Moos, Gunslingers Hoist Surf and Snow Cup

[Ghosts]

Osakasayama, Japan – October 25, 2035

Thirteen different teams had won the Surf and Snow Amalgamation Championship, and now the Dawson City Gunslingers, in only their fourth season, can add that feat to their history books. They can also hang their dusty, icy hats on their team’s first MVP victory. 3B Moos Ippel beat out his young teammate Carlos de la Garza to earn the honor. Setting team records for AVG, OPS, and Runs highlighted what was an outstanding and remarkably well-balanced season. Ippel, a 1oth round selection in the 2034 draft, posted a 170 wRC+ and .447 wOBA to earn his accolade.

The season was historic for the Gunslingers. They ultimately finished in 2nd place in the AL Fisher after suffering through a terrible July, but the team was better than its final 60-50 record would indicate. They ended with a -7 Pythagorean differential and set most of the team and individual offensive records behind a team batting average of .282. Their attendance increased 60% over last year’s record high, and they made the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

The playoffs were a breeze for the Gunslingers until they met the Swamp Dragons. Despite that second-place finish in their division, Dawson City defeated three playoff opponents while losing only two games in the process. They won the Wild Card series over Fairbanks 3-1, took the divisional 3-1 over the top-ranked offense and pitching of Kivalina, and swept Anchorage 4-0 in the AL championship. It likely wasn’t until a 7-0 drubbing at home on October 20th that the young Gunslingers felt any pressure. Prior to that, they split in Osakasayama, losing a close second game by just one run. With the shutout loss at home, however, they were down 2-1 in the series.

The next day, they would play their second of three home games, and despite giving up three runs in the first, were tied 3-3 after 5 innings. SP Joshua MacLaine struggled, giving up 7 hits and 2 BBs that resulted in those three runs, being replaced by Dwayne Foulkes. Foulkes would get out of the 5th, but retire just one in the 6th, as the Swamp Dragons launched a 6-run onslaught that the Gunslingers would not be able to answer. Ultimately, the Dragons won 13-4, taking a 3-1 series lead with a 2-1 home field advantage.

With the odds stacked against them, team captain Man-Keung Zang called a players only meeting at the team dormitory. Whatever he said or did seemed to re-light the fire the team had used to burn their way to the championship series, because the Gunslingers would go on to outpace the Dragons 19-5 over the sweep of the final three games of the series. De la Garza would homer twice in game 5, single-handedly outscoring the Dragons, whom were held in check by Gisbert Sunter and the pen. Game six was a 9-1 beat-down led by series MVP 1B Alonso Ruiz, who went 3-5 with 5 RBI, a double, and the game’s only home run.

With the stage set for tonight’s game seven, the Slingers would pit SP Ohayashi against Hyo-Cheung Yi. The difference in outcome there would be enough to determine the victor, as Yi gave up 4 runs in just 2 IP while Ohayashi would make it 5.2 innings and give up 2 of the 3 total runs the Dragons would score. The getting by of Phillip Gettingby and Masohiko Hori, who would combine for the bulk of the batters faced for the Swampies and give up 2 runs over 6 IP, was inconsequential. The Gunslingers offense was fittingly led by Moos Ippel and Carlos de la Garza, whom would each homer and knock in a pair of RBI. The Gakidou Onryou should start petitioning the front office for the pair’s promotion ASAP.