The American Legion Post 20 Twins won their first two games at the Alaska 529 Midseason Classic on Friday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.
The Twins received dazzling pitching performances from Malakai Olson, Trenton Ohnemus and Andrew Pieh in defeating Chugiak 3-1 and Service 1-0 in nine innings.
Post 20 plays its final pool play game at 11:45 a.m. Saturday against Dimond. Sunday, the fourth-place game is at 11:45 a.m., the semifinals are at 2:15 and 5 p.m., and the title game is at 7:30 p.m.
The Twins (9-7 overall) were able to beat some of the top pitching and teams in the state in Chugiak (10-4) and Service (11-4).
In the first game against Chugiak, Post 20 was able to get to Mustangs ace Preston Rau for three runs on four hits in three innings. Rau hit two batters, walked one and struck out two.
The Twins took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first and a 3-0 lead after the bottom of the second.
That would be more than enough for Malakai Olson. When at his best, the Twins starter pitches to weak contact. That was the case Friday.
Olson went all seven innings on just 70 pitches, giving up an unearned run on four hits while walking one and striking out three.
Levi Mickelson led the Twins at the plate by going 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Pieh was 1 for 2 with a run, Gabe Smith was 1 for 3 with an RBI, Jacob Joanis added a hit and Ohnemus scored a run.
The pitching would get even better in the Service game. The Cougars won the Division I state high school title this season.
They also had three starters back who had missed the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament in Kenai. Service beat the Twins 9-1 in that tournament.
Also in that tourney, Ohnemus had given up just one run on four hits in five innings against a Napoleon (Ohio) team loaded with a player headed to play Football Bowl Subdivision football and a handful of players headed to play junior college baseball.
Saturday, Ohnemus shut down the Cougars, pitching 6 2-3 scoreless innings and giving up one hit while walking five and striking out nine.
Ohnemus, who threw 107 pitches, did not give up a hit until the seventh inning.
Service’s Rilen Niclai was even more dominant on the hill. He pitched eight hitless and scoreless innings, walking one and striking out nine while throwing 100 pitches.
Pieh came on in relief of Ohnemus and went 2 1-3 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out one.
That allowed the Twins to mount the winning rally in the bottom of the ninth against Service reliever Jake Rafferty.
Matthew Schilling tripled with one out to break up Service’s no-hitter.
Mickelson then bunted, but the Service infield was in so Schilling did not make a move toward home. However, the throw to first was wild, allowing Schilling to score.
