Early start propels Nooks past Bucs
Tim Barto-Chinooks
Game 21 Summary
Chinooks Display Power in Win Over Bucs
Tuesday night's game against the first-place Bucs at Mulcahy Stadium went the opposite way that league standings indicated it would. The Bucs entered the game with a league-best record of 16 wins and 6 losses, while the fifth place Chinooks were at 7 and 13. But it was the Chinooks who dominated the game.
In the top of the first inning, the first two Chinooks batters went down in order. That brought up first baseman Jordan Jaffe who wound up on second base with a double. Jayden Hill walked, and RJ Rickabaugh singled home Jaffe. David Broughton doubled on the first pitch he saw, scoring Hill and Rickabaugh. Jacob Hayes then walked, bringing Orion "Kailua" Medeiros to the plate who jumped on the first pitch he saw, sailing it over the left field wall for a three-run home run and a six run inning for the Fish. Brady Groves and Oliver Degenhardt both walked, meaning eight straight Chinooks reached base in the first inning.
Lefthander Nolan Livsey took the mound for Chugiak-Eagle River, and went six and two-thirds inning, giving up three runs and only four hits while earning the win. He was relieved by Peyton Niemann and Adyn Collins, with the latter going one and two-thirds to close it out.
The first inning, however, wasn't the end of the offensive performance for the Chinooks as they collected seven extra base hits on the evening. Jaffe went on to hit a triple and a home run, coming just a single shy of the cycle. Jayden Hill hit a triple and a single, and Medeiros added a ninth inning double to his first inning home run. That's three doubles, two triples, and two home runs for a team that was looking for the bats to come together in unison, especially with runners on base. In addition to their ten hits, the Fish drew nine bases on balls with Jacob Hayes collecting three of them himself.
Final score: Chinooks 10, Bucs 4.
The Chinooks are now 8 and 13 on the season. Their next game is Thursday evening at 6:00 against the Peninsula Oilers in Kenai, the first of a five-game road trip to Kenai.
