The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears baseball team opened their 2024-25 season on the road at Sitka’s Moller Field in a six-game varsity series against the Wolves and the Soldotna Stars.
“We were just trying to get a lot of guys into the lineup and we also had the opportunity to bring a lot of the JV players too and play a couple JV games,” JDHS head coach Luke Adams said. “That was awesome for our program because everybody saw a lot of time and it was a great way to start off a season.”
The JDHS varsity boys of Summer earned three wins and three losses on their Spring mini tournament jamboree trip which began with a 4-2 win over Soldotna (0-5-1) on Thursday and a 6-2 loss to Southeast Conference rival Sitka (5-1-1). Sohi and Sitka tied 1-1 as well.
Soldotna scored the first run of the game against JDHS in the bottom of the second inning on a balk by sophomore relief pitcher Noah Lewis that sent Stars’ senior Colby Sturman home, but Lewis steadied the ship and retired the inning.
JDHS responded in the top of the third inning with a lead-off single by junior Riley Fick who advanced on a sacrifice by classmate Brandon Casperson and then scored on a double by junior Madden Mendoza.
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé baseball team is shown from a photo on their team website. (Photo courtesy JDHS baseball)
Soldotna regained the lead in the bottom of the third. But JDHS took control in the top of the fifth as sophomore Drew Cadigan-MacAdoo walked and advanced on passed balls to score on a wild pitch that tied the game at 2-2. In the top of the sixth, senior JJ McCormick started a two-out rally being hit by a pitch, advancing on a Lewis single and a walk to senior Jacob Katasse and scoring on a fielding error, along with Lewis, on a hard ground ball hit by Cadigan-MacAdoo for the 4-2 score.
Madden Mendoza led JDHS with one hit and one run batted in; McCormick, Lewis, MacAdoo and R. Fick scored one run each; and McCormick walked twice.
Junior Cayman Huff started the game, and walked four batters and allowed one run, Lewis walked one and had one run score, junior Breven Jackson walked one and McCormick allowed one hit. All went at least one inning on the mound and had strong fielding backup.
Against Sitka on Thursday JDHS’ two runs came in the top of the sixth inning on RBI singles by freshman Kanden Kissner and junior Chris Anderson that scored sophomore Silas Keeler and Katasse, respectively.
Anderson, Kissner, junior Nate Fick and Madden Mendoza all had one hit each; Keeler and Katasse scored one run; Casperson, Keeler, Katasse, junior Marcus Mendoza and McCormick earned one walk each. R. Fick, N. Fick, sophomore Hunter Carte, Madden Mendoza and Keeler all went on inning on the mound and R. Fick led with two strikeouts.
“We have a lot of fight,” Adams said. “We knew we did but it was good to see that come out on the field. We have some good pitching depth. We do have a lot to work on just in regards to team play and also seeing live pitching. But those are all the things that we knew this jamboree is for and the kids, while they were very focused on going and playing, we wanted to keep things in perspective for them and really see what we have not only in practice but as we compete and what lineups are the best to put the best team out there. We’re in a good spot.”
On Friday JDHS defeated Soldotna 7-3 and fell to Sitka 10-1 and Soldotna lost to Sitka 5-1.
Against the Stars, JDHS’ N. Fick and Casperson had two hits apiece; N. Fick led with two RBI and Frisby, Casperson, Marcus Mendoza and R. Fick one each; Frisby scored two runs and Madden Mendoza, N. Fick, R. Fick and Katasse one each. Nelson, Keeler, Anderson and Cadigan-MacAdoo all shared the mound.
Against the Wolves, JDHS’ one run came in the top of the sixth as Casperson earned one of his two walks, advanced on walks to Kissner and freshman Micah Nelson and scored on a single by Jackson.
Jackson and junior Tyler Frisby led with one hit apiece. Marcus Mendoza, Carte, Madden Mendoza, Katasse and Jackson all shared the mound.
“We have a lot of talented upperclassmen and underclassmen,” Adams said. “Our younger players really performed well, especially in the pressure situations they were in, and we’re just trying to find out who can play a role in a varsity contest, but also in those JV contests see who steps up to the plate and is ready to really be a part of the long-term program.”
On Saturday JDHS defeated Soldotna 9-1 and fell to Sitka 7-6 and the Stars lost to the Wolves 4-2.
Leading the Crimson Bears over the Stars were McCormick with four hits and three runs scored; Cadigan-MacAdoo three hits, two runs and two RBI; and Marcus Mendoza with three hits, one run and one RBI. Lewis had two hits and two RBI, Kissner and Katasse one hit apiece. Marcus Mendoza went 4.2 innings, allowed two hits and one run, walked five and struck out three. Anderson relieved and walked one and struck out two.
Sitka earned their walk-off win over JDHS with a double by Brett Ross in the bottom of the sixth that scored Emmit Johnson.
The Crimson Bears played their best game of the trip against the Wolves. Trailing 6-2 heading into the top of the sixth inning Lewis led off with a line drive to center field and reached third on a catching error. R. Fick reached on an error and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice hit by Anderson that scored Lewis for 6-3. Casperson was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Madden Mendoza singled in R. Fick for 6-4. N. Fick would hit into a fielder’s choice that started fielding errors which allowed Anderson and Casperson to score and tie the game at 6-6.
Casperson and Frisby had two walks apiece; Casperson led with three runs scored; Madden Mendoza, Frisby, McCormick and Lewis had one hit each. R. Fick threw 3.2 innings and struck out four, walked six and allowed four hits and six runs; Carte went two innings, allowed two hits and one run.
“All the games were really good,” Adams said of the trip. “We learned a lot about our program and our team. With eight games in three days the kids did awesome. We were very impressed and very proud of how they competed and how they just came together this weekend alone. It was very cool to see the whole group settle in and accept the task at hand…just watching the kids kind of laugh and have fun together. We have a lot of good momentum in the next two weeks before we open up with Sitka in late April.”
The JDHS varsity home opener is at 7 p.m. Friday, April 25, at Adair Kennedy Field against Sitka.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com.
