GCLL Majors fall to AOR, state series tied 1-1

Klas Stolpe
2 hours ago
4 min read

Abbott-O-Rabbit wins 12-2 on Sunday, forces final game on Monday

Gastineau Channel Little League Major All-Stars batter Gavin Ludeman connects on a pitch during Juneau's 12-2 loss to Anchorage's Abbott-O-Rabbit Little League in game two of their best-of-three games in the 2026 Alaska Little League Baseball State Tournament, Sunday, August 2, 2026, at Ketchikan's Dudley Field. The two teams play a final game Monday, August 3, for the title. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Ludeman)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

The Gastineau Channel Little League Major All-Stars fell 12-2 to Anchorage’s Abbott-O-Rabbit Little League on Sunday in game two of their best-of-three game series in the 2026 Alaska Little League Baseball State Tournament, on Ketchikan’s Dudley Field, forcing a winner-take-all game on Monday at 6 p.m. GCLL had won 9-0 on Saturday.

Juneau put runners on the bases Sunday, but just could not get them around, while Anchorage hits found space in the field.

AOR pitcher George Andary pitched the run-shortened five-inning win, allowing just two hits and two runs, walking three batters and striking out six.

GCLL started Max Metzgar (1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 SO). Carter Talatoa (1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 BB), Indiana Strong (2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Charles Boghosian (2 H, 1 R, 2 BB) all touched the mound.

GCLL started hot with Eli Mulvey reaching on a leadoff single, Landon Love reaching on a one-out error and Colt Winkelman making contact to reach base, but Love was put out at second base. Mulvey was caught on a pickoff at third base to end the momentum. The GCLL defense played the bottom half of the inning strong with two AOR runners on base. Talatoa fielded a line drive for an out, and caught a second fly ball to double out a runner leaving first base.

In the second inning Sebastian Nelson, Cash Stekoll and Gavin Ludman all reached base with two outs, but AOR’s Andary struck out a batter to end the threat. AOR put four runs across in the bottom half with Weston Arnold, Bennett King, Gus Witthoeft and Reid Homerding scoring.

Ron talking to Charlie and teamGastineau Channel Little League Major All-Stars manager Ron Winkelman talks to players during Juneau's 12-2 loss to Anchorage's Abbott-O-Rabbit Little League in game two of their best-of-three games in the 2026 Alaska Little League Baseball State Tournament, Sunday, August 2, 2026, at Ketchikan's Dudley Field. The two teams play a final game Monday, August 3, for the title. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Ludeman)

GCLL clawed back into the game in the top of the third inning with Metzgar earning a one-out walk and Mulvey reaching on a two-out error. Talatoa reached on an error, scoring Metzgar and Mulvey scored on a steal by Talatoa to trail 4-2. AOR got those runs back in the bottom half as Kam Bevegni and Leo Peterson scored on an Andary single, and Connor Mueller scored on a Landon MacKinnon ground ball fielder’s choice for a 7-2 lead.

GCLL batters struck out twice and grounded out with no runners reaching base in the top of the fourth inning. AOR added a run with King scoring on a Peterson single for 8-2.

GCLL’s Ludeman hit a two-out double in the top of the fifth inning, but a solid hit was fielded by AOR third baseman Keeton Perkins to end the threat. AOR ended the game in the bottom half as Bevegni singled, Titan Nerland reached on a one-out error, Andary singled to load the bases and Bevegni scored on an Arnold ground ball that put out Andary. AOR’s MacKinnon stroked a two-out double into center field, scoring Arnold and Nerland for an 11-2 lead. Witthoeft singled, King walked and Reid Homerding walked to score MacKinnon and end the game by run rule, 12-2.

Mulvey and Ludeman had GCLL’s two hits. Mulvey and Metzgar scored the two runs. Nelson, Metzgar and Stekoll earned a walk each.

AOR’s Bevegni had three hits, Andary two, Arnold, MacKinnon, Witthoeft, Homerding and Perkins one each. Mackinnon had three RBI, Andary and Homerding two apiece, Arnold, King, Perkins and Peterson one each.

The deciding game three is set for 6 p.m. Monday.

With a win, GCLL or AOR will advance to the Northwest Regionals in San Bernardino, California, Aug. 8-14 with the state winners from Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The region winners from the Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio), Metro (Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island), Mid-Atlantic (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C.), Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin), Mountain (Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming), New England (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont), Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington), Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia), Southwest (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas East, Texas West), and West (Arizona, Hawaii, Northern California, Southern California) advance to the World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Aug. 19-30, along with 10 teams from international locations.