Big inning boosts Ms

By GREG SCHINDLER

The Daily Inter Lake

The Mariners took a one-run lead just before Tim Rausch dug into the batter's box. Rausch knows the value of insurance, though, and he promptly delivered the blow that proved to be the difference.

Rausch clubbed a two-run homer during Mission Valley's five-run sixth inning as the Mariners held off the Great Falls Black Sox 10-8 Friday evening at the John R. Harp Class A American Legion baseball tournament at Griffin Field.

With the game tied 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning, Mariners first baseman Eric Locke doubled to score right fielder Kyle Brown, giving Mission Valley a 6-5 edge. One pitch later, Rausch launched a shot beyond the left-center field wall.

"I wasn't swinging the bat well today, I just didn't feel well," Rausch said. "I just went up there looking to hit something hard.

"It felt really good off the bat. I wasn't sure whether or not it was going to carry out because of the wind, but it felt really good. I knew I hit it hard."

The Mariners added two runs after Rausch's fourth home run of the season before holding on during a wild final half frame.

The tournament's games are scheduled for seven innings, but the Mariners and Black Sox played just six because an inning may not start after 135 minutes.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Great Falls' Marshall Murray, Tyler Shook and Byran Hirst ripped consecutive singles to load the bases. The Black Sox scored one run on a fielder's choice and two more on a fielding error before Mariners catcher John Rausch secured a pop fly to end the game with runners on second and third.

"Having that insurance, having a good offense, really takes the pressure off the pitchers," Tim Rausch said.

Despite the scorching heat, Mission Valley needed only one pitcher as Brandon Roy went the distance, throwing about 130 pitches to improve to 5-0. Roy notched eight strikeouts while allowing just four earned runs, pitching through several defensive miscues.

Mission Valley committed six errors, including four in the third inning as Great Falls scored three times to force a 4-4 tie.

"It's baseball. You're hitting a round ball with a round bat," Mariners coach Jami Hanson said. "I mean, who knows what's going to happen?"

The Mariners made up for their erratic defense with their bats, though, as Locke, Brandon Thompson and Tim Rausch smacked two hits apiece. Second baseman Nick Fell doubled in the second inning, driving in two runs as Mission Valley took its first lead, 2-0.

But Great Falls - a Senior Babe Ruth perennial power - battled back time and time again. Starting pitcher Hirst kept the Black Sox in the game, allowing six hits before he was relieved in the fifth inning with Mission Valley ahead 5-4.

The Black Sox (19-9) managed nine hits, including two apiece by second baseman Jordan Bauman and first baseman Murray. Bauman scored two runs and had four of Great Falls' eight stolen bases.

"We came out and battled," Black Sox coach Joe Hirst said. "(The Mariners are) a good squad, and we didn't give up at all. That's the name of the game."

Coach Hirst knew little about the Mariners (41-7) beyond word-of-mouth and their impressive record. He did watch them thrash the Glacier Twins just before their game, though.

"These guys are a good squad," he said. "They're solid and they hit all through the lineup. That's something that we were worried about."

Hanson wasn't surprised the Mariners had to scratch and claw for a victory against the Black Sox.

"They've got a good team, they always do," he said. "They always compete for the state championship for Senior Babe Ruth.

"Nothing's a pushover. I mean, you walk into a game with a pushover attitude and you're going to get beat. We try not to do that."

Nor was Hanson shocked by Mission Valley's sixth-inning onslaught.

"I expect us to explode at least once, maybe twice a game," he said.

Mission Valley gets it next chance today when it resumes pool play against the Havre Comets at 12:30 p.m.

Mission Valley 031 105 - 10 10 6

Great Falls 013 013 - 8 9 2

Brandon Roy and John Rausch. Byran Hirst, Teran Carnahan (5), Kody Neil (6) and Tyson Wilke. W - Roy (5-0). L - Carnahan (NA).

MISSION VALLEY (41-7) - Kyle Brown 0-2, Eric Locke 2-4, Tim Rausch 2-4, Brandon Thompson 2-2, Will Gordon 1-4, Tyler Linse 0-2, Cubby Pierre 1-2, Nick Fell 1-3, J. Rausch 1-3.

GREAT FALLS (19-9) - Hirst 1-4, Jordan Bauman 2-4, Carnahan 1-3, Tyson Wilke 1-4, Derek Lear 0-4, Joe Semansky 1-3, Neil 0-2, Marshall Murray 2-3, Tyler Shook 1-3.

RBIs - MV 7 (T. Rausch 2, Fell 2, Locke, Pierre, J. Rausch), GF 5 (Murray, Carnahan, Wilke, Lear, Bauman). HR - MV 1 (T. Rausch), GF 0. 2B - MV 4 (Fell, J. Rausch, Thompson, Locke), GF 1 (Murray). SB - MV (Brown, Locke, Pierre), KV 8 (Bauman 4, Carnahan 2, Lear, Semansky).

Mission Valley 12, Glacier 1

John Rausch opened the game with a double, Eric Locke followed with a triple, and nine batters later, Mission Valley had six runs on the board. The Mariners rolled to an easy victory in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

Brandon Thompson homered with one runner on in the third inning.

Mission Valley out-hit Glacier, 11-6.

Kyle Bagnell earned the win.

Glacier 000 01 - 1 6 4

Mission Valley 633 0x - 12 11 0

A.J. Hauck and Jeff Streeter; Kyle Bagnell and John Rausch. W - Bagnell, 2-1 (6 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks). L - Hauck.

Glacier - Wade Martinson 1-2, Hagel 0-1, Cody Elek 0-1, Kyle Knox 2-2, Adam Pisk 0-3, David FauntLeRoy 1-2, Streeter 1-2, Kyle Yogodzinski 0-1, Will Beasley 1-2, Trevor Miller 0-1, Jack Cronin 0-2.

Mission Valley (40-7) - J. Rausch 2-3, Eric Locke 1-3, Mike Fisher 0-1, Tim Rausch 0-1, Joe Andrews 0-1, Brandon Thompson 3-3, Kyle Brown 0-0, Will Gordon 0-1, Rocky Reynolds 1-2, Tyler Linse 0-2, Beau Nordberg 0-1, Cubby Pierre 1-1, Craig Bagnell 0-1, Nick Fell 2-2, Chris Alfiero 1-1, Joe McCarthy 0-2.

2B - Knox; J. Rausch, Thompson; 3B - Locke; HR - Thompson; RBIs - Knox; J. Rausch, Locke, T. Rausch, Thompson (4), Pierre (2), Fell, McCarthy (2).