T-Birds upset Warriors in first round of Legion tourney

ANCHORAGE — The East Anchorage Thunderbirds played the role of spoiler once again.

A year after knocking off top-seeded Chugiak in the first round of the Alaska American Legion state baseball tournament, the Thunderbirds upset the third-seeded Alaska Road Warriors in the opening round of the 2008 legion state tourney with an 11-10 win over the Wasilla-based team Saturday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

East scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning to grab the win and overshadow Alaska’s five-run effort in the inning before.

“We score five and they come back and get six,” Alaska head coach Steve Mossburgh said. “You can’t beat teams when you do stuff like that.”

After Alaska starter Colter Peterson threw a solid five innings, the Thunderbirds did much of their damage against Road Warriors relievers Kody Ziter and Rhowe Stefanski.

With the T-Birds trailing 10-5, East left fielder Tyler Moore used a run-scoring single to spark the Thunderbird rally. Shortstop Rick Santos drew a bases loaded walk to drive in another run, and first baseman Jeremy Beltz scored on an Alaska passed ball.

Josh Easterly’s two-run double tied the score late in the inning, and third baseman Austin Cassaday posted the go-ahead RBI single with two outs to give the T-Birds the 11-10 advantage.

Third baseman Mike Dotson and left fielder Corey Cowgill both hit home runs to lead the Alaska offense.

Dotson was 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs and two RBI. Cowgill and first baseman Tommy Rodamer drove in three runs each for Alaska.

Alaska took the 1-0 lead when Dotson tripled to deep left center field and later scored on an East error.

East scored three runs in the top of the fifth, but Alaska answered with the Dotson and Cowgill back-to-back dingers in the bottom of the inning.

With Eric Washington and Chris Bydlon on board, Cowgill put a pitch over the left field wall to allow the Warriors to re-take the lead. Dotson immediately followed with a home run of his own.

Both Cowgill and Dotson sent shots right down the left field line.

“Corey just crushed that ball,” Mossburgh said, adding this is the first time he’s had players with back-to-back homers as the Alaska skipper. “(And) there was no doubt that Dotson’s was going over the fence.”

Alaska, which finished third in the 2007 state tourney, will now have to work its way through the losers’ bracket. The Road Warriors face Bartlett today at 9 a.m. at Mulcahy. Bartlett suffered a 6-3 loss to Kenai in the first round.

With a win, the Warriors would move ahead to face either Eagle River or Chugiak at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mulcahy.

Warriors recognized

The Alaska Road Warriors placed five players on the “Team of Excellence” the Alaska American Legion all-star team that was announced on the first day of the tourney.

Recognized were Cole Smith (starting pitcher), Mike Dotson (infielder), Corey Cowgill (outfielder), Kody Ziter (utility player) and Colter Peterson (relief pitcher).

Catcher Wes Smith was named an honorable mention.

“I’m glad to see that many of my guys on there,” Mossburgh said. “They all deserve to be on there.”

Players are nominated by teams in the league, and then voted on by coaches.

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