The Falcons are still in the state softball title hunt Saturday despite a setback on Friday in Fairbanks and the Crimson Bears, despite being out of the baseball championship chase, will play for the consolation title after a moment for the ages during the tournament in Fairbanks.
The Crimson Bears’ Landon Simonson hit the ultimate daily double, earning a complete-game win and hitting a grand slam to carry the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé to an 8-6 victory in an elimination game in the loser’s bracket in the Division I Alaska School Activities Association Baseball State Championships.
Simonson went yard in the sixth inning with the bases loaded to make it 8-3. It was the first home run of this year’s tournament. On the bump, he and catcher Lamar Blatnick were in sync as Simonson scattered four hits and four walks and struck out nine. Colony’s Brayden Parrent knocked in three runs and went 2-for-4 with a single and triple that turned into a Little League home run when the throw to third went into left field.
JDHS will play Chugiak High School in the 4th/6th place game Saturday at 10 a.m.
Meanwhile, Thunder Mountain High School’s softball team is facing a tougher path to the state title after losing to Kodiak High School on Friday 9-8 in the Division II ASAA Softball State Championships. However, the Falcons rebounded in dominant fashion, defeating North Pole High School 18-0 to advance in the loser’s bracket on Friday.
Jenna Dobson was honored as the Falcons’ player of the game against Kodiak, while Aliza Mesdag was the player of the game against North Pole after hitting a bases-loaded home run.
The Falcons are scheduled to face off in the loser’s bracket against Delta Junction High School at 12:15 p.m. Saturday. Delta Junction defeated Soldotna 16-0 to advance in the loser’s bracket Friday.
TMHS shut out Delta Junction 8-0 during tournament pool play on Thursday. If the Falcons prevail they will need to beat the loser of the winner’s bracket semifinal between Kodiak and Sitka, then the winner of that semifinal twice to claim the state crown.
