Road Warriors run past West

WASILLA — The Alaska Road Warriors have part one of the offensive attack down. The Wasilla-based American Legion team is putting runners on at a remarkable rate. But driving those runners in? Well, that’s been sort of a work in progress.

Alaska stranded a dozen, but did score a 9-6 seven-inning win over the West Anchorage Eagles during the first leg of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at McManus Field in Wasilla.

“That was a close game that should have been a real close game,” Alaska skipper Steve Mossburgh said during the break in action. “We’re getting a lot of them on base, but when they’re in scoring position, we just don’t seem to be able to hit the ball and drive them in.”

The Road Warriors put 21 on base — not bad for seven innings. There were 11 hits and eight walks. Three players were hit by a pitch and another reached via the fielder’s choice. It marked the third time in three games this season that the Warriors had at least 20 base runners. Alaska had 20 base runners during a 9-6 loss to Eagle River and put 28 aboard during a 17-7 win over Bartlett.

“We’ve just left a lot of runners in scoring position the first three games,” Mossburgh said. “Luckily, we’ve been able to pull out a couple of them.”

Eric Marshall finished 3 for 3 and drove in three runs to help the Warriors improve to 2-1 overall. Brody Coleman and Russ Ruta each had a pair of hits. Ruta and Dominick Comerate each scored twice.

Marshall doubled twice in the victory. The former Wasilla High player drove in Patrick Fitzgerald with a double to left center field in the bottom of the fifth. Fitzgerald, who led off the inning with a single, scored to give Alaska the 6-4 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded, Marshall put another ball in left center field. Taylor Palmer and Comerate came around to score.

It was one of a number of times a Road Warrior stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. When the Warriors weren’t using their bats, Alaska players also used a more unconventional method to drive in runners.

In the fourth, Palmer took a pitch off the helmet with the bases loaded and drove in a run. Fitzgerald also wore a pitch with the bases jammed and pushed a runner across the plate.

After West took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Alaska tied the score in bottom of the inning. Ruta doubled to center field and scored on a Dusty Wisdom sacrifice fly.

Alaska took the 2-1 lead after West starter Al Valerio walked four straight batters to start the second inning. Comerate, Fitzgerald and Marshall drew walks to load the bases. Jacob Butcher walked with the bases loaded to drive in the run.

The Warriors extended their lead in the fourth. Marshall, Butcher and Ruta all singled and scored in the inning to give their team the 5-1 lead.

Ted Kelly finished 4 for 4 and scored two runs to lead the Eagles. Dalton Chapman and John Gutsch added a pair of hits each for the Eagles.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.