Miners win five of seven

KENAI - The Mat-Su Miners solidified their position at the top of the Alaska Baseball League rankings with a 2-1 win in five innings over the Peninsula Oilers on Wednesday at Coral Seymour Park. Lance Santerre pitched around trouble in multiple innings, and the Miners escaped the rain-delayed game with a win, stranding 10 Oiler runners on base. The Miners have won five out of seven games on their road trip and four out of five games against the Oilers.

On Tuesday, Mat-Su took the first game of a double-header against the Oilers with a 6-5 win, exploding for 11 hits. First baseman Aaron Walters had three hits and added two RBI. Catcher Tyler Rando doubled and had two RBI, and centerfielder Josh Mrozek reached base three times, scored and had an RBI in the win. Daniel Naughton started the game for Mat-Su and Evan Wolf picked up the Win on the mound while Alex Magers came in for the save.

In the second half of the Tuesday double-header between Mat-Su and the Oilers, the 6’6” Luke Yacinich from Cornell University no-hit the Miners, allowing just one baserunner in seven innings of work and striking out seven in the 5-0 win. Former Wasilla High School standout James Arend threw two thirds of an inning in relief for the Miners. Garrett Pennington knocked a homerun for the Oilers in the victory.

Wednesday night, the Oilers tallied five hits while the Miners had only three, but the middle of the infield came through at the plate. Shortstop David Bermudez and second basemen Jordan Williams both drove in runs. On the mound for the Miners, Lance Santerre threw four innings without allowing a run. Santerre scattered four hits and a walk throughout his start, striking out five Oilers. Nate Beimel and Alex Magers pitched the final inning, with Magers picking up the save for his one third of an inning of work.

The Miners now hold sole possession of first place in the ABL, with the Chugiak Chinooks in second place at 9-6. The Oilers remain in fifth place in the standings at 3-10.

Catcher Kevin Nakamura leads the Miners in RBI with eight. Nick Cirelli has the most homeruns on the team with two. Casey Rother has eight doubles to lead the team as well as the highest batting average at .358. Christian Seelhorst has been the leading arm for the Miners. In 12 innings of work, Seelhorst has allowed just one run and struck out 15 batters with a miniscule .75 Earned Run Average.

The Miners will be back in action at Hermon Brothers Field at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 26 against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.