Mariners sweep competition for Harp Tournament trophy
The 2021 John R. Harp Tournament champion Mission Valley A Mariners. Pictured left to right, back row: coach Drew DuMont, Daniel Kelsch, Darian Williams, Dylan Davis, Bryson Fisher, Ethan McCauley and head coach Brad Fisher. Front row: Espn Fisher, Alex Muzquiz, Xavier Fisher, Eric Dolence and Dawson DuMont. (Courtesy of LeeAnna Muzquiz)
Mariners pitcher Alex Muzquiz got the win against the Kootenai Valley Rangers on Friday. (Courtesy of LeeAnna Muzquiz)
Timely hitting and sharp defense carried the Mission Valley A Mariners to the top of the field at the John R. Harp Memorial Tournament last weekend in Kalispell.
Mission Valley (31-12) advanced to the championship with a 3-2 win over the Tri-County Cardinals before taking out the Dodgers of North Spokane 8-0 in the title game.
The Mariners relied on late-inning rallies to claim a pair of pool-play victories. They scored five runs to break a 1-all tie against the Rangers on their way to a 6-2 win, then scored all their runs in the bottom of the fifth during their 8-0 win over Tri-County.
During seeded competition, Mission Valley drew a rematch with the Conrad-based Northern District Cardinals. Trailing 0-2 late, the Mariners cut the lead in half to close within one during the bottom of the fifth, then vaulted into the lead with a two-run sixth. Espn Fisher came on in relief of Dylan Davis the final two innings, fanning two batters to secure the victory that would send them to the championship.
Two Spokane-based teams duked it out during the other semifinal action, with the Dodgers of North Spokane prevailing 13-11 over the Shadle Park Shockers.
The Mariners took control of their own destiny early during the title tilt, plating seven runs over the course of the first three innings.
The weekend bolstered the Mariners’ record by five wins as they head into the final stretch of the regular season. Mission Valley was set to host the Bitterroot Bucs on Wednesday for Senior Night, then will close out the regular schedule Sunday against the A Lakers of Kalispell before they head off to Districts.
2021 John R. Harp Tournament
July 9-11, Kalispell
Championship
Mariners 8, NS Dodgers 0
Spokane 000 00 – 0 3 2
MssnVlly 304 01 – 8 8 2
Colton McBride, (4) Teagan Tobeck and catcher. Daniel Kelsch (2K,6W) and Espn Fisher. W – Kelsch.
NORTH SPOKANE DODGERS – Zach Bowman 1H, Carson Jeffries (3BB), Carson Kelly (2BB), Spencer Mahn (BB).
MISSION VALLEY A MARINERS – Xavier Fisher 2-3, Alex Muzquiz 0-3, Dawson DuMont 0-3, E.Fisher 1-1, Ethan McCauley 1-3, Kelsch 2-3, Eric Dolence 1-2, Dylan Davis 1-2, Darian Williams 0-2.
3B – McCauley. 2B – E.Fisher, D.Davis. RBIs – X.Fisher, DuMont, E.Fisher, McCauley, Kelsch, D.Davis. BB – E.Fisher, Dolence. SB – X.Fisher 2, Kelsch, Dolence, D.Williams.
Mariners 3, T-C Cards 2
Conrad 010 010 0 – 2 4 3
MssnVlly 000 012 x – 3 5 1
Tony Daley and Brinkley Evans. Dylan Davis (1W), (6) Espn Fisher (2K) and E.Fisher, Daniel Kelsch. W – Espn Fisher.
TRI-COUNTY CARDINALS – T.Daley 1-3, Jacob Beattie 0-3, Kellan Doheny 0-3, Evans 1-3, Roscoe Shaw 1-2, Tyler VandenBos 0-3, Matt Riehl 0-3, Logan VanDyke 1-3, Kruz Daley 0-1.
MISSION VALLEY A MARINERS – Xavier Fisher 1-3, Alex Muzquiz 2-4, Dawson DuMont 0-2, E.Fisher 0-3, Ethan McCauley 1-2, Bryson Fisher 0-2, Eric Dolence 0-3, Dylan Davis 0-2, Kelsch 1-2.
RBIs – T.Daley, VandenBos; DuMont. SF – DuMont. SH – K.Daley. BB – Shaw; McCauley. HB – X.Fisher, Kelsch, B.Fisher. CS – X.Fisher.
Seeding competition:
(#2) NS Dodgers 13, (#3) SP Shockers 11 (8 inn.)
(#1) MVA Mariners 3, (#4) T-C Cards 2 (gm23)
(#5) Helena Reps 6, (#6) A Lakers 0
(#8) SS Diggers 11, (#7) KV Rangers 2
(#9) GF Chargers 8, (#10) CF Riverdogs 2
(#12) Mead Panthers 8, (#11) B Lakers 7
Pool play
Mariners 8, Tri-County Cardinals 0
Conrad 000 00 – 0 2 2
MssnVlly 000 08 – 8 7 0
Brinkley Evans, (5) Kruz Daley and Kellan Doheny. Eric Dolence (5K,1W) and Espn Fisher, (5) Daniel Kelsch. W – Dolence.
TRI-COUNTY CARDINALS – T.Daley 0-1(BB,CS), Evans 1-2, Roscoe Shaw 0-1(SH), Logan VanDyke 1-2.
MISSION VALLEY A MARINERS – Xavier Fisher 1-2(2B,BB,HB), Alex Muzquiz 2-4(2B,3RBI,SB), Dawson DuMont 0-1(BB,HB), Bryson Fisher 1-3, E.Fisher 0-1(BB,HB), Dylan Davis 0-2(HB), Ethan McCauley 0-3, Kelsch 1-2(2B,RBI,SF), Darian Williams 1-3(RBI). (Sa10Jul21gm16) venue: Griffin
Mariners 16, Mead Panthers 2
MssnVlly 261 25 – 16 14 2
Spokane 200 00 – 2 5 1
Braedon Stiffler, (5) Ty Webb and Jackson Ekstrom. Darian Williams (3IP:3K,HB)), Dawson DuMont (2IP:4K) and Espn Fisher. W – D.Williams. Sv – DuMont.
MISSION VALLEY A MARINERS – Xavier Fisher 2-3(2B,2B,2RBI,HB,sb), Alex Muzquiz 2-3(HR,2B,4RBI,HB), E.Fisher 2-3(RBI,HB), DuMont 1-3(2B,RBI,BB,FC,SB), Bryson Fisher 2-2(HR,2SF,6RBI), Eric Dolence 0-3(SF,RBI), Ethan McCauley 1-4, Daniel Kelsch 3-3, D.Williams 1-2(BB).
MEAD AA PANTHERS – Ekstrom 1-2(2B), EricWeaver 0-3(2ROE), Braeden Killinger (RBI,BB), Will Strauch 1-3, Tristan Utley 2-3(RBI), Brayden Johnson 0-0(BB,HB).
Mariners 6, KV Rangers 2
MssnVlly 001 000 5 – 6 8 2
K.Valley 001 000 1 – 2 5 3
Bryson Fisher (6IP:8K), (7) Alex Muzquiz and Espn Fisher. Cole Hurst, Kyle Durden (2IP) and T.Butts. W – Muzquiz.
MISSION VALLEY A MARINERS – Xavier Fisher 1-4(2RBI,2BB), Alex Muzquiz 2-3(BB), E.Fisher 0-2(2BB), Dawson DuMont 1-3(BB), Bryson Fisher 1-4(RBI), Davis 1-4(RBI), Eric Dolence 1-4, Daniel Kelsch 1-2 (BB), Ethan McCauley 1-1.
KOOTENAI VALLEY RANGERS – hits: Jake Buckingham 2, Joshua Butts 2, Hurst (2RBI)
