Panners use 1-run victory to force split in doubleheader

PALMER - The Alaska Goldpanners spoiled Mat-Su's hopes of sweeping a doubleheader and taking a one-game lead in the race for the Alaska Baseball League title, with a 1-0 win in the second of two games at Hermon Brothers Field on Sunday.

Longtime Panners pitcher Sean Timmons tossed a complete game four-hitter in the

victory.

Mat-Su (15-10) stood percentage points below Peninsula (14-9) heading into Monday's league action. The two teams, who have been trading spots at the top o the six-team league for the last week of the two-month season, started a five-game series on Monday at Seymour Park in Kenai. Results of Monday's game was not available prior to press time.

The Miners were to host Peninsula at Hermon Brothers Field on Saturday, but that game was canceled because of poor weather. Initially the game was moved to Friday and slated to be played in Palmer, but the Oilers' management prompted a change in those plans, citing an old Alaska League bylaw, Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher said. According to league rules, make-up games in a series must be hosted by the team who is scheduled to host the final contest of the season series.

In this case it is the Oilers, who were scheduled to host Mat-Su on Thursday in the final game of the seven-game series against the Miners.

Now, the game postponed because of weather will become part of a doubleheader today in Kenai. It will be Mat-Su's fourth doubleheader of the month.

The scheduling mess should add more intensity to an already dramatic race at the top of the ABL standings. Heading into play on Monday, four teams were separated by just 1.5 games and the fifth-place Goldpanners are only 2.5 games out of first. Only AIA, 10 games back, is out of contention.

&#8220It's definitely a battle this year,” Mat-Su pitcher Chris Wietlispach said. &#8220Everybody's winning games, everybody's losing

games.”

The Bucs, who beat Peninsula 8-3 on Sunday, are one game back. The Glacier Pilots, 7-3 winners over AIA on Sunday, are 1.5 games behind first.

Timmons allowed only six base runners in nine innings, to help keep the Panners within reach of first. Mat-Su managed just four singles in the game.

Daniel Turpen pitched seven strong innings, but was tagged with the loss.

Mike Lissman's RBI-single in the sixth was the difference in the game.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.