Bears spoil solid pitching performance

WASILLA — The Kodiak Bears put seven runs on the scoreboard, but the last person Colony head coach Jamie Mayo could fault was his starter, sophomore Jonathon Boyer.

“I’m not going to take anything away from Kodiak, but Jonathon Boyer threw a great game today,” Mayo said after his team’s 7-4 loss to the Bears at Wasilla Senior Field Friday. “You really hate to see a kid who threw as well as he did lose the way he lost.”

Kodiak used five unearned runs to grab the Southcentral Conference victory over Colony and drop the Knights to 1-1 early in the 2011 season.

“Seven runs and only two of them were earned? That’s not the pitcher. He did his job,” Mayo said.

Making his first start of the season, Mayo fanned eight hitters and allowed only four hits. Boyer walked two batters, one intentionally. Mayo said defensive struggles proved to be the difference.

“We played Wasilla (Wednesday) and six of their seven runs were unearned. Tonight, five of (Kodiak’s) seven runs were unearned,” Mayo said. “It’s really disappointing. Playing defense and pitching have been two of our strong suits for, well, forever.”

Kodiak was able to use unearned runs to take the early lead, but Boyer continued to battle, recording his eight strikeouts in six innings of work.

“He does a good job of spotting his pitches,” Mayo said. “He’s not dominant, he’s not going to overpower anyone, so he’s got to have location. He had a really good game as far as location went.”

Colony was able to get on the board in the second inning. Senior Dominic Comerate was hit by a pitch and later scored on an Isaac Eller single to cut Kodiak’s lead to 3-1. After Kodiak took a 5-1 lead in the top of the fifth, junior Damon Hammer needed only one swing to cut the Bears’ lead to one.

With two on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Hammer put a Kodiak pitch of the left field fence. Sophomore Jacob Butcher and senior Taylor Palmer also scored on the home run to slice the Bears’ lead to 7-4.

In the fourth inning, Colony also had opportunity to push runs across the plate. Shane Andrews drew a walk to load the bases, but Hammer — who lead off the inning with a single — was gunned down at home plate after Eller flied out to right field.

“With Damon running at the plate, I knew it was going to take two really good throws to get him,” Mayo said. “Well, they got two really good throws.”

Kodiak got a pair of insurance runs in the seventh to seal the game.

Junior AC Schmer pitched the seventh, and Mayo also liked what he saw of the reliever.

“AC has never pitched for us. He’s a big, strong kid and we gave him a shot to see what he could do,” Mayo said. “We brought him in a tough situation, and he threw strikes, and we made errors behind him.”

Hammer led the Knights with a pair of hits and three RBI in the game. Andrews, Eller and Palmer collected singles for CHS.

Eddie Arellano Jr. and Pat Pickett each had two hits for Kodiak. Mikel Garner and Dylan Kavanaugh also singled.

Palmer scores 2 wins

SOLDOTNA — The Palmer Moose scored wins over a pair of Kenai Peninsula opponents over the weekend.

Junior David Media threw a three-hit shutout to lead the Moose to a 13-0 win over Kenai on Saturday.

On Friday, sophomore Luke Huen pitched 5 1/3 strong innings to help Palmer earn the 14-6 win over Soldotna. Senior Tim Rockey blasted a solo home run and junior Augustus Topp hit a two-run shot.