Miners Split Double-Header with Glacier Pilots

Well, it happened again.

The same sudden-death extra innings rule that led to last week's nonsensical ending between the Miners and Oilers has once again taken Mat-Su in its clutches. Even though the game itself was far tamer, the end result was the same: a tied score, this time 2-2, with the opposing team earning the victory.

The scoring got started early in game 1, with the first Anchorage batter of the game coming around to score on a Dylan Marx RBI single. The Miners would even it up in the fifth on a Blake Balsz single, but quickly fall behind again in the bottom of the frame after Chase Knight, who scored the Pilots' first run, drove their next one in on a single of his own.

Down to their final three outs in the top of the seventh, the Miners once again evened it up after Balsz drove in his second run of the game with a double. From there, both teams held serve through the seventh, eighth, and sudden-death ninth, with Tommy Beam (1-0) getting Mat-Su in order to clinch the sudden-death victory.

After the last time that happened, the Miners would drop three more games in a row. This time, they answered in the second leg of the double-header with one of their most impressive wins of the season.

Offensively, both teams struggled to string anything together. The Miners managed just five hits and scored just one run on a Christian Perez sac fly in the fourth. Fortunately, Mat-Su's pitchers made sure that would be enough.

Hayden Hattenbach (1-0) threw a five-inning masterclass, notching seven strikeouts and allowing zero hits. Luke Smith lost the combined no-hitter on his first batter, but was no less dominant, and Drew Koenen notched his, and Mat-Su's, first save to close out a 1-0 win to remember. In total, the Miners staff one-hit the Pilots while striking out eight and walking three.

In order to string together another much-needed winning streak, the Miners will have to take care of business against the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks on their home field tomorrow at 6.

To see them go for two in a row, come to Hermon Brothers Field or tune in on the Miners' YouTube channel!

Charlie Fellows, 2024 Broadcaster
Mat-Su Miners