Oilers edge Miners in opener

PALMER — Five hits and one earned run allowed is great for a pitching staff on most nights.

But not while on the opposing end of a one-hit shutout.

Peninsula pitchers Dom Bazzani and Yi-Hsin Huang combined to only allow a single hit over nine scoreless innings, and helped the Oilers cling to a 1-0 win over the Mat-Su Miners Wednesday at Coral Seymour Park in Kenai.

The work overshadowed that of Mat-Su starter Tyler Watt, who scattered five hits and a run over 5 2/3 innings.

“Tyler threw a ton of strikes, competed hard in the strike zone, commanded three pitches well, and gave us one heck of a start,” Miners head coach Ben Taylor said in a press release issued by the Miners following the game.

A pair of Mat-Su relievers, Justin Vernia and Gage O’Brien, worked a combined 2 1/3 innings, without allowing a hit or run.

“The guys did a great job out of the bullpen. I couldn’t have asked for more of the pitchers tonight,” Taylor said. “The defense did a great job, and if the ball drops one way or another, we win that game 2-1.”

Miners infielder Jake Scudder finished with the lone hit for Mat-Su. The Miners also drew three walks in the game, and were aggressive on the base paths. Mat-Su finished with four stolen bases, including a pair from outfielder Cam Montgomery.

The Oilers scored the game’s lone run in the sixth. Alex Seifert led off the bottom half of the inning with a walk, and later scored on a wild pitch.

Bazzani earned the win on the mound, pitching seven innings of one-hit ball. Huang earned the six-out save.

Mat-Su continues its road trip Saturday in Anchorage against the Bucs at 7 p.m. The Miners host their home opener Sunday at 4 p.m. against Chugiak.