Libby in title game
Downs Mission Valley in semifinal
The Daily Inter Lake
FLORENCE - Libby used a 10-run fifth inning to blow out Mission Valley 13-8 on Saturday in a Western A District semifinal American Legion baseball game.
Libby (24-22) sent 16 batters to the plate in the fifth and totaled seven hits.
The inning was highlighted by Derek Benefield's double over the right-fielder's head to drive in two runs, and Matt Schad's single to left scored two more.
"Yeah, we got down three-to-nothing to Mission, again, kind of shrugged our shoulders and said: 'We've been there before,'" Libby coach Kelly Morford said.
"We didn't hit the ball with power, we just kept getting single after single."
The victory was the third in district play and sends Libby on to today's championship game at 1 p.m. Libby and Mission Valley have met five times this season with Libby winning twice.
Mission Valley drops into a loser-out game at 9 a.m. versus the Missoula Mavericks.
Libby has won four straight and six of its last eight ballgames.
"We're just riding high," Morford said. "It's hard to explain. We don't really want to explain it, just keep it going."
Libby is guaranteed a trip to the State Tournament, which begins Aug. 2 in Vauxhall, Alberta. The top two teams from district play advance.
Libby out-hit Mission Valley 14-8. Dustin Morningstar led the victors, going 3-for-5.
Chris Herbig, Steve Bertelsen, Rory Hendrickson and Schad finished with two hits each.
Tim Rausch, 2-for-4, homered for Mission Valley. Derrick Rathe also went 2-for-4 for the Mariners.
Benefield (7-4) picked up the victory on the mound, while Hendrickson earned his second save of the tournament and his fourth on the season. Hendrickson, who relieved Benefield in the seventh inning, has pitched in all three tournament games, and has not allowed an earned run.
Libby 001 0(10)0 020 - 13 14 4
Mission Valley 300 002 201 - 8 8 5
Derek Benefield, Rory Hendrickson (7) and Matt Schad; Tim Rausch, Spencer Trawick (5), Matt Detwiler (9) and John Rausch. W - Benefield (7-4); S - Hendrickson (4); L - T. Rausch.
Libby (24-22) - Chris Herbig 2-5, Steve Bertelsen 2-5, Hendrickson 2-6, Schad 2-4, Ryan Stapley 0-2, Nate Peltier 1-5, Derek Willis 0-2, Benefield 1-3, Dustin Morningstar 3-5, Colt Cannon 1-3.
Mission Valley (53-11) - J. Rausch 0-4, Eric Locke 1-1, Kyle Bagnell 0-0, Trawick 0-1, Detwiler 0-1, T. Rausch 2-4, Brandon Roy 1-5, Beau Nordberg 1-4, Nick Fell 0-5, Craig Bagnell 0-4, Derrick Rathe 2-4, Taylor Brown 1-4.
2B-Hendrickson, Benefield; HRs-T. Rausch; RBIs-Bertelsen, Hendrickson, Stapley, Peltier, Herbig (2), Benefield (3), Schad (4); T. Rausch (2), C. Bagnell, Rathe.
Twins lose doubleheader to Medicine Hat
WHITEFISH - The Glacier Twins dropped a Western AA American Legion doubleheader at Memorial Park on Saturday to Medicine Hat.
Glacier rallied in the bottom of the seventh of the opener with four runs, but fell one short in an 8-7 loss.
Glacier's Adam Pisk led off that inning with a double and scored on a Scott Palmer double. Bridger Beach promptly singled in Palmer.
Dustin VonFeldt followed with a single to keep the rally going, and Ryan Caron hit a two-run double for the final score of the game.
Medicine Hat won the second game 15-1.
Glacier wraps up regular-season play today hosting the Great Falls Electrics. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.
Medicine Hat 013 010 3 - 8 13 1
Glacier 110 001 4 - 7 8 2
Joel Lutz, Dave Catham (7) and Austin Frasier; Kyle Yogodzinski and Ryan Caron; W - Lutz; L - Yogodzinski.
Medicine Hat - Cullen Bradshaw 1-4, Mitchell Frey 1-4, Lee Frasier 3-4, Lutz 3-3, Kyle Frasier 0-4, A. Frasier 1-2, Brandon Anhorn 0-4, Catlin NunWeiler 2-4, Riley Arnot 2-4.
Glacier - Scott Palmer 1-4, Zane Ridings 0-3, Scott Yogodzinski 0-4, Bridger Beach 2-4, Dustin VonFeldt 2-4, Caron 1-4, Wayde Martinson 0-3, Brad Nielsen 1-3, Adam Pisk 1-3.
2B-Bradshaw, L. Frasier, Lutz; Palmer, Beach, Caron; RBIs-NunWeiler (2), Arnot, L. Frasier, Lutz (2); Caron (2), VonFeldt, Beach, Palmer.
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Medicine Hat 100 (11)3 - 15 9 3
Glacier 000 01 - 1 3 3
Dave Calhan and Bradshaw; Pisk, Kyle Knox (4), Nielsen (5) and Beach; W - Calhan; L - Pisk.
Medicine Hat - Cu. Bradshaw 1-4, Frey 0-2, L. Frasier 0-3, Lutz 2-3, K. Frasier 2-3, A. Frasier 1-4, Anhorn 2-4, Dustin Thompson 0-2, Conner Bradshaw 0-2.
Glacier - Palmer 0-1, Josh Schott 0-1, Ridings 1-3, S. Yogodzinski 2-2, Beach 0-3, VonFeldt 0-2, Caron 0-2, Martinson 0-2, Nielsen 0-2, Pisk 0-1, Knox 0-0.
2B-A. Frasier, K. Frasier; Ridings; HR-Anhorn, Frey; RBIs-Cu. Bradshaw (2), Frey (2), Lutz, K. Frasier (4), A. Frasier, Anhorn, Co. Bradshawn; Ridings.
American Legion League Standings
Western AA
W L
Great Falls Stallions 18 6
Missoula Mavericks 17 6
Lethbridge Elks 14 9
Kalispell Lakers 13 9
Great Falls Electrics 8 14
Medicine Hat Monarchs 8 14
Glacier Twins 1 21
Saturday
Great Falls Stallions 15, Great Falls Electrics 2
Medicine Hat 8, Glacier 7
Medicine Hat 15, Glacier 1
Missoula 11, Lethbridge 4
Today
1 p.m. - Great Falls Electrics at Glacier Twins (2/7)
1 p.m. - Medicine Hat at Kalispell (2/7)
1 p.m. - Lethbridge at Missoula (1/9)
Eastern AA
Billings Scarlets 18 2
Bozeman 15 5
Billings Royals 12 8
Helena 13 9
Butte 10 8
Belgrade 3 19
Miles City 1 19
Thursday
Billings Scarlets 18, Billings Royals 8
Friday
Billings Scarlets 11, Billings Royals 6
Saturday
Helena 12, Belgrade 9
Helena 15, Belgrade 3
Miles City at Billings Royals (2/7)
Billings Scarlets at Bozeman (1/9)
Today
Billings Royals at Miles City (2/7)
Billings Scarlets at Bozeman (1/9)
Helena at Butte (2/7)
Monday
Bozeman at Butte (2/7)
Wednesday
Billings Scarlets at Butte (1/9)
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A Districts
Eastern
At Sidney
Friday
Glasgow 21, Wolf Point 17
Lewistown 16, Sidney 4
Billings Blue Jays 4, Billings Cardinals 2
Laurel 21, Glendive 10
Saturday
Billings Cardinals 6, Lewistown 4
Glasgow 34, Glendive 28
Billings Blue Jays 7, Laurel 3
Northern
At Conrad
Friday
Lethbridge 8, Fort Macleod 7
Tri-County 17, Great Falls Sparkies 5
Medicine Hat 12, Great Falls Sparkies 11 (10)
Vauxhall 17, Havre 5
Saturday
Tri-County 11, GF Stallions A 7 (lo)
Lethbridge 16, Havre 6 (lo)
Vauxhall 14, Medicine Hat 12 (sf)
Lethbridge 12, Tri-County 9 (lo)
Today
11 a.m. - Lethbridge vs. Medicine Hat (lo)
3 p.m. - Lethbridge-Med. Hat winner vs. Vauxhall (championship)
Western
At Florence
Saturday
Bitterroot Red Sox 14, Missoula 13
Libby 13, Mission Valley 8
Missoula 17, Bitterroot Bucs 11
Today
Loser-out
9 a.m. - Mission Valley vs. Missoula
Championship
1 p.m. - Libby vs. 9 a.m. winner
Southern
At Dillon
Friday
Saturday
Loser's Bracket
Deer Lodge 13, Anaconda 3 (8)
Livingston 7, Butte 4
GVO 16, Bozeman 6 (7)
Dillon 19, Helena 3 (7)
Today
Semifinal
2 p.m. - Gallatin Valley (34-20) vs. Dillon (44-25)
Loser-outs
9 a.m. - Livingston (18-35) vs. Bozeman (24-25)
11:30 a.m. - Deer Lodge (21-28) vs. Helena (34-15)
5 p.m. - 9 a.m. winner vs. 11:30 a.m. winner