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Auke Bay Post 25 opens season with all-around team performance
- Klas Stolpe
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Huff earns win, six batters drive home runs, team has no errors against West Post 1
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 brought the complete package to their opening game of the 2026 American Legion Baseball season at the Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park field on Friday, defeating West Post 1 in a pitching, fielding, hitting and running performance that produced an 11-1, run-rule, walk-off win in five innings.
“Good first game,” Head Coach Joe Tompkins said. He is assisted by manager Jeremy Ludeman and coaches Jake Carte and Richie Hayes. “As a staff we all talk about pitchers, position, batting order and we all make decisions together. We told the team to not overlook anyone. West is a well-coached team that we respect.”
Auke Bay’s Cayman Huff pitched the five innings, allowing just five hits and the one run, while walking four batters and striking out three.
Any hits not recorded meant that the home team’s fielding was on point.
West put the first run on the board in the top of the first inning on a leadoff double by Owen Tierney that could have gone for more if Auke Bay right fielder Keaton Belcourt had not chased it down.
Huff fielded a ground ball for a putout to first baseman Riley Fick. West’s Joey Dittrich singled to center fielder Jacob Katasse and Tierney scored, but that would be it for West. Auke Bay third baseman Drew Cadigan-McAdoo fielded a ground ball by West’s James Damrill and threw to second baseman Hunter Carte to force out Dittrich for two outs. Catcher Nate Fick threw to shortstop Madden Mendoza to out West’s Damrill on a steal attempt for the third out.
Auke Bay took control on their at bat with Noah Lewis earning a walk, Hunter Carte connecting for a single and Madden Mendoza doubling to centerfield for a 2-1 lead. Nate Fick hit a ground out to score Mendoza for 3-1.
The Auke Bay fielding controlled the second inning as Riley Fick fielded a ground ball at first base, Carte caught a fly at second and a ground ball for the third out.
In the third inning Huff struck out a batter, R. Fick fielded a ground ball and center fielder Jacob Katasse caught a fly ball. And in the bottom half Marcus Mendoza led off with a single and scored on a two-out single by Cadigan-McAdoo for aa 4-1 lead. Keaton Belcourt earned a walk and Lewis singled to score Cadigan-McAdoo for 5-1.
In the top of the fourth Auke Bay stopped a West rally. With two West runners on base Auke Bay’s Belcourt caught a fly in right field, Carte caught a fly at second base and Huff struck out another batter.
Auke Bay added a run in the bottom half as Madden Mendoza walked, advanced on a N. Fick single and scored on a sacrifice fly bay Marcus Mendoza for a 6-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth West had the leadoff batter on base when a hard single went to Auke Bay center fielder Katasse who fielded the ball and threw to shortstop Madden Mendoza for a force out, left fielder Lewis caught a lined drive and Huff struck out his third batter to end the inning.
Auke Bay scored five runs in the bottom half to win by the run-rule. Katasse earned a leadoff walk in the inning, Belcourt was hit by a pitch, Lewis singled on a bunt to load the bases and Carte earned a walk, scoring Katasse for 7-1. Madden Mendoza singled to score Lewis and Belcourt and N. Fick singled to center field, scoring Carte and Madden Mendoza to end the game at 11-1.
“Putting the ball in play and good heads-up base running were key for us,” Tompkins said. “We take some chances. Our defense played good behind pitching from Huff. They communicated well. It was a good team win.”
Madden Mendoza went 2-2 at the plate with four runs batted in. He scored three runs and walked twice. Lewis went 2-2 (1 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB), N. Fick 2-4 (3 RBI), Carte 2-3 (1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB), Marcus Mendoza 1-1 (1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB), Cadigan-McAdoo 1-3 (1 RBI, 1 R). Katasse and Belcourt scored one run apiece and each walked once. R. Fick earned one walk.
Carte had four putouts, Huff and R. Fick three apiece, Madden Mendoza two, Katasse, Belcourt and Lewis one each.
West’s Kaden Smith took the loss (3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 7 BB) and Colton Homan relieved (1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 BB).
Tierney had two hits and one run, Dittrich, Damrill and Otto Mostowy one hit each. Dittrich had one RBI.
Auke Bay Post 25 will host West Post 1 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Auke Bay Post 25 roster includes Noah Lewis, Hunter Carte, Madden Mendoza, Nate Fick, Marcus Mendoza, Riley Fick, Jacob Katasse, Drew Cadigan-McAdoo, Keaton Belcourt, Cayman Huff, Parker Katasse, Brenner Harralston, Ayden Bergmann, Zen LeVine and Isaac Kirsch.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
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