Senior’s blast helps Hawks stun Moose

PALMER — Hayden Chivers stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth looking for a single. Something simple. Something to keep the Houston rally going.

But Chivers delivered a devastating blow, knocking out the go-ahead two-run homer during Houston’s 10-7 Southcentral Conference victory over the Palmer Moose Wednesday night at the Palmer Senior Field.

“He was more surprised than anyone here,” Houston head coach Jaden Sears said with a laugh after the win, Houston’s first of the season. “He was rounding second and he didn’t know it was over.”

Chivers said he didn’t expect to send the ball over the left field fence.

“It didn’t feel like a home run,” Chivers said. “I was in shock.”

So were the Moose.

Palmer took a 6-0 lead before Houston put together 10 runs during a three-inning stretch late in the game.

“I’ve never been more proud of these guys, finally put together of a full game,” Sears, Houston’s first-year head coach, said.

Sears, a Houston graduate who played hockey and baseball for the Hawks, said, even though the Hawks had to wait until Wednesday to celebrate their first victory of the season, his players have continued to battle.

“Every game we’ve played at the varsity level has been that way. We get down early, but we just battle,” Sears said. “There hasn’t really been a game this year, when I’ve been like, oh man, we’re out of this one.”

Houston drew 11 walks in the win, but also had six hits.

“We finally were able to string some hits together,” Sears said. “A lot of guys stepped up.”

The Hawks also benefited from the gritty performance of senior Reed Graham on the mound. Graham reached his pitch count limit of 120 with one out left in the seventh. In 6 2/3, Graham scattered five hits and fanned six. After allowing six runs in the first, Graham didn’t give up a run until the bottom of the seventh.

“The kid’s a workhorse. A leader,” Sears said. “It was a very well pitched game. He made use of his 120 pitches. Every single one.”

Trailing 6-0, Houston pushed three runs across in both the fourth and fifth innings. Chivers sparked the Hawks with his home run during a four-run sixth. Graham, Noah Plumb and Jaydon Elson scored two runs each in the win. Tyler Chivers led the Hawks with four RBI.

Morgan Buntin and Sterling Buntin added a hit, run and RBI each.

Luke Guggenoss, Skyler Hale and Lucas Adams each drove in two runs in the Palmer loss. Brady Shults led the Moose with two runs scored.

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