Hickory reigns as 2011 I-75 League champs!

The Hickory Nuts completed the most improbable run to a world championship since — well, since the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals — when they knocked off the Margaritaville Volcanoes in seven games to rule the I-75 League roost for 2011. Having finished a distant third in the Northbound Division, the Nuts’ postseason run included conquests [...]

Numbers behind the Nuts’ playoff victory

Hickory manager Mike Wilson has compiled some additional statistics they help tell the tale of the Nuts’ seven-game first-round playoff win over the higher-seeded Bushwood Gophers. Bushwood BOO:   Starting Pitchers  31.2 IP, 41 hits,  28 runs, 26 earned 7.39 ERA YEA:    Bullpen  30.1 IP, 21 hits,    5 runs,  3 earned 0.90 ERA  (WOW–Dave should have gone [...]

Finally! 2011 season is semi-officially complete

The Superior Titans and Wisconsin Warhawks are the division champs of the I-75 League for 2011 and have earned first-round byes for the playoffs. Wisconsin defeated Margaritaville 5-4 in a one-game playoff to settle first place in the Southbound Division. Earlier, Applegate beat Savannah in a one-game playoff 4-3 to determine the third-place finisher. Wisconsin [...]

Savannah chops up Nuts for 2010 World Series crown

The Savannah Scorpions worked their ninth-inning magic in back-to-back games to gain momentum, then counted on big fellas Josh Johnson and CC Sabathia to carry the load the rest of the way, defeating the Hickory Nuts in five games to win the 2010 I-75 League World Series. Hickory had won the opener 4-1 as Justin [...]

Gophers’ victory immortalized

Some new artwork adorns the 2009 season page now, thanks to John McMillan, who commemorates the Bushwood Gophers’ fifth world championship.

It’s time to toast the 2009 champion Bushwood Gophers

Right-hander Gil Meche led the Bushwood Gophers to their fifth World Series championship in franchise history, earning a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Demo Dogs in the decisive Game 5 of the I-75 Mail League World Series. The five titles matched the league-record total of the Michigan/Superior franchise.  Previously, the Pickles/Gophers won championships in 1982, ’83, [...]

Bushwood takes first two from Detroit

As reported by Dave Renbarger: The Bushwood Gophers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 30th annual I-75 Mail League World Series on Thursday morning, turning back the Detroit Demo Dogs in a pair of closely contested games.   Gil Meche outdueled Josh Beckett to win the opener, 3-2, as the Gophers turned a decisive [...]

Who do you have your money on?

Gophers, Dogs survive Game 7s, will square off in World Series

Down 3-1 in the series against longtime rival and lifelong brother Mike, Dave Renbarger’s Gophers reeled off three consecutive wins to capture the Northbound Division Championship over the Superior Titans. But in the Southbound Division, the Savannah Scorpions were unable to accomplish the same feat, even with nearly invincible Tim Lincecum on the hill, as [...]

Savannah, Detroit go to Game Seven

The Savannah Scorpions showed they still had a lot “lefty” in their tank in the Southbound Division championship, riding strong outings by CC Sabathia and Cole Hamels to victories in Games 5 and 6 to force a decisive seventh game against Detroit. Sabathia’s complete game outing and five Savannah homers helped pave the way to [...]

Titans put Gophers on brink of elimination

Superior is one game away from the I-75 Strat-O-Matic League World Series after winning a pair of tight, low-scoring games over the Bushwood Gophers. With a 2-1 win in Game Three and a 3-2, 11-inning win in Game Four, the Titans now own a 3-1 lead over the Northbound Division regular-season champs. Read on for more [...]

Pat Burrell, the GM wants to see you in his office

File this fact away if the Superior Titans manage to take down the Bushwood Gophers in the Northbound Division finals: There are grumblings in the Gophers’ clubhouse that general manager Dave Renbarger might not be giving complete focus to the playoffs, as a member of the front office leaked the Gophers’ tentative retention list plans [...]

Gophers, Titans split first two games

(Courtesy of Dave Renbarger) As founding members of the I-75 Mail League in 1980, Mike and Dave Renbarger have faced off against each other at the Strat table or computer hundreds of times over the past 30 years.  The rivalry has ebbed and flowed as the fortunes of the Drifters/Titans and Pickles/Gophers fluctuated accordingly.  In 2008, things heated up during a tense [...]

Scorpions’ backs to the wall, down 3-1 vs. Detroit

After spotting Savannah an opening-game victory, the Detroit Demolition Dogs have reeled off three wins in a row in the Southbound Division finals and stand one game away from advancing to the I-75 League World Series. Savannah won Game One, 6-5, on Melvin Mora’s two-out, two-run pinch-hit double in the ninth. But Detroit rebounded vigorously. The [...]

Divisional championships set

Third-place Detroit upset the favored Margaritaville Volcanoes in the Southbound Division semifinals to advance to the championship match with Savannah, while the brothers Renbarger will square off for the Northbound crown following the Titans’ seven-game victory over Hickory. Detroit won four out of five to advance past Margaritaville, while Cody Ransom’s seventh-inning pinch-hit grand slam [...]

Playoffs underway: Superior takes 2 of first 3 from Hickory

The 2009 playoffs are underway in the Northbound Division, and Superior has jumped on top of Hickory. Hickory won Game One 8-0, but Superior bounce back with 5-4 and 3-1 wins. Read on for details as provided by Mike Renbarger.

Welcome to our new Web site

Welcome to the new Web site for the I-75 Strat-O-Matic league. Let’s get this party started by finding out your thoughts on this year’s postseason action.