Panners edge Miners during first day of ABL/MLB Showcase

ANCHORAGE — Four Mat-Su pitchers combined to throw a three-hitter, but the Alaska Goldpanners managed to plate the go-ahead run late, and edged the Miners 2-1 Friday, the first day of the Alaska Baseball League/MLB Scouts Showcase at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

Jacob Hayes singled and scored on a Mike Wieland double in the top of the seventh to break a 1-1 tie.

The Miners held the first lead in the contest. Terrence Connelly led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single. With two outs, Connelly scored on a Jonny Locher double.

The Panners tied the game in the fifth when Hayes walked and scored.

Mat-Su finished with eight hits in the loss. Connelly collected a pair of hits and a run. Locer and Brandon Smith also had two hits each.

Jonathon Reid, Josh Morris, Josh Grissom and Matthew Decker each saw time on the mound for the Miners. Grissom, a Wasilla High School graduate, pitched the fifth inning for the Miners. Grissom didn’t allow a hit, but walked a batter who eventually scored.

Decker was tagged with the loss after allowing two hits and a run in two innings of work.

The ALB/MLB Showcase includes all six teams in the league. The event was created to present all of the league’s talent in one venue over a weekend, and create an opportunity for MLB scouts to see all of the league’s teams in one visit.

Mat-Su continues Showcase play Saturday, meeting the Anchorage Bucs at 7 p.m.

The annual ABL Home Run Derby and ABL All_Star Game is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Mulcahy. See the Sunday edition of the Frontiersman to find rosters for both events.

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