Outfielder's big hits help Miners sweep Chugiak

PALMER — Mat-Su Miners head coach Ben Taylor calls Kona Quiggle his wild card. Tuesday night, Quiggle was Mat-Su’s ace in the hole.

The Grand Canyon University sophomore used a three-run blast and a walk-off single to help the Miners sweep a doubleheader against the Chugiak Chinooks at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

“He is the wild card. We’re getting a lot out of him and it’s fun to watch,” Taylor said.

Quiggle capped his day in the bottom of the 11th, using a single to drive in Austin Pinorini and give the Miners a 2-1 victory over the Chinooks. Mat-Su improved to 7-6 with the victory, its third straight and second extra-innings win in four days. Earlier in the day, Quiggle drilled a three-run blast in a 5-4 win over the Chinooks. Quiggle’s shot helped the Miners overcome a four-run deficit.

“That was huge to come back from a 4-0 hole and get the big three-run homer,” Taylor said. “That’s what we’ve kind of been lacking, the big hit.”

Quiggle, who has played in all 13 games for the Miners this season, jumped to the team lead with 13 hits during the doubleheader. He’s also now second on the team with six RBI. Taylor lauded the potential of the 6-foot-2, 205-pound left-handed hitter, who has played in the outfield and at first base for the Miners this summer.

“He’s got a pro body and a pro bat,” Taylor said of the Phoenix, Arizona, native. “That’s what they are supposed to look like, and he’s living up to it.”

Looking at the big picture, Taylor said Quiggle and his Mat-Su teammates are starting to pick up big hits.

“To get the big hit feels really good,” Taylor said. “It’s contagious. Guys start to get confidence.”

The Mat-Su relievers also gave the Miners big innings during the doubleheader sweep. During the second game, Malachi Emond, Brent Tassin, Noah Cordova and Sean Hughes combined for five innings of scoreless in relief in an 11-inning game that was only scheduled for seven innings as part of the doubleheader. During the 5-4 win earlier in the day, Ian Churchill and Nathan Bock combined to allow only four hits and one earned run in 5 2/3 innings. Churchill, a Santa Clara Community College lefty making his Mat-Su debut, earned the win on the mound.

“Fantastic first outing from Churchill. He gave us a big lift,” Taylor said.

Bock recorded the six-out save for the Miners.

Josh Haley earned the win on the mound during the second game, scattering three hits and an earned run over six innings. He fanned five and did not walk a batter.

During the opening game of the doubleheader, Chugiak tagged Mat-Su for four runs in the top of the second. Quiggle answered with his three-run blast in the bottom of the frame. The Miners tied the game in the third. Tyler Bosetti was hit by a pitch and scored on an Aaron Walters single. In the fifth, Mat-Su scored the go-ahead run. Spencer Henson doubled to right field, and hustled around to score from second on a Hunter Jump single.

In the second game, Mat-Su took an early lead when Jump scored on a Pinorini sacrifice in the second inning.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.