After closing out their 2024 home schedule, the Alaska Goldpanners will finish the summer in Salt Lake City, Utah for the Marshall Gates World Series from Tuesday, July 30 to Saturday, Aug. 3.
This will be the Goldpanners’ first visit to the Lower 48 this season after their only other road trips this season were to Anchorage and Grand Forks, British Columbia.
The ‘Panners play the MGF Mauvsters on Tuesday, July 30 at 5:30 p.m. AKDT, the Gameday Angels on Wednesday, July 31 at 6 p.m. AKDT and the MGF Royals on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 10:30 a.m.
Bracket play begins on Friday, Aug. 2 for all 12 teams in the event after each plays one game per day over the first three days. The top four teams (based on record, with head-to-head results and run differential used as the primary tiebreakers) receive byes to the quarterfinals.
A slew of Marshall Gates Foundation (MGF) teams populate their home tournament: MGF Royals, MGF Mauvsters, MGF Red Hots, MGF Black Knights, MGF Blue Crew and MGF Anchors. One other familiar foe will be present at the event: the Sawtooth Sockeyes, who visited Fairbanks in mid July and won three of five games against the ‘Panners.
With a strong showing in Salt Lake City, the Goldpanners (currently 23-11-2) could come close to the 30-win barrier that they surpassed en route to a 33-9 record last year.
They had an optimal start to the Grand Forks Tournament a month ago, winning their first three games before losing immediately in bracket play, and general manager John Lohrke lamented the lost opportunity while acknowledging the general success of the season.
“For the most part, we played well,” Lohrke said by phone. “I’m frustrated that we didn’t win that tournament in Canada because I thought we were the best team there, and won our first three pretty easily. And then when we got into the elimination games, we just didn’t play real well that one game and we were out of there.”
This week’s tournament provides a chance for a more savory end to the season and a sufficient send-off for the Goldpanners’ 2024 cast before they head back to college.
“I just want to have fun,” acting field manager Carlos Gonzales said minutes after the final home game. “I mean, this is a long summer for these guys and then they start their falls in a week or two weeks, so it’s going to be a quick turnaround.
“I just want them to finish and have fun. These experiences, they’re never going to have them again. So I want them to have fun and maybe win a couple games too.”
Contact Gavin Struve at gstruve@newsminer.com or 907-459-7544
