The Peninsula Oilers ended up with a record at the Alaska Baseball League Scouts Showcase that looks more like something a team might earn at a hockey showcase.
The Oilers finished 1-0-1 at the Friday and Saturday event at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage after drawing with the Mat-Su Miners 1-1 on Friday before toppling the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 7-3 on Saturday.
The three-day event, which concludes with the ABL All-Star Game at 4 p.m. today and Home Run Derby at 1 p.m. today, is all about getting the players exposure in front of scouts. Each game is scheduled for seven full innings, even if the home team on the scoreboard is ahead heading into the bottom of the seventh, and even if both teams are tied after seven.
Friday, the Miners struck first by getting a run off Oilers starter Erickson Fish in the second inning. After that, Oilers relievers Tre Brown, Matt Amrhein, Andrew Lopez, Bret Ricklefs and Justin Jaime combined to keep the Miners off the board.
The Oilers were able to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning when Evan Berkey collected an RBI on a fielder’s choice.
Saturday, it was the Oilers who struck first, notching three runs in the second inning. The big blow in the inning was a two-run double by Matthew Kirk, who later came in to score on a throwing error.
In the fifth inning, with Christian Winston and Bryan Woo each having logged a pair of scoreless innings, the Oilers then went up 4-0 when Bryce Begell launched a solo home run.
The Pilots tried to climb back into the game in the bottom of the fifth, when they scored a pair of unearned runs off Oilers reliever Grant Wood.
But the Oilers went right back to work in the sixth inning to take a 7-2 lead. The runs came on a double by Paul Kunst that brought in two and a Berkey sacrifice fly.
The Pilots scored a run against Brian Leonhardt in the bottom of the seventh inning to account for the final score.
Calvin Farris added a scoreless inning of relief for the Oilers.
The Oilers have 10 playing in the All-Star Game today for the American League, which will be coached by Oilers head coach Kyle Brown. Mike Lopez, Tevin Murray and Tre Brown made the team as pitchers. Matt Amrhein and Andrew Lopez also made it as pitchers, but will not be available to pitch.
Kunst and Wood are on the squad as infielders, while Ryan Novis and Chad Bible made it in the outfield. Ryan Koch is on the team as a catcher/infielder.
Koch, who leads the league in home runs, and Bible will represent the Oilers in the Home Run Derby.
