After being held idle for almost three weeks by a stretch of bad weather of nearly Biblical proportions, the Mission Valley Mariners B Team made their long-anticipated return to the diamond this week. However, in order to make up for that lost time, the squad went from inactive to hyperactive overnight, cramming eight games and a scrimmage into a grueling seven-day stretch.

After being held idle for almost three weeks by a stretch of bad weather of nearly Biblical proportions, the Mission Valley Mariners B Team made their long-anticipated return to the diamond this week. However, in order to make up for that lost time, the squad went from inactive to hyperactive overnight, cramming eight games and a scrimmage into a grueling seven-day stretch.

As one might expect with such a dramatic change to the rhythm of the schedule, the team “did look a little rusty” this past week, according to coach Chris Brown.

“The things that really hurt us were mental mistakes that come from having a lot of time off,” said Brown.

The week’s action was highlighted by five games in the Deer Lodge Tournament, spanning Thursday through Sunday.  Although the Mariners dropped four of those five contests, their sole victory happened in convincing fashion.

After setbacks on Thursday and Friday, in Saturday’s opening game, the Mariners faced off against the Butte Miners. Imitating the namesake of their opponents, the Mariners struck gold and rediscovered their stride in an 8-0 shutout that ended via the tournament’s eight-run mercy rule.

“That was the best game we’ve played in a while,” said Brown of the team’s performance.

Behind a dominant pitching performance from Chris Drebes (who needed only about sixty pitches to complete five scoreless innings), the Mariners leapt to an early 7-0 lead and spent the rest of the game looking to land the knockout punch.

Before leading off in what would prove to be the mercy-enacting final inning, David Cleveland asked Brown whether he should lay down a bunt. With a comfortable lead, Brown chose to have him swing away instead.

Good decision, coach.

Cleveland drove the first pitch he saw over the fence for a memorable game-winning home run. It was Cleveland’s first long-ball of the year.

In the nightcap later that afternoon, the club was in position to notch another win before a disastrous inning late in the game derailed their hope for a doubleheader sweep. Clinging to an 8-6 advantage entering the sixth inning, defensive miscues compounded mistakes made by a tired pitching staff, helping the host Deer Lodge Wranglers to an 11-run outburst and a 17-8 victory.

Much the way that salmon return to their native waters to spawn, things fittingly came full circle when the team concluded the tournament against the Salmon Savages- whom they had faced on the road in a doubleheader split to start their frantic week. The Mariners dropped the tournament finale, 11-3.

For Brown and his beleaguered crew of Mariners, there will be “no rest for the wicked” as another jam-packed week of hardball is on deck. Starting on Wednesday the team will compete in the ten-team Firecracker Tournament, held on their home soil at Polson’s O’Malley Park. The tournament will feature teams from throughout Western Montana as well as a club from Walla Walla, Wash.