Mat-Su splits doubleheader with the Oilers

PALMER — Odd circumstances surrounded the Monday doubleheader at Hermon Brothers Field with the Miners splitting the set with the Oilers, despite Mat-Su allowing zero runs all day.

Firstly, the two squads were meant to play a doubleheader on Saturday, but rain prevented that from happening, marking the fourth rainout between Mat-Su and the Peninsula. This meant that the pair would meet for two games instead of the scheduled one on Monday, and that each would simply forgo playing one of the scheduled regular season games. Instead of the planned 40-game season, each will only play 39 contests.

Second, the first leg of the doubleheader was already a makeup from a rainout in Kenai on Thursday, Jul. 6, so the Oilers acted as the home team for the opening affair. Since the squads played with doubleheader rules, each game was only meant to last seven innings.

Mat-Su starter Drew Christo pitched arguably the most dominant game of any A.B.L. pitcher this season with 7.0 IP, 10 K, 4 H, & 0 ER. That seven shutout innings ties the Peninsula’s Ty Correa for the best mark of the year, and the 10 strikeouts ties Mat-Su teammate Grant Richardson for the most in a game this season.

Christo’s main issue rested with his side’s dormant bats. The M’s and the O’s combined for zero total runs in the seven innings, as well as an extra frame. Having played one extra inning, the league regulations came into play citing that, if one extra frame does not suffice, the acting home team will elect to play defense or offense for a do-or-die half-inning. The Oilers selected to pitch, so, per the rulebook, the Miners began the frame with a runner on first. The leg up with a man on-base did not help, and the M’s failed to score, losing a 0-0 double shutout.

Game two sang a better tune for the Valley with more shutout baseball. Starter Ace Whitehead dealt a pair of shutout frames before handing the reins off to reliever Larry Westall who completed the shutdown performance with five scoreless innings to secure the win.

The victory became possible because the bats shook off the rust: outfielder Alex Vergara dealt a solo home run in the first inning, and he followed up with an R.B.I. single in the fifth. That hit drove in first baseman Cooper Vest who had smashed an R.B.I. triple on the prior pitch.

Mat-Su won the second tilt 3-0, and the defense combined for 15 shutout innings on the day. That makes 18-consecutive frames without a run allowed across the last three games dating back to the sixth inning at the Chinooks on Thursday, Jul. 13.

Next, the first place Miners head to Anchorage on Tuesday for their first battle with the second place Glacier Pilots since Thursday, Jun. 29. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and Mat-Su is expected start right-handed Cal Baptist-product Brandon Downer.