Mariners Western A District champions

MISSOULA — The Mission Valley Mariners are Western A District American Legion baseball champions for the fourth time since 2002.

The Mariners knocked off defending champ Libby on Sunday in the tournament title game 10-2.

The Mariners have now won seven straight, pushing their season record to 46-6.

“The kids are playing well,” Mariners coach Jami Hanson said.

“The camaraderie with the kids is excellent. They get along real well, hang out together. It’s amazing. They back each other up.”

Dalton Molzhon went the distance on the mound for Mission Valley in the finale. He scattered five hits, struck out four and walked three.

“Cole McArthur hit the ball pretty darn well,” Hanson said.

“So did Justin Evertz and Robbie Gauthier.”

Evertz was 3 for 5 and Gauthier 2 for 4. McArthur had two RBIs.

Gauthier homered.

“Give credit to Libby for winning that game this morning to get back into the championship game and get back to state,” Hanson said.

“That’s awesome.”

Libby advances to state for the second-straight year and the fourth time in the last seven. Libby finished fourth at state in 2011.

The Loggers (29-24) reached the title game with a loser-out victory over the Bitterroot Bucs earlier in the day, 17-8.

“I think we emptied our tanks in the first game,” Libby coach Kelly Morford said.

“I’m really proud of the kids. We only had nine healthy kids all weekend. It was a lot to ask of them, but they all responded to the challenge.”

Libby had 22 hits in that blow out, led by Nic Robertson’s 4 for 6 effort and seven RBIs. He clubbed a bases clearing double in the eighth inning and followed with a three-run home run to left-center field in the ninth.

It was his fourth round-tripper of the season.

All nine batters had hits for Libby. Andrew Haggerty also had four hits in five plate appearances. He totaled four RBIs.

Luke Haggerty, Will Reichel and Jared Winslow were all 3 for 6.

“We got contributions from everyone in the lineup,” Morford said.

“They were ready to go.”

Libby needs one victory at state to pass the 30-win mark for the second straight year.

The Loggers were 42-20 in 2011.

State action for Mission Valley and Libby begins Thursday in Great Falls.

The tournament runs for five days.

Libby 020 000 000 — 2 5 6

Mission Valley 513 010 00x — 10 11 2

Luke Haggerty and Micah Germany; Dalton Molzhon and Jack Humphreys. W – Molzhon. L – Haggerty.

LIBBY – L. Haggerty 0-4, Will Reichel 2-4, Jared Winslow 0-4, Germany 0-3, Oliver Grupenhoff 1-3, Nic Robertson 1-3, Andrew Haggerty 0-4, Josh Foote 0-2, Cameron Burkes 1-3.

MISSION VALLEY – Justin Evertz 3-5, Zeke Webster-Yaqui 0-5, Robbie Gauthier 2-4, Chris Clary 1-4, Jacob Young 1-5, Humphreys 0-3, Cole McArthur 1-5, Bradley Pilcher 1-3, Molzhon 2-4.

HR – Gauthier. RBIs – A. Haggerty, Burkes, Gauthier (2), Young, McArthur (2), Pichler, Molzhon.

Libby 000 611 144 — 17 22 1

Bitterroot Bucs 210 201 002 — 8 14 2

Reichel, Germany (4) and Gruphenhoff; Riley Philips, Austin Nogle (5), Tommy Sheppard (8) and Kadin Beller. W — Reichel. L — Philips.

LIBBY — L. Haggerty 3-6, Reichel 3-6, Winslow 3-6, Germany 1-3, Gruphenhoff 2-5, Robertson 4-6, A. Haggerty 4-5, Foote 1-5, Bureks 1-5.

BITTERROOT — Dylan Reed 4-5, Philips 0-1, Cody Rolshoven 1-2, Logan Lauck 0-1, Beller 3-6, Brad Schaff 2-4, Sage Hansen 1-3, Nogle 0-3, Sheppard 0-1, Tyler Thorson 0-4, Noah Baney 2-4, Jared Schultz 0-3, Kyle Anderson 1-1.

HR—Robertson; RBIs—Reichel, Germany, Gruphenhoff, Robertson (7), A. Haggerty (4), Burkes; Reed (2), Beller (3), Schaff, Hansen, Anderson.