Mat-Su Miners ranked nationally by Perfect Game USA

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners have been tabbed as one of the top 20 teams in the country, according to Perfect Game USA.

In its latest rankings, released on Wednesday, the national baseball scouting service has Mat-Su rated the 20th best summer amateur collegiate baseball development team in the country in 2008. The Miners finished the season 26-15 overall and 21-14 in Alaska Baseball League play.

The ABL rival Anchorage Glacier Pilots are the top-ranked team in the latest poll. The ABL’s Peninsula Oilers are ranked 21st.

Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher was happy to see the top-20 ranking.

“That’s pretty good, 20th in the whole country,” Christopher said. “It’s a big deal.”

Mat-Su ended the summer ranked 16th by Perfect Game last year. Anchorage and Peninsula are currently competing in the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan.

Why no Wichita?

With their second-place finish in the ABL standings, the Miners could have made the trip to Wichita for the NBC World Series. But due to the total cost to send a team to the annual tournament, Mat-Su officials decided at the beginning of the season that regardless of finish the Miners would not head to Wichita.

“We just can’t afford it,” Christopher said.

Mat-Su last attended the tourney in 2004, and the Miners finished as the NBC runner-up, but along with the second-place trophy came a $25,000 tab.

“We just don’t have the money (this year),” Christopher said, noting the Miners earned $13,000 through various fundraisers to send the team to Wichita in 2004.

The Glacier Pilots, the winners of the 2008 ABL team title, and the Peninsula Oilers, who finished third are both in the tourney. Christopher said those two teams have systems in place to earn money throughout the year.

“The Oilers have bingo and the Pilots and (Anchorage Bucs) have pull tabs,” Christopher said. “We don’t have that.”

Gentile collects pair

of hits in Wichita

Mat-Su outfielder D.J. Gentile collected two hits and drove in three runs as a member of the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Monday.

Gentile helped his new team cruise to a 10-0 win over the South Tulsa Diamondjaxx during the first round of the NBC World Series.

Gentile used a two-run single to give the Pilots a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Mat-Su pitchers Jason Erickson and Garrett Richards also made the trip with Anchorage. According to Christopher, Erickson is expected to start for the Pilots on Sunday.

Miners among

final leaders

A handful of Mat-Su Miners are among the Alaska Baseball League final statistic leaders according to information released by the league on Tuesday.

Right-handed starter Jason Erickson led the league with six wins and 36 strikeouts. He was also ninth with a 2.79 ERA.

First baseman Troy Scott led the ABL with 13 doubles. He was also second in RBI (25) and 10th in batting average (.293).

Outfielder Kyle Jensen was second in both doubles (11) and home runs (four).

In order to be listed among the league leaders — which accounts for statistics tabulated in league games only — hitters must have had at least 105 total plate appearances, and pitchers must have at least 31.5 innings pitched.

ABL final leaders

Batting average — 1. Brint Hardy, Fire .410; 2. Joseph Terdoslavich, Pilots .354; 3. Nick Cioli, Panners .346; 4. Evan Wells, Bucs .21; 5. Eddie Tisdale, Bucs .317; 6. Paul Goldschmidt, Bucs .310; 6. (tie) Jeremy Gould, Oilers .310; 8. Anthony Aliotti, Oilers .304; 9. Kevin Winn, Fire .298; 10. Troy Scott, Miners .293.

Runs — 1. Brint Hardy, Fire 28; 2. Evan Wells, Bucs 24; 2. (tie) Jonathon Jones, Pilots 24.

Hits — 1. Brint Hardy, Fire 50; 2. Paul Goldschmidt, Bucs 45; 2. (tie) Nick Ciolli, Panners 45.

Doubles — 1. Paul Goldschmidt, Bucs 13; 1. (tie) Troy Scott, Miners 13; 3. Kyle Jensen, Miners 11; 3. (tie) Jeremy Gould, Oilers 11.

Triples — 1. Vince Belnome, Oilers 4; 2. 8 players tied with 2.

Home runs — 1. Thomas Meyers, Panners 6; 2. Kyle Jensen, Miners 2; 3. 9 players tied with 3.

RBI — 1. Ryan Enos, Fire 27; 2. Troy Scott, Miners 25; 2. (tie) Jeremy Gould, Oilers 25.

Stolen bases — 1. Brint Hardy, Fire 25; 2. Evan Wells, Bucs 14; 3. Tre Dennis, Oilers 13.

ERA — 1. Brandon Berl, Oilers 0.82; 2. Ross Humes, Oilers 0.84; 3. Joe Gardner, Oilers 0.96; 4. Christian Bergman, Bucs 1.34; 5. Zach Quate, Pilots 1.49; 6. Paul Bargas, Bucs 2.40; 7. Brandon Dixon, Oilers 2.55; 8. Tyler Henry, Pilots 2.58; 9. Jason Erickson, Miners 2.79; 10. Shawn Teufel, Fire 3.09.

Innings pitched — 1. Christian Bergman, Bucs 60.20; 2. Derek Sumner, Fire 48.20; 3. Paul Bargas, Bucs 45.00.

Strikeouts — 1. Jason Erickson, Miners 36; 2. Christian Bergman, Bucs 34; 2. (tie) Jon Pokorny, Panners 34.

Saves — 1. Eric Best, Pilots 8; 2. Erik Draxton, Oilers 6; 3. Kyle Brule, Panners 4.

Wins — 1. Jason Erickson, Miners 6; 1. (tie) Zach Quate, Pilots 6; 3. 4 tied with 4.

Team batting average — 1. Bucs .273; 2. Panners .258, 3. Pilots .256; 4. Fire .252; 5. Miners .239; 6. Oilers .235.

Team ERA — 1. Oilers 2.31, 2. Miners 2.71, 3. Pilots 3.16, 4. Bucs 3.33, 5. Panners 4.93, 6. Fire 5.14.

Mat-Su Miners final leaders

Batting average — 1. DJ Gentile .370; 2. Troy Scott .289; 3. Blake Newalu .270; 4. Kyle Jensen .265; 5. Tyson Jaquez .261.

Hits — 1. DJ Gentile 37, 1. (tie) Troy Scott 37; 3. Kyle Jensen 36; 4. Blake Newalu 34; 5. Jordin Hood 31.

Doubles — 1. Troy Scott 14, 2. Kyle Jensen 11; 3. DJ Gentile 5; 3. (tie) Jordin Hood 5; 3. (tie) Kevin Rodland 5.

Triples — 1. Kyle Jensen 4; 2. DJ Gentile 2; 3. 2 tied with 1.

Home runs — 1. Ty Rasmussen 5, 2. Kyle Jensen 4; 3. DJ Gentile 3; 3. (tie) Wes Dorrell 3; 5. Troy Scott 2.

RBI — 1. Troy Scott 30; 2. Ty Rasmussen 16; 3. DJ Gentile 13; 4. John Shaffer 12; 4. (tie) Kyle Jensen 12.

Runs — 1. Kyle Jensen 27; 2. Jordin Hood 21; 3. Blake Newalu 19; 4. Troy Scott 18; 5. Kevin Rodland 15; 5. (tie) Ty Rasmussen 15.

Walks — 1. Troy Scott 24; 2. Kyle Jensen 23; 3. Kevin Rodland 14; 4. John Shaffer 11; 5. Pat Minogue 10.

Stolen bases — 1. Jordin Hood 9, 2. Blake Newalu 8; 3. Kevin Rodland 6; 3. (tie) John Shaffer; 5. 2 tied with 4.

Wins — 1. Jason Erickson 7; 2. Max Peterson 3; 3. (tie) Michael Rocha 3; 3. (tie) Jeremy Erben 3.

ERA — 1. Michael Rocha 0.3; 2. Will Musson 1.00; 3. Michael Carlson 1.40; 4. Charles Ruiz 1.93; 5. Steven Fischback 2.25.

Strikeouts — 1. Jason Erickson 42; 2. Max Peterson 32; 3. Steven Fischback 30; 4. Jeremy Erben 25; 5. Jeremy Atkins 24.

Innings pitched — 1. Jason Erickson 48.00; 2. Jeremy Erben 41.67; 3. Max Peterson 35.33; 4. David Rowse 35.00; 5. Jeremy Atkins 32.67.