Service is 7-2 against Eagle River since May of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The Service Cougars will be staying on the road to face off against the Eagle River Wolves at 3:30 p.m. The pair have allowed few runs on average, (Service: 2.2, Eagle River: 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Service is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They put the hurt on Sitka with a sharp 15-1 win. Service might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won 11 matches by six runs or more this season.
Connor Monahan made a splash while hitting and pitching. He tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Monahan has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. Monahan was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rilen Niclai, who went 4-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Sebastian Fournier, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Eagle River faced South Anchorage in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. Eagle River came out on top against South Anchorage by a score of 6-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Eagle River.
Like Service, Eagle River also got a great game from a two-way player: Ryan Mullen. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). Mullen was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Mullen wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Gunner Mountcastle, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Dallin Roberts was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Service's victory bumped their record up to 21-0-1. As for Eagle River, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 16-7 record this season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Service has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Eagle River struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Service came out on top in a nail-biter against Eagle River in their previous meeting last Friday, sneaking past 5-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Service since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
