Palmer Pioneers earn first win

PALMER — When the Palmer Pioneers started the 2014 Alaska American Legion baseball season as one of four expansion teams in the state, head coach Gary Skan and his players expected growing pains.

The summer season has included close losses for the Palmer program and lopsided defeats. But Thursday, the Pioneers had the chance to celebrate victory for the first time.

Palmer’s scored the program’s first win with a 9-3 victory over the Bartlett Golden Bears in Palmer.

“It’s huge for them to be able to taste it, see they can actually win a game, know what it feels like to win a game,” Skan said.

Skan said the Pioneers have been close recently, but have not been able to seal a win before Thursday.

“Probably seven games we had a shot at winning,” Skan said. “Just one thing after another, it kind of fell apart.”

Palmer pitcher Austin Reeder earned the win on the mound. Reeder fanned seven hitters and walked two.

Keegan Larson and Ryan Perkins each had two hits in the win. Stephen Srebernak drove in two runs. Larson and Cooper McLaughlin had an RBI each.

McLaughlin scored two runs for the Pioneers.

The Pioneers cap their regular season against Service today at 12:30 p.m. in Palmer.

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