Twins drop AA thriller to Mavericks

WHITEFISH — It was touch- and-go, but Missoula kept its nine-game winning streak alive.

Nathan Jewitt scored from third on an infield ground out in the top of the 14th inning as the Mavs slipped past the Glacier Twins 6-5 in Western AA American Legion baseball action Monday at Memorial Field.

Jewitt reached on an error and moved to third on a double by Matt McHugh.

Glacier was retired 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning to come up short.

“It was a knock-down, drag-out long battle,” Twins coach Scott Murray said.

“That was a tough one to lose.”

Glacier (6-23-1 overall, 0-7 league) forced extra innings with a run in the bottom half of the ninth. With two outs, Bryce Wehrli reached on an error. Carl Talsma then doubled to left field to score Wehrli.

“We saw some positive things,” Murray said.

“We’re still not where we want to be, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

Missoula (31-13, 10-1) finished with 12 hits to 10 for Glacier.

The Twins kept it close despite eight errors.

Garrett Houston pitched the first 6 1/2 innings and gave up just one earned run for Glacier. Cory Davis went the final 7 2/3 innings with no earned runs on five hits.

“Wehrli got his first start behind dish, went 14 innings and called a great game,” Murray said. “I can’t say enough about Houston and Davis teaming up for 14 innings of stellar pitching.”

Jeremy Nielsen and Talsma both doubled and had two hits for Glacier. Jake Slaybaugh had the other double for the Twins.

Nielsen also drove in two Twins runs.

Glacier is back on the field for another single game Wednesday with the Kalispell Lakers at 8 p.m.

Missoula 102 002 000 000 01 — 6 12 3

Glacier 001 201 001 000 00 — 5 10 8

A. Contonio, T.Rheinschmidt (6), T. Cunningham (9), N. Evans (11), N. Jewitt (13) and M. McHugh; Garrett Houston, Cory Davis (7) and Bryce Wehrli. W — Jewitt. L — Davis.

MISSOULA — S. Heggen 2-6, Rheinschmidt 1-7, S. Olson 2-6, Jewitt 0-6, McHugh 2-7, J. Preston 0-6, A. Bouchee 3-7, Cunningham 0-4, T. Maier 2-4, Evans 0-2.

GLACIER — Jeremy Nielsen 2-6, Wehrli 0-6, Carl Talsma 2-5, Davis 1-7, Peter Seymour 0-2, Robert Simmons 0-1, Isaac Venezio 1-4, Shane Marcial 0-4, Jake Slaybaugh 1-3, Nathan Carr 1-5, Conner Donahue 1-4, Nick LaGrandeur 1-3.

2B—Olson, McHugh; Nielsen, Talsma, Slaybaugh; RBIs—Rheinschmidt, Olson, McHugh; Nielsen (2), Talsma, Davis.