Loggers hold Alumni trophy till next year

The Libby Loggers alumni team swept a doubleheader against the Strathmore Reds alumni on Saturday at Lee Gehring Field, winning 15-2 and 13-8 in the games that threatened to stretch into the morning before the second game was called in the sixth inning.

The win of what some are now calling the “Border War” alumni game entitles Libby to hold onto the trophy until next year, when the “old” guys will once again dust off their cleats and meet on the field for bragging rights and a little fun.

Libby lead early in the first game, scoring the first and only run in the first inning, and established firm dominance in the fourth with another 14 runs. The Reds managed two runs before the game was called in the sixth.

In the second game, the Reds came back hungry, leading 6-3 at the end of the first inning. But The Loggers were able to tie it up by the bottom of the fourth, and pulled ahead to a comfortable 13-8 lead in the fifth.

As the night wore on, the second game was only into the bottom of the fourth more than two hours after it started, and the teams started to find things to keep themselves entertained.

Libby’s Micah Germany took his base after getting hit by a pitch, and he and Garrett Hagel, who was playing first base, talked for a little, then started swapping gear. Hagel was soon leading off for a steal, just as Derek Benifield ground out, ending the inning.

A crowd-pleasing moment came when Loggers bat boy Aiden Rose subbed into the batting order in the bottom of the sixth, getting a base hit that, though it wasn’t counted, was technically an RBI.

Though both teams competed hard at various times during the night, the spirit was lighhearted throughout, with more than one player getting a remark on the last time they moved that fast from the booth.

Alex Cislo, who hadn’t heard about the doubleheader until late and showed up only in time for the second game, said he hasn’t picked up a bat since 2011. A shoulder injury in college football took him out of that kind of competition.

“It wasn’t that bad. Hitting’s definitely a little different,” he said, then joked, “The ball’s definitely coming a lot faster. It seems like it anyway.”

Joe Flores and Scott Foss both have connections to the field outside of the game night.

As a coach for the American Legion League Libby Loggers, Flores originally played Legion ball in Washington while growing up. He said he enjoyed the opportunity to show his own players he knows something of what he is talking about.

“It’s just kind of fun to get out there and play the game,” he added.

Foss is well-known in the community for his dedication to Lee Gehring Field. The night of the alumni game is the only time he really gets to play on the field he helps to keep looking as good as it does.

“It’s good to come out, play a little competition, see if you still have it,” he said. “And the mind is willing, but the body just doesn’t do it anymore.”

But ultimately all the work he does is for the kids and the community, he said.

“Baseball did a lot for me — playing here and then moving on through the college ranks and the minor leagues — and if I can give something back to these kids so they can go do that, that’s what I’m passionate about,” he said.

The field hasn’t always looked the way it does now, Foss said.

“I played here in 1989, and it did not look like this. It was all dirt infield. All dandelion outfield,” he said. “ I just vowed to myself that if I ever got back here, that we’re gonna change this and make it a place that people want to come and play, and people enjoy watching a ballgame here.”

When asked what makes it worth a six hour drive to come for the alumni game, Strathmore’s Colton Zarowny had a lot of nice things to say about Libby and the Loggers, but the first words on his tongue were about the field.

“The field’s sweet. I like the field. It’s awesome,” he said.

Between the enjoyment they take from playing the Loggers to the enjoyment they take from the town and the Montana wilderness that surrounds, Zarowny said he recalls Libby being a favorite spot for Strathmore going back to his Legion days a few years ago.

But it always comes back to the joy of the game.

“I finished playing softball a couple years ago, and now I just come here every year,” he said. “I don’t really play any baseball anymore, so it’s good to come out and have some fun still.

Libby and Strathmore “Border War” alumni games

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Game 1

Libby 15, Strathmore 2

S 000 011 - R:2 H:4 E:4

L 100 (14)0X - R: 15 H:15 E:2

AB-H

L: Will Reichel 3-2, 2R; Colten Cannon 3-0, 1R, 1RBI, 2BB; Scott Foss 3-1, 1R, 3RBI, Micah Germany 3-0, 1RBI, 1BB; Jake Swartzendruber 3-1, 1R, 1K; Derek Benifold 3-2, 1R; Nate Herbig 2-1, 1R, 1RBI, 1K; Rory Hendrickson 2-1, 1R; Brandon Laffoon 2-0, 1R, 1RBI, 2BB; Richard Brunbaugh 2-1, 1R, 1RBI, 1K; Jared Winslow 2-1, 1R, 2RBI; Oliver Grupenhoff 2-1, 1R, 2RBI; Cameron Silvestro 2-1, 1R, 1RBI, 1K; Joe Flores 2-2, 1R, 1RBI; Andy Williamson 1-1, 1R

S: Eric Webb 3-0, 1BB; Garrett Hagel 3-1, 1K; Dillon Vail Paris 3-0, 1RBI, 2K; Gordon Armitage 2-0, 1K; Matt Kennett 2-1, 1R, 1BB; Chris Mycik 2-1, 1K; John Voykin 2-1, 1RBI, 1K; Colton Zarowny 2-0, 2K; Jordan Schmidt 2-0, 2K; Grady White 2-0, 1R, 2BB; Kristian Kostivk 2-0, 1K

Pitching W - Colten Cannon 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 11 SO, 2 BB; Joe Flores 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 2 BB; L - Kristian Kostivk 3.5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 1 ER, 4 SO, 2 BB; Jordan Schmidt 0.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 0 ER, 0 SO, 0 BB; John Voykin 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 SO, 1 BB;

Game 2

Libby 13, Strathmore 8

S 600 200 - R:8 H:10 E:1

L 301 45X - R:13 H:10 E:3

AB-H

L: Will Reichel 2-1, 1R, 1RBI, 1K; Colten Cannon 2-0, 1BB; Scott Foss 2-1, 1RBI; Micah Germany 2-0, 1BB; Derek Benifold 2-0; Nate Herbig 3-0, 3R, 2BB; Rory Hendrickson 3-0, 2R, 1RBI, 1BB; Brandon Laffoon 3-1, 2R, 1RBI, 2BB; Richard Brunbaugh 3-1, 1R, 1RBI, 1BB, 1K; Jared Winslow 3-2, 1R, 4RBI, 1BB; Oliver Grupenhoff 3-1, 1RBI, 1BB; Cameron Silvestro 3-1, 1R, 1RBI, 2BB; Joe Flores 3-2, 1R, 1K; Alex Cislo 3-0, 1R, 3K

S: Matt Kennett 4-1, 1R, 1BB, 1K; Chris Mycik 4-2, 1R, 1RBI, 1K; John Voykin 3-1, 1R, 1BB; Colton Zarowny 4-2, 2K; Jordan Schmidt 4-2, 1R, 1BB; Grady White 3-0, 1R, 2BB, 1K; Kristian Kostivk 3-0, 1R, 1BB, 2K; Eric Webb 2-2, 1R, 2RBI; Garrett Hagel 2-0, 1BB, 1K; Dillon Vail Paris 2-0, 1R, 1BB, 1K

Gordon Armitage 3-0, 2K; Aiden Rose 1-1, 1 RBI

Pitching: W- Joe Flores 1 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 5 BB;

Micah Germany 3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 SO, 2 BB;

Will Reichel 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 SO, 1 BB;

L - John Voykin 0.5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 SO, 4 BB; Chris Mycik 2.5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 4 BB; Matt Kennett 0.9 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 2 BB; Gordon Armitage 1.1 IP, -6 H, -8 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 3 BB