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JDHS takes down baseball powerhouse South Anchorage
- Klas Stolpe
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Hunter Carte throws another Crimson Bears complete game in 5-2 win
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
For the second game in as many nights, the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé baseball team’s starting pitcher Thursday went the distance as junior Hunter Carte threw seven innings in a 5-2 Crimson Bears’ win over the Cook Inlet Conference’s South Anchorage Wolverines. Senior Marcus Mendoza threw a no-hitter Wednesday in a 26-0 win over CIC’s Eagle River Wolves.
Carte allowed just five hits and the two runs, while walking two batters and striking out five.
“There is definitely a little bit of pressure,” Carte said of throwing a complete game. “But in the tough times having your team behind you and knowing they got your back keeps you going. It feels great to help the team out and be a provider.”
The first two innings were nearly runner-free on the base paths for both teams.
South’s David Feigner struck out three JDHS batters in the top of the first inning with the Crimson Bears’ Mendoza reaching base on an error. Feigner struck out the JDHS side in the top of the second inning to finish his night.
JDHS’ Carte had one strikeout in the bottom half of the first inning sandwiched around two ground balls fielded by Mendoza at third base and thrown over to senior first baseman Riley Fick. Mendoza repeated the same action in the bottom of the second inning, fielding two ground balls and throwing out two hitters at first base while Carte registered his second strikeout.
“The team is really playing well together,” JDHS coach Luke Adams said. “They are communicating really well and they really wanted this game.”
JDHS scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning as sophomore Micah Nelson earned a two-out walk from South’s Mark Warren. A wild pitch put Nelson on second and senior Nate Fick earned a walk. Two wild pitches scored Nelson before South’s Warren put down the third out. South answered in the bottom half with a runner reaching on a dropped third strike, a walk and a one-out ground ball scoring the Wolverines’ Jack Zuspan to tie the game.
Both sides went runner-less in the fourth inning.
JDHS senior Chris Andersen earned a one-out walk in the top of the fifth and Nelson hit a two-out single, but no runs scored. In the bottom half, South had a one-out single and a two-out walk, but no run scored.
JDHS sophomore Charlie Begenyi reached on a one-out error in the top of the sixth but was stranded on base, and the Crimson Bears’ defense put down South’s three batters in the bottom half as Nelson fielded a ground ball at second base, R. Fick caught a pop-up out at first and senior center fielder Tyler Kookesh caught the third out.
JDHS broke the game in the top of the seventh inning with outs showing. Junior Aaron Lazo-Chappell, Nelson, freshman Myles Pasion and Madden Mendoza all crossed the plate for a 5-1 lead. South had one run in the bottom half. JDHS had big defensive play in the inning when third baseman Marcus Mendoza fielded a ground ball and threw it to Nelson at second for a force out. The attempted double play on to first base allowed one run to score. After a single by South, Marcus Mendoza fielded another ground ball and ended the game with a throw to R. Fick at first.
“I have to give a lot of credit for our success to our assistant coaches,” Adams said. “They have worked really hard with our pitchers and catchers especially, and just generally have provided a lot of team chemistry.”
N. Fick and Madden Mendoza had one run batted in apiece. Nelson, N. Fick and Madden Mendoza had one hit each. Nelson scored two runs, Pasion, Madden Mendoza and Lazo-Chappell scored one run each.
South’s Feigner pitched two innings with six strikeouts; Mark Warren had 2.1 IP, allowing one run, walking three batters and striking out four; Ian Langerman went 2.1 IP, allowed three hits and four runs, walked three and struck out one; Cody Moore went 0.1 IP and walked two.
Marcus Mendoza said of his Wednesday no-hitter, “It feels great, especially knowing all my teammates are behind me. Knowing that we can all bring each other up is great and keeps the spirits high.”
JDHS, now 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Southeast Conference, faces Railbelt Conference Wasilla (5-1 overall, 1-0 RBC) on Friday.
“Wasilla is going to be a really good test,” Adams said.
