Opening day

POLSON – Opening day for the Mission Valley Mariners resembled the mountains of Montana – it had its share of peaks and valleys. However, the Mariners did manage a split against a quality opponent in Belgrade Sunday, and acquired much needed intelligence about their new and young Mission Valley baseball team.

You learn more from a loss than you do a win, and the Mariners 12-7 loss to Belgrade in game one of Sunday’s double-header was a feeler game. As defending regional champions, manager Jami Hanson knows each game in the regular season is important, but so is knowing your personality, and learning what players can fill what shoes and who can step in at which situation.  

“Our first game, we wanted to get certain pitchers some innings and time on the bump,” said Hanson. “I want to see what we have. It was kind of a feeler game. Feel out our positions and go from there.” 

Game two the Mariners found their stride. The M’s evened the Sunday series with Belgrade with an 8-4 win. After surrendering two runs in the first three innings, M’s starter Jeremiah Crawford settled down and got the win.

The Mariners offense was the high-point Sunday and erupted for 15 runs between the two games. Defensively – especially in the first game – the Mariners were a little rusty. They committed seven errors total in the two games – five in game one. After a long off season, you can expect to take a game or two to break in the mitts, but Hanson was encouraged by what he saw at the plate.

“I’m very pleased at where we’re at,” said Hanson. “We got some good hacks in. We swung the bats very well and executed the little things at the plate.”

Execution was key for the Mariners Sunday, as they routinely were disciplined at the plate, worked deep in counts and moved runners over.

Even during the middle of the lineup, Hanson’s Mariners were dropping down bunts and putting runners in scoring position. Hanson and the Mariners plan on using the small ball approach to the game all season. This strategy could benefit the M’s early in the season. With spring winds gusting and swirling and not always blowing to left-center field, not relying on the long ball and getting runners in the old fashioned way should be more effective. 

At the plate, Alex Killian was flexing his muscles for the M’s. The Mission Valley slugger went 4-for-6 in the double-header, including a home run, two doubles and five RBI. 

Up next for the Mariners, they travel north to face Kalispell’s AA squad, then make their way to Dillon where they will play the Cubs.