Story provided by Van Williams (American Legion)

Buoyed by big bats, the Alaska Baseball Academy Junior Sockeyes outscored opponents 43-6 and hit .400 as a team en route to posting a 4-0 record and winning the Futures Division of the Arizona Southwest Wood Bat Classic Meltdown tournament.

The team comprised of young Alaska Legion players pounded out 10 hits and got RBIs from six players in a 15-4 victory in four innings over the Southwest Baseball Knights in the championship game.

“Several players stood out and received some inquiries from a few major-league scouts,” ABA manager Tony Wylie said. “Playing in sweltering heat all weekend the high temperatures didn’t make it easy for the Alaskans, with the mercury reaching 110 degrees on championship Sunday.”

Dylan Maltby went 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs. Noah Lower finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. Kaden Bevegni was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a pair of runs.

Oliver Brown pitched three innings and allowed just one hit. He also walked and scored a run. Camden Costanios threw the final inning and reached base three times, scoring twice.

Logan Smith added two RBIS and Carl Colavecchio drove in a run and scored two more.

The Junior Sockeyes won the other games by scores of 8-1, 8-1 and 12-0.

In the semifinals, Bevegni pitched four strong innings with six strikeouts and no walks in a mercy-rule win.

“Other teams were making jokes and asking how we find baseballs in the snow,” Wylie said. “They weren’t laughing at the final handshake.”