Loggers' season ends at districts to Mission Valley, 15-5

The Libby Loggers concluded their season Friday with a 15-5 defeat at the hands of the Mission Valley Mariners in the consolation bracket of the Western A American Legion Baseball tournament in Florence.

The Loggers built a 4-run lead in the early innings of Friday’s contest, but Mission Valley went on a 12-1 run through the last four innings to pull away with the win.

For Libby, Seth Bateman led the team at the plate on 1-for-3 batting, while putting up two of the Loggers’ five runs and an RBI. Braydan Thom also had two runs on 1-for-4 batting.

Anthony Jones led the Mariners in batting, going 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs and an RBI. Bransen Krebs posted two runs and an RBI for Mission Valley while batting 2-for-3.

Only one Mission Valley batter didn’t score as the Loggers cycled through four pitchers Friday. Brady Bateman gave up six earned runs and nine hits to the Mission Valley team that finished with 19 hits, 15 coming from just seven hitters, by the end of the eight-inning game.

The Loggers had a strong start on Friday as they faced elimination following an 11-1 defeat to the Glacier Twins in the tournament opener. Mariners pitcher Jacob Harrod quickly loaded the bases, walking Bateman brothers Seth and Brady, and beaning Dylon Lane. Tim Carvey grounded a single into left field to score Seth and Lane for a quick 2-0 lead. Brady reached third but was left on base in the top of the first.

It was a good start for the Loggers, who had split a pair of games against Mission Valley in the regular season. The Loggers handily defeated Mission Valley 23-3 during their last outing in early July; that game included a 14-run streak for Libby early in the game. The Mariners claimed the first game against the Loggers in a close 7-6 game in May. While going 1-1 with the Mariners in the regular season, Libby had out-batted the Mission Valley team each time.

And in the early innings, it looked as though the Loggers might outlast the Mariners again as Seth Bateman scored again in the top of the second and Thom scored in a run of his own in the third, courtesy of a right-field grounder hit by Tanner Wood.

But Mission Valley got a jump start in the bottom of the third as pitcher Harrod homered out of left field, scoring Jones and himself to cut the Libby lead to 4-3.

The Mariners scored four runs to grab the lead before the seventh inning that produced seven more runs and put the Libby team on the ropes, facing a possible elimination. The seventh-inning slugfest began with Nycolas Gillingham, who clubbed a double into centerfield, scoring Bransen Krebs and pushing the lead to 8-5 for Mission Valley. Tyson Petticrew tripled a line drive into right field, adding three more runs. The Loggers finally slowed the Mariners’ roll and ended the inning 14-5. The deficit proved too deep for the Loggers, and the game ended 15-5 for the Mariners after eight innings.

The Libby Loggers ended their 2016 season with a 12-28 record.

LGRS — 211 000 10 5 9 4

MSNV — 102 121 71 15 19 1

Libby — 2B: Brady Bateman TB: Braydan Thom, Tim Carvey, Erik Lauer, Collin Johnson 2, Tanner Wood 2, Seth Bateman, Brady Bateman 2 RBI: Tim Carvey 2, Erik Lauer, Tanner Wood, Seth Bateman

Mission Valley — 2B: Kade Schutzmann, Jacob Harrod, Nycolas Gillingham, Bransen Krebs

3B: Tyson Petticrew, Warren Wood HR: Jacob Harrod TB: Kade Schutzmann 3, Jacob Harrod 6, Walter Wood 2, Anthony Jones 3, Nycolas Gillingham 4, Tyson Petticrew 3, Bryant Hales 3, Bransen Krebs 3, Warren Wood 3 RBI: Jacob Harrod 2, Walter Wood, Anthony Jones, Nycolas Gillingham 3, Tyson Petticrew 4, Bryant Hales, Bransen Krebs