Warriors use walks to get win against Colony

WASILLA — Saturday, the Wasilla Warriors walked before they could score runs.

Wasilla managed just one hit, but drew 11 walks during a 5-3 victory over rival Colony at Wasilla High School.

“It’s high school baseball. Take what’s given to you,” Wasilla head coach Ken Ottinger said after the win. “If they’re going to give us walks, I’m going to take them.”

Kyle Graham walked four times in the victory, and scored two of Wasilla’s five runs.

“That’s a great day in my book. He’s 4 for 4,” Ottinger said. “A walk is just as good as a hit.”

James Arend and Balau Buckmaster also drew two walks each.

Wasilla built a 5-0 lead in fourth, but needed to hold off a late Colony rally. Colony’s Joe Ryan led off the fifth with a triple and scored to put the Knights on the scoreboard. Later in the inning, Trace Severson scored on a Zach Satterly single to cut Wasilla’s lead to 5-2.

Colony threatened again in the top of the seventh, putting its first two runners on. But the Knights were only able to push one run across in the final inning, when Kaden Ketchum drove in Kolton Ketchum with a single.

Wasilla took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Buckmaster walked with the bases loaded and Wasilla took the 1-0 lead. Ben Werner scored on a Jacob Gilbert sacrifice fly. Clancy O’Donnell gave the Warriors a 3-0 with an RBI single late in the inning. Wasilla added two runs in the fourth.

Colony finished with six hits in the loss. Kaden Ketchum finished 3 of 4 at the plate to lead the Knights.

The contest was a nonleague game.

Grace Christian 5, Palmer 4

Grace Christian edged Palmer 5-4 Monday night in Anchorage.

Palmer, which trailed 3-1 early, pulled within a run in the fifth when Lucas Adams scored on an Alasdair McKechnie single. The Moose also scored twice in the fourth. James Nelson scored on a passed ball. Cade Holland drove in Brady Shults with a single.

McKechnie recorded the first of his two RBI, driving in Keagen Norman with a single in the first. McKechnie and Shults finished with two hits each.

Homer 9, Palmer 7

Homer used a pair of big innings to grab a 9-7 win over Palmer Saturday afternoon at the Palmer Senior Field.

The Mariners scored four times in the second and added three in the fourth.

James Nelson drove in four of Palmer’s seven runs. He also had two hits and two runs. Keagen Norman and Alasdair McKechnie also scored two runs each.

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