Alexander Leads North Pole Past El Rio in Semipro World Series

Gary Alexander and Matt Haar combined on a three-hitter to lead the North Pole Nicks to a 2-1 victory over El Rio, Calif., Wednesday night in the National Baseball Congress World Series.

The Nicks (35-19), regular-season champions of the Alaska League, play tonight at 8 (PDT) against New Orleans. The Louisiana team defeated Wayne County, N.C., 11-2, Wednesday.

The North Pole team includes eight players, two coaches and a manager from the Valley area.

Alexander worked the first 7 innings against El Rio but left after surrendering a run in the eighth. Haar pitched 1 innings of relief without giving up a hit to earn the victory.

Pepperdine University seniors Andy Stankiewicz and Paul Faries produced the Nicks’ first run in the third inning. Stankiewicz was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, stole second base and went to third on a throwing error. He scored on Faries’ sacrifice fly.

El Rio tied the score in the top of the eighth, only to lose the game in the home half of the inning when its third error led to North Pole’s second unearned run.

Alan Stankiewicz of Cal State Fullerton led off with a single, one of three North Pole hits, and was sacrificed to second by former Hart High catcher Todd Zeile. One out later, Andy Stankiewicz reached on an infield single. His brother, Alan, then scored on a throwing error by third baseman Chris Daniels.

The NBC World Series is a double-elimination tournament among the nation’s top semipro baseball teams.