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By MATT TUnSETH
Peninsula Clarion

The Peninsula Oilers scored six runs in the first inning to cruise to a 8-3 victory over the Peninsula Twins Sunday afternoon at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark in Kenai.

The annual exhibition matchup between the area's top summer collegiate and high school teams looked like a blowout by the older club, but the Twins managed to hang with the Oilers late, getting three runs in the sixth inning to close the gap.

"As the game wore on we got more confident," Twins head coach John Kennedy said following the game.

Kennedy pointed out that the Twins — who have a veteran team and expect to challenge for a state title this season — may have been a little nervous early in the game facing top-notch players from Division I collegiate ranks.

"We were kind of back on our heels to start," Kennedy said.

The Twins' Jacob Madrid agreed with his coach's assessment.

"We were kind of a little nervous," Madrid said.

Both team shuffled their lineups extensively in Sunday's game. The Oilers are still juggling their lineup as players arrive from Outside, while the Twins have only played six games so far this season.

The Oilers got things going early, loading the bases against Twins starter Shawn Isaacs, then getting their first run when Issacs walked in a run. Soldotna native David newby then hit a 2 RBI single. Local players figured prominently in the Oilers' success. newby's brother, Eric, also contributed an RBI in the first inning, as did Kenai's Willy Castillo. Castillo, in fact, ran his streak of reaching base to six with hits in his first two at bats Sunday. The Oilers' bullpen catcher and designated hitter also reached safely in all four of his at bats Saturday against the Stockton (Calif.) Senators.

Castillo said it was fun to get a chance to play against his old squad.

"It was bringing back a lot of old memories," Castillo said.

He said he relayed a bit of history about the Twins-Oilers series to his new teammates before facing off against his old squad.

"I told the boys before the game, the Oilers have never lost to the Twins," he said. "That gave them a little incentive."

The Twins didn't figure into the scoring until the 6th, when Madrid's single broke up a no-hit bid by three Oilers pitchers, including starter Dave Pellegrine, who pitched three perfect innings to pick up the win. Madrid's hit was followed by a couple walks, another hit and a passed ball that allowed the Twins to post three runs in the inning.

Kennedy said he thinks the game gave his squad a good look at a level of competition that's beyond what they'll see during the regular American Legion season.

"The biggest thing is to see what that level is like," Kennedy said. "For our kids to see that and know what they need to do to get there, that's the valuable part."

Sunday

OILERS 8, TWInS 3

Oilers 620 000 0 — 8

Twins 000 003 0 — 3

W — Pellegrine. L — Isaacs.

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