West Anchorage hasn't had much luck against Eagle River recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Eagles will head out on the road to square off against the Wolves at 3:30 p.m.
West Anchorage saw some tournament action on Wednesday. They fell just short of Wasilla by a score of 3-2. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
West Anchorage saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jack Hazlewood, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Eagle River came out on top against Palmer on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run first inning. The Wolves put the hurt on the Moose with a sharp 12-2 win. The Wolves haven't had any issues with the Moose recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Inoa Wakinekona made a splash while hitting and pitching. He tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Wakinekona was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Liam Lierman, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in doubles (two). Another player making a difference was Jack Mullen, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
Eagle River always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .581. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Palmer only posted an OBP of .200.
Eagle River's record is now 2-0-1. As for West Anchorage, they now have a losing record of 1-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. West Anchorage has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Eagle River struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
West Anchorage might still be hurting after the 9-0 loss they got from Eagle River in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Eagles avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
