Late run propels Knights past Moose; region baseball tourney bracket set

PALMER — The Palmer Moose were within reach of jumping three spots in the region standings, but Colony used a strong start and finish to cement the fourth seed in the upcoming Southcentral Conference Championships.

Colony used three runs in the first and three more in the seventh to claim a 9-8 win over the Moose Monday at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

“We battle,” Colony head coach Jordan Chadwell said after the win. “We like to have a good first inning and last inning, and that paid off for us today.”

Kaden Ketchum scored on a passed ball with two outs in the top of the seventh to provide the game-winning run for the Knights. Ketchum capped a three-run Colony rally that erased an 8-6 deficit. Zach Satterly and Joe Ryan also drew walks that led to runs during the inning.

“We had discipline at the plate,” Chadwell said.

Chris Sereyko, pinch-running for Satterly, scored to cut Palmer’s lead to 8-7. Jeremy Allen, who reached on a Palmer error, scored when Joe Ryan walked with the bases loaded.

“Having some seniors who have been around makes a big difference,” Chadwell said.

Colony needed the three runs to answer Palmer’s work in the fifth and sixth. Trailing 6-3, Palmer used three runs in the fifth to tie the score at 6.

Luke Guggenmos drew a lead-off walk and later scored on a James Nelson RBI single. Brady Shults doubled and scored in the inning. Nelson tied the game at 6, scoring on a Cade Holland single.

Shults gave Palmer a 7-6 lead with an RBI single in the sixth. Skyler Hale walked with the bases loaded to push another run across the plate for the Moose.

“Palmer came to play,” Chadwell said. “They’re a good team this year.”

Trace Severson earned the win on the mound in relief, allowing one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work.

“The pitching was good, especially when we needed it,” Chadwell said.

Cooper Smith led the Knights at the plate, finishing 3 of 4 with a run and an RBI. Ketchum added two hits and two runs. Allen also scored twice.

Nelson led the Moose, finishing 3 of 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Holland drove in three and Hale added two RBI.

The rivals also followed with a nonleague game in the Monday night doubleheader. Colony scored a 10-1 victory in the annual wood bat game.

Colony picked up eight hits with the wood bats. Satterly had two. Six other Knights finished with a hit each. Frank Urbano scored a game-best three runs.

Dylan Buzby scored Palmer’s lone run. Kalen Huddleston drove in the run.

Knights notch No. 4 seed

Colony used its win Monday night to maintain fourth place in the conference and notch the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament, which starts Thursday morning in Homer.

Palmer (3-5), which would have jumped Colony (5-3) in the standings with a win, is seeded seventh. Chadwell said the is a lot of parity in the league this season.

“It’s more even this year,” Chadwell said. “Walking into the region tournament, you don’t know what to expect. You’ve got to play every game like they’re the team to beat.”

Four-time defending region champion Wasilla (6-2) is the No. 3 seed. Wasilla dropped from first to third in the region with a 1-0 loss to second-seeded Homer (6-2) late last week. Kodiak, also 6-2, is the No. 1 seed, and has a first-round bye.

Houston (1-7) and Kenai (1-7) will meet in a play-in game Thursday at 10 a.m., with the winner moving forward to play Kodiak at 4 p.m. in the first round.

Homer meets Palmer, and Wasilla faces sixth-seeded Grace Christian (3-5) Thursday a 1 p.m. Colony plays fifth-seeded Soldotna (4-4) Thursday at 4 p.m.

The Southcentral championship game is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. The winner of that game earns the conference’s first state tournament bid. The tourney features a double-elimination format, and the second bid will be decided Saturday at noon.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.