SID- Trace Niemann
The Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks wasted no time taking control Sunday afternoon, scoring five runs in the first inning on their way to a 9-4 victory over the Anchorage Bucs.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the first, the Chinooks' offense came alive. Phoenix West sparked the rally with a single before Austin Young followed with a base hit. Cal Wipf drove in the game's first run with an RBI single, and Reese Vassar added another RBI knock moments later. Drew Hurst then delivered the biggest swing of the inning, lining a two-run single to extend the lead before Blake Allen capped the five-run frame with an RBI single to make it 5-0.
The Chinooks continued to apply pressure in the second inning despite not recording a hit. After Anchorage pitchers hit four batters in the frame, Wipf brought home a run on a fielder's choice and Hurst worked a bases-loaded walk to stretch the lead to 7-0.
Anchorage chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth innings, but The Chinooks answered in the bottom of the third when Cal Wipf lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score JD Wolff. Wolff later crossed the plate again in the fifth after reaching on a double then scoring after two wild pitches, giving the Chinooks a commanding 9-2 lead.
Wipf and Hurst led the offensive attack with three RBIs apiece. Hurst finished 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs, while Wipf went 1-for-3 and drove in three runs. Phoenix West reached base three times, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Wolff scored twice and doubled, while Vassar contributed an RBI single and also stole a base.
On the mound, Asher Abrahams earned the win after allowing just two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out five. Qade Carrington worked a scoreless sixth inning before Cade Rolland and Owen Dockstader combined to close out the final three frames. Dockstader retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to secure the victory.
The Bucs added two runs in the eighth, but the Chinooks never let the game slip away, improving to 4-2 on the season. The Chinooks are back at Lee Jordan on Monday to face the Mat-Su Miners at 6 PM.