Late starting Loggers can't win Big Bucks, mercied 12-2
<p>Nic Robertson, left, Andrew Haggerty, Jared Winslow, Micah Germany and Will Reichel congratulate Winslow on his walk off single to beat the Moscow Blue Devils.</p>
The late-start Loggers tested their luck one time too many this weekend at the Big Bucks Tournament in Libby, falling 12-2 to the Calgary Redbirds in a mercy-rule shortened championship to finish second.
After winning the first three games of the series in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion, the Loggers dug themselves too deep a hole against the talented Calgary team.
“We walked a few too many guys,” said Head Coach Kelly Morford. “Calgary’s a good hitting team, and that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Luke Haggerty started for Libby on short rest, having pitched Thursday in the first comeback victory against Rainier.
The mound proved to be a weak spot for the Loggers in the championship game, allowing eight hits in the five-inning game. A couple errors from fielders allowed the quick Redbirds to pour it on.
The second game, against the Moscow Blue Devils, showcased the talents of Jared Winslow on the hill and at the plate. Pitching a complete game four-hitter, Winslow struck out 14, but was behind by a run when he stepped up against his Moscow counterpart, Kellen Martin.
Martin had struck out eight and allowed six hits, but had done such a good job controlling the bases that his Blue Devils were up 3-2.
Winslow, who already had doubled once in the game, slapped the ball to right field and batted in two runs for a thrilling walk-off single.
“It’s a good victory for us, and shows we can overcome adversity,” Winslow said. “That’s something we were having trouble with earlier this year, where we would fall behind and just kind of shut down.”
Catcher Micah Germany had two RBIs, two singles and a double for the Loggers.
Saturday night’s game, which was delayed because of thunder and didn’t finish until midnight, told a similar story.
The Loggers fell behind 3-1 to Conference rival Mission Valley and it looked as if the Mariners would walk over Libby again, as the Loggers loaded the bases in three consecutive innings and stranded nearly a dozen runners.
Then, Mariners pitcher Jack Humphries began to look shaky. Oliver Grupenhoff smacked a two-RBI double and opened the floodgates for the Loggers, who tacked on six runs in two innings to win 7-6.
A conference game Tuesday may be partially to blame for the Calgary effort.
“Everybody we wanted to pitch Tuesday, we played yesterday (against Mission Valley),” Morford said.