American Legion baseball: Road Warriors blast past Service

Aug. 5, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

ANCHORAGE - These are definitely not the same old Road Warriors.

All season long, Alaska Road Warriors head coach Steve Mossburgh has claimed this year's Susitna Valley Post 35 American Legion baseball team is the best he's seen come out of the Valley in years.

On Saturday morning, Mossburgh's squad proved him right.

Alaska scored in seven of eight innings to run away with a convincing 12-5 win over the Service Cougars in the first round of the Alaska American Legion State Championships at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage - the team's first opening-round win at state since a 2000 forfeit over the Cougars.

&#8220It's a big win,” Mossburgh said following the game.

For most of this decade, the 1990 state champions have gotten used to early exits.

Entering this year's tournament, the Road Warriors had compiled a 2-14 record since 2000 and had lost five consecutive tournament games. But with a lineup featuring a mix of solid veteran players and talented youngsters, the Road Warriors proved Saturday they're for real.

&#8220This felt great,” designated hitter Kody Ziter said. &#8220I don't know how long it's been since this team has done this.”

Ziter, 15, blasted a third-inning home run high over the wall in left center field to give his team a 5-3 lead in what was a close game early on. And though it was his first career varsity home run, the Colony High sophomore looked like an old pro, going into his home run trot immediately after whacking the 2-0 Bryan Beard offering.

&#8220I knew it was gone as soon as I hit it,” Ziter said.

Ziter's confident lap around the bases earned him a first-pitch beaning the next time he came to the plate, but he was all smiles as he joined his teammates for a spirited post game celebration.

If the Road Warriors seemed upbeat following the game, they had good reason. Every player in the lineup contributed to the final score, with eight different players picking up hits in the game. The lone Road Warrior starter to play the whole game and not notch a hit - second baseman Casey Smith - scored three times, while left fielder Tyler Eli earned Player of the Game recognition for driving in four runs on a walk, sacrifice fly and two-run double.

The Road Warriors never trailed, taking a 1-0 lead on Eli's sacrifice fly in the first and never looking back.

While Eli was singled out for recognition, any one of several Road Warriors could just as easily gotten the nod. Shortstop Josh Boring went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, center fielder Rob Fitch was 2-for-5 and first baseman Mike Dotson and Ziter each scored twice.

Road Warriors starter Chris Breck wasn't spectacular, but pitched solid enough to pick up the victory, giving up five runs on just four hits in four innings, while striking out three. Breck walked five batters, but his wildness could be at least partially to blame on the sloppy field conditions. The game was delayed for 15 minutes in the fourth inning to dry the mound, and a constant drizzle persisted throughout the contest.

Despite not having his best stuff, Breck staked his team to a 10-4 lead - more than enough for Cole Smith to finish the job. The 17-year-old Road Warriors southpaw pitched four innings of scoreless relief, giving up four hits while walking two and picking up a strikeout.

The win paved the way for a Monday showdown with Chugiak, a team that has rolled through Alaska competition all season long.

&#8220They're by far the best team in the state this year,” Mossburgh said of the

Mustangs.

Chugiak may be the favorites on paper, but the Road Warriors don't believe they're destined for the loser's bracket. In fact, Kody Ziter said he believes that if the Road Warriors can limit Chugiak's offense, they've got a fighting chance.

&#8220We're going to need to throw strikes and play defense,” Ziter said. &#8220If we can do that, we can beat them.”

Mossburgh agreed that the Road Warriors will need to play near-perfect baseball to win Monday.

&#8220We'll have to play our whole game to beat them,” he said.

But while past Road Warriors teams may have already resigned themselves to another routine defeat, the 2007 version has a whole new outlook on the state tournament.

&#8220We're going to give it our best shot,” Mossburgh said.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com

Road Warriors 12, Cougars 5 (8 Innings)

ALASKA

name ab r h bi

Boring ss 3 2 2 2

Briceland rf 1 0 0 0

Cowgill rf 2 0 1 1

Eli lf 3 0 1 4

Fitch cf 5 1 2 0

WSmith c 5 1 1 0

Dotson 1b 5 2 1 1

Ziter dh 2 2 1 1

Brent 3b 4 1 1 1

CaSmith 2b 1 3 0 1

Totals 31 12 10 11

SERVICE

Name ab r h bi

Paul cf 5 0 0 0

Davies rf/1b 5 0 1 0

Barrus ss 3 2 1 0

Hand lf 3 1 1 0

Carlton dh 4 1 2 1

Mauer 2b 1 1 0 1

Ferntheil 1b 1 0 0 1

Almeda 1b/rf 2 0 1 1

Toliver 3b 2 0 1 0

Nealley c 3 0 1 1

Totals 29 5 8 5

ALASKA 131 140 11 - 12 10 1

SERVICE 031 011 00 - 5 8 1

2B - W. Smith, Dotson, Eli. HR - Ziter. SB - Ca. Smith, Boring, Mauer. CS - Barrus. Sac - Mauer, Nealley, Boring, Briceland, Eli.

ALASKA IP H R ER BB SO

Breck, W 4 4 5 4 5 3

Co. Smith 4 4 0 0 2 1

SERVICE

Beard, L 3 5 6 6 4 1

Grenier 1 1 4 1 3 1

Larson 4 4 2 2 3 4

HBP - Ziter by Grenier. WP - Cowgill, Co.Smith. PB - Nealley.