The American Legion Post 20 Twins split a doubleheader against West Post 1 on Friday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park, losing the league game 5-3 before coming back to win the nonleague game 8-2.
The Twins are now 1-2 in the league and 3-2 overall, while the Eagles are 2-1 in the league and 3-3 overall.
In the league game, West starter John Hazlewood and Post 20 starter Jacob Joanis crossed swords, with Hazlewood ultimately winning the pitchers’ duel.
“He’s our ace on our staff, and he’s been lights out all year,” West assistant Juan Benitez said. “He’s had a couple rough starts here to start the Legion season, but we’ve got all the trust in the world in our guys, especially him.”
With just one error in the game — committed by West in the seventh inning — the game stayed scoreless as it briskly moved to the fifth inning.
Joanis struck out the first two in the inning, but then two walks set up the biggest rally of the game. Thanks to stolen bases, the runners were on second and third when Owen Tierney came to the plate.
West was able to steal nine bases in the game. Post 20 head coach Robb Quelland said the pitchers must work on keeping the runners from getting big leads. Benitez said his squad works on getting big leads in practice every day.
Tierney took advantage with the first hit off of Joanis — a single that put West up 2-0.
“I’ll show some love to that guy for sure,” Benitez said of Joanis. “He’s a great pitcher.
“I’ll be honest, he had us scratching our head for a few innings there.”
Paul Dittrich then singled to bring in Tierney, and when Dittrich scored on a balk, West suddenly led 4-0.
Quelland said the balk was on him — it came due to a Legion rule that is different than the high school rule. The coach also said a missed cutoff in the rally hurt.
“Yes, you lose, but with where we are in our program, it’s only two or three things we can talk about and that’s not bad,” Quelland said.
The Twins were able to cut it to 4-2 in the sixth when Jack Harper singled in two.
In the seventh, Dittrich singled in Tierney for a 5-2 lead, then Jett Brophy scored on an error for the Twins in the seventh.
That error was the only blemish for a West defense that was solid all day, including sparkling plays from third baseman Jacob Wesselman and first baseman Chase Thompson.
“We don’t have too many lights out pitchers that have the velocity to crank it up like other pitchers do,” Benitez said. “Our defense carries us, and we’ve been like that all year.”
Hazlewood went 6 1-3 innings, giving up two runs — one earned — on five hits while walking three and striking out six. Dittrich gave up an unearned run on a hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Joanis, who also went 2 for 4, went five, giving up three runs on two hits while walking five and striking out six. Jayden Stuyvesant gave up a run on two hits in two innings.
Quelland said the Twins have traditionally started slow because the program brings together players from so many different schools.
This season, Daniel Steffensen and Joanis are from Kenai, Gavin Peterson is from Kodiak, Clyde Clemens is from Homer, and the rest are from Soldotna.
“We’ve literally had one practice since we’ve been together,” Quelland said.
The Twins coach said making things tougher this season is that just four players return from last season — Joanis, Stuyvesant, Ari Miller and Matthew Schilling.
Quelland also sees excitement in that fact.
“This is a great opportunity for playing time, exposure and getting them ready for next year,” he said. “We have young guys and the best part about it is there’s so many Legion games, they get to play multiple positions.”
All the players on the Twins come from Division II baseball, while many of the opponents — like West — are Division I.
That means pitchers get to see better hitting, and hitters get to see better pitching. Quelland said it usually takes a few weeks for the hitters to adjust to the pitching.
“We’re just going to have to get better,” he said. “There’s things these young guys have done year after year, and gotten away with it against lesser pitchers.
“Now they’re going against good guys every day, and it’s going to take hours of their time to fix those problems.”
In the nonleague game, a five-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning sparked the Twins.
For Post 20, Malakai BeDunnah worked 3 1-3 scoreless innings, giving up a hit. Brophy gave up two runs on two hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Stuyvesant had three RBIs for the Twins, while Clemens had two, and Brophy scored two runs.
The Twins continue their homestand Sunday, when they face Dimond in a noon doubleheader. The first game is league, while the second is nonleague.
West’s John Hazlewood delivers to Post 20 on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Post 20’s Jacob Joanis delivers to West on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Post 20’s Jackson Koetitz slides back safely to first in front of West’s Chase Thompson on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Post 20’s Jayden Stuyvesant flies out to left field against West on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
