Lynx edge Road Warriors

WASILLA — The Dimond Lynx are drawing some attention around the Alaska American Legion baseball circuit.

Dimond extended its American Division lead over second-place Wasilla with a 4-2 win over the Road Warriors Tuesday at McManus Field in Wasilla.

“They’re a solid lineup,” Wasilla head coach Myrl Thompson said of the Lynx. “They’re not really deep, but the nine that play are all good. The pitchers are doing really well. They’re definitely one of the top teams in the state.”

Dimond starter Jordan Clevenger pitched a complete-game two-hitter to help Dimond improved to 16-5 overall and 11-4 in league play. Wasila dropped to 11-5 overall and 8-3 with the loss.

The two teams combined for only six hitters. Wasilla starter Dalton McHugill also pitched a complete game, scattering four hits over seven innings.

Wasilla led until late in the contest. Infielder Ben Ross helped the Road Warriors take the early advantage. Ross used a triple to drive in Matt Palmer and give Wasilla a 1-0 lead. Ross later scored on a passed ball to push Wasilla’s lead to 2-0.

Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Dimond took the lead with Payton Lauwers’ two-run triple. Lauwers later scored on a Grant Remmer sacrifice fly.

“They certainly took advantage of their best opportunities,” Thompson said.

Both the Road Warriors and the Palmer Pioneers head north this weekend for a three-game stay in Fairbanks. Wasilla meets Fairbanks Post 30 in a doubleheader Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and Fairbanks Post 11 in a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.

The Pioneers face Fairbanks Post 11 in a doubleheader Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and Fairbanks Post 30 Sunday at 11 a.m.

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