The need was the same as it was two days before — turn a double play.
The Juneau-Douglas High School baseball team couldn’t do it in the fourth inning Thursday against South Anchorage when the Wolverines scored five runs.
They could however on Saturday at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Baseball Championships fourth place game against Service.
In the sixth inning against the Cougars — which began to resemble the fourth inning on Thursday after three runs scored — freshman Luis Mojica made the biggest play of his high school career. Mojica came in to pitch for Kona Ogoy in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Mojica walked his first batter to score a run but helped turn a double play on the next. Service’s Raleigh Pigg hit a ball right back to Mojica on the mound, who threw to catcher Michael Cesar at home before Cesar threw to first to get Pigg out. JDHS would escape the inning with the score tied at 6-6.
“That was the play of the game,” JDHS coach Chad Bentz said. “We needed to execute it and we did.”
JDHS would hold the Cougars in the seventh inning before Quin Gist scored Luke Mallinger to win the game 7-6 in the bottom of the inning.
“It was extremely huge experience for Luis getting that chance and suceeding in a state tournament. That was fantastic and it gave us some momentum,” Bentz said.
Jacob Dale pitched four innings for the Crimson Bears but exited the game with shoulder soreness. Dale allowed just three runs by Service.
“It was an expected change but you have to adjust … it allowed pitchers to get some experience at the state level and they did a good job,” Bentz said.
Bryce Swofford and Luke Mallinger both hit RBIs in the fourth inning to give JDHS a 6-3 lead.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
