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Juneau’s American Legion season ends at state tournament
- Klas Stolpe
- 5 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Auke Bay Post 25 falls to Kenai Post 20 in final pool play game to miss semifinals
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 American Legion baseball team fell by the score of 13-3 to Kenai Post 20 on Tuesday night in a must-win game for a berth in the 74th Alaska Legion State Tournament semifinals.
“I told them thank you and it was a pleasure coaching them,” Juneau coach Joe Tompkins said after the game. “The teams we lost to are probably going to be in the championship. This team has one of the top five records probably for Legion teams that I helped coach. The season was wonderful and we coaches told them that they gave it their all.”
Kenai scored four runs in the top of the first inning to strike a spark for momentum.
Juneau’s three runs came on opposite ends of the scoreboard, with two runs in the bottom of the first inning and one run in the bottom of the sixth.
In the first inning Juneau’s Hunter Carte earned a one-out walk, Madden Mendoza singled and Nate Fick hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Carte to trail 4-1. Isaac Kirsch hit a two-out single and Madden Mendoza scored on a passed ball to trail 4-2.
Kenai added a run in the second inning, three runs in the third inning, two runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the top of the sixth inning for a 13-2 lead and the threat of ending the game by run rule
Juneau started their final at-bat with a highlight of the tournament as Marcus Mendoza hit a lead-off home run over the left field wall to trail 13-3.
Kenai pitcher Dominic Smith then got a batter to ground out to third base, struck out a batter, walked Riley Fick, and got the final out by a pop-up to second base. Kenai starter Jacob Joanis threw the first inning but gave up two hits, two runs, walked two batters and struck out one. Smith relieved (5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 SO).
Juneau threw Carte (2.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 4 BB, 3 SO), Kirsch (01 IP, 1 H) and Marcus Mendoza (3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 1 SO).
Kirsch had two hits, Carte, R. Fick, Madden Mendoza and Marcus Mendoza one each. Nate Fick and Marcus Mendoza had one RBI apiece. Carte, Madden Mendoza and Marcus Mendoza scored one run each. Carte, Brenner Harralston and R. Fick earned one walk each.
Kenai’s Matthew Shilling went 3-5 at the plate with five RBI and three runs scored; Jayden Stuyvesant 4-5 (4 RBI); Joanis 2-3 (2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB); Clyde Clemens, Jackson Koetitz and Smith one hit each; Daniel Steffensen scored three runs, Jett Brophy two, an Smith, Malakai BeDunnah and Clemens one each. Joanis, Brophy and Clemens earned two walks each, Steffensen, Koetitz and BeDunnah one each.
The loss ends the season for Juneau. The team will stay in Anchorage to watch the semifinals and finals and participate in the July 31 Legion All-Star Game.
Kenai advances to face Wasilla, and Service plays Palmer in Wednesday's semifinals.
The winner of the state tournament advances to the Northwest Regionals, August 5-9 at Medford, Oregon. The Regional winner advances to the Legion World Series August 13-18 at Shelby, North Carolina.
On Tuesday the Alaska Legion released the members of the 2026 Team of Excellence.
Auke Bay’s Tompkins, South’s Terry Dannenbring and East’s Balas Buckmaster were selected Coaches of the Year.
Juneau’s Drew Cadigan-McAdoo was one of nine first team pitchers; Madden Mendoza one of seven first team infielders; Hunter Carte and Marcus Mendoza two of eight second team pitchers; Nate Fick one of three second team catchers; Carte and Micah Nelson two of six second team infielders.
After the regular season ended, the top eight Legion AA teams were put into two pools for state tournament play, with the top two in each pool advancing to the semifinals.
The Denali Pool was #1 Auke Bay (14-2 league / 18-4 overall), #4 Palmer Pioneers Post 15 (10-6 / 12-12), #5 Kenai Twins Post 20 (10-6 / 19-8) and #8 Ketchikan Kings Post 3 (8-8 / 10-10).
Denali scores were: Kenai 9, Palmer 6; Auke Bay 18, Ketchikan 8; Kenai 13, Ketchikan 4; Palmer 11, Auke Bay 1; Palmer 11, Ketchikan 5; Kenai 13, Auke Bay 3.
1st place: Kenai 3-0; 2nd: Palmer 2-1; 3rd: Auke Bay 1-2; 4th: Ketchikan 0-3.
The Alyeska Pool was #2 Service Cougars Post 28 (13-3 / 14-8), #3 South Wolverines Post 4 (11-5 / 11-10), #6 Chugiak Mustangs Post 33 (9-7 / 15-10) and #7 Wasilla Road Warriors Post 35 (9-7 / 10-15).
Alyeska scores were: Chugiak 5, South 0; Service 4, Wasilla 0; Wasilla 11, Chugiak 7; Service 5, South 0; Wasilla 7, South 4; Chugiak 5, Service 1.
1st place: Service 2-1; 2nd: Wasilla 2-1; 3rd: Chugiak 2-1; 4th South 0-3. (The tiebreaker was fewest runs between tied teams: Service 5, Wasilla 11, Chugiak 12)
SEMIFINALS
Wednesday, July 29: 1 p.m. - Palmer vs. Service; 4 p.m. - Wasilla vs. Kenai.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Thursday, July 30: 1 p.m. - Semifinal winners.
ALL-STAR GAME
Friday, July 31: 6 p.m. - Alaska Airlines Appreciation Night @ All-Star Game.
NORTHWEST REGIONALS
August 5-9 at Medford, Oregon.
LEGION WORLD SERIES
August 13-18 at Shelby, North Carolina.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
