The American Legion Post 20 Twins lost 8-1 to Eagle River on Sunday at the 72nd Alaska Legion Baseball State Tournament at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.
With the loss, the Twins are eliminated from state contention.
The tournament has two pools of four teams. The Twins, the No. 3 seed, are in a pool with No. 2 Eagle River, No. 6 Post 4 South and No. 7 Post 15 Palmer.
Both Post 20 and Palmer are 0-2, meaning Eagle River and South, both 2-0, have already earned a semifinal berth.
Palmer and the Twins will play the final game of their season at 3 p.m. Monday.
Post 20 (18-11 overall) had won 13 of its last 15 games entering the state tourney before losing 1-0 to South on Saturday and to the Wolves on Sunday. Post 20 was 0-5 against Eagle River this season.
“We were playing really well,” Twins head coach Robb Quelland said. “We’re not making excuses or anything.
“We just didn’t hit well enough against South and Eagle River is really good.”
The Wolves have won the last three Legion state tournaments and now have won 14 state tournament games in a row.
Eagle River got right to work against Twins starter Matthew Schilling in the first inning and got to him for four runs. Schilling would give up four runs on three hits and six walks in two innings.
Hunter Williams went four innings in relief, giving up four runs on three hits while walking two.
Even though the Twins got behind early, Quelland was happy with the way his team responded.
“It was good to see the kids come out and play,” he said. “We played as hard as we could. We just fell short once again.”
Quelland said the main problem was again the hitting.
The Wolves held the Twins to a run and three hits behind the work of Gunner Mountcastle, Dalton Smith and Brooks Inch.
In the losses to South, Post 20 had a combined five hits and one run.
“It just happens,” Quelland said. “Everybody’s streaky. These are young men and there’s no rhyme or reason.
“It’s not like they’re intentionally not hitting the ball. They’re trying their hardest to hit the ball. It’s just not working.”
Andrew Pieh, Jacob Joanis and Gabe Joanis had the hits for the Twins, while Schilling scored the run.
Quelland said the game against Palmer is the chance to cap a solid season for a team that had just 11 players and one coach — Quelland — at state.
“They’re in good moods and spirits,” Quelland said of the players. “It’s always the ultimate knowledge to know you are not going to play for a state title.
“We know that now, but we’re going to play for our pride, for the program and for our community.”
