Longtime coming; Palmer head coach finally gets his first win over Colony

PALMER — The Palmer Moose did something Monday they have never done in Dave Combs’ five years as head coach of the Moose baseball program — beat Colony.

The Moose used a three-run first inning and batted around the order for five runs in the third en route to a 12-9 win over the Knights at Palmer Senior Field.

Junior Luke Heun went 2 for 3 with a walk and pitched for the Moose, and all but two starters recorded hits for the Moose.

Senior Brennan Harrison started his four-hit game with a single in the first to score Heun. Junior Kevin Christopher hit a sacrifice fly to center to score freshman Elias Stratton. Harrison started the third inning with a double and hit another with two outs to score Stratton.

Heun struggled early, giving up back-to-back home runs to senior Damon Hammer and junior Morgan McJimsey.

For the Knights, A.C. Schmer doubled to left in the third inning to drive in Shawn Faulk, and Matt Palmer singled to drive in a run in the fourth.

Heun struggled with control throughout the game, but was helped by a stellar Moose defense.

“We played great defense. We only made one error, and that wasn't until the seventh inning. You see what happens when you don't give a team extra outs,” Combs said.

Heun walked seven batters in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Combs said Heun had a problem with his pitching mechanics that made the three-sport standout tired early.

Colony starting pitcher Ben Ross made his first start on the mound for the Knights.

“After the first inning he started to figure it out. There's not anything for me to be disappointed in. He's got a lot of potential,” Colony head coach Jordan Chadwell said.

Heun walked the bases loaded in the fifth. Junior Jonathan Boyer and senior Zane Mileur each knocked singles into right field to chase Heun from the mound. Heun was relieved by freshmen Adam Christiansen.

Christiansen faced fellow freshman and longtime Palmer Little League teammate, Palmer.

“I've been playing since him since I was about 9,” Christiansen said. “So I knew I was going to try and throw him something up in the zone.”

Christiansen got Palmer to fly out to the second basemen. Christiansen narrowly escaped damage with the help from his brother’s defense. Damon Hammer hit a rocket line drive to left field that was caught in a leaping grab by Cameron Christiansen.

Boyer pitched 5 1/3 innings in relief.

“Boyer pitched real well, but a couple of their hits just fell in the holes. That's how baseball works, sometimes they just drop in,” Chadwell said.

Senior David Media pitched in the seventh inning to close the game for the Moose.

Palmer and Colony played a wood bat game as the second half of Monday's doubleheader. The Knights won 13-7 in the annual senior night game.

Both teams played their final regular season game Monday and move on to the Southcentral Conference tournament in Kenai on Thursday.

The Colony Knights are the No.1 seed from the North Division and play the South Division’s fourth seed. The Palmer Moose are the third seed and will face the second seed from the South.

Contact Tim Rockey at timothy.rockey@gmail.com or 352-2252.