Juneau-Douglas, West Valley, Chugiak and South didn't exactly launch hit parades Thursday, but each club used strong pitching to rack shutouts on the opening day of the state high school baseball tournament at Mulcahy Stadium
Juneau advanced to Friday's semifinals with a 15-0 win over Lathrop in four and a half innings, West Valley moved on with a 4-0 victory over Ketchikan in the standard seven innings, South used a stellar start to earn a 1-0 pitcher's duel over Wasilla and the Mustangs took a 7-0 decision over Kodiak in the nightcap.
Juneau 15, Lathrop 0
Juneau-Douglas took advantage of severe control problems by Lathrop pitchers and parlayed five hits into an easy victory.
Juneau's Michael Cesar drove in three runs, Bryce Swofford went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs, and Jacob Dale scored three runs.
The Crimson Bears also benefited from 13 walks and three hit batters, and three Malemute errors. Four Lathrop pitchers required 138 pitches to get through four innings -- Juneau was the home team, so it did not bat in the bottom of the fifth because the game was stopped on the mercy rule.
Juneau starter Nathan Klein allowed two hits in four innings, struck out seven, didn't walk a batter and threw 35 of his 52 pitches for strikes. He also scored two runs.
West Valley 4, Ketchikan 0
West Valley's Tyler Christmann scattered seven hits over seven innings, struck out six and stranded eight runners to spark the Wolfpack victory.
West Valley managed two hits, but made the most of six walks a hit batter and a wild pitch.
Leading 1-0 courtesy of Blake Swarthout's RBI double in the second inning that plated Trenton Woods, who was hit by a pitch with two out, the Wolfpack plated three runs in the sixth inning. Connor Soden and Woods each drew bases-loaded walks and Trenton Chiu scored on a wild pitch.
Ketchikan threatened in the fifth inning when it loaded the bases with two outs. But Christmann induced Gatorade Player of the Year Nathan Bonck into an inning-ending groundout.
South 1, Wasilla 0
Tommy Koloski gave up three hits and struck out seven to lead Cook Inlet Conference No. 2 seed South to a 1-0 win over Northern Lights Conference champion Wasilla in the opening round of the state baseball playoffs on Thursday at Mulcahy Stadium.
Koloski didn't walk a batter and threw 62 strikes during his 83-pitch complete game.
The Wolverines' lone run came courtesy a Lian Lincoln RBI single in the fifth inning.
Wasilla starter Nolan Monaghan dueled Koloski the whole way, allowing five hits while striking out nine in seven innings of work.
South will face Juneau on Friday at 4 p.m. for the right to play in the state final. The Warriors will face Lathrop at 10 a.m. in the consolation bracket.
Chugiak 7, Kodiak 0
Chugiak advanced to the second round of the state baseball tournament with the fourth shutout of the day, a 7-0 win over Kodiak at Mulcahy Stadium.
Sam Hansen allowed two hits in seven innings to earn the complete-game shutout. He struck out four and walked four and also went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Chugiak broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth when the Mustangs scored a pair of runs on Zach Bohrer's groundout to first.
The floodgates opened in the sixth for the Mustangs, who plated five more runs in the top of the inning, getting two runs on wild pitches and three more on RBI doubles by Charlie Bucolo and Jake Kindred and an RBI single by Vander Lekites.
Chugiak will play West Valley at 7 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals, while Kodiak will face Ketchikan at 1 p.m. in the loser's bracket.
ASAA/First National Bank Alaska
State Baseball Championships, at Mulcahy Stadium
Thursday's opening round
Juneau-Douglas 15, Lathrop 0
West Valley 4, Ketchikan 0
South 1, Wasilla 0
Chugiak 7, Kodiak 0
Friday's games
Semifinals
Juneau vs. South, 4 p.m.
West Valley vs. Chugiak, 7 p.m.
Consolations
Lathrop vs. Wasilla, 10 a.m.
Ketchikan vs. Kodiak, 1 p.m.