FLORENCE - The Bitterroot Bucs were able to work themselves out of some jams and come away with a doubleheader sweep in the finale two games of the regular season for the Mariners last Sunday.
In the first game, Mission Valley left 10 baserunners on base and despite an RBI double by Justin Evertz in the top of the seventh, the Mariners fell short of their comeback bid and fell 5-1.
After that double, the bases were loaded for the M’s but the Bucs were able to record the final out for the win.
Mission Valley pitcher Josh Rustad pitched the entire game and struck out five, however five errors during the game hurt the M’s.
Bitterroot scored two runs in the bottom of the third but Mission Valley answered back by loading the bases in the top of the fifth. Evertz walked in that frame to juice the bases but the Bucs were able to get a two-out fly out for salvation.
Bitterroot added another run in the bottom of the sixth to give themselves the 5-0 lead heading into the potential final frame.
The Mariners weren’t done quite yet. Jack Humphreys singled and then Austin Von Tom moved him over to second. Evertz drove him home and then Chris Clary singled to keep the line moving.
Robbie Gauthier was hit by a pitch, which prompted a change by the Bucs in pitchers. That pitched changed resulted in a fielder’s choice and then win for the Bitterroot.
In the second game, Jacob Young got the Mariners on the board first with a single to bring home Jack Humphreys in the top of the first.
After Bitterroot tied it up, both teams went scoreless in the second and then in the top of the third, Young came through in a big way again.
He doubled with the bases loaded to plate Josh Rustad and Justin Evertz. A batter later, Kevin Hagedorn singled to bring Robbie Gauthier home and the Mariners led 4-1.
Bitterroot answered back with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth and an RBI-single to tie the game. And that’s how things would say until the top of the seventh.
Gauthier doubled to bring home Chris Clary and give the Mariners the 5-4 lead but the Bucs were able to tie it up again in the bottom of the frame.
Both teams would go scoreless through two more innings and thankfully, the M’s had Austin Von Tom on the mound. He proved to be the marathon man, pitching up until the 10th inning while the Bucs went through three pitchers.
He was able to scatter hits and keep Bitterroot’s hits from doing critical damage during the game.
The battle went on until the bottom of the tenth when the Bucs were able to draw a walk with the bases loaded for the 6-5 win.
Again, the Mariners were just a key hit or two from victory as they left nine baserunners on base. As a team the M’s had eight hits, including three extra-base knocks.
Young was the start for the M’s, going 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
Bucs 5, M's 1
Mission Valley - 000 - 000 - 1 -
1
Bitterroot - 002 - 021 - x -
5
MV - 5 hits, 5 errors. Bitterroot - 7 hits, 2 errors.
Mariners bating - Jack Humphreys 1-3, Austin Von Tom 1-4, Justin Evertz 2-2, Chris Clary 1-4, Robbie Gauthier 0-1, Jacob Young 0-4, Cole McArthur 0-1, Kevin Hagedorn 0-2, Dalton Molzhon 0-2, Thomas Wallace 0-1.
Doubles - Evertz. RBIs - Evertz.
M Pitching - Josh Rustad (7 IP)
Bucs 6, M's 5
Mission Valley - 103 - 000 - 100 - 0 -
5
Bitterroot - 100 - 300 - 100 - 1 -
6
Mission Valley - 8 hits, 2 errors. Bitterroot - 15 hits, 0 errors.
Mariners batting - Jack Humphreys 2-4, Josh Rustad 0-4, Justin Evertz 1-4, Chris Clary 1-3, Robbie Gauthier 1-4, Jacob Young 2-5, Cole McArthur 0-4, Kevin Hagedorn 1-5, Dalton Molzhon 0-5.
Doubles - Evertz, Gauthier, Young. RBIs - Young 3, Gauthier, Hagedorn.
M Pitching - Austin Von Tom (9 IP), Bradley Pichler (1 IP)
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