Offense on auto-pilot in Miners win over Anchorage

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners nearly hit through their order Saturday while improving to 2-0 on the young Alaska Baseball League season with a 7-1 win over the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.

Mat-Su fell behind 1-0 after the first inning, but the Glacier Pilots couldn’t hold that lead long, as Greg Partyka smacked a two-run home run in the second for the Valley-based Miners and scored what would prove to be the deciding run while giving Mat-Su a 2-1 lead. The Miners would add a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning at Hermon Brothers Field, and three more in the seventh.

With every Miner in the lineup except the No. 9 hitter getting at least one hit — and four with 2-hit games — the offense proved to have more than enough pop for starter Ty Schlottmann, who pitched six solid innings. Schlottmann gave up the lone earned run, struck out two and walked one while scattering five hits.

From the visitors’ dugout, Glacier Pilot starter Sean Alder had a rough outing in his six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.

At the plate, left fielder Christin Stewart had a hot bat, hitting 2-for-3 with an RBI. Shortstop A.J. Simcox also had a two-hit game, batting 2-for-5 at the plate, while Spencer Mahoney also was 2-for-3. Making the most of his at-bats on Saturday was Pacific University freshman Gio Brusa, who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.

The Miners are off today, the start a stretch of eight games in seven days Monday, when they host the Glacier Pilots again at Hermon Brothers Field. First pitch is at 7 p.m.