Bagnell throws one-hitter

POLSON - The Mission Valley Mariners received a much-needed break from the lousy weather to fit in two games on last Sunday, against the Missoula Mavericks. They took advantage of it, as they swept the Mavericks in convincing fashion and improved to 14-10 on the season.

Kyle Bagnell turned in another dominant performance on the mound for the Mariners in the first game. He pitched a complete game, striking out 12 and allowing one hit and a walk as the Mariners blasted the Mavericks 10-0.

Bagnell has already pitched a no-hitter this season and notched two no-hitters last season.

"He never lets them get settled in, he keeps them off balance all the time," Mariners head coach Jami Hanson said. "That's the key to Kyle, because with his off-speed stuff, it makes his fastball look even faster than what it is, so it's really deceiving."

After giving up a single to right field in the top of the second, Bagnell retired fifteen straight batters. The game only made it to the sixth inning because of the ten-run rule. Spearheading the offensive showcase was Tim Rausch, who had four doubles and drove in three runs.

That offense wasn't quite as evident in the early stages of the game. The Mariners had runners in scoring position in both the first and second innings but couldn't convert.

"That's something we can't do later," Hanson said. "We've got to make sure that we compete with two outs and guys in scoring position."

Luckily, the Mariners were able to remedy their offensive woes. Rausch and Justin Evertz both had RBIs in the third. In the fourth, Rausch drove in another run and Bagnell singled for an RBI of his own to make it 5-0.

Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the Mariners put their boots to the Mavericks, scoring five runs and ending the game. It started when Kaileb Gillingham was hit by a pitch. After a ground out, Tyler Linse was also hit by a pitch. Then Rausch knocked out one of his doubles to drive home Gillingham.

Derrick Rathe followed with a single that scored both Linse and Rausch. Xavier Morigqeau kept the bleeding going with a double of his own to set up Evertz at the plate. Evertz iced the game with a double to drive home two runs and give the Mariners game one of the double-header.

"I'm extremely proud of the kids," Hanson said. "They scored runs when they needed too, and I was very pleased with our pitching today."

In game two, Rathe took the mound for the Mariners. He went six innings, giving up one run and five hits while striking out five.

With storm clouds closing in and lightning in the distance, the M's were able to fend a small rally in the top of the sixth and seventh.

The Mavericks were able to score a run in each of those innings, but Josh Rustad closed the door on them in the seventh for the 6-3 win. The M's continued to find offense as they got RBIs from Justin Evans, Gillingham, Evertz and Bagnell in the game. Over the weekend, Rausch went five-for-seven.

The Mariners showed great patience at the plate, striking out just four times in two games, including just one strikeout in game one.

The A-team will play in the Big Bucks Tournament this weekend in Libby.

Weather upsets schedule

Last Monday's game for the Mission Valley Mariners B-team game was rained out, just another casualty in the long line of weather-hindered sporting events held in the area. In the past eight years, Mission Valley Mariners A-team head coach Jami Hanson estimates that five games have been rained out.

This season, however, six games have already been rained out and had to be rescheduled.

"Eventually we're going to run out of dates where we can't complete our games," Hanson said. "Now all of a sudden it's difficult to get a game in."

This June has been the wettest since 1910, and the Mariners and Babe Ruth teams in the area have felt its effects.

"The players are frustrated," Hanson said. "They don't park in their normal spots because there's so much water their cars might sink out of sight."

The Legion Field in Polson, which is situated by a hill, actually funnels water down to the backstop. Since the backstop is concrete, the water has a hard time seeping under it.

"There's no place for it to go, it just runs off the hill," Hanson said.

The team eventually hopes to get some sort of drainage system that would prevent occurrences of standing water on the infield grass.

The players and coaches have to put in hours of prep work on the field before games just to make it playable.

They use vacuums to suck up the standing water and garbage cans to haul it away.

Hanson said that the team put down 60 bags of field-drying materials only to have it completely soaked the next day.

"It's just one of those things you've got to do to get a game in," Hanson said. "The kids are getting good at it."

Due to the rain, the Mariners haven't been able to get practice in and have long layoffs between games.

"It's like you start your season, you stop your season and then you start your season," Hanson said. "It's just a matter of what you do with your time."

Hanson said the ground isn't used to the amount of moisture that it has been getting.

"I have never seen it like this," he said.

Hanson said that he was told that it rained 26 days straight in Polson when Mt. St. Helens blew in 1980.

"It's tough to play baseball in wet conditions," he said.

A wet baseball field can spell disaster for a player. A slip can lead to a torn shoulder, elbow or knee.

"It's not worth it and it's tearing up the field," Hanson said.

The rain also accumulates more costs with field maintenance, materials and ruined baseballs.

Since the balls have leather coverings, they're less than water friendly.

"The leather soaks the water up and you're done with it," Hanson said.

With boxes of balls costing around $55 to $60, it can add up quickly.

During their sweep of the Missoula Mavericks last Sunday, the Mariners were barely able to get the double-header in before thunderclouds rolled in with rain and lightning. It was par for the course so far this wet and rainy spring.

Hanson said that in the month of June, Polson has already gotten four inches of rain.

"Typically we don't take four to five inches for the entire year," Hanson said. "Now we're taking this in three weeks."

The Mariners will try to squeeze in some make-up games this week for both the A and B teams. Weather permitting, of course.