BATTLING THROUGH

WASILLA — It could have been a long night, or a short outing, for Alaska Road Warriors starting pitcher Dusty Wisdom.

Before Wisdom and the Warriors had recorded the first out of the top of the first inning, the Service Cougars had already loaded the bases and walked in the game’s first run.

But after Wisdom caught Service’s No. 5 hitter, Bryan Beard, looking, the Wasilla High School product seemed to settle down. Wisdom rebounded to pitch 6 1/3 innings and lead the Road Warriors to a 5-4 win over the Cougars during the first day of the Todd Ryan Memorial Tournament at McManus Field in Wasilla Friday.

“I think he just held his composure,” Alaska head coach Steve Mossburgh said of Wisdom, who walked only two hitters in the game. “He’s been throwing real well for us this year.”

Service managed to collect 10 hits in the seven-inning game, but for the most part, the Warriors were able to get the outs when needed.

After Service took the 1-0 lead when Garrett Brown drew a walk to force in a run, Chase Van Allen scored on Cory Crabb’s fielder’s choice to give the Cougars the 2-0 advantage. Service scored on the play, but the Road Warriors still got the out.

Wisdom and the Warriors also stranded two Service base runners in the second and two more in the fourth.

Much like the first, Service loaded the bases with no outs again in the fourth. But this time, Jake Ridley — who walked and scored on a Van Allen fielder’s choice — was the lone Cougar to score in the inning.

The Road Warriors also didn’t commit an error after the first inning, which was key, Mossburgh said.

“They need to play error-proof ball. That’s been one of our big problems,” As long as these guys play error-proof ball, I tell these guys there’s no one who can beat them.”

The Road Warriors carried a 5-3 advantage into the final inning, and Service made things interesting. Aaron Miller tagged Wisdom for a triple to lead off the inning and scored when Van Allen grounded out. But reliever Damon Hammer was able to close the game for the Warriors, recording the two-out save.

“We had one run to give them, and we gave them that run,” Mossburgh said.

Mossburgh thought Wisdom may be able to finish the game for the Warriors, but the head coach opted to pull his starter with one out and one man on in the seventh.

“Hammer throws a little harder. I thought it would be a little different look for their middle guys,” Mossburgh said of the Colony product, who retired Service’s clean-up and No. 5 hitter to end the game. “Hammer’s come in at the end of a couple of games and has done a good job.”

Cather Wes Smith led the Road Warriors at the plate, driving in three of his team’s five runs. Chris Bydlon and David Newman also finished with an RBI. Eric Washington was 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

After Service jumped ahead 2-0 in the first, Bydlon doubled and scored in the bottom of the inning to cut the Cougars’ advantage in half.

Washington scored on Newman’s single to right field in the third, and the Valley team tied the score at 2.

Service took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, but Smith followed a Bydlon RBI with a two-run single.

The game was the Road Warriors’ first during the three-day Todd Ryan, the Valley squad’s annual July 4 holiday tournament. The American Legion post from West Warwick, R.I., beat Alaska 5-3 on Saturday morning. The Road Warriors cap tourney play against South Anchorage tonight at 5 p.m.

The Road Warriors are scheduled to compete in the 16th annual BP Exploration Invitational at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage next weekend. Alaska starts tourney play Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Chugiak.

Contact sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.