Aichi sweeps Miners

Frontiersman sports editor

PALMER They can be forgiven their singing voices, because even though the Aichi players need to belt out their national anthem before games in Alaska, they can also belt the baseball.

Using compact swings, lots of contact, tough pitching and sound fundamentals, the Aichi Institute of Technology swept three games from the Mat-Su Miners Thursday and Saturday, 4-3, 5-0 and 7-3.

Aichi got some strong pitching in both ends of Saturdays doubleheader. The Miners were able to muster only four hits in the nightcap, after getting shut out in the first game.

Manager Yoshihiro Okada, via interpreter Christian Huggett, discussed ground rules and some of the finer details of the rules of the North American game. The balk rule is different in Japan, and that created some confusion, but no hard feelings.

Our pitchers can take dirt and rub it into the baseball, Huggett said. The ump said since it was an exhibition game, it was OK, but to not do it again.

Okadas only disappointment in his visit to Mat-Su? He wanted to go king salmon fishing, but wont have the time.

That, and maybe not bringing a tape recording of the Japanese national anthem.