MISSOULA – Two games into the season and the Mission Valley Mariners B team has shown its the real deal. The M’s split a doubleheader with the Class A Missoula Mavericks last Saturday thanks to some proficiency at the plate.

“We played really well against the Mavericks,” manager Chris Brown said. “The experience coming back for another year definitely helps the kids out a lot.”

MISSOULA – Two games into the season and the Mission Valley Mariners B team has shown its the real deal. The M’s split a doubleheader with the Class A Missoula Mavericks last Saturday thanks to some proficiency at the plate.

“We played really well against the Mavericks,” manager Chris Brown said. “The experience coming back for another year definitely helps the kids out a lot.”

While the Mavs won the first game 5-4, the Mariners had a chance to win it at the end. Mission Valley left nothing to the imagination in the second game and won 11-6.

“We’re not an old B team, our kids are still young but there’s a couple of players that don’t even look like the same kid from last year,” Brown said. “The young kids all stepped in and did a good job this weekend.”

In the first game, Aaron Rasmussen set the tone in his first at bat with a double to left-center. He finished the game 2-for-3 and scored one run.

After Missoula had taken the early 1-0 lead, the M’s countered with two runs of their own in the top of the third. Missoula added three in the bottom of that frame and another in the bottom of the fifth to lead 5-2.

After scoring two runs in the top of the seventh, Mission Valley couldn’t quite complete the comeback but still showed a competitive spirit in a 5-4 loss.

“Anytime you can be within a couple of runs and get something going in the seventh it shows a lot about the character of the kids,” Brown said. “They put themselves in a position to win and eventually you’ll get those hits to come that bring in the winning run. It’s very good to see the kids not giving up.”

Leadoff hitter Ryan Pablo went 2-for-5 with a double and scored a run. He would finish the weekend 4-for-9.

“For his first two games in Legion, it’s very good to see him step up like that,” Brown said.

Jared Young and Chris Drebes had two hits and a double in their first game. JT Probst and Davin Sorrell also collected hits. In the second game, the M’s got out to a big lead early and never looked back against the Mavs in an 11-6 victory. The Mariners had 10 hits while their pitching held Missoula to just seven.

“It’s always nice when you jump out to an early lead,” Brown said. “You feel in control and the other team starts to feel the pressure while the pressure is off your team. It’s nice especially after how close of a lose the first game was.”

The hits were spread across the lineup for the B team, and in fact every player that went up to the plate for the Mariners this weekend got at least a hit against the Mavs. Mission Valley scored three in the first inning and five in the second inning to take an 8-2 lead.

They would score one more run in the fourth and two in the seventh for a little bit of extra insurance. Mariners’ pitching minimized the damage by Missoula and Brown was thoroughly impressed with his guys on the mound. Pablo, Ian Ricketts, JT Probst, David Cleveland, Young, and Drebes all threw pitches for the Mariners.

“I was a little nervous because we hadn’t been pitching a lot and it’s a lot different when you get into a game,” Brown said. “Our big surprise was the pitching staff. Everybody came in and threw strikes. At this level you don’t need a dominating curveball or changeup is what we try to teach the kids, you need to throw strikes and have your defense help get outs.”

YOUNG PLAYERS, BUT LOTS OF EXPERIENCE

A lot of the players taking to the field for the Mariners B team this season are already well acclimated to Legion baseball. Brown was impressed with the team’s chemistry after just the first weekend of play.

”We get kids from all over the valley but they seemed to get along really well and that’s a promising sign this early in the season,” Brown said. “To see the team chemistry in these first two games was definitely exciting to see. They’re jelling as a team.”

Brown’s been impressed with the approach that returning players Jarrod Young and Alex Killian have brought to plate.

“They’ve both looked strong in the batting cages and they’ve really improved,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to them having pretty good seasons.”

He also liked what he sees from leadoff hitter Ryan Pablo and Aaron Rasmussen, who’s started hot this season.

“I’m definitely excited for him,” Brown said. “It’s a good way to open the season.”

The newcomers too did a great job for the Mariners and should bolster the depth of the talented B team squad. With an opening-weekend win over Class A Missoula, look for the Mariners to surprise lots of squads this year.

MISSOULA 5, MV B 4

MV - 002 - 000 - 2 - 4

M - 103 - 010 - x - 5

MV - 6 hits, 4 errors. Missoula - 9 hits, 3 errors

Mariners batting - Ryan Pablo 2-5, Jared Young 2-4, Alex Killian 0-3, Davin Sorrell 1-4, Chris Drebes 2-3, David Cleveland 0-3, JT Probst 1-3, Aaron Rassmussen 2-3, Jacob Harrod 0-0, Ian Ricketts 0-3.

Doubles - Pablo, Rassmussen. Runs scored - Pablo, Probst, Rassmussen, Harrod.

M Pitching - Young (3 IP), Drebes (3 IP)

MV B 11, MISSOULA 6

MW - 350 - 100 - 2 - 11

M - 200 - 102 - 1 - 6

MV - 10 hits, 4 errors. Mission - 7 hits, 3 errors

Mariners batting - Ryan Pablo 2-4, Jardon Young 0-5, Alex Killian 1-1, Ian Ricketts 1-4, Davin Sorrell 1-4, Chris Drebes 1-3, David Cleveland 1-4, Jacob Harrod 1-3, Nyqolas Gillingham 1-2, JT Probst 1-3.

Doubles - Pablo, Runs scored - Pablo 2, Ricketts 2, Sorrell, Drebes, Cleveland 2, Harrod, Gillingham, Probst. M Pitching - Pablo (1 IP), Ricketts (2 IP), Probst (1 IP), Cleveland (2 IP)