Bayou Brief- Trendsetters claim first ever Dixie Penant

[Reg]

Sports by Scott Plack

The celebration was loud as the Trendsetters capped off a marvelous run through September and October going 24-6 to finish off the season. What had seemed like a race that would come down to the wire, became a runaway victory as the Trendsetters pitching staff caught fire.

"This is step one," stated Tanner, "obviously our next goal is to defeat Charleston, go on to face New Jersey or San Antonio, defeat them and make it to the League Championship. But heck, that's everybody's goal if they were fortunate enough to make it into the playoffs. What are our chances of winning it all? Well, I think that they are as good as any other team, it will come down to which team excels at thier strengths and hides thier weaknesses."

For the Trendsetters, the obvious strength has been the pitching staff, especially the first four pitchers in the rotation. Singled out of that group, of course, is ace Conan McCullough. McCullough led the Imperial league in Wins and Strikeouts, and led all PEBA pitchers with a miniscule 1.80 ERA. Of course, McCullough gives credit to the bullpen, Phelps saved 43 games, and the defense for making such a performance possible.

McCullough was featured in the last game of the season and so Edward Coleman will get the ball for the first game against Charleston, and Chandler Davis will start the second games. McCullough is slated for the third games, and Nicholson and Coleman will finish off the series if necessary.

Trendsetter manger Escalante congratulated his team and then repeated the oft mentioned Trendsetter rhetoric, "Pitching and defense wins ball games, after all, you only need to score one more run than the other team. A 1-0 game is just as much a win as a 10-5 game. I am comfortable with McCullough, Coleman, Davis, or Nicholson going out there and pitching for us."

Playoff tickets have already gone on sale, and Tanner is pleased at the rate in which the New Orleans faithful are grabbing them up. He mused that a Trendsetter-Calzone matchup for the second series would be pretty exciting because fans for both teams would be able to make it to every game without too much trouble (given the proximity of the teams).

First things first though, as the Trendsetters get set to meet the Statesmen in what ought to be a fascinating slew of games.