Miners hold off Bucs to take over first place in the Alaska Baseball League

The Mat-Su Miners drafted the Anchorage Bucs 5-3 on Friday night to move into first place for the ABL, climbing to 8-5 and dropping the Bucs to the same record.

No one besides the Anchorage Bucs had been in first place until now, with the Miners currently having the tiebreaker over Anchorage with a 3-2 series lead.

The Miners’ offense had a different approach than normal Friday night, scoring all five of their runs in the first three innings rather than piling up all their runs in the last few innings. Cole Funkhouser quieted any Bucs fans in attendance at Hermon Birthers Field early when he started the game with a lead-off home run deep to left field. However, Bucs first baseman RJ Rujauis matched Funkhouser in the top of the second with a solo homer of his own.

After a sacrifice fly by Miners catcher James McGee for the only run scored in the second, Anchorage Bucs starter Eli Buxton would get into a lot of trouble in the third inning. After loading up the bases, a balk would score the third run, and Colorado School of Mines product Evan Bilter would come in clutch again for Mat-Su with a two-run single to put the Miners up 5-1.

After getting the early lead, the Miners' pitching staff made sure to get the win. Nesbraksa’s Gavin Blachowicz got the start for the Miners and did all he could to keep the Bucs at bay. He gave the ball to Jack Ensell after pitching nearly five innings, surrendering two runs while striking out five. Ensell would have his strongest performance of the season, finishing off the fifth inning in relief and pitching two more perfect innings to send the game to the eighth.

The Bucs would make it interesting in the last two innings, scoring one run in the ninth before a ground ball to Greg Pierantoni led to a double play, ending the game with the bases loaded. Garret Baumann recorded the save for the Miners.

The Miners can finally say first place belongs to them as they’ll try to keep it that way Sunday night when they travel to Chugiak to take on a stingy Chinooks team.

Miners get revenge on Chinooks in 6-1 rout

The Mat-Su Miners defeated the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks 6-1 in another stellar pitching performance for the Miners. The Mienrs rise to 9-5 in the standings while the Chinooks fall deeper into a hole at 4-10.

Sam Houston’s Cole Marthiljohni got the start on the bump for Mat-Su and didn’t give up the ball until the seventh inning. He pitched 6 innings, giving up just one early run in the second inning, and struck out five on his way to his first win of the season.

Bowling Green’s Kade Arn came in and slammed the door shut in the next three innings, giving up just three total base runners on the day.

The Miners recorded 12 hits in the game. Still, they plated just six runs, including a massive five-run third inning when Lincoln Stephenson and Ridge Erickson both recorded sacrifice flies, and Iowa’s Carter Geffre cracked a 2-run single into left field to take over the game.

The Miners moved a half-game above the Anchorage Bucs in the Alaska Baseball League standings with the win and remain atop the ABL.