The Peninsula Oilers split a doubleheader with the Mat-Su Miners on Wednesday in Alaska Baseball League play at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, losing the first game 7-6 and winning the second game 5-0 in a game shortened to five innings by rain.
The Oilers and Miners have now caught up on all games postponed by rain. The five-game series is scheduled to finish Thursday at 6 p.m.
The Anchorage Bucs lead the league at 15-8, while the Miners are 2.5 games back at 12-10, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots are 3.5 games back at 10-10, the Chugiak Eagle River Chinooks are 4.5 games back at 9-11 and the Oilers are seven games back at 6-13.
In the first game, the Miners went into the seventh inning with a 4-3 lead and put up three runs in the top of the seventh. The Oilers answered with three in the bottom of the frame, but couldn’t pull out the win.
William Grimm worked the first four innings for the Oilers, giving up an unearned run on a hit. Connor Kershaw gave up three runs on five hits in two innings, while Kevin Korte gave up three runs on three hits in an inning.
Nick Costello had two runs and two RBIs for the Oilers, while Theo Forshey added a pair of RBIs.
The second game belonged to Homer High and American Legion Twins product Mose Hayes and his curveball.
Hayes pitched four scoreless innings for the win, giving up just two hits while walking three and striking out seven. Connor Throneberry pitched a scoreless inning.
Ben Griffin was 2 for 3 with two RBIs for the Oilers, while Costello was 2 for 2 and Forshey scored a pair of runs.
