Miners pound Chugiak

PALMER — Heading into its game with Chugiak Monday night, Mat-Su’s three previous contests had been decided in the game’s final at-bat.

The Miners weren’t going to let that happen a fourth time.

Mat-Su scored a combined 11 runs in the first two innings en route to pounding the Chinooks 15-6 at Hermon Brothers Field.

The Miners finished with 11 hits and scored at least four runs in three different innings as Mat-Su improved to 4-3-1 overall and 2-2 in Alaska Baseball League play. Seven of Mat-Su’s nine players in the batting order finished with at least one hit, and eight scored at least one run. Every player in the Mat-Su batting order drove in a run.

Infielder Jordan Rodgers led the Miners with four RBIs in the game. Dayne Wunderlich and Hunter Simmons drove in two runs each. Simmons scored a team-high three runs. Five different Miners finished with two runs scored in the game.

After allowing an early run in the top of the first, Mat-Su erupted for six runs in the bottom of the inning. Wunderlich started things for the Miners by drawing a walk. After a Cameron Newell single, Jonny Locher continued his team with a run-scoring double. Nick Senzel followed with a walk to load the bases, and Simmons drew another walk to push Newell across the plate and give the Miners the 2-1 lead.

Mitchell Nau followed with a single that scored Locher, and Rodgers doubled to drive in two runs and give the Miners the 5-1 lead. Late in the inning, Nau scored when Wunderlich reached on an error.

The Miners added five runs in the second and four in the sixth.

Mat-Su’s Adam Oller earned the win on the mound. He allowed seven hits and two earned runs over five innings. Josh Morris and Josh Grissom also pitched for the Miners.

Shane Armstrong got the loss after he was tagged for 10 earned runs in just a 1 1/3 innings of work.

Mat-Su continues ABL play against Chugiak Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Loretta French Field in Chugiak.

Monday’s game was Mat-Su’s fourth ABL contest of the season, and first to not be decided in the final at-bat. Friday, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots got the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 10th, and beat Mat-Su 5-4 in Anchorage. Saturday, Locher hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth and the Miners beat the Pilots 10-7. Sunday, the Anchorage Bucs earned a 5-4 win over the Miners in walk-off fashion.