ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, July 5, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

V's Whip Colfax, Now Tied for 3rd Place
At Silver River Stadium, the homestanding Volusia Vigilantes squeezed out a narrow 4-3 triumph over the first place Colfax Blasters in the opening game of the series. The V's ran up a 4-0 lead after three innings and then just held on to end the Blasters winning streak at three. Closer Ricky Moreno (4-2 2.27) came in and shut the door on Colfax just in time. After starting pitcher Kit Kivett weakened in the bottom of the ninth, Moreno was summoned from the bullpen with runners on first and second with one out. Moreno gave up an RBI single to the first hitter he faced, pinchhitter Jeff Cook (.274), to make it 4-3. With runners still on first and second, Moreno got the second out on a fielder's choice and the last out on a fly to center. He left the tying run on third base and got his 11th save. Kivett (7-3 2.78) was the winner. He allowed ten hits, fanned seven and walked none. Center fielder Alex Luna (.264) had three hits, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs with his 9th homer of the season in the first inning. Left fielder Winky Rush (.277) singled two runs across in the third. Shortstop Scooter Perez (.377) went 2-4 and scored twice. For Colfax first baseman Dennis Cole (.307) hit his 21st home run, good for two runs in the sixth. The defeat went to starter Alex Castille (8-7 4.28), who yielded four runs in four innings.

It was Volusia's (39-39) third straight victory and improved them to .500 for the year. The Vigilantes are now 6 games in back of the RU North-leading Blasters (45-33). They are now tied for third place with the Glasco Athletics (38-38).

All-Stars Win 4th Straight, Clip FM Redhawks 5-4
In the first game of the series at Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain, the visiting Elnora All-Stars escaped with a 5-4 victory over the second place Redhawks and put an end to its five-game losing string. Holding a scant one-run lead in the last of the ninth, starter Pat Savoie (4-1 2.94) got into trouble with a lead-off triple by catcher Dave Davis (.373). Manager Zoggy White promptly pulled in his closer Wally Tidwell (3-5 3.59) and he did his job. Tidwell fanned the first batter, got out number two on a shallow fly to left and finished off Far Mountain with a force out at second. Davis was stranded at third base. It was Tidwell's 4th save of the season. Doc Rutledge (6-5 2.42) worked the last two frames for the loss. In total hits Elnora had the advantage 10-7. Pinchhitter Johnny Zumwalt (.261) provided the winning run in the top of the eighth with a sac fly. Center fielder Harry Wright (.255) and catcher Todd Simons (.275) drove in the other runs and each had two RBIs. Pacing the Redhawks at bat were center fielder Hawk Gallagher (.316) with 2-4 and two runs driven in and second baseman Shirai Kobayashi (.268) 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Far Mountain (44-35) had a chance get back within a half-game of the top spot in the division, but fell for the fourth consecutive game. With the loss, the Redhawks dropped 1.5 games off the pace. Elnora (30-49) is in last place, 15.5 games out.

Wojcik Fires 1-Hitter, Valmara Over A's 9-0
Valmara skipper J. Samuel Jackson gleefully told the press, "That's the easy way to break a three-game losing streak. Just throw a 1-hitter and shut out the other team. They can't beat you, if they don't score. Wojcik was marvelous." The Vipers Gerry Wojcik (1-1 3.82) fired a 9-0 shutout against Glasco and only allowed one single in the eighth inning. Wojcik struck out six and issued one one walk. A's catcher Pete Kilgour (.214) got the only hit. The Vipers, however, feasted on Glasco pitching, pounding out four homers and 13 hits. Center fielder Jan Szymanski (.261) had three hits and four RBIs, including his 16th home run. He now has taken over the RBI lead with 77. Third baseman Rickey O'Reilly (.272) added two more roundtrippers and four more RBIs. O'Reilly has hit 9 homers this season. Bill Darby (3-5 4.00) started for the Athletics and took the brunt of the attack as he gave up six runs in five innings and three of the home runs.

Manager McDuffie Hughes of the Athletics said, "Wojcik was sharp. We never did figure him out."

In 2001 Wojcik has posted a record of 1 win and 1 loss with a 3.82 ERA. He has appeared in 10 games and struck out 22 in 30.2 innings. Due to poor performance, Wojcik was released in the middle of May, but was re-signed a week ago as the Vipers were desperate for pitching. Last week he beat Volusia 4-3 in a complete game.

Third place Glasco (38-38) had won five in a row. The A's are now tied with Volusia (39-39) and are 6 games out of first. Valmara (38-40) is in the fifth spot in the RU North standings and 7 games behind the leader.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, July 5, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Rattlers Deal Marston 4th Loss in a Row
Sugar Valley survived a 15-hit barrage and knocked off first place Marston 6-4 at Farmers Memorial Stadium to capture the opener in a 5-game series and deal them a fourth loss in a row. Winner Harvey Hines (7-6 4.11) was tapped for 14 of them, but he was tough and stranded 11 runners. Hines allowed four runs in seven innings. Closer Gregg Neal (5-5 2.11) helped him out with two scoreless innings to protect the lead and get his 11th save. Heading the Rattler bats were first baseman Phil Taylor (.211), who put them ahead for good with a three-run clout in the sixth and right fielder Karl Dietz (.263), who had a two-run double in the fourth. Leading Marston were right fielder Chris Deangelo with a double and two RBIs, shortstop Lenny Torricelli (.243) with 2-3 and an RBI and catcher Mo Chappell (.311), who had 3-4 and drove in a run. Nick Pace (11-7 2.86), in a poor performance, was tagged with the defeat, going seven innings, allowing six runs and seven hits, while striking out seven and walking four.

Marston (44-32) has a 5.5-game margin over third place Sugar Valley (39-38) in the RU South Division. The Rattlers are tied with Waleska (39-38).

FC Outlasts Claxton 6-5 in 12 Innings
At Avalon Stadium in Claxton, Tetsunori Nakashima (9-5 4.83) and Vinny Edelman (6-6 3.33) battled to a 5-5 draw after seven innings, then turned it over to the bullpens. For the second place Lumberjacks, it was Timmy Brooks (2-3 1.59) and for the Diamonds, it was Chris Jauvert (0-1 3.94). They matched goose eggs until the top of the twelfth, when second baseman Jesse Wolf doubled, tagged up on deep fly out and moved over to third, then rode home on Jesse Pearson's single. That put Forest City up 6-5. Claxton threatened in the last of the twelfth with a lead-off two-bagger by left fielder Dan Molnar (.414). He was moved to third by a sacrifice bunt, but he never came close to scoring as Brooks struck out the final two batters to seal the verdict. Lots of hits in the game, 15 for Forest City and 16 for Claxton. For the 'Jacks, Pearson (.265) had 2-6 and three RBIs, shortstop Pops Keller (.305) hit his 6th homer, a two-run blast, and Wolf (.311) went 3-6 and scored scored three times. Claxton right fielder Dixie Baker (.331) cracked his 25th home run this season for two runs and center fielder Wayne Wilson (.294) smashed his 6th and was 3-7 and scored once.

The second place Lumberjacks (42-37) shaved a game off Marston lead and now trail by 3.5 games. Claxton (37-42) had rung up victories in the last four games and is in the fifth slot in the division and 8.5 games behind.

Smokey Joe Wins 12th, Stops Sunbirds 4-2
Smokey Joe Carter of Waleska has joined the other two 12-game winners in the IPA. Carter (12-6 2.95) did it with a six-hit performance to stop the Belair Beach Sunbirds 4-2. The Westerners trailed 2-0 after five as Lyndon Yarbrough shut them out, but rallied late to claim victory. Reserve third baseman Eddie Fletcher (.250) hit a solo homer in the seventh to put them ahead 3-2 and left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.320) hit his 20th in the eight inning for an insurance run. Both of the roundtrippers came off Yarbrough (0-2 4.53), who lost it. He gave up four runs in eight innings, fanned five and walked one. The Sunbirds sub first sacker Nickie Gulino (.235) slammed a two-run shot off Carter in the fifth to break up a scoreless tie. Burkhalter had three hits and two runs batted in to top the Westerners. Waleska outhit Belair Beach 9 to 6 in the game.

The other 12-game winners are Kojiro Matsumoto of Ginza, who is 12-4 with a 2.64 ERA and Ron Benson of Sugar Valley with a 12-6 record and a 2.79 ERA.

With the win Waleska (39-38) remained tied with Sugar Valley for third place in the Ruthlandian Union South, 5.5 games off the pace of the top team, the Marston Nine (44-32). The Sunbirds (32-46) sunk a little deeper into the cellar, 13 games back.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, July 5, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

'Cats Nudge Ninjas in 9th 3-2
At Pioneer Park in Hartsdale, the Hellcats came back with a last ditch, ninth-inning rally to nudge the Ginza Ninjas 3-2. Clutch hits by right fielder Jesus Guzman (.216) and first baseman Todd Seals (.199) made the difference. In Hartsdale's last at-bat, third baseman Whiz Weaver (.286) led off with a single and advanced on a sacrifice to second. Guzman tied the score at 2-2 with a double and then Seals won the game with a single. It was a very well-pitched contest as starters Danny Griffin (6-8 3.68) and Kazuhiro Nakayama (5-9 2.88) battled on even terms. Griffin worked seven innings, held the Ninjas to one run and seven hits, fanned eight and walked four, while Nakayama tossed seven innings and limited the Hellcats to five hits and an unearned run with five Ks and two walks. Gene Young (5-4 3.21) lucked into the win, while Ken Watkins (3-5 3.38) absorbed the loss. Neither were very effective. Right fielder Charlie Campbell (.290) had three hits and an RBI for Ginza and catcher Katsuya Noguchi (.311) drove in one.

Ginza (44-34) is the top team in the Tycobbian Union East Division and leads last place Hartsdale (35-43) by 9 games.

'Canes Score Early, Beat Stallions 6-4
At Jock Ewing Stadium in South Fork, the second place Cape Coral Hurricanes scored early and beat the third place Stallions 6-4, in spite of being outhit 13 to 8. The 'Canes piled up a 5-0 margin at the end of three innings, then kept beating back threats by South Fork. Hitting stars for Cape Coral were first baseman Rodger Wooten (.291) with 2-5 and two runs batted in, shortstop Bobo Hatfield (.273) with 2-4 and 2 RBIs and right fielder Danny Mullins (.316) with a home run, his 7th. Lefty Wally Robinson (10-5 2.87) chalked up his 10th victory of the year. He gave up all 13 hits, but was tough with men on base. Robinson struck out six and walked one. In the ninth Owen Pruitt (5-5 3.97) relieved Robinson after two hits and an error cut the score to 6-4 with the tying runs aboard. Pruitt induced a double play grounder and got his first save. Ken Olson (7-7 2.86) didn't have a good start and was sent to the showers in the third inning. He surrendered five runs and caught the loss.

Manager Huggy Miller's Hurricanes (41-37) gained a game on first place Ginza (44-34) and now are within 3 games of the Ninjas. Third place South Fork (39-39), piloted by Deroche "Lips" Leon, fell 5 games off the pace in the TU East standings.

Nats Nakagawa Tames Zorros 4-3
After losing his last three decisions, Yasuyuki Nakagawa got back on the right track and tamed the Luxora Zorros 4-3 at De la Vega Stadium. Nakagawa (8-8 3.14) fanned four, walked one and restricted the Z's to six hits and outpitched Keith Callahan. Nakagawa (.116) also doubled in a run in the fifth inning. Sparking the Nats at bat with homers were center fielder Ronnie Patterson (.250) and first baseman Floyd Snow (.225). Snow got a solo roundtripper in the second, number 15 for him, and Patterson hit his 14th in the fifth, a two-run shot. Luxora's backup first sacker Tommy Gonsalves (.152) had a singleton for the Z's. The 20-year-old Callahan was the losing pitcher. He allowed only five hits and all four runs in his eight innings. Callahan had nine strikeouts and a walk.

Ozarka (38-40) is the number four team in the TU East, while Luxora (36-40) is now in fifth place. The Naturals are 5 games behind and the Zorros are 6 games out in the division standings.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Thursday, July 5, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Manetti Manhandles Frogs 8-0, Fires 3-Hitter
Blue Lake had everything its way today at the Frog Pond in Fairfax. They manhandled the Frogs 8-0 on Derek Manetti's 3-hitter. Manetti (4-5 4.04) cruised to his first shutout of the year, striking out one and walking one in a very sharp outing. Manager Cobb Tyson's ballclub also hit the ball with authority against one of the better pitchers in the IPA. They ripped loser Jackie Leslie (11-5 3.43) for 12 of their 16 hits and scored seven runs on him in seven innings. Leading the way for the Blue Sox was second baseman Ken Bennett (.271) with four hits, three runs, two RBIs and his 12th home run. Right fielder Doyle Osborne (.381) had two hits, scored twice, tripled and drove in a run and third baseman Ryan Gibson (.190) smacked two hits and drove in a pair.

Fairfax (51-37) skippered by Harry Buckley has a 14.5-game lead over fifth place Blue Lake (36-41).

Yaden Hurls Bucs to 3rd Win in a Row
Bay St. Clair manager Guy Rondre, a pretty fair pitcher himself a few years ago, may have found a new starter in little 19-year-old Don Yaden. Yaden only stands 5'7" and weighs in at only 150 pounds, but he can throw the heck out of a baseball - 95 mph. In his first start of the season Yaden beat the hard-swinging Bayview Vikings 7-2, allowing 10 hits, but only two runs. It was the Bucs third successive triumph. Yaden, a recent roster addition, fanned four and walked four. Jerry Harrison (9-5 3.32) took the loss, going six innings and allowing four runs on five hits. He is now 2-2 since being traded from South Fork. Topping the Buccaneers at bat was shortstop Chuck Hankins (.316) with two homers and four RBIs. Hankins has hit 10 so far this year. Left fielder Charley Moon (.270) added three hits and scored three times.

Bayview (43-37) is the runner-up in the Tycobbian Union West and trails the top club, Fairfax (51-27) by a wide margin, 9 games. Bay St. Clair (30-49) is 21.5 games off the pace and in last place.

Orlando Too Tough for Champs
At Derby Downs in Arlon, Kimo Orlando of the La Claire Lynx was too tough for the hometown Champions, beating them 4-1. Orlando (3-1 2.48), activated about 10 days ago, went the distance, stopped Arlon on five hits, fanned five and walked nobody. The only run he allowed was a homer by right fielder Ian Carmack (.294) in the eighth. Leading the Lynx hitters were shortstop Dirk Lindahl (.293) with a two-run triple in the fifth for the first runs of the game, center fielder Lucky Collins (.304) with an RBI single in the fifth and second baseman Darreill Boyce (.253) with an RBI grounder in the sixth. Ace Howe (7-7 2.95) suffered the defeat. In six innings he permitted four runs and five hits with five Ks and two BBs.

La Claire (38-40) moved in front of Arlon (37-41) by a game for third place in the TU West, 13 games out of first.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, July 6, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

V's Nose Out Blasters 5-3
It was a struggle, but Volusia finally nosed out the first place Colfax Blasters 5-3 at the Jailhouse with a three-run eighth inning to win its fourth consecutive game. With the score even at 2-2 the Vigilantes got to Flash Guidry with a two-run double by left fielder Winky Rush (.280) and an RBI single by first baseman Alejandro Salazar (.295) to go up 5-2. Colfax mounted an attack in the top of the ninth against starting pitcher Lenny Collins. The Blasters loaded the bases, but only managed to score one run. Reliever Augie Giertych (1-1 2.18) put out the fire by striking out two of the final three hitters. It was his second save this season. Collins (6-5 3.02) notched the win, allowing nine hits and three runs, while fanning nine and walking six in eight innings. Colfax left 14 runners on base. Guidry (10-7 2.69) lost it, giving up five runs in seven and a third innings. Third baseman Bennie Anderson (.251) had two hits and an RBI for the V's. Collins (.300) contributed with his bat, too, by driving in a run. Left fielder Sammie Hawkins (.197) slugged a two-run homer for the Blasters and first baseman Dennis Cole (.316) went 4-for-5.

Colfax (45-34) has dropped two straight in the series with Volusia (40-39) and have a 5-game edge over the Vigilantes.

Redhawks Snap 4-Game Losing Skid
At Sky High Stadium in Far Mountain, the Redhawks and Elnora fought a pitched battle as Sonny Elliott and Jim Tarzetti locked up in an old-fashioned pitching duel. Far Mountain's Elliott (12-5 2.40) tossed a sensational 1-0 victory, blanking the All-Stars on just three singles and halting his team's losing streak at four. Tarzetti (0-2 2.81) got the tough loss, scattering eight hits, striking out ten and issuing five bases on balls, leaving 12 Redhawks stranded on the bases. The only run in the game came in the home half of the sixth, when third baseman Johnny Strickland (.283) tripled and was driven in by Al Nixon's (.259) single.

Second place Far Mountain (45-35) is right back on the coattails of the top team in the RU North, the Colfax Blasters (45-34). The Redhawks are just a half-game behind them. Elnora (30-50) is in last place, 15.5 games out.

A's Drub Vipers 9-1, Balfour Winner
Glasco hosted Valmara at Athletics Field and drubbed the Vipers 9-1 behind the standout performance of portsider Jesse Balfour, who throttled them on seven hits, fanned seven and walked nobody. Meanwhile, the Athletics trashed Valmara for 16 hits, spurred by left fielder Ox Beauvais (.339) with three hits and five RBIs, right fielder Lee McDougall (.270) with two hits, two runs and three RBIs and center fielder Chet Reynolds (.300) with three hits and three runs scored. Newcomer Vanya Vasylenko (1-1 5.09) had tough sledding in his second start. He was roughed up for seven runs and eleven hits in five-plus innings.

The Glasco Athletics (39-38) are tied with Volusia (40-39) for third place in the Ruthlandian Union North and trail Colfax (45-34) by 5 games. The Valmara Vipers (38-41) are in the fifth spot in the standings, 7 games off the pace.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, July 6, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Marston Ends 4-Game Skid, Edges Rattlers 7-6
At Farmers Memorial Stadium in Sugar Valley, the Rattlers and Marston seesawed back and forth before the Nine won 7-6 and put an end to their four-game losing streak. Sugar Valley led 3-0 in the first, Marston scored five in the second inning, the Rattlers tied it up at 5-all in the sixth, the Nine moved ahead 6-5 in the seventh, only to see Sugar Valley come back and tie it. Finally in the top of the ninth after two were out, three singles produced the winning run. Third baseman Roland Thomas (.355) plated the game-winner with his third hit in the game. Catcher Mo Chappell (.310) belted a bases-loaded triple in the second inning for the winners. Ken Bagby (4-3 3.43) logged the victory with no runs allowed in the seventh and eighth. Jorge Bonilla (2-0 3.76) put the Rattlers down in order in the bottom of the ninth for his 3rd save. Jay Washington (1-1 3.18) gave up a run in two and two-thirds innings for the loss. Sugar Valley third baseman Jorge Vargas (.345) had a three-run swat, sacrifice fly and drove in 4 runs. It was his 20th homer. Left fielder Cy Bartz (.276) also doubled in two runs. The Nine outnumbered the Rattlers in base hits 11 to 6. Both starters went six innings, but Casey Ledbetter (11-4 3.69) and Hec Skurgan (0-0 5.27) were both ineffective.

First place Marston's (45-32) victory put the Nine 6.5 games up on third place Sugar Valley (39-39) in the Ruthlandian Union South race.

Lumberjacks Crush Claxton 11-5
The Forest City Lumberjacks won their third consecutive game, crushing Claxton at Avalon Stadium 11-5 behind a 17-hit bombardment. Returning after a short stint on the injured list, left fielder Chuck Hill (.336) was 2-6 and four RBIs, including his 21st home run to lead the Lumberjacks. Second string catcher Ronnie Herring (.279) had a double and a triple, good for three RBIs, center fielder Ryan Morse (.362) was 3-5, scored three times and had one run batted in, and shortstop Pops Keller (.306) went 2-5, scored twice and batted in one. Even starting pitcher Herm Bahr (.343) got into the act and was 3-3 with a run and an RBI. Bahr (10-4 3.47) also got the win, going six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and fanning six. Brian Charles (3-2 4.08) got his second save with two scoreless innings. Forest City smoked Diamond pitching for seven runs in the opening frame, allowed them to get back into the game 7-5 after seven innings, then erupted again for four more runs in the top of the ninth to finish them off for good. Claxton's top hitters were left fielder Dan Molnar (.429) and catcher Pete Robinson (.204). They both homered and center fielder Arnie Kruger (.227) delivered a two-run single. Earl Weber (5-4 3.84) started and fared poorly, being shelled for six runs in the first inning. Weber was the losing pitcher.

The Lumberjacks (43-37) are the runner-up club in the RU South, 3.5 games in back of the top team, the Marston Nine (45-32). Claxton (37-43) is fifth and 9.5 games behind.

Sunbirds Win 18-Inning Marathon Over Waleska 5-4
It was 18-inning marathon at Bayside Park in Belair Beach between the Sunbirds and the Waleska Westerners. Belair Beach prevailed 5-4, when they bunched three singles together to score the game-winner. Bobby Joe Morris was the hero with a groundball single to left that scored Dom Corbelli from third. Both clubs got standout performances from their pitchers with the victory going to Terry Christian (3-4 4.84). He came on in the 14th and permitted only one run. Buddy Kennedy (1-5 4.18) got slapped with the defeat after relieving in the 16th. The Sunbirds had a slight advantage 15 hits to 13 for the Westerners. Third baseman Corbelli (.275) led the Belair Beach batters with 4-8, center fielder Morris (.333) had two hits and two RBIs and first baseman Phil Gravelli (.312) drove in two and had a solo roundtripper, number 15 for the year. Waleska's left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.315) and first sacker Freddie Shelton (.297) cracked homers, Burkhalter has hit 21 home runs and Shelton 13. Shelton and right fielder Charley Williamson (.295) each had three hits.

Waleska's (39-39) loss kept them tied with Sugar Valley (39-39) for third place in the division, 6.5 games behind. Belair Beach (33-46) is 13 games out and in last place.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, July 6, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Hellcats Win 3rd Straight, Halt Ninjas 5-1
Manager Zim Donner's Hartsdale Hellcats are on a tear with three straight victories, two of them coming over first place Ginza. Righthander Glenn Mann hurled a strong five-hitter and halted the Ninjas 5-1 at Pioneer Park. Center fielder Greg Reynolds (.260) went 3-for-5 and scored once, while left fielder Jay Luna (.269) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ginza got its only run on Charlie Campbell's (.290) 11th home run. Mann (7-10 3.50) ended his personal three-game losing skid. He went the route, fanned four and walked only one. Vic Rousakis (8-9 3.81) was the loser, yielding five runs on seven hits in seven innings, walking four and fanning 8.

The Ninjas (44-35) are first in the Tycobbian Union East and 8 games up on the last place Hellcats (36-43). The Hellcats have taken the first two games of the series.

Hurricanes Blow Game to Stallions 6-5
Down 5-2 in the eighth at Jock Ewing Stadium, Bobby Riley and Glenn Holliday led the third place South Fork Stallions late-inning rally to beat second place Cape Coral 6-5. Shortstop Riley (.263) ripped a three-run homer to tie it in the eighth and Holliday's (.268) two-out single in the ninth scored center fielder Ronnie Lee (.313) from second with the winning run. Third baseman Holliday led the Stallions with three hits, while left fielder Gene Woodruff (.267) had two hits, scored a run and drove one in. Closer Glenn Turnbull (5-3 2.90) registered the victory with a scoreless ninth, while Joey Martin (0-2 3.60) worked one-plus inning for the loss. Martin's control cost him the game as he issued three bases on balls. Cape Coral outhit South Fork 12 to 9 and were paced by second baseman Andy Anderson (.278) and center fielder James Middleton (.292). Anderson had two doubles and a single with two RBIs and one run. Middleton had two hits, including a solo homer, his 4th of the season.

South Fork's (40-39) triumph moved them within a game of the second place Hurricanes (41-38). Cape Coral is 3 games off the lead, while the Stallions are only 4 games out.

Z's Slip by Nats 5-4 in 10 Innings
Luxora snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 triumph over Ozarka at De la Vega Stadium. With two outs in the last of the tenth, pinchhitter Tommy Gonsalves (.176) delivered a bases-loaded single to score right fielder Pedro Vizquel with the deciding run. The victory enabled the Zorros to move back into a tie with Ozarka for fourth place in the Tycobbian Union East. Closer Roberto Martinez (8-3 2.21) tossed three runless innings fo win it, while Alex DiMaggio (7-3 1.36) worked two-plus frames and lost it on an unearned run. Both clubs had nine hits in the game. Luxora was led by left fielder Claudio Ordonez (.204) with two RBIs, while Nats left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.256) went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs. Patterson and first baseman Poochie Kramer (.245) hit homers.

Ozarka (38-41) and Luxora (37-40) are 6 games behind first place Ginza (44-35).

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Friday, July 6, 2001

Tycobbian Union - West Division

Blue Sox Barely Beat Frogs, 3rd in a Row
Big Jay Clay is one tough customer when he's on the hill. The 6'5" Blue Lake righthander beat first place Fairfax 3-2 at the Frog Pond for the team's second straight over the Frogs. Clay (9-3 2.67) pitched into the eighth and held Fairfax to two runs and seven hits. Clay had one walk and six strikeouts in a strong outing. Russ Courtney (5-2 3.02) came to his rescue and finished off the threatening Frogs. He came on with one out and a runner on first. Courtney gave up a single to put runners on first and second, but then slammed the door and got his 9th save. Clay outpitched Robbie Meredith (10-3 2.69) for his fifth consecutive victory. Meredith gave up three runs in the fifth, only one of them earned, when right fielder Fred Collins came around to score on a bad throw by the catcher on a steal of third and center fielder Donnie Frazier (.292) hit his 14th roundtripper with left fielder Greg Boone (.303) aboard. Meredith allowed nine hits, fanned six and walked nobody. The Blue Sox banged 11 hits to 8 for the Frogs. Shortstop Warren Lee (.317) and left fielder Gator Davis drove in the Fairfax runs, while first baseman Ernie Hutchinson (.266) had three hits in three at-bats.

Despite a third straight defeat, Fairfax (51-28) still enjoys a huge lead in the TU West standings. Blue Lake (37-41) is 13.5 games off the pace and in fifth place.

4 in a Row, Bucs Get by Bayview 4-3
At Shoreline Park in Bay St. Clair, the Buccaneers captured their fourth successive victory as they got by the second place Bayview Vikings 4-3. Catcher Jake Singleton (.320) singled in right fielder Jose Valenzuela (.304) with the decisive run in the bottom of the eighth. Closer Chris Van Arden (2-0 1.13) blew the save by giving up a two-run triple to center fielder Phil Kanaan (.304) in the top of the eighth to tie it 3-3. But Van Arden got the win, striking out three and walking one in his two innings. No runs were charged to him. Van Arden stranded Kanaan at third with a strikeout and a double play ball to end the inning. Frank Wells (7-6 3.96) caught the loss, working into the eighth and allowing four runs and eight hits. Wells walked none and fanned six. Left fielder Charley Moon (.277) led the Bucs with three hits and two runs batted in, right fielder Dean Howell (.307) and third baseman Bob Klostermann (.272) had two hits apiece for the Vikings.

Second place Bayview (43-38) dropped its third straight decision and trails the TU West's best team, the Fairfax Frogs, by 9 games. Bay St. Claire (31-49) is in the basement and 20.5 games out.

Arlon Demolishes La Claire 9-1, Smith Wins 10th
At Derby Downs in Arlon, Craig Smith registered his 10th victory of the year with a convincing 9-1 win over La Claire. Smith (10-5 2.76) struck out nine and walked only two, while scattering eight hits for his fourth win in a row. He was backed up by home runs by second baseman Karl Detwiler (.308) and third baseman Al Mathews (.186). Detwiler had a grand slam in the fifth and Mathews hits a solo job in the sixth. Tony Nygaard (2-6 3.56) had another rocky start and lost his third successive decision. He was slapped around for five runs and five hits in four and a third innings. First baseman Francisco Robles (.278) accounted for the Lynx lone run with his 4th homer of the season.

The two clubs are back deadlocked for the third spot in the standings. Both Arlon and La Claire have identical 38-41 records and are 13 games behind first place Fairfax (51-28).

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, July 7, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Blasters Dump Vigilantes, Manning Wins 11th
Southpaw Harry Manning won his 11th game of the year, stopping Volusia 8-2. He also put an end to first place Colfax's brief two-game skid and snapped the Vigilantes four-game winning streak. Manning has won his last six decisions. He only gave up five hits, but was a little on the wild side with six walks. The Blasters punched out a dozen hits and were led by left fielder Blinky Brandon (.306) with 3-4, two runs and an RBI, right fielder Pat Lott (.268) with a three-run double, shortstop Josh Jackson (.262) 2-4 with two RBIs and first baseman Dennis Cole (.316) with a two-run homer, number 22 of the season. Raul Sandoval (7-9 3.79) was tagged with the defeat, working into the sixth and giving up six runs.

Colfax (46-34) is the top team in the RU North Division and is 6 games up on fourth place Volusia (40-40).

FM Redhawks Edge Elnora , Luzzatti Winner
The second place Far Mountain Redhawks edged the Elnora All-Stars 2-1 on the strength of John Luzzatti's four-hitter. Luzzatti (6-6 3.50) outdueled Carl Costas for the win. Luzzatti walked three and fanned two in his third complete game. Costas (4-10 3.45) allowed six hits, fanned five and walked none in another tough loss. The Elnora lefty is much better than his 4-10 record. He has gone the distance 6 times. Catcher Dave Davis (.377) provided the game-winner in the sixth, when he singled in right fielder Tommy Sonnier (.266), who had doubled. First baseman Royce Benson (.293) doubled in the first run in the first inning, plating center fielder Hawk Gallagher, who singled to lead-off the game. The All-Stars only had four singles in the game.

Far Mountain (46-35) kept pace with first place Colfax (46-34) and is only a half-game out of first. Elnora (30-51) is in last place in the division, 16.5 games behind.

Athletics Stomp Vipers 12-2, Darby Wins 11th
At Athletics Field in Glasco, Charles Darby easily won his 11th game of the season with a 12-2 stomping of Valmara. The A's pounded out 17 hits in all as the Vipers had a terrible day on the hill. Even their ace, Zarek Zalewski (9-5 2.43) took it on the chin, being shelled for five runs in less than three innings. Third baseman Zach Byorvik (.238) cracked three hits and drove in three runs, shortstop Kyle Ballentine (.306) was 2-4 with three RBIs, left fielder Ox Beauvais (.345) had three hits and an RBI and right fielder Buck Bucholtz (.400) was 3-5 with a run batted in. Darby also drove in two runs with a pair of singles. Byorvik and utility infielder Lou McCarley homered in the rout. Darby (11-6 3.20) was touched for 11 hits, but was stingy with men on base. He walked one and fanned three. Zalewski lost it and saw his ERA soar. He is 1-2 in his last five starts.

The Glasco A's (40-38) have third place all to themselves, at least for the moment. They trail Colfax (46-34) by 5 games and are one game up on fourth place Volusia (40-40). Valmara (38-42) has tumbled to the fifth spot in the Ruthlandian Union South, 8 games off the pace.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, July 7, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Benson Dominates Marston, 13th Win
Ron Benson dominated the Marston Nine in the 5-1 Sugar Valley victory. Benson (13-6 2.68) became the biggest winner in the IPA with his 13th win of the season. Benson throttled Marston (.288), the top batting team in the IPA, with a three-hitter for his 7th consecutive victory and his 10th complete game. He fanned six batters and took over the strikeout leadership in the IPA with 144. Three home runs paved the way for the Rattlers. Right fielder Karl Dietz (.265), catcher Slingshot McFall (.291) and first baseman Phil Taylor (.227) all went deep. Booger Burchfield (4-8 3.59) was the losing pitcher, lasting only four innings and giving up four runs.

Third place Sugar Valley (40-39) moved a game closer to first place Marston (45-33) and are now 5.5 games behind them.

Vanzetti Blanks Lumberjacks 4-0
At beautiful Avalon Stadium in Claxton, Alex Vanzetti blanked Forest City 4-0 and snapped the 'Jacks win streak at three. Vanzetti (5-2 2.93) skunked the Lumberjacks on six hits with three walks and three Ks. The offense was provided by shortstop Bobby Ritter (.305) with 2-for-4 and a run batted in and third baseman Keith Olsen (.297) with 2-for-4 and an RBI. Right fielder Dixie Baker (.326) doubled in his 77th run. The other run was driven in by first baseman Marty McCluskey (.310) on a groundout. Righthander Glenn Moore (8-7 3.02) pitched a complete game, allowed eight hits, fanned five and walked no one.

Rob Jackson, the Lumberjacks skipper, said, "When you face a guy who hides the ball like he does, it takes a couple of at-bats to try to find his release point. We just never figured him out."

Vanzetti has gone 5-2 this season with an ERA of 2.93 and 32 strikeouts in 58 innings. Other clubs are hitting .286 against him. Vanzetti just recently became a starter and has made only four starts in his 23 appearances this year.

Second place Forest City (43-38) and first place Marston (45-33) both lost today and the Nine is still 3.5 games in front.

Waleska Buries Sunbirds 10-2 behind Wagner
3 roundtrippers, 16 hits and 4-hit pitching by Jack Wagner were more than enough for Waleska to get by Belair Beach. The Westerners wiped out the Sunbirds 10-2 at Bayside Park with homers by left fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (22), first baseman Freddie Shelton (14) and right fielder Rick Vaughn (7). Vaughn (.310) clubbed four hits, scored three times and had two RBIs, Shelton (.302) was 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI, center fielder Milt Carlson (.263) had three hits and a pair of runs batted in. Burkhalter batted in three, giving him 79 for the year, best in the IPA. Ken Frey (5-7 3.81) took the loss, surrendering seven runs on 11 hits and departed in the seventh. The 22-year-old Wagner (4-0 3.50) pitched a whale of a game in his first start of the season, striking out eight and walking only two. Waleska skipper, McGraw Johnson, may have found him a good starter. The Westerners are near the bottom with a poor 4.28 ERA.

Waleska lost center fielder Carlson for about a week. He was hurt making a diving catch late in the game.

The win put Waleska (40-39) in a third place tie with Sugar Valley (40-39) and 5.5 games off the pace of Marston (45-33).

[VaCubbie]

This is impressive stuff! After reading a lot of the boards I have become interested in doing some dynasty writing myself. I love the detailed approach you use and at some point would like to borrow your style to do a historical rewrite (thinking 1946, the year after the billy goat curse in Chicago). Keep posting...I'll keep reading!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by VaCubbie

This is impressive stuff! After reading a lot of the boards I have become interested in doing some dynasty writing myself. I love the detailed approach you use and at some point would like to borrow your style to do a historical rewrite (thinking 1946, the year after the billy goat curse in Chicago). Keep posting...I'll keep reading!

Glad you like it. Thanks for following it. Good luck with your Dynasty.

What do you plan to call it, so I can keep an eye out for it?

A dynasty report is a lot of work, but the reward is that you are completely immersed in your league.

I now know the good players from the bad ones, but still have trouble with which team they play for. Never had that problem with real players. I wonder how long it will take me to connect team with player?

[VaCubbie]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Glad you like it. Thanks for following it. Good luck with your Dynasty.

What do you plan to call it, so I can keep an eye out for it?

A dynasty report is a lot of work, but the reward is that you are completely immersed in your league.

I now know the good players from the bad ones, but still have trouble with which team they play for. Never had that problem with real players. I wonder how long it will take me to connect team with player?

I've always had that problem also. I thought that by playing historical leagues with real players it would be easy. But inevitably a few years down the road you still reach that point where you are scratching your head asking yourself "When did Stan Musial sign with the A's???"

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, July 7, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Hellcats Rollin', Win 4 Straight
What has gotten into the Hartsdale Hellcats? They have now won four in a row, three of them over the first place Ginza Ninjas. Again today they relied on strong pitching from three pitchers to edge the Ninjas 2-1 at Pioneer Park. Mitch Yassen, Jackie Bond and Gene Young held them to just five hits and one run with the victory going to middle reliever Bond. Yassen (0-0 1.59) got his first start and made it until the sixth, giving up one run and four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Bond (3-2 4.34) got him out of trouble and went until the eighth, allowing only one hit and no runs. Gene Young (5-4 3.10) shut down Ginza without a hit over the final two frames and saved his 8th game. Left fielder Jay Luna (.272) led the attack with 2-4 with an RBI double in the fifth to break the scoreless tie. The Ninjas tied it up at 1-all in the sixth on right fielder Charlie Campbell's (.293) RBI single. Hartsdale won in the bottom half of the inning on third baseman Whiz Weaver's (.287) solo 12th homer. Ginza starter Toshiharu Ito (8-2 1.81) tossed another fine game, holding the Hellcats to two runs on seven hits, but didn't get any run support and took the loss. Hartsdale recently added pitchers Mitch Yassen and Tal Vaitkus (2-0 1.45) to the hill corps and the club has been on fire ever since, beating the Ninjas for the third consecutive game and doing it with fine pitching. The Hellcats have won 3-2, 5-1 and now 2-1 and have swept the series so far.

Ginza (44-36) is still ahead in the Tycobbian Union East and top last place Hartsdale (37-43) by only 7 games. The division is still wide open, there's no telling who will win the pennant. All six clubs are still in the running and hanging close.

Stallions Gallop Past 'Canes 7-4
The South Fork Stallions survived four homers and galloped by Cape Coral 7-4 with late-inning scores. Glenn Holliday broke a 4-4 deadlock with his 16th roundtripper, a two-run blast in the seventh. Pitcher Ken Conner (.400) tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single in the eighth. Conner was 3-4 in the game. The Stallions had 11 hits in all and were led by left fielder Mac Stewart (.255) with two hits, two runs and two RBIs, including his 8th home run, and right fielder Paul Giles (.272), who doubled in two runs in the opening inning. The Hurricanes got solo homers from third baseman Spook Estes (.341), first baseman Rodger Wooten (.290) and right fielder Danny Mullins (.310), with Estes going deep twice. Wooten has hit 18 home runs this year. Conner (6-2 2.61) was tagged for nine hits and the four homers, but survived. He had six Ks and walked two. Starter Gary Fountain (6-3 4.56) suffered the defeat, yielding six runs and nine hits in seven innings.

Second place Cape Coral (41-39) missed a chance to chop a game off Ginza's (44-36) lead, while South Fork (41-39) moved up into a tie with them. The Hurricanes and the Stallions are trailing by 3 games.

Zorros Destroy Ozarka 12-1
Everything went right for Luxora today and everything went wrong for Ozarka in the Z's 12-1 rout. The Zorros zapped 13 hits, including three home runs, and got a solid outing from Tito Tovares (1-0 0.57) in his first starting assignment since being signed ten days ago. Tovares spread out eight hits, fanned eight and walked two in going the route. Sparking the Z's were left fielder Claudio Ordonez (.215) with two homers and four RBIs, third baseman Roberto Vina (.293) with two hits, a homer and two runs batted in, first sacker Paul Hallenbeck (.329) with 2-4, two RBIs and a run, and catcher Eric Richter (.344) with 3-4 and three runs scored. Starter Sid Hyder (2-1 3.54) was gone quickly and lost it. He gave up five runs and exited in the third inning.

Luxora (38-40) went a game up on Ozarka (38-42). The Zorros are in the fourth slot in the TU East Division standings, while the Naturals have fallen to fifth. The Z's are only 5 games back in the race,

[EMSoccerCoach]

I can't imagine trying to write a dynasty this large, this involved, with this many fictional players. Your dedication, as I've said before, is inspiring.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

I can't imagine trying to write a dynasty this large, this involved, with this many fictional players. Your dedication, as I've said before, is inspiring.

Thank you for the nice words.

This is a labor of love... plus I am retired and have the time to do it... and my wife allows it.

Actually you have more teams to cover than me. You have 32 teams, I only have 24.

My old dynasty, the All-Time All-Star Association, just had 16 teams. Boy, that was nice just to have to play 8 games a day. 12 is tough.

Actually, the most time-consuming thing is doing the write-ups. I can play a game in about 10 minutes as I only play from the seventh inning on, so I can make 90% of the subs. It probably takes 20 minutes to write up a game. To speed things up, I might try to condense the write-ups, but so far, haven't figured out a way to do it and do justice to the game wrap.

I am thinking of expanding to 48 teams for OOTP9, when the last patch is released. I am still using V2007 for this league. I would like to have the other great fictional towns I have created in my league. Originally, I had 60 towns. It was hard to cut down to 24. Teams like the Chicopee Braves, a town settled by Native Americans; the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, a town settled by some shipwrecked Australians and Aborigines; Arroyo Grande Suns, a town settled by the Islans, the earliest inhabitants of Arvonia Island, and later by the French and the English; the Valka Blackhawks, a town founded by Estonian emigres; the Belle Plaine Musketeers, a town founded by the French; the Kilkenny Cats, settled by the Irish; and the San Alejo Montaneros, settled by the Spanish.

I miss those towns.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Saturday, July 7, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

Blue Sox Win 3rd Straight, Frogs Lose 4th
For the third successive game, the Blue Lake Blue Sox have beaten Fairfax at the Frog Pond. They did it again today 5-2 as Bennie West and Russ Courtney combined for the victory, despite allowing an abundance of base hits. Both ballclubs piled up 13 hits each. West (9-8 2.72) went the first seven and permitted two runs on 11 hits. West fanned eight and gave us no bases on balls. Courtney (5-2 2.90) notched save number 10 on the year. He closed out the game with three strikeouts and no runs in the last two innings. Lefthander Jimmy Dalton (8-6 4.58) was rocked for four runs in the first five frames to absorb the defeat. The Blue Sox built up a 5-0 lead after six and a half innings and held on to win. Third baseman Timmy Smith (.316) led them at-bat with two RBIs and two hits, center fielder Donnie Frazier (.295) went 2-for-4 and scored twice, and left fielder Greg Boone (.304), right fielder Doyle Osborne (.360) and second baseman Dandy Wilson (.242) each drove in a run. For the Frogs center fielder Billy Echevarria (.245) drove in both of their runs. Fairfax's big bats were silenced today as far as scoring runs.

Fairfax (51-29) is the TU West's first place club with a 12.5-game bulge over Blue Lake (38-41).

Bucs Bump Off Viks for 5th Straight 4-1
Last place Bay St. Clair, piloted by Guy Rondre, chalked up its 5th consecutive victory, bumping off second place Bayview 4-1 with a strong outing by pitcher Norm Gross (10-7 3.45), who limited the Vikings to just four hits and a run in eight and a third innings for his third straight win. After he gave up two hits and run in the ninth, Chris Van Arden (2-0 1.04) came in from the bullpen and got the last two outs for his second save this season. Van Arden has done wonders for Rondre's relief corps, since joining the club on June 22. Both ballclubs had only four hits apiece as Bayview starter Paul Hood (6-4 2.76) also had an impressive performance, stopping the Buccaneers on just two hits over the first seven innings. He got the loss, struck out nine, but walked five. First baseman George Lyons (.233) hit his 15th homer to pace Bay St. Clair. Charley Moon (.277) drove in a run and scored one. Viking second baseman Alan Hansen, the leading hitter in the IPA with a .384 batting average, had two hits with a triple and scored their only run of the game.

Bayview (43-39) has really gone into the doldrums lately and has dropped four in a row, but still retains the runner-up spot to first place Fairfax (51-29) in the TU West Division, although the Vikings are 9 games behind them. In spite of their recent success, Bay St. Clair (32-49) has a secure hold on last place, 19.5 games off the pace.

Arlon Outscores La Claire 11-8
The Arlon Champions outscored the La Claire Lynx 11-8 today at Derby Downs to slip into third place in the TU West race, a half-game in front of fourth place Blue Lake. The Lynx fell to fifth place with the loss. Both team rapped out 11 hits each. Leading Arlon were catcher Smoke Zakharov (.248) and third baseman Al Mathews (.191), each with a three-run homer. Topping La Claire were first baseman Francisco Robles (.276) with a three-run rip and right fielder Manny Paulauskas (.246) with 2-for-4, two runs scored and two RBIs. Paulauskas hit a solo home run and doubled. Kurt DeHaan (2-0 6.97) got credit for the win, but allowed eight runs in eight innings. He almost blew an overwhelming lead. Jeff Nieman (6-5 1.46) came in and saved it for DeHaan. It was Nieman's 5th save.

Arlon (39-41) is 12 games out of first place, Blue Lake (38-41) is 12.5 games behind and La Claire (38-42) is 13 games in back of Fairfax (51-29).

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, July 8, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - North Division

Blasters Down Vigilantes 6-2 Behind Smith
In the opening game of a Sunday doubleheader Robbie Smith hurled first place Colfax past Volusia 6-2. The Blasters slammed 13 hits and were paced by third baseman Russ Farrell (.288) with 3-for 5 (two doubles, single) and two RBIs, catcher Jeff Cook (.263) with two runs batted in and center fielder Blinky Brandon (.308) with 2-for-4 (double, single) and three runs scored. Smith (5-4 3.19) has won his last three games. This time he held the V's to two runs on eight hits, walked two and fanned two. Manny Seguin (0-1 3.12) suffered the loss and was knocked around for six runs and 12 hits in eight-plus innings. Shorter Scooter Perez (.380) went 4-for-4 and took over the batting lead in the Ruthlandian Union with a .380 average. The clubs battled to a 2-2 draw until the top of the sixth, when right fielder Pat Lott (.267) put Colfax ahead to stay with an RBI single. They added two more in the eighth and one in the ninth.

Colfax Splits, Volusia Takes Nightcap 8-4
It was a tight 4-3 game for seven innings, then Volusia went on a four-run rampage in the eighth to whip Colfax 8-4 and gain a split in the twinbill at Silver River Stadium. Center fielder Alex Luna (.274) walloped a three-run triple off closer Walt Sellers (2-4 2.88) to hightlight the inning. Both clubs had 15 hits each in the game with Luna topping the V's with 4-for-5, four RBIs and three runs. Luna hit two triples in the game to tie the IPA record. Kit Kivett (8-3 2.91) won his third game in a row, going the distance for the sixth time. He gave up 15 hits, but stranded 14 of them and walked off the mound a winner. Kivett walked three and fanned six. Val Watford (1-1 2.38) left in the eighth and was tagged with the loss. He surrendered 10 hits and four runs with two walks and six Ks. Right fielder Pat Lott (.269) homered for the Blasters.

Luna tied Tucker Hill (.342) of Colfax and Timmy Smith of Blue Lake (.316) for the most triples in a game. Hill hit two on May 3 and Smith did it on May 15.

Colfax (47-35) is 6 games up on Volusia (41-41) in the RU North race. The Vigilantes took three of the five games.

All-Stars Win Opener 5-3 Over Redhawks
In the first of two at Sky High Stadium, Elnora's Tyrone Gray and Far Mountain's Vance Mitchell were locked up in a 1-1 tie until the eighth when Elnora broke it up with two runs with RBI singles by catcher Todd Simons (.271) and first baseman Will Jackson (.245). Center fielder Harry Wright (.259) had an RBI triple and Quincy Peterson (.289) smacked an RBI single in the top of the ninth. Right fielder Gerald Davis (.245) cut the score to 5-3 with a two-run clout in the ninth, his 10th. Davis led Far Mountain with three runs batted in. Gray (5-9 4.00) broke a personal three-game losing skid with a fine effort, holding the Redhawks to three runs and eight hits, while going eight innings. Gray had one walk and struck out six. Wally Tidwell (3-5 3.59) came on after Davis' roundtripper and earned his 5th save of the season, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Vance Mitchell (4-2 2.81) started for the Redhawks and pitched a good game, allowing three runs in seven and a third innings. The All-Stars outhit the Redhawks 12 to 8.

FM Falls Twice to Elnora, Trails by 1.5 Games
Far Mountain blew a chance to take over first place in the Ruthlandian Union North Division with a double defeat at the hands of last place Elnora. Pat Savoie and Richie Franklin sparked the All-Stars 7-2 triumph in the nightcap. Savoie (5-1 2.82) has only been on the roster for a month, but he has won 5 of his 6 games. Savoie checked the Redhawks on two runs and nine hits in a complete game, fanning eight and walking two. Third baseman Franklin (.249) supplied the lumber with 2-for-3 and four RBIs, including his 4th homer. Elnora racked up 14 hits with right fielder Art Atkins (.310), first baseman Gil Foster (.346) and second sacker Rick Tsoukalis (.289) all getting three hits apiece. Starter Vic Vaux (7-6 4.22) absorbed the loss as he was shelled for seven runs in five innings.

Elnora (32-51) captured three of the five games with the Redhawks (46-37). Far Mountain is second to Colfax (47-35) in the standings.

Vipers Take First Game 6-1 From A's
In the opening game of a twinbill, Valmara got a solid mound performance from Todd Turner, who tamed third place Glasco 6-1 on a seven-hitter. Turner went all the way, struck out five and walked none. Right fielder Jet Kazmarek (.313) had a standout day at the plate with 4-for-5. Kazamarek doubled, homered, stole two bases, scored twice and batted in two runs. He lead the IPA in thefts with 38 this season. Catcher Yoshi Motsuzuki (.287) also chipped in a solo homer for the winners. Jerry Smith (9-9 4.14) got the start for Glasco and lasted only five innings, allowing four runs. Valmara got the best of the Athletics in hits 11 to 7.

A's Rally for Nightcap Win 5-4 Over Vipers
Down 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh in game two, Glasco rallied to nip Valmara 5-4 on third baseman Zach Byorvik's (.237) walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to split the doubleheader. The Athletics tied the game with two in the seventh and one in the eighth. Reliever Ray Cook (3-4 1.74) worked the last inning and two-thirds for the victory. He held the Vipers hitless and fanned two of the five batters he faced. Danny Blauser (6-4 2.49), not only blew a save, he lost the game, permitting four hits and a run in one and two-thirds innings. Glasco tagged Valmara pitching for 15 hits, but wasted a lot them, leaving 10 baserunners stranded. First baseman Maury Smith (.344) and center fielder Chet Reynolds (.303) both had three hits, including a double and a run batted in. Leading the Vipers was catcher Mark Dubrowski (.209) with 2-for-4 and two RBIs with a double.

The Glasco Athletics (41-39) are 5 games behind first place Colfax (47-35), holding down the third spot in the Ruthlandian Union North race. Valmara (39-43) is fifth and trails by 8 games.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, July 8, 2001

Ruthlandian Union - South Division

Rattlers Nip Nine 7-6 in Opener
Sugar Valley nipped Marston 7-6 in the first game of the twinbill at Farmers Memorial Park. Right fielder Karl Dietz (.269) won it in the eighth with a two-out single that scored center fielder Freddie Vaux, who had doubled and moved to third on a grounder. Closer Gregg Neal (6-5 2.20) blew the save by giving up the tying run in the eighth, but got the win by getting the last four batters in order. Shortstop Flipper Bird (.292) homered twice for the Rattlers and catcher Slingshot McFall (.295) hit a two-run shot. Dietz, Bird and McFall all drove in two runs, while Vaux (342) went 3-5 and scored twice. The big gun for Marston was first baseman Johnny Berthold (.244) with four RBIs. Berthold hit his 18th homer and left fielder Ronnie Horn got his 8th. Reliever Booger Burchfield (4-9 3.60) got the loss, pitching two innings and giving up three hits and a run.

Pitcher Bob Lowe, who just came off the disabled list, injured his knee and will miss five weeks. Lowe is 1-2 this year in 5 starts with a 3.44 ERA. He started today's game, but left after one inning. He missed eight weeks recently with a strained elbow. A tough loss for manager Johnny Walters.

Sugar Valley Sweeps Two From Marston
Sugar Valley bashed first place Marston 10-1 in game two and took both ends of the doubleheader. The Rattlers pounded four roundtrippers among their 10 hits to trounce the Nine in the nightcap. Third baseman Jorge Vargas (.351) smacked two, giving him 22 for the year, center fielder Freddie Vaux (.345) hit number 6 and pitcher Harvey Hines (.154) belted one. Vargas drove in four runs and Vaux batted in three to pace Sugar Valley. Hines (8-6 3.84) recorded the victory, did not allow an earned run, fanned four and walked four in a complete-game performance. Paul Azard (7-5 4.46) lasted only into the third and caught the loss, yielding five runs, five hits and three bases on balls.

With the twin wins Sugar Valley (42-39) is back within 3.5 games of first place. Marston (45-35) has struggled lately and is 3-7 over the last ten games.

Claxton Crushes 'Jacks 9-3 in First Game
Playing at home at Avalon Stadium, Claxton crushed Forest City 9-3 in the opening game of the doubleheader. The Diamonds drilled them for 17 hits with everybody in the lineup getting a hit and were led by first baseman Marty McCluskey (.313) and pitcher John Szwak (.289) with 2-4 and two RBIs each. On the mound Szwak (9-2 3.42) did the job, too. He struck out seven, allowed seven hits and walked two, while giving up three runs. Third baseman Jesse Pearson (.264) got to him for a three-run swat in the seventh to make the score 8-3. Buddy Hutchinson, just recently restored to the starting rotation by manager Rob Jackson, did not fare well. Hutchinson (3-8 4.66) was KO'd in a five-run fourth.

'Jacks Divide Twinbill, Defeat Diamonds 5-2
The Forest City Lumberjacks rebounded from a first game loss to get a split in the twinbill with Claxton. The 'Jacks took it 5-2 behind righthander Vinny Edelman 7-6 3.24), who checked the Diamonds on six hits and one run, fanning four and allowing two walks. It was his 6th complete game on the season. Center fielder Ryan Morse and left fielder Chuck Hill supplied the firepower with home runs. Morse had three hits, three RBIs and scored twice. Morse's 11th homer was good for two runs in the eighth, while Hill hit his 22nd, a solo salvo in the ninth. Diamond leftfielder Dan Molnar (.411) slugged his 7th roundtripper, a two-run blast in the ninth inning. Tetsunori Nakashima (9-6 4.78) went the distance, permitted 11 hits and five runs.

Second place Forest City (44-39) edged closer to first place and now trails the RU South leader, Marston, by 2.5 games. Claxton (39-44) is fifth in the standings and 7.5 games out.

No Contest! Sunbirds Bomb Westerners in First Game
Belair Beach won in a walk at Bayside Park in the first game of the doubleheader. The Sunbirds swatted 16 hits in bombing Waleska 13-2. They jumped out 6-0 after two frames and never looked back. Left fielder Nicky Swift regained his home run stroke with IPA-leading 28th. Swift had slowed down in the homer department in the last few weeks. His last one came 12 games ago. He went 4-for-4, scored four times and batted in four runs in a fantastic offensive display. All Swift needed for a cycle was a single. He got plenty of help from first baseman Phil Gravelli (.315), who drove in four more runs with a double and a single. Reliever turned starter, Ray Watson (2-1 3.98) coasted to the win, although he was tapped for 11 hits. Waleska left 12 men on base. Watson fanned six and walked two in seven innings. Lou Zanelli (5-6 3.21) finished out the game and allowed four hits in just two innings, but no runs. Westerner shortstop Kip Sanders (.193) put them on the scoreboard in the fourth with a two-run clout. Losing pitcher Rusty Kraft (6-8 4.51) was knocked out in the second after being shelled for six runs.

Westerners Split, Slip by Belair Beach 5-4
A two-run rally in the top of the eighth brought home a Waleska victory and split the doubleheader. The Westerners rallied to slip by Belair Beach 5-4 on Big Hoss Burkhalter's (.318) two-run roundtripper, his 23rd this year. Third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.283) also hit a two-run smash in the third, giving him 14. Buddy Kennedy (2-5 4.01) got credit for the win with one and a third scoreless innings. Closer Andrei Marsiske (4-2 3.15) nailed down the verdict with a shaky, but scoreless ninth. Two singles and a base on balls loaded the bases. Marsiske speared a liner and doubled the runner off first to quell the uprising. The Sunbirds ran up 16 hits to only 9 for Waleska, but stranded 12 baserunners. First baseman Phil Gravelli (.327) went 4-for-5 and catcher Denny Everhart (.227) was 3-for-3 in defeat. Starter Lyndon Yarbrough (0-3 4.68) dropped the game, surrendering all five runs in eight innings.

Waleska (41-40) is in the fourth spot in the division, just 4.5 games behind, while Belair Beach (34-48) is in the cellar and 12 games out.

[Eugene Church]

Islandian Pro Alliance

Sunday, July 8, 2001

Tycobbian Union - East Division

'Cats Claim 5th Straight, Edge Ninjas in Opener
In the opener of a twinbill at Pioneer Park in Hartsdale, the Hellcats edged first place Ginza 7-6 for their fifth triumph in a row. First baseman Walt Long (.247) cracked a three-run homer in the sixth to put them ahead 6-3 and shortstop Terry Bellino (.311) grounded out in the seventh and plated the eventual winning run. Ginza's rally fell short with two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. The win went to reliever Jackie Bond (4-2 4.50) and the save to Tal Vaitkus (2-0 1.74), but neither were very effective. Bond gave up two runs in two innings and Vaitkus permitted a run in two innings of work. The loser was Kojiro Matsumoto (12-4 2.88), who failed in his try for his 13th victory. Matsumoto was blistered for seven runs in seven innings. Both clubs notched 10 hits apiece with right fielder Mel Poe (.264) going 3-4 for Hartsdale. Shortstop Shinjiro Aoki (.286) went 2-5 for the Ninjas and third baseman Kaz Ojima (.313) was 2-4. It was Ginza fourth consecutive defeat. They have yet to beat the Hellcats in this series.

Ninjas Nakayama Nabs Nightcap, Snaps Streak
The first place Ginza Ninjas nabbed the nightcap 3-1 as Kazuhiro Nakayama put a stop to Hartsdale's five-game win skein and also snapped their own four-game slide. Nakayama (6-9 2.72) stopped the Hellcats on five hits, gave up no earned run, fanned five and issued three walks in a standout performance. He and Danny Griffin sparred on even terms for five innings before the Ninjas jumped in front 2-1 on a triple by third baseman Kaz Ojima (.317) and an RBI groundout by right fielder Charlie Campbell (.289). A double by left fielder Ronnie Graf (.266) made it 3-1 in the ninth. Griffin (6-9 3.56) took the loss, going seven and a third innings, allowing six hits and two runs, only one earned, with five Ks and four bases on balls. The Hellcats won four games in the five-game series.

The two clubs tied the IPA mark for most double plays in a regulation game with 6. Both of them turned three each. Glasco (3) and Volusia (3) set the record on May 31.

Despite the recent slump, Ginza (45-37) is still in the top spot in the Tycobbian Union East standings, while Hartsdale (38-44) is last and 7 games behind them.

CC Salvages Game 1, Holds Off SF 6-4
Cape Coral took a 6-1 lead into the ninth with a very tired Josh Salow on the mound, but the Hurricanes withstood South Fork's last-inning rally to hold them off in the first of two games 6-4. Reliever Hadley Frasch was summoned out of the bullpen by manager Deroche "Lips" Leon with one out and the tying runs on second and third. Frasch struck out the first batter and got his first save when the second batter grounded out. Starter Salow (2-1 3.06) got credit for the victory in a good, but uneven effort. He walked six, fanned seven and yielded three runs and seven hits in eight and a third innings. Vince Bernini (2-3 2.97) recorded the loss, working six innings, allowing four runs and ten hits. The Hurricanes had 17 hits to the Stallions 8, but had trouble getting the runs in. Cape Coral stranded 12 runners, while South Fork left 13 on base. Left fielder Rod Kelly (.313) had two hits and two RBIs, including his 15th home run to spark the 'Canes. First baseman Rodger Wooten (.295) went 3-5 and scored two runs, right fielder Danny Mullins (.317) was 3-5 and a run scored and second baseman Howie Winters (.265) had two hits and drove in two runs. Stallion third baseman Glenn Holliday (.268) had a two-run double to pace them at bat with first baseman Keith Burke (.327) getting 3-4 and scoring once.

Stallions and 'Canes Split, SF Romps in Nightcap
The Stallions roared out of the gate and scored 10 runs in the first three frames and slaughtered Cape Coral 10-4 in the second game of their twinbill. Spearheading the rout were center fielder Ronnie Lee (.316) with 4-for-5, two runs scored and two batted in, first sacker Keith Burke (.340) with 3-for-5, two runs and two RBIs and pitcher Ken Olson (.098) with a two-run single. South Fork chalked up 18 hits to 10 for the Hurricanes. Olson (8-7 2.95) went into the eighth and gave up nine hits and four runs. He needed help from closer Glenn Turnbull (5-3 2.81) for the final four outs. Wally Robinson (10-6 3.28) started for Cape Coral and pitched badly, being raked for eight runs in less than three innings.

The Hurricanes and the Stallions are both tied for the runner-up spot in the division and are a close 3 games behind leading Ginza (45-37).

Z's Top Nats 3-1 in First Game, Pierce Wins It
In game one of a doubleheader, Luxora won its third game in succession over Ozarka 3-1 at De la Vega Stadium. Chris Pierce (8-6 3.08), a 23-year-old righthander, outpitched Luther Hatch, holding the Nats to just one run and six hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk. Hatch (8-10 3.81) labored with six walks and nine hits, but held the Zorros to three runs, leaving 11 on base. Center fielder Tom Fortunato (.271), second baseman Paco Benitez (.251) and Pierce (.140) drove in the runs for Luxora and third baseman Doug Cunningham (.253) plated the Naturals only run. The Zorros took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, Ozarka tied it in the top of the sixth, the Z's went up to stay 2-1 in the last of the sixth and added on the final run in the seventh.

Nats and Z's Divide Doubleheader
Pitcher Yasuyuki Nakagawa got Ozarka a split of the doubleheader with a 5-3 triumph over Luxora in game two. Nakagawa (9-8 3.13) survived a three-run seventh to notch his 9th victory of the season. He went the distance, allowed three runs and ten hits, while fanning seven and walking two. The Naturals pounced on Keith Callahan (6-8 3.27) for six runs in eight innings and dealt him the loss. Second baseman Duane Starr (.291), center fielder Teddy Braun (.291) and shortstop Gil Lantz (.242) all homered to pace Ozarka. Luxora third baseman Rico Vina (.295) slapped one out of the park, his 12th of the year. Each team had 10 hits.

Luxora (39-41) remains in the fourth spot in the TU East race, 5 games off the pace. Ozarka (39-43) is fifth and trails by 6 games.