Libby Loggers Legion team finish 2-2

The Libby Loggers Legion baseball team finished with two wins and two losses at the Cloninger Classic in Helena after a thrilling 9-8 extra-inning win over the Vauxhall Spurs Saturday afternoon.

 Libby scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning after Brandon Sadewasser and Collin Johnson made their way around the bases, giving them the 9-7 lead.

The Spurs answered in the bottom of the eighth after Reed Odland started off the inning with a double. But a strikeout by closer Ryan Huffman ended Vauxhall’s chances of winning.

Huffman tallied two saves in the tournament.

Coach Kelly Morford said going into the tournament he was worried about pitching, but was pleased with his team’s performance, especially Huffman’s.

“I thought we threw strikes and didn’t give any free passes (walks),” Morford said. “Considering the level of competition, I thought going 2-2 was pretty good.”

Against Vauxhall, Libby’s offense exploded out of the gate. The Loggers scored two runs in the first inning and three more in the second, giving them a 5-0 lead early in the game.

The Spurs would finally get on the board in the bottom of the third inning, after three hits led to three runs.

But Libby would answer when Johnson and Will Reichel started off the inning with back-to-back singles, bringing up the middle of the Loggers lineup. Johnson scored off a Dylon Lane sacrifice, and Oliver Grupenhoff brought Luke Haggerty, who had reached on a fielder’s choice with Reichel, home.

“We got contribution out of some of the lower guys allowing for RBI’s,” Morford said. 

Vauxhall would continue to score, adding one run in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth inning. A scoreless seventh inning sent the game to extra innings where Libby went on to win.

Earlier on Saturday, Libby was dominated by the Laurel Dodgers 8-0.  The Loggers ended the game with four hits and five errors.

“We’re still making some mistakes,” Morford said.

In the first game of the tournament, Libby lost 4-2 to the Helena Reps.

The Loggers’ other win in the tournament came against the Mission Valley Mariners on Friday. Libby took down the Mariners 10-9 after a seven-run third inning. 

Huffman got his second save of the tournament when Morford sent him to the mound with a 10-8 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Loggers will host the Big Bucks Tournament beginning on June 19 and running through June 22 at Lee Gehring Memorial Field.