Local players find success Outside

MAT-SU — Scott Kramer and Jonathon Boyer capped the 2012 Southcentral Conference baseball season as the top players in their division, each earning co-conference player of the year honors.

The year marked Kramer’s final season at Houston High, after a stellar four-year career with the Hawks. Boyer, an incoming senior at Colony, still has another season left of prep baseball. Even though the Valley standouts are at different points in their high school careers, both made similar decisions over the summer. Each opted to pass on a chance to play for the Valley’s American Legion baseball team, the Alaska Road Warriors, and instead to pursue baseball opportunities in the Lower 48.

That decision has already worked out for one of the players. Kramer has committed to Walla Walla Community College and will play baseball for the junior college this upcoming season.

“I’m really excited to get a chance to keep playing,” Kramer said. “It looks like I’ll be playing third base. It should be fun.”

Kramer took a step toward pursing his baseball drams, playing in a Connie Mack baseball league for Wilkinson Academy in Washington. Boyer traveled to Nebraska to play in the Premier League in hopes of also catching the attention of a coach at the next level.

“The exposure and opportunity Scott’s play has generated was only possible by his willingness to leave the local area,” said Bill Kramer, Scott’s father and the head coach of the Houston High baseball program.

Scott Kramer hoped his choice to take his talents south would lead to an opportunity. With limited exposure for baseball players in Alaska, Kramer found a place in Washington where he has an opportunity to play in front of scouts and coaches looking for athletes to fill their rosters. Kramer was forced to make a decision to leave his team and what has been his baseball home every summer, but said he’s chasing better baseball. Kramer said the head coach of Wilkinson Academy, Pete Wilkinson, was also a draw.

“A big part of the reason I went to play was because of coach Wilkinson’s reputation,” Kramer said. “I know I’m playing on a high level down here, and that’s what I came for.”

Versatility has always been a strength for Kramer, a player known for having a lot of responsibilities on the baseball field. As a standout for the Houston Hawks, he played pitcher, catcher, shortstop and hit in the middle of the order. Despite the pressure, Kramer performed at the highest level and earned player of the year honors alongside Boyer. In 2012, Kramer drove in 15 runs with a .463 batting average for Houston. In 12 appearances on the mound, Kramer struck out 54 batters.

Kramer was also the Mid-Alaska Conference 2011-2012 Player of the Year as a guard for the Hawks basketball team.

Kramer has run the gamut of Mat-Su Valley baseball. He grew up playing Wasilla Youth Baseball for his father, Bill, and continued to play for his dad when Bill Kramer was named head coach of the Houston High program prior to his son’s freshman season. When he decided to take the next step, Scott Kramer tried out for the Wilkinson team in May, opting against returning to the Road Warriors.

“Dad taught me everything I know. He's been my coach since I was 10 years old. Coach Wilkinson is full of baseball knowledge. He's been around baseball his whole life,” Scott Kramer said. “It's a different style of ball game down here. He focuses on approach. I'm learning a lot about a different side of the game.”

He was intrigued by the Wilkinson Academy team because of Wilkinson's reputation for placing every one of his players on a college team. Kramer was primarily a middle infielder in the Valley, but has seen time all around the diamond in Washington. Kramer found himself behind the plate, and his speed and athleticism have allowed him to fit well in the Wilkinson outfield. Next year, Kramer said he could play third base for Walla Walla.

"Houston baseball has been my family for the last four years. When I go to a new team, they'll become my new family,” Kramer said.

While Kramer spent the bulk of his baseball career in the 49th state, Boyer is not native to Alaska baseball, but fit right in. The Boyer family moved to Alaska in time for Jonathon to play baseball. Boyer’s talent was recognized immediately, as he got the starting shortstop position for Valley baseball powerhouse Colony High. As a freshmen, Boyer was honorable mention all-state playing for the Road Warriors. Boyer has been named All-Southcentral Conference twice, and this season shared player of the year honors with Kramer.

Standing 6-foot-5, Boyer hopes his baseball future will reach even higher to that of a college spot. This summer, Boyer traveled to Nebraska to play in the Premier League in hopes of getting attention from coaches at the next level.

“Playing in college would mean the world to me,” Boyer said.

Boyer made the choice to return to a familiar place on the diamond. Boyer had success as a youth baseball player in Nebraska and played this year with a handful of teammates from his U.S. Specialty Sports Association Baseball days. The decision for Boyer to play Outside is the first of many steps toward college baseball. Boyer has not been offered playing time for any team at the next level just yet. The decision to go to Nebraska has already opened doors, though. Boyer will attend more camps and showcases in the Lower 48 before he steps on the field for his senior season at Colony.

Boyer hopes his trip to play Outside will earn him a spot playing college ball after he graduates. Boyer plans to play his senior season in Alaska for the Colony Knights and Alaska Road Warriors. Boyer is also a Colony hockey standout with a 3.86 GPA. Boyer loves playing baseball in Alaska, but wants to chase his dreams in what he considers his baseball home in Omaha.

“I want to go home to Omaha,” Boyer said. “Hopefully I'll make it to a D-1 school and I can play in the College World Series. That's been my dream ever since I was a kid.”