Goldpanners sweep
The Fairbanks Goldpanners wrapped up an ABL title Friday by sweeping a doubleheader with the Mat-Su Miners at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks.
The Goldpanners won 9-8 in the first game and took the second game 6-2 to take a two-game lead over the Anchorage Bucs in the standings with one game to play.
Goldpanners second baseman David Edwards was a key cog in both wins. In the first game, he went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs. He notched two more hits in the second win, adding a run and an RBI.
Chinooks 8, Bucs 5
The last-place Chugiak Chinooks played the role of spoiler Friday, knocking off the Anchorage Bucs 8-5 at Loretta French Field and dashing any hopes the Bucs had of winning an ABL title.
The Bucs were just a half game behind the first-place Fairbanks Goldpanners at the start of the day, but the loss helped the Goldpanners seal first place with sweep of the Mat-Su Miners.
The Chinooks broke a 4-4 tie with a three-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning. Griffin Gum was instrumental in the inning, driving in a run and stealing home to score another.
Oilers 3, Pilots 2 (11 innings)
The Peninsula Oilers chipped away at an Anchorage Glacier Pilots lead Friday and prevailed 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the 11th inning at Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
The Pilots led 2-0 through three innings, but the Oilers scored runs in the fifth and sixth to knot the score at 2-2.
ABL LEAGUE
STANDINGS
Team W L Pct GB
Goldpanners 22 12 .647 -
Anchorage Bucs 20 14 .588 2
Mat-Su Miners 19 15 .559 3
Peninsula Oilers 18 16 .529 4
Glacier Pilots 16 18 .471 6
Chugiak Chinooks 7 27 .206 15
Friday's results
Goldpanners 9, Miners 8
Goldpanners 6, Miners 2
Oilers 3, Pilots 2 (11 innings)
Chinooks 8, Bucs 5
Saturday's schedule
Miners at Goldpanners, 5 p.m., Growden Park
Pilots at Oilers, 6 p.m., Seymour Park
Bucs at Chinooks, 6 p.m., French Field
Anchorage Daily News