ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, June 6, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Marston's Ledbetter Wins 9th, Stops Rattlers 5-2
He's just a big ole country boy, but Casey Ledbetter of the Marston Nine is one heck of a pitcher. Ledbetter is the first hurler in the IPA with nine wins. He just captured his ninth victory with a 5-2 win over Sugar Valley at Legends Field in Marston. Ledbetter (9-1 3.06) struck out ten Rattlers and gave up no earned runs as the Nine committed four errors behind him. He walked three and surrendered seven hits in eight-plus innings. The tiring Ledbetter got help from Kenny Bagby (2-2 2.86), who got the last two outs in the game. Pacing the Nine's offense were third baseman Roland Thomas (.328) and center fielder Tommy Reinhold (.299), both with two RBIs.

Marston (28-20) is the top club in the RU South, while slumping Sugar Valley (22-25) has sunk down to fifth place and trail the Nine by 5.5 games.

Westerners Romp Over Lumberjacks 8-2
In Riverside Stadium in Forest City, Waleska got a complete game from Smokey Joe Carter and laced 13 hits to romp over the Lumberjacks 8-2. Carter (7-5 3.00) scattered eight hits and was rarely in trouble. He fanned three and walked just one. Carter got plenty of bat support from center fielder Milt Carlson (.282), third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.269) and catcher Mac Wilkins (.218). All of them cracked out three hits apiece with Nishida driving in three runs and Wilkins two. First baseman Freddie Shelton batted in three for the Westerners. Second baseman Jesse Wolf (.302) had two hits and two RBIs for the 'Jacks. Forest City starter Glenn Moore (5-2 2.52) took the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in five innings and left trailing 4-1.

With the defeat second place Forest City (26-23) fell 2.5 games in back of first place Marston (28-20). Waleska improved to 24-25 and is ranked third in the RU South standings.

Diamonds Edge Sunbirds 8-7 in 10 Innings
At Avalon Stadium in Claxton, Marty McCluskey lined a single to left in the last of the tenth to bring home Keith Olsen with the game-winning run. That gave the Diamonds an 8-7 verdict over Belair Beach. Closer Earl Weber (4-1 2.42) collected the win with three runless innings of one-hit ball. Sunbird closer Lou Zanelli (5-3 2.30) absorbed the loss, yielding one hit, a run and a walk in his two-plus innings. Topping Claxton at bat were right fielder Dixie Baker (.328) with two hits and three RBIs, including his 16th home run, first baseman McCluskey (.282) with three hits and two RBIs, and second baseman Donny McCoy (.366) and shortstop Bobby Ritter (.316), each with three hits and two runs. Third baseman Olsen (.312) chipped in with two RBIs. Second baseman Rick Sullivan (.294) had a standout game for Belair Beach with three hits, including two doubles and a homer, and four RBIs. The Diamonds outhit the Sunbirds 15-10.

The loss dropped Belair Beach (24-25) into a tie for third with Walesks (24-25). The Sunbirds and Westerners trail first place Marston by 4.5 games. Claxton (22-28) is dead last, seven games out of first place.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, June 6, 2001

Tyrobbian Union - East Division

Nats Squeeze by Zorros 3-2 in 10 Innings
In Ozarka, the Naturals took a ten-inning 3-2 win over Luxora on center fielder Teddy Braun's (.290) two-out single that plated pinchhitter Poochie Kramer (.296) with the winning score. Slender righthander Donnie Young (3-2 3.84) worked all ten innings, gave up seven hits, fanned four and walked three. Losing pitcher Francisco Fernandes (4-5 3.45) also went all the way, giving up nine hits with four Ks and one base on balls. Ozarka was led at bat by third baseman Doug Cunningham (.233) and right fielder Denny Little (.205) with two hits and an RBI apiece.

The Naturals (27-21) are on top of the TU East Division, while the Luxora Zorros (23-23) are in the third spot, three games behind them.

Ninjas Matsumoto Shuts Out 'Canes 6-0
He's only 5'7" and 155 pounds, but 25-year-old righty Kojiro Matsumoto of the Ginza Ninjas has the stuff to make grown men cry. Matsumoto (7-1 3.36) toyed with Cape Coral and fashioned a four-hit 6-0 shutout at Seaside Stadium with two strikeouts and no walks. It was his first shutout this season. Leading the Ninjas at the plate were second baseman Scoop McDonald (.307) and center fielder Takashi Fujimoto (.268). Both of them had homers and drove in two runs. Owen Pruitt (3-4 3.99) was credited with the loss, only going four-plus innings and permitting five hits and five runs.

Ginza (26-23) kept pace with the top team in the TU East, the Ozarka Naturals (27-21). The second place Ninjas are only 1.5 games behind. Cape Coral (23-25) dipped four games off the pace and are in fourth place.

Stallions Outscore Hellcats 10-9
It was a hitfest at Jock Ewing Stadium in South Fork with the Stallions getting the best of the Hartsdale Hellcats 10-9. Leading the South Fork hit parade were right fielder Paul Giles (.283) and catcher Darryl Burnett (.277) with three RBIs each. Giles had three hits and slammed his 13th roundtripper and Burnett delivered two hits and his 2nd homer of the season. Second baseman Bob Jones (.319) added two RBIs for the winners. The Stallions rallied from a 7-6 deficit with a four-run eruption in the last of the eighth to take a 10-7 lead. The Hellcats almost caught them with two runs in the ninth. South Fork collected 14 hits, while Hartsdale had 13. The Hellcats were paced by catcher Gerry Wise (.167), who had two hits and three RBIs, including his first homer of the year. Center fielder Greg Reynolds (.242) had two hits and two RBIs, along with his fifth home run and a double. Reliever Ken Conner (3-1 2.51) notched the win and closer Gene Young (2-2 3.52) lost it, when he allowed four runs in the eighth. Billy Joe Gordon (0-3 3.03) got the last two outs on a game-ending double play with the tying run on first. He picked up his 5th save.

The loss sent Hartsdale (22-26) into the division cellar, while South Fork (23-26) climbed up to fifth place. The Stallions are 4.5 games out of first place, while the Hellcats (22-26) are five games back.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Wednesday, June 6, 2001

Tyrobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Take 7th Straight, Beat Blue Sox 6-4
In Blue Lake at Harbor Stadium, the sizzling first place Fairfax Frogs swept all five games of the series with the Blue Sox, winning today 6-4. Fairfax has now won its last seven games. Portsider Jimmy Dalton (5-3 3.97) picked up the win by tossing eight innings. Dalton surrendered seven hits and four runs, while ringing up four strikeouts and walking nobody. Closer Takehide Takahashi relieved him in the ninth with no outs after he gave up a homer and a single. Takahaski got credit for his 5th save, yielding no runs, one hit and a walk. Sparking the Frogs were second baseman Greg Inman (.267) with 3-for-4 and two RBIs and first baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.309) with a two-run double. Center fielder Louis Ward (.370) had two hits and scored twice for Fairfax. The top batter for the Blue Sox was center fielder Donnie Frazier (.305), who hammered his 10th home run in the ninth. First baseman Fred Taranto (.324) laced two hits and scored twice. The losing pitcher was Donnie Bullock (3-6 5.68), who was battered around for six hits and five runs before he departed in the second frame.

Fairfax (34-14) is the top team in the TU West Division, while Blue Lake (20-28) holds the fifth spot in the standings and trails by 14 games. The Blue Sox have fallen in their last five games.

Lynx Lynch Vikings 6-2
At Downtown Plaza Stadium in Bayview, the La Claire Lynx took advantage of wildness on the part of Denny Copeland to tally four times in the third frame on the way to a 6-2 triumph over the Vikings. The highlight of the inning was a three-run homer by shortstop Dirk Lindahl (.266). First baseman Dominic Valmont (.227) also hit one into the stands off Copeland in the fifth to send him to the showers. Right fielder Manny Paulauskas (.228) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the victors and center fielder Lucky Collins (.268) socked a pair of hits, including a triple, and scored twice. The winning pitcher was Pat Daniels (5-2 3.86), who went the distance, checking Bayview on six hits, striking out seven and walking four. Copeland (0-1 3.38) got the loss. He was ripped for five runs on five hits and four walks in four-plus innings.

The victory pushed La Claire (25-24) into second place in the division, 9.5 games off the pace. Bayview's defeat (25-25) dumped them to third place, ten games behind leading Fairfax (34-14).

Buccaneers Rally, Beat Champs in 9th
In the bottom of the ninth, Charlie Moon beat the throw home and gave Bay St. Clair a 9-8 victory over Arlon at Shoreline Park. Second baseman Karl Detwiler's throw was not in time to get Moon on a grounder hit by Maury Smith. Reliever Rod Kelley (2-2 4.14) suffered the loss, allowing two hits and the winning run in his only inning. Closer Johnny Nikolsky (3-3 4.18) hurled two innings for the win and gave up one run and three hits, but his hitters saved it for him. It was not a good day for the pitching corps on either team. Both clubs swatted 14 hits apiece. The Buccaneers were led by third sacker Bobby Tracy (.333) with a perfect 3-for-3 day. Center fielder Nickie Friedrich (.310) had two hits and two RBIs, catcher Jake Singleton (.349) was 2-for-5 with two runs batted in, Moon (.270) and shortstop Chuck Hankins (.328) both scored twice and had two hits, and Smith (.355) scored three times. The top batters for Arlon were left fielder Matt Merrill (.304) with 3-for-4, three RBIs and two runs, center fielder Jerry Keller (.332) with two doubles and two RBIs, Detwiler (.305) with three hits and three runs scored, and third baseman Artie Berry (.252) with two RBIs.

It was a costly defeat for the Arlon Champions (24-25) as they dropped to fourth place, 10.5 games out of first and a half-game behind Bayview (25-25). Bay St. Clair (19-31) won its second straight game and is still in the TU West cellar, 16 games in back of first place Fairfax (34-14).

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, June 7, 2001

No Games Today in the IPA
It was an off-day in the IPA today with no games on the schedule. All the teams will be back in action tomorrow with the top two teams in two of the divisions doing battle against one another.

In the RU North Division, first place Far Mountain will entertain second place Colfax for a four-game series. The Redhawks hold a scant half-game lead over the Blasters. Far Mountain has defeated Colfax 7 times in 11 games this season.

In the TU East Division, the Ozarka Naturals, currently in the top spot, will host second place Ginza at Ellie Ewing Stadium. The Nats hold a 1.5-game edge over the Ninjas. The clubs will play a four-game set. Ozarka leads the season series 7-3.

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, June 8, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Redhawks Rip Colfax 15-5 in Series Opener
Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain is the site of a four-game series between the top two clubs in the Ruthlandia Union North Division, the hometown Redhawks and the visiting Colfax Blasters. In game one, it was no contest -- first place Far Mountain mauled second place Colfax 15-5 to take a 1.5-game edge in the division. The Redhawks ripped 17 hits in the romp, led by first baseman Royce Benson (.330) with three hits, three runs and two RBIs, center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.281) with two hits, three runs and an RBI, shortstop Joey Cannizzaro (.342) had three hits, scored twice and drove in one run, catcher Dave Davis (.345) went 2-for-6 and drove in a pair of runs, right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.306) hit his 7th homer, had two hits, scored twice and drove in two, and left fielder Gerald Davis (.263) had two RBIs. First baseman Dennis Cole (.313) and Pat Lott (.256) was the best the Blasters had to offer. Cole collected his 14th home run, doubled and drove in two runs, while Lott had a double and two RBIs. Vic Vaux (5-2 3.27) cruised to the victory, gave up five runs and eleven hits, struck out six and walked one. The loser was Robbie Smith (1-3 4.20), who departed early in the second inning after allowing seven runs and six hits.

Far Mountain (30-20) got a little breathing room with the victory and increased its lead to 1.5 games over runner-up Colfax (28-21). It was the Redhawks third successive win.

Kivett in Command, V's Dump A's 6-1
What a find for the Volusia Vigilantes! Kit Kivett has been on the team less than two weeks and has already won four games. His latest win was 6-1 over Glasco at Athletics Field. The 34-year-old righthander limited the A's to just five hits and one run, while fanning five and allowing no walks. Kivett (4-0 1.29) has started four games and completed them all. Kivett (.286) even had a double and a triple in four at-bats. The V's collected 10 hits and were led by first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.278) and catcher Jojo Nunez (.316), both had two hits apiece. Glasco starter Ernie McCain (2-6 4.45) caught the loss, leaving in the fifth after permitting six runs and seven hits.

The Athletics (24-23) are in third place and trail Far Mountain (30-20) by 4.5 games. The Vigilantes (22-28) are fith, eight games behind.

Bart Pitches Vipers Past All-Stars 6-3
Southpaw Gerry Bart needed a good start to keep his spot in the starting rotation and he got it. Bart pitched Valmara past Elnora 6-3 in a game played today at War Memorial Stadium. Bart was touched for 11 hits by the All-Stars, but was strong with men on-base. Bart (3-4 5.40) had four strikeouts and only one walk in the game. The Vipers put together an 11-hit attack with left fielder Louie Sharp (.356) and first baseman Tony Goudeau (.273) socking three hits each and shortstop Mike Ellefsen (.297) banging a two-run homer, his 6th of the year. Elnora starter Carl Costas (3-7 3.41) was the loser. He injured his arm and was removed in the fifth inning after allowing four runs, only two earned, and six hits. Costas could be out about two weeks. First baseman Paul Kesler (.409) had three hits to pace Elnora and shortstop Johnny Zumwalt (.297) drove in a pair of runs.

Fourth place Valmara (24-25) won its second straight game, while the last place All-Stars (20-31) fell for the second game in a row. The Vipers are 5.5 games off the pace, while Elnora trails Far Mountain (30-20) by 10.5 games.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, June 8, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Pace Fires 3-Hit Shutout, Marston Blanks Waleska
First place Marston blanked Waleska 5-0 as Nick Pace fired a sparkling three-hitter for his 7th win. Pace (7-5 3.52) walked none and had 9 strikeouts in a fine outing. The Westerners only got three singles and only one runner got past first base. Left fielder Ronnie Horn (.286), third baseman Roland Thomas (.333) and first baseman Johnny Berthold (.281) all registered two hits to spark the Nine. Berthold slugged his 15th roundtripper for Marston. Gary Hill (4-3 4.38) got the loss as Marston shelled him for all 11 hits and five runs in seven-plus innings.

Nine manager Johnny Walters told BNN after the game, "This just might be the best-pitched game this season in the IPA. Nick was really brilliant today."

Waleska's skipper, McGraw Johnson, concurred, "I know that was the best performance I've seen this year. Pace was in complete control. We were at his mercy."

It was Marston's (29-20) second straight win. Waleska (24-26) is fourth in the division standings and are 5.5 games off the pace.

Sunbirds Power Past 'Jacks 7-4
Belair Beach powered its way past Forest City 7-4 with the help of three home runs. First baseman Phil Gravelli (.333) was a one-man wrecking crew as he jacked two into the stands and was a perfect 4-for-4 today with four RBIs and three runs scored. Right fielder Matty McDermott (.345) also chipped in three hits for the Sunbirds, including his 8th homer of the year. On the mound, lefthander Carl Thompson (8-3 1.67) had to survive a 4-run fourth to capture his 8th win. He went the distance, surrendered eight hits and totaled five Ks and two bases on balls. Thompson tops the IPA with a brilliant 1.67 ERA and 87 strikeouts and is number two in wins. Only Marston's Casey Ledbetter (9-1 3.06) has more victories. Right fielder Benny Davis (.249) accounted for all of the Lumberjacks runs with a grand slam homer. It was home run number 11 for him. Gene Stuart (5-3 4.15) struggled, but lasted the whole game. The Sunbirds pounded him for 13 hits, but he stayed in the ballgame until the seventh, when Belair Beach scored three times and broke the 4-4 tie.

The Sunbirds (25-25) hold the third spot in the RU South Division, 4.5 games in back of leading Marston (29-20), while Forest City (26-24) is in the runner-up position and trails by 3.5 games.

Rattlers Stomp Claxton 11-5
On the road in Claxton, Sugar Valley's Paul Haines did it with the bat and on the hill. He went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs and tossed a complete game. Haines (1-3 3.92) gave up nine hits, whiffed six batters and walked a couple to gain his first win this season. Leading the Rattler offense was left fielder Cy Bartz (.295), who batted 4-for-4, scored four times and had four RBIs in a sensational hitting display. A big four-run eighth busted up a tight 5-4 game and gave Sugar Valley the game. Home runs by right fielder Artie Kruger (.231) and third baseman Keith Olsen (.316) led the Diamonds at bat. Zach Nuxhall (2-6 5.27) suffered the defeat, yielding seven runs on nine hits in seven innings of work.

Sugar Valley (23-25) is fifth in the RU South race, 5.5 games out of first place. Claxton (22-29) is last in the division. The Rattlers are just a few percentage points out of fourth place behind Waleska (24-26)

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, June 8, 2001

Tyrobbian Union - East Division

Nats Take First Game of Series from Ninjas 9-2
In Ozarka at Ellie Ewing Stadium, the first place Naturals took a one-sided victory 9-2 over the second place Ginza Ninjas in the first game of an important four-game set. Ozarka showed their muscle with 14 hits and a solid mound performance by Luther Hatch. Propelling the offense was second baseman Duane Starr (.309) with two hits, including a homer, and four RBIs, first baseman Floyd Snow (.247) with 2-for-4 and two RBIs, and left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.263) and center fielder Teddy Braun (.298), both with 3-for-5 and three runs scored. Hatch (7-4 3.18) hurled a strong game as he stopped Ginza on six hits, struck out six and walked three. Kazuhiro Nakayama (5-7 2.78) tired late and was battered for eleven hits and six runs - four of them earned - but piled up ten strikeouts. The Naturals snapped a 2-2 tie in the seventh with four runs and then pulled away with three more in the eighth.

Ozarka (28-21) improved its lead over the Ninjas (26-24) to 2.5 games in the TU East race.

SF Edges Zorros 2-1 for 4th Straight Win
In a battle of fine righthanders at De la Vega Stadium in Luxora, South Fork's Ken Olson got the best of Chris Pierce 2-1 in a tense pitcher's duel. Olson (4-5 3.14) held the Zorros to six hits, fanned five and walked none. Pierce (5-3 2.49) worked eight frames, allowed six hits, two runs, but only one was earned, struck out six and walked just one. Singles by center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.263) and second baseman Bob Jones (.318) put runners on the corners and an error by shortstop Kris Baker (.244) led to the first run in the opening inning. Yastrzemski (.263) tripled in the third and rode home on Jones' (.318) single. Luxora got its only run in the fourth when left fielder Tommy Fortunato (.275) singled and was driven in on catcher Eric Richter's (.353) double.

It was the Stallions (24-26) fourth consecutive triumph and Luxora's (23-24) fourth straight defeat. The Z's are four games behind Ozarka (28-21) and are in third place in the standings. South Fork is fourth, but just 4.5 games out of first.

Hellcats Hammer Hurricanes 14-5
Hartsdale scored in every inning, lashed out 19 hits and battered Cape Coral 14-5 today at their home field, Pioneer Park. Right fielder Mel Poe (.239) paced the Hellcats with two homers, three runs scored and four driven in. Poe had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3. Catcher Kevin Haynie (.415) had three hits and two RBIs, and left fielder Jay Luna (290) belted four hits, scored three times and had an RBI. Right fielder Eric Smith (.227) hit a three-run shot for the Hurricanes. Righthander Phil Reed (6-1 2.91) crafted the win, allowing eleven hits and five runs with five Ks and three walks. Kaz Hayagawa (4-7 4.50) got the loss and permitted six runs and seven hits in just two innings.

The triumph enabled Hartsdale (23-26) to climb into a tie for fifth with Cape Coral (23-26) in the TU East Division.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, June 8, 2001

Tyrobbian Union - West Division

Bucs Snap Frogs Streak at 7
For whatever reason, last place Bay St. Clair wins at the friendly confines of Shoreline Park - even against first place Fairfax. The Buccaneers snapped the Frogs seven-game winning streak with their third win in a row, a 7-4 triumph. They trailed 3-2 going into the seventh, but rallied with four runs, sparked by back-to-back doubles by pinchhitter Shoichi Tanaka (.259), left fielder Charley Moon (.269) and shortstop Chuck Hankins (.336). Bay St. Clair is 15-11 at home and a miserable 5-20 on the road. Fairfax plays well everywhere. The Bucs Ben Crowley and Ken Kazak teamed up to beat the Frogs. Crowley (3-4 4.27) went the first seven innings, giving up ten hits and three runs, while Kazak (2-1 5.18) got his first save, despite giving up a run and three hits in two innings of work. Bay St. Clair was outhit 13-10, but got timely hits. They were sparked by second baseman Tony Mann (.340) with two RBIs. Hankins had two hits, three stolen bases, scored two runs and drove in one, right fielder Andy Pettorini (.306) had two hits and an RBI and Moon scored two and drove in one. Left fielder Gator Davis (.311) hit his 9th home run and center fielder Billy Echevarria (.257) delivered two hits and had two RBIs to pace Fairfax. The defeat went to Johnny Schluessler (3-5 4.39), who yielded six runs and eight hits over seven innings.

Hankins tied the IPA mark for most stolen bases with three. He is the fifth player to accomplish the feat, along with Jet Kazmarek of Valmara, Gerald Davis of Far Mountain, Lonnie Howard of Elnora and Paco Benitez of Ozarka.

Fairfax (34-15) continues to rule the roost in the TU West. Bay St. Clair (20-31) is last, 15 games behind.

Vikings Sail by Champions 6-3
The big bat of 35-year-old Dwayne Coleman powered the second place Bayview Vikings past fourth place Arlon at Derby Downs 6-3. Coleman (.301) unleashed his 19th and 20th roundtripper and drove in five runs and almost single-handed won the game. Coleman now has 54 RBIs and is second to Greg Vincent of Fairfax in both homers and RBIs. Vincent has 22 roundtrippers and 57 RBIs. Viks manager Walter Johanssen got a good start from his soft-throwing lefthander Jesus Carvajal (6-2 3.35), who chalked up his 6th victory. He allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked only one, but weakened in the ninth, when he was tagged for two runs. With two outs and runners on first and second, Johanssen brought in his closer Buzzy Lewis (1-2 3.38), who closed it out for his IPA-leading 9th save. Craig Smith (6-4 3.35) sustained the loss, going five innings, giving up four runs and eight hits. He exited the game trailing 4-1. Right fielder Steve Barnett (.198) had a solo homer for the Champions.

Bayview (26-25) slipped ahead of La Claire (25-25) in the battle for second place. The Vikings are nine games behind first place Fairfax (34-15). Arlon (24-26), which has been hot of late, is in the fourth spot in the TU West standings and are 10.5 games off the pace.


Blue Sox Rally for 7-6 Win over Lynx
Shaky fielding gifted Blue Lake with six runs and a narrow 7-6 verdict over La Claire at Capitol Park Stadium. The Blue Sox came back from a 4-2 deficit in the sixth and scored five unearned runs off loser Jerry Smith (6-6 3.79). Topping Blue Lake batters were left fielder Greg Boone (.299) and first baseman Fred Taranto (.332), each with 3-for-5 and a pair of RBIs. Manager Cobb Tyson used five pitchers in all with the victory going to Mickey Dwyer (1-1 4.34), who pitched a scoreless fifth, and the save went to closer Russ Courtney (3-2 4.01), who came on in the ninth and retired the only three batters he faced. Third baseman Luis Marquez (.318) and left fielder Rich Hart (.266) slugged homers for the Lynx.

Manager Rip Calkin commented on the lack of defense by La Claire, "Three errors cost us six runs today. No team can win doing that."

The defeat was costly for the Lynx (25-25) as they slipped to third place behind Bayview (26-25). The Vikings are 9 games behind the Fairfax Frogs (34-15), while La Claire is 9.5 games back. Blue Lake (21-28) is fifth in the division and trails by 13 games.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, June 9, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

FM Wins Slugfest 8-7 Over Colfax
In Far Mountain, Colfax squandered a 7-5 lead in the ninth and finally lost the game 8-7 in the tenth on Gerald Davis' two-out single. The two top clubs in the RU North went head-to-head in a slugfest. The first place Redhawks prevailed with 16 hits to the Blasters 13. Harry Buckley's ballclub was sizzling with the bats as three players had four hits apiece. Right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.321) was 4-for-5 with four RBIs and rapped his 8th homer this year. Catcher Dave Davis (.357) tallied 4-for-5 and drove in two runs. Center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.295) notched 4-for-5 and scored twice, including the winning run. Clem Rogers' crew was led by center fielder Tatsuya Sasaki (.273), who collected two hits, including a home run, scored two and batted in two. Third baseman Russ Farrell (.294) chipped in three hits and two RBIs. Vance Mitchell (3-0 1.38) of the Redhawks nailed down the victory with three hitless and scoreless innings and Colfax's stellar closer, Walt Sellers (1-2 1.77), was tagged with the loss.

Far Mountain (31-20) registered its fourth straight win and is now 2.5 games ahead of runner-up Colfax (28-22). The teams have two more games left in this series, which will conclude with a doubleheader on Sunday. The Redhawks have taken the first two games.

7-Run Inning Seals Win for Vigilantes
At Glasco, the Volusia Vigilantes went on a 7-run rampage in the fourth inning and held on to whip the Athletics 9-7. Center fielder Alex Luna (.268) had the big hit in the inning, a base-loaded double that drove in three runs. Winning pitcher Johnny Szwak (3-1 4.30) struggled with his control as he walked five in seven innings and allowed seven runs on six hits. Closer Ricky Moreno (3-1 2.22) was summoned in and he finished off the V's, who had cut the lead to two runs. Moreno claimed his 7th save with two scoreless frames and allowed only one hit. In the four-run sixth, third baseman Zach Byorvik (.254) had a bases-loaded blast, his 5th of the season. Right fielder Jose Valenzuela (.321) also had a two-run homer. Both of them came off Szwak.

The third place Glasco A's (24-24) dipped 5.5 games off the pace of the division-leading Far Mountain Redhawks (31-20). They are now tied with Valmara (25-25). Volusia (23-28) is fifth, eight games out.

Vipers Smash Elnora 12-3, Now Tied for Third
The Vipers scored 12 unanswered runs and smashed Elnora 12-3 at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara. The Vipers piled up 18 hits and were headed by center fielder Jan Szymanski, shortstop Mike Ellefsen, right fielder Jet Kazmarek and first baseman Yank Jankowski. Szymanski (.258) walloped a three-run roundtripper, his 9th, Ellefsen(.317) had four hits, including his 7th home run, Kazmarek (.276) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Jankowski (.279) drilled three hits, scored three times and plated a pair of runs. All that hitting made it easy for the four pitchers skipper J. Jackson Samuel used in the game. Starter Paul Schoenfeld (3-5 5.16) gave up three runs and seven hits in three innings and hit the showers early. Mickey Webb (1-0 5.19) won it with three-plus scoreless innings. He got help from Danny Rutigliano (0-1 6.08) and Andre Trepanier (2-2 4.23), who held the All-Stars scoreless the rest of the way.

The triumph was Valmara's (25-25) third straight and moved them into a tie for third with Glasco (24-24). Elnora (20-32) plunged deeper into the RU North basement with its third successive defeat.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, June 9, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Vogler Twirls 2-Hitter Against Westerners
The first place Marston Nine won their third game in succession with a sensational two-hitter by Ed Vogler and a strong show of power in a 5-1 victory over the Waleska Westereners. Vogler (3-2 3.78) was in complete command and had eight strikeouts and four walks in his route-going game. Center fielder Tommy Reinhold (.307) had a double, triple and home run to pace the Nine with right fielder Chris Deangelo (.289) and catcher Mo Chappell (.276) each going deep as well. Waleska starter Marv Chancellor (3-7 5.68) fanned 11 in six innings, but was hit hard by Marston. He gave up seven hits and four runs and got the loss.

The Marston Nine (30-20) lead the RU South, while Waleska (24-27) is 6.5 games behind them in fourth place.

Hill Hits Cycle, 'Jacks Crush Sunbirds 14-3
Forest City did everything right today at Bayside Park in Belair Beach. Left fielder Chuck Hill hit for the cycle, the Lumberjacks stroked 17 hits and Vinny Edelman tossed a strong game as they crushed the Sunbirds 14-3. It was the first time a player in the Islandian Pro Alliance hit a cycle. Hill (.356) hammered his 15th homer, had 4 hits, 5 RBIs and scored three times, right fielder Benny Davis (.254) got his 12th and first baseman J. T. Edmonds (.210) smacked his 6th. And Edelman (4-3 3.05) stopped Belair Beach on seven hits and he finished up with six Ks and two walks. Troy Wilson (3-6 4.48) lost it for the Sunbirds as he allowed seven runs and six hits in less than two innings. RU home run leader, Nicky Swift (.347), hit his 20th this season for Belair Beach. Swift also tops the league with 48 RBIs.

Hill admitted to the press in the post-game interview, "Actually the first three hits were sort of lucky. But I knew what I needed to complete the cycle. And you know, I got exactly what I wanted. Lotta luck in hitting for the cycle."

Forest City tied the IPA record for the most double plays in a regulation game with four. Arlon did it May 29 against Bay St. Clair. The record for most in an extra-inning game is also four, held by Far Mountain. The Redhawks did it in an eleven-inning contest against Colfax on May 18.

The Lumberjacks (27-24) are in the second spot in the division and trail Marston (30-20) by 3.5 games. Belair Beach (25-26) is third, 5.5 games off the pace.

Claxton Clips Rattlers in 11 Innings 8-7
At Avalon Stadium in Claxton, the Blasters clipped Sugar Valley 8-7 in 11 innings. Center fielder Wayne Wilson (.248) got on by an error by third baseman Jorge Vargas, advanced to third on shortstop Bobby Ritter's (.318) double and scored on second baseman Donny McCoy's (.361) sacrifice fly. Greg Neal (4-3 2.25) lost it for the Rattlers, yielding five hits and two runs in three-plus innings. Alex Vanzetti (3-1 2.03) continued to shine in relief for the Diamonds and got the victory, allowing no runs and one hit in four innings, and striking out four. Claxton numbered 15 hits to Sugar Valley's 9 with third baseman Keith Olsen (.328) going 4-for-5 and driving in one. Right fielder Dixie Baker (.328) hit his 17th home run and drove in three runs. Pinchhitter Vern Jennings (.254) tied the game 7-7 in the eighth with his 4th homer this season and sent the game into overtime. Rattler left fielder Cy Bartz (.294) knocked a three-run roundtripper and center fielder Freddie Vaux (.318) had two hits and two RBIs. Claxton led 6-3 after six, but trailed 7-6 after Sugar Valley rallied for four runs in the seventh.

The Sugar Valley Rattlers (23-26) are fifth in the division. They are two percentage points behind fourth place Waleska (24-27). Claxton (23-29) is sixth and last in the RU South race, eight games in back of the top team, the Marston Nine (30-20).

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, June 9, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Ninjas Even Series with Nats 4-2
The best clubs in the TU East have now split the first two games of the four-game series. Ginza got a standout performance from young righthander Vic Rousakis to top first place Ozarka 4-2. The second-place Ninjas collected nine hits off Yasuyuki Nakagawa (6-4 2.24) and did all of their scoring in the sixth inning. Left fielder Ronnie Graf's (.267) two-RBI single was the game-winner. Second baseman Scoop McDonald (.313) and third baseman Kaz Ojima (.327) drove in the other two runs in the inning. Rousakis (6-5 3.38) worked eight innings, held them to six hits, fanned eight and walked four. Closer Ken Watkins (3-2 2.63) claimed his 6th save by striking out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth. Shortstop Gil Lantz (.233) and left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.264) had RBIs for the Naturals. First baseman Kenshin Yamamoto (.293) went 3-for-4 to pace the Ninjas.

Ginza (27-24) narrowed the gap between them and the division's top team to 1.5 games. Ozarka is now 28-22 for the campaign.

7-Run Inning Gives SF 9-2 Victory Over Zorros
The South Fork Stallions raced to an easy 9-2 shellacking of the Luxora Zorros and moved ahead of them into the third spot in the TU East race. The Stallions jolted the Z's with seven runs in the second inning with the big hit coming off the bat of right fielder Paul Giles (.282), a three-run homer, number 14 for the season. South Fork netted 13 hits in all with shortstop Bobby Riley (.280) going 3-for-5, catcher Darryl Burnett (.293) went 3-for-4, and third baseman Glenn Holliday (.220) and first baseman Alex Kesler (.228) swatted two hits apiece. Shortstop Kris Baker (.260) delivered three hits for Luxora. Righthander Flint Battle (7-4 2.66) notched his fourth consecutive victory, although he allowed ten hits. Battle totaled five strikeouts and walked just one. Taking the loss was Keith Callahan (5-5 2.75), who gave up the seven-run inning, although only two of them were earned.

The Stallions (25-26) have now triumphed in the last four games and are just 3.5 games in back of first place Ozarka (28-22). The Z's (23-25) are now in fourth place and four games off the pace.

Hurricanes Blow Away Hellcats 7-4 in 11 Innings
Cape Coral looked listless for eight innings and trailed Hartsdale 4-1. Hellcat starter Danny Griffin limited them to just four hits and had fanned eight batters. At the start of the ninth, manager Zim Donner put in his bullpen ace, Gene Young - but to no avail. The Hurricanes scored three to even the score at 4-all. In the twelfth shortstop Bama Hartley (.282) sent Cape Coral ahead by doubling in two runs off losing pitcher Adam Falkenbach (1-2 4.79). Catcher Rick Clark (.328) followed with another double to win the game 7-4. Relievers Joey Martin (0-0 2.88) and Scotty Lohmeyer (2-2 3.32) each blanked Hartsdale for two innings with the victory going to Lohmeyer. The Hurricanes chalked up ten hits and were led by Hatfield with three hits, two runs and two RBIs and Clark with 3-for-4, two runs scored and an RBI. The Hellcats piled up 12 hits with second baseman Francisco Abreu (.290) and catcher Nick Griffin (.243) each belting out three hits. Griffin hit his 6th roundtripper, while third baseman Steve Ward (.340) hit his second in the stands.

Fourth place Cape Coral (24-26) is one percentage point ahead of fifth place Luxora (23-25) and trails the division's top team, the Ozarka Naturals, by four games.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, June 9, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Leslie Wins 9th Game
35-year-old lefty Jackie Leslie of Fairfax just keeps on winning. He captured his 7th straight victory by stopping Bay St. Clair 8-3 at Shoreline Park. That gave him his 9th win, which is tops in the Tyrobbian Union. Leslie (9-2 3.57) allowed eight hits, struck out four and issued no base on balls. He was backed up by the Frogs potent offense, which produced 11 hits today. Heading the hitters were right fielder Greg Vincent (.315) with two hits, three RBIs and his IPA-leading 23rd home run. He also leads in RBIs with 60. First baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.310) was 3-for-5 with his fourth homer. Third baseman Stan Cobb (.356) drove in two runs and scored twice for the winners. Sean Lawrence (2-5 4.69) copped the loss, pitching only two innings and giving up seven runs on seven hits.

Casey Ledbetter (9-1 3.06) of the Marston Nine also has won nine games this season and leads the Ruthlandian Union.

Fairfax (35-15) is the top club in the TU West and has no challengers in the first third of the season. The Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (20-32) are a distant last in the division cellar, 16 games out.

Viks Whip Arlon 4-3 in 11 Innings
Second place Bayview won on the road 4-3 in 11 innings at Derby Downs in Arlon. Second sacker Alan Hansen (.357) tripled in third baseman Bob Klostermann (.267) to send the fourth place Champions down to defeat. Viking closer Buzzy Lewis (2-2 3.09) hurled three scoreless innings for the win, while Arlon's Jeff Nieman (5-1 1.62) dropped his first game of the season, yielding a run and two hits in the last three frames. Homers accounted for the other Bayview runs. Both came in the third with a two-run shot by first baseman Dwayne Coleman (.304) and a solo job by right fielder Dean Howell (.341). Coleman is running second to Fairfax slugger Greg Vincent in homers, trailing 23 to 21, and in RBIs, 60 to 56. Arlon was led by center fielder Jerry Keller (.332) with three hits and an RBI and catcher Smoke Zakharov (.211) with 2-for-4 and an RBI. The Vikings were outhit by the Champs in the game 14-12. Both clubs wasted their hits and stranded many runners. It was Bayview's second win in a row and Arlon's fourth straight defeat.

Bayview (27-25) holds the runner-up spot to Fairfax (35-15) in the TU West standings, 9 games out, while Arlon (24-27) is fourth and trails by 11.5 games.

Blue Sox Barely Bump Off Lynx 2-1 Behind McPherson
Manager Tyson Cobb got an impressive outing from Clint McPherson, who shut the Luxora Lynx out for eight innings and beat them 2-1. McPherson (1-2 3.56) loaded the bases in the last inning, but surrendered only one run. The 31-year-old righthanded scattered nine hits for the victory, striking out five and walking one. Tony Nygaard (1-3 3.61) started and lost it for La Claire, giving up only six hits in eight innings, fanning seven and walking two. He was tagged for solo homers by third baseman Teddy Smith (.305) and shortstop Dandy Wilson (.258), one in the third frame and one in the seventh. Catcher Dennis Weiss (.272) plated the Lynx only run with a sac fly.

La Claire (25-26) is in third place, now 10.5 games out of first place and Blue Lake (22-28) is fifth, 13 games behind.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, June 10, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Redhawks Outlast Colfax 2-1 in 13 Innings
Skipper Alex Groveland's club is on another rampage and have won the last five games. In the opening game of a twinbill, both clubs got outstanding pitching in the Redhawks 2-1 victory over Colfax in 13 innings. It was the Blasters third defeat in succession. Three straight singles decided the game. Third baseman Al Nixon (.250) hit the game-winner and gave the loss to Walt Sellers (1-3 1.85) and gave the win to Vance Mitchell (4-0 1.06). Mitchell fanned five batters in four scoreless innings and allowed only one base hit. Sellers allowed one run and three hits in three-plus frames. Flash Guidry (6-4 2.79) started for Colfax and permitted one run and nine hits in eight-plus innings with nine Ks, while John Luzzatti (3-2 2.88) also worked eight-plus, yielded only five hits and a run. The Redhawks had 12 hits, while the Blasters only picked up six.

Redhawks Sweep Four-Game Series from Colfax
After trailing 7-3 after the first five innings, first place Far Mountain bats awoke and rallied to win 9-8 and sweep both games of the doubleheader from second place Colfax. The pair of victories gave them six victories in a row and raised the Redhawks to a 4.5 games lead on the Blasters in the RU North Division race. Third baseman Johnny Strickland was Johnny-on-the-spot again with a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth that scored Tommy Sonnier (.314). Gator Davis (.256) had two hits and 4 RBIs. He got a two-run homer in the sixth. The two clubs together collected 26 hits with Far Mountain getting 14 to Colfax's 12. Center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.303) and Strickland (.280) had three hits apiece for the Redhawks and left fielder Blinky Brandon (.302) and right fielder Pat Lott (.270) had three hits each for the Blasters. First baseman Dennis Cole (.309) whacked his 15th homer, a three-run blast. He now has 50 RBIs for the season and ranks first in the Ruthlandian Union and is third in homers. Closer Doc Rutledge (6-1 2.38) took the mound in the ninth and survived a bases-loaded situation. He picked up up the victory, while Pat Langlais (0-3 4.35) only pitched the ninth and got nailed for the loss.

Far Mountain (33-20) has won six in succession and separated themselves from the pack in the RU North with a 4.5-game lead. Colfax (28-24) is in second place in the division and has fallen in their last four games. The Redhawks took all four games of the series.

Vipers Victorious in 11-Inning Opener Over Elnora
Fine pitching prevailed for both sides in the opener of a twinbill between Elnora and Valmara at the Vipers home field, War Memorial Stadium. Valmara took advantage of Wally Tidwell's wildness to take a 4-3 victory in 11 innings. Tidwell loaded the bases with two walks and two outs and paved the way for third baseman Matt Mazurek (.237) to win the game with a line-drive single to right. However, it was Benny Bechtold that gave up the game-winning hit and pinned the loss on Tidwell (1-4 3.78). Notching the victory was Andre Trepanier (3-2 4.08) with a scoreless eleventh. Both clubs collected nine hits with first baseman Will Jackson (.230) hitting his 4th home run for Elnora and shortstop Mike Ellefsen (.315) getting his 8th for the Vipers.

Elnora's starting pitcher Troy Hudson (4-3 4.12) suffered an arm injury and will miss three weeks. He strained his elbow ligament and only pitched two innings.

Valmara Sweeps All-Stars for 5th Straight
Valmara smashed Elnora 12-1 in the second game of the doubleheader to sweep the All-Stars and are a full game ahead of fourth place Glasco. Cellar-dwelling Elnora has now lost its last five games. Todd Turner tossed one of his best games of the season, taming the All-Stars on a six-hitter, walking none and striking out five. Leading the Vipers 13-hit offensive attack were second baseman Floyd Vinson (.340) and backup catcher Jerry Burkhardt (.273) with three RBIs each and center fielder Jan Szyanski (.258) and first sacker Yank Jankowski (.278) with two apiece. Ted Gray (2-5 4.19) toiled in defeat and was belted for seven runs and seven hits in just two innings.

With the doubleheader win, Valmara (27-25) climbed two games over the .500 mark and now trails first place Far Mountain (33-20) by 5.5 games. Elnora (20-34) fell further into the division basement, 13.5 games out.

V's Rally Late, Drop A's to Fourth Place
In game one of a doubleheader, Volusia came back in the late innings to garner a 5-3 win over the Glasco A's. The Vigilantes tied it 3-3 in the sixth and won it with a two-run seventh on a triple by third baseman Alejandro Salazar. Southpaw Lenny Collins (3-2 3.16), recently restored to the starting rotation by manager Alfonso Feliz, went the distance, allowing three runs and eight hits, with six strikeouts and three walks. The V's Salazar (.291) had three hits and two RBIs and center fielder Alex Luna (.277) chased in a pair of runs with three base hits. Salazar had two doubles and a triple. Losing pitcher Jesse Balfour (4-5 3.09) also went the route, giving up a dozen hits, fanned eight and walked three. Glasco catcher Pete Kilgour (.257) had the only homer in the game.

Glasco (24-25) dropped to fourth place with the first-game loss. Valmara (26-25) took over the third spot in the RU North Division, a game ahead of the A's.

A's Win Nightcap 4-1, Split with Vigilantes
Hard-throwing lefty Charles Darby got Glasco a 4-1 win today in the nightcap to get a split with the Volusia Vigilantes at Athletics Field. Darby (8-3 2.08) registered his 8th victory of the season, while giving up eight hits, fanning seven and walking only one. He outhurled Raul Sandoval (5-6 2.67) in a battle of two of the better southpaws in the IPA. At bat center fielder Chet Reynolds (.300) and second baseman Barry McCord (.296) led the Athletics with two hits and an RBI apiece. Reynolds had a double and a triple. Right fielder Jose Valenzuela (.320) and backup catcher Nick O'Neil (.288) both chipped in an RBI for the winners. Sandoval surrendered eight hits and all four runs with three Ks and two bases on balls.

With the split of the doubleheader, Glasco (25-25) dropped to fourth place in the RU North standings and Volusia (24-29) is in the fifth spot. The Athletics are 6.5 games in back of first place Far Mountain (33-20) and Volusia is nine games out.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, June 10, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Marston Edges Waleska 3-2 in 10 Innings
In a tight ten-inning tussle in Waleska, the visiting Marston Nine edged the Westerners 3-2. Marston broke up a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the tenth, when center fielder Tommy Reinhold (.307) singled with one out, then scored on a double by left fielder Ronnie Horn (.291). Third baseman Roland Thomas (.335) drove in the eventual winning run with a single. Waleska battled gamely in the bottom of the tenth, plating one run and getting the tying run on third, before Milt Wilson could retire the side. He got third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.256) to ground out to short to end the game. Horn drove in two of the Nine's runs, while catcher Jody Hill (.188) homered for the Westerners. Both starters pitched outstanding games with Paul Azard (5-2 2.73) holding Waleska to three hits in seven innings and Rusty Kraft (3-5 4.31) stopping Marston on four hits over eight innnings. Wilson (0-2 3.68) was credited with his 4th save, but really was tested in the last inning, giving up one run, two hits and a walk. In a surprising move, manager Johnny Walters had outfielder Sam Dixon (1-0 0.00) pitch to one batter in the ninth. He got them out of a bases-loaded situation and got the win. Dixon has at times pitched in his career, but never in the IPA. Buddy Kennedy (1-4 4.30) suffered the loss as he surrendered two runs and three hits in his only inning.

This was the only single game on the schedule today. Marston (31-20) has won four straight and is riding high atop the RU South Division. Waleska has dropped the last three games and are fifth in the division, 7.5 games out.

Sunbirds Beat Lumberjacks in First Game 4-2
The Belair Beach Sunbirds got strong mound performances to win the first game of the doubleheader 4-2 against Forest City. Ken Frey (3-3 3.63) pitched into the eighth and allowed only two runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Closer Lou Zanelli (5-3 2.20) got the last four outs and fanned two of them for his 7th save. Topping the Sunbirds at bat were third baseman Mike Janocko (.308) with two hits and a homer, center fielder Pat Gilbert (.221) had two hits and an RBI, second baseman Rick Sullivan (.303) was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and catcher Dusty James (.200) drove in a run. Shortstop Pops Keller (.280) and second baseman Jesse Wolf (.303) drove in runs for the Lumberjacks. Starter Herm Bahr (5-4 3.21) lost it for Forest City, giving up all four runs and five hits in four innings. Belair Beach banged out 11 hits to the 'Jacks 6.

The third place Sunbirds (26-26) now trail first place Marston by 5.5 games, while second place Forest City (27-25) is 4.5 games off the pace.

FC, BB Divide Pair, 'Jacks Win Nightcap 4-1
Second place Forest City divided a pair of games with Belair Beach by taking the nightcap 4-1 behind righthander Glenn Moore. The Lumberjacks put together a three-run seventh to snap a 1-1 tie and send Terry Christian (1-2 4.78) down to defeat, although none of the four runs he allowerd were earned. The Sunbirds committed three costly errors in the game. Moore (6-2 2.33) worked a solid game, permitted only five hits, all singles, struck out four and issued three walks. Left fielder Chuck Hill (.347), second baseman Jesse Wolf (.302) and third baseman Jesse Pearson (.296) drove in runs for the winners. Both clubs were anemic with the bats. Each had only five hits.

With the split Forest City (28-25) holds on to the runner-up position in the RU South and trail Marston (31-20) by four games. Belair Beach (26-27) is third and six games behind the Nine.

Diamonds Take Opener 4-2 Over Rattlers
Last place Claxton won the first of two with Sugar Valley 4-2 with some fine pitching by Dennis Scott, who went the route and checked the Rattlers on seven hits. Scott (4-5 3.95) whiffed eight and walked three. Southpaw Tony Michelet (4-6 4.64) also pitcher the entire game, but was done in by the three-run fourth. Michelet gave up nine hits, fanned six and walked just one batter. A walk to Donny McCoy (.361) and a double by Dixie Baker (.332) set the stage for a two-run two-bagger by left fielder Winky Rush (.281). Mike McCluskey's (.285) RBI single made it 3-1 in favor of the Diamonds. Keith Olsen's (.323) sac fly added another run in the fifth. Center fielder Freddie Vaux (.321) homered in the first for Sugar Valley and catcher Shotgun McFall (.359) doubled in the fifth for their last score.

Claxton (24-29) has won the last two games and the Diamonds are getting close to escaping the cellar. They trail Marston (31-20) by eight games. The Rattlers (23-27) are fourth and 7.5 games behind.

Rattlers Roll Over Diamonds 10-1, Split D'Header
Sugar Valley rolled over Claxton 10-1 as Ron Benson breezed to an easy win for the split. Benson (7-6 2.81) gave up nine hits, but only one run, fanned seven and did not walk anyone in an excellent outing. The Rattlers backed him up with 11 hits and were paced by third baseman Jorge Vargas (.339), who slammed a three-run roundtripper for his 11th of the year, Benson (.176) had three hits and three RBIs, including a double, and left fielder Cy Bartz (.288) and first baseman Ken Arnold (.259) each knocked in two scores in the rout. Claxton only run came on a ninth-inning blast by first baseman Marty McCluskey (.289). Sugar Valley teed off on loser Tetsunori Nakashima (7-4 4.60) for five hits and five runs and KO'd him in the fifth. Nakashima walked five.

The Rattlers (24-27) are in fourth place in the division, seven games in back of Marston (31-20). Claxton (24-30) is last and 8.5 games out.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, June 10, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Nats Stun Ninjas, Win Opener 4-3 in 9th
Shortstop Gil Lantz was the hero in the opener of a Sunday doubleheader between the two top clubs in the TU East. Lantz (.238) slammed a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to give first place Ozarka a walk-off 4-3 victory over second-place Ginza. Starter Ted Didriksen (5-4 3.35) and closer Alex DiMaggio (6-2 1.80) teamed up to beat the Ninjas. Didriksen worked the first eight frames, permitted three runs on six hits and fanned six. However, the win went to DiMaggio. He sat down Ginza 1-2-3 in the ninth and struck out two of them. The Naturals outhit them 11 to 6. Lantz had a double and triple and drove in three runs. Third baseman Doug Cunningham (.238) went 2-for-4 and scored twice. First sacker Kenshin Yamamoto (.297) drilled a two-run homer for the Ninjas, number 8 for the season. Closer Ken Watkins (3-3 2.93) was the victim of the game-winning hit and was pinned with the loss.

Ozarka (29-22) expanded their lead to 2.5 games over runner-up Ginza (27-25).

Ninjas Divide DH with Nats, Win Nightcap 5-3
Four unearned runs in the fourth gifted Ginza with a 5-3 triumph over first place Ozarka and gained the split in the doubleheader at Ellie Ewing Stadium. Manager Huroko Uchiyama used three pitchers to whip the Nats with starter Kojiro Matsumoto (8-1 3.34) getting his 8th victory of the year. He only allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, but was constantly in trouble because of five bases on balls. Matsumoto struck out nine. Buddy Hart (2-3 4.30) came out of exile in the bullpen and gave Uchiyama two fine innings to nail down the verdict and get his first save. Donnie Young (3-3 3.76) was the losing pitcher. He was raked over the coals by the Ninjas, who hammered him for five runs and eight hits in three-plus innings, but only surrendered one earned run. Shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.296) led the 11-hit parade for the Ninjas. He was 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. Third baseman Doug Cunningham (.244) led the Naturals at bat, going 2-for-4.

The showdown between first place Ozarka (29-23) and second place Ginza (28-25) ended up all even. They split the four-game series with two victories apiece. The Nats are still 1.5 games ahead in the pennant race.

First Game Goes to Z's, Slip by Stallions 2-1
In the first game of the doubleheader at De la Vega Stadium in Luxora, the hometown Zorros squeezed by South Fork 2-1 in twelve innings and snapped a four-game losing spell. At the same time, Luxora ended the Stallions four-game winning streak. With two outs right fielder Pedro Vizquel (.305) doubled in pitcher Roberto Martinez (.200) with the winning run. Martinez had led off the twelfth with a double. That made closer Martinez (3-1 3.03) the winning pitcher. He went three innings, allowed no runs, three hits and faned three. Ken Conner (3-2 2.67) came on in the eleventh and failed to do the job, yielding three hits and a run in less than two innings. Booger Burchfield (3-4 3.60) twirled a terrific ten innings, limited the Zorros to just two hits, fanned four and allowed no walks. Johnny Montel of South Ford was superb as well, being touched for just three hits in nine innings, struck out seven and had zero walks. The Z's third baseman Rico Vina (.266) plated the first run of the game in the fith, when he grounded out to short. Third baseman Glenn Holliday (.220) put the Stallions only run on the scoreboard with a solo homer, when he tied the score at 1-all. He now has 8 this season.

Stallions Split with Luxora
Center fielder Mike Yastrzemski's clutch ninth-inning homer gave South Fork the victory and a split in the twinbill with the Luxora Zorros. The Stallions were one out from losing when Yastrzemski cracked a two-run shot off reliever Eddie Hoffman (0-2 4.01), who caught the loss. It was quite a pitchers' duel between Jerry Harrison and Francisco Fernandes. Harrison (5-3 3.74) left trailing 2-1 after eight innings. Fernandes (4-5 3.29) stopped South Fork on six hits through seven innings, but Hoffman couldn't win it for him. But Billy Joe Gordon (0-3 2.93) tossed a scoreless ninth and sealed the verdict for Harrison. It was Gordon's 6th save this season. Yastrzemski (.264) led the Stallions with 2-for-5 and two RBIs, while first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.325) and center fielder Shotgun Boggs (.140) paced the Z's with solo homers. Luxora outhit South Fork 10-7, but left too many runners on.

The Stallions (26-27) dipped to fourth place with the split, 3.5 games behind the TU East leader, the Ozarka Naturals (29-23). Cape Coral (26-26) swept a pair form Hartsdale (23-29) and edged a half-game in front of South Fork. Luxora (24-26) is fifth in the division, four games off the pace.

Hurricanes Eked Out 3-2 Win Over Hellcats
The first game of the doubleheader between Cape Coral and Hartsdale went to the Hurricanes 3-2. Right fielder Danny Mullins (.342) drove in center fielder Billy Abbott (.250) from third with game-winning single to give Glenn Mann (5-7 2.92) a tough loss. Katsuyuki Nagashima (2-5 2.72), who has suffered several well-pitched games, got the victory this time. Nagashima worked eight innings, allowed seven hits, two runs, fanned seven and walked only one in a fine performance. Scotty Lohmeyer (2-2 3.18) picked up his second save with a perfect ninth inning. Mann went the distance for Hartsdale, yielded ten hits, three runs with six Ks and two walks. Mullins had two hits and two RBIs top the Hurricanes hitters, while first baseman Rodger Wooten (.310) was 3-for-4. Shortstop Terry Bellino (.350) and second baseman Francisco Abreu (.294) drove in the runs for the Hellcats.

Cape Coral lost center fielder James Middleton with a hand injury for one to two weeks. Manager Huggy Millers said they had signed outfielder Claude Kershaw to fill in his spot on the roster. Eric Smith will move into Middleton's place in the lineup and Kershaw will be his backup.

Cape Coral Takes Two from Hartsdale
At Pioneer Park in Hartsdale, Cape Coral copped both ends of the doubleheader, winning the nightcap 11-6. They have won three straight from the Hellcats. Thirteen hits, including four doubles and four homers made it easy for the Hurricanes. Center fielder Eric Smith (.232), left fielder Rod Kelly (.315), shortstop Bobo Hatfield (.280) and right fielder Danny Mullins (.316) all walloped homers. The Hellcats had fourteen hits, but couldn't match the Hurricane firepower. Only center fielder Greq Reynolds (.249) went deep for them. A five-run first got rid of Hartsdale starter Jim Sears (2-6 4.26) and a four-run fifth put Cape Coral ahead to stay 9-4. Owen Pruitt (4-4 4.21) wavered a bit, but still got credit for the victory. He tossed seven innings and gave up six runs on ten hits. Joey Martin (0-0 2.67) registered his first save as he held Hartsdale scoreless and struck out three in two innings of relief.

With the sweep, the Hurricanes (26-26) moved ahead of South Fork (26-27) in the battle for third place in the division. Cape Coral is three back of first place Ozarka (29-23) and the Stallions are now fourth, 3.5 games off the pace. Last place Hartsdale (23-29) trails by six games.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, June 10, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Frogs Win Opener, 6-3 Over Buccaneers
Good hitting and good pitching is a hard combination to beat. That's why Fairfax is running away with the TU West. It was their second successive win over Bay St. Clair. The Frogs lashed 10 hits in whipping them 6-3 in the opener game of a twinbill at Shoreline Park. Manager Harry Buckley also got impressive mound work from his starter Robby Meredith and two relievers, Scotty Marshall and Takehidi Takahashi. Meredith (8-0 2.67) rang up his 8th victory, while giving up three runs and seven hits in six inning. He has yet to lose a game this season. Marshall (0-0 6.86) pitched a scoreless seventh and Takahashi (4-1 1.82) closed it out, not allowing a run over the last two frames. Five Frogs has two hits apiece with shortstop Warren Lee (.295) driving in two runs and third baseman Stan Cobb (.358) and second baseman Greg Inman (.278) plating one each. Cobb hit his 7th home run of the year and is tied for the batting lead with Eric Richter of Luxora. Both are sporting .358 batting averages. The Buccaneers were paced by first baseman Maury Smith (.352) with two hits and two RBIs and catcher Jake Singleton (.351) with 3-for-5 and a run batted in. Fairfax tagged Norm Gross (6-5 3.46) with loss and for six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.

Fairfax Beats Bucs Twice, Takes Second Game 7-6
The Fairfax Frogs took the twinbill from the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers, holding on to take the second game 7-6 after leading by 7-2 going into the eighth. Closer Takehide Takahashi (4-1 1.74) came in and shut the door by striking out four batters in the last two innings for his 7th save. Portsider Jimmy Dalton (6-3 4.25) got the victory despite being knocked out in the four-run eighth. Both ballclubs hit three roundtrippers each. Fairfax second baseman Scoop Estes (.293) hit a three-run shot, left fielder Gator Davis (.301) smacked a two-run homer and shortstop Warren Lee (.298) had a solo home run. For Bay St. Clair third baseman Bubba Tate (.337) blasted a three-run homer, first baseman Maury Smith (.360) got a two-run rip and left fielder Charley Moon (.267) cracked a solo shot. Smith went 3-for-4 and took over the top spot in the Tycobbian Union with a .360 batting average.

The sweep gave the first place Frogs (37-15) three consecutive wins over last place Bucs (20-34).

Arlon's Fitzgerald Blanks Viks 6-0 on 1-Hitter
In game one of two, Arlon's Wally Fitzgerald came close to pitching the first no-hitter in IPA history, but fell short by one heartbreaking infield hit. Left fielder Glenn Burns (.312) hit a slow roller past the mound with two outs in the ninth that no one could handle. Second sacker Karl Detwiler got to it, but had no play. Fitzgerald (2-1 1.93) totaled nine strikeouts and walked four in his standout performance. Arlon rapped 13 hits in the 6-0 shutout over the Bayview Vikings at Derby Downs. Shortstop Bama Hartley (.286) and Matt Merrill (.313) led the Champions with three hits each and Jerry Keller (.329) drove in two runs with a double. The loser was Denny Copeland (0-2 4.97), who yielded four runs and six hits in two innings and went to the showing trailing 4-0.

The only other one-hitter was thrown by Fairfax's Johnny Schluessler (3-5 4.39) on May 13, a 5-0 victory over La Claire.

Viks Divide Twinbill, Beat Champs 4-3 in 2nd Game
In the finale of the Sunday twinbill, Bayview took a close 4-3 triumph and divided the twinbill with the Arlon Champions. Third baseman Bob Klostermann's (.255) deep fly to center scored shortstop Shorty Richards from third with the decisive run. Shaky defense cost Arlon the game. A two-base error by third baseman Archie Berry (.246) and a passed ball put Richards into scoring position. It was a well-pitched game on both sides as each club had eight hits. Adrian Strom (5-3 4.02) garnered the victory. He gave up one run and three hits in three innings and struck out three in relief of starter Paul Hook, who fanned nine in just six frames, gave up 5 hits and two runs. Ace Howe (3-5 2.84), back starting after missing two weeks with a bad knee, allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings with the defeat going to closer Jeff Nieman (5-2 1.57), who was the victim of the unearned run. Second baseman Alan Hansen (.355) had a pair of two-baggers for Bayview. He scored once and had an RBI.

After the split, the second place Vikings (28-26) remained ten games in back of first place Fairfax (37-15). Arlon (25-28) is fourth in the TU West standings and are 12.5 games out.

Blue Sox Bomb La Claire 10-2 in Opener
Blue Lake's Bennie West was zeroed in and on target in the 10-2 massacre of the La Claire Lynx in the opening game of the doubleheader at Capitol Park Stadium. West (6-5 2.34) fired third strikes past a dozen Lynx to capture the win. He allowed eight hits and walked only two. The Blue Sox walloped a dozen hits and four homers off three pitchers and pegged the loss on Frank Lamoreaux (4-3 3.25), who surrendered four runs and six hits in three innings. Center fielder Donnie Frazier (.311) and third baseman Timmy Smith (.310) each slammed a pair of homers and drove in three runs for the winners. Frazier also scored four times.

Lynx Rally to Split, Win Nightcap 6-5
Manager Rip Calkin's starter Pat Daniels (5-2 4.27) was trashed five runs in less than three innings and exited trailing 5-0. However, his relievers responded in grand fashion and blanked Blue Lake the rest of the game. The La Claire Lynx pecked away with single runs in the third, fifth and sixth, then rallied with three runs in the seventh to divide the doubleheader. In all they socked 17 hits, but left 14 men on base. The Blue Sox had 14 hits and stranded 10 runners. In the seventh, second baseman Sean Allen (.138) tied the game at 5-5 with a two-run homer and left fielder Rich Hart won it with a single. In his first starting assignment of the year, Derek Manetti (3-3 4.99) caught the loss. He permitted all six runs on twelve hits in six innings. Val Krumholtz (3-1 4.62) went four-plus innings for the win and fanned four, while allowing five hits and no runs. Nick Baumgartner (2-5 3.93) notched his 2nd save with two scoreless innings. Shortstop Dirk Lindahl (.285) and center fielder (.289) sparked La Claire with three hits apiece, while right fielder Fred Collins (.271) had a perfect 4-for-4 day for Blue Lake and Greg Boone (.300) slapped three hits. Second baseman Ken Bennett (.249) hit a three-run homer for the Blue Sox.

The third place Lynx (26-27) are 11.5 games out of first place, while fifth place Blue Lake (23-29) is 14 games behind.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, June 11, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

A's Edge Redhawks 3-2
Glasco's skipper McDuffie Hughes promoted Duncan McFalls to a starting role and it paid off -- he stopped first place Far Mountain 3-2 on seven hits in his first start of the season. McFalls (2-0 3.14) struck out six and walked only two in a complete game. He outpitched Vic Vaux (5-3 3.30), who lost it. Vaux left trailing 3-2 in the eighth after allowing nine hits. The Athletics scored one in the first and two in the third, while Far Mountain tallied runs in the second and fifth. First baseman Francisco Robles (.269) went 3-for-4 and and left fielder Ox Beauvais (.345) 2-for-4 to pace Glasco, while shortstop Joey Cannizzaro (.319) had two hits for the Redhawks. Cannizzaro was injured while sliding into third and was removed from the game.

Far Mountain (33-21) is in first place in the RU North Division and 5.5 games in front of third place Glasco (26-25).

Ferrell's Grand Slam Tops Vipers 6-2
One swing of the bat gave Colfax a 6-2 victory at home over the Valmara Vipers. Third baseman Russ Ferrell (.287) unleased a grand slam in the last of the eighth off Gerry Bart (3-5 5.48) to make a winner of Robbie Smith (2-3 3.23). Smith allowed no earned runs and seven hits in going the distance. Bart yielded six runs and eight hits in defeat. Second baseman Tucker Hill (.349) led the Blasters with a 4-for-4 day.

Colfax (29-24) edged closer to the division's top team, the Far Mountain Redhawks (33-21), and now are 3.5 games off the pace. Valmara (27-26) fell back to fourth place with the loss, 5.5 games behind, one percentage point out of third.

V's Trounce All-Stars 11-1 Behind Kivett
It has been an amazing start in the Islandian Pro Alliance for Kit Kivett of the Volusia Vigilantes. The 34-year-old righthander was signed two weeks ago to shore up a weak pitching staff and has done wonders for manager Alfonso Feliz. Kivett has proceeded to win all five starts and completed all five of them. His latest victim was the Elnora All-Stars. Kivett (5-0 1.23) trounced them 11-1 and allowed just six hits with five Ks and no walks. The V's supported him with 15 hits and were led by shortstop Scooter Perez (.357), who had a career day, going 5-for-5 with two homers and six RBIs. First baseman Alejandro Salazar (.298) also homered, drove in three runs and went 3-for-5. Taking the loss was reliever Kenny Harvey (0-1 8.36), who was ripped for four runs in the six-run second. Zoggy White, the Elnora skipper, had to use his closer Wally Tidwell as his starter. White's staff is totally depleted from yesterday's doubleheader. Tidwell worked two scoreless innings, but had to leave with back spasms. It went downhill from there.

Volusia (25-29) is in the fifth spot in the RU North and eight games out of first. It was Elnora's (20-35) sixth straight defeat. The All-Stars are 13.5 games behind first place Far Mountain.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, June 11, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

'Jacks Nip Nine with 2 Ninth-Inning HRs 7-6
First place Marston took a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth against second place Forest City, but it didn't last long. Leftfielder Chuck Hill (.360) hit his 16th homer and right fielder Benny Davis (.257) got his 13th for the comeback 7-6 win over the Nine. Although outhit 15-13, the Lumberjacks has the most offensive punch. Center fielder Ryan Morse (.347) and second baseman Jesse Wolf (.309) sparked them with three hits each. Right fielder Chris Deangelo (.298) paced Marston with four hits. Reliever Nick Marceau (1-1 2.50) pulled in the win with a short one-out stint. Ken Bagby (2-3 3.23) was the losing pitcher. He surrendered the two game-deciding roundtrippers.

Marston (31-21) is still on top in the RU South and is three games in front of runner-up Forest City (29-25).

Rattlers Romp Over Sunbirds 8-2
In Sugar Valley, the Rattlers romped over Belair Beach 8-2 at Farmers Memorial Park. Paul Haines (2-3 3.64) got the win with an inning of help from Connie Erlichmann. Haines allowed nine hits and two runs in eight innings of work. Lefty Carl Thompson (8-4 2.04) lost it for the Sunbirds as the Rattlers pummeled him for five runs in the first three innings. Third baseman Jorge Vargas (.339) drove in five runs for Sugar Valley, including a three-run homer, his 12th of the year. Shortstop Flipper Bird (.240) also chipped in three hits and batted in two runs. Right fielder Matty McDermott (.356) led Belair Beach with 4 hits.

The triumph enabled Sugar Valley (25-27) to deadlock Belair Beach (26-28) for the third spot in the division standings.

Westerners Hold Off Claxton 4-3
Waleska only got seven hits in the game, but they made the most of them to beat Claxton 4-3 at Ellie Ewing Stadium. The Westerners took a 4-1 edge into the ninth and just barely escaped with a narrow victory. The Diamonds had 13 hits and wasted most of them. Smokey Joe Carter (8-5 2.80) spun a strong seven innings, giving up seven hits and only one unearned run, while striking out six and walking only one batter. Closer Buddy Kennedy (1-4 4.88) managed to save it, but came very close to blowing the game as he was tagged for two runs in the ninth. Shortstop Joey Giarussa (.182) homered for Waleska and right fielder Charley Williamson (.275) added two hits and two RBIs.

The fifth place Westerners (25-28) are now 6.5 games in back of first place Marston (31-21) and Claxton (24-31) is last, 8.5 games behind.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Monday, June 11, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Hurricanes Halt Naturals 8-3
The tight TU East race just got a little tighter as third place Cape Coral knocked off first place Ozarka 8-3. The Hurricanes closed the gap to just two games with their fourth win in a row. Winner Kaz Hayakawa (5-7 4.44) tossed seven innings and held the Nats to five hits and three runs with six strikeouts and only one walk. Reliever Gary Fountain (4-2 4.89) shut them down with no runs the last two frames. Cape Coral outgunned Ozarka 10-6 and were led by left fielder Rod Kelly (.324) with three hits, two runs and an RBI, New signee, center fielder Claude Kershaw (.500) had two hits and two RBIs in his first game, right fielder Billy Abbott (.262) scored four times and had two hits, and first baseman Rodger Wooten (.304) batted in a pair of scores. Center fielder Teddy Braun (.291) had a two-run homer for the Naturals, his 5th of the season. Losing pitcher Luther Hatch (7-5 3.46) had a terrible game and was racked for eight runs before being kayoed in the eighth.

Ozarka (29-24) is now 1.5 games up on second place Ginza (28-26) and two games ahead of Cape Coral (27-26).

Stallions Move Up with 6-1 Win Over Ninjas
The Ginza Ninjas lost a golden opportunity to get within a half-game of the top spot in the TU East Division by succumbing 6-1 to the fourth place South Fork Stallions. Righthander Ken Olson (5-5 2.96) continued to give solid performances. He fanned six, walked one and checked the Ninjas on one run and nine hits. Third baseman Glenn Holliday (.221) and first baseman Alex Kesler (.233) led the well-balanced Stallion lineup with two hits apiece. Kazuhiro Nakayama (5-8 3.06) suffered the setback. He lasted only into the sixth and was rapped for five runs and seven hits. The top hitter for Ginza was catcher Toshiro Nomura (.306), who was 3-for-3.

South Fork (27-27) has now risen to fourth place, only 2.5 games off the pace. Ginza is second and 1.5 games behind the top club, the Ozarka Naturals (29-24).

Hellcats Top Zorros in 15-Innings 8-4
At De la Vega Stadium in Luxora, the Hartsdale Hellcats outlasted the Zorros 8-4 in 15 innings. First baseman Walt Long doubled in the winning run off losing pitcher Andy Stevens (2-2 3.78). Jackie Bond (2-1 4.46) claimed the victory with three scoreless innings. Long (.244) sparked the Hellcats with 3-for-7, scored twice and had two RBIs. Left fielder Jay Luna (.284) was 2-for-7, batted in two and scored once for the victors, while catcher Eric Richter (.366) and first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.333) each went 4-for-7 for Luxora. The two ballclubs swatted 32 hits in all with the Z's getting 17 of them, the Hellcats 15.

Hartsdale tied an IPA mark for most double plays in an extra-inning game with four. Far Mountain turned four on May 18 in a 14-inning loss to Colfax. Four is also the best mark for a regulation game and is held by the Arlon Champions, who set the record in a 4-1 win over Bay St. Clair on May 29.

The Hellcats (24-29) may be in last place, but they trail Ozarka 929-24) by only five games, while Luxora (24-27) is just four games out in fifth place.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Well done Eugene

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Well done Eugene

Couldn't do it without you, mein Freund.

Looking forward to OOTP9.