Mariners' streak snapped after 22 straight
By Trent Makela / Leader Staff
A streak may have ended last weekend, but the expectations are still growing.
The Mission Valley Mariners ended their American Legion win streak after 22 straight baseball games and three straight tournament titles, falling 3-2 to the Calgary Longhorns at the John R. Harp Tournament in Kalispell last Friday.
The Mariners (45-9) continued to win their next three games and revived comparisons to last year's state championship squad. They followed their loss by using five hits to score four runs in the second inning to rally past Spokane's Ferris High School 6-3.
The Mariners hosted Mount Spokane in a home doubleheader on Tuesday. Results were not available by press time.
Mission Valley heads into the final week of their regular season with a road doubleheader in Libby at 5 p.m. this Friday. They will also host the Bitterrot Bucs in a home doubleheader at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Their district tournament will follow in Florence on July 24-27.
Mission Valley 9, Great Falls Black Sox 1
Josh Reed surrendered just five hits over seven innings as the Mariners rode an early big lead to third place.
Reed worked with a comfortable lead for most of the game after the Mission Valley offense knocked out a 6-0 lead after two innings.
Beau Nordberg led the way with a perfect 2-for-2 effort that included a double and a pair of RBIs. Kyle Bagnell knocked in a run of his own with a clutch single.
Each team allowed just one error in a solid defensive matchup.
Great Falls 001 000 0 — 1 5 1
Miss. Valley 240 300 X — 9 9 1
Josh Reed and Tim Rausch, Derrick Rathe (4).
Miss. Valley — John Rausch 1-2, Brandon Roy 0-0, Eric Locke 0-3, Tim Rausch 1-1, Derek Rathe 0-2, Tyler Linse 1-3, Chris Alfierro 0-1, Beau Nordberg 2-2, Spencer Trawick 0-1, Nick Fell 0-2, Austin Moran 0-0, Craig Bagnell 1-4, Kyle Bagnell 1-3, Kyle Brown 2-4.
2B — Nordberg. RBIs — Nordberg 2, K. Bagnell 1.
Mission Valley 12, Kalispell 2
The Mariners easily downed the hosts to advance to the third/fourth placing game. No details were available.
Mission Valley 6, Ferris 3
Kyle Bagnell held an explosive Ferris offense to just three runs over seven innings, racking up 14 strikeouts and improving to 7-2 on the season. He did allow seven hits, but was aided by a solid defensive effort from his teammates.
John Rausch, Eric Locke and Brandon Roy had two hits apiece to lead the offense. Locke added a double and an RBI to his effort.
Tim Rausch also chipped in a single and a pair of RBIs.
Ferris 201 000 0 — 3 7 2
Miss. Valley 240 000 X — 6 10 2
Kyle Bagnell and Tim Rausch.
MISS. VALLEY — John Rausch 2-4, Eric Locke 2-2, K. Bagnell 0-2, T. Rausch 1-3, Tyler Linse 0-2, Beau Nordberg 1-3, Nick Fell 0-2, Craig Bagnell 1-3, Brandon Roy 2-3, Kyle Brown 1-3.
2B — Locke, T. Rausch. RBIs — T. Rausch 2, Locke, Linse, Nordberg.
Calgary 3, Mission Valley 2
Starter John Rausch surrendered just four hits over seven innings, but the Mariners started their tournament by ending their winning streak and heading to the loser's bracket.
John did go 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Mariners' offense, but the team was unable to capitalize on four Calgary errors. The Longhorns also racked up 13 strikeouts from their pitchers in the game.
Derrick Rathe had the only other hit of the game for Mission Valley, clearing a single.
Miss. Valley 000 001 1 — 2 3 2
Calgary 102 000 X — 3 4 4
J. Rausch and T. Rausch. L — J. Rausch.
MISS. VALLEY (43-9) — J. Rausch 2-3, K. Bagnell 0-3, Locke 0-0, T. Rausch 0-3, Derrick Rathe 1-3, Nordberg 0-3, Fell 0-3, C. Bagnell 0-3, Josh Reed 0-2, Linse 0-0, Brown 0-2.
2B — J. Rausch.