Miners Win Pitching Duel Over Bucs

The Mat-Su Miners have defeated the Anchorage Bucs 4-2 in what was a big game early in the season. The Bucs had not lost a league game before tonight. 

The Miners' starter Connor Mondey and Bucs' starter Kaden Finazzo went back and forth, with Finazzo pitching four innings and giving up just one run on an Eliot Medlock solo home run in the bottom of the 4th.  

Mondey pitched five scoreless frames before giving up a two-run homer in the sixth to DH Luke Taylor to put the Bucs in front after the top of the sixth. The two starters had a combined eight strikeouts. 

However, the Miners would answer right back in the bottom of the sixth inning with a three-run inning starting with an Eliot Medlock RBI double, and ending with a James McGee single to score the third and final run. 

"After a rough night at the plate last night (0-4 with four K's), I just reset myself and made sure that the bad night ended there. I started fresh and got to have opportunities to come through for my team tonight," said Bryant University sophomore Eliot Medlock. 

The Miners' bullpen would shut down the Anchorage Bucs lineup in the final three innings, giving up just one baserunner between new Angelo State University commit Garrett Baumann and Central Missouri closer Greyson Chappell.

The Anchorage Bucs moved down to 4-1 in the standings while the Mat-Su Miners capitalized with a massive win to move to 3-1 in the standings and just a half game out of first in the Alaska Baseball League standings. 

The Miners go back down tomorrow night to Anchorage to play the Anchorage Glacier Pilots for the third time in league play. The Bucs will look to keep their half-game lead with a game in Chugiak against the River Chinooks. 

The Bucs and Miners will play again on June 20 at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage. 

Dylan VanderVeen
2025 Mat-Su Miners Broadcaster