By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High Wolves baseball team closed out their sweep of the visiting Thunder Mountain Falcons on Saturday with 7-5 and 11-8 wins at Moller Field.
Sitka scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning in Saturday’s morning game.
Wolves junior Gavin Flores walked, stole second and scored on a single by sophomore Trevin Carley to center field, beating the throw from the TMHS fielder. Carley scored on a ground ball by junior Kyler Brenton. Brenton and senior Morgan Simic scored on a single by sophomore Keaton Koelling.
The Falcons scored 5 runs in the top of the second for a 5-4 lead.
Sitka got 1 run in the bottom half as Flores led off with a double and scored on a bunt by sophomore Emmanuel Barragan.
Sitka put their final 2 runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth as freshman Nik Calhoun and Flores scored on a single to center field by Carley.
Flores went 1-3 at the plate, scored 3 runs and walked twice. Carley was 2-4 (1 R, 3 RBI), Barragan 0-3 (1 BB, 1 SO), Simic 1-4 (1 R, 1 SO), Brenton 0-3 (1 R, 1 RBI), Koelling 1-3 (2 RBI), Calhoun 1-3 (1 R), senior Cole Riggs 1-3 (1 SO), senior Braydon Massey-Jones (1 BB), and senior Bryce Kelly 0-2.
Sitka High School senior catcher Morgan Simic tags out a Thunder Mountain Falcons base runner at home plate during the Wolves final home series of the season at Moller Field on Friday. (Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Riggs went 2 innings, with 54 pitches, 35 strikes, allowing 5 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned runs, striking out 2, and walking 1. Kelly relieved (5 IP, 86 P 50 S, 1 H, 7 SO, 3 BB).
In Saturday’s game two of the Wolves struck for 5 runs in the bottom of the first inning as Barragan earned a walk and was replaced by courtesy runner Michael Leach who scored on a Kelly double. Simic doubled in Carley and Kelly. Brenton doubled in Simic and Koelling singled in Brenton.
Thunder Mountain put 2 runs across in the top of the second and one in the third.
Sitka added 3 runs in the bottom of the third as Carley singled in Calhoun and Flores scored on a fielding throw. Junior Myles Maggie scored on a Kelly single.
The Falcons closed to 10-7 in the top of the sixth but the Wolves got 1 run back in the bottom half as Riggs singled in Massey-Jones for the 11-7 score.
The Wolves then shut down the Falcons in the top of the seventh as Riggs caught a line drive at first base, and Calhoun picked up a ground ball at second. The Falcons did plate a final run on a Stone Morgan double but right fielder Massey-Jones relayed the throw to Calhoun who got Morgan out advancing to third base to end the game.
Barragan got the win (5.2 IP, 93 P, 63 S, 7 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 4 SO, 1 BB) and Brenton relieved (1.1 IP, 32 P, 13 S, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB).
Sitka left 8 runners on base, Thunder Mountain 6.
Kelly went 3-3 (1 BB) with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored to lead the Wolves. Carley was 2-4 (2 R, 2 RBI, 1 SO), Simic 2-4 (1 R, 2 RBI), Brenton 1-3 (1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB), Flores 0-4 (1 R, 1 BB, 2 SO), Barragan 0-3 (1 BB, 2 SO), Koelling 1-1 (1 RBI), Massey-Jones 1-1 (1 R, 2 BB), Riggs 1-3 (1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO), Calhoun 1-3 (1 R), Leach 0-0 (1 R), Maggie 0-0 (1 R).
Sitka plays at Juneau this coming weekend, May 17-18.
The Region V tourney is in Juneau on May 23-25 at Adair Kennedy Field.
