Game 14: Miners vs. Glacier Pilots, 7:00 p.m.

Tonight, the Mat-Su Miners complete a five-game series against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. If the series has felt like it has gone forever, that's because it has. It began a week ago tonight, with the Summer Solstice Showdown. The Miners have won three-of-four so far in  the series, entering tonight's finale.

Last night the Miners erased a four-run deficit, to avoid their first losing streak in 2011. However, it wasn't pretty early. The Pilots were able to get to Miners starting pitcher Brendan Lobban (Jr./St. John's) by scoring three early runs. The Pilots struck first when Cael Brockmeyer belted his first home-run of the season, of the left centerfield fence. After falling behind 4-0, the Miners would battle back thanks to a three-run third inning. Casey Coyle (Fr./Oklahoma) opened the scoring in the inning, with an RBI-double to right. One batter later, Stephen Branca (Jr./Tennessee/Wesleyan) ripped a two-run single to pull the home team within a run.

The Pilots would add another run in the 5th, but failed to break the game open after having the bases loaded and no outs. The Miners would capitalize on that by evening the score in the fifth. Cam Kneeland (Jr./Mass.-Lowell) launched a 400-foot RBI-double to dead center, and Jaycob Brugman (Fr./BYU) hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the 5th.

In the 6th, Miners' reliever Matt Applegate (Jr./Kansas St.) came on in a first and third one out situation. He used just one pitch to induce an inning-ending double play. In the home half of the inning the Miners took the lead for good on a Stephen Branca sacrifice fly, and his third RBI of the night. Brandon Hedrick (Jr./Union College) would later escape a jam in the ninth, to record his first save as a Miner.

Tonight, the Miners hand the ball to right-hander Jeff Gonzales (Fr./Washington). Gonzales' first ten-innings with the Miners were outstanding. It was his eleventh inning that got him into trouble. Gonzales threw six scoreless innings on June 12th vs. Lake Erie, and followed it up with four scoreless to begin his start vs. the Pilots on June 18th. However, Gonzales didn't make it out of the fifth inning and would go on to take a no-decision in the Miners 11-9 victory. In 10 1/3 innings pitched, Gonzales has an earned run average of 2.61. Opponents are hitting just .162 against Gonzales.

Tonight's Game: Miners (6-2) vs. Pilots (1-8)
First-pitch: 7:00 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field. It's Geneva Woods Pharmacy Day at the ballpark.
Media: Matt Dudas and Michael Broskowski call the action, beginning at 6:50 p.m. with the Mat-Su Miners Pre-Game Show. The game can be heard locally on Q99.7 and worldwide on www.matsuminers.org.
Pre-Game Guest: Matt Dudas will talk to Miners RHP Matt Applegate.

-Matt Dudas