Miners shine in annual ABL All-Star Game

ANCHORAGE — Since the opening moments of the 2018 Alaska Baseball League season, Mat-Su Miners head coach Ben Taylor has lauded the potential of Miners outfielder Kona Quiggle.

The Grand Canyon University product gave more than two-dozen Major League Baseball scouts a glimpse of that potential during the annual ABL All-Star Game at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage Sunday afternoon. Quiggle, the starting centerfielder for the National Division, led his team with three hits, scored a run and made an inning-ending diving catch in center during a 7-5 loss to the American Division.

“Fantastic,” Taylor said of Quiggle’s day. “That’s what he’s done for us all year. He’s having a heck of a summer.”

Quiggle entered the league’s all-star weekend second in the ABL with 35 hits and third with 22 runs. Quiggle is also second in the league with three triples, and is batting .289 with two home runs and 14 RBI.

“He’s big, he’s strong and he looks the part,” Taylor said. “It’s been fun to watch him come into his own as the summer’s gone on.”

Quiggle said the all-star game was a great experience.

“It felt good having fun out here with the guys, just enjoying it,” Quiggle said. “I’m honored to be in it. There are really good players here on both teams.”

Quiggle was one of a dozen Miners on the National Division All-Star Team. The Mat-Su all-stars also includes pitchers Nathan Bock, Bryce Tassin, Ian Churchill, Josh Haley and Jonathan Guardado; infielders Spencer Henson, Caleb Van Blake, Drew Swift and Tyler Bosetti; outfielder Austin Pinorini; and catcher Aaron Walters.

Bosetti finished with a single, run and RBI in the game. He was also hit by a pitch. Henson had a run-scoring single. Swift also drove in a run, and reached on an error. Walters doubled and scored a run. Pinorini drew a pair of walks. Van Blake notched a double play, grabbing a hard line drive at second and catching the base runner at first.

“I thought the guys did a good job, played hard, showed off well,” Taylor said. “I’m proud of them.”

Willy Escala of the Anchorage Bucs was named the game’s MVP after leading the American Division to the 7-5 win. Escala drove in Chugiak’s Jordan Wharton to give his team the 1-0 lead in the fourth. He added an RBI-single in sixth and scored on JC Correa’s two-run single later in the inning. Correa, younger brother of Houston Astros standout Carlos Correa, gave the American Division a 4-0 lead. Escala also scored one of his team’s three runs in the seventh.

Peninsula Oilers catcher Ryan Koch snapped Mat-Su’s streak in the annual ABL Home Run Derby. Koch bested Oilers teammate Chad Bible to win the home run crown. The California State-Bakersfield product belted 11 total dingers, seven in the first round and four in the finals. The Miners had to representatives in the derby, including defending champion Nick Brooks. Neither made it out of the first round, which eliminated eight of the 10 participants. Brooks finished with three home runs. Henson finished third overall with five home runs.

Koch was the first Oilers player to win the derby. The Miners have had four champions. Brooks is on a list that also includes Cam Montgomery, Gio Brusa and Adam Martin.

Both the derby and all-star game were part of the ABL’s Major League Baseball Showcase, an event designed to bring all of the league’s talent to one venue for a long weekend to display. The five teams in the league played nonconference action on Friday and Saturday. The Miners finished 1-0-1, playing to a 1-1 tie against the Oilers before posting a 6-2 win over the Bucs.

Mat-Su returns to league play Monday and will face Chugiak at 7 p.m. at Lee Jordan Field.

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