Corey Gagnebin
Corey Gagnebin is tired of people calling Bartlett’s success at the Legion state tournament a fairytale.
“This ain’t a Cinderella story,” he said. “We’re here to make a statement.”
Bartlett Post 29 put the state on notice after the sixth-seeded Bears clawed their way back for a 5-2 win over third-seeded South Post 4 in the Alaska Legion State Tournament at Mulcahy Stadium.
This was the first time Bartlett defeated South in the postseason and the first time since 2007 that Bartlett has won two games at the state tournament, with this victory coming two days after the Bears upset No. 2 Chugiak 7-3 in 10 innings.
The back-to-back wins by the Bears isn’t a surprise to anybody wearing a blue and gold uniform.
“Everybody thinks we’re the underdogs, but we go into every single game knowing that we have the best team,” Gagnebin said. “This is the new Bartlett.”
BARTLETT LEGION ON THE RISE
WIN TOTALS SINCE 2017
2022 – 15
2021 – 9
2020 – 6
2019 – 2
2018 – 4
2017 – 1
Gagnebin sealed the deal with a two-inning save in relief of starter Nick Brandal. Both pitchers combined to hold South off the scoreboard for the final six innings.
Gagnebin’s RBI double in the first inning gave the Bears a 1-0 lead before South battled back for a pair of runs in the bottom half.
The Bears took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning after scoring three runs on RBIs by Brandal and Connor Sessoms, who later scored to make it 4-2.
Bartlett’s breakout inning came without the benefit of a base hit and was keyed by little things like Ezekiel Zimmerman’s at-bat.
The Class of 2027 slugger – the youngest starter in the tournament who will be an eighth grader this fall – drew a seven-pitch walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count and later came around to score the tying run.
Bartlett’s Ezekiel Zimmerman. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon, Alaska Legion/Special to the Alaska Sports Report
Brandal struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and wiggled out of a two-on, no-out jam in the fifth before giving way to Gagnebin.
Gagnebin retired six of seven batters he faced, racking up three strikeouts and ending the game on a fly ball to left field.
On Thursday, Gagnebin pitched four shutout innings in Bartlett’s extra-inning victory over Chugiak.
In two appearances at state, the right-hander is 1-0 with a save an 0.00 ERA in six innings.
“I feel amazing. Every pitch I was locked in. I felt like I couldn’t walk anybody. I came out with aggressiveness, not being nervous. I wasn’t pressured. I just came out there and did my job,” Gagnebin said. “I didn’t go out there and try to throw it hard like I normally do. I just threw the ball in the zone and trusted my defense. I always trust my boys. They always got my back.”
Brandal allowed a two-run single to South’s Kaden Bevegni in the first inning before settling down and tossing four scoreless frames.
Bartlett’s Nick Brandal. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon, Alaska Legion/Special to the Alaska Sports Report
Brandal had three strikeouts – all coming in the fourth inning when he fanned the side after his team took the lead.
Bartlett’s defense was sharp, playing error-free baseball and getting five putouts from right fielder Sessoms, including all three in the third inning.
“We told Nick, ‘Go out there and throw strikes and trust your defense behind you because we got your back all the way through the whole game,’” Gagnebin said.
The loss snapped South’s seven-game winning streak.
Bartlett (15-15, 2-0 Pool)
Nick Brandal 5IP 2R 3K RBI
Corey Gagnebin 2IP SV 3K 1-4 2B RBI
Connor Sessoms RBI R
Luke Helgeson 1-2 2R
Blake Bacho 4SB
South (24-8, 2-1 Pool)
Kaden Bevegni 1-4 2RBI
Maddux Soland 2-3
Gavin Partch 1-3 R
Garrett Gross 3.1IP 1R
Kenai 6, Chugiak 4
Kenai Post 20 scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to stun Chugiak Post 33 by a 6-4 score.Jacob Belger, Andrew Pieh and Simon Grenier each had RBIs in the remarkable rally that keeps alive their state title hopes.
Kenai trailed 4-2 going into the seventh inning.
Atticus Gibson led off the seventh with a single and went to third on Hunter Williams’ single. Belger’s sac fly pulled the Twins within 4-3.
Gabe Smith walked and Pieh doubled in the tying run.
Kenai scored the go-ahead run on an error before Grenier’s fielder’s choice provided a little cushion.
Gibson tied the tournament record with a 3-pitch seventh inning, getting a flyout and two groundouts in the span of about 30 seconds.
The loss spoiled a strong pitching performance by Cam Costanios, who struck out six batters of 5.1 innings and left with a 4-2 lead.
Kenai (16-14, 1-1 Pool)
Scored 4 runs in 7th
Andrew Pieh 2-4 2B RBI
Atticus Gibson 7IP 4K 102 3R
Charlie Chamberlain 1-2 RBI
Jacob Belger RBI
Simon Grenier RBI
Charlie Chamberlain 1-2 RBI
Chugiak (16-15, 0-3 Pool)
Cam Costanios 5.1IP 2R 6K
Jayden Steckel 3-3 RBI
Hunter Rau 1-2 R
Andrew Gruszynski 1-3 R
Service 9, Dimond 1
Jake Rafferty allowed one run over 6.1 innings and Service Post 28 banged out five extra-base hits in a 9-1 win over Dimond Post 21.
Sean Giffen and Coen Niclai each doubled and tripled, and were in the middle of a four-run fifth inning explosion that allowed the Cougars to break away.
Giffen finished 3-for-4 and ignited Service’s offense in the fifth. Service had been 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position before Giffen’s RBI’s double, Rafferty’s RBI single and Niclai’s RBI triple in consecutive at-bats.
Niclai (2-for-3) doubled and scored on Owen Hickman’s groundball to tie the game in the fourth inning. Hickman later scored on a passed ball to give Service the lead for good.
Niclai threw out a running trying to steal second with a runner on third, helping Rafferty escape a jam in the first inning.
Rafferty retired 14 of 16 at one point, getting most of his outs on pop ups and flyballs.
Service’s Jake Rafferty. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon, Alaska Legion/Special to the Alaska Sports Report
Dimond’s Garrett Lick ripped an RBI double in the second inning to give the Lynx an early 1-0 lead.
Dimond’s Chase Mathews struck out seven batters over 4.1 innings, including back-to-back Ks looking to end the first inning with a runner on third.
He also ended the third with a strikeout and carried a shutout into the fourth inning.
Service (20-10, 1-1 Pool)
Jake Rafferty 6.1IP 6K 1-3 2RBI
Sean Giffen 3-4 2B 3B 2RBI 2R
Coen Niclai 2-3 2B 3B RBI 3R SB
Owen Hickman 1-3 3RBI SB
Dimond (18-13, 1-2 Pool)
Garrett Lick 1-2 2B RBI
Chase Mathews 4.1IP 7K
Shane Stephan 2-4 SB
Eagle River 8, Palmer 2
The Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back, getting a pair of RBIs from Noah Lower, Karson Kolberg and Connor Johnson to beat Palmer Post 15 8-2.
Liam Lierman went 3-for-4 two runs scored and an RBI on a beautifully executed squeeze bunt that scored Charlie Wallace from third to make it 6-1.
Johnson knocked in two runs to give him a tournament-leading eight RBIs in three games.
Jack Molloy started on the mound and went three innings.
But his play of the game came on defense when he snagged a comebacker with the bases loaded to rob Dylan Garrettson of a hit with the bases loaded and keep the game at 3-1.
Eagle River relievers Alex Mullen and Killian Johannes each threw two innings.
Palmer loaded the bases in the second, third and sixth innings but came away with just two runs and left 11 runners on base.
Garrettson’s run-scoring single pulled Palmer within 3-1 in the second inning, but the Pioneers could draw no closer.
Eagle River (26-10, 3-0 Pool)
Liam Lierman 3-4 RBI 2R
Noah Lower 1-3 2RBI
Karson Kolberg 1-2 2RBI
Connor Johnson 1-1 2RBI
Josh Thompson 1-1 2R
Palmer (15-13, 0-2 Pool)
Nate Wilson 2-4 2B R
Landon Guggenmos RBI 2SB
Landon Kitzman 1-2 R
Dylan Garrettson 1-3 RBI
Bryant Marks 1-3 2SB
Alaska Legion State Tournament
At Mulcahy Stadium
Sunday’s Games
2:00pm – Kenai vs. Bartlett
5:15pm – Palmer vs. Service
OFF DAY Eagle River, Chugiak, South, Dimond
Monday’s Games
2:15pm – Semifinals
5:30pm – Semifinals
Tuesday’s Game
@ Mulcahy Stadium
5:30 pm – Title Game
Watch every pitch at www.alaskalegion.com