Tigard team wins Region 7 Legion

BILLINGS — Barbers out of Tigard, Oregon, came into the Region 7 American Legion baseball tournament with three losses.

The left with four defeating and a regional title, beating the Idaho Falls Bandits 12-9 and 13-5 Sunday in the championship round at Dehler Park. 

Tigard (44-4) began the tournament with a 6-5 loss to Yakima Valley, Washington, then tore off five straight wins while Yakima Valley bowed out in three games.  

The champions scored at least 11 runs in all five victories. Needing to beat Idaho Falls twice, Tigard made up an 8-1 deficit after one inning in the first championship game. Three hits from Jayden Nakamura and Gabriel Coltman helped; Nakamura and Kainoa Santiago had three RBIs each. Santiago’s two-run double in the seventh inning broke a 9-9 tie. 

Tigard trailed Idaho Falls 3-2 in the second inning of the if-necessary game but rallied again. Carter Stewart hit a two-run home run to put his team up for good, 4-3, in the third inning. Stewart and Ryden Nakumara drove in four runs each. 

Conner Cannon had three hits and two RBIs in the first title game for the Bandits (42-12).