Mariners take down Glasgow, AA Glendive at Taft Tourney

By Trent Makela/Leader Staff

The Mission Valley Mariners stepped up into the AA bracket and came away with a 2-1 record last weekend at the inaugural Legion Jon Taft Memorial Tournament in Great Falls.

The Legion A Mariners (14-7) have played a schedule full of AA teams to start their season and mirrored previous successes by coming away with a 1-1 record against the higher competition.

Mission Valley needed all seven innings and a late run to pull away from fellow A team Glasgow 11-10 to start the tournament on Friday. A dominant pitching performance from Eric Locke helped the team romp AA Glendive 9-1, though, on Saturday morning. The hosting Great Falls Electrics finally ended the Mariners' tournament by pulling out a hard-fought 9-2 evening win.

"That was one of the best tournaments we've been to. We didn't play our best, but still found ways to win," Mariners head coach Jami Hanson said. "Now we need the weather to cooperate with us a little bit so we're not looking for grass maintenance equipment and snow plows."

Hanson and the Mission Valley team would also like to thank the Wallaces and Rathes for helping to provide team meals during the tournament.

The Mariners will open the Dillon tournament this Thursday with a 3 p.m. game against the Bitterroot Bucs. The team's Friday morning games will be at 9 a.m. against Livingston and at 11 a.m. against Salmon River. Saturday's 5:30 p.m. game against the Dillon Cubs will lead them into the tournament's bracket action on Sunday.

The team will also travel to Helena next Monday to face the Reps and host a 4 p.m. doubleheader with Libby on Wednesday.

Mission Valley 11, Glasgow 10

The Mariners jumped out 8-3 after two innings, but needed a run in the bottom of the seventh to pull away from Glasgow.

The Mission Valley offense posted 14 hits on the board, and were led by Tim Rausch's powerful 3-for-4 effort that included a triple and a home run.

John Rausch, Nick Fell and Locke finished with two hits apiece.

"Things are creeping in the right direction," Hanson said. "We changed a few things in the batting order to get some kids swinging a little bit better and it seemed to work."

Glasgow 301 303 1 — 10 13 4

Miss. Valley 080 020 1 — 11 14 4

Cade Flaten, Myles Kittleson (2), Shawn Hopstad (7) and Shawn Hopstad, Zach Remus (7). Kyle Bagnell, Derrick Rathe (5) and John Rausch. W — Rathe. L — Shawn Hopstad.

Glasgow — Cade Flaten 2-3, Shawn Hopstad 2-4, Calvin Kemmis 0-0, Danny Hagfelt 1-5, Joey Bergtoll 2-3, Dylan Hughes 3-4, Remus 1-3, Kyle Enebo 1-3, Kittleson 1-4, Jason Compton 0-3.

Miss. Valley — John Rausch 2-3, Eric Locke 2-4, Tim Rausch 3-4, Tyler Linse 1-4, Craig Bagnell 1-3, Nick Fell 2-4, Beau Nordberg 0-3, Brandon Roy 2-4, Kyle Brown 1-3.

2B -0- Bergtoll, Hughes, J. Rausch, Locke, Roy.

3B — T. Rausch, C. Bagnell, Fell.

HR — Hagfelt, T. Rausch.

RBI — Hagfelt 2, Bergtoll 4, Hughes 3, Enebo, J. Rausch 2, Locke 3, T. Rausch 2, C. Bagnell, Fell.

Mission Valley Mariners 9, Glendive 1

Locke tossed a four-hitter for the win and also finished 2-for-3 from at the plate with four RBIs to help his own cause against AA Glendive.

Locke's effort was aided by an error-free game from the Mariner defense that held Glendive scoreless until the sixth and final inning.

"We're playing a lot more AA squads this year and so far we're at about .500 against them," Hanson said. "We just haven't played our best ball yet, but it's not the end of the season so I can't expect them to."

Tim Rausch also finished with two hits and two RBIs of his own. Tyler Linse tacked on a pair of doubles with a perfect 2-for-2 effort.

Glendive 000 001 — 1 4 1

Miss. Valley 104 013 — 9 10 0

Lamphier, Walstad (3) and Beach. Eric Locke and Tim Rausch. WP—Locke. LP—Lamphier.

Glendive — Saemen 1-2, Cullinan 1-2, Beach 0-3, Lamphier 1-3 (RBI), Vetter 0-2, Radakovich 1-3, Almond 0-2, Walstad 0-2, James Hoaglund 0-2.

Miss. Valley — Kyle Brown 1-1, Eric Locke 2-3 (4 RBI), Tim Rausch 2-3 (2 RBI), Tyler Linse 2-2, Rockly Reynolds 1-2 (RBI), Derrick Rathe 1-2, Josh Reed 0-2 (RBI), Chris Alfiero 1-3, Kyle Bagnell 1-2.

2B—Locke, Linse 2, Reynolds.

3B—Alfiero.

HR—Locke, Rausch.

GF Electrics 9, Mission Valley 2

The Mariner offense had their first hiccup of the weekend, managing just three hits against pitcher Casey Johnson and the AA Electrics.

John Rausch picked up a double for his team's only mult-base hit of the game. Locke and Rathe both contributed a single apiece.

Four Mariner errors helped the Electrics score nine runs on their nine hits.

"I was real pleased with how things came out over the weekend and that game just didn't go our way," Hanson said. "Things are looking good heading into Dillon."

Electrics 121 400 1 — 9 9 1

Miss. Valley 002 000 0 — 2 3 4

Casey Johnson and Tyler Brinka. Brandon Roy, Spencer Trawick (7) and Rausch. WP—Johnson. LP—Roy.

Electrics — John Reilly 1-3 (RBI), Taylor Shanahan 0-4, Casey Johnson 0-3, Hunter Carlyon 2-2, Tucker Cook 1-4 (2 RBI), Greg Schroeder 0-0, Ethan Hortick 0-4, Tyler Brinka 2-4 (RBI), Joel Larance 2-3, Reid Tramelli 1-3 (RBI)..

Miss. Valley — Kyle Brown 0-3, Locke 1-2, Rausch 1-3, Linse 0-3, Reed 0-3, Nick Fell 0-2, Alfiero 0-3, Rathe 1-1, Austin Moran 0-2, Roy 0-0, Trawick 0-0.

2B—Carlyon 2, Rausch.