Mat-Su blasts Chugiak in weekend doubleheader

CHUGIAK -- Hot bats and long relievers brought the Mat-Su Miners within one game of clinching a playoff spot with a pair of wins on the road over the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks on Saturday night.

Mat-Su lost two starting pitchers after their colleges shut them down for the summer in Grand Canyon lefty Grant Richardson and Texas southpaw Ace Whitehead.

As a result, the M’s started turning to the bullpen with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. Murray State left-hander Ethan Lyke started and finished game one with seven innings allowing two runs, nine hits, and two strikeouts. Nebraska righty Will Rizzo normally acts as the Miners’ closer, but he started game two and fanned five batters in 4.1 innings allowing just two runs.

Game one started off well for Mat-Su with first baseman Cooper Vest smashing the first of three triples that the M’s would cobble together throughout the double-header. Vest scored on the next play on an R.B.I. groundout from shortstop Emilio Barreras.

Mat-Su also saw a still-injured Maddox Haley return to the lineup. The San Diego State-product suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday, Jul. 12 at home in a 13-5 win over the Anchorage Bucs. The outfielder had not played since that game, but he slugged a pair of hits on the day including a very slow double. The righty-hobbled around the bases, struggling to land on his right leg, but that did not stop him from compiling two runs on the day.

Haley’s first score came in the second inning of game one after legging out a double on what could have been a triple for anyone not nursing an ailment like his.

Mat-Su slammed nine extra base hits on the day, including three home runs. Third baseman Kaleb Hannahs crushed a dinger in the first game for his first long ball of the season. Game two featured left fielder Alex Vergara’s league-leading fourth homer of 2023, as well as center fielder Sebastian Tomerlin’s first home run of the year.

Mat-Su only trailed once in the entire double-header after Chugiak designated hitter John Whitney opened the scoring in the second contest with a solo home run. The Valley quickly responded in the next half-inning with seven runs including Tomerlin’s swing for the downs.

The M’s need just one win or one Chinooks loss to clinch a playoff spot, and Chugiak deals with the Anchorage Bucs on Sunday before tangoing with the Miners again on Monday. That marks the next affair for Mat-Su with an off-day on Sunday. First pitch on Monday is set for 6 p.m.