Aubree Sims had five RBIs for the Mustangs in Saturday’s title game against Sitka. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Chugiak’s Aubree Sims picked the best time to have her best game of the season at the plate.
The infielder drove in five runs to complement the pitching of Abi Lanehart and lift the Mustangs to an 8-5 win over Sitka in the title game of the ASAA Division I state tournament in Fairbanks.
Sims went 3-for-3 with two doubles and Lanehart threw a 13-hit complete game but limited the damage, giving Chugiak another title to go with the one the ‘Stangs captured in 2023.
It was the third game of the day for Sitka, which beat Colony 12-0 to reach the final and then snapped Chugiak’s 16-game winning streak with a 15-13 triumph to force the if-necessary game.
In that winner-take-all game, Sims got Chugiak (19-2) on the board in the first inning with a two-run single and extended the lead to 4-1 in the third with a two-run double.
The first baseman hit an opposite-field double to right-center field for her fifth RBI in the sixth inning of the game. This was the first time in 21 games this season that Sims hit two doubles in the same game.
Center fielder and leadoff hitter Shelby Strange went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, and left fielder Samantha McCulloch knocked in a run.
Chugiak middle infielders Shelby Strange (right) and Isabel Sjostrand. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Lanehart is the team’s No. 2 pitcher behind ace Torri Jolin, but it was Lanehart in the circle for the if-necessary game. She pitched in relief at the end of the first game of the day between these two teams, and was called on to start the final.
Lanehart limited Sitka to one run in the first four innings and finished strong, retiring five the final seven batters.
Sitka slugger Sadie Saline belted a solo home run to center field in the sixth inning to pull the Wolves within 8-5.
Chugiak 202 013 0 – 8 13 2
Sitka 010 022 0 – 5 13 2
Chugiak – Lanehart and McCormick. Sitka – Lebahn and McCarty. 2B – Chugiak: Sims 2, Lanehart. 3B – None. HR – Chugiak: Strange. Sitka: Saline.
The Mustangs won the ASAA Division I softball state title. Photo by John Denney
Sitka 15, Chugiak 13
Ally Mayville and Sadie Saline each drove in four runs to highlight a 16-hit attack that powered the Wolves to a win that forced the if-necessary game on Saturday, handing Chugiak its first loss in the double-elimination tournament.
Sitka feasted on Mustangs pitching, getting home runs from four different players – Adoline Marx, Alina Lebahn, Mayville and Sadine.
Chugiak’s Brooklyn McCormick went yard for the third straight game at the South Davis Fields.
Isabel Sjostrand had a season six RBIs, including a two-out, three-run triple in the seventh inning to pull Chugiak within 15-13. This was her third game with six RBIs or more this season.
Sitka 006 124 2 – 15 16 3
Chugiak 310 303 3 – 13 10 1
Sitka – Lebahn and McCarty. Chugiak – Jolin, Lanehart (5) and McCormick. 2B – Sitka: McCarty. Chugiak: McCormick 2, Sjostrand, Strange. 3B – Chugiak: Sjostrand. HR – Sitka: Saline. Chugiak: McCormick.
Sitka 12, Colony 0
In a D1 elimination game, Taylor McCarty and Penelope Blankenship each batted in three runs and pitcher Alina Lebahn struck out six to go with four scoreless innings on Saturday.
Lebahn, McCarty and Adoline Marx each went 2-for-2 to help the Wolves jump out to a 12-0 lea after two innings.
Colony 000 0 – 0 2 1
Sitka 750 x – 12 10 0
Colony – Schmidt, Minnick (1) and Bell. Sitka – Lebahn and McCarty. 2B – Sitka: Marx, Mayville, Blankenship, McCarty. 3B – Sitka: Lebahn. HR – None.
Colony 21, South 11
In a D1 elimination game, Emma Minnick homered and finished with six RBIs and the Knights scored 12 runs in the top of the eighth inning to win this slugfest.
Morgan Gallagher and Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year Taylor Passard also went deep. Gallagher finished 3-for-7, while Passard reached base seven times with a bomb and six walks.
Catcher Meghan Schoon was 2-for-5 with four RBIs for the Knights.
South’s Adriana Jones hit two home runs and finished with three RBIs, while Jordyn Henlsey went 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.
Colony 202 202 1(12) – 21 18 7
South Anchorage 102 001 52 – 11 12 5
Colony – Morrissey and Schoon. South – Homerding, Stone (7) and Boin, Kleven. 2B – South: Boin 2. 3B – None. HR – Colony: Minnick, Gallagher, Passard. South: Jones 2, Hensley.
The Palmer Moose won the ASAA Division II softball state title. Photo by John Denney
Palmer 17, Delta 16
Hitting stars Lizzy McQuillin and Olivia Del Bianco carried the Moose to victory in the ASAA Division II state tournament title game on Saturday.
McQuillin and Del Bianco each had four hits, each hit triples and each hit doubles to lead a 12-hit attack.
McQuillin went 4-for-4 with a walk and flirted with hitting for the cycle, bagging two doubles, a triple and a home run as she collected six RBIs on the day.
Del Bianco was 4-for-5 and had two RBIs.
In the sixth inning, Jane Meals delivered a two-out, two-run single that proved to be the difference.
Delta furnished 19 hits and had four players with three apiece in Clara Creviston, Leah Arroyo, Anya Chernich and Keyshlanie Albarran Rojas.
Chernich hit a home run and joined Albarran Rojas with three RBIs apiece.
In the seventh inning, Delta pulled within a run after Gemma Geyer’s RBI single made it 17-16.
Delta 320 611 3 – 16 19 6
Palmer 046 124 x – 17 12 5
Delta – and Albarran Rojas. Palmer – and McQuillin. 2B – Delta: Geyer. Palmer: McQuillin 2, Del Bianco. 3B – McQullin, Del Bianco. HR – Delta: Chernich. Palmer: McQullin.
Photo by John Denney
