Road Warriors earn state tournament berth

WASILLA — The Wasilla Road Warriors have punched their state tournament ticket.

Wasilla used a 16-2 win over rival Palmer on Tuesday to earn one of the American Division’s four automatic berths to the Alaska American Legion State Baseball Championships, which starts July 25 at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

The Road Warriors improved to 11-5 in league play with the win over the Pioneers. As of Wednesday night, Dimond and South Anchorage stood in a first-place tie in the division at 12-5. Wasilla hosted Dimond Thursday night. Results were not available prior to press time. For more, see frontiersman.com/sports and the Sunday edition of the Frontiersman.

Wasilla also hosts East Anchorage Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Wasilla High. Depending on the results against Dimond and East, Wasilla could finish anywhere between first and third in the American Division standings.

After starting the season 4-4, the Road Warriors are 7-1 in their last eight league games.

“The whole thing is trying to change their mentality,” Wasilla head coach Ken Ottinger said of his team’s turnaround recently. “We’re starting to turn a tide.”

Wasilla scored at least a half-dozen runs in two different innings against the Pioneers. The Warriors used six to take a 7-0 lead in the second, and added seven more in the fourth. James Arend led the Warriors with four RBI in the win. Jeffrey Forster and Ben Werner added three RBI each. Kyle Graham and Kendell Ruta drove in two runs each.

Graham also scored a game-high three runs.

James Nelson and Kaden Ketchum drove in runs for the Pioneers.

Palmer hosted Fairbanks Thursday night, and caps its regular season against Kenai Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field.

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