Small ball and a big helping of Finn Collins delivered Juneau’s American Legion state title

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Juneau’s Zebadiah Storie kisses the first place state tournament trophy in celebration of winning the 65th Annual American Legion Baseball Alaska State Championship game against Service Saturday, July 29, 2017, at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage. Juneau defeated Service 3-1. Storie was named MVP of the state tournament. (Rugile Kaladyte / Alaska Dispatch News)

Juneau Post 25's first American Legion Baseball state title since 1984 required two tense victories Saturday that stemmed from a batting-cage bunting session that evolved into an in-game clinic, a rallying motto of the moment — "We've come too far to (only) come this far" — and a seldom-used pitcher who won both games.

Juneau beat Service Post 28, 3-1, to seize the championship Saturday evening at Mulcahy Stadium after advancing to the big game with a comeback 6-5 afternoon victory over South Post 4 in 11 innings.

When shortstop Zebadiah Storie gloved a tournament-ending line drive, the Midnight Suns flung their baseball caps and glove skyward, and mobbed one another on the artificial-turf infield. A program that had not reached the state title game in more than three decades was suddenly champion of the 65th annual edition, and bound for the American Legion Northwest Regional in Missoula, Montana.

"It's crazy," said center fielder-turned-ace Finn Collins. "It really helps our community, and helps our program keep going, and gives little guys something to look up to."

That Juneau persevered to earn two close wins Saturday seemed fitting in an eight-team, 15-game tournament that included nine games decided by two runs or less — the Midnight Suns played in five of those — and four games that stretched to extra innings.

Collins' fingerprints were all over both of Juneau's wins Saturday. He's a center fielder, and by his estimation, and that of Juneau head coach Joe Tompkins, he pitched two or three times this summer before Saturday. But the state tournament is a five-day ordeal in which Juneau played six games, and with a couple of pitchers injured, Collins was called upon Saturday.

He pitched the final two scoreless innings of the victory over South and came on in relief in the second inning against Service to throw 6 2/3 innings of the championship win before pitch-count rules halted his domination. Combined, the 6-foot-2, 187-pound right-hander threw 8 2/3 scoreless innings Saturday, permitted three hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out seven. Unofficially, he threw 79 of his 122 pitches — 65 percent — for strikes.

"He did an amazing job," Tompkins said. "He's all heart."

Collins was no slouch at the plate, either. He went 4 for 5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases against South, and his fifth-inning sacrifice bunt against Service helped generate the go-ahead run for a 2-1 lead.

Juneau and Service were tied 1-1 in the top of the second inning when Collins relieved Storie, with runners on first and second bases and one out. Storie started against South too, and went 5 1/3 innings in that win. In any event, Collins induced a fly-out and then shut down Service's potential rally with a strikeout. Service only put one runner in scoring position against Collins in the next six innings — that advancement came courtesy of an error — and only three times did Collins go into a three-ball count.

"All I did was just focus on pounding the strike zone because sometimes we struggle to do that, and walks just kill you," Collins said.

Juneau gained an insurance run in the eighth inning when Service starter Jaren Childs, who went a strong seven-plus innings, walked the first two batters. Kasey Watts' bunt single loaded the bases and, with one out, Owen Mendoza's sacrifice bunt plated Storie for a 3-1 lead. With Collins ineligible to continue on the mound because of pitch-count restrictions, left-hander Watt earned the save with the help of his team's second double play of the game.

Service, which advances to play in the Northwest Cart Tournament in Eugene, Oregon, turned four double plays against Juneau, with third baseman Christopher Malagodi the principal architect on three of them.

Juneau came to bat in the bottom of the eighth inning against South trailing 5-1. Collins started the inning with a single and two stolen bases. Then Juneau tormented South about 18 feet at a time.

Storie, Donavin McCurley and Watts placed consecutive perfect bunts down the third-base line, and South twice failed to cover second base, which Juneau runners exploited. Two South throwing errors compounded its miseries, and its 5-1 lead developed into a 5-5 tie.

Juneau won with one out in the bottom of the 11th on South's bases-loaded, walk-off fielding error.

Tompkins said Service, South and Dimond, three strong Anchorage-area teams, usually play such consistent fundamental baseball that he had his players practice extra bunting before Saturday's games.

"We had nothing to lose," Tompkins said. "Go big or go home. No risk, no reward."

Reminded that three consecutive bunts constitutes "small ball," Tompkins laughed.

"Well, go small or go home," he amended.

The Midnight Suns, of course, have another journey ahead before they're home for good — they're Montana-bound.

Tournament notes

Juneau's Storie was named Most Valuable Player after hitting .478, leading the tournament with 11 hits, scoring seven runs and pitching seven-plus innings Saturday.

South's Terran Sugita was named Top Pitcher, with a 1.74 earned-run average in 10-plus innings, which included a no-hitter for 8 2/3 innings in a game. He struck out eight.

Service's Cooper Bailey-Parsons was named the Big Stick winner for hitting .455 with 10 hits.

And West center fielder Shawn Jones, who handled 10 chances without an error and displayed strong throwing, was named winner of the Gold Glove.

The original version of this story incorrectly reported Juneau's state championship was its first.