Remi Starks crushed a two-run double and the Gastineau Channel Little League (Juneau) All-Stars won their second straight game over Abbott-O-Rabbit Little League in the Alaska Major Softball State Championships at Melvin Park on Friday night.
Starks’ third-inning hit, which struck the top of the left-field fence before falling back into play, was a major turning point in the game. After scoring four runs in the first three innings, Juneau put up eight in the fourth, running away with a 12-2 win.
Juneau can sweep the best-of-five-gave series on Saturday afternoon with one more win over the Alaska District 1 champion. The home team defeated AOR 16-13 in Game 1 on Thursday night.
Both starting pitchers were fabulous in Friday’s game. Juneau’s Kiah Yadao struck out 10 while allowing just four hits over four innings. Abbott-O-Rabbit’s Alexis Moore struck out eight batters and only walked one over three innings.
Saelyr Hunt went 2-for-2 with three RBIs to pace the Juneau hitters.
Hunt was one of the heroes in Juneau’s victory the day before, when her team battled back from an early 11-2 deficit. After her teammates rallied for six runs to tie the game at 12-12 in the fifth inning, Hunt hit a fly ball to the centerfield to bring home Tatum Billings and give Juneau a one-run lead.
AOR tied the game later in the inning, but Jack Lovejoy and Hunt each produced RBI singles to regain the lead in the top of the sixth. Lovejoy’s hit glanced off the glove of the first baseman while Hunt’s glanced off the glove of the shortstop.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.
