Today’s baseball bats have morphed into aluminum or composite bats

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In the first inning, Lewis, then catching, threw out a steal attempt at second base, being covered by K. Ludeman, to stop a rally.

Hunter Carte started and threw four innings, allowing just three hits and two runs, one earned run, walked one batter and struck out three. Belcourt relieved (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB), M. Nelson relieved (1 IP, 2 BB) and Lewis closed (1 IP, 1 BB).

Katasse and Nelson led Juneau bats with two RBI apiece, Mendoza, Ludeman, Brown, and Lewis one each. Ludeman and Cadigan-McAdoo led with two hits apiece, Mendoza, Brown, Lewis, Katasse, Harralsto,n and Nelson one each.

Juneau opened tournament play on Friday, falling to South Anchorage Legion AA 13-5 and Madisonville Post 6 Rangers 19U team from Kentucky 9-2.

Juneau’s Mendoza started on the mound against South and went one inning (2 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 4 BB). Cadigan-McAdoo relieved (2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB), Brown relieved (1 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB) and Harralston pitched one out. Carte, Ludeman, and Lewis led with one RBI each. Ludeman and Lewis led with two hits apiece. Carte, Ludeman, Lewis, Harralston, and Christian Nelson scored one run each.

Against Kentucky’s roster Juneau started Cayman Huff (3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO), C. Nelson relieved (1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) and Carte closed (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB). Madden Mendoza and Marcus Mendoza led Juneau with one RBI apiece. Cadigan-McAdoo led with three hits, Carte, Madden, Mendoza, Ludeman, and Lewis two each, and M. Nelson one. Carte and Madden Mendoza scored the lone runs.

On Sunday, Juneau fell to South Anchorage Legion AA 11-4.

C. Nelson started on the mound (2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO), Katasse relieved (2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO) and Lewis relieved (1 IP, 1 H, 2 R). Ludeman and Katasse led with one RBI apiece. Belcourt country email list had three hits, Carte two, Madden, Mendoza, Ludeman, and Marcus Mendoza one each. Katasse scored two runs, N. Nelson and Carte one apiece.

“We definitely would have loved to win the tournament, however, it is still fairly early in the season,” Juneau manager Ludeman said. “So the focus of the tournament was working with the players and enjoying Kenai. Enjoy the parts of Alaska that the majority of the team have never been to…dirt outfield, grass infield, some of the adjustments that need to be made and it was a wood bat tournament.”

“A lot of guys, outside of the cage, haven’t been out there swinging a wood bat in live games,” Ludeman said. “And overall they did well, real well…there is a bigger sweet spot and more pop coming off aluminum composite bats then what you are going to get out of a wood bat…your approach in the box is similar. There’s not a big difference, it is just more or less. You are typically taking distance away going to a wood bat more often because of that sweet spot. Aluminum or composite are more forgiving.”

Juneau manager Ludeman and coach Tompkins noted they were impressed by their team.

“Just the willingness of the guys to step up to the challenge,” Ludeman said. “And get up on the mound and maximize their opportunities. That was a huge component to what we wanted. Coming out of this tournament we are looking at another two to three pitchers that could be effective throughout the remaining parts of the season in some key forms.”