Miners outfielder wins home run derby

ANCHORAGE — Apparently, all that work hitting off tee as a kid with his dad is paying off for Gio Brusa.

At least one of the lessons Brusa learned as a young hitter could be a reason why the Mat-Su Miners outfielder and University of Pacific product was left hoisting the trophy after Brusa swung his way to the title of the Alaska Baseball League Home Run Derby Sunday afternoon at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

In a tough first round as Brusa battled a baker’s dozen worth of ABL sluggers, he must have thought back to those days pounding the ball off the tee with his dad. The Mat-Su switch hitter took five swings from the right side, knocking one ball over the Mulcahy fence. Brusa then stepped to the other side of the box, taking another five tries from the left, and hammered another ball out of the park.

After his win, Brusa said it can be tough to quickly transition from one side of the plate to the other, but the work he put in years ago certainly helped out.

“We worked on it for hours, working off that tee — left, right, left, right,” Brusa said. “In a game situation, if I need to switch, I’m fine with it.”

Brusa used his two first-round dingers to force himself in a tie for the final berth in the semifinals.

Brusa battled through a tiebreaker and the semifinals before entering the final round against Anchorage Glacier Pilots outfielder Jensen Park. Brusa quickly added to his two first-round long balls, as he found his home run swing during the tiebreakers and semifinals, and was able to fend off the challenge by sluggers such as Garrett Mundell, a 6-foot-6 Anchorage Bucs pitcher.

When Brusa finally stepped up to the plate for the final round, the Miners outfielder needed only two home runs to win the title. Park managed just one home run in his 10 tries during the final round. Luckily, Brusa started the final round with a bang, knocking the first pitch of his round over the left field fence.

“It was pretty relieving,” Brusa said. “Regardless, I would get another round.”

But he wouldn’t need it. With four outs, Brusa blasted the title-clinching home run. With the swing, he became the second Mat-Su Miner in three seasons to win the ABL Home Run Derby. Former Miner Adam Martin won the league’s inaugural event in 2011.

“I was fortunate today. I got blessed, got lucky,” Brusa said.

It was Brusa’s first whack at an official home run derby. He said he took sort of a casual approach when he entered.

“Just have fun with it,” Brusa said. “I know I can hit the ball pretty far, but I had no expectations.”

Brusa said the extra swings during the tiebreaker rounds could have given him an edge, at least an opportunity to find his home run swing.

“That definitely helped me out. While I was in the tiebreakers, everyone was sitting. I was getting more hacks,” Brusa said. “The hardest part about it is finding that groove. Once you find your groove, you’re fine. But finding it is the tough part.”

Brusa was one of 14 Miners selected for the annual ABL All-Star Game that followed Sunday afternoon. Twelve of the 14 Mat-Su players appeared in the game for Team North and helped the squad play to a 2-2 tie with Team South.

Mat-Su Miners outfielder John Williams led Team North (which includes players from the Miners, Alaska Goldpanners and Chugiak Chinooks) with two hits and an RBI. Williams, who finished with two of his team’s four hits in the game, collected a pair of singles.

“It was a very good time, very enjoyable,” Williams said of the experience after the win. “It was a good experience. There are a lot of good players out there.”

Williams helped give Team North a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. With David Fletcher of the Alaska Goldpanners on second, Williams knocked a ball into centerfield and Fletcher scored on the play.

“I tried to battle with two strikes and put something in play,” Williams said.

Williams also legged out an infield single in the bottom of the eighth.

Williams was one of eight Mat-Su position players selected to play. Spencer Mahoney (third base), A.J. Simcox (shortstop), Christin Stewart (left field), Brenden Farney (second base) and Michael Thomas (catcher) were all in the starting lineup. Williams (center field), Brusa (right field) and Patrick McGrath (first base) played from the sixth inning on.

Pitchers Ty Schlottmann, Phillip Orr, Tyler Martin and Drew Smith each pitched an inning in the game. Miners pitchers Gavin Glanz and Trevor Bettencourt were named to the team, but did not play.

Peninsula Oilers infielder Jake Alvarez, who was named the game’s MVP, gave Team South an early lead with a first-inning home run. Alvarez also supplied the game-tying run in the top of the seventh when he singled and scored on a wild pitch.

Team North also scored in the second inning. Alaska Goldpanners designated hitter Casey Munoz doubled and scored on a double by Goldpanners outfielder Rick Reigner.

The Miners, who currently lead the ABL with a 19-11 record, resume league play Wednesday against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in Anchorage. Mat-Su hits the road Thursday and will cap the regular season with a three-day, four-game road trip against the Alaska Goldpanners in Fairbanks. As of Monday evening, the Panners (17-11) stood in second place, just behind Mat-Su.

“This is a huge stretch for our team,” Williams said. “It’s going to come down to the last few games.”