Miners end season in style

Adam Martin had a flight to catch after the season finale 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoon over the Anchorage Bucs. Martin would be heading to Wichita, Kansas to compete in the National Baseball Congress World Series for the Crestwood Panthers. Before he could head to Kansas however he had one final game to play with the Mat-Su Miners and he made it count. Martin (Fr./Western Carolina) went a perfect 3 for 3 in a shortened seven inning ball game at Hermon Brothers Field. Martin drove in 2 runs and also scored 2 runs with help from his two solo home runs. 

Martin connected for his first home run of the day and second of the season in the fourth inning off of Bucs starting pitcher Bradley Drust (So./Southern Illinois). The Miners catcher would connect again in the bottom of the sixth inning over the left center field wall. The second home run of the day for Martin would prove to be the difference.

The Bucs would score their only run in the fourth inning when Ryan Palermo (Jr./UC-Santa Barbara) scored on two fielding errors when the Miners kicked the ball around on a Davis Morgan (Jr./Tennessee) pop up on the infield. 

Both starting pitchers went the distance. Miners starter David Gibson (Jr./Bluefield) earned his fourth win of the year (4-1) allowing 1 unearned run on 3 hits, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Bucs starter Drust lost his seventh of the year (0-7).

The Miners finished the 2011 season on a six game winning streak, finishing with a 21-15 record in second place of the Alaska Baseball League, 3 games behind league champions the Peninsula Oilers. 

For more information about next season keep an eye on Matsuminers.org.