Exhibition affair turns Into runs-fest for Mat-Su

PALMER -- More exhibition play turned the way of the Mat-Su Miners with a 7-4 win over the Michigan Monarchs thanks to at least one run in every inning besides one.

The Miners’ bats combined for at least one run in each of the first five innings of the seven-frame tilt.

A single from center fielder Kaden Carpenter led things off nicely for Mat-Su. Four of the first five M’s batters reached base.

First baseman Cooper Vest’s at-bat set the tone for the contest, popping up the third pitch he saw to the left side. Michigan third baseman Steven Casas called off the other fielders before losing the white baseball in the light clouds as the hefty winds tugged it out of his reach. As a result, Vest had a single, moving Carpenter to second base.

Catcher Steven Lancia followed with a four-pitch walk before Carpenter scored off a wild pitch for the game’s first run. The ensuing pitch also went wild, bringing Vest home, and moving Lancia to third base.

Mat-Su right fielder Maddox Haleysprinkled the next pitch to shortstop Cale Vance who fired to first for the game’s first out, allowing Lancia to score, giving the Valley a 3-0 lead.

Later on, Miners third baseman Kaleb Hannahs smashed a home run to left field in the fourth inning.

Mat-Su fans got their first look at Cal Baptist right-hander Brandon Downer who joined the team on Friday. The Southern California-native dealt three shutout innings with two hits and five strikeouts.

Lefty Brady Maylett relieved him in the fourth with a 5-0 lead, but struggled to the tune of four runs in just 0.2+ innings pitched. Righty sidearm dealer Larry Westall entered with a bases-loaded jake and the tying run on third, and it took him just one pitch to end the inning on a ground out.

Westall finished with 2.1 innings pitched, one hit, one walk, zero strikeouts, and no runs allowed.

Lefty Mario Bejarano came on for the final frame of the seven-inning contest, and left triumphant with a walk, one K, and the save.

Mat-Su returns to regular season play on Monday, Jun. 26 to face the first place Anchorage Glacier Pilots at 6 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field.