It was a weekend of splits for the American Legion Post 20 Twins.
Saturday, the Twins split with Chugiak, losing the league game 13-7, but winning the nonleague game 11-1. Sunday, the Twins split with Palmer, winning the league game 13-6, but losing the nonleague game 5-4.
The Twins are now 7-7 in the league and 13-13 overall, good for sixth place in the American Division. Chugiak is 11-2 and 14-10, good for second in the division, while Palmer is 8-7 and 14-10, good for fifth in the division.
The top two teams in legion’s two divisions make the state tournament. The next four highest point totals, regardless of division, fill out the final four teams at state.
The Twins, with 35 points, would currently be the eighth team into state. South is next at 32 points, but the Wolverines, at 7-4, have played three less games. Teams get four points for a win, two for a tie and one point for a loss in which the game is played.
Post 20 returns to Coral Seymour Memorial Park on Wednesday for a noon doubleheader against East, which is 1-12 and 4-20. The first game is the league game.
In the league game against Chugiak, the Twins scored seven runs in the fourth inning to take a 7-4 lead. The Mustangs responded with four in the fourth, five in the fifth and one in the sixth to salt away the win.
Daltyn Deborski had three of the six hits for the Twins, who walked nine times in the game. Riley Johnson had three RBIs.
On the mound, Malakai Olson gave up five runs — two earned — on five hits in 3 2-3 innings. Charlie Chamberlain, Gabe Smith and Johnny Brinner could not keep the Mustangs off the board in relief.
The Twins were able to bounce back by topping the Mustangs in five innings in the nonleague game. Post 20 had a big seven-run inning to provide the difference in the game.
Johnson got the win, giving up just one run on four hits in 3 2-3 innings. Simon Grenier had 1 1-3 innings of scoreless and hitless relief.
The Twins walked nine times again in the second game. Atticus Gibson was 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBIs, while Jacob Belger had two runs, Brinner had two RBIs and Grenier had two RBIs.
In the league win against Palmer, Post 20 had an 8-0 lead after the top of the third inning. Palmer would score in the third through seventh innings, but the early deficit and five more Twins runs in the fifth inning gave the visitors a comfortable win.
Atticus Gibson went 4 1-3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. Hunter Williams pitched the final 2 2-3, giving up two runs — one earned — on three hits.
The Twins only walked three times this game, but banged out 15 hits.
Deborski was 3 for 5 with two runs, Belger was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, Williams was 2 for 5, Gabe Smith was 2 for 5 with two RBIs, Simon Grenier was 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs, and Andrew Pieh was 2 for 4.
In the nonleague loss, Palmer scored four in the first and Post 20 scored four in the second. The Pioneers got the winning run in the fourth.
Chamberlain pitched two innings and gave up four runs on four hits, while Brinner pitched two innings and gave up a run on three hits. Grenier had a scoreless two innings.
The Twins had seven hits, with Olson and Smith each collecting two hits.
