Swine flu rumor leads to a Mat-Su Miners forfeit

PALMER — It may have been just a rumor, but it was enough to keep Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher from sending his team to Anchorage to play a scheduled game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Friday.

The Miners, who used a win over the Glacier Pilots at Hermon Brothers Field on Thursday to secure the 2009 Alaska Baseball League title, were set to make the short trip into Anchorage to play the Glacier Pilots on Friday night. But that afternoon, Mat-Su officials received word that several of the Glacier Pilots were out with an illness, and at least one player could actually have the notorious H1N1 virus — better known as swine flu.

Christopher and the Miners didn’t get confirmation that swine flu had actually invaded the Glacier Pilot clubhouse. But that rumor, combined with the fact a half-dozen Pilots were slated to miss the game with illness, was enough to force Christopher to keep his team in the Valley.

“I had to make the decision. Until you can find out what these guys have, I don’t want them to play,” Christopher said. “(The players) are supposed to fly home in four days. I don’t want them all going back sick.”

Mat-Su had to officially forfeit the game, a contest that will not be rescheduled. The Glacier Pilots were given the win in the official standings.

Bucs edge Miners

ANCHORAGE — Call it a consolation prize.

After Mat-Su won the ABL title and the season series with the Anchorage Bucs, the Bucs claimed a 4-2 victory in the final meeting of the season between the Alaska rivals, Saturday during the first day of the ABL Showcase at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

Anchorage broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the seventh inning. Coley Crank gave the Bucs their first lead when he drew a bases loaded walk with no outs in the seventh. Chris Matulis followed with a two-run double, and Zach Vincej added a run-scoring single in the inning.

Mat-Su was able to answer with a pair of runs in the following inning. Jonathon Johnson reached on an error to lead off the eighth, and promptly scored when teammate James Ramsey reached on another error.

Shane Brown cut Anchorage’s lead to 4-2 when he singled and drove in Scott Arthur.

Mat-Su starter R.L. Eisenbach pitched five scoreless innings. Reliever Owen Dew was tagged with the loss after allowing three hits and one earned run.

Brown led the Miners at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Mat-Su has just a pair of games left this season. The Miners stay in Anchorage to face the AIA Fire today at 7 p.m. and the Peninsula Oilers Monday at 4 p.m. Both games are at Mulcahy Stadium and are part of the three-day Showcase which was created to attract Major League Baseball scouts to Alaska.

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

ON DECK

What: ABL Showcase: Mat-Su Miners vs. AIA Fire

Where: Mulcahy Stadium, Anchorage

When: Today, 7 p.m.

Miners notes: Mat-Su ends the 2009 season against the Peninsula Oilers Monday at 4 p.m. in Anchorage.