Miners open 2022 season Monday

Summer baseball is back in the Mat-Su Valley.

The Mat-Su Miners open their 2022 Alaska Baseball League season against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots Monday at 7 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

Tyler Le Brun returns for his third season as head coach of the team. LeBrun led the Miners to a league-leading 30-13 record during the regular season in 2021. The Miners welcome back a pair of players from that squad. Infielder Nick Cirelli and pitcher Evan Wolf return for their second summer with the Miners.

Cirelli, a St. Johns University junior, was second in the ABL with five home runs last year. He also hit .277 with 36 hits, 21 runs and 17 RBI.

Wolf, a Kent State sophomore, tied for the team lead with 17 appearances. Wolf was 1-1 with 16 strikeouts and a 3.38 earned run average.

The Miners also have a local product, pitcher Ben Alley, on the roster. Alley is a 2021 Colony High graduate and former Knights and Palmer Pioneers American Legion standout. Alley is a freshman at Georgetown College in Kentucky.

Cirelli, Wolf and Alley are among 27 players currently on the Mat-Su roster. The Miners currently have 14 pitchers, seven infielders, four outfielders and two catchers.

Mat-Su also has two new coaches, pitching coach James Dillard and assistant coach Kyle Watson.

For more about the Miners, see matsuminers.org and the Wednesday edition of the Frontiersman.

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.

2022 Mat-Su Miners schedule

Monday, June 6: Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Miners, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, June 7 Anchorage Bucs at Miners, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, June 8: Miners at Chugiak Chinooks, 7 p.m.’ Thursday, June 9: Chugiak Chinooks at Miners, 7 p.m.; Friday, June 10: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.; Sunday, June 12: Chugiak Chinooks at Miners, 3 p.m.; Monday, June 20: Anchorage Bucs at Miners, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, June 21: Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Miners, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, June 22: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.; Thursday, June 23: Anchorage Bucs at Miners, 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 25: Chugiak Chinooks at Miners, 7 p.m.; Sunday, June 26: Anchorage Bucs at Miners, 4 p.m.; Monday, June 27: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, June 29: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.; Thursday, June 30: Miners at Peninsula Oilers, 6 p.m.; Friday, July 1: Miners at Peninsula Oilers, 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 2: Miners at Peninsula Oilers, 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 3: Miners at Peninsula Oilers, 2 p.m.; Monday, July 4: Miners at Peninsula Oilers, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, July 6: Miners at Anchorage Glacier Pilots: 7 p.m.; Thursday, July 7: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.; Friday, July 8: American Legion All-Stars at Miners, 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 9: Miners at Anchorage Glacier Pilots, DH, 5 p.m.; Sunday, July 10: Miners at Anchorage Bucs, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, July 13: Miners at Chugiak Chinooks, 7 p.m.; Friday, July 15: Peninsula Oilers at Miners, 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 16: Peninsula Oilers at Miners, 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 17: Anchorage Adult League at Miners, 4 p.m.; Monday, July 18: Miners at Chugiak Chinooks, 7 p.m.; Thursday, July 21: Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Miners, 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 23: Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Miners, 6 p.m.; Monday, July 25: Chugiak Chinooks at Miners, 6 p.m.; Friday, July 29: Peninsula Oilers at Miners, 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 31: Miners at Anchorage Glacier Pilots, 4 p.m.