Comeback kids

PALMER — At this time last year, the Wasilla Warriors were struggling to find a way to win. Now this season, the Warriors are fighting for a spot in the state tournament.

On Wednesday, Wasilla posted a 12-6 come-from-behind win over Palmer at Hermon Brothers Field in the first of five games over the next nine days that will determine the postseason fate of the Warriors.

“It’s a huge week, we’ve got all those games crammed in,” Wasilla head coach Myrl Thompson said.

After trailing Palmer early, Wasilla tied the game in the fourth and scored six runs over the final two innings to improve to 4-2 overall.

“They had us on the ropes in the first half of the game,” Thompson said. “Then our bats finally woke up.”

Tommy Rodamer and Brody Coleman sparked the Wasilla offense and Eric Marshall pitched six strong innings to notch the win.

Rodamer drove in multiple runs and Coleman scored three times during the win.

David Newman was 2-for-3 for WHS.

Jeremy Williams drove in four of Palmer’s six runs and helped the Moose grab the early lead. Palmer head coach David Combs said his squad did a good job of getting the early lead, but is still learning how to hold on to the advantage.

“It’s taking a while,” Combs said. “We don’t have much for experience.”

Combs saw similar issues less than a week ago during the first meeting of the season between the Valley rivals. During an 18-8 loss to Wasilla at the Wasilla Senior Field last Saturday, the Moose scored seven runs in the top of the second to take a commanding 7-2 lead. But that advantage quickly disappeared.

The Warriors used six runs in the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-7 lead.

“We’re not coming through with plays like we need,” Combs said. “They’re right there, but we didn’t execute.”

The young Moose are still learning, Combs said. Of the 15 players on the Palmer squad, there are only two seniors — Curtis Nelson and Henry Thorne. Nelson is the lone four-year baseball player on the PHS roster. There are five juniors and a strong sophomore class that includes catcher Tim Rockey and outfielder Greg Prickett.

Wasilla also boasts a young club, but fortunately for Thompson’s team, many of these young Warriors have seen significant varsity playing time early in their prep careers. Wasilla returned seven starters from last year and will lose only one starter to graduation — third baseman Mike Shaw — this year.

Thompson said the additions of Coleman and Eric Washington to the squad have also improved the depth of the Warriors.

Wasilla will continue Region III play on Saturday against Homer at 3 p.m. at the Wasilla Senior Field. The Warriors also have region bouts with Colony (Monday), Kodiak (Thursday) and Soldotna (Saturday) over the next week.

Palmer, meanwhile, will face the Knights Saturday at 3 p.m. at Hermon Brothers and will have more than a week off until its next varsity game against Wasilla on May 26.

Colony, which beat Palmer on Monday, is slated to face Homer tonight at 7 p.m. at Hermon Brothers.

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