High School Sports

Sitka, South to square off for state baseball championship

The Sitka Wolves silenced Wasilla with strong pitching and the South Wolverines held off Lathrop with big bats Friday in semifinal action at the state high school baseball tournament.

The victories put the Wolves and Wolverines in Saturday's 3 p.m. championship game at Mulcahy Stadium — a rematch of the 2014 title game, which Sitka won 11-10.

Sitka is back in the championship game for the first time since then. South, the defending champion, is back in the title game for the fifth year in a row and will be shooting for its third championship in that span.

Sitka beat Wasilla 3-0 Friday behind a stellar performance by pitcher Vaughn Blankenship, who struck out 11 in a seven-inning two-hitter.

The Wolves scored all of their runs in the first inning.
Ky Stockel stroked an RBI single and Dayton Cooper and Morgan Simic each drove in runs with fielders choices to give Blankenship all the support he needed.

Blankenship gave up two singles – both by Hank Boyer – walked two. He allowed another baserunner in the seventh when his error put the leadoff batter on base, but he retired the next three batters, the last two on strikeouts.

South used 12 hits to subdue Lathrop 14-8 in the other semifinal. The Wolverines broke open a 2-2 game with a six-run third inning.

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Jonny Homza homered and tripled and Parker Johnson ripped three hits to lead the South assault. Each drove in three runs.

Colin King, who had a double and triple, helped keep Lathrop in the game with four RBIs.

The win went to South's Chase Subitch, who struck out nine in 4 1/3 innings of relief.

In earlier action at Mulcahy, 56 runs were scored in a pair of elimination games. Juneau stayed alive with a 20-16 win over Colony and Service survived with a 15-5 win over West Valley.

Juneau pounded out 17 hits, getting RBIs from 10 players, hits from nine and runs from eight.

Luke Malinger led the way with five RBIs, three runs and a pair of doubles. Bryce Swafford furnished three hits, three runs and three RBIs.

Colony led 8-6 after the first inning but surrendered the lead for good in the second inning when Juneau put up seven runs.

The Knights, who had 10 hits, got three RBIs apiece from Joe Ryan, Kolter Ketchum, Cooper Smith and Jeremy Allen.

In Service's 15-5 win over West Valley, the teams combined for 22 hits – 12 by Service, 10 by West Valley.

Cooper Bailey-Parsons belted two doubles and drove in five runs and Cobey Cupp drove in two runs and scored three times to lead the Cougars.

Service led 6-5 after three innings and took charge with an eight-run fourth inning.

Jacob Angaiak led West Valley with two hits, a run and an RBI.

ASAA/First National Bank baseball championships

Friday's semifinals
Sitka 3, Wasilla 0
South 14, Lathrop 8

Friday's consolation games
Service 15, West Valley 5
Juneau 20, Colony 16

Saturday's games
10 a.m. – Service vs. Juneau, fourth place
12:30 p.m. – Wasilla vs. Lathrop-, third place
3 p.m. – Sitka vs. South, championship

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