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Crimson Bears nip Kings for top spot in Southeast Conference
- Klas Stolpe
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
JDHS faces Kings again Wednesday, Sitka on Friday and Saturday
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
A two-run double by Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Madden Mendoza in the bottom of the fifth inning saved the Crimson Bears in a 4-3 win over Ketchikan at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Tuesday, moving JDHS atop the Southeast Conference standings.
Trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom half JDHS starting sophomore pitcher Micah Nelson helped his own cause by connecting on a ground ball and reaching on an error by Ketchikan first baseman Cash Larson.
Nelson advanced to third on a groundout by sophomore Charlie Begenyi and scored on a single to left field by senior Nate Fick. Freshman courtesy runner Myles Pasion came in for Fick and drew the ire of Kayhi pitcher Ace Asper who attempted to pick Pasion off base three times. The disruption helped earn a walk for senior Tyler Kookesh and put runners on first and second.
Madden Mendoza then stroked a ground ball into left field that had enough elusiveness to allow the speedy Pasion and Kookesh to cross the plate and tie the game at 3-3. Senior Marcus Mendoza earned a two-out walk, but he and his brother would be stranded on base as the third out went down swinging.
Madden Mendoza would put out Kayhi’s first batter in the top of the sixth inning, fielding a ground ball and throwing to senior first baseman Riley Fick. Mendoza then caught a pop-up fly ball for out number two.
Ketchikan’s Owen Mendoza doubled, and Charles Kroscavage and Jesse Albecker earned walks to load the bases for the Kings. Kayhi faultered with a pop-up third out back to JDHS’ Nelson on the mound.
JDHS senior Chris Andersen singled to open the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior courtesy runner Kordell Lim was brought in to pinch run.
A sacrifice bunt by JDHS’ Nelson allowed Lim to reach third base. A ground out by JDHS’ Begenyi to Kayhi’s Larson at first base put Lim across home plate for a 4-3 lead. The third out followed and JDHS only had to shut down Kayhi in their final at-bat.
JDHS’ Nelson struck out Kayhi’s Wyatt Balluta to open the seventh inning. JDHS junior reliever Drew Cadigan-McAdoo forced a pop-up fly ball back to the mound for out number two.
Kayhi’s Ayden Manabat singled to JDHS shortstop Madden Mendoza and beat the throw to first base, but Mendoza fielded the next hit by Kayhi’s Zyrus Manabat to end the game.
Unofficial stats show Madden Mendoza led JDHS with two runs batted in, Begenyi and N. Fick one apiece. Madden Mendoza had two hits, Begenyi, N. Fick and Andersen one each. Nelson, Pasion, Kookesh and Lim scored one run each. Nelson, Begenyi, Kookesh, Marcus Mendoza and R. Ficke earned one walk each. Begenyi had one stolen base.
Nelson faced 32 batters over 6.1 innings, allowed six hits and three runs, walked five Kings and struck out four. Cadigan-McAdoo faced three batters and pitched two outs with one hit.
Asper pitched 4.1 innings for Kayhi, allowed four hits and three runs, walked four and struck out three. Balluta relieved for 1.2 innings, allowed one hit, one run, walked one and struck out one.
Bryant Marquez and Ayden Manabat led Kayhi with two hits apiece, O. Mendoza, Brady Kline and Larson one each. Charles Kroscavage, Marquez and Zyrus Manabat had one RBI each. O. Mendoza, Marquez and Z. Manabat scored one run each. Marquez, O. Mendoza and Hayden McMahon had one stolen base each.
JDHS improves to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Southeast Conference. Ketchikan is now 2-7 overall and 2-2 SEC. The Sitka Wolves are 5-6-1 overall and 2-4 in the SEC.
The Crimson Bears and Kings varsity teams will play a double-header at 3:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday following junior varsity action at 1:30 p.m.
