Lathrop rallies to down Knights

ANCHORAGE — The Colony Knights gathered momentum all season, but ran out of gas in the state tournament.

The Knights lost 8-7 in nine innings to the Lathrop Malemutes Friday morning at Mulcahy Stadium and were eliminated from the ASAA/First National Bank State Baseball Championships.

The game started well for Colony as Southcentral Conference Co-Player of the Year Jon Boyer put the Knights on the board in the first inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Jacob Butcher.

On the mound, Butcher allowed two base runners in the first inning, but escaped damage. In the second inning, the junior caught a screaming line drive back at him in a defensive stab to record an out. From then, the right-hander settled in to allow only two hits in the first four innings. In seven innings of work, Butcher gave up eight hits, four walks and struck out five.

The Malemutes used a very different kind of effort from the mound. Colton Wolter started the game, but only lasted two innings. Lefty Jake Wolter relieved him, but only pitched an inning before sophomore righty Terrell Ford entered the game to settle down the live Colony bats.

“Darrell Ford saved our game,” said Lathrop head coach Tyler Hollister. “He’s only a sophomore and he did amazing bridging the gap from those first two guys to our closer.”

An intimidating middle of the Knights lineup was outdone only by Colony’s underclassmen to follow. In the second inning, sophomores Ben Ross and Logan Sanders exemplified classic Colony baseball with back-to-back singles. Both scored to push the Colony lead to three runs.

“I was impressed all season with our underclassmen. They weren’t intimidated,” Colony head coach Jordan Chadwell said. “They knew what they wanted to do and they’re good ballplayers. The future looks bright for Colony baseball with five or six underclassmen on varsity can all be productive.”

Colony’s underclassmen weren’t finished in the second as Damon Hammer and Morgan McJimsey walked, and Ross would make the Malemutes pay. Ross popped a singled into left field to score Hammer and move McJimsey into scoring position. Sanders hit into a fielder’s choice to score McJimsey and build the Knight lead to 5-2.

Although down, the Malemutes weren’t out. Rodney Purdue singled and scored to answer, and Matt VanMuelken was driven in by Cameron Hendricks. Butcher looked to stay in control though, striking out Jacob and Colton Wolter to end the inning.

The Malemutes made it interesting in the fifth. Lathrop scored three runs on four hits. Purdue started the action again with a single. Hendricks doubled down the left field line to score Purdue, then Jake Wolter ripped a single to right to score Hendricks.

By this time, Butcher was tired and had lost zip on his fastball as well as control of his sweeping curveball. The Knights boast a deep pitching staff, including the hard-throwing Boyer. But Boyer would remain at shortstop while Butcher continued to compete and keep the Knights in the game.

With two outs in the top of the seventh and a Colony with a two-run lead, Lathrop snatched victory from the Knights. Both Wolters reached base to set the stage for Mikiah Stansel. Stansel shot a single up the middle to score both runners and tie the game, but was gunned down by Morgan McJimsey trying to advance to second on the throw home, recording the final out of the seventh inning.

Braden Hall came in to close for the Malemutes in the seventh inning. McJimsey singled, showing hope for the Knights to win the game in regulation. Ross grounded to short and nearly beat the throw to first base, but was called out to end the scoring threat and swing momentum in favor of Lathrop.

Sophomore Ryan Judd came in to relieve Butcher in the top of the eighth. After an error, the Knights battled and turned a double play of their own to end the inning. VanMuelken was hit by a pitch, and that was all the Malemutes needed.

“It’s been the identity of our team all year to play our best ball with our backs against the wall. It was a little later than I would have liked, but we’ll take it,” Hollister said.

The Knights brought the heart of their order to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but could not move Zane Mileur past first base.

“I’m not going to second-guess anything,” Chadwell said. “I have complete faith in our guys to get the job done no matter the situation. Maybe it’s something for us to dwell on over the summer, but that’s it.”