Wasilla, Palmer set to compete in legion region baseball tourney

If Alaska was ever going to win the Northwest Class A Regional Tournament, this is the year.

A record five Alaska teams are in the NWCART field as a result of Oregon and Utah not sending teams.

Their loss is Alaska’s gain.

Service will be making its fifth NWCART appearance. South is playing in the tournament for a fourth time while Juneau and Wasilla are both here for a third time. Palmer is making its NWCART debut.

Joining the Alaska teams will be the Wyoming state champion Cody Cubs; the Idaho state champion Marsh Valley Eagles; and the Montana state champion Gallatin Valley Outlaws.

Palmer opens the tourney Friday at 1 p.m. Wasilla plays Cody Friday at 7 p.m. All games are at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

A team from Alaska has never won the NWCART, but we’ve been close.

In 2019, the Wasilla Post 35 Road Warriors advanced to the title game. In 2014, the Juneau Post 25 Midnight Suns made the final four. In 2013, the South Post 4 Wolverines finished third.

Flashback: Wasilla makes 2019 finals run

Wasilla put together one of the greatest seasons in Alaska Legion Baseball history as the Road Warriors became the state’s first team to win three games at a regional tournament and reach a regional championship game.

Wasilla scored a 13-12 win over North Coos (OR) on the first day of the tournament in Cody, Wyoming. Wasilla broke out the big sticks as Clancey O’Donnell went 4-for-4 with a home run and Kyle Graham was 3-for-3 with two triples as the two players combined for eight RBIs.

On Day 2, Clayton Boyett pitched a complete-game, 11-strikeout gem to lead Wasilla to a 6-2 win over Cheyenne (WY). Balau Buckmaster crushed a three-run home run.

On Day 3, Wasilla’s Kyle Graham hit a grand slam and pitcher Jacob Gilbert went the distance in a 9-6 victory over Burley (ID).

The Road Warriors became the first Alaska team to reach the NWCART title game since the Last Frontier started sending teams in 2000.

Layton (UT) beat Wasilla in back-to-back games to win the championship and deny Alaska its first region title.

The Cody Cubs of Wyoming and the NWCART have been synonymous for nearly the last decade.

This will be Cody’s sixth tournament appearance in eight years – five times as state champion and once as host.

Led by state tournament MVP Tyler Grenz, Cody beat Cheyenne 8-2 in the title game. Grenz tossed a 4-hitter in the final and picked up two wins in the tournament for the Cubs (45-13).

“None of them care who gets the credit,” said manager Bart Grenz. “They play for each other, root for each other.”

This is the third time Cody has come to Alaska for the NWCART as the Cubs were here in 2007 and 2014.

No team comes to the NWCART with more wins than the Gallatin Valley Outlaws, who have posted a 56-23 record and mowed down opponents at the Montana state tournament with a 5-0 record.

Gallatin Valley beat Glacier 10-0 in five innings in the title game to win the state championship for the first time since 2005.

“These guys came in really focused from the time we got here on Wednesday night and stayed focused throughout all five games,” said manager Duwayne Scott. “They played really well.”

Bo Hays was the tournament’s MVP and Cyrus Richardson had three extra-base hits in the title game and won the tournament’s Big Stick award.

Marsh Valley edged perennial power Pocatello 3-2 in the Idaho state title game to secure its second straight championship.

The Eagles went 5-0 in the state tournament, outscoring opponents 39-17 along the way.

“The kids were super gritty; they were gritty the whole tournament,” said manager Kent Howell. “The best part was they were willing to play for each other. They wanted to fill a role.”

Marsh Valley won the state title, thanks to seventh-inning heroics from slugger Karter Howell (game-winning RBI) and closer Payton Howe (game-ending save).

The Eagles come to Alaska with a sparkling 36-3 record.