By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High baseball team completed their three-game sweep of the visiting Petersburg Vikings with 16-8 and 13-0 wins on Thursday at Moller Field. The Wolves had beaten the Vikings 11-3 on Wednesday.
Sitka sophomore Trevin Carley hits a single duirng the Wolves 16-8 win over the Petersburg Vikings on Thursday at Moller Field.
After giving up 1 run in the top of the first inning when Petersburg’s Loudenn Sandhofer singled in Thomas Durkin to begin Thursday’s action, Sitka exploded for 12 runs in the bottom half for command of a game that became a chance for the Wolves to explore the batting technique of their entire lineup.
Sophomore Trevin Carley led the Wolves’ batting brigade with 3 hits in 3 at-bats, scoring 3 runs and tallying 3 runs batted in, and earning 1 walk.
Junior Gavin Flores started the rout with a walk, advanced to third on a single by sophomore Emmanuel Barragan, and the two scored when Carley put a shot into left field for a double.
Senior Bryce Kelly reached on an error scoring Carley, senior Morgan Simic earned a walk, senior Cole Riggs sacrificed Kelly across the plate, and junior Kyler Brenton reached on an error to score Simic. Sophomore Keaton Koelling earned a walk, freshman Nick Calhoun loaded the bases with a bunt single and Flores came to the plate for the second time in the inning and reached on a fly ball error to right that scored Brenton and Koelling for a 7-1 lead with just one out and a call from Petersburg into their bullpen for a new hurler.
As the second pass of the batting order unfolded, Barragan reached on an error to score Calhoun, Carley earned a walk, Kelly singled, scoring Flores, Simic reached on a fly ball error to right scoring Barragan. Riggs grounded out scoring Carley, and Brenton singled to center scoring Kelly. Koelling then earned a walk to load the bases but Petersburg secured their third out to end the inning trailing 12-1.
The Vikings added 2 runs in the top of the fourth inning and Sitka struck back with 4 runs in the bottom half as Flores beat out a ground ball, advanced on a Barragan walk, and scored on a Carley double. Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Simic singled to center scoring Barragan. Senior James Comas walked, scoring Carley, and senior Brayden Massey-Jones hit a two-out single scoring Kelly.
Sitka junior Gavin Flores avoids a pitch near his batting grip against Petersburg during the Wolves win over the Vikings on Thursday. Petersburg catcher Peter Kowalski and home plate umpire Woody Widmark watch the pitch.
Sitka then withstood 4 runs from Petersburg in the fifth inning and 1 run in the sixth to keep the win.
Flores, Barragan, and Kelly joined Carley scoring 3 runs each in the game; Simic, Brenton, Koelling, and Calhoun 1 run apiece. Kelly, Riggs, and Brenton had 2 RBI each; Barragan, Simic, Comas, and Massey-Jones 1. Barragan, senior Keith David, Kelly, Simic, Brenton, Koelling, Calhoun, and Massey-Jones had 1 hit apiece. Flores and Koelling had 2 walks apiece; Barragan, Carley, Kelly, Simic, sophomore Michael Leach, and Comas 1 each.
Riggs earned the win with three innings pitched, throwing 36 pitches, 24 for strikes, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, striking out 3, and walking 1. Comas relieved (2 IP, 88 P, 42 S, 1 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 SO, 8 BB), and senior Austin Morrison closed (2 IP, 34 P, 19 S, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO).
Petersburg’s Sawyer Bryner took the loss, giving up 8 runs in the first inning, Mattias Volk relieved for 2.2 innings and lost 4 runs, Lathum Johnson appeared and gave up 4 runs, and Max Marohl closed for 3 innings and earned the lone strikeout for the club. Sandhofer led the Vikings at the plate going 2-3 (2 R, 1 RBI) and Durkin went 1-3 (1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB), Brayden Larson scored 2 runs, and Peter Kowalski led with 2 RBI.
In the Thursday nightcap Sitka’s Barragan shut out Petersburg in a run-rule shortened five inning game. Barragan threw 70 pitches, 46 for strikes, allowed 3 hits, and struck out 8. Petersburg’s Durkin took the loss (4 IP, 93 P, 48 S, 9 H, 13 R, 9 ER, 1 SO, 4 BB).
Brenton led the Sitka bats with a 2-2 night (3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Flores, Calhoun, Comas and Leach had 2 runs each; Riggs and Koelling 1 run. Riggs had 2 RBI; Flores, Barragan, Carley, Kelly, and Calhoun 1 apiece. Barragan and Riggs had 2 hits apiece; Flores, Koelling, and Calhoun 1.
Petersburg’s Jahnson, Sandhofer, and John Bisset managed the lone Vikings hits.
Sitka junior first baseman Kyler Brenton puts out Petersburg runner Lathum Johnson (13) during the Wolves win over the Vikings on Thursday at Moller Field.
Sitka next hosts Thunder Mountain at Moller Field May 10-11. The Wolves senior night will be on that Saturday, May 11.
