Wasilla no match for streaking Juneau Post 25

Wasilla Post 25 pitcher Hank Boyer gave credit where credit was due Saturday afternoon after his team lost 14-2.

“We didn’t know they were that good,” Boyer said of Juneau Post 25. “They can hit the ball.”

The Southcentral Conference North Division player of the year didn’t have the control he hoped for against a loaded Juneau lineup.

The Post 25 team accumulated 15 hits in the double-digit win over Wasilla. It was the second win of the day for the home team after Juneau won 5-0 earlier in the day.

Kasey Watts pitched five innings for Post 25, ceding three hits while walking eight.

Despite the number of walks, his catcher Alex Muir had nothing but praise for the southpaw.

“He’s was on today,” Muir said. “I haven’t seen him pitch all year, and for him to just come in throw with me for the first time like that, it’s good to see.”

Muir joined the team after missing the first five games of the season while finishing his spring term at Big Bend Community College. Muir plays baseball for the small college in rural Washington and was looking forward to returning to Juneau to continue playing this summer.

“I have more chemistry with these guys because I’ve known them for so long,” Muir said. “So it’s a little bit easier with them compared to college where everything is a lot more tense.”

Post 25 coach Joe Tompkins said having Muir back in the lineup strengthened an already talented defense. Thunder Mountain High School’s Zeb Storie and Owen Mendoza regularly share the infield with JDHS’ Donavin McCurley, Kasey Watts and Bryce Swofford.

Going into the fifth inning, Wasilla was behind only three runs, but Boyer couldn’t get out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam. Boyer walked Muir to score Bobby Cox from third base. The next batter, Quin Gist, singled to center field to score another run. Wasilla traded an out for another run before McCurley hit a two-RBI triple to push Juneau’s lead to 10-2.

“When they’re swinging for base hits instead of swinging for the fence, we can do that,” Tompkins said of Juneau’s 14 total runs.

Post 25 produced five more hits in the seventh to widen their lead to 12 runs.

In Juneau’s 5-0 win earlier in the day, McCurley pitched a complete game, striking out five and allowing only three hits.

Legion AA Standings

National Division

Service Post 28 — 24 points (6-0)

Juneau Post 25 — 16 points (4-0)

Chugiak Post 33 — 16 points (3-4)

East Post 34 — 14 points (3-2)

Eagle River — 11 points (2-3)

Ketchikan Post 3 — 7 points (1-3)

Kodiak Post 17 — 5 points (1-1)