Wasilla 5, Ketchikan 2

Karsen Spradling hit a 2-RBI single in the bottom of the 6th inning to highlight a 5-run Road Warrior rally as Post 35 marched to the Matson invitational championship game. 

Ketchikan’s Bubba Williams rolled through the Wasilla lineup for 5 innings strong, pitching a shutout until the Wasilla bats came alive. 

Karsen Spradling for the Road Warriors hit a clutch 2-out, 2-run single, scoring a third during the play due to his aggressive and heads up base running. 

Jace Crall pitched 5 2/3 strong for Wasilla, after reaching the maximum 105 pitch count. Colton Haase came in and slammed the door on the Kings, striking out 3 of 4 batters he faced. 

Wasilla advances to the Matson Invitational championship game Tuesday at Mulcahy Stadium for the second straight year, chasing their 3rd title in program history.

Wasilla (11-13)

Jace Crall 5.67IP, 6K, 2ER

Karsen Spradling 1-3 2RBI, BB

Alex Bond 2-2 BB

Colton Haase 1.33IP, 0ER, 3K, W

Ketchikan (7-16)

Bubba Williams 5.33IP, 2-3, 2B, BB

Terik Brown 2-4 RBI

McKinley Hamilton 2-4

Juneau 2, Fairbanks 1

A pitchers duel broke out at Bartlett High School, just 6 hits and 15 strikeouts throughout the game. 

Olin Rawson and Christian Nelson for Juneau and Shaun Conwell for Fairbanks pitched masterfully, having allowed a total of 2 hits through 4 innings. 

Rawson finished his six-inning start with a clutch strikeout with the tying run at third and the leading run at second to close out the potential rally. 

The sixth inning also held a great play by Oliver Mendoza of Juneau, who threw out the tying run at the plate for the 5-2 tag out. 

Juneau got the first run, breaking through on a suicide squeeze from Kasen Ludeman, driving in Mendoza. 

Kai Schmidt, who came in relief behind the plate in the fourth inning, made a beautiful throw in the seventh inning to throw out a 49er trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. 

Christian Nelson then closed the door in the 7th, picking up the save for the Midnight Suns. 

Conwell pitched a complete game, striking out seven and allowing only one walk throughout the game against the Juneau lineup. 

Juneau stays alive, playing in their only Matson appearance since rejoining American Legion baseball in 2013. 

Juneau (14-12)

Olin Rawson 6IP, ER, 8K

Christian Nelson 1IP, SV

Kasen Ludeman RBI

Oliver Mendoza 1-2, R

Fairbanks (6-17)

Shaun Conwell 6IP, 7K, BB, 2ER

Landon Bicknell-Long 1-3, R

Dylan Swarthout 1-3, 2B

Christopher Luskleet 1-3

West 6, East 2

West Anchorage Post 1 had solid pitching to advance in an elimination matchup against the East Anchorage Post 34 on Day 3 of the Matson Invitational.

Beckett Stolp started, allowing just two hits and two earned runs through 3 1/3 innings. Evan Fitzgerald cleaned it up with 3 2/3 of scoreless ball to secure the win. 

Defense from the Eagles came up big in the 6th, completing a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning stall the Thunderbirds. 

Blake Yawit had the only two hits for the T-Birds, along with stellar outfield play patrolling center field. 

West (8-23) 

Beckett Stolp 3.33IP, 2ER, 4K, 1-3, 2B, R

Paul Dittrich 2-3 RBI

Evan Fitzgerald 3.67 IP, 0ER, 1-2 RBI

Gabe Catternichio 1-3 RBI, R

East (6-25)

Edison Polanco 3IP, 2ER, RBI

Blake Yawit 2-4, R, 2SB

Eduardo Rodrigues 4IP, 5K, 3ER