The Soldotna baseball team used a six-run fourth inning to score a 15-5 Southcentral Conference win Thursday at home.
SoHi improved to 6-4-1 overall with the win, and 3-4 in the conference.
The Stars knocked out 13 base hits to Houston’s six, led by four players with two hits each; Jeremy Kupferschmid, Cody Quelland, David Michael and Caleb Spence. Quelland notched three RBIs as well.
SoHi plated five runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead, but Houston rallied with four in the top of the third.
The Stars eventually broke it open with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, sparked by a leadoff single by Kupferschmid. Michael smoked an RBI double, Spence added a run-scoring single, and three consecutive bases-loaded walks issued to Tanner Ussing, Trapper Thompson and Kupferschmid added to the tally, which reached 12-5 once everything was said and done. Ultimately, SoHi sent 12 to bat in the frame.
“We’ve been impressed with these young men all year,” said Soldotna head coach Robb Quelland. “That seems to be the storyline this year for us, we jump out to a big lead, and tonight we just challenged them as young athletes and experienced players, to either roll over and take the loss or show your dominance.”
SoHi also held up with three scoreless innings from the mound to finish the game. Kupferschmid got the start and gave up five runs in the first three frames, but settled down to pitch a scoreless top of the fourth, and Hunter Thompson finished it off with two scoreless innings of relief.
Kupferschmid struck out three and was tagged with five hits and three walks, while Thompson gave up one hit and walk with a strikeout.
“‘Kup’ came in after not being on the mound for a week, and he showed his rust,” Quelland said. “But he trusted his defense and they performed behind him. (Houston) put the ball in play almost every at-bat.”
The Stars host Grace Christian today at 6 p.m. and finish the regular season Saturday with a 1 p.m. nonconference meeting with Wasilla.
Homer 7, Colony 6
The host Mariners moved to 5-2 in the Southcentral Conference and 6-4 overall by holding off Colony on Thursday.
Homer went up 6-1 in the game, but the Knights came back to tie it in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Spencer Warren was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Landon Bunting had a sacrifice bunt and Warren took third on a wild pitch. Douglas Dean won the game with a base hit.
Mose Hayes picked up the victory on the mound, going the distance and giving up four earned runs on nine hits while whiffing seven, walking two and hitting three.
On offense, Seth Adkins was 2 for 3 while Joe Ravin, Adam Brinster, Warren, Dean and Hayes all had hits.
Coach Rich Sonnen said it’s always big to pull out a victory against the Valley teams. He said he team faces another big test today when Wasilla comes to town for a 6:30 p.m. game.
