Reds survive Mission, take title

ST. IGNATIUS — In Babe Ruth final tourney play, the Ronan Reds flawlessly batted their way to the championship game against the Mission Rockies. But the Rockies came out with a big effort on their home turf in St. Ignatius, and took a 7-6 win to force a challenge game on Monday. This time around, the Reds bested the Rockies 10-0 to become the undisputed champs of the Mission Valley Babe Ruth League. The team finished with a record of 17-1.

In the final game, Reds pitcher Austin Durglo pitched a 1-hitter, shutting out the Rockies hitters whose bats had been so hot the day before.

The Rockies held in for a while, down only three going into the fourth. Then the Reds blasted off six runs to more or less finish the Rockies off.

Chris Clary and Robbie Gauthier each had two RBIs in the game and Clary, Durglo and Marcus Hungerford all hit doubles for the Reds.

Ronan head coach Bob Gauthier said the first game to force the challenge was a tough one. It more closely resembled a championship game than the final.

“We felt like Mission played an awful good game last night. It was a great game to watch,” he said, after winning the championship. “It was great to come back and win the tournament. The kids were real determined tonight. They were pretty focused.”

In the first game, the Rockies rallied behind pitcher Dillon Delaney for six innings and closed with Kolten Andrews at the mound in the final inning.

It was a defensive battle early and Mission managed to get out on top 2-1 through three innings. But the Reds struck back when it was their turn to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

A lead-off triple by Ronan’s Clary paved the way for RBIs from Dalton Molzhon, Durglo and Austin Reynolds. The streak put the Reds back on top, 4-2.

The Rockies owned the fifth inning. Dillon doubled for the team from Mission, scoring two to tie things up. Down two outs, Tyler Delaney smacked one out to the Red’s shortstop and headed up the basepath. In a contested call by the umpire, Tyler was called safe at first. Meanwhile, Dillon had scored to put the Rockies up 5-4.

In the top of the sixth, Andrews’ double helped the Rockies add two more runs to the lead.

Down 7-4, the Reds had some work to do. With runners on first and third, Durglo popped up a fly ball. With the tag up, Clary scored from third and it was a two-point ball game.

The Reds didn’t score again that inning, but made their way through the top of the seventh unrattled with a few strikeouts from closing pitcher Robbie.

Robbie was the near hero for the Reds again in the bottom of the last inning, when he dropped a ball in between fielders in near right field with two outs for a double and a run. Dilan Starkel crossed home plate on the play for the Reds after hitting a single. But Andrews finished things up from the mound for the Rockies and left the Reds a run shy of tying things up.

It was an effort good enough for second place and the satisfaction of dealing the Reds their only loss of the season.

The league has seven teams: Arlee, Mission-Charlo, Plains, two teams from Polson and two from Ronan.

Now it is time for All Stars. Play begins this weekend at a tourney in Glacier. Ronan will host the district tournament later in the summer before state in Havre.