MV Rockies: REACHING FULL SPEED

STEVENSVILLE – The runs keep coming for the Mission Valley Rockies and the source so far for their offense has been impressive baserunning. The Rockies won one game last weekend and continue to show progress in the field and at the plate.

STEVENSVILLE – The runs keep coming for the Mission Valley Rockies and the source so far for their offense has been impressive baserunning. The Rockies won one game last weekend and continue to show progress in the field and at the plate.

“Our baserunning has been tremendously better since the beginning of the season,” manager Alan Anderson said. “I like the aggressive base running and getting pressure on the opposing pitchers. I’m proud of the kids for that. They have speed and they’ve been reading what’s going out there very well. They’re playing smart.”

On Saturday, the Rockies hosted two games against the Great Falls Hawks and despite plenty of scoring by Mission Valley the Hawks took the doubleheader. In the first game, a five-run fourth inning proved to be the difference for Great Falls in a 10-9 victory.

The Rockies took the 6-4 lead through three innings, before the Hawks made their five-run rally in the fourth. Mission Valley made a comeback of their own, scoring a run in the fifth and two runs in the sixth to tie the game up.

However, Great Falls scored a run in the seventh for the win. James Ruleson provided the heavy lifting for the Rockies, going 2-for-4 with a triple, a double and four RBIs. Ryan Turner went 3-for-3 with a double.

Jeremiah Crawford, Damian Mathis and Branson Krebes also drove in runs for Mission Valley. In the second game, Great Falls jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first two innings en route to a 10-6 victory.

Mission Valley challenged the Hawks with two runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to make it 8-6 but Great Falls plated two scores in the top of the seventh for the victory.

Eric Milner was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Ryan Anderson, Davin Sorrell and Chris Geiber also drove in runs for the Rockies. Mission Valley had 10 different runners from walks or hit by pitches as well.

“Making it on base is important,” Anderson said. “While everyone wants to hit the home run, making it to base is just as important.”

Davin Sorrell also wowed the crowd with his impressive play at the catcher position. Sorrell threw out a base runner and kept the ball in front of him while catching.

“We have a lot of kids that can catch but Davin definitely solidifies the position,” Anderson said. “He’s a veteran and he knows what to do. Warren Wood catches and is really solid, so is Jeremiah Crawford and Chris Geiber. Davin also have been sort of a leader and has got the will to win.”

Mission Valley then traveled to Stevensville on Sunday for two games. They began things with a 9-6 loss to Florence, then defeated Darby 16-4.

In the first game, Florence jumped out to a 6-1 lead through three innings, before Mission Valley got the comeback going. They scored five runs in the final four innings but couldn’t quite make up the difference in the loss.

“That’s where we made our comeback but we just didn’t get our bats going when we needed them,” Anderson said.

Milner and Geiber both had multiple hits and a double for the Rockies. Ruleson also notched a double and drove in a run. Krebes, Sorrell and Anderson drove in runs for Mission Valley.

In the second game, the Rockies got their bats going after the first three innings and scorched Darby 16-4.

“Someone flipped the switch and we got things going,” Anderson said. “It was the base running that really helped us.”

Mission Valley scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and five in the fifth. Nick Grogan, Krebes, Milner, Sorrell and Warren Wood had multiple hits for the Rockies. Krebes and Sorrell both drove in three runs for Mission Valley. Wood drove in two runs.

“Ten of our runs were scored from kids on base because of walks or being hit by the pitch,” Anderson said. “We also took advantage of some poor throws by the catcher to move the runners around.”

Sorrell pitched the entire game, giving up just six hits while striking out six.

“The defense backed him up well,” Anderson said. “We also used just three pitchers on Sunday which is a nice thing. It helps save everyone’s arms.”

Mission Valley will host the Missoula Pioneers this weekend in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. in St. Ignatius.

“The last two times we’ve played them, we’ve been right there,” Anderson said. “The kids are looking forward to that game, big time.”

G.F. 10, MV R 9

G - 121 - 500 - 1 - 10

M - 033 - 012 - 0 - 9

G.F. - 10 hits, 4 errors. MV - 11 hits, 1 error

Rockies batting - Nick Grogan 1-3, Davin Sorrell 0-3, Eric Milner 3-5, Jeremiah Crawford 0-3, Chris Geiber 0-1, Ryan Anderson 0-4, Ryan Turner 3-3, James Ruleson 2-4, Damian Mathis 1-1, Bransen Krebes 1-2, Warren Wood 0-2, Eneas Inmee 0-1. 3B - Milner, Ruleson. 2B - Grogan, Turner, Ruleson. RBI - Crawford, Ruleson 4, Mathis, Krebes.

R Pitching - Crawford (1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run), Geiber 2 2/3 IP, 4 hits, 7 runs), Milner 3 1/3 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs)

G.F. 10, MV R 6

G - 321 - 110 - 2 - 10

M - 200 - 022 - 0 - 6

G.F. - 11 hits MV - 7 hits

Rockies batting - Nick Grogan 0-1, Bransen Krebes 0-2, Eric Milner 2-3, Jeremiah Crawford 0-1, James Ruleson 0-1, Ryan Anderson 1-2, Eneas Inmee 1-3, Warren Wood 0-4, Keith Woodward 0-1, Ryan Turner 1-2, Bransen Krebes 0-1, Davin Sorrell 1-1, Damian Mathis 0-2, Chris Geiber 1-2. 2B - Milner. RBI - Milner, Anderson, Sorrell, Geiber.

R Pitching - Ruleson (4 IP, 7 hits, 3K), Sorrell (3 IP, 3 runs, 5 hits, 1K)

FLORENCE 9, MV R 6

M - 010 - 211 - 1 - 6

F - 402 - 102 - x - 9

MV - 10 hits Florence - 12 hits

Rockies batting - Nick Grogan 0-4, Keith Woodward 0-3, Eric Milner 2-4, Jeremiah Crawford 0-3, Chris Geiber 2-2, Branson Krebes 1-2, Davin Sorrell 1-4, Ryan Anderson 1-3, Warren Wood 0-1, James Ruleson 2-2, Ryan Turner 1-1, Damian Mathis 0-1. 2B - Milner, Geiber, Ruleson. RBI - Krebes, Sorrell, Anderson, Ruleson.

R Pitching - Turner (3IP, 6 runs, 10 hits, 1K), Crawford

(3IP, 3 runs 2 hits, 6K)

MV R 16, DARBY 4

M - 000 - (11)5 - 16

D - 012 - 01 - 4

MV - 12 hits Darby - 6 hits

Rockies batting - Nick Grogan 2-4, Branson Krebes 3-4, Eric Milner 2-2, Jeremiah Crawford 0-1, James Ruleson 0-1, Davin Sorrell 2-4, Warren Wood 2-4, Ryan Turner 0-2, Damian Mathis 0-1, Chris Geiber 1-2. 2B - Grogan, Milner. RBI - Grogan, Krebes 3, Milner, Sorrell 3, Wood 2, Geiber.

R Pitching - Sorrell (5IP, 6 hits, 6K, 4 runs)