The Peninsula Oilers went down swinging in a 4-3 loss to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the Top of the World Series playoff game on Sunday, scoring two runs in the ninth and leaving the bases-loaded on the final out.
The #1 seed into the Top of the World Series, the Glacier Pilots held-off a late Oilers charge to advance to play the #2 seed Mat-Su Miners on Monday at Mulcahy Park for the ABL Top of the World Series championship.
Mat-Su defeated the Anchorage Bucs 2-1 with a game-winning, walk-off run in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Glacier Pilots 4 – Oilers 3
Trailing 4-1 into the ninth inning of the winner-advance playoff game, the Peninsula Oilers opened with three-straight singles by James Shimashita, Chase Katifias and Shun Sakiano loading the bases with no outs. Dalton Bowling drew an RBI walk and Casey Burnham recorded an RBI fielder’s choice to bring the Oilers to within a run of the Pilots. Two bases-loaded outs ended the Oilers rally and the Pilots advance with a 4-3 victory.
The game was scoreless until a single run in the fourth for the Pilots. The Oilers allowed a single run in the fifth before scoring a run in the sixth inning. A two-run bottom of the eighth for the Glacier Pilots staked the Pilots to a 4-1 lead.
Hayden Johns pitched six innings allowing two runs on six hits; Carson Seeman pitched two inning in relief and allow 2 runs on two hits. The Oilers and Pilots both recorded eight base hits.
Top of the World Series: Championship Game
Glacier Pilots vs Mat-Su Miners
7 p.m. at Mulcahy Park in Anchorage
