No worries in Road Warriors' rout

WASILLA — After giving up a walk in the first inning, Alaska Road Warriors pitcher Rhowe Stefanski was feeling a bit nervous.

“I was a little worried at the beginning,” Stefanski said.

But the Colony High School player settled in, pitching six innings of shutout ball in the Road Warriors’ 9-0 win in seven innings over the Eagle River American Legion baseball team Friday night at Lou McManus Field.

Stefanski, who received the game ball from head coach Steve Mossburgh after the game, combined with Sterling Nielsen for the two-hit shutout, helping the Road Warriors improve to 4-1 on the season. Stefanski earned the game ball for a save the last time the same two teams played each other.

“He threw a good six innings,” Mossburgh said.

Mossburgh said that while his team lacked some pop and looked impatient at the plate, the defensive effort was there.

“I told them we played good defense tonight,” Mossburgh said.

The Road Warriors had given up more than 10 runs in three of their first four games.

Despite their offensive struggles, the Valley squad steadily built a lead as the game wore on.

Kody Ziter smacked a solo home run in the first inning to start off the scoring.

The Road Warriors then used an errant pickoff throw from Eagle River pitcher Steven Aumack to tack another run on the board in the fourth, scoring Ziter for the second time.

An inning later, a double from shortstop Zach Vance brought around Wes Smith from first base to push the score to 3-0. Two batters later, Tommy Rodamer doubled to center field to plate Vance and Ziter.

In the top of the sixth, Vance blooped a single to score Cory Cowgill and Cole Smith.

The Road Warriors finished off the flurry of runs in the seventh inning. Two wild pitches from Eagle River pitcher Kris Lehman allowed Cole Smith and Jaron Christensen to cross the dish.

But after a comfortable win Friday, the Saturday matchup against a tough Chugiak American Legion Post 33 team loomed.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” Stefanski said. “Hopefully we can beat them and prove we’re the best team.”

Mossburgh said Chugiak’s hallmark is strong pitching, and the team would try to shake off the sluggish hitting Saturday.

“Chugiak’s the test,” Mossburgh said. “If we beat them, we’ll be the team to beat.”

ROAD WARRIORS 9, WOLVES 0

Alaska 1 0 0 1 3 2 2 – 9 9 2

Eagle River 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 2 0

LOB: ER, 2; AK 8.

HR: Ziter.