The Panners’ biggest blow was struck by Don Merchant, who homered in the ninth to drive in two runs. Merchant’s home run ball sailed more than 350 feet over the deep left field fence, and Pioneer fielders did not even bother to chase it.
BY TIM WEEKS
News-Miner Sports Editor
The Pan Alaska Gold Panners retained the National Baseball Congress state championship Saturday (7/28/62) by defeating the Ft. Richardson Pioneers 14-5 in the first complete game of the teams’ four-game series.
The game ended a sporadic week of waiting out the weather and additional frustration when umpires stopped three games because of darkness.
The teams were barely able to complete Saturday’s game although they began it an hour earlier than the others. The game Saturday got going at 5:30 but did not end until after 9.
First blood was drawn in the first inning by the Panners when Gene Hammel walked and was driven home with a triple by Bob Maxwell. The Pioneers struck back with two runs in each of the first two innings to take the lead 4-1
The the Panners began a methodical comeback, scoring three runs in the third, one in the fourth, one in the sixth, four in the seventh and four more in the ninth.
Panner pitcher Bob Jackson gave up only three hits during the last seven innings, and the Pioneers capitalized on only one of them, in the seventh inning for one run.
The Panners’ biggest blow was struck by Don Merchant, who homered in the ninth to drive in two runs. Merchant’s home run ball sailed more than 350 feet over the deep left field fence, and Pioneer fielders did not even bother to chase it.
Winning pitcher Jackson allowed seven hits, struck out seven Pioneers and walked four.
The loser was Vern Lockridge, who relieved Darrell Woofter in the third.
Here is the score by innings:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Panners | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
| Pioneers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
July 30, 1962 – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
