Pilots jump Miners in ABL standings

ANCHORAGE — Thanks in part to a big sixth inning Wednesday night, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots are now the top team in the Alaska Baseball League’s National Division.

Anchorage scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and posted a 9-5 win over the Miners at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage. With the win, Anchorage improved to 12-7 in league play and currently sits with a one-game lead over the Miners (10-7) in the standings.

Mat-Su held a 5-3 lead before Anchorage tagged the Miners pitching staff for five earned runs in the sixth. Anchorage’s big inning included a Kevin Viers two-run triple and J.J. Wagner’s two-run single.

Dayne Wunderlich gave Mat-Su its first lead Wednesday with a three-run homer in the fourth.

Anchorage led early, scoring two runs in the first. Mat-Su used a run in the third to cut Anchorage’s lead in half. The Wunderlich home run in the fourth gave the Miners the 4-2 advantage. Mat-Su added another run in the fifth.

Wunderlich also doubled in the loss.

Nick Blaser led Mat-Su with two runs scored.

Tuesday, Wunderlich scored from first in the bottom of the seventh to give the Miners a 4-3 walk-off win over the Pilots.

Trailing for most of the game, Mat-Su scored three times in the final two innings to secure the 4-3 win, and force a doubleheader split against the Pilots. Anchorage grabbed a win in the first game of the double-dip, beating the Miners 1-0.

Mat-Su’s rally in Game 2 started in the sixth inning. Trailing, 3-1, the Miners scored twice to tie the score. Paul Panaccione led off the inning with a single, and quickly scored on a Cameron Newell double to cut Anchorage’s lead to 3-2. Newell scored on a Nick Senzel single to tie the game at 3.

Mat-Su closer Vince Arobio, the fourth pitcher used in the seven-inning contest, earned the win. Arabio pitched a perfect seventh inning. Isaiah Terrazas was key in relief, pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Panaccione finished 3 for 3 in the game, and lifted his batting average to .350 on the season. Newell added a pair of hits, and drove in his team-best 21st run. Newell and Wunderlich both doubled in the win.

Mat-Su allowed only three hits in Game 1 of the doubleheader, but fell 1-0 to the Pilots. Jonathon Reid fanned nine in 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Ryan Oglesby added two strikeouts for the Miners.

The game’s lone run came in the fifth when Nikko Saenz scored on a J.J. Wagner double.

Mat-Su finished with six hits, all singles in the loss. Josh Meyer led the Miners with a pair of hits.

Friday, Mat-Su is on the road, starting a two-game series against the Peninsula Oilers in Kenai.