Start. Close. Hit. Play first base.
They're all options for Mitch Bialosky of the Anchorage Bucs.
But this summer, at least, the Alaska Baseball League is a respite for his identity crisis on the diamond.
For now, Bialosky's job is to close, and he's the best in the league so far with four saves and a win Wednesday night in the first game of the Bucs' annual doubleheader with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.
Bialosky not only pitched a perfect seventh in the shortened game, but minimized damage in the sixth inning as the Bucs downed their rivals 5-3 before about 6,000 fans at Anchorage's signature summer baseball event.
In Wednesday's late game, Michael Alldredge threw eight shutout innings and Cody Neer cranked a three-run home run to go with five RBIs as the Pilots captured the nightcap.
In the opener, watching Bialosky navigate a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth, you would never know he barely pitched, let alone closed, in college last season.
He had more games in the field (51) than innings pitched (30) at the University of San Francisco.
"I want to do both (hit and pitch) until somebody tells me not to," Bialosky said. "I will wait until somebody else -- who's paying me -- makes the decision."
Bialosky inherited Wednesday's sticky situation from reliever Dustin Birosak, who was putting Steve Siers' solid first five innings in jeopardy.
With the Bucs up 3-1, Bialosky induced Ben Soignier to hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice, got Steve Daniels to hit a sacrifice fly and retired the side on a pickoff at first base.
"He doesn't let anything bother him," Bucs manager Mike Garcia said. "He slows the game down and goes pitch by pitch, and that's what you have to do as a closer -- you can't rush yourself."
How Bialosky became the Bucs closer is what Garcia calls a "whack-job" story. Last fall, Garcia recruited the 6-4, 215-pound senior to start in the ABL.
During the college season, San Francisco's first baseman got hurt and was out for several months. The team inserted Bialosky at first and he promptly led the team in RBIs while becoming one of their better hitters.
"I am watching their Web site weekend series by weekend series, and I'm like, 'What the hell's going on here?' " Garcia said. "I recruit a pitcher, and the guy's hitting cleanup and leading the club in hitting."
A quick call to Bialosky's coach provided Garcia with an explanation he now understands -- Bialosky's professional future rests on the mound.
"He really takes care of his body," Garcia said while Bialosky ran the warning track to keep warm between games. "He endorses his role as a closer. He's highly mature. He's got all the elements to be a consistent closer on a nightly basis."
Garcia planned on using Bialosky in the second game Wednesday despite his two earlier innings that night and one more Tuesday. Garcia calls Bialosky the most well-conditioned pitcher he's coached in the ABL, and he feels comfortable using him every night if he has to. Or use him in the field like he did during the non-league schedule when he collected four RBIs and two doubles in seven games.
"Now, I can concentrate on what I do to get guys out," Bialosky said. "I don't have to fool around at the plate."
His college coaches want him to become a starter next season, so a summer as a closer is good preparation. His 0.71 ERA, 3-0 record and seven strikeouts with one earned run in his first 12 2/3 innings make the case too.
"I don't know where my future's at," Bialosky said. "There are so many good guys on this team, I am happy to be pitching."
While the Glacier Pilots climbed back into the game late, the Bucs put it away with power.
Buck Afenir launched a rainbow double into the right- centerfield gap to score Tom Mendonca, and Shan Sullivan followed with a another RBI double.
Earlier, Kyle Morgan smacked his second home run.
"It's really the team that has allowed my success to come out," Bialosky said. "They are putting up runs and playing great defense behind me. That's the only reason I am having any success."
Miners 9, Oilers 2
The Mat-Su Miners extended the woes of the Peninsula Oilers with a 9-2 drubbing Wednesday night at Hermon Brothers Field that extended the losing streak of the defending ABL champions to nine straight, eight on the road.
The Miners are headed in the opposite direction. Their seventh-straight win pushed Mat-Su's record to 10-2 in league play, with a 2 1/2-game lead over the second-place AIA Fire.
After winning their first 11 games of the season, the Oilers' reversal has seen them plummet from first to last place in the league standings.
Tyler Fleming gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings and was the losing pitcher for the Oilers, who meet the Pilots at Mulcahy Stadium tonight.
Miners centerfielder Carl Uhl hit a grand slam in the second inning, part of his five-RBI day. Also, Michael Ewing collected two RBIs.
AIA 8, Goldpanners 1
Designated hitter Kevin Winn drove in three runs with three hits, including a two-run double in the fourth inning, as the AIA Fire crushed the Fairbanks Goldpanners to keep a grip on second place in the ABL.
Starting AIA pitcher Ryan Millard (1-2) allowed just three hits over seven innings as the Fire grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first inning that proved to be more than enough. Jonathan Kountis (2-1) gave up eight runs in 3 1/3 innings for the Goldpanners and took the loss.
Second baseman Joseph Lake had three hits and scored three runs for the Fire.
Find Brian Singler online at adn.com/contact/bsingler or call 257-4335.
