The NYLISL went to a two-division format in January and immediately the whispers began. How can you put the three most experienced owners in the same division and still retain parity? Will the new unbalanced schedule still produce the two best teams at the end of the year, or will the Stanner Division Champion find that just besting their division foes will leave them heavy favorites to win the league title? Those voices will be heard a little louder today, after the standouts of the Stanner Division – St. Jack’s Demons – swept six games from the Lindenhurst Hitmen on Saturday morning. The wins improved the Demons’ record to 23-10 – which includes an astounding 18-4 record in interleague play. St. Jack’s is currently on a 10-game winning streak, all against teams from the Redmen Division. Lindenhurst was missing key players in Jason Varitek and Jose Guillen and their bats were sorely missed – the Hitmen picked up just 14 runs in six games against a pitching staff that “boasted” four starters with an ERA over 6.00. But Roger Clemens had two complete game wins – one a four-hit shutout – and lefties Mark Buehrle and Doug Davis stymied Lindenhurst’s lineup in the three games they pitched between them. Only Bartolo Colon needed to be bailed out by the bullpen, lasting just 4.2 innings in his only start. The Demons’ bullpen pitched 5.1 innings of one-run ball in what turned out to be a 5-4 win in 10 innings.
St. Jack’s is planning one final road trip to Suffolk before the end of August, to play their remaining games with the Hitmen and the Wellwood Avenue Scribes of Lindenhurst. The final four months of the season will be spent completing the schedule with division foes Floral Park and New Jersey (who the Demons are a combined 5-6 against), as well as the independent West Side Stories. Although the Demons boast a 5.5-game lead at the moment, one has to think that the Bandits and the Flesheaters will start cutting into that lead once they get into the meat of their interleague schedule.
Posted by nylistratleague
at 1:55 PM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 29 July 2006 1:57 PM EDT
