The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears baseball team stayed alive at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Championships on Friday at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium with a 5-4 elimination game win over the Wasilla Warriors.
The Southeast Conference No. 2 seed Crimson Bears small-balled the Railbelt Conference No. 2 Warriors, despite being outhit 10-8, to earn Saturday’s fourth/sixth-place game against Dimond, a 9-4 winner over South Anchorage earlier in the day.
Crimson Bears sophomore Hunter Carte stymied the Warriors through the first five innings of action, allowing just six hits and one run, while walking four batters and striking out three.
JDHS scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the second inning as sophomore Noah Lewis hit a one-out single and scored on a two-out line drive to center field by junior Riley Fick.
JDHS added a run in the bottom of the third inning as junior Brandon Casperson hit a one-out single, advanced on a single by junior Madden Mendoza and scored on a single to right field by junior Nate Fick.
Wasilla got a run back in the top of the fourth inning, but JDHS responded in the bottom half as Lewis led off with a bunt, junior Marcus Mendoza was hit by a pitch and junior Chris Andersen doubled them both home for a 4-1 lead. Andersen would advance to third on an error and scored as junior Tyler Frisby attempted to steal second base.
Wasilla would make a charge in the top of the sixth inning as senior James Lackey singled, and junior Bridger Berta singled. Lackey scored on a passed ball with one out. Senior Ramon Guzman singled and stole second. Sophomore Jacob Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
JDHS freshman pitcher Charlie Begenyi fielded a ground ball and threw home to catcher N. Fick for an out, but Guzman scored on an error at first base and Wasilla trailed 5-3.
A walk to Wasilla senior Whalen Halverson loaded the bases and JDHS brought in freshman relief pitcher Micah Nelson who walked Wasilla senior Hunter Delcour to pull within 5-4.
JDHS third baseman Marcus Mendoza fielded a hard ground ball to retire the Warriors.
JDHS did not score in the bottom half and the Crimson Bears relied on their defense to close out the win in the top of the seventh inning.
Nelson hit the first batter, but fielded a pop-up fly ball and threw to first baseman R. Fick for a double play.
After a Wasilla single to center field, JDHS’ Nelson struck out the Warriors’ final batter and punched the Crimson Bears ticket to a Saturday game.
Carte earned the win on the mound. Begenyi pitched two outs (3H, 3R, 1BB). Nelson closed for 1.1 innings (1H, 1BB, 1SO)
Andersen led the Crimson Bears with two RBI, N. Fick and R. Fick one apiece. Lewis led with three hits, Casperson, Madden Mendoza, N. Fick, R. Fick and Andersen one each. Lewis scored two runs, Casperson, Marcus Mendoza and Andersen one each. Senior JJ McCormick earned one walk.
Guzman took the complete game loss for Wasilla (8H, 5R, 1BB, 4SO).
Guzman, Berta and sophomore Gerardo Palomares led the Warriors with two hits each.
JDHS had opened tournament play with a 5-0 loss to Service, Wasilla had fallen to Eagle River 10-0.
In other Friday tournament action the Sitka Wolves put their undefeated 18-0 Alaska record on the line (24-2-1 overall) and advanced to Saturday’s state baseball championship with a 4-2 win over the Colony Knights (14-10).
Sitka senior Levi Hodges got the start on the mound and struck out 14 batters over the full seven innings (4H, 2R, 1BB).
Hodges started strong, striking out the first two batters he faced and junior Brett Ross handled a ground ball at second base and threw to classmate Caleb Calhoun at first base to retire the side.
Sitka scored the first two runs of the game in the bottom half of the first as Ross led off with a single, senior Chance Coleman was hit by a pitch and Calhoun hit a one-out single that scored them both.
Hodges struck out two more Knights in the second inning and the Wolves added a run in the bottom half with junior Josh McAlpin crossing on a two-out fielder’s choice hit by Coleman.
Colony scored a run in the top of the fourth as sophomore Hayden Sherman led off with a double and scored on a single by junior Kaesen Buzby to trail 3-1. The Wolves again scored in the bottom half with senior Tyson Bartolaba reaching base on a fielder’s choice, stealing second, advancing on a walk to Coleman and scoring on a sacrifice fly to left field by senior Tanner Steinson for the 4-1 lead.
Colony plated their last run in the top of the fifth inning as sophomore Hudson Broeder reached on a fielding error and scored on a double by senior Brock Baker to trail 4-2.
Colony stranded two runners on base in the sixth inning. Sitka led off in the bottom half with Coleman and Steinson earning one-out walks, but were stranded on base.
Hodges secured the win as he put two strikes on the first batter of the seventh inning and a foul tip was caught for the out. The next batter grounded out to shortstop Coleman and Hodges struck out the final batter.
Calhoun led with two RBI, Coleman and Steinson one apiece. McAlpin led with two hits, Ross, Calhoun, Mason Mcleod and Josh Gluth one each. Coleman earned two walks, Steinson, Mcleod, McAlpin and senior Bryce Calhoun one each.
Sitka will play in the 4:30 p.m. Saturday state championship game against Service, a 6-2 winner over Eagle River. Colony and Eagle River will play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the third/fifth-place game.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
