Precision pitching and an offensive outburst by the Peninsula Oilers concluded their final day of regular season play on Sunday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park. A doubleheader split against the Anchorage Bucs ends the Oilers regular season at 15-29. The Bucs improved their league-best record to 29-14.
Game One: Bucs 1- Oilers 0 (7 innings)
Both starting pitchers delivered one of the best pitchers duels in the Alaska Baseball League in game one. The Oilers lefthander Connor McCord orchestrated a league-best 13 strike out performance in the 1-0 loss to the Anchorage Bucs, including striking-out the side in the seventh inning. Run support was the issue as the Oilers managed only five hits against Bucs starter Mason Wells.
The Bucs scored the game’s only run on a Ryan Sullivan two-out RBI double in the third inning.
After that, McCord was lights out.
The left-hander retired 13 of the Bucs final 15 batters after the third inning. He struck out an ABL-best 13 batters in the loss, breaking the previous high of the Anchorage Glacier Pilots’ Matthew Sanchez (12), which he set against the Oilers on July 18.
Game Two: Oilers 8- Bucs 7 (7 innnigs)
In contrast to game one, both teams scored in the opening inning to open the latter game of the twin bill.
The Bucs scored a run against Oilers starter Jonathan Carlos on a Ryan Sullivan sacrifice fly. The Oilers answered with a Skyler Messinger RBI groundout against Bucs starter Brett Finnel.
The Bucs retook the lead in the second on a Spencer Long home run.
In the fourth inning, the Oilers scored a season-best seven runs in one inning. Three two-run singles by Giancarlo Servin, Jonah Henrickson and Bobby Goodloe along with a Paul Steffensen RBI on a hit by pitch signaled the end of Finnel’s night on the mound.
Through the final three innings, Anchorage outscored the Oilers 5-0.
Runs in fifth and sixth innings cut the Oilers lead to 8-4.
In the seventh against Oilers reliever Heath Olive, the Bucs scored three runs. With the bases loaded, Olive induced a game-ending fly out to end the game.
ABL Regular Season ends on Wednesday
With three days remaining in the ABL regular season, the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks conclude the season with three games in three, straight days.
A Monday game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, and a two-game set against the Mat-Su Miners on Tuesday and Wednesday ends the season.
The ABL Top of the World series will be determined based off the final three regular season games.
