Bucs, Glacier Pilots both bring winning records into their first meeting of the season

Less than one week into the Alaska Baseball League season, the Anchorage Bucs are the early leaders with victories over three of their four opponents.

But can they beat their rivals? They’ll find out Tuesday when they meet the Anchorage Glacier Pilots for the first time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium.

This is the second week of action in the five-team league, which brings college players from across the country to Alaska for a quick two-month season.

The Bucs are 4-1 and boast the league leader for RBIs and home runs in Blake Paugh, an outfielder from the University of Arizona who has driven in six runs and smashed two homers.

Other team leaders for the Bucs include Justin Cook, an infielder from the University of Richmond with a .429 batting average and five RBIs in 14 at-bats; and Evan Taylor, a pitcher from the University of Arkansas with nine strikeouts in six innings.

The Pilots, who are 3-1 going into a Monday night game against the Mat-Su Miners, are led by University of Hawaii infielder Daylen Calicdan. Calicdan is hitting .400 in 15 at-bats and has stolen an ABL-best five bases.

The Miners boast the league’s top hitter in Drew Williamson, an Alabama infielder who is batting .467 in 15 at-bats. The Miners are the league’s three-time defending champs but are off to a 1-3 start going into Monday’s game.

Leading the ABL in strikeouts with 10 in seven innings is Zach Sundine, a lefthander from Metro State who is spending the summer with the Chugiak Chinooks.

ABL standings and leaders (through Sunday’s games)

Standings

Anchorage Bucs 4-1

Anchorage Glacier Pilots 3-1

Chugiak Chinooks 1-2

Peninsula Oilers 1-3

Mat-Su Miners 1-3

Leading hitters (at-bats in parenthesis)

Drew Williamson, Miners, .467 (15)

Drew Thorpe, Oilers, .462 (13)

Camden Vasquez, Oilers, .429 (13)

Justin Cook, Bucs, .429 (14)

Daylen Calicdan, Pilots, .400 (14)

RBIs

Blake Paugh, Bucs, 6

Justin Cook, Bucs, 5

Haden Keller, Chinooks, 4

Chad Castillo, Bucs, 4

Strikeouts

Zach Sundine, Chinooks, 10

Evan Taylor, Bucs, 9

Braxton Cottongame, Pilots, 8

Peyton Carson, Pilots, 7

Michael Cherwenka, Pilots, 7