WHITEFISH - Kyle Bagnell set a new season strikeout record, Tyler Linse and Derrick Rathe had timely RBIs and the Mission Valley Mariners are headed to the American Legion baseball A state tournament.

The Mariners downed the Bitterroot Red Sox 4-0 Saturday afternoon in the Western A District American Legion baseball tournament semifinal. That puts them into today's championship. The top two teams advance to the state tournament July 30-Aug. 3 in Three Forks.

Bagnell struck out 14 Bitterroot Red Sox batters, gave up four hits, walked two and hit one batter.

The 14 strikeouts puts Bagnell at 142 over 92 innings. The old record was 139 by Brandon Thompson.

"The kids came out to play. Kyle threw a gem of a game and the kids came through and scored the runs when they had to," said Mariner coach Jami Hanson.

"The kids did everything they were supposed to do. They came out excited. This is their opportunity to go to state," he said.

"I was just excited for the game to start," Bagnell said.

"The whole team was stoked. We sent text messages to each other to get us all pumped up before we even came to the bus. We were ready to go at 9 this morning," he said.

"We were just all pumped up and ready to go," he said.

"It was just our time," Hanson said.

"Kyle threw a great game against them last Saturday. It was the same pitching - their ace (Rodee Anderson) and our ace. Kyle threw well and so did he," the coach said.

They both threw well enough that neither team had much for baserunners in the early going.

Anderson hit the first batter he faced, but didn't allow another Mariner on base until the fourth inning.

Bitterroot had two baserunners in the second - Wes Sherman singled and Beau Nordberg got aboard on a fielder's choice.

But neither team could get anyone past first base - at least until the fifth.

Mission Valley's Cory Hardy got aboard on an error. That was followed by two walks, a passed ball and a single by Tyler Linse. Hardy scored on the passed ball. Linse's single brought home Justin Evans.

Those two runs "got us all jacked up," Bagnell said.

"I was thinking 'they're not scoring this game," he said of the Red Sox.

Bitterroot came close, though.

Catcher Austin Allen had a double in sixth and shortstop Matt Hamlin made it to third base in the eighth.

"Give (the Red Sox) credit, too. They are a quality team," Hanson said.

The Mariners added two more runs in the ninth when Justin Evertz singled and Linse walked. Both wound up scoring on passed balls.

"I'm pretty excited. We didn't make it (to state) last year. It's a relief to get back," Bagnell said.

"But we've got to get one more (win) tomorrow," he said.

Championship game time is 4 p.m.

Mission Valley 000 020 002 - 4 5 2

Bitterroot 000 000 000 - 0 4 2

Kyle Bagnell and Tim Rausch. Rodee Anderson and Austin Allen.

MISSION VALLEY MARINERS - Justin Evertz 1-2, Tyler Linse 1-4, Tim Rausch 1-4, Derrick Rathe 1-5, Kyle Bagnell 0-4, Kaileb Gillingham 0-3, Chris Alfiero 0-3, Cory Hardy 0-4, Justin Evans 1-3. RBI - Tyler Linse, Derrick Rathe

Bitterroot RED SOX - Andrew Shook 1-4, Rodee Anderson 1-4, Matt Hamlin 0-4, Austin Allen 1-4, Wes Sherman 1-3, Beau Nordberg 0-3, Mike Stanford 0-4, Tyler Tintzman 0-2, Clint Crossman 0-1, Ryan Weigle 0-3. 2B - Austin Allen, Anderson.