Soldotna 13, Palmer 1
On Thursday night, the Soldotna Stars rode an outstanding performance by starting pitcher Trenton Ohnemus to a big conference win over perennial rival Palmer.
The game remained close through the first two innings, with the Stars picking up two runs in the top of the first and one in the second; Palmer answered with a run of their own in the first, too. However, leading 3-1 in the third, SOHI plated a whopping seven runs in the third inning to blow the game wide open early and give Ohnemus plenty of cushion.
Ohnemus pitched a complete game, striking out 10 batters in the five-inning mercy rule win, and only allowed one run to score when Palmer’s leadoff man, Jackson Charton, walked and scored in the bottom of the first. Ohnemus found himself in a couple jams, but did well getting himself out of trouble.
With the bases packed in the first, Ohnemus struck out Moose designated hitter Very Shults to end the inning. Then, in the fifth, Palmer loaded the bases with no outs, but a catch-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play left only two on with two outs. Mickelson made the catch in center, then relayed the throw home through Ohnemus to gun down Trip Pabel at the plate.
At the plate, Soldotna overcame hitting woes with runners in scoring position, collecting seven of their 12 hits with men on second or third.
Matthew Schilling went 2-2 on the night with a walk, three runs scored, and two RBIs.
Derrick Jones bounced back nicely from a rough game against Kenai on Monday with a phenomenal night at the plate. Jones finished 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
The Stars move to 2-1 in conference play, and 5-2 overall on the season. They’re currently in fourth place in the Northern Lights Conference.
Player of the Game: Ohnemus.
Next up, the Stars play at Redington at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
Kenai 18, Homer 4
The Kardinals easily handled the Homer Mariners on Thursday night, getting off to a very quick start and never looking back in the five-inning mercy rule win.
Kenai jumped out in front in the first inning when they touched Mariners starting pitcher Preston Stanislaw for seven runs in the first inning. They added one run apiece in the second and third, then opened the floodgates again toward the end with five more runs in the fourth inning and four in the fifth.
With the win and a big win over Soldotna on Monday night, Kenai moves to 4-1 in Northern Lights Conference play and sole possession of first place.
