Senior moves Moose ahead

PALMER — Palmer senior Tim Rockey has left the Moose one step away from the state tournament and with a win over Kodiak Thursday, Palmer would head to its first ASAA-sanctioned state event in Moose baseball history.

Rockey pitched seven solid innings and Palmer scored five runs in the third to post a 5-3 quarterfinal win over the Kenai Kardinals during the first day of the Southcentral Conference Championships Thursday at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

Rockey walked four and allowed just one hit to help set up a semifinal match with top-seed Kodiak today at 4 p.m. at Hermon Brothers.

He was also 1 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI.

AJ Hull pitched six innings in the Kenai loss.

Kenai was able to jump to the 2-0 lead in the first. Ethan Oliver walked and scored to give the Kards the 1-0 lead, and Hull reached on a fielder’s choice and scored to give Kenai the 2-0 advantage.

Kenai took the 3-0 lead in the third with another Hull run.

All of Palmer’s offense came in the third inning. Micah Villanueva led off the inning with a single. Brennan Harrison was hit by a pitch and Luke Huen drew a walk to load the bases.

With the bases jammed, Kevin Montgomery walked to score Villanueva. Rockey notched an RBI single to cut Kenai’s lead to 3-2, and David Media gave the Moose their first lead with a two-run single.

Augustus Topp added to the advantage with another RBI.

Villanueva recorded two of Palmer’s five hits in the game. Collin Christiansen also collected a hit and drew a walk in the win.

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