2009 Goldpanners
Goldpanners vs. Mat-Su Miners (July 1, 2009)

2009: Stats • Schedule/Results • Roster • Pictures

July 1 2009 Alaska Goldpanners Roster • Schedule/Results • Stats • Pictures 104th Midnight Sun Baseball Classic

FAIRBANKS- It took some sloppy play early, great pitching in the middle and one spectacular Ryan McIntyre catch late to give the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks their fourth win of the ABL season.  But they’ll take them any way they can, as the Goldpanners returned home to defeat Mat-Su Miners 2-1 in Fairbanks.

 

The poor play in the field started early, leading to both teams getting some unexpected runs. 

 

For the Miners it came in the top half of the first inning, where a Martin Medina throwing error allowed Nick Cox to score, giving Mat-Su an early 1-0 lead.

 

However after that it was strong pitching, stronger defense and a few mistakes on the other side, that ultimately sealed the victory. 

 

The Goldpanners scored both of their runs in the bottom half of the second inning, on two big Mat-Su miscues.  Justin Schafer was the first Goldpanner to reach in the inning, when with one out, his hard hit ball went just under the glove of shortstop Chad Marshall.  Evan Simonitsch singled next, and McIntyre did an excellent job of advancing the runners , with a chopper to first baseman Jonathan Cisneros. 

 

Martin Medina stepped up to the plate next, and like Schafer hit a hard ball that appeared playable for Cisneros.  But the big first baseman lifted his glove just in time to see the ball roll by, plating both Schafer and Simonitsch for the 2-1 lead. 

 

From there the Goldpanners arms and defense did the rest.  While the Fairbanks pitchers were in trouble all night, they never broke, despite constantly bending.  Greg Davis, Jordan LeGros and Kyle Brule combined for the victory, pitching themselves in and out of jams all night, ultimately stranding 15 Mat-Su runners on base. 

 

The last jam was certainly the biggest, as the Goldpanners held on in the top of the 9^th for the victory.  Brule, on in relief of LeGros, quickly allowed the first two runners to reach on a single and a hit by pitch.  After a big strikeout retired the first batter, McIntyre had maybe the play of the year for the Goldpanners. 

 

Brule quickly worked ahead 0-2 to Cisneros, before the big lefty hit a hard tailing ball to McIntyre in left.  The freshman from Cal-State Bakersfield had a beat from the beginning however, making a full extension diving grab, holding onto the ball to conserve the Goldpanners lead.  The last batter Scott Arthur grounded to the shortstop, but in the process hit base runner James Ramsey ending the game.

 

For the Goldpanners, it was a must win game, after losing two of three in Anchorage.  Davis made his second straight strong start, going five innings, scattering three hits and allowing only the unearned run.  Offensively, it wasn’t pretty, but the home team ultimately did enough to get the win.

 

The Goldpanners will play four more games against Mat-Su before the end of the weekend.  The two teams will battle tomorrow at 7 p.m., before a doubleheader starting Friday at 6 p.m.  Saturday will be the final game of the five game set, starting at 2 p.m.

 

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Mat-Su Miners....... 100 000 000 -  1  7  3
Alaska Goldpanners.. 020 000 00X -  2  7  2
-------------------------------------------