Loggers head to state after surprising District performance

The Loggers found a way.

After a challenging season, Libby was able to bring it all together at the Western A District Baseball Tournament in Missoula to finish second in the district and punch a ticket to state.

No. 3 seeded Libby started with a 16-3 dismantling of the Bitterroot Red Sox, tearing down the same team that had walked over them twice on Friday, July 13.

Will Reichel pitched a complete game and held the Red Sox scoreless until the sixth inning, allowing only six hits. He also had one of the hottest bats, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. The only at-bat he didn’t get a hit in, he was walked.

The Loggers had 15 hits and 15 RBIs, shelling Red Sox pitchers Tuff Price and David McCoy for 11 and 5 runs, respectively. Bitterroot helped their own demise as well, committing four errors.

Libby followed up that first stellar performance with an 11-7 win over the Missoula Mavericks.

Jared Winslow gave up only two runs in seven innings to pick up the win.

The Loggers then advanced to face the Mission Valley Mariners. That’s where they hit a wall.

The Mariners won 14-1 to get an automatic birth to the championship game, burying the Loggers with eight runs in the second inning. 

Libby, hurt but not dead, then set its sights on the Bitterroot Bucs.

It did not take long for Libby to crush the Bucs 17-8. 

Nic Robertson went 4-for-6, including a grand slam in the ninth and a three-run double in the eighth to finish with eight RBIs.

After the Bitterroot game, the Loggers had to keep playing, facing a well-rested Mission Valley squad for the second time in two days.

While the result was better on paper, the Loggers still got smacked 10-2 to take second place.

Reichel went 2-for-4 to lead Libby’s offense. Luke Haggerty went the entire game and allowed just 11 hits and one walk against the exasperating offense that is Mission Valley’s.

Both teams will head to Great Falls to play in the state tournament beginning Thursday. Libby faces the three-time defending state champion Laurel Dodgers at 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.