Legion State Game 12: Mission Valley 11, Libby 3

Mission Valley knocked off the Western District Champion Libby Loggers 11-3 behind a stellar pitching performance by Josh Rustad, who was running on just two days rest.

Rustad went the complete game and struck out 13, holding the hard-hitting Loggers to just six hits.

The Mariners jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings, but Libby scored three in the top of the sixth and looked to be coming back. Mission Valley answered in the bottom of the frame, however, with Kevin Hagedorn hitting a two-run homer. Hagedorn added to the lead again in the bottom of the seventh with a single that plated two runs and made it 8-3.

Hagedorn finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mission Valley got an RBI by Robbie Gauthier and a double by Austin Von Tom that scored two to make it 11-3. The Mariners had seven doubles in the game against Libby.

Micha Germany went 1-for-4 for the Loggers with a double and an RBI.

Mission Valley will play the winner of the Laurel-Great Falls game tomorrow at noon.

Libby - 000 - 003 - 000 - 3
Mission Valley - 022 - 002 - 23x - 11

Libby - 6 hits and 1 error. Mission Valley 13 hits and 1 error.

Mariners hitting - Jack Humphreys 1-3, Justin Evertz 0-4, Chris Clary 3-4, Robbie Gauthier 1-5, Derrick Rathe 2-4, Austin Von Tom 2-4, Kevin Hagedorn 2-3, Dalton Molzhon 1-4, Jake Young 1-4.

Doubles - Clary 2, Gauthier, Rathe 2, Von Tom 2. Home Runs - Hagedorn. RBIs - Gauthier 2, Rathe, Von Tom 2, Hagdorn 4, Young 2.

Mariners pitching (Jack Humphreys catching): Josh Rustad (9 IP, 13K)

Libby hitting - Justin Wicka 0-4, Jared Winslow 1-3, Chris Herbig 3-4, Alex Cislo 0-4, Micha Germany 1-4, Alex Bluhm 0-4, Justyn Mack 1-2, Andrew Haggerty 0-3, Will Reichel 0-3, Matt Willis 0-1, Luke Haggerty 0-1, Gunner Bradeen 0-1.

Doubles - Germany. RBIs - Germany, Bluhm, Mack.

Libby pitching (Micha Germany catching): Jared Winslow (5 IP, 3K), Justyn Mack (1 2/3 IP, 2K), Alex Bluhm (1 1/3 IP, 1K).