Depth carries Twins past Mission Valley

WHITEFISH - Thank goodness for balance.

The Class AA Glacier Twins weren't perfect Wednesday night in their American Legion baseball home opener at Glacier Twins Stadium at Memorial Park. They committed six errors and struck out 15 times, but their pitching took command and their offense did just enough to beat Mission Valley 8-3

"The great thing about it was we played average, but we still managed to get the job done," Twins coach Jarod Grubb said. "Today it was our battery. Tomorrow it might be our bats. That's what's good about having depth - one thing gets it done one day and the other does it the other day."

Glacier pitchers Justin Collom, Weston Chambers, RJ Beasley and Michael Hader scattered eight Mariner hits, allowing just one earned run.

Mission Valley took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when starting pitcher Eric Locke homered to left-center, but the Twins jumped ahead in the bottom of the frame when catcher Brad Bell smashed a two-run home run to dead center.

Bell went 2-for-3 and reached base four times.

The Twins (4-1) had just two hits entering the sixth inning, but were tied 2-2 thanks to Chambers' relief work.

Chambers (2-0) relieved Collom, striking out four Mariners over three scoreless innings to earn the win. He helped his own cause offensively, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double during Glacier's decisive sixth inning.

The Twins took a 3-2 lead in the sixth when Bell scored on Scott Yogodzinski's grounder to second. Chambers made it 4-2 when he doubled to score Josh Peterson. Chambers scored on a clean single by Collom, and Collom made it 6-2 when he crossed the plate on Scott Palmer's bunt single.

Chambers was equally satisfied leading the Twins from the plate and the mound.

"Well, they definitely go together," he said. "I mean, I go out there - tie game - shut 'em down. I just hit my spots. I get up to the plate - I know it's my last at-bat. I just wanted to hit the ball, and I managed to do that."

Glacier managed only seven hits against five Mission Valley pitchers. Locke notched five strikeouts over two innings, as did reliever Brandon Roy.

"I think this is the deepest pitching staff that we've had," Mission Valley coach Jamie Hanson said. "We have three lefties that can throw for us."

The Class A Mariners (0-1) tallied eight hits in their season opener while committing four errors, rendering Hanson optimistic about the prospects of his young team.

Locke and Tim Rausch stroked two hits apiece.

"These kids have a lot of growing up to do just because they are young, but there's a lot of talent," Hanson said. "We've got kids that came right up to the Legion level and swung the bat for us tonight."

The Twins were plagued by poor fielding last season, but made just seven errors in four games at Belgrade last weekend. Grubb said his players were "a little on edge" playing in front of their families and friends for the first time this year.

"We talked about that after the game, and we all kind of agreed that it was just being uptight in the first home game of the year," Chambers said. "But hopefully we got it out of our system by air-mailing a few balls. I think we'll smoothen it out as we continue the season."

Glacier's victory wasn't without its defensive gems. Peterson secured the game's first out by knocking down Jon Rausch's scorching one-hopper at third base and making a crisp throw to first. Hader helped thwart the Mariners' eighth-inning rally, catching a high fly ball in right field before unleashing a laser to third base to nail a Mission Valley runner who tried advance on the play.

Hader and Bell stole two bases apiece.

The Twins visit Class A Libby on Tuesday while the Mariners are back in action this weekend at the Kootenai Valley Rangers Tournament in Eureka.

Mission Valley 110 000 010 - 3 8 4

Glacier 200 004 02x - 8 7 6

Eric Locke, Brandon Roy, Kyle Bagnell, Cubby Pierre, Tim Rausch and Jon Rausch. Justin Collom, Weston Chambers, RJ Beasley, Michael Hader and Brad Bell. W - Chambers (2-0). L - Pierre (0-1).

MISSION VALLEY (0-1) - J. Rausch 1-4, Locke 2-4, Will Gordon 1-5, T. Rausch 2-4, Mike Fisher 0-1, Roy 0-2, Rocky Reynolds 0-1, Pierre 1-2, Derrick Rathe 0-1, Nick Fell 0-2, Chris Alfiero 0-1, Tyler Linse 1-1, Beau Nordberg 0-2, Joe McCarthy 0-2, Kyle Brown 0-1, K. Bagnell 0-1, Craig Bagnell 0-1.

GLACIER (4-1) - Brad Nielsen 0-4, Adam Pisk 0-2, Zane Ridings 1-3, Bell 2-3, Josh Peterson 0-4, Scott Yogodzinksi 0-3, Chambers 2-3, Beasley 0-1, Collom 1-3, Rusty Hill 0-2, Scott Palmer 1-2, Hader 0-3.

RBIs - MV 1 (Locke), Gla. 7 (Bell 2, Ridings, Yogodzinski, Chambers, Collom, Palmer). HR - MV 1 (Locke), Gla. 1 (Bell). 2B - MV 0, Gla. 2 (Chambers 2). SB - MV 4 (J. Rausch 2, T. Rausch, Locke), Gla. 6 (Bell 2, Hader 2, Palmer, Peterson).