vault-Tec added an insurance run in the eighth. Castro led off with a single, followed by a Vaughn walk. With one out and runners at second and third, Serrano singled to score Castro. Vaughn had to stay at third on the sharply hit ball.

Novac tried to rally in the ninth, but, just like game one, the rally fell short. Riveria led off with a double and advanced on John Rock’s balk. Lopez then hit a sacrifice fly to score Riveria and cut the Vault-Tec lead to 6-5. However, Rock was able to get consecutive fly outs from McGuire and Clyde Waller to end the game and earn the save.



News and Notes

8.14.86 – Player suspensions (chem use and major chem use)

The MBL performed a league-wide chem test today, catching four players with active chems in their system.

The only player currently playing was Jesus Mendez of Novac, who does not get much playing time. Still, a player with a chance to win a Mojave Series should say far away from chems, serious or not.

Mendez was found with cateye in his system, sending him outright to the bench for the next game in the first round of the MBL playoffs.

Goodsprings’ cleanup hitter John McDowell had Steady in his system, meaning he will sit the first four games of the 2287 season. Gerald Cummings of Freeside had RadAway in his system, sending him to the showers for the first five games of 2287.

The most serious chem use was the NCR’s second-round pick from a year ago, Mike Flowers. Flowers was found with Fixer in his system, meaning he will forfeit the first 15 games of 2287.

Though only three teams are still playing, all players are responsible for chems in their system until the day after the last playoff game.

[Tyke]

Well, Seymour is certainly doing his bit - but it looks like a big ask now...

[StLee]

I'm rooting for the Dinos, too. Last year the big, bad government won it all. This year, the evil corporation is looking formidable.

[StLee]

Vault-Tec’s Dominates, Clinches Series

Angel Serrano’s two-game stretch as the dominant Vault-Tec leadoff hitter proved to be too much for Novac. A day after being named the game MVP, Serrano topped those numbers, going 5 for 6 with a triple, an RBI, and four runs in leading the Vault Boys to a 10-4 victory and a berth in the Mojave Series against North Vegas.

The Vault Boys racked up 19 hits in the contest, leading the entire way and pulling away late in the victory. Serrano’s five hits and four runs scored are the best in three overall playoff series in the young Mojave Baseball League.

Orlando Stephens pitched five innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk, to earn the victory. Three relief pitchers pitched the final four innings, giving up no runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

Bob Ward, who dominated in the regular season, had two poor outings. He earned the loss for the Dinosaurs, allowing five runs, four earned, on eleven hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five innings. Three Novac relievers fared no better, giving up five earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and five walks in just three innings.

Vault-Tec took the lead for good in the bottom of the first inning. Serrano led off with a single, followed by a Tony Donnellson single. After James Sexton grounded into a double play to move Serrano to third, Joseph Dillon hit an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

The Vault Boys added on to their lead in the third. Serrano again led off with a single. With one out, Sexton reached on a Noel Hanbridge error. Dillon then hit an RBI single to score Serrano and move Sexton to second. MC Mack Walt Williams drew a walk to load the bases, followed by a sacrifice fly by Anthony Savage to score Sexton and give the Vault Boys a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, the Dinosaurs answered. Francisco Riveria led off with a single. With one out, Bobby McGuire blasted a two-run homer to right center field to cut the Vault-Tec lead to 3-2.

The Vault Boys had the answer in the bottom of the inning, though. Arlen Vaughn led off with a single and moved over on Stephens’ sacrifice bunt. Serrano then tripled in Vaughn for a 4-2 lead. Donnellson followed with an RBI groundout to make it 5-2 after four innings.

Novac stayed in the game with a couple of runs in the fifth. With one out, Cecil Houghton walked, followed by a two-run home run by Bob Seymour to make the score 5-4. Unfortunately for the Dinosaurs, those were the last runs they would score on the season.

Vault-Tec extended its lead in the sixth. Claw Dog McKinney came on in relief for Novac. He walked Donnellson with one out, gave up a single to Sexton, and then walked Dillon to load the bases. With Williams up, McKinney threw a wild pitch to score Donnellson and advance the runners. McKinney was able to escape the inning with no more damage done, but Vault-Tec had a 6-4 lead.

That lead became a blowout in the seventh. Floyd Bryant led off the inning with a solo home run, sending McKinney to the springs. Steve MacIntyre came on in relief for Novac. He walked Vaughn, and then gave up a one-out single to Serrano. Donnellson then singled to load the bases, followed by a two-RBI double by Sexton to make the score 9-4.

The Vault Boys added one more run in the eighth for the final 10-4 score. Phil Williams was the relief pitcher for Novac in the inning. He gave up a one-out single to Bryant and then walked Vaughn. Substitute second baseman Raul Castro then hit an RBI single to score Bryant.

Angel Serrano was named the series MVP, especially for his efforts in games four and five where he went a combined 8 for 11 (.727) with a triple, three RBI, five runs scored, and a steal. For the series, he finished 13 for 24 (.524), with two triples, four RBI, seven runs, one walk, seven strikeouts, and three stolen bases.

[Tyke]

Shame - but that's the way it goes! Sad to see Serrano "hamming" it up in that way!

[StLee]

News and Notes

8.16.86 – Player injury

Perhaps he thought ants were friendly since he now plays for an organization called the Fire Ants, but youngster Tony Hernandez of Sunset Sarsaparilla found himself in a one-on-four battle against Soldier Ants off the grounds of Nellis Air Force Base.

Luckily for Hernandez, he had a weapon with him, firing his laser pistol into the guts of all four ants before they could do much damage. Still, Hernandez had an injury and will have to wait until the season is over to pump some ant-curing chems into his system.

8.16.86 – Player injury

Wilson Halcomb has been playing in the Goodsprings Cemetery since he was a boy. The 18-year-old most certainly knows that bloatflies are attracted to the place. Still, Halcomb could not help himself to practice throwing baseballs at a couple in the cemetery, and then he got stung.

One of the bloatflies’ projectiles lodged into Halcomb’s upper thigh, sending him directly to Doc Mitchell’s clinic for a quick tweezers treatment. Maybe that will teach Halcomb not to mess with those little bastards.

[StLee]

Mojave Series Preview

North Vegas (61-39) earned the top record in the league by one game. Despite their success, though, the Radscorpions did not feel as formidable as last season’s New California Republic and Lucky 38 squads. Still, earning the top record in the league is a big accomplishment and earns a team an automatic berth in the Mojave Series. Most impressive for the Radscorpions was its pitching, where the team led the league in runs allowed with 387.

Vault-Tec (60-40) got here by finishing with a tie for the league’s second best record and then dominating Novac in five games of a seven-game series. The Vault Boys finished with a good balance of offense (third in the league with 500 runs scored) and pitching/defense (second in the league with 402 runs allowed).

Looking for stars in the series is not challenging. Pitching seemed to dominate in the eight-game season series, so let us look there first. Despite going 1-1 in the series, Vault-Tec’s Ricardo Rodriguez owned North Vegas hitters. In 17 innings pitched, he had a 1.59 ERA, making him the most successful Vault Boys pitcher in the season series. On the year, Rodriguez finished 10-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 158.1 innings pitched. In two starts, North Vegas’ Gary Clark was the leading pitcher in the season series. He was 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings pitched. On the season, he finished 6-5 with a 3.72 ERA in 142.2 innings pitched.

Clark, however, will not be in the starting rotation in the Series. Staff ace Lee Burke gets the start in Game One. He was 11-6 on the season with a 2.75 ERA in 154 innings pitched. Nate Camp was even better, going 15-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 157.2 innings pitched. Camp is in contention for the Lefty Grove Trophy, given to the league’s top pitcher.

Offensively, it was hard to find players who stood out in the season series. The Radscorpions’ George O’Kill, who is in contention for the Babe Ruth trophy given to the league’s best hitter, finished with a .500 batting average with a home run and three RBI. On the season, he batted .323 with 22 doubles, 29 home runs, 73 RBI, 63 runs, 59 walks, and just 41 strikeouts. For Vault-Tec, Angel Serrano was the best performer in the season series. He batted .421 with a home run and two RBI. On the season, Serrano batted .259 with 14 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 33 RBI, 56 runs, 35 walks, 73 strikeouts, and 19 stolen bases. Serrano was the MVP of the first round series against Novac.

On the season, North Vegas won five games to three. The first series between the two teams was played April 26-27 at North Vegas. Vault-Tec beat North Vegas 5-3 in the first game. North Vegas led the game 3-0, but the Vault Boys stormed back with five runs to win it. Radscorpions’ pitcher Carl Morgan blew Jim Jones’ excellent game by giving up four earned runs on three hits with a walk in just 2/3 innings pitched. Game two was a 4-0 victory by the Vault Boys. Rodriguez pitched the complete game shutout, giving up only four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Joseph Dillon added some offensive pop by hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning.

The second series took place May 24-25 at Vault 3 Grounds in South Vegas. The series was played there while the Primm Community Field, Vault-Tec’s homefield, was being repaired after a Powder Ganger bombing. In the first game of the series, the Vault Boys won 3-1, taking a 3-0 season series lead. Tom Nelson pitched seven innings, giving up one earned run on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts, to earn the victory. Raul Castro added a two-run home run and had all three RBIs in the game. The Radscorpions finally got a win in a thrilling 3-2, 15-inning affair. North Vegas had a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth before the Vault Boys scored a run. Each team scored a run in the 14th, and then the Radscorpions won it in the 15th. Despite not factoring into the decision, North Vegas’ Clark was the MVP by giving up only one hit with two walks and two strikeouts in seven innings.

Both North Vegas and Vault-Tec faced off in North Vegas for their third series June 15-16. The Radscorpions won the first game of the set 4-3, holding off a late rally by the Vault Boys. Anthony Savage led the charge for Vault-Tec by driving in all three runs, including a two-run shot in the ninth inning. North Vegas finally had a pull away win in the second game of the series, winning 6-1. Rich Richmond pitched eight innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts, to earn game MVP honors.

The final series took place July 6-7 in Primm. In the first game, Camp outdueled Rodriguez by allowing just one earned run on six hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings for a 4-1 victory. The Radscorpions won the final game of the season series 5-4, again quelling a Vault-Tec rally in the ninth. Arthur Glass of North Vegas was the most outstanding player, going 3 for 4 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs.

Despite North Vegas winning the season series, Vault-Tec has the hot hand heading into the Mojave Series, and they are expected to top the Radscorpions in six games.

[Tyke]

You say it's an 8-game series. Any reason for that, as an odd number seems more logical? Would a tie be an acceptable result?

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

You say it's an 8-game series. Any reason for that, as an odd number seems more logical? Would a tie be an acceptable result?

The season series was eight games. They played four two-game series.

The Mojave Series is a 7-game series as it is shown in the top graphic. I looked for a place I maybe made a mistake and stated the Mojave Series is eight games. Can you point it out? I know I have this: "Pitching seemed to dominate in the eight-game season series, so let us look there first." But that was definitely referring to the season series, not the championship.

[StLee]

Yikes! Photobucket let me know that I am using a lot of bandwidth. I may have to start paying if I run out, or all of my images in this dynasty will disappear. I guess I had better figure out how to attach images instead of just linking them.

[Tyke]

My bad! Your sentence definitely referred to the season series! I always used to tell my students to read things carefully - shame I didn't follow my own advice!

[StLee]

Vault-Tec Starts Strong, Wins 8-3

Vault-Tec had a certain feel to them when they spanked Novac four games to one in the first round of the 2286 playoffs. The Vault Boys continued that momentum, jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first four innings and hanging on to win at North Vegas 8-3 in the Mojave Series opener.

The Vault Boys’ James Sexton was the star of the game, finishing 4 for 4 with a double, home run, three RBI, two runs, and a walk.

Willie Miller was the winning pitcher for Vault-Tec. In six innings, he allowed no runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Ralph Beerguzzler came on in relief, allowing three earned runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout in 2.2 innings. Brian Sykes walked and hit the only two batters he faced, and John Rock got the game’s final out in just one pitch to earn the save.

Lee Burke suffered the loss for the Radscorpions, giving up four earned runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in three innings. Carlos Gonzalez came in to relieve Burke in the fourth, but he was quickly chased from the game in just 1/3 innings pitched. Gonzalez allowed four earned runs on three hits with a walk. Jarred Jones pitched 2.2 innings, giving up a hit and striking out two. Dan Trainyard added two innings, giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out one. Gary Clark finished the game, walking a batter and striking out two in an inning.

Vault-Tec jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. Angel Serrano led off with a walk. With one out, Sexton doubled to move Serrano to third. Joseph Dillon then hit an RBI groundout to score Serrano. MC Mack Walt Williams then followed with a two-run dinger to give the Vault Boys a 3-0 lead.

The lead grew to 4-0 in the third. Serrano led off with a single and scored on Tony Donnellson’s double. The Vault Boys actually loaded the bases with no outs, but Williams, Anthony Savage, and Raul Castro could not come through to score more, leading North Vegas to think they were still in the game.

That thinking all changed in the fourth inning, though, when Gonzalez came on in relief for the Radscorpions. Arlen Vaughn led off with a double. After Vaughn moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, Gonzalez’s wild pitch allowed Vaughn to score for a 5-0 lead. Serrano then walked, followed by a Donnellson double. Sexton then cleared the bases with a three-run home run to make the game 8-0. Gonzalez then moved aside for Jones.

North Vegas did not score its first run until the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Duncan Whaley hit a triple to straightaway center field. Pinch hitter Jesus Martinez then hit a sacrifice fly to score Whaley.

In the ninth inning, the Radscorpions added a couple more useless runs. Kirby Brown singled to lead off, followed by a Jason Williams walk. George O’Kill then grounded into a double play, which advanced Brown to third. Bill Cole then sent a pitch over left field to make the game 8-3. After Beerguzzler walked Arthur Glass, he was pulled for Sykes who walked and hit the next two batters to load the bases. However, Rock came in and got pinch hitter Weldon Brown to fly out on the first pitch to end the game.

[Tyke]

Maybe they should be named the Vault-Tec Steamrollers

[StLee]

Nelson Holds Radscorpions Scoreless, Vault-Tec Wins 4-1

Vault-Tec has been perfect in the 2286 playoffs at the other team’s facility.

The Vault Boys are now 4-0, including winning the first two games of the Mojave Series. This time, behind the masterful pitching of Tom Nelson, the Vault Boys defeated North Vegas 4-1 on Wednesday.

Nelson, the game’s MVP, pitched seven shutout innings, giving up three hits and striking out ten. He also drove in all four of the Vault Boys’ runs.

The Vault-Tec bullpen then came on to allow one earned run on one hit with three walks and a strikeout in the final two innings.

Nate Camp suffered the loss for the Radscorpions. He lasted just three innings, allowing four earned runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The North Vegas bullpen then held the Vault Boys in check, not allowing any runs on three hits with six walks and four strikeouts in the final six innings.

Vault-Tec scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning. Joseph Dillon led off with a walk. With one out, Anthony Savage singled and Raul Castro walked to load the bases. After Arlen Vaughn was caught looking, Nelson took a 1-0 pitch over the fence for a grand slam.

The Radscorpions scored their lone run in the eighth. Duncan Whaley walked to lead off, and Squirrel And walked with one out. After a pitching change to Greg Thompson, Kirby Brown singled to load the bases. Jason Williams then walked to earn an RBI and make the score the final of 4-1.

North Vegas and Vault-Tec will now travel to Primm for the next three games, if all three are necessary. The Vault Boys only have to win two more games to clinch the series.

[Tyke]

Wow, what a game by Nelson!!

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Wow, what a game by Nelson!!

Early favorite for series MVP simply from that performance.

[StLee]

Richmond Wins Pitcher’s Duel, North Vegas Wins 1-0

In what may go down as an epic game in the history of the Mojave Baseball League, whether it be a short-lived league or a long one, North Vegas pitcher Rich Richmond and Vault-Tec pitcher Ricardo Rodriguez put on a show.

In the end, Richmond came out on top despite his team only getting one run on one hit in the game. Richmond was named the game’s MVP because of the victory. He allowed three hits with five walks and three strikeouts in seven shutout innings. Edward Meador pitched one scoreless inning, and Gary Clark pitched another to earn the save.

Rodriguez did his part, but still earned the loss. He gave up only one unearned run on one hit with a walk and six strikeouts in eight innings pitched. John Rock pitched a scoreless ninth inning to complete the game.

The lone run in the game in the third inning came in an unusual way where North Vegas scored despite not getting a hit in the inning. Duncan Whaley reached on an Anthony Savage error to lead off the inning. Richmond then bunted. Rodriguez tried to get Whaley out at second, but Whaley beat the throw to put runners at first and second with no outs. Squirrel And followed with a groundout to move the runners up a base. With two outs, Rodriguez threw a wild pitch to score Williams.

Rodriguez was visibly upset after the game, saying that he blew it. We will see if the loss changes the momentum in the series.

With the win, the series will now go at least five games. The next two games will also be played at the Primm Community Field. If the Radscorpions win at least one of those two games, the series will move back to North Vegas for a sixth and possibly seventh game.

[Tyke]

Terrific game - could things be about to get interesting?!