Still waiting; Miners state their claim for a piece of the ABL crown

Aug. 3, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - When Mat-Su scored a 2-0 victory over the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Hermon Brothers Field on Tuesday, the Miners did everything they needed to do to grab at least a share of the Alaska Baseball League title.

But on Tuesday, the AIA Fire were also within reach of the championship, with two games to play.

So after their win, the Miners did the only thing they could do - wait.

But as it turns out, on Thursday, the Miners were still waiting to see if they were in fact ABL champions.

Thanks to a controversial 8-4 win over the Peninsula Oilers on Tuesday and a 3-0 shutout over the Glacier Pilots on Wednesday, the Fire ended the season tied with the Miners at 24-11. But because the Fire hold the advantage in the seven-game series against Mat-Su, AIA is claiming to be the sole champions of the ABL.

According to ABL bylaws, winning the season series only proves to be tiebreaker when multiple teams are vying for the league's lone berth to the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan.

When considering that, the Miners contend they have laid claim to at least a piece of the prize.

&#8220We've got the best league record, so why can't we be called league champions?” Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher asked on Thursday. &#8220Why not co-champions?”

According to Christopher and ABL spokesperson Mike Baxter, the person who can officially call the Miners and Fire co-champions is ABL president Shawn Maltby.

&#8220This has to come from the president of the league,” Baxter said Thursday, also noting the Oilers and Anchorage Bucs shared the ABL title in 1998.

But on Thursday, Maltby - also the Peninsula general manager - was in Wichita with the Oilers and could not be reached.

AIA reached the 24-win mark in the most unusual of ways.

AIA's game against the Oilers was suspended in the 17th inning due to darkness. If a game is suspended in the ABL, it must be made up the following day, according to league rules. But the Oilers were set to depart to Kansas to compete in the NBC World Series and were forced to forfeit. That forfeit gave AIA it's 23rd win.

On Wednesday, AIA posted a 3-0 win over a depleted Glacier Pilot squad. The Pilots were without six players - five pitchers and their starting catcher - for the final game of the season.

The waiting is the hardest part

Primed to celebrate a potential league title on Tuesday, the Miners spent the hours and days following their season-ending win in a constant state of both anxiety and confusion.

Once the Miners secured their league-best 24th win of the year, all focus went toward the Fire's match against the Oilers on the Kenai Peninsula. With a Mat-Su win and an AIA loss on Tuesday, the Miners could call themselves ABL champs, outright.

Before the losing Glacier Pilots even made it off the field, the Mat-Su players and coaches huddled around home plate - some sat in folding chairs, some stood, others sat in the grass - and fans stayed in their seats as Mat-Su officials played an Internet broadcast of the game in Kenai over the loud speakers at Hermon Brothers.

So the Miners and their fans waited for the celebration.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

The crowd at Hermon Brothers caught the broadcast at about 8:15 p.m., just minutes after the conclusion of the Mat-Su game, and the Fire and Oilers were deadlocked with a 4-4 tie in the top of the eighth inning.

With every Oiler hit and Fire out, the players exchanged high-fives and the fans cheered.

Christopher paced the field, athletes sat with a tense glare and more than 100 fans remained seated as the Oilers and Fire played through the eight, ninth and into extra innings.

&#8220It's a little frustrating, honestly,” Mat-Su center fielder Carl Uhl said as the Oilers and Fire were set to start the 10th inning. &#8220It's a little annoying.”

But the Miners players and fans waited.

And waited.

And waited.

&#8220It's hard sitting here without any control,” Mat-Su left fielder Joey August said as the Oilers and Fire played through the 13th.

But while anxious for an ending result, August was marveled by the continued support.

&#8220It's cool to see,” August said. &#8220A lot of people came out to support us. It means a lot to have them come out and stay out.”

As the Oilers and Fire approached the 14th inning and the 10 o'clock hour, the Miners remained waiting for a final score, and dozens of fans continued to mill around Hermon Brothers anticipating that celebration.

Randy and Tammy Bovy, host parents for two Mat-Su players, pushed back plans for a late dinner. Owners of Peking Garden in Palmer kept the doors open to allow the Bovys to bring a group of players in once the game in Kenai went final.

And the Miners and their fans continued to wait.

But at 10:52 p.m., game officials called the contest in Kenai in the 17th inning.

The Fire led 8-4, after scoring four runs in the top of the inning. The players and fans left with out their celebration, and mess at the top of the standings was left without

resolution.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.