FLORENCE - The Mariners A team bounced back from a 13-5 loss to

the defending Class AA state champion Missoula Mavericks last

Wednesday, May 18, to pick up a 12-2 win in their conference opener

against the Bitterroot Bucs last Saturday.

FLORENCE - The Mariners A team bounced back from a 13-5 loss to the defending Class AA state champion Missoula Mavericks last Wednesday, May 18, to pick up a 12-2 win in their conference opener against the Bitterroot Bucs last Saturday.

The Mavs and the Mariners matched up for the second time this season, and Mission Valley's bats certainly didn't shy away from a challenge.

Chris Clary and Justin Evertz both had home runs as the team collected nine total hits, the same as the Mavs. The Mariners gained the early 4-2 advantage through three innings behind Clary's early two-run shot before Missoula blew up for six runs for the 8-4 lead as the M's committed two errors.

Mission Valley would answer back with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Mavs poured it on with four runs in the bottom of the frame. They would hold on for the 13-5 victory.

Along with the slugging Clary and Evertz, Kevin Hagadorn and Dalton Mohlzon also picked up RBIs for the M's and leadoff hitter Jack Humphreys did his job by going 2-for-3.

The extra-base hits kept coming in the conference opening game against the Bucs, and Josh Rustad smacked a homer for the M's and finished the game 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

He wasn't the only one, as the team had 18 total hits. Mission Valley again got the early advantage, and this time they didn't relinquish it. The Mariners were up 5-0 as Kellen Hoyt gobbled up innings on the mound and it wasn't until the bottom of the sixth until Bitterroot got on the board with two runs en route to the 12-2 win.

Rustad finished up the game for the Mariners, pitching three innings while his own team piled on five runs in the top of the seventh.

Derrick Rathe was 3-for-5 with three RBIS and Cole McArthur was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The Mariners improved their record to 6-7.

MISS. 13, MVM A 5

Mar - 211 - 100 - 0 - 5

Mav - 206 - 410 - x - 13

MV - 9 hits, 3 errors. Missoula - 9 hits, 3 errors

Mariners batting - Jack Humphreys 2-3, Austin Von Tom 0-2, Justin Evertz 2-3, Chris Clary 1-3, Robbie Gauthier 1-2, Josh Rustad 0-1, Jacob Young 1-3, Cole McArthur 1-2, Austin Reynolds 0-1, Kevin Hagadorn 0-1, Dalton Mahlzon 1-3. HR - Evertz, Clary. RBIs - Evertz, Clary 2, Hagadorn, Mohlzon M Pitching - Robbie Gauthier (2 IP), Cole McArthur (1 IP), Austin Reynolds (2 IP), Derrick Rathe (1 IP)

MVM A 12, BUCS 2

Mar - 102 - 011 - 511 - 12

Bucs - 000 - 002 - 000 - 2

MV - 18 hit, 2 errors. Bitterroot - 3 hits, 5 errors

Mariners batting - Batting statistics not available. Doubles - Cole McArthur. HR - Josh Rustad. RBIs - Rustad 2, Rathe 3, McArthur 2

M Pitching - Kellen Hoyt 5 (5 IP), Josh Rustad (4 IP)