Miners split with Aloha, fall to Bucs

After a hot start, the Mat-Su Miners have fallen on harder times.

The Miners got off to a 6-2 start, but are 1-3 in their last four contests.

Mat-Su started their slide with a 3-0 loss to the Beatrice Bruins on Thursday. The Miners followed with a series split against Portland's Aloha Knights. Mat-Su pounded the Knights 11-1 on Friday, but dropped a 6-1 decision the following afternoon.

Mat-Su ended the weekend with a 5-1 loss to the Anchorage Bucs at Mulchay Stadium.

Mat-Su 11, Aloha 1

Mike Kelly, Matt Eichel and Ryan Beglin each recorded two hits to lead the Miners past the Knights in non-league action.

Kelly doubled and drove in two runs for the Miners. Beglin recorded an RBI triple.

Matthew Inouye also had two RBIs.

Eichel, Kevin Noles and Billy Munich also drove in a run.

Kyle Knoblauch recorded the win for Mat-Su. The 6-foot, 8-inch hurler allowed seven hits and only one run for the Miners. Ryan Heil pitched the final two innings, striking out four of the final six Portland hitters.

Aloha 6, Mat-Su 1

The Knights shook Miner starter Steve Kline for nine hits and five earned runs to salvage the series split against the Miners.

Zach Kosturos doubled and homered in a 3 for 3 effort from the plate to lead the Knights. Kosturos scored three of the Knights' six runs.

Mat-Su was able to record just three hits against Aloha starter Jeremy Zick.

Zick threw a complete game to earn the win.

Noles notched two hits, while Munich added one.

Anchorage 5, Mat-Su 1

Andrew Kown scattered four hits over just more than six innings to lead the Bucs past the Miners 5-1 at Mulchay Stadium.

Munich and Beglin had two hits each for Mat-Su. Josh Mader also recorded a hit.

Bryan Bach allowed five hits in the loss. Bach struck out five and only walked one.

The Miners allowed a pair of unearned runs early in the contest.

The Bucs were able to take a 2-0 lead in the second inning, due in part to a pair of Beglin errors.