Pioneers get a walk-off win

PALMER — The Palmer Pioneers are putting together some wins, and doing it in dramatic fashion.

The third-year American Legion program scored its third victory in four games with a walk-off single Thursday evening. Cole Doss drove in James Nelson in the bottom of the seventh to lead the Pioneers to a 7-6 victory over the Fairbanks 49ers at the Palmer Senior Field.

With the win, Palmer improved to 8-17 overall and 5-12 in league play. Palmer’s eight wins is twice as many as the four victories collected all of last season. It was also Palmer’s second walk-off win of the year.

“It’s nice they’re coming up big in late innings and not rolling over,” Palmer head coach Tim Rockey said.

Doss finished 2 for 2 with three RBI in the win. He also notched a two-run double earlier in the day.

“That’s two go-ahead hits for him,” Rockey said.

Trace Severson earned the win on the mound in relief.

“Trace threw a couple of solid innings. I needed someone to come in relief and shut them out,” Rockey said.

Nelson, Skyler Hale and Kolten Ketchum also collected two hits each. Nelson and Ketchum scored two runs each.

Palmer capped its regular season with an 11-3 loss to Kenai Friday night at Hermon Brothers.

“Tonight we didn’t have it,” Rockey said.

Kenai cashed in on 14 walks issued by the Palmer pitching staff. Eight of those walks came during Kenai’s six-run sixth. The Pioneers also hit a batter during the inning. Kenai entered the sixth with just a 3-1 lead, but blew the game open. Six of Kenai’s first eight hitters in the inning scored.

Hale singled and later scored on a Zach Satterly single in the bottom of the fifth to cut Kenai’s lead to 3-1.

Palmer now looks ahead to the postseason. The Pioneers missed the cut for the state tournament, but Palmer is one of eight teams that will compete in the Matson Invitational next week at Bartlett High. Of the 16 Alaska American Legion teams, the top eight go to state and the remaining eight compete in the Matson.

“Tonight’s game is not a great one to build off of, but they’re picking up speed,” Rockey said Friday.

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