The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears split with the Sitka Wolves on the road at Moller Field Wednesday, winning 18-9 in the first of two games and losing 10-9 in the second.
JDHS junior Gwen Nizich continues her power swing at the plate, going 3-5 in game one including a two-out line drive home run over the left field fence in the top of the fifth inning, and collecting three RBI and two runs scored.
JDHS scored two runs in the top of the first inning as senior Tatum Billings doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball while classmate Bryanna Eakes walked. Both scored on errors.
The Crimson Bears scored three runs in the top of the second inning as senior Taiya Bentz walked, freshman Sadie Lockhart singled, sophomore Cassie Chenoweth walked, junior Alayna Echiverri walked scoring Bentz, Billings lined out scoring Lockhart and sophomore courtesy runner Taylor Williams stole home.
Sitka took a 3-2 lead in their half of the first and a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the second. JDHS took command of the game with six runs in the top of the third inning with sophomore Brynn Wheeler hitting a single, Bentz earning a walk, Wheeler scoring on a wild pitch, sophomore Skylar Oliva hitting a single scoring Bentz, Lockhart reaching on a bunt, Oliva scoring on an error, Echiverri reaching on an error scoring Lockhart, Billings walked, Nizich singled scoring Echiverri and Eakes reached on an error scoring Billings.
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Skylar Oliva pitches in a game against Sitka on Wednesday at Moller Field. (James Poulson / Daily Sitka Sentinel)
Sitka would score three runs in the bottom of the third, but JDHS added another run in the fifth and six runs in the sixth. Billings went 2-4 with three RBI and three RS and Wheeler 2-5 with one RBI and two RS. Bentz (2RS), Oliva (1RBI, 1RS), Lockhart (3RS) and Chenoweth (1RS) had one hit each. Eakes (1RS) and Bentz had two walks apiece, Echiverri, Billings, Wheeler and Chenoweth one each.
Nizich pitched four innings, allowed seven hits and nine runs, walked four batters and struck out three. Oliva relieved, allowing one hit, walked one and struck out one.
Sitka’s Ally Mayville, Alina Lebahn and Chalice Brenton led with two RBI each. Kaelynn Balovich had three RS. Mayville, Brenton and Sadie Saline led with two hits each. Delayna Barry pitched 2.1 innings (4H, 9R, 5BB) and Madison Campbell relieved (7H, 9R, 2BB, 1SO).
In the nightcap Billings earned a walk in the top of the first inning and scored on a triple by Nizich who scored on a fielding error for a 2-0 lead. Sitka took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of play. The Crimson Bears got out of the inning with a catch by left fielder Echiverri, and two ground balls handled by shortstop Nizich.
JDHS tied the game in the top of the second as Chenoweth hit a two-out single and was subbed by courtesy runner Lockhart who scored on a single by Echiverri. Sitka regained the lead 4-3 in the bottom half. The Crimson Bears got out of the inning with a catch by centerfielder Eakes, a throw out at third base by catcher Chenoweth to Billings and a strikeout by Oliva.
JDHS tied the game in the top of the third inning with a leadoff blast over center field by Nizich and took the lead as Eakes singled, Wheeler doubled and Williams grounded out to score Eakes for a 5-4 advantage. Sitka tied the game in the bottom half. Fielding plays by JDHS sophomore right fielder Lily Hayes, a strikeout by relief pitcher Bentz and put out by sophomore second baseman June Troxel got the Crimson Bears out of the inning.
JDHS put three runs across in the top of the fourth as Lockhart bunt singled, Billings doubled scoring Lockhart, Nizich walked, Eakes reached on a dropped third strike that allowed Billings and Nizich to score on the plays follow through. Sitka pulled to 8-7 in the bottom half. The Crimson Bears got out of the inning with put outs by Billings at third, Nizich at short and a strikeout by relief pitcher Williams.
JDHS scored a run in the top of the fifth as Bentz walked, Williams singled and both advanced on a sacrifice by Troxel and Bentz scored on a ground out by Lockhart for a 9-7 lead. Sitka tied the game in the bottom half and the Crimson Bears got fielding plays by Echiverri and Hayes and a strikeout by Williams.
JDHS left two runners on base in the top of the sixth and Sitka left one on in the bottom half.
The Crimson Bears got contact in the top of the seventh, but could not reach base.
Sitka used small ball to earn the walkoff win in the bottom half as Lebahn earned a walk, Brenton sacrificed bunted, Saline singled, Penelope Blankenship bunted to load the bases and Campbell reached on a ground ball fielding error that scored Lebahn for the 10-9 win.
Nizich went 2-3 (2RBI, 3RS, 1BB) to lead JDHS. Oliva pitched two innings, allowed two hits, four runs, walked five and struck out one. Williams relieved for 4.1 innings, allowed five hits and six runs, walked seven and struck out three.
Lebahn went 1-2 (2RBI, 2RS, 3BB) to lead Sitka and also pitched the complete game, allowing nine hits, nine runs, walking four and striking out two.
JDHS plays at Ketchikan on Thursday and Friday.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
