Crimson Bears not perfect, but darn close in prep baseball opener
- Klas Stolpe
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
JDHS stymies North Pole 8-0 behind a no-hitter at Sitka High Pre-Season Invitational
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Sporting YADAA.AT KALÉ across their jersey chests the Crimson Bears started their 2026 baseball season with a near-perfect outing during the Sitka High Pre-Season Invitational baseball tournament at Moller Field on Thursday.
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé shut out the North Pole Patriots 8-0 behind a three-pitcher no-hitter, and were one walk and one hit-batter away from a perfect game.
“It was a good start,” JDHS coach Luke Adams said. “Lots of positive energy.”
The lone walk came on a two-out, three-ball, one-strike delivery by senior Marcus Mendoza to North Pole’s Stephen Langer, who had watched each pitch in the at-bat go past.
Mendoza struck out the first batter of the game and the second, but the third strike was dropped and senior catcher Nate Fick threw the batter out at first saving the strikeout. After the walk Mendoza put down the fourth batter.
Mendoza went 1.2 innings and struck out four batters. JDHS junior Hunter Carte relieved for 1.1 innings and struck out three. Sophomore Micah Nelson closed, going two innings and striking out three.
JDHS shortstop Madden Mendoza fielded a fly ball out in the second inning and Marcus Mendoza pitched his last strikeout. JDHS sophomore right fielder Charlie Begenyi fielded a line drive and threw out a batter at first base to start Carte’s time on the mound.
With two strikeouts in the third inning Carte hit North Pole batter Danny Kostov for the Patriots' last player to touch a base. Carte then struck out the fourth batter of the inning.
Nelson struck out the first batter of the fourth inning, shortstop Madden Mendoza fielded the next two hits, throwing both batters out to junior first baseman Drew Cadigan-McAdoo. Nelson struck out the first two batters of the fifth inning, the second of which was a dropped third strike by Fick, who recovered to throw to first in plenty of time for the putdown. Senior left fielder Chris Andersen caught a line drive to end the inning.
Games were played under a strict one-hour 30-minute time frame. JDHS led 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning when the game was called.
“Team energy,” JDHS coach Adams said. “These guys were ready to play, hungry.”
JDHS’ first run came in the bottom of the first inning as Begenyi singled and stole second base and was moved to third on defensive indifference. N. Fick reached on a hard ground ball to score Begenyi.
JDHS added four runs in the bottom of the third inning with Begenyi earning a lead-off walk and scoring on a triple by Marcus Mendoza for 2-0. N. Fick was hit by a pitch and advanced on a passed ball that scored Mendoza for 3-0. Carte reached on a ground ball error at first base that scored N. Fick for 4-0. Senior Riley Fick earned a walk and Andersen singled to load the bases. Cadigan-McAdoo pinch ran for R. Fick. A walk to Nelson scored Carte for a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Madden Mendoza singled to lead off, Begenyi and Marcus Mendoza earned walks. Madden Mendoza scored on a passed ball and N. Fick singled to score Begenyi for 7-0.
In the bottom of the fifth inning Anderson led off with a double, advanced to third on a single by Nelson and scored on a single by Madden Mendoza.
Madden Mendoza, Begenyi and Anderson led the Crimson Bears’ bats with two hits each, Marcus Mendoza, N. Fick and Nelson one each. Begenyi led with three runs scored, Madden Mendoza, Marcus Mendoza, N. Fick, Carte and Anderson one each. Madden Mendoza and Begenyi went 2-2 at the plate with three runs scored and two walks, Madden Mendoza 2-4 (1 R, 1 run batted in, 1 strike out), Anderson 2-3 (1 R, 1 SO), Marcus Mendoza 1-2 (1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO), N. Fick 1-2 (1 R, 1 RBI), Nelson 1-2 (1 RBI, 1 BB), Carte 0-2 (1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB), R. Fick 0-1 (1 BB), Cadigan McAdoo 0-1, senior Tyler Kookesh 0-3.
JDHS plays a doubleheader on Friday, facing Dimond at 10:45 a.m. and West Valley at 5:45 p.m. The Crimson Bears play a doubleheader on Saturday, facing Kodiak at 4 p.m. and Petersburg at 5:45 p.m.
Other Thursday scores from the Sitka Invitational include: West Valley 8 Petersburg 4; Sitka 4 Kodiak 4; Soldotna 5 Kodiak 2; Petersburg 6 North Pole 5; West Valley 6 Soldotna 5; Dimond 13 Sitka 3.
Friday games: 9 a.m. Sohi vs. North Pole; 10:45 a.m. JDHS vs. Dimond; 12:30 p.m. Sitka vs. West Valley; 2:15 p.m. Petersburg vs. Kodiak; 4 p.m. Dimond vs. Sohi; 5:45 p.m. West Valley vs. JDHS; 7:30 p.m. Sitka vs. Sohi.
Saturday games: 9 a.m. Petersburg vs. Dimond; 10:45 a.m. North Pole vs. Kodiak; 12:30 p.m. Dimond vs. West Valley; 2:15 p.m. Sitka vs. North Pole; 4 p.m. Kodiak vs. JDHS; 5:45 p.m. Petersburg vs. JDHS; 7:30 p.m. Sitka vs. West Valley.
