Chugiak’s Brooklyn McCormick belted a big home run Friday in Fairbanks to get her team back to the state title game. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Whoever parked their vehicle behind the left-field fence at the South Davis Fields in Fairbanks may have come back to a broken windshield.
Chugiak slugger Brooklyn McCormick sends her apologies.
The catcher launched an absolute rocket to left field, a no-doubt dinger that sailed high and over the fence to propel the Mustangs to an 8-7 victory over Sitka in the ASAA Division I state tournament.
McCormick’s three-run homer put Chugiak up 8-3 in the sixth inning, and it’s a good thing, too, because the Wolves clawed back within a run in the seventh and had a runner on third base before Torri Jolin induced a game-ending groundout to get the Mustangs back to the title game for the second straight year.
Prep Softball
ASAA/First National Bank Alaska
Division I State Tournament
At South Davis Fields, Fairbanks
Friday’s Scores
Winner’s Bracket
Sitka 10, South 9
Chugiak 13, Colony 4
Chugiak 8, Sitka 7
Loser’s Bracket
Wasilla 8, Juneau 4
Service 6, Bartlett 3
Colony 4, Wasilla 0
South 15, Service 14
Saturday’s Schedule
11:30am Colony vs. South
2:00pm Col/Sou winner vs. Sitka
4:30pm Title Game
Chugiak vs. TBD
By winning the winner’s bracket game, tournament unbeaten Chugiak (18-2) punched its ticket to Saturday’s title game in the double-elimination event.
Sitka dropped into the loser’s bracket and will have to win the 2 p.m. game to get another crack at Chugiak in the title game at 4:30 p.m. An if-necessary game would be immediately afterwards.
Chugiak right fielder Abi Lanehart went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Allison Craig and Isabel Sjostrand each hit doubles in the 10-hit attack.
Jolin, the team’s pitching ace, scattered 11 hits and struck out six batters. She threw 98 pitches.
Sitka’s Sadie Saline hit a solo home run to center field in the third inning to put the Wolves up 3-1.
In the seventh, Sitka got RBIs from Penelope Blankenship, Adoline Marx and Emery Carly to crawl back within a run.
Sitka 201 000 4 – 7 11 3
Chugiak 010 124 x – 8 10 4
Sitka – Lebahn, Barry (6) and McCarty. Chugiak – Jolin and McCormick. W – Jolin. L – Lebahn. 2B – Sitka: Phippen, Blankenship. Chugiak: Craig, Sjostrand. 3B – None. HR – Sitka: Saline. Chugiak: McCormick.
Chugiak 13, Colony 4
Torri Jolin was one of three Mustangs to go yard as well as throwing all seven innings and holding the Knights scoreless for the final four frames to win this winner’s bracket game early Friday.
Brooklyn McCormick and Samantha McCulloch also hit home runs. Jolin and McCulloch each finished with four RBIs, while McCormick and Abi Lanehart had two apiece.
Colony’s Malana Bellwent, Morgan Gallagher, Sibree Noll and Emma Minnick each went 2-for-3, and Bell knocked in a pair of runs.
Relief pitcher Betty Schmidt came on in the first inning and went the rest of the way, throwing 137 pitches.
Colony 004 000 0 – 4 10 0
Chugiak 600 205 – 13 8 1
Colony – Morrissey, Schmidt (1) and Schoon. Chugiak – Jolin and McCormick. W – Jolin. L – Morrissey. 2B – Colony: Bell, Noll. Chugiak: Sjostrand, Jolin. 3B – None. HR – Chugiak: McCormick, McCulloch, Jolin.
Sitka 10, South 9
Payton Bergman’s two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed the Wolves to walk it off over the defending state champions in a early Friday winner’s bracket game.
In a back-and-forth game that saw five lead changes, Sitka broke out the big sticks in the seventh to pull away.
Kensie Phippen led it off with a double, followed by Sadie Saline’s two-run homer. Then Adoline Marx doubled and Emery Carle singled. With one out, Bergman ripped a hard grounder to left field for the winning runs.
Sitka’s Alina Lebahn hit a home run and also pitched a complete game, striking out seven in seven innings.
South had taken a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh on Addalynn Bucks’ RBI single.
South 003 010 5 – 9 8 4
Sitka 022 110 4 – 10 11 5
South – Homerding and Boin. Sitka – Lebahn and McCarty. W – Lebahn. L – Homerding. 2B – South: Jones 2, Boin. Sitka: Marx, Lebahn, Phippen, Bergman. 3B – None. HR – Sitka: Lebahn, Saline.
