After an opening day loss on Thursday, Kenai Central won twice on Friday and twice on Saturday to secure second place at the Northern Lights Conference baseball tournament in Anchorage.
Saturday, the Kardinals (14-4) defeated Homer (12-9) 11-3 to secure an automatic state berth and a spot in the second-place game. Kenai then defeated Palmer 4-1 for second place.
Kenai 4, Palmer 1
Everett Chamberlain secured second place for the Kardinals with a sterling complete game.
Chamberlain gave up a run on three hits while walking one.
Palmer grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, but a four-spot by the Kards in the fourth would be the difference.
Daniel Steffensen had Kenai’s lone hit in the game, with runs coming from Steffensen, Braden Smith, Jacob Joanis and Gabe Joanis, and Chamberlain collecting an RBI.
Kenai 11, Homer 3
Jacob Joanis pitched a sparkling complete game for the Kardinals to earn a pass to the second-place game.
Joanis gave up three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out 10, with Kenai leading 10-2 after the fourth inning.
For Homer, CJ Burns gave up 10 runs — seven earned — on eight hits in 3 1-3 innings, while Austin Briscoe gave up a run on no hits in 2 2-3 innings.
Daniel Steffensen led Kenai by going 2 for 2 with four runs, while Joanis was 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs. Everett Chamberlain added three runs for the Kards.
For Homer, Clyde Clemens was 2 for 4 and Weston Marley was 2 for 3.
Northern Lights All-Conference
Most Valuable Players — Reed Craner, Palmer; Trenton Ohnemus, Soldotna.
Coaches of the Year — Taylon Ottinger, Palmer; Levi Lanning, Redington.
First team: Daniel Steffensen, Kenai; Juju Atencio, Redington; Clyde Clemens, Homer; Jacob Joanis, Kenai; Jeremy Mahle, Kodiak; Colby Sturman, Soldotna; Braden Smith, Kenai; Jett Brophy, Soldotna.
Second team: Weston Marley, Homer; Ty Sonnentag, Houston; Avery Shults, Palmer; Henry Wedvik, Homer; Timothy Bridgman, Palmer; Max Wallace, Grace; Brenden Theel, Soldotna; Wyatt Gagnon, Soldotna; Zander Landon, Palmer; Brett Hostetler, Soldotna.
Good sport: Josh Fricke, Grace; Cohen Boyd, Homer; Noah Godwin, Houston; Everett Chamberlain, Kenai; Gavin Peterson, Kodiak; Wyatt Jacobs, Palmer; Cobin Smith, Redington; Brett Hostetler, Soldotna.
