SHUTOUT

WASILLA — Local baseball players dWASILLA — Local baseball players don’t typically have an opportunity to see teams from outside of Alaska. But during the last two days, the Alaska Road Warriors have received a heavy dose of what teams from Outside can offer.

Dakota Roehl tossed a two-hitter to lead the Las Vegas Lions to a 9-0 win over the Wasilla-based American Legion team Saturday during the second day of the Todd Ryan Memorial at McManus Field in Wasilla.

The Lions hammered 16 hits in the victory and became the second team from the Lower 48 to beat the Road Warriors in as many days. Napoleon, Ohio, handed Alaska a 14-0 loss on Friday.

“These outside teams play year-round, especially them being from Las Vegas,” Road Warriors head coach Steve Mossburgh said after the loss to the Lions. “They probably play three times as many games as we do, at least.”

The experience showed. The Lions finished with the 16 hits, five for extra bases.

“They were all good hits, all of theirs’ were legitimate hits,” Mossburgh said.

Jake Findlay finished 3 for 3, and jacked us Field in Wasilla.

The Lions hammered 16 hits in the victory and became the second team from the Lower 48 to beat the Road Warriors in as many days. Napoleon, Ohio, handed Alaska a 14-0 loss on Friday.

“These outside teams play year-round, especially them being from Las Vegas,” Road Warriors head coach Steve Mossburgh said after the loss to the Lions. “They probably play three times as many games as we do, at least.”

The experience showed. The Lions finished with the 16 hits, five for extra bases.

“They were all good hits, all of theirs’ were legitimate hits,” Mossburgh said.

Jake Findlay finished 3 for 3, and jacked a two-run homer — a shot good for at least 350 feet — in the sixth inning. Findlay also doubled to deep center in the fifth, dropping a ball right in front of the sign that reads 390 feet on the outfield wall. He drove in five runs in the win.

Roehl allowed only two hits and walked just one batter. Tyler Charlton pitched a perfect ninth for the Lions, a squad that won the West Region last year and played in the American Legion World Series.

“They’re a good hitting team, good fielding team, good pitching team,” Mossburgh said.

Dusty Wisdom doubled into left field for the Warriors in the second inning. Damon Hammer singled to left in the fifth. The Road Warriors managed to get the bat on the ball, despite finishing with only two hits. The team finished with just four strikeouts.

“We hit the ball, we just couldn’t find a hole,” Mossburgh said. “We hit the ball and put it in play. We just hit it right at somebody.”

Ten of Alaska’s 21 outs came via the groundout.

Las Vegas took a quick 2-0 lead in the first. Billy Santiwan and Chad Tomlinson led off the game with consecutive singles. Santiwan scored on a Findlay single and Tyler Burdett doubled to drive in Tomlinson. Burdett, who was also 3 for 3, doubled and scored on a Derron Davis sacrifice fly in the fourth to give the Lions the 4-0 lead.

Las Vegas added three runs in the fifth, two coming on Findlay’s double to deep centerfield. The Lions also tacked on three in the sixth. Findlay’s homer drove in two more runs.

The game was one of three Saturday afternoon contests at McManus. Service opened with a 10-7 win over Eagle River. Napoleon blanked Chugiak 10-0 in the nightcap.

The Road Warriors will now face Service today at noon. Las Vegas and Napoleon will play in the Todd Ryan championship game at 4 p.m. Eagle River will meet rival Chugiak at 6 p.m.

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