Miners fall in 10 innings

PALMER — The Peninsula Oilers spoiled a Mat-Su Miners veteran’s return to Hermon Brothers Field.

Spencer Henson, an Oral Roberts product who helped the Miners win their second straight Alaska Baseball League title last summer, used a two-run triple to give Mat-Su the early lead in his 2108 ABL debut. But the Oilers scored three unanswered runs to grab a 3-2 extra-inning win over the Miners Wednesday night in Palmer.

Bryan Woo scored on a Michael Yourg single in the top of the 10th to give Peninsula the win, and help the league-leading Oilers improve to 6-2. Mat-Su dropped to 3-5 with the loss.

Spencer, who was named first-team All-ABL as a pitcher last season, made the start at first base Wednesday. A two-way talent at Oral Roberts, Henson drilled a triple in his second at-bat of the game and drove in a pair of runs in the third inning. Brett Owen led off the inning with a single. Drew Swift reached on an Oilers error, and both were driven in by Henson.

The Kenai-based squad tied the game with two in the sixth.

Both teams finished with five hits in the game. Five different Miners finished with a hit.

Mat-Su starter Josh Haley scattered three hits and one earned run over six innings. He fanned four and didn’t walk a batter, and was issued the no-decision.

Mat-Su continues its homestand Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Anchorage Bucs.

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