Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty offers up a pitch to a Lathrop batter Friday at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty offers up a pitch to a Lathrop batter Friday at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Lathrop edges SoHi at state baseball

The Soldotna Stars had a shot at picking up their first state tournament victory in program history, but that milestone will have to wait another year.

A day after dropping an early lead and losing the opening game of the weekend, SoHi lost 11-9 to Lathrop in a back-and-forth consolation bracket semifinal Friday morning, ending their season on the spot.

Malamutes freshman Chase Reed earned the win by pitching three innings with just one earned run in relief on the mound, giving Lathrop one more game to play Saturday. Senior James Kardash also came in for 1 2-3 innings of hitless relief for Lathrop, giving up one run on zero hits.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Senior outfielder Mason Prior led SoHi on Friday, going 2 for 2 with a run. Cody Quelland, Joey Becher, Brandon Crowder, Kolten Wilson and Jeremy Kupferschmid also had a hit each, with Becher recording a double.

“It was a heck of a season,” said Soldotna coach Robb Quelland. “This game here showed us the things we need to work on to get better and help get us back here.”

Matthew Daugherty started on the mound and went four innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and three walks, but struck out five.

Calvin Hills came on for two innings of relief and struck out three while giving up three hits and zero walks. Hills, a senior, said as disappointing as the Stars’ two-and-out performance was at the tournament, he was pleased to see the younger players work well together with the older, more experienced seniors, which helped the Stars make it to state.

“It was good seeing this young group of guys make it this far,” Hills said. “We all actually collaborate real well together, we’re like one big family.”

Hills was first up to bat in the top of the seventh inning, the final opportunity for Soldotna to make up a two-run deficit. Hills grounded out for the first out, while Cody Quelland was issued a walk and Kupferschmid blasted a full-count single to center field to give SoHi hope.

“Just get on base, however I could do it,” Hills said about his final at-bat.

Unfortunately, Becher and Crowder both popped up to first and third base, respectively, to end the game.

SoHi took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Kolten Wilson reached first base on a Lathrop throwing error, which plated Crowder from second base.

Lathrop responded with a two-RBI single by Mason Wilken to take a 2-1 lead, but it didn’t last long.

Becher sent a bases-loaded double through the legs of shortstop Colin King to score Hills and Quelland and put the Stars back into the lead 3-2. David Michaels then scored on a passed ball, Becher scored on a bases-loaded walk issued to Wilson, and Crowder scored on a fielder’s choice to push the lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the frame, Lathrop came right back with an RBI triple from Kardash and a sac fly from Evan Wilken to close it back up to 6-4.

The Stars fired back with a fielder’s choice run from Mason Prior and a Quelland RBI single to make it 8-5.

However, the firepower began ebbing for SoHi, while the Malamutes continued to roll. In the bottom of the fifth, Lathrop scored twice to close the lead up to 8-7, then went ahead for the final time on a Mason Wilken blast down the right field line that plate two runs and left Wilken at third. Wilken ultimately reached home on a wild pitch to give Lathrop a 10-8 lead.

“I threw harder than usual,” Hills said about his late-innings pitching.

Becher scored in the sixth inning on a throw back to home plate to missed, but that would be all SoHi could muster in the end.

“We’ll miss it, and we’ll certainly miss the seniors,” Quelland said upon reflection. “This (state) trip was huge for the growth of the program. You can’t learn much by watching, so it was big for us.”

Soldotna sophomore Caleb Spence (4) isn't able to reach first base before the throw Friday against Lathrop at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Soldotna sophomore Caleb Spence (4) isn’t able to reach first base before the throw Friday against Lathrop at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Soldotna senior Joey Becher watches intently while teammate Brandon Crowder swings at a pitch, Friday at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Soldotna senior Joey Becher watches intently while teammate Brandon Crowder swings at a pitch, Friday at the state baseball tournament at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

More in Sports

Drew Nelson of the Anchorage Wolverines holds the puck in front of Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Luke Hause and goale Owen Zenone on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Friday: Wolverines shut out Brown Bears

The Anchorage Wolverines defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears 4-0 Friday in… Continue reading

tease
Cannava, Boonstra score points for Team Alaska at Junior Nationals

Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra and Soldotna senior Ariana Cannava scored points for… Continue reading

Seward's Van Shank protects the ball from Wrangell's Kyan Stead (20), Daniel Harrison and Lucas Schneider (15) during the Seahawks' 57-30 win over the Wolves in opening day action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Thursday 2A state: Seward girls, boys advance to semis

The Seward girls and boys basketball teams won Thursday to advance to… Continue reading

Cook Inlet Academy's Ian McGarry (3) scores against Davis-Ramoth on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A State Basketball Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Thursday 1A state: CIA boys advance to semifinals

The Cook Inlet Academy boys advanced to the semifinals while the CIA… Continue reading

Cook Inlet Academy junior Clara Warren drives against Fort Yukon sophomore Karli Thomas during their opening game at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Wednesday Class 1A state: CIA boys win, CIA girls lose in 1st round

The Cook Inlet Academy boys won, while the CIA girls lost, Wednesday… Continue reading

tease
Area skiers compete Wednesday in freestyle sprints at Junior Nationals

Soldotna senior Ariana Cannava, Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra and Kenai Central junior… Continue reading

Bicyclists race around a corner during the 2025 Homer Epic fundraiser for the Homer Cycling Club. (Photo courtesy of Jake Schlapfer)
Homer Cycling Club hosts ‘Homer Epic’ fundraiser race

The ski category was canceled due to “unfavorable conditions”

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Owen Hanson and Anchorage Wolverines defenseman Trent Powell battle for the puck Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Pair of Kenai Peninsula hockey players complete NCAA Division I seasons

A pair of hockey players from the Kenai Peninsula have completed seasons… Continue reading

Most Read