Ten-year-old Alyssa Kretsinger is a child torn apart by an Alaska Baseball League rivalry simmering in Anchorage since 1981.
But Kretsinger's diamond dilemma started 10 years later, when fate brought her parents together at Mulcahy Stadium.
Tim, her father, cheers for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.
Gale, her mother, and Marian Shaw, her grandma, root for the Anchorage Bucs.
"Poor kid," said Tim, who brought his family to Wednesday evening's ABL opener between the Bucs and Pilots at Mulcahy. "She's going to need therapy when she's older."
They sat together in the bright, warm sunshine on the Bucs side enjoying the boys of summer from orange box seats along the third baseline.
On each side of Alyssa sat her parents. Mom wore her Bucs T-shirt. Dad -- a die-hard Boston fan -- sported his Red Sox T-shirt. He mysteriously forgot his Pilots T-shirt.
"I only sit on this side because of the sun," Tim said.
Grandma, however, wore Alyssa's Pilots hat. Alyssa felt ashamed to sit on the Bucs side and cheer for the Pilots.
Good for her -- that's just bad Mulcahy karma.
"She's cheering for the winner," grandma said.
She reminded Alyssa that the girl was just a glint in Tim's and Gale's eyes 16 years ago when her parents sat in the same area (Bleachers were in the spot where the orange box seats are today).
The Bucs and Pilots played on Summer Solstice -- June 21, 1991 -- when Gale attended her first ABL game with a girlfriend.
"I decided to cheer for the Bucs because I thought they were cuter," she said.
Tim has always been a Pilots fan. He was a bat boy for the team when he was 12 and 13 years old.
He was at the game celebrating the end of a softball tournament. He sat in the row in front of Gale.
In the bottom of the 12th inning, a Pilots player cracked a walk-off home run to win the game. Then Mulcahy fate took charge.
Tim rose to his feet and cheered. But Gale smacked him in the back, telling him to sit down and shut up.
"I smacked him because he was on this side cheering for the other team," she said.
The following day, the Bucs and Pilots played again. This time, Gale showed up with her mother, Marian.
"I was hoping (Tim) would come," Gale said.
He did, but he wasn't prepared for the unseasonable weather. It was such a cold afternoon, Gale said her mother invited Tim to sit next to them and share the blanket.
They sat in peace this time and wound up falling in love.
Three years later, they married thanks to baseball and the Pilots slugger who belted one over the fence.
Thirteen years later, Tim still reminds his wife about that game-winning clout.
Listening to her parent bicker back and fourth about which team is the best Thursday night, Alyssa tried to set the record straight.
"Are you still cheering for the Pilots?" she asked her dad in the 4th inning when the Bucs tied the score 2-2.
"Daddy won't change his team," her mom said. "Mama won't change her team."
Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.
Bucs 6, Pilots 4
Shan Sullivan drove in four RBIs to help the Anchorage Bucs beat the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on a warm Wednesday evening at Mulcahy Stadium in the first meeting this season between these Alaska Baseball League rivals.
Bucs starter Cheng-Chang Lee earned his second win of the season. He pitched six innings, giving up three runs and striking out three batters.
The Pilots, however, ran all over the right-handed fireballer who throws in the 90s. They stole six bases on Lee.
Todd Sebek went 3 for 5 with a double and two RBIs, while Bernard Williams, Avery Barnes and Aaron Barrows each had two hits.
The Bucs play the American Legion All-Stars today in an exhibition game at Mulcahy Stadium at 4, while the Pilots host Athletes in Action at 7.
Oilers 5, Three Rivers 1
Robert Lundy drove in two runs with a sixth-inning double to cement the Peninsula Oilers' victory over Three Rivers (Ore.) Wednesday at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark.
Jeremiah Mejai had three hits for the Oilers.
Three Oilers pitchers combined for a dozen strikeouts. Andre Lamontagne pitched four innings for the win. The Oilers' pitching staff recorded its second-straight shutout.
The defending ABL champion Oilers host the Bucs on Friday in the first game of a four-game homestand.
Fire 5, Miners 1
Third baseman Joel Staples had three RBI, including two on a first-inning single, as AIA picked up its first league victory of the season at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.
Left fielder Paul Keller also had two hits for the Fire. Starting pitcher Justin Wood picked up the victory, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings.
Ryan Hanlon had two of the Miners five hits.
Oceanside 6, Goldpanners 4
Second baseman Brett Plank drove in two runs with an 11th-inning single as the Oceanside Waves (Calif.) wrestled a win from the Fairbanks Goldpanners.
Down 4-1, the Panners scored three runs in the sixth to tie the score and send the game into extra innings.
Shortstop Brett Wyatt and right field Nick Ciolli split six hits for the Panners.
Plank wound up with three RBI.
