The Peninsula Oilers and Anchorage Glacier Pilots split an Alaska Baseball League doubleheader Monday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.
The Oilers cruised to an 8-0 victory in the first game before falling 3-1 in the second contest.
The Oilers fall to 3-10 in the ABL and sit six games behind the league-leading Mat-Su Miners. The Pilots are 5-5 and 2 1-2 games behind the leaders.
The Oilers take today and Wednesday off before opening a five-game series against the Pilots at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai. Thursday’s game is at 7 p.m.
The first game of the twin bill was a dream for the Oilers, with great pitching, defense and offense.
Devin Hayes and Mason Corneliussen combined to shut out the Pilots for seven innings.
Hayes pitched 4 1-3 innings, giving up three hits while walking five and striking out eight. Corneliussen pitched the final 2 2-3 innings, not giving up even a hit and striking out two.
The Oilers broke the game open with five runs in the third inning, then added three runs in the seventh inning en route to banging out 13 hits in the game.
The big blow in the third inning was a two-run home run by Ryan Smith. Smith finished 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
Also for the Oilers, John Thomas was 3 for 4 with two runs, Matthew Acosta was 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Kellen Strahm scored a pair of runs.
The Oilers also were solid in the field, committing just one error and turning two double plays.
Biagio Schutt took the loss for the Pilots, pitching six innings and giving up 10 hits and five runs, none of which were earned.
In the second game, a two-run rally by the Pilots in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 1-all tie and provided the difference in the game.
The Pilots loaded the bases with no outs against reliever Matthew Acosta on a walk and two singles. Acosta then walked in the go-ahead run, and Malcolm Tipler, who finished 2 for 4, singled in the second run later in the inning.
Acosta took the loss, going two innings and giving up two earned runs on four hits while walking two and whiffing one. Kyle Lucke started for the Oilers, lasting four innings and giving up a run on two hits while walking four and striking out three.
The Oilers were very quiet at the plate, with John Thomas collecting the lone hit.
Jacques Pucheu worked the first six innings for the Pilots and gave up the earned run and hit. Tyler Wilburn put in a perfect ninth inning.
