Northwest Class A Regional in Anchorage, Alaska

Friday

Mission Valley 10, Ashland, Ore. 7

Richland, Wash. 5, Wheatland, Wyo. 2

Box Elder, Utah 12, Fairbanks, Alaska 6

Bear Lake, Idaho vs. South Anchorage, late

Today

11:30 a.m. - Ashland (35-11) vs. Fairbanks (22-1), lo

2:30 p.m. - Wheatland (38-19) vs. late loser, lo

6:30 p.m. - Mission Valley (61-8) vs. Box Elder (n/a)

9:30 p.m. - Richland (46-8) vs. late winner

Mission Valley wins in Alaska

The Daily Inter Lake

They can rally, too.

The Montana state champion Mission Valley Mariners got off to a good start at the American Legion Baseball Class A Northwest Regional Tourament in Anchorage, Alaska, by rallying Friday from two runs down to beat Ashland, Ore.

And it was the Mariners' defense that got things going en route to a 10-7 victory.

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, Ashland's Luke Jannusch tried scoring from third base on a deep pop fly to right fielder Kyle Brown. Mariners first baseman Eric Locke relayed the throw home and catcher John Rausch blocked the plate to thwart Jannusch.

Then the Mariners' offense exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth.

John Rausch's younger brother Tim led off with a single and stole second base. The Pilots then opted to walk pitcher Brandon "Moose" Thompson, who had hit a towering solo home run in his previous at bat in the fourth. The floodgates then opened after Will Gordon reached first on a throwing error that scored Tim Rausch. A single by Tyler Linse and doubles by Beau Nordberg and Cubby Pierre highlighted the hot bats of the Mariners. The scoring ended when Thompson drove in two runs with his second plate appearance of the inning.

Trailing 9-2, the Pilots battled back with three runs in the top of the seventh and two runs in the ninth but fell short, needing three more runs.

Oregon left 11 runners stranded in the game and Thompson went the distance for Mission Valley, recording 11 strikeouts while walking just one in the complete-game victory. He is now 10-1.

Tim Rausch, Thompson, Linse and Nordberg had two hits apiece as the teams equaled each other with 12 hits.

The Mariners, who improved to 61-8 on the season, will play Box Elder, Utah, today at 6:30 p.m. Box Elder beat previously unbeaten Fairbanks, Alaska, 12-6.

Ashland 011 000 302 - 7 12 2

Mission 000 108 10x - 10 12 6

Charlie Cebrel, Lucas Stone (6), Tyler Killeen (7) and Louis Cebrel. Brandon Thompson and John Rausch. W - Thompson (10-1). L - Cebrel.

ASHLAND (35-11) - Ian Kendal 0-3, Nicholas Hall 0-2, Louis Cebrel 1-3, Garrett Tygerson 1-4, Owen Baldrica 2-5, Sam Gaviglio 3-5, Luke Jannusch 1-4, Hayden Miller 1-4, Danny Meza 2-5, Max Gordon 1-4.

MISSION VALLEY (61-8) - Kyle Brown 1-5, Eric Locke 0-3, Tim Rausch 2-3, Thompson 2-3, Will Gordon 1-5, Tyler Linse 2-5, Beau Nordberg 2-5, Cubbie Pierre 1-4, J. Rausch 1-3.

RBIs - Ash. 4 (L. Cebrel, Baldrica, Gaviglio, Miller), MV 10 (Brown, Thompson 4, Gordon, Linse, Nordberg, Pierre 2). HR - Thompson. 2B - Pierre, Nordberg.