Seniors lead Warriors to 4th-place finish in state baseball tourney

WASILLA — Throughout the 2016 season, at the center of a young baseball program stood three seniors.

Nolan Monaghan, Jeffry Forster and Ryan Perkins.

The trio led the way, and helped a squad stocked full of underclassmen win the program’s third straight Southcentral Conference championship. Saturday, the three Warriors took the opportunity to cap their careers with a big day at the plate.

Monaghan, Forster and Perkins combined to drive in seven runs, and led the Warriors to a 15-5 win over Lathrop in the fourth-place game of the ASAA/First National Bank State Baseball Championships bracket.

“It was a huge way to send them off,” Wasilla head coach Ken Ottinger said by cellphone Saturday afternoon. “I think they were determined to not end their high school career on a loss.”

The trio also collected a combined five hits and seven runs scored in the victory, which helped Wasilla finish fourth in state for the second straight year. Monaghan was 2 for 3 at the plate, with three runs and two RBI. Perkins finished with two hits, two runs and two more driven in. Forster had a hit, two runs and drove in a team-best three RBI.

“It was really good to send them off with a smile. It made us al happy,” Ottinger said of his seniors.

The seniors were not the only Warriors to have success at the plate Saturday. Wasilla finished with 14 hits in the game.

Ben Werner also had two hits, the leadoff hitter scored a team-high four runs. Jimmy Arend drove in two runs and scored another. Cyrus Lovell finished 3 for 4, with a run and an RBI. Kyle Graham added two hits and two RBI.

“The whole team, one through nine, swung the stick really well,” Ottinger said.

Wasilla opened the game with a four-run first, and added four more runs in the fourth. Wasilla scored at least one run in six of the seven innings in the game.

“We came out and put four on the board right away. It kind of eased things and put (Lathrop) back on their heels,” Ottinger said. “It let the pitchers settle and not stress as much.”

Hank Boyer made the start and earned the win, pitching four innings. Austin Robertson pitched three innings of scoreless relief, and fanned five.

Wasilla moved into the fourth-place game with a 4-3 win over Monroe Catholic in the consolation semifinals.

Wasilla needed an extra inning, but squeezed home the winning run to beat the Rams. Boyer laid down a bunt for Wasilla, and Forster scored the go-ahead run from third. Forster drew a walk to lead off the eighth inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on an Arend bunt.

The Warriors were knocked into the consolation side of the bracket with a first-round loss to Ketchikan, but Ottinger said it was good to see his team rebound with a pair of wins. Overall, Ottinger said the Warriors are already excited for the future.

“We’re really sad to see those three seniors go, but we have six sophomores who got some time in the state (tournament),” Ottinger said. “We have a really bright future.”

South Anchorage won the state baseball title with a 3-1 win over Chugiak. Sitka edged Ketchikan in the third-place game.

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