Early advantage leads to Oilers win

PALMER — In a match that featured the top two pitching staffs of the Alaska Baseball League, the Mat-Su Miners and Peninsula Oilers combined for only one extra-base hit.

But Peninsula Oilers infielder Stephan Hagen made that one count. Peninsula used Hagen’s two-run double in the top of the third inning to post a 4-1 win over the ABL-leading Miners at Hermon Brothers Field on Friday.

“The game was really decided early,” Mat-Su head coach Russell Raley said. “We talk to our guys about being ready from the get-go.”

After Jonathon Kaskow tagged Mat-Su starter Mike Carlson with an RBI single in the first, Hagen gave the Oilers the 3-0 lead with his double. The Oilers posted singles in three of their first four at-bats of the game, and burned Carlson for five hits and three earned runs during the first three innings.

While Hagen supplied the bulk of the offense for the Oilers, starter Cody Kendall stymied a Mat-Su offense that had scored at least seven runs in two of its previous three games.

“He did a good job,” Raley said of Kendall. “Any time with the wooden bat, if you can keep the ball down and throw strikes, I think you’re going to be effective.”

Kendall allowed only four hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. He fanned two and walked on batter.

Mat-Su catcher Bobby Jacobs gave the Miners their lone run of the game when he singled to drive in center fielder Nick Cox in the bottom of the second. Cox singled and stole second base to move himself into scoring position.

Cox led the Miners with a pair of hits in the game. Scott Arthur, James Ramsey and Trevor Costin also singled for Mat-Su.

Owen Dew worked a solid six innings of relief for the Miners. The former Seminole Community College standout and Central Florida recruit allowed six hits and struck out four in six innings.

“Owen did an outstanding job out of the bullpen,” Raley said. “He gave us everything we needed. We’re a little bit short on arms. Some guys are going to be on short rest. He did a good job for us.”

Peninsula outfielder Chris Ellison posted a game-high three hits in the game.

Mat-Su’s next meeting with the Oilers is Thursday, the start of a five-game, four-day stay in Kenai.

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